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

Gwinion crouches over the tracks a moment longer before rising, speaking aloud what he and Eofar have pieced together between them.

"These lead back toward Crowned Hill." He says it grimly, with the certainty of a man who has read enough ground to trust what it tells him. "Those will be the ones that ambushed us." His jaw tightens. "Greater is my regret now that one escaped with its life." He straightens and looks off in the direction the remaining tracks lead, his gaze lingering there as though he could follow them by sight alone. "It will find the others before long, and when it does, they will know that men are on their trail."

He lets that settle for a moment before turning back to the group, taking in each face in turn.

"Eryndis speaks wisely." He nods toward her in acknowledgment. "Night is coming on, and this ground may serve us better than whatever lies ahead in the dark." He glances once more at the wounds they are all carrying, visible and otherwise. "We rest here, tend what needs tending, and we move again with the light."

He look around at the settlement. "We still have daylight to find a place that we can defend."

If the rest of the party is in agreement he will aid in finding a place to keep the horses, as well as a place they can reinforce and defend if needed before setting a watch and resting.

Aethelbrim:

"What story do the tracks tell?  I see no bodies here--are the villagers taken prisoner?" asks Aethelbrim.  "I see the wisdom in resting when injured, but my heart aches for those kidnapped and I cannot rest so early in the day when it means they may be driven closer and closer to their doom as we delay," she adds.

"My wounds are bound and I will stay towards the rear with bow and arrow at hand--do not let my injury slow our pursuit," she asks, reasoning, "And if we leave now, we may catch the last orc who attacked us before he can warn the others of our approach."

Injured but determined, Aethelbrim is ready to move on---at least that is her counsel.

Eryndis' joined brow furrows. "Captain," she says, "a wounded sparrow poses no threat to a hawk. Better it stay in the nest and guard its young, lest all be lost." Her fingers find her braid. "I too think on those taken." She lowers her eyes. "But haste does not make strong legs."

She looks first to Orin, then Gwinion, then finally back to Aethelbrim.

"Many in our company carry hurts. Some seen. Some not." She says, sounding even more sure of herself. "A night of true rest would mend more than another day of marching."

Her gaze drifts toward the abandoned settlement. "We sleep. We gather strength. Then we go."

Aethelbrim:

Though she doesn't look happy about it, Aethelbrim offers no further argument...She does, however, comb the village looking for any hidden survivors or other clues before settling down.

(Passive perception 13, passive investigation 12)

Eofor frowns as he and the ranger uncover what appears to have happened within the village.
"The shield-maiden speaks wisely, Gwinion. There are no bodies and no signs of a struggle. The villagers may have been taken captive for some foul purpose," the Rohirrim says after hearing Aethelbrim's thoughts.
"The lone orc that fled from Crowned Hill has a few hours' lead on us, but Windhild is swift. She and I could perhaps track him down before he regroups with the others."
As he speaks, Eofor helps the others search for a suitable place to spend the night.
"That said, he may not be heading directly towards them." He pauses for a moment, his expression thoughtful. "I do not like leaving him at large, but it is better that you rest while we can. Then we may set out again at first light."

Orin had followed along as needed, but otherwise stayed quiet throughout many of the exchanges between the fellowship. Because frankly, he hadn't the energy to do more than keep up the appearance of not being on the verge of collapsing at a moment's notice. That, and of course listen as well.

But while he felt for the people lost to the raiding party, and it shone in the solemn once over he gave the village from time to time, Orin was a practical dwarf by the end of the day. So, when Ernydis pushed for resting for the night, Orin lent his own unspoken support by quietly putting a hand as closer to Aethelbrim's shoulder and gesturing with his head over to Eryndis as if to say 'She has a point', prior to the good captain's departure to comb the village one more time.

"Shall I check if the center longhouse is empty?" Asks Hildebrand.

"We will go together, search the village and find a place suitable that we can both keep the horses safe and rest." Gwinion says.

When the company finally agrees to rest, Eryndis feels a brief surge of relief. Aethelbrim will sleep. Orin will sleep. Even Gwinion might recover some of the strength the road has stolen from him.

It is the right choice.

Isn't it?

The certainty fades almost as quickly as it came. As the others settle into their tasks, Eryndis finds herself standing alone with Saddleback's reins in hand, staring northward.

What if the orc escapes? What if the people taken from the village have only hours left? What if she has persuaded everyone to wait when haste was needed?

Her fingers tighten around her braid.

Back in Sûl-gan, she would have sought Thu-Gun's counsel. The old leech would have listened quietly, perhaps for a long while, before speaking. Eryndis can almost hear her voice. "You carry tomorrow's hurt before it arrives." The memory comforts her only a little.

She looks toward the camp. What would Thu-Gun say now? Would she have told them to rest? Or would she already be following the orc's trail?

As Gwinion and the rest of the fellowship begin to explore the village, the Rohirrim remains mounted on Windhild, his spear at the ready as he watches over their flanks. The orcs may be gone, but with the servants of the Shadow one can never be too certain, he thinks.
When they reach the longhouse, Eofor dismounts and takes his spear firmly in hand. "Allow me to enter first. I am the only one among us who is not wounded."

Day 10 – Exploring the village of Cran

Point of clarification – the path that the party followed down from the Crowned Hill joined up with the other path that the orcs, goblins, et al had approached and left the village.

1) The party enters the village and makes their way clockwise around the palisade. As they explore they see that many of the smaller huts are in ruins, but the damage is not recent – suggesting that the population of the village may at some time in the not too far distant past have been larger than the tracks at the gate would suggest is the current population. Of the three long houses, the one furthest from the gate is completely ruined, while the other two are run down but habitable. At the entrance to the one closest to gate are two carved poles depicting creatures that Gwinion recognises as Losrandir (reindeer). The other has similar carvings but Gwinion recognises these as Caru (elk).

2) Having explored the village, the party decides to explore the circular building in more detail. At the entrance to the building, the party can see two posts supporting a crossbeam. On the lefthand post are depictions of Losrandir, while on the righthand post are depictions of Caru. On the crossbeam are depictions of humans herding and hunting animals such as losrandir, caru, a creature that Gwinion recognises as Goral (a type of bighorn sheep), bears, wolves, big cats and raiding other villages driving away their herds, etc.; interestingly while the carvings show raids , they do not depict destruction of the villages.

3) Eofor leads the party inside the building. In the centre of the building is a large firepit and at the far end is a dais on which a large chair sits on its side. On the walls of the building are old and faded tapestries depicting similar scenes to those on the posts at the building’s entrance. As  the party look around inside the building Eryndis, Gwinion and Hildebrand notice something moving in the rafters. Despite the gloom they can see that there are at least 5 small human shapes!