Saturday, April 21, 2018

A21- “Baggins!”

[Rowlie/Denny and Dolomite/Rob are absent]

As we snuck around the 2-headed lumbering large orc, their hunched-over arm swaying indicated their feeble mindedness. Experimental outcasts. We continue trekking east-northeast before our shadows stretch beyond our sight. Camp and nightwatch without fire. Fortunate that only Rambler on 1st watch sees the flock of crebain fly across the moon from our back. Ill omen? Or is Brackrog’s watch sighting more foretelling – the high-pitched scream of a long-necked beast flying south on its long wingspan?


Morning cold breakfast before our travels transition from tall grass plains to barren rolling hills. The mountains finally on the horizon suggesting a noon arrival at Mount Gram. Weapons checked and patient scan for glint of metal or indications of lookouts.

Last minute notice of a shoddy fence around a smelling feces packed pen backed up before a rock-wall cave. Watch dogs? More like warg pens. Care to check the wind to make certain we are downwind. A well-worn footpath leads to caves dotting the face of Mount Gram. Banners with the symbol of a raised hand holding a ring flutter in the breeze. Movement! Vikings we’d fought in the caves behind Mountain Hill! The hillmen of Gundabad.

Saturday, April 7, 2018

A20: “See to the East”

It’s already late evening when we exit The Huntress’ caves; so, we make camp within the valley. Campfire to compare of notes and decisions of our next actions once we return to Weathertop. Morning sun cresting over the eastern rise bring glint of carved stones worth investigating. An ancient Arnor outpost, “Probably more of them north along the Weather Hills as a run of watchtowers and signal fires.” Now collapsed stones and a few rusted dagger blades.
By noon we reach the foot of Amon Sul and begin the rope-aided climb to the top. Pause for lunch (3rd meal for some). “Did you scout for fresh tracks since we left?” Silence. With weapons ready we stand before the glyph and speak “Duin.”

The hand rises from the stone offering a handle…an awkward pause before Brackrog steps forward to grasp it, opening the trapdoor. The dwarf notices dark streaks (dried blood) on the backside of the door before peering into the dark below. His dwarven vision easily making out a withered orc body and its meatless fingertips (scraped to the bone in its frantic efforts to escape this tomb).