A tangled skein - adventures in western Middle-earth using the LOTR5e system

When the party ventures into the Hildebrand will stay in the back.

Perception: 16 (Game Log)

Orin:

Unfortunately, Orin could scarcely maintain his focus on any one thing even after the group made it to the other side of the dell. Though he'd later claim his alertness at the time having naught to do with fear, his jumpiness from Gwinion briefly breaking the silence to talk about some path bespoke another story! He quickly gets his wits back about him... well, most of it, before letting off a huff and asking just above a whisper, "Well? Down the path we go then?"

Perception: 7 (originally 9 before exhaustion kicked in)

@LM: I made an assumption about the animals that Scott's post made me realize was perhaps an incorrect assumption. Can we do a quick backtrack to when everyone was down under the hill: What would I roll to identify how the animals died?

Gwinion crouches at the head of the path, scanning the ground with a ranger's eye. He sees nothing of concern and is about to rise and wave the party forward when something stops him — some quiet instinct, the kind that had kept him alive in wild places. He drops back down and looks again, properly this time.

There it is. Staring up at him from the earth as plain as day.

The unmistakable print of an orc's boot.

He stares at it for a moment, jaw tight, then shakes his head slowly — more at himself than anything else.

"I almost missed it," he mutters, the admission clearly costing him. He straightens and turns to the group, his expression grim. "We are not alone on this path. Orcs have passed this way."

As the party prepares to move down the trail Gwinion stows his bow and draws his sword and shield.

He then warily leads the party down the trail.

Again, backing up a bit to inside the hill:

Unlike some of the others, Eryndis does not shrink from the carcasses. If anything, she moves toward them faster.

The smell is foul, but foulness does not frighten her. Rot, blood, opened flesh — these are things she has studied.

She kneels beside the grisly heap, her thin form folding low as she studies the remains with sharp, careful eyes. Her head tilts this way and that while she examines broken bone, leathery hide, and the lingering scraps of flesh upon the goral. Even the buzzing flies scarcely seem to register to her.

But she does not touch.

After a long moment, she says, “These were offering.” Her voice is low and certain. She points toward the goral’s throat. “Cut to bleed,” she says bluntly. “Not clawed. Not torn.”

Rising slowly to her feet, she looks toward Gwinion. “Someone kill proper. Leave here proper.”

Then her eyes return to the remains. She studies the still-clinging flesh and makes a thoughtful humming sound in her throat. “Not old-old,” she murmurs. “Less than three moons, I think.”

Her gaze drifts across the rest of the chamber — the blackened bones, the shattered remains, the signs of deliberate ruin — and something uneasy creeps back across her expression.

At last she steps away from the offering pile, and her fingers find her braid once more.

And again her eyes begin searching the chamber’s shadows, unable to shake the feeling that something unseen watches them still.

Back atop the hill, once the faint trail reveals itself to their eyes, Eryndis wastes little time. The oppressive feeling hanging over the standing stones has settled deep beneath her skin, and every instinct urges movement. Away. Forward. Anywhere but here.

So when Gwinion starts toward the path, the marsh-woman immediately moves to follow close behind him, clutching her cloak tightly about herself as she walks. But before she can fall into step at the Ranger’s shoulder, Aethelbrim smoothly moves ahead of her.

Eryndis stops short. For a heartbeat she simply stares up at the taller woman, surprised by the interruption. Her joined brow lifts faintly, and her fingers tighten reflexively upon her braid. Then her eyes flick from Aethelbrim to Gwinion ahead. No protest comes.

Among her people, order upon dangerous ground is practical, not prideful. The strongest shield stands nearest danger. The sharpest eyes lead. It is simple.

So after only the briefest pause, Eryndis quietly accepts the change and falls into place behind the knight instead. Third in line.

At Gwinion's mention of orcs, however, the leech sucks in a cold breath. She immediately begins scanning the area for signs of danger as well as places to hide. She is no warrior, and so she will need to find cover if one of the beasts shows itself.

Day 10 – Battle of the Rocks 

While the fog has lifted somewhat the sun is still heavily obscured. The party sets off down the path but given the warnings from Eryndis’ warning that the animal had only been slaughtered in the last couple of days and from Gwinion that Orcs had passed the way recently, they are on their guard. Gwinion and Aethelbrim are in the lead and where possible Eryndis and Hildebrand, leading Saddleback and Constance respectively, are in the middle with Orin bringing up the rear. Occasionally the path narrows and they have to travel in single file; in which case Gwinion leads, followed by Aethelbrim, Eryndis (and Constance), Hildebrand (and Saddleback) and Orin bringing up the rear. About a mile down the track, the path threads it way through a series of rocks which force the party into travelling single file. As it is a perfect place for an ambush, Gwinion is particularly on his guard. He is still however a bit surprised when as he exits the rocks, an Orc (Hakmogg) dressed in a mail shirt and armed with a spear and shield leaps out the bushes of the bushes on the right-hand side of the path thrusting his spear towards Gwinion. Simultaneously, a large wolf (Varg), jaws slavering, leaps from the left side of the path towards Gwinion. Two Goblins (Snagash and Zarak), dressed in leather and armed with bows, appear on top of the rocks and nocking arrows start to draw their bows. 

Combat order:

Hakmogg (Orc hunter), Eryndis, Varg (Wild wolf), Hildebrand, Orin, Snagash (Goblin archer), Aethelbrim, Zarak (Goblin archer) Gwinion

Combat actions:

1) Hakmogg thrusts his spear at Gwinion Attack: 23 Damage: 8 (TH 23 / To damage 8 piercing) and having caught the Dunedain a bit flat footed plunges the spear into his left leg.

2) Animal handling rolls with Advantage from Eryndis and Hildebrand to keep Constance and Saddleback calm (nb – this does not represent Eryndis and Hildebrand’s actions) 

3) In response to Hakmogg’s attack on Gwinion, Eryndis …?