Borathor looked too fat to move his own bulk but his reputation begged to differ. Anyone who had faced the huge 6'8" Numenorean in combat knew the Lord of the Seaward Tower only had a thin layer of fat over immense muscles. He had been likened to the huge wrestlers of the East. Indeed one of his favourite tactics was to grab an opponent and squeeze him to death. This was one of the six Tower Lords that no one dared earn the enmity of.

He was studying a group of mixed races standing in front of him with his emotionless black eyes while tearing at a piece of rare beef.

Behind him, lined up against the stone walls of the large semicircular Grand Hall were plate-clad warriors, chief amongst them was his renowned 6'7" captain, Faltur. They stood looking at the men in front of them with barely concealed contempt.

A sea breeze wafted in from the barred second floor window that overlooked the moonlit bay of Umbar. The faint smell of seaweed and salt seemed to pull him from his thoughts making him frown. Wiping his hands and double chin clean of the bloody juice, he threw the gold trimmed napkin onto his half-eaten meat with a sigh. Borathor smoothed back his jet-black hair that was pulled in a queue and rose to his feet with a grunt.

As he ambled over to the offending window, gem encrusted golden wine goblet in hand, servants, waiting behind thick tapestries depicting past glories of Numenor, scurried out to clear his plate away. By the time he was looking out across the bay they had finished and were secreted away again.

Looking past him it appeared he was surveying the recently gathered war fleet of Umbar. It was going to be a massive raid this time. No one had said so officially but exit from the city had been closed to everyone, the use of courier birds banned and Corsairs had streamed in all day. Ships had been taken out of dry dock in record times. Such expediency bode ill for the Faithful Dunedain.

Picking at his teeth he turned around, "You know, I don't like anyone who is not a warrior." He regarded some of the men in front of him with a withering look and seemed to enjoy any discomfort shown, his bodyguards sneering in agreement.

His twisted smile fell away as if he'd just stood in camel dung, "But," he spat out some remnant of his meal, "There are certain skills you possess that my men do not."

Judging by the angry looks his bodyguards threw the assembled men's way they did not like this last statement at all. "If I want a ship boarded, a battle won or a town burned then they will do that and do it well!" The bodyguards seemed much happier with this one.

"But," again he spat, "I don't need a company of stalwart men. I need men used to skulking or hitting hard and then melting away. I need men who can remain uncaught and cause our faithful cousins trouble."

He clapped his hands twice as he walked back towards the dark mahogany banquet table. Two servants carrying a chest between them manoeuvred it onto the table and let it down with a thud. Borathor winced then examined his table. The servants shrank away as he called out, "Have the oafs flogged and their wounds rubbed with salt!" He opened the chest revealing a wealth of gold coins, at the very least a thousand. "I need men who desire the gratitude of Umbar and have shown themselves to be able to get a job done or have the backing of someone who guarantees they will." He reached in and took a handful of coins, letting them trickle through his fingers and clink on the coins below. "I need men such as you." He closed the lid with a snap. "This chest of coins will be split evenly between the survivors and you will earn my appreciation, which of course is worth more!" He laughed loudly at his own joke, some of the bodyguards joining in half-heartedly.

"You will go to Pelargir and raise merry hell. You will stir up a hummerhorn's nest. Burn their docked ships, sink obstructions in the harbour, do whatever you feel is necessary to make them think we are going to be raiding there and are attempting to soften them up. Of course we aren't, not this time at least, but my spies will judge how well you do." He sat back down upon his chair and clapped twice. Two different servants jogged out and, lifting the chest gently off the undamaged table as if their lives depended on it, bore it away.

"You do this well and there will be more for you to do. Faltur will give you the finer details. Now, leave me." The bodyguards ushered the assembled men out.

Faltur had then told them to be at the stables of the Drunken Goose before dawn. He told them to travel light. The Tower door closed behind them as they emerged into the late evening.

The next morning the sun not yet visible but the sky was getting lighter. The run down stables of the Drunken Goose were deserted except for a group of men from different cultures...

A tall well built but fined featured elf, dressed in rich clothes, ill suited for travelling let alone mayhem, scraped horseshit of his left boot with disdain before breaking the silence of the morn.

"Well I do wish we could have met in more salubrious surroundings than this odious stable. I mean a tavern or nice hotel would have been more to our liking but I am guessing that secrecy not comfort was the reason for this choice!"

He scraped shit of his other boot before looking around, "I am Rolande Half-Elven, Chief man servant to Borathor, who I believe you may have heard of. For those of you who haven't he is one of the Tower Lords. I believe I was chosen for this, uh mission because of my special talents, I was wondering why the rest of you had been chosen. Why not announce your names and any special talents you bring to this endeavour?"

Dainar glanced up from the examination of his horses' shoes and recognized the Half-Elf man servant of Borathor. Having spent the last six months in Borathors' service, Dainar had a good idea of who served under him and their functions.

"You look ill-suited for this particular journey Rolande." he told the half-elf in his deep sombre voice. "Do you not have any clothes better suited for travel?" he asked him.

Dainar absently patted his mounts dark brown nose as it nudged him gently. "I am Dainar Corzan, lancer in the Blood Wolf light-cavalry division."

Dainar was tall, broad shouldered and handsome, looking every inch the Corsair warrior. His black hair was held back into a pony tail with a worn leather strip. Whilst his face was angular with a good strong clean-shaven chin and a hawk-like nose. His pale blue piercing eyes gave away the cold intelligence behind them.

Dainar was usually found wearing well-worn, but serviceable, rigid leather armour which did little to conceal the muscles beneath. A fine crafted broadsword sat in a scabbard upon his belt and a well oiled composite bow sat upon his back. He carried a simple looking spear and rounded shield. A number of lances could be found stored upon his small warhorse.

Dry hoarse laughter could be heard emanating out of a deep dust stained hood. A pair of bright red eyes looked out fearlessly at Dainar. Using not quite perfect Westron, his accent betraying his heritage as Variag, he spoke in a dry tone, "Travelling light are we rider? Or is that beast the trial rations?" The cloaked man held up a hand in placation to the Corsair before throwing back his hood to reveal a pattern scarred dark grey face heavily pock marked and adorned in gold trinkets through the nose, ears and what ever flap of skin he had found. Although not hideous looking it was the kind of face only a mother could call handsome. "I am Chiko of the Foju clan, in service of Borathor in his field hospitals. My job is to patch you up and," He pulled from his flowing cloak a large falchion and ran a fingertip along the edge of the blade, "do the opposite to my enemies."

He put the blade back into his cloak, pulled back up his hood and waited.

"I am Tang Zong!" called out a voice in a thick accent. The speaker stepped forward: he was a short, wiry Easterling with a shaved head and drab, loose-fitting clothing. To all appearances, he could have been one of the many starving street people that inhabited the darker corners of the city. "I beat ten of Faltur's men with my bare hands." Here he held up his hands and narrowed his eyes. "They still don't know how!" After an uncomfortable pause, suddenly his temper flared: "Who else can do that?!"
He turned and glared at a few members of the group who had not yet spoken, then continued: "Instead of killing me, now they pay me to get myself killed someplace else. Bah! One hundred coins for that?! Hah!" He turned and spat on the ground. "It's not for a mere hundred pieces of gold that I go to Pelargir, you can bet on that! But to 'raise merry hell' and to be paid for it? This is a dream job!" The small man snorted.

Rolande watched with much amusement or seemingly so, as his dark-brown eyes sparkled with the emotion and his upper lip curled up somewhat sardonically. He turned to the Corsair warrior, "It is good to see you again Dainar. of course I knew who you were and your reputation as a warrior precedes you."

He bows low to the Cavalry man, then added, "I am dressed to travel, do you not find my clothes suitable?"

Dainar acknowledged Rolande's bow with a nod of his head. "I merely perform my Lord's duties to the best of my abilities."

"As always your clothes look better suited for court rather than travelling." he told Rolande with a light smile upon his lips.

He turned to the two other men who had spoken, "It is good to meet you both. Tang Zong and Chiku."

He bowed to both men, not as low as before. "I spent some time in the far east and met many of your country men. Excellent warriors and cold blooded killers. Both excellent attributes to have on such a mission as we have."

Chiko took the praise in his stride, "Chiku? I am Chiko, elf breed! Besides what is an elf, an alive one at that, doing in the city of the elf haters? Must have some friends in high places to be still drawing air!" He laughed hoarsely again.

Rolande bowed low, "I am sorry Master Chiku for mispronouncing your illustrious name, I will ensure that I do not make that mistake again."

He then smiled as he remembered the rest of Chiku's speech, "Well not so much friends in high places Master Chiku but a survival streak a mile wide and an ability to lick boot like no other!" and he laughed loudly, seemingly lost in his amusing (at least to him) anecdote. Although those closely watching him noticed his eyes were not smiling but were deep brown/black coals of ice.

The Variag stiffened at the mispronunciation of his name again. His red eyes narrowed as he growled, "You needlessly gain an enemy today elf breed." He slipped his sword hand inside his stained cloak, his bright eyes twinkling with malice.

Rolande whirled around at the Variag's words, he smiled, "Master Variag, as you know Westron is the common tongue and cannot possibly make sense of such an illustrious name as yours. I am sorry I have mispronounced your name but I do not think its worth bloodshed to seek redress. But if you do then after you've killed me you will die at the hands of the Lords of Umbar, for we are all in their employ and thus answer to them for our failures! From now on I shall refer to you as Master Variag in order to not offer insult!"

Rolande turned to look at the rest of the gathered party, "What about the rest of you? Orc got your tongues?" and he laughed at his joke, "Well I thought it was funny!"

At that a tall young man in a hooded robe moved forward from the wall where he had been leaning. His straight black hair hung well below the hood, but was held tight by an ornate silver band.

He spoke in the rich dialect of the tower lords: "As always Rolande your barracks humor proceeds you".

"Dainar as always a pleasure".

“For those that do not know me I am Pharazor, an archer".

At that he reached up and back with his hand and lightly touched the tip of the composite bow he wore on his back. Doing so revealed a finely worked leather grieve on his wrist. With that his hand returned to his belt where it rested on the strap of his war club hanging from his belt.

Rolande nodded in the direction of the newest member to announce himself, "You know Pharazor my barracks room humor is well liked." He looked at his companions, "at least by me!" and he grinned. "It's good to have you with us Pharazor, I am sure your bow and club will see a lot of use in our service!"

"Pharazor, it is good to have you travel with us." Dainar replied simply.

The scruffy looking character against the wall suddenly spoke out. "I'm known as Gilden the Great, or not so great as it has been said, your pick! I'm known for my ability to 'acquire' objects of value, and of no value, as it were. So, feel assured, if you please, that my meagre blade is at your side". With that, he brushed his short cut black hair out of his eyes, and went back to what he was doing....absolutely nothing.

A hooded figure, who remained silent and cross-armed during all the banter, stepped in and said in a low voice, "Men, as always, trying to boast and impress! Never see further than the end of their nose..."

The person who had just talked put her hood down and a dark olive face was revealed, with very dark eyes. Tatoos under her eyes and on her cheeks accentuated the depth of her eyes. She wore her long black hair in a braid, concealed in her hood and cloak. She wore dark blue wide trousers, attached at the ankles and a matching tunic. Her weapons were hidden in her back, underneath her cloak. She was quite tall for a woman and her muscled arms betrayed her Haradrim Barbarian origin.

"My name is SooYuon, and don't you think that a woman won't be fit for what is to come. Please to meet you all!" A faint smile appeared on her face.

"We have met SooYuon, I guess I was not as memorable as I am now and as for men being noisy, I think women can equally be so! But in your case I will not make such a generalisation. Glad to have you with us SooYuon!" and he bows low in the courtly manner.

A gargled cough suddenly emanated from the depths of a dirty pile of straw by the door, followed by a wheeze like a faulty bellows that dribbled slowly into silence. Then the pile began to move, unfolding outwards in faltering pauses to reveal a ragged blanket enfolding a rather pale and emaciated body that stuck out its lanky legs and scratched its knee with a rag bound hand. After another pause as the next hacking cough slowly subsided, the body fully sat up and peered out of a lined and pockmarked face into the pre-dawn gloom.

“If you lot have finally finished verbally blustering like peacocks on heat, I might be able to get back to sleep. Sweaty horses don’t make the best of bed companions you know!”

The skinny apparition in front of them all pulled ineffectually at a strand of straw that hung over his brow, scowled generally, and lay back down, tucking in his legs once more and drawing his cloak close. In moments he was snoring.

"I think sir you should announce yourself and get ready to leave, uh rather than sleeping!" replied Rolande. he turned to Dinair, "and you were worried about my attire! At least I don't smell like the stable we're standing in!"

As the sun's fiery edge emerged, one of the stable stall doors opened up with a tortured creak. A grimy weathered old face poked itself out and squinted at the group of mercenaries. An insincere black toothed smile spread across the mesh of wrinkles underneath a dirty turban. "Follow friends! Quickly now, tide to catch! Come, come-" The smile turned to a scowl, "Al Zateel! What is horse doing here? You will have to leave here! You travel by boat." The scowl was replaced by a calculating look, "I give you special price! I take skinny old horse from you, yes, yes, friend, special friend price!" He rubbed his hands together but caught Dainar's expression and shrugged, "Hah, me make joking! You laugh, yes! Come, come! Friend take care of beast until Corsair return, yes, yes, come, come!" Dainar grabbed him none to gently and informed the old Haradrim what would happen if the horse wasn't there when he got back to Umbar. Swallowing hard the man of the desert couldn't help but shield his own groinal area, "Yes, yes, Corsair!" He cleared his throat, "Horse will be safe, Bazera still want to be whole man! Yes, yes, come, come!"

Inside the dingy dung smelling stall was an open wooden trapdoor in the mouldy straw strewn floor. "Come, come, quickly, tide only waits for elves! Yes, yes, come, come!" Bazera lowered himself into the hole, a few seconds later his head popped up, "come, come!" The other men followed him into the hole, pausing a little ways in to pick up some torches from a pile and light off the lit torch the old man was now carrying.

The tunnel went on a hundred feet before ending in a large metal grill which Bazera levered open to let the men squeeze through into the city sewer system. The stables had been a fragrant garden compared to the stench in here. "Keep to sides friends! Come, come, yes, yes!" The old man set a surprisingly fast pace as he led them along the mazey route.

Within an hour the sound of the sea signalled the end of the underground journey, the group emerging down on the rocky shore north of the harbour and glad of the fresh air. Bazera pointed to four sailors beside a couple of row boats pulled up onto the rocks then further out to an anchored 100' long Gondorian merchant. "May Shal Dah wash your feet friends! Yes, yes!" He glanced at their muck encrusted feet, chuckled then turned about, entering the tunnel again.

The sailors, dressed more like the sailors of Belfalas than men of Umbar, raised their eyebrows at the approaching men but said nothing other than ushering them into the boats once they had put them back into the sea. The two small boats rowed out to the larger single sailed vessel quickly so that everyone was soon aboard the bobbing ship named Annatar. Hands on hips, a tall richly dressed middle aged man of mixed heritage motioned them over. As they got nearer he took a closer look and shook his head raising his eyes to the sky as if to ask, "Why me?" Wordlessly he beckoned them follow him to a small cabin that smelled of old spice. Once the door was closed he broke his silence, "By Eru's hairy bollocks! You lot do know you're going to Pelargir right?" He shook his head again. "You know, the place where they don't like us much? For shark's sake!" He scratched his head and grimaced. "Ancalon!" The door burst open almost immediately so that a fat bald headed man armed with a meat cleaver was able to waddle through. "Cap?" He asked in a gruff voice.

"Mate, get these lot squared away and respectable, if you catch my tide."

"Aye Cap!" He turned and squeezed out the door, calling over his shoulder, "Follow me then!"

The group followed Ancalon out onto the deck to behind the cabin where he opened a large rusty chest full of clothes. "These are the ones without too much blood or slashes on them, the good ones will be from the drowned bodies."

Dainar rummaged through the clothes in the chest with little enthusiasm. He poked around for a little while until he found a richly coloured deep blue tunic. He held it up so that he might examine it further and said to anyone else also looking through the chest.

"I am about the same size and build as a Dunedain warrior, I am also equipped in a similar manner, perhaps if I merely wear my helmet I will pass as a simple Soldier? Or are we supposed to pose as civilians?"

Gilden moved to the trunk and took a gander inside. "I wonder if there's anything left in the pockets?", he was heard to murmur as he found something suitable to his likings.

Looking down into the chest, Kheldar nodded. He pulled out anything that was dark, and ratty looking. It didn't matter if there were cuts from knives or not, as long as they fit was all that mattered. Stuffing his hood and other clothing into his bag, Kheldar started stuffing weapons into various places.
A dagger went into his right boot, while two others were hidden away in the back, tucked between a belt and the waist of the pants he had found. A
fourth was fastened to his left forearm, while a final weapon (triple-bladed), was clipped to a ring on his belt.

Rolande disdainfully picked through the clothing and then stood after wrinkling his nose, "I think I have better clothes to wear than these!" He moved into the corner and carefully opened his backpack. He pulled out some neatly folded clothes and quickly and unashamedly disrobed putting on the clothes he found there. Very soon he was dressed in travelling clothes, of fine elvish make. He turned and looked at the others, "Well after all, as some of you have already pointed out, I am an elf! And these better suit me that some dead-mans clothing! I will be an Elvish passenger making his way to Pelagir!"

Soo Yuong leant on the rail until the men had thoroughly gone through the chest of clothing. She smirked behind her hand as various items were lifted
and matched for size, colour and general shabbiness.
At last, she moved over when the others had finished and prodded about amongst the rags and boots until she found something colourful and slightly less smelly that could hide her olive skin. Wrinkling her nose, she summoned a sailor and enquired as to the possibility of a bucket of water and a bar of soap.

He shook his head, “Not used to carrying passengers on this boat lady. We normally have a dip in the sea when we moor. Have a word with the Cap, he might be able to arrange something for ya.” The sailor marched off to attend to his duties.

The ship weighed anchor and began the journey as the group sorted through the Gondorian garments until they were passable as hailing from Harondor or some other border region.

Even though Annatar flew the flag of Umbar it was boarded twice before it left the bay by Corsair Coastal Patrols and only released when the Captain, Burdi, produced an official looking scroll. In fact the first days sailing was punctuated by these interruptions until they subsided when night fell.

Burdi had all lights doused while he navigated by stars through the night. By the time dawn came the ship was moored in a sheltered inlet. It now flew no flag though anyone taking an interest could see both the Umbarian and Gondorian versions were close to hand.

Most the subdued sailors slept through the day, most looking too tired to make merry. As the light faded Burdi strode back on deck, charts and instruments under each arm, and ordered the ship to set sail again.

That night was uneventful but the next morning, as the ship slipped into another secluded cove, the crew began to get edgy. Blades were drawn and some of the men tied lengths of rope to themselves and parts of the ship. Ancalon called out, "Keep your steel handy lads, we're in her waters now."

"Who's she?" Whispered a young sailor

"A tentacled leviathan lad, she'll feed before the day is out. Mark my words!" Answered a grizzled mariner.

"Can't we use another bay?" asked the frightened young man.

"Nah lad, the others are watched or too open and it's too risky out in the open by day this far from Umbar. So we got no choice. Ah well! When your ships goes down, it's down!"

The seafarers didn't have long to wait before they met her. A carpet of gulls marked the Kraken's floating half-eaten corpse.

"Now that's a good omen Cap!" Shouted Ancalon happily followed by a cheer from the men but Burdi cast his gaze about the water suspiciously.

The gulls rose as one crying and wheeling in the air as suddenly four huge tentacles emerged from the dark waters, enveloped the corpse and pulled it under with one vicious jerk.

The captain looked to the rising sun above the cliff tops, then out to the open water and back to the expanding ripples. Coming to a quick decision he broke the stunned silence, "Ancalon, bring her about!"

Annatar tacked around and headed for the relative safety of the open sea but as it left the Kraken lair a look out warned of a ship ahead. Sure enough, on the horizon a single sail was evident. The sun directly behind the merchant the unknown ship was unlikely to have spotted it yet. Burdi rubbed his stubbled chin as he pondered his course of action...

Dainar ran to the aft of the ship clutching his spear and shield. He leaned over the ships rail and watched the expanding ripples of water for a moment before moving to stand beside the Captain.

Dainar shielded his eyes against the sun and searched for the Ship on the Horizon. "Well Captain do we engage the ship or do we take our chances with the Kraken?"

"I believe battle with Gondorian sailors would be better than a watery death or worse with that Kraken! Steer for the open see Captain, let us take our chances!"

Kheldar studied the ship in the distance. This was not his call. The decision would come from the captain. His ring finger rested against the clip
holding Addersting as he anticipated what was to come.

A few other sailors, Ancalon included, urged Captain Burdi to take their chances with the ship ahead rather than the beast behind.

He agreed. "Aye lads, that's the way. Stow your blades and rig us for speed. Let's follow the coast towards Belfalas." Seeing more than a few tired faces he sighed sympathetically before calling out, "Time to sleep when you're at the bottom lads, look sharp now!"

The other ship drew closer, looking to be heading for the coast too. Secured to the top of the mast by a length of rope, a young wiry sailor with an eyeglass called down, "Captain, it's Umbarian. A merchant by the looks of it!"

"This far out? That's strange." Burdi mused.

"No stranger than us being this far out too Cap!" Interjected Ancalon with a raise of his eyebrows.

Burdi nodded, "Indeed mate." Then with a grim smile he drew his cutlass, "Let's take a look."

He called up to the lookout to keep an eye for movement while he ordered his men to get their weapons ready again.

As the gap closed between the two vessels the lookout announced that there was an armed crew but then shouted down excitedly, "It's Captain Findulus Cap!"

Burdi grinned as he visibly relaxed. "That old pirate, let's see what he's up to."

The two ships closed to within shouting distance. The crew were dressed much the same way as the men aboard the Annatar only with a few more gaudy baubles and colourful fabrics. Hands on hips, a man dressed in black and gold with a bright red sash about his waist smiled across broadly. The man had a striking resemblance to Burdi.

"Well Captain Findulus what brings you out here, lost?"

"I would ask you much the same thing Captain Burdi. Carrying anything important?"

"No, no, just some spices, usual thing. You?"

"Me? No, just some fine wines. How's the sea ahead mate?"

"Pretty open so long as you keep away from the coast. And, oh, I’m sure you'll be fine if you fancy putting up with Her for the day." Captain Findulus cocked his head slightly and nodded with a smile at Burdi's last words. "Well Captain Burdi, the way ahead for you is pretty open, except for the Landes Channel where they're patrolling heavily." Burdi smiled and nodded back.

As the two sailors carried on chatting a group of men on the other ship, some quite skinny and not wearing the same relaxed expressions as the rest of the crew occasionally talked amongst themselves, their eyes taking note of the group of mercenaries aboard the Annatar.

Rolande remarked that he was certain at least one of them was an Elf.

Before anything could develop the two captains said their goodbyes and the ships sailed away from each other.

Burdi watched the other ship glide away before barking out his orders, "Mr Ancalon, set us on course for the Landes Channel and Bunta," He looked at the young sailor who had been speaking with the grizzled sailor earlier, "fetch me my charts."

"Cap? Landes Channel?" Asked the lad incredulously.

"Don't question the Cap's orders boy!" Scolded Ancalon but Burdi smiled at the boy. "That way is our only way through today." The captain turned around to point at Findulus' ship sailing past the hidden bay with the huge Kraken in it. "He and I know what we meant. He may be working for Gondorian scum right now but family is family!"

Annatar made good progress the rest of the day taking an elliptical tack away from the coast then back in again. When the sun slunk away the tired crew kept going until a few hours before dawn. Another sheltered bay was entered and the ship moored.

This bay stank of moulding vegetation. Dead fish bobbed on the surface and clumps of rotting seaweed swirled around strange eddies and small whirlpools. No gulls, or any animal life for that matter, were anywhere to be seen. Occasionally a spawn of bubbles would break the surface near to the ship and an acrid sulphuric gas would be released. It wasn't long before virtually everyone on board was feeling nauseous.

The shore wasn't too inviting either. Jagged grey cliffs formed most the bay except for a black sandy beach which petered out into a dead white forest. The trees at the edge were broken and burned but behind them, twisted and thin, they were bleached and denuded. They were numerous enough to afford not much of a view further into the forest.

Late afternoon, Burdi burst out of his cabin cursing. He looked up at the cloudless sky, shaking his fist at it. "Storm's on its way lads! Get to your tasks!" The captain stomped over to the group of mercenaries, "Sorry my guests, this ship isn't built to sail through rough seas. If we go out into what's coming we'll sink for sure. Putrid Bay isn't the best place to stay in for too long but it beats the bottom of the ocean! Might I suggest you go with some of my crew to the shore? As with all cargo I like to not risk it if I don't need to." With a small bow he began admiring his men scurrying around lashing everything down.

Burdi gave a start as suddenly the voice of Korvhasir spoke quietly by his ringletted ear: "How can You be so sure that we would still be there when you come to fetch us, eh?" He chuckled as the Sailor turned and involuntarily backed two steps away from his close presence. The man glared at him and Korvhasir added, grinning: "This bay is certainly not welcoming but I doubt that dead forest is either! Know you of this land we face?"

Burdi shivered at the sight of the forest, "No further than I can see from the gunwale of my ship!" He looked beyond the forest, "However, this is still Haradwaith so the coast should be still lush as it is around Umbar. You sound like you are planning a trip? All I ask is that you stay safe in the trees and wait for this tempest to blow itself out."

Tang Zong addressed the captain: "What is wrong with that beach? It looks like it's been burned. I bet there's something in the water!" Pulling out his dagger, he made a small slit in his right baby finger and dripped a few droplets of blood into the murky brine. "I eat fish, but maybe now there's some fish who want to eat me! Hah-hah!" he exclaimed. Grabbing his bow, he cocked an arrow and stared intently down into the water, looking for any signs of motion or further bubbles.

As far as he could tell nothing out of the ordinary stirred in the water other than the escaping fetid gas.

Dainar glanced up at the sky, looking for evidence of the supposed storm before he wandered over to stand next to Tang Zong.

The sky was mainly clear, no sign of any cloud could be seen on any horizon though the sky to the North looked a little darker than the rest of the panorama.

Not saying anything, Dainar watched the droplets of blood fall into the putrid water. He turned to Tang "You know as a boy I grew up close to the ocean, there are creatures that live in the depths that seem to be able to smell the very scent of blood through the currents." The large Corsair glanced back down into the water.

"I'd prefer to wait this storm out on dry land, than sink into this bay with the ship." Dainar left to retrieve his equipment before preparing to leave the
ship.

Tang Zong hesitated, still looking at the sea mistrustfully. He then turned and, putting his bow away, followed Dainar's lead.

Soo Yuong watched the captain intently while he answered Korvhasir. She then said in a soft but edgy voice: "You want us to stay on this hideous beach and wait for you, eh?! But how do we know you'll come back?"

Burdi’s eyes dwelled embarrassingly long south of Soo Young’s chin before he looked up at her and smiled lecherously, “How could we up and leave such a desert beauty? We’ll be mooring here in the bay, hopefully the cliff walls will soak up the brunt of the breakers. If we sail out of this bay I believe we’d sink for sure!”

Gilden wasted no times gathering his few belongings with the intention of beating it off of the boat.

"If something's going to eat me, I’d rather it have legs than tentacles any day.", he chuckled as he examined the shoreline. "Gives me a fighting
chance..."

Holding a hanky in front of his nose Rolande surveyed the bay and the shore. "Well I know I would like to feel the land under my feet again but Captain couldn't you have found a less aromatic place for us to shelter against this storm." He smiled, although his eyes didn't, "If there is a storm coming but I will bow to your superior nautical skills. Now how do you propose we reach the shore?"

"There's a storm coming all right Half-elf, call it Captain's intuition," He leaned in close so only the mercenaries could hear, "though others would call it sorcery!" He winked and pointed to the aft of the ship where the two small row boats were stowed, "Some of the lads will take you over in those."

“Well Captain row me ashore, I am ready to feel the land under my feet! Come my fellow 'cargo", let us go ashore to this hospitable shore and take shelter somewhere. I trust sorcery more than I trust a Captain's intuition!" Rolande got together his equipment and headed back to the boats. "Come what say you, Pharazor, Khorvazir, Chiko and others?"

Chiko hoisted his pack over one shoulder then nodded at the skipper. "Good luck Captain." He said without much feeling as he followed after those preparing to leave the Annatar.

Rolande looked behind and noticed Chiko tagging along, "Glad you could make it Mr Variag. I know I will rest easy having you with us." Looks around, "What about the rest of you? Coming?"

Not one to be left out of the chance to get his feet back on static ground, Korvhasir joined the assembling group. As he passed the captain, he questioned:

"Any chance of keeping the sailors with us? They'll only have to row back and forth to pick us up later and I'm sure we would find their various skills useful - certainly, I'm no expert at Cookery, nor fending for myself in wilder land.?"

He flashed the captain a disarming toothy grin.

Captain Burdi had nodded at the man dressed as a beggar, grimacing at the sight of his teeth, "Aye they'll be staying, that's why I chose the lads with
no sons. If something happens to us at least we have sons at home to keep their family lines going."

He carried on monitoring his crew's activities but was interrupted by an incredulous looking Drake. He requested a look at the charts, "Cap'n lets have a peek at the charts before we run aground, ay? Don't want to be getting lost if you don't come back fer' us."

The captain cocked his head, scrunched up his lips and stared past the ranger before nodding. He asked him and anyone else who wanted to take a look at his charts to follow him to his cabin.

The charts mainly concerned the sea with not much detail of the land shown other than place names, watchtowers and rivers. The bay lay 40 miles south of the great river Harnen that ran roughly east to west across the desert. He remarked that this river formed the natural border between the Gondorian north and the Haradaic south. He advised the group that if they were forced to travel on land that they should move north along the coast to the river then following it inland would lead to any number of the trade routes used.

The captain ushered them out then turned away and ordered the row boats be lowered. Ancalon chose eight men who had no sons to “guard the cargo” on land.

"All right," said Tang Zong, clenching his jaw, "let's get in those boats!" He glanced sideways at Dainar who appeared to be making ready the quickest of the mercenaries. Leaning in close to the Corsair he muttered, "I kill any fish that tries for me! I make him a fishy fillet! You come in my boat, you be safe." Then, eyeing the Haradrim woman, he chided, "You come too, missy! Maybe fishy will want to eat you first! Ha-haah!" Suddenly there was a look in his eyes akin to genuine madness and he cried, "Let's go!" and strode to the aft of the vessel. Once there he began impatiently doing whatever he could to help the ship's crew launch one of the row boats.

Burdi winked at the mercenaries as they were lowered into the bobbing crafts. “See you after the shower!” He quipped as he turned away.

This close to the sea the gas was potent. Dizziness led to disorientation and there was some vomiting. The currents took hold of the boats as the occupants grew weaker. Realizing their plight they all dug deep and somehow got ashore. The boats were manhandled up the black sand then forgotten as everyone raced up the beach yearning for cleaner air. They were within a stone’s throw of the forest before they were satisfied.

Drawing blades, the sailors stared at the forest that presented a dense wall when studying it this close. Past the trees that hadn’t been burnt or flattened, they were creeper like in the way they entwined each other's branches though small shady gaps offered ways into the nest of trees.

In the far off distance, dark clouds with the swarming black haze of rain underneath could be seen to be sweeping in fast from the North. The wind began to pick up causing the white tortured stickmen like trees to creak. The different tones gave the impression they were talking to each other...

"This is no good for me heart," grumbled Korvhasir as he trudged up the beach to take a closer look at the brooding trees. His boots sunk deeply in the ashen sand, making it laborious work. He paused, leaning on his weathered staff, wheezing. "You know," he said. "I've heard tall tales of Spirits living in such woods. And they don't like intruders!" Seeing the reaction to his words, he smirked and added: "Put it this way, the Elves steer clear of such places." He spat at a small crab scuttling away across the sand.

Tang Zong squinted mistrustfully at the trees as he climbed up the beach. At the sound of their groaning, he became visibly agitated. Had anyone been watching him closely, they would have seen him don a set of vicious-looking metal claws.

Working his way over towards Rolande, he asked, "What do you know about trees and gods, Elf-man? These trees are evil. Throw oil on them all! We should do that! Burn them all! Send them to Hell!"

Rolande observed the small swarthy man for a few seconds before answering, "I know a lot about gods and trees Tang Zong but personifying these trees as evil is succumbing to superstition. Until they come alive and strangle the life out of you, I would suggest they just look evil to you. I think you should be more worried about the approaching clouds. But if it makes you feel happy burn it down!"

Tang Zong snorted at Rolande's teasing remarks.

Scratching his tangle of hair whipped about by the fickle coastal winds, Korvhasir surveyed the top line of the beach. "If we're up wind of that stench and can get some fallen wood to burn, I see no reason why we don't stay here. If the storm hits bad we can always move further into shelter. We're above the high water mark in any case." He sat on a large boulder and began gesturing at folk with the point of his stick. "You and you, go and get firewood. You and you go together to see if any caves present themselves as shelter. I'll..., I'll just rest here awhile and get my breath back... and join you later" He coughed.

The party of sailors looked at their leader, a short stout almost dwarvish fellow. He nodded at them then sent them to their appointed tasks.

Soo Yuong walked with no great difficulties in the sand towards the edge of the trees. She then stopped and watched as Korvhasir ordered the sailors around. She smiled briefly and paused, reflecting.

Dainar was grateful to leave the confines of the rowing boat and place his feet upon solid ground. The large Corsair pulled off his helmet and wiped away the cold sheen of sweat that covered his forehead before replacing his protective headgear. As he scanned the thick foliage of the forest he strapped his round shield to his left arm and tightened the straps to his metal greaves.

Resting his spear across his right shoulder, Dainar decided to accompany the sailors as they explored their temporary camp.

Rolande watched Dainar and the Sailors fan out and look at the wall of sickly green vines and trees. “I’ll have to make sure that Corsair’s between me and the fighting if we get in trouble!”

"Well, looks like our decision is made for us eh Tang Zong?" and Rolande walked off following the others, sticking close to Dainar. "Besides," he addressed no one in particular, "Perhaps it will be drier in there!"

Tang Zong followed the group of explorers, eyeing the large white trunks suspiciously. He watched his step, careful not to trip over any of the crawling roots that criss-crossed their path. His figure appeared to have visibly shrunk as he weaved around and between dangling creeper vines.

Drake paused to look about at the coming storm, trying to gauge the time before it would hit and how strong it looked. Then he moved up the beach pausing long enough to address anyone sitting on the beach. "A fire on the beach might be nice but in a blow you'll want to be further inland." Then he proceeded into the trees looking for someplace sheltered where a fire could be made.

As Gilden looked to the trees, his constant smile wavered almost undiscernibly. He listened to the sounds they made, and watched the others as they
approached the trees with talk of steel and fire. "Well," he says as if the spell of the trees was wearing off, "guess we won’t be BOARD in here, will
we?" With that, he followed the others into the wood. He did not, as of yet, draw any weapon but treaded warily, and ready to draw quickly if needed.

As some of the party marched towards the forest, she shouted after them: "Why are you in such hurry to enter this...place! I think I'd prefer stay here,
where at least I can see what could be approaching. Shout if you need help!!!" She then sat on a rock at the edge of the forest, where she could see both the trees and the sea shore. She made sure her weapons were within reach and became very quiet.

Rolande turned and addressed the Haradrim female, "I think you should come with us SooYuon, there is an adage, safety in numbers. You'll be safer with us I think. Besides it looks like its going to get very wet here very soon!"

Tang Zong continued on into the forest with the rest of the group. "First they kill me, then I burn them down? Ha-hah! Then who will laugh at your jokes? But we do it your way." The half-elf's rationale seemed to have put him more at ease, but he still eyed the trees and creeper vines suspiciously.

Rolande smiled, "I would hate to loose you Tang Zong, my jokes are poor and if you’re not here to laugh at them, no one will! So stay alive!"

Drake shook his head as he moved into the forest muttering, "Let’s hope whatever we wake up with all this noise is friendly."

Soo Yuong looked again at the clouds, the sea shore and the trees. She seemed to struggle internally, hesitated and stood up. She muttered begrudgingly to herself about men and elves and then said, eyeing both Drake and Rolande: "Why are you so keen to go inside this forest, it doesn't feel right, the sailors could easily have gone on their own to get firewood. We can shelter at the edge of the trees, and in case of problem, I prefer fighting in the open."

The sailors went a bit further into the forest before their short leader called them to a halt. “Lads, I don’t like this forest. You seen anything like this
before?” His men shook their heads, more than a few showing fear on their faces. “The Cap said to accompany the cargo but he didn’t say anything about moving inland. Fall back to the edge of the forest.” His men gratefully began to withdraw back the way they had came. The leader addressed the mercenaries. “You lot can go exploring if you like but I’m keeping the ship in sight!”

Korvashir awoke with a start and looked around at the empty beach. "Whu, what... where?" Panicking, he got quickly to his feet then breathed a sigh of relief as he spotted the sailors standing higher, towards the trees. "Where is everyone?" he croaked, struggling up beside them. "Oh don't tell me... the fools have gone for a wander. Typical!" He moved further until he stood 20' or so from the forest edge and stared darkly into the interior, past Soo Yuon. "Even if they don't meet anything in there, they're bound to get lost!" He added, looking upwards to the top branches above.

"Oh I say, it seems the 'help' have decided discretion is the better part of valor! Does that men we should retire gracefully, with them?" Rolande addressed the party.

"I know Tang Zong and SooYoun would be most happy to return to the beach. I myself am not sure dry lodgings are worth braving the great unknown! Then again I have never been accused of being brave!"

The Half-elf looked at his fellow Mercenaries, a curious smirk on his face.

It seemed, for now, the others were happy to stay a little ways in from the forest edge. The mercenaries remained wary of the forest as they watched the storm clouds race towards them. The sailors remained right at the forest edge keeping a longing eye on the Annatar, still a hive of activity.

The savage storm broke upon the bay at dusk. The sheltered inlet harboured the Annatar from the worst of its ferocity but the swell and currents twisted the boat about while the wind pummelled it from side to side. The sea hissed with choking gas escaping from the churned up bottom. Some of the landing party who had wandered back onto the beach had to retreat back as the invisible gas cloud crept up the beach towards the forest. The visible figures on the boat began to drop, slip or flop to the deck. Not one got up again. Those not tied to something were easily swept over.

Although no lightning had been evident, one solitary fork lit the sky up as it tore through the broiling mass to split the mast. Where it struck, a massive blue flamed fireball roared outwards. The downwards blast wave shattered the Annatar just before the flames incinerated it. Under the mass of flame, huge plumes of searing steam expanded outwards with the extreme heat. The deafening shock wave continued to roll outwards before it smashed into the surrounding cliffs to bring down a torrent of rocks. The eight sailors at the edge of the forest were caught by the thunderous concussion wave and thrown like puppets further into the forest, the fireball igniting them as they flopped through the air. As it charged on the
mercenaries further within the forest were thrown into trees or swatted to the ground. All lost consciousness…

Sometime later, the half-moon still low in the now clear starry sky, the injured survivors awoke to the smell of burning wood.

Amid a crackling noise they looked around. There was no longer any sign of the Annatar or its crew on the still bubbling bay. The charred row boats were smashed against the rocks at the bottom of the cliff. The trees in front of them were battered, broken or burnt, mostly all three. The smell and sounds came from the closely knit trees behind them. Six smouldering corpses of the crew landing party were skewered across the tops of the interwoven thin white branches. The other two looked to have been punched through the canopy and were the source of a lively fire jumping from bough to bough. Although a twisting narrow path ahead possibly offered a way out, the flames and smoke grew thicker by the second.

The increasing stench of the gas made breathing difficult but Chiko looked to not have that worry any longer. Impaled underneath his belly by a spear like limb, he hung upside down. His limp arms dangled his hands either side of a black enamelled parchment tube in the dirt. The red skull markings down its length started to bubble in the spreading hot blaze.

Drake cursed under what was left of his breath then kicked some dirt over the tube and picked it up. He pulled Chiko onto his shoulders. Turning to survey the rest of the group for someone who might be alive but unable to move on their own he called over the fire, "COME ON!" He then moved toward the open pathway between the flames.

Korvhasir was nearby but in no mood to react to Drake's shout. At the first sign of the storm hitting, he had dived for the shelter of the cliff face and hid amongst the roots of a large fallen tree. He had not come out unscathed. A large chunk of rock from the cliff face had smashed the trunk in two, up-ending its base onto the hapless man. Using his staff as a lever he was slowly lifting the dead weight off him so he could dig enough sand away to crawl out. He spat blood as he slithered snake-like out from under the protrusion. In his eyes was pure murder. "That was no ordinary storm. Someone seriously wants us dead!"

Dainar rose slowly and painfully from the ground where he had been knocked down unconscious. He shook his head once to help stop his vision from swimming. Looking around, he retrieved his spear before searching for the others. He watched as Drake picked up Chiko.

"Perhaps you should leave him here." Dainar coughed a couple of times and raised his hand to cover his mouth. "Carrying his corpse will only slow us down. I think perhaps we have been the victim of foul magics and I for one do not want to meet the source of such power."

Having said his piece, Dainar began to move ahead along the narrow path, his caution was evident as he passed through the dark forest.

"Leave that pig to roast on his spit," said Tang Zong, motioning towards Chiko's corpse and speaking more to himself than to Drake or to anyone else. Then he cried out, "Where is everybody?! Halloooooo!? Can everybody walk?" Tang Zong had a quick look around before following Dainar deeper into the forest. "Let's get out of here, now!"

Soo Young rose slowly from amid the trees. She stretched slowly, as to not inflict any more damage than she had already sustained. She winced but stood eventually. She shouted in a croaky voice: "Heh! Over here!" She limped towards Drake, Dainar and Tang Zong, saw what was left of Chiko and grimaced. "Well, I'm afraid there is indeed nothing left to do but to try at least to bury him". She walked towards Drake when she spotted Korvhasir: "Looks like the old fool got lucky!" She helped Drake carry the limp healer. "What was this thing between Chiko's hands?"

It looked like a cylinder used for carrying parchments. It was a 12 inch tube, black, probably lacquered leather with red skull markings enamelled
down it.

"It looks to be a scroll case. I don't know if its important yet. We'll have a closer look at it when we get out of this inferno." Drake replied to Soo Young's question. "You go on ahead of me, it'll be tight going unless I miss my guess." He indicated that she should take the lead on the trail while he carried the body. Turning briefly to the rear once more he called out,"Let get the flock out of here guy!" Before going
on down the trail.

Rolande stood, for the first time his immaculate clothing was disarrayed; he was covered in soot and ash. He winced as he dusted off the ash and looked about him. "Well I guess you got your wish Tang Zong, the forest was or is being burnt down!" He looked over at Chiko, "Well I guess I won't be mispronouncing his name anymore! Lets us repair along this path, find a place to hole up and decide what we do next!" He turned and followed Dainar along the path, "And yes Korv somebody wanted us dead but we aren't, let's hope they think we are and then well have the advantage of them! They will suffer for it believe me!" His eyes burned, perhaps with the light of the forest fire, perhaps with an inner anger.

Gilden picked himself up, wincing in pain. He took a quick look around to see if any of the others needed help, before heading towards the path himself. The normally witty demeanor was replaced with one of perseverance.

Everyone, except Chiko, was conscious though concussed, bruised and/or battered. Kheldar's left arm was hanging limply at his side and Pharazor was breathing heavy. He winced with each breath so that his steps were a little laboured due to his breathing problem.

Noting the lagging Pharazor and the injured Kheldar, Tang Zong grumbled something to himself, incomprehensible to anyone around him and heaved an exasperated sigh. He continued on down the path into the forest, close at Dainar's heels, determinedly not looking back.

Korvashir grudgingly headed after the others, entering the broken forest, but not before he had fleeced the dead sailors of anything useful they had on them (those within reach). At Soo Yuong's distasteful look, he mumbled: "Their families will be happier having something to remember them by."

For a moment he paused, looking deep into the forest before him before commenting enigmatically: "Don't worry about thoughts of Evil in the woods. So far there is nothing waiting in ambush for us in there."

Korvashir hobbling along with the aid of his staff, caught up with Drake and puffing, suggested: "Pass me that scroll case, Drake. I have seen many such things in my time and don't be so sure that this one is not cleverly trapped in some way."

Drake didn't get a chance to answer. Another massive detonation went off throwing a blue glow into the sky and cliffs. It originated where the forest fire was then rolled out across the bay. Fortunately the party had moved further into the dark trees where the smell of gas was barely perceptible and escaped the brunt of the inferno. Looking back out over the bay, small flames could be seen where the concentrated pockets of effervescent gas bubbled up. The supply of gas was not continuous enough to sustain the fires and they eventually petered out just leaving the forest alight and drawing closer to the now stationary party of mercenaries.

Quickly pressing on, the party picked their way through the pitch black forest, the glow of the blaze behind them the only source of light. Occasionally the night sky could be seen but most the time it was obscured by the interlocked canopy. As the light of the fire diminished so did the group's pace, only Rolande seemed able to see ahead. As the party stopped to debate their course of action they realised the lagging Kheldar and Pharazor were now nowhere to be seen.

Dainar scanned the surrounding forest warily, his shield held close to his body and his spear held out at the ready. He couldn’t see much except when the canopy broke and provided the smallest of moonlit illumination.

"Does anyone have a light?" he asked the others. He glanced back and frowned as he realized some of the party were missing.

"Where are Kheldar and Pharazor? Did no one notice them disappear?" The large corsair warrior rubbed his stubbled chin thoughtfully.

"A light source is a risk we're going to have to take if we want to get out of this forest without losing anyone else. We can't waste time looking for the
others in the dark. I say we continue through the forest until we reach its edge. Once there we can wait for Kheldar and Pharazor, if they don't turn up after a couple of hours." He shrugged his broad shoulders "Then we continue onwards."

Rolande laughed quietly as Dainar talked about their missing two companions. "Dainar, I do not think a naked flame in this forest would be wise, we've seen what happens with that occurrence! I can see well enough to lead the rest of us from the forest but I am concerned if we are attacked from the dark. But I will lead if you will follow and yes we'll wait on the edge for a few hours in the daylight for our recalcitrant friends to find us! Come follow me...."

Dainar shook his head as he realized his obvious mistake. "Of course you are correct a naked flame in these forests would be folly. If you lead I will
follow."

And with that Rolande began striding forward deeper into the forest, every so often pointing out things for the others to avoid.

"This is stupid! I can't see a thing!" scowled Tang Zong. "You two," he said, addressing Dainar and Rolande, "I don't smell the stinky gas... I'm lighting up my lamp!" With that he removed his claws and began digging around in his backpack, searching for oil. "No stinky gas," he mumbled to himself, "no more crazy fire."

"Uh Tang Zong I wouldn't do that if I were you!" Rolande said hurriedly as he backed away from the rest, "There are a lot of gasses you can't smell and besides that haven't you had enough of running from fire and explosions tonight??"

Rolande was now many feet away from the rest of the party and taking cover.

Tang Zong laughed maniacally, watching the fleeing sorcerer get swallowed by the forest night. "You run, elf-man! You don't get very far in the dark!" Then, pausing, his expression changed and he seemed to be reconsidering his actions. Maybe the sorcerer had someway of sensing things the Easterling could not? "Hey!" he yelled into the darkness, "Hey! Come back!" He paused, waiting for some response, then added: "Why don't you make magic?! Come back and make light magic so we can see! Then I won't make crazy fire with your no stinky gas! Ha-hah!" He knelt with his
pack before him, waiting for some sign of Rolande's return.

Rolande appeared back in the party’s limited view and walked forward, adjusting his clothing, picking at his cuff he addressed Tang Zong. "I am not a magician, whatever you may think Tang Zong. So the production of magical light is not in my purview. I am a..." he thought, "I could be called a manipulator, I use language words and the power of my mind to persuade, cajole and lead others to the way I wish them to go. Now as you are fond of reminding me and everyone here I am an Elf or at least I have Elven heritage. That heritage gives me the ability to see well in the dark. All I can offer you are my eyes for now. Now let us tarry no more, follow me I will lead the way out of this, place."

Without waiting for an answer he headed off into the forest.

The dark woods were no place for one such as Gilden. His normally Chipper mood was replaced with a sullen, hollow look. He didn't speak a word as it was discovered that two of the party had gone missing. Nor did he mutter a word when fire was discussed, or when the decision was made to continue through the forest. He spent the next part of the hike in quiet contemplation, not speaking unless spoken to.

Soo Yuong, following Tang Zong and Dainar, was clearly relieved to see Rolande coming back from the shadows. She scowled at Tang Zong : "Just
stop, will you. We just have to rely on this Elf to lead us in this forest. Don't you think that we all like that, but if you want to play with fire, please
do it at the back". With this, she brushed past Tang Zong and followed Rolande.

Korvashir wandered along behind the group, apparently in a world of his own. He knew little of the comments flying back and forth. He just seemed... elsewhere.

Much like Korvashir, Gilden also moved along quietly. In the darkness, it was difficult to tell whether his somber mood still engulfed him, as he moved along with the others in this dreary place.

"Okie Dokie Missie," replied Tang Zong, packing up his bag and returning it to his back. "See? I put it away, I put it away! Play with you is like play with fire, but maybe not so fun. My ears get burned!" He chuckled to himself, but his mood seemed to have dampened somewhat. He continued following Rolande and the others, momentarily wearing a sulky air, which then quickly evaporated.

It was slow going for the group. After a couple of hours some of the branches began to exhibit leaves, a sweet fragrant scent started to fill the air and the soil underfoot became a lot more damp. Further out in the gloom insects chirped. The resurgence of flora and fauna came at a price with the way forward frequently ending in a mass of tangled vegetation causing the group to have to backtrack and take another route or force their way through.

When breaks in the canopy allowed Rolande to see out, the distance between the cliffs either side of the forest looked to be narrowing as the group forged further inland. After another few hours the darkness ahead lessened. Korvhasir had bid the party stop while he had mumbled to himself, seemingly in meditation. After a few minutes he seemed satisfied with something and urged the group on. The party trudged on until the forest came to an abrupt end.

Barring the way ahead was a well maintained sturdy row of stoutly lashed tree trunks. Each was over 20 feet high. It looked scalable as the bracing and supports were the side the group were on. Although vision was limited they looked to run either side of the party as far as they could make out.

The starry sky gave just enough light to see that an open space stretched ahead of the barrier. Although all of it could not be discerned the silhouettes of the imposing 800’ cliffs looked to meet on the far side of the expanse. Halfway up the cliffs in the distance a few pin pricks of light could just be made out.

Rolande sat down near the wall and hung his head, he seemed exhausted but then looked up smiling, "Well Tang Zong we made it huh? Not bad for an elf man, hmmmn?"

Tang Zong looked up at the barrier, then back down to Rolande and nodded his head, smirking. "We make it okay. You do a good job. You lead us out of the fire to the slaughtering pen." Cursing quietly to himself in guttural Logathig, Tang Zong had begun to scale the wall with his bow and a single arrow. Once near the top, he knocked the arrow slowly began to rise over the top of the wall in puppet-like fashion, cautiously leading with the tip of his arrow.

Rolande smiled wryly in response to Tang Zong's reply and answered, "I knew I couldn't expect thanks from him but I hoped, you know."

He continued, "Well now are the natives friendly or not? There is a 'killing zone' up to the cliffs, so they do expect danger from this forest. But I am
confused by the fact that the fence seems to have been built from this side? Maybe someone was trying to keep those denizens out? There is only one way too find out but this is outside my purview, Perhaps you Dainar, my experienced Ranger. Now can I have a look at that scroll that Chiko was carrying?"

Dainar showed his open hands in way of saying he did not have it on him.

"Anyone know much about what we can expect from the inhabitants of this region?" Rolande asked.

The resounding silence answered the half-elf’s question.

"Well Tang Zong certainly doesn't mind giving away his position does he?" observed Rolande. "This wall was built from this side, to keep them out?" he jerked his thumb in the cliffs’ direction, "or are they just coincidental to the structure?" he sat quietly for a few minutes as the others went about their business.

Dainar watched silently as Tang Zong scaled the wall, once he had looked over the wall, the large Corsair warrior handed his spear to Rolande "Keep hold of this for me." he told him before scaling the wall himself and popping over the other side.

When he scaled down the other side he was unable to control his descent and hit the ground with a thump.

Tang Zong was startled by Dainar's quick ascent and more rapid descent of the barrier. "Hey!" he yelled, smiling down to where the corsair lay sprawled. "Greasy, greasy! Wall's all greasy! Why you no wait?" Climbing back down the wall, he laughed to himself, "He not getting back too easy with all that greasy!"

Once he had returned to the ground opposite, he whispered through the wall "Toss over my spear."

Rolande threw the spear over the wall as he asked, "I do hope I didn't hurt you Dainar, I am not good with weapons."

Dainar retrieved his spear from where Rolande had thrown it and turned to survey the open ground before him. He looked to his left and right for any type of cover he could use to approach without being seen.

Picking a route he moved silently and quietly as he could towards the source of light.

Having retrieved a his rope from his pack, Tang Zong re-ascended the wall once more. He tossed one end of the rope down on Dainar's side of the wall, far enough away from the wall so that it wouldn't touch the slick wall. "Hey!" he yelled after Dainar, "Come back! You get all tied up, then we pull you up! We drag you up the wall. Heh-heh!" he chuckled.

Those on top or over the wall couldn’t see much. What they could see was that the ground had been cleared. No paths, no bushes, nothing other than open ground. There might have been more but there wasn't enough light to see.

Dainar started on his journey, following along the fence towards the cliffs at first.

"Well do we approach, attack, bluff, intimidate or negotiate? After all we need to head north and in order to do that we need to get out of this valley and that way seems to be the only way." Rolande stood and stretched, awaiting the quick response of his comrades.

Gilden watched as Tang Zong and then Dainar scaled the wall. He eyed the wall, and then the forest around him. "If someone built this wall from this side", he said aloud, "doesn't it figure, then, that those who built it are on this side with us? And who or what exactly are they trying to keep out?" With this, he decidedly devoted more time to watching the forest around them.

The forest was silent except for the occasional screech of an insect.

Rolande answered, "Gilden, you are right and I think we need to find out more before we go gallivanting over to those cliff dwellers and perhaps find
ourselves in their cooking pots or worse. It’s a few hours to dawn, let us rest and then with clearer heads decide our course of action, what do you say?" He looked around the rest of the group.

Korvashir shoved his walking staff into the soft loamy soil and collapsed wheezing in a heap next to the wooden palisade. He mopped his brow with a faintly blue coloured rag from a pocket and then unentangled the stuffed parrot (or whatever it was) dangling amongst various odds and ends from his staff. Those watching saw him stroke the dead bird a few times before he began making a fire under a tin cooking pot from his pack. "Let’s discuss possibilities over a good meal. Can't think straight on an empty stomach! If those young-uns want to go scouting a bit let 'em. Food should be ready when they get back." He pulled out some wrapped bundles that smelt of fish.

Soo Yuong went towards Tang Zong when he mentioned the grease. "Greasy walls? On the outside? Those on our side made sure they could keep ‘the others’ out. I personally don't think we should go and wander around in this lonely plain...Couldn't we just walk along this fence, on this side rather?"Then smelling Korvhasir's cooking: "But maybe we should eat before? I don't know about you lot, but I'm starving!" She then squatted next to the old man, eyeing the food hungrily.

A thought occurred to Korvashir as Soo Yuong squatted opposite him at the cooking fire. He shouted to the others: "If some of you are staying on the far side of this fence as scouts or guards, and either way this palisade is here to keep something out - it might be prudent of us to loop a whole load of ropes over it in case the rest of us have to make a quick exit from the area in either direction." He waited for a response but made no move to act on this new idea.

Rolande glanced in Korv’s direction then walked over to the fire and sat down against a tree. "Let me know when the food’s ready! As for ropes, I have no use for such things and therefore don't carry them. Maybe you could organise something Korvashir? Besides I think staying on this side is better and better by the sounds of all the preparations to keep those people over there!" He waited for the food to be cooked, dozing slightly.

Korvashir glanced up at Rolande's comment. He grunted before turning back to pushing the fillet around the small frying pan. "What makes you think I'm the party cook? I have enough only for myself... and maybe the Lady here since she asked." He pauses then adds: "I'm not a walking junkshop either. Maybe there are some liana's growing from the trees around here you could use but don't look at me. I'm an Urbanite. I wouldn't
know the difference between a liana and a large snake!"

Watching silently from just inside the forest Drake cursed softly before setting down his load and rifling through the pockets. Once he had done that he sat down next to the fire to see what was in the scroll case.

He was interrupted by a guttural roar that was amplified and echoed from, presumably, inside one of the caves in the darkness over the fence. It was too dark to see for non elven folk. Rolande strained to see what the source of the noise was.

A snorting noise carried in the night air followed by a loud bellow which reverberated off the cliffs.

There was a loud crump as something struck the ground out in the darkness. The vibration of the blow carried all the way to the fire causing the saucepan to rattle slightly.

Seconds later a bell pealed high up in the mountain where the tiny lights were. More lights began winking on betraying the presence of more than a few dwellings.

A clinking noise was just heard over the bell accompanied by a grating noise of metal over stone.

Four large thuds signalled the end of the metallic noise.

Indistinct figures halfway up the cliff could just be discerned milling about carrying torches.

Dainar crouched low and motionless as the first vibrations reached him. In the dark he tried to make out the source of the sound before slowly and quietly making his way back along the fence to where he had climbed over.

At the first noise, Tang Zong began to call after Dainar in earnest: "Dainar! Dainar! Come back Dainar! Don't get eaten by the big fishy!"

Rolande had climbed up on top of the fence. "Dainar get over this fence now if you don't want to die!” yelled Rolande. He turned hurriedly to the others, "Soo Yuong get up here! They are wearing the clothes of your country men! Drake, Korv, Tang Zong pull all the ropes over bar one, leave that for Dainar!" he turned back and yelled in Black Speech....

"Hold in the name of the Great One! I command you to hold! Let us talk to the short ones! We are on your side! Hold!!!"

After Rolande's outburst, Tang Zong looked back and forth between Rolande, Drake, and the other side of the wall where he expected Dainar to appear. He quickly rushed down from the wall, retrieved his bow & ammunition, and a flask of oil and tinder from his pack. "Up and down! Up and down!" he grumbled in a huff as he ascended the wall for the 3rd time. Lighting the flask, he hurled it towards the source of the noise.

It flew out across the darkness, hit the ground and spilled out its contents. A small area lit up but the creatures were not yet close enough to discern.

Korvhasir nearly threw his fork in the air as the bellow sounded from the cliff beyond. Looking around startled, he did not react for a moment then hurriedly shovelled cooked fish into his mouth. Hearing Soo Yuong's name, he looked up seeing her watching him angrily. He tried to talk through a mouthful then just shrugged and carried on clearing the pan on his own.

Standing, he wiped his mouth on the back of his dirty sleeve and looked about as folks began dashing around as Rolande was shouting over the fence.

Dainar cursed softly as he broke into a run back towards the wall. "Get ready to pull me up!" he shouted to those behind the cover of the wall.

Gilden got to his feet and rushed to the wall, ready to give a hand pulling Dainar up and over. "Here we are being nice and friendly, and some foul creatures have to get all indignant", he chirped as he moved. The pep in his voice and his step showed that he was alert and ready for whatever happened next.

Soo Yuong looked up when Rolande shouted. She cursed silently as Korvhasir stuffed the food in his mouth, got up from her position and ran towards the palisade, climbed it and slowly put her head up. Peering through the shadows towards the mountainside, she then screamed to Dainar: "Run, run!!!" as she saw two hulking shapes sprinting towards him. It was still too dark to make out what they were but they were too tall for men.

Drake moved over to the bottom of the wall where the ropes were and climbed up to get a better look.

Tang Zong spared a quick glance down at Soo Yuong, then returned his concentration to wherever he perceived was Dainar's location. "You see something, Missie?" he growled. "You tell me where to shoot, I kill the big fishy! Hah hah! We all eat a piece of the big fishy tonight!" The look in his eyes had turned somewhat maniacal, and might have caused concern for those having a chance to look.

As Dainar put both hands around the rope he was yanked up by Tang, Soo Yuong and Drake.

Anyone watching could see the two hulking shadows running onwards to where Dainar had been yanked over. They were less than 300 feet away. One was armed with a large object, the other with two slimmer but longer appendages. Behind them came a bulkier shape. They avoided the light of Tang’s burning oil flask.

Although Rolande had challenged the incoming creatures several times they did not respond.

Dainar gave a quick nod of thanks to those who pulled him over before he dropped his spear and took out his longbow. "I think I found the reason for the barrier." He told the others between breaths.

The tall warrior returned to the wall and waited to get a better look at what had chased him before firing off his own bow.

As the hulks came into range and view, Tang Zong began loosing arrows at the nearest of the two shapes.

The two arrows arced out into the darkness, not sure if they found their marks the result was the same. The shapes carried on sprinting forward though one bellowed an angry war cry, vaguely Haradaic.

As the creatures got to less than a hundred feet away, Rolande closed his eyes and mumbled something in an arcane and unknown language he then looked into the dark, pointed his finger and said, in Black speech, "Sleep!"

Nothing seemed to happen as the hulks raced on.

Tang Zong focussed his aim on the bellowing target. "I'll kill the singing one...!" he yelled, firing another arrow and completing the phrase with a deluge of spat Logathig profanities.

The arrow made a dull metallic clang as it struck something on the creature’s chest.

Having no ranged weapon, Gilden dropped from the fence and moved back toward the trees. He drew his blade as he went, so he was standing back with a good view of the fence.

Dainar noted that their arrows had done little in slowing the creatures' charge. He climbed down from the fence to retrieve his shield and spear. "Get down from the wall!" he yelled to Tang Zong before setting his spear ready to accept a charge.

Cursing the darkness Drake lit a torch from the fire, "What the hell are they?"

Korvhasir backed away from the loud noises into the apparent shelter and safety of the surrounding trees. He looked about for a moment then concentrated on what was happening beyond the palisade fence.

As the lead figure got close to the fence the light of the campfire gave just enough of a glow to make out what it was. Wearing what looked two metal wall shields as a crude breastplate the just under 9 foot tall creature looked to be a mix between man and troll. Jet black skinned with glowing red eyes in the light of the camp fire it flicked out a red tongue as it hefted its huge metal spiked club at the part of the fence with Tang Zong, Rolande and Soo Yuong still on it, over ten foot above the creature’s heads. The timber splintered immediately but just held. The other, what could only be described as a half troll, looked physically similar though this beast was carrying two large battleaxes, wielded as if they were hand axes. It too began attacking the part of the fence where the three members of the party were.

Rolande who had been mumbling to himself suddenly bent his elbow while clenching his fist, “Lock!” he commanded in the dark tongue but the creatures ignored him.

Korv, from behind the fence had also been weaving enchantments, stretching out his arms with his palms open he shouted in Black Speech, “Calm!” but the creatures ignored him too.

“You more meal thin ones!” The club wielding creature rumbled to the three party members in barely understandable Haradaic. Just discernable in the darkness came another shape grunting and growling. This one was broader and taller, probably around 12 feet tall. It appeared unarmed.

The two half trolls looked to the fence to deliver a blow that would surely smash the palisade this time...

"More meal?!" cried Tang Zong to the troll-things in Haradric, lowering his bow. "You big boys just want some dinner? That's okay! I got some in my bag! Let me find the good stuff! You wait here! I'm a good cook! I put on a special sauce! You like it! It fill you up like eating a lot!" With that, he leapt out of the way of any follow-up assault on the part of the trolls. Retrieving his bag from the ground, he pulled out a loaf of way bread, and to this applied several doses of poison. All the while, he spoke calmly to the monstrosities: "Who's gonna be first?! Oh yes! Who wants to try the special recipe?! I bake the best bread in the world! Hah-hah!" Secretly donning his fighting claws, he gauged the creatures' reactions before considering
remounting the wall.

The two beasts paused in mid swing and looked at each other.

Soo Yuong jumped rapidly from the top of the palisade and ran towards her bags. She took her weapons out and went back to where Tang Zong was preparing the poisoned bread for the creatures.

Rolande whirled around, fear showing as a flash on his face before he focused on Soo Yuong. "Soo Young get back up here and talk to them or their handlers they are speaking Haradaic and I can't speak that language! You however, are a native are you not?" He doesn't wait for an answer, "Get up here or these brutes are going to make us an entree to their breakfast!!!!!"

"Quiet! Quiet!" scolded Tang Zong. "You will give our dinner guests indigestion with all your screaming, you crazy fool!" He spoke first in Westron, then repeated himself in Haradaic for the benefit of the trolls.

Again the half trolls paused.

Rolande replied his voice cold and angry, "Tang Zong what is more crazy a barbarian who wants to feed himself to trolls or a Half Elf trying to avoid
unnecessary bloodshed and loss of companions who are vital to our mission? Or has your brain lost the capacity to remember why we ended up in this hellish place? Now since you have proven you can speak their gibberish why don’t you talk to them about calming down? Or would you prefer having all four of your limbs removed from your body and used as clubs to beat your stupid head in?"

Tang Zong turned from Rolande back to the trolls, laughing. He spoke to the trolls reassuringly in Haradraic: "Listen to him!" (indicating Rolande)
"He's crazy about my cooking! He can't get enough! But I save the biggest piece for you!" Then, turning to Rolande, he said in Westron: "I told big uglies I'm a great cook, and you crazy for my food. You excited to start eating, maybe they get excited too and eat the tasty poison bread. After that, we have more time to argue."

Rolande climbed down from the wall and gestured to Tang Zong, "All yours, Prince of Chefs!" Then he moved into the edge of the forest out of sight
of the wall but where he could see what transpired.

Korvashir had been hurriedly shoving his dirty cooking utensils into his pack, making a racket loud enough to alert any large creatures for miles around. He realised, stopped and looked up for a moment, then realised that the arguments raging around him were far louder than him. He backed immediately to within the trees, ready to run for his life should the wall start to give way.

As the Rolande and Korvhasir got to the trees the half trolls came to a decision, “We like meat, not bread, may be bread to soak up blood after.” A dry rumble emanated from the club wielding speaker. The other attacked the palisade again shortly followed by the club smashing two poles inwards.

Korvhasir began mumbling to himself from the cover of the trees.

The other half troll’s two battleaxes wrenched out two more poles so the gap was now large enough for them to move through.

Soo Yuong spoke to them in Haradaic, trying to calm them down: "Calm down. We mean no harm. Let us go our way. Who's your leader?"

The club wielder responded as he began scraping his way through the broken timbers, “We mean you harm though man thing! We hunger, we always hunger!”

“Stop!” A deep bass like voice commanded from behind the two half trolls. The two trolls swung about to glare at the huge cave troll that had been following after them.

“Gah, Clunker, we can squish ‘em easy! We’ll give a whole one to you, plenty to go around!” said the battleaxe wielder.

“Mother says no squish. Mother speak first. Clubber and Chopper leave man things. Mother speak after stone maker go away again!”

Two angry roars to the sky indicated both trolls’ obedience as they backed away from the hole. The cave troll poked a large rock like face through the hole, it was chipped in many places, he opened his mouth to say something but furrowed his brow trying to recall something. After an uncomfortable silence he smiled, “Mother say you hide from cliff man things when they come after stone maker rises and she make plan!” He
looked genuinely pleased with himself before withdrawing his boulder sized head and stomping away with the other half trolls…

Tang Zong set down his bread in the space where Clunker's head had been. "If you don't want, maybe cliff man things take it?" he said in Westron.
Heaving a sigh, he turned back to the rest of the party. His mood seemed to have been dampened somewhat. "Stone maker scares a cave troll's mother? I'm getting away from this hole," he said, gesturing to the rupture created by Clubber and Chopper. With that, he turned left and began following the fence towards its far end. "Then see for sure what's this stone maker and his cliff man things...."

Gilden, moving in from the treeline said to Tang Zong, "By Stone Maker, don't you think he means the sun?"

Tang Zong paused and turned about. "Sun making stones?" He gave Gilden a puzzled look. In truth, he'd never been exposed to the sun's catastrophic effect on a troll. "Big uglies make that fence to keep dinner from leaving the table! Hah! Now there's a crack in the bowl! I'm going to watch the cliff man things from the wall, faaaaaaar away! Then we see if they're friendly or not, without their flashy little lights. Maybe sun's making stones, but I'm not making myself into a dinner for the thin ones! Who's hungrier, big uglies or cliff man things? I bake them all my special bread with the special sauce! Hah-hah!" With that, he turned back and continued following the wall.

Drake watched Tang start down the fence line and commented dryly, "Don't suppose it occurred to you that we should decide what to do before everyone runs off in every direction?" Turning back toward the rest of the group he asked, "Anyone know what the hell they mean?"

"Hmm. Mother sounds like my kind of formidable lady," noted Korvashir quietly from deep within the tree cover, observing the Troll’s head withdraw through the broken palisade. "Well, I don't know about you lot but 'Cliff man things' don't sound too good to me - guess they could mean the crew on the cliff top but are we prepared to find out?"

Rolande glared at Tang Zong and Soo Yuon, "About time you two used your capability with your native tongue." Then the anger disappeared, "Well at least we have a starting place for negotiation. Korvashir, the sun will turn stone trolls to stone, hence the stone maker reference. I can see up there that the caves are covered with portculli, which came down when the trolls attacked. I suggest the cliff-men are not friendly with the trolls. Let’s get out of sight, perhaps up a tree or something before the sun comes up and those cliff-men come down to see what the trolls were messing with. What say the rest of you?"

Interested by what Rolande had to say, Korvashir added: "I doubt if climbing up a nearby tree is going to keep us long from their sight if they do come looking. Why don't we use the cover of night to let the scouts skirt around this palisade and see what lies at either end? Remember, these cliff-men might be more amenable to a drink and boisterous chatter than those granite-headed Trolls." He paused before concluding: "One thing still seems out of place in this set up though - if the cliff men call this region home, then why do they live on the very doorstep of the Mother of these Trollkin?"

"All I know," replied Rolande, "Is that the devil you know is better than the devils you don't. But I agree have the scouts look for suitable concealment. Me? I just want to find a clothiers, a bath and some excellent food, not in that order!"

"Hey!" came Tang Zong's voice from some 50' down the fence. He had stopped and turned to address the group. Facing Rolande, he shouted: "Hey you! Come now, we can have a big argument! I promise I won't disappoint you! Quick, before big or little uglies come to eat us! It's maybe our last chance! Hah-hah!" Then, turning to the everyone else, he cried: "Who's coming with me!? Time to go!"

"Come where? and would you talk sense, I know that accent can't be real!", replied Rolande, trying not to shout.

Tang Zong tilted his head to this side and gave Rolande a puzzled look. "Come where?! Far! Away!" He emphasized each word by pointing down
the fence, in the direction he was heading. "You hear me now?! It's not safe! Or maybe you're right -- stay here and find out!" With that, he turned away again and walked off grumbling to himself in Logathig.

Soo Yuong stared icily at Rolande: "Thanks for your good advice, "Your Lordship", what would we do without your good words and your good
ideas....". She then muttered, more for herself than for the Elf: "It is a sword in your back you will find, rather than a clothiers and a bath, if you carry on ordering me around like your servant".

She then turned her back to the party and sulked until a decision would be made regarding the next course of action.

"Your very welcome m'dear," replied Rolande and he chose to ignore her veiled threat, "You would be lost in a forest, me thinks. Now if someone would decide where we are going to go, I would much appreciate it!"

Dainar returned to the hole in the wall to watch the Trolls retreat. He frowned as he turned to the others "I wonder what she meant by 'Mother say you hide from cliff man things when they come after stone maker rises and she make plan'?"

It seems to me that she was asking us to hide from the denizens in the cliffs, but I don't know what she was referring to regarding a plan? I say we get over this wall during daylight and continue inland. Any suggestions?"

"I second Dainar's idea. As much as I just love Trolls..." Korvashir grinned, "I'd prefer to speak with others more on my level of mental capacity. It is hard to influence something with the brain capacity of a stick of celery!"

Rolande replied, "I, on the other hand, prefer small minds so we can dominate and use them. These trolls maybe very useful in guiding us to our ultimate goal, Pelargir, or have you forgotten our original mission? I have not and I don't intend on returning to Umbar without completing this mission. Also, I am very curious to meet this mother, I have a feeling she is not their biological mother. She too could be an invaluable source of knowledge and expertise. So my vote is to go with Tang Zong, along this fence and find somewhere to hole up until the eve. What say you?"

"In case you have forgotten Rolande, controlling minds with a highly limited capacity for intellectual thought is not as easy as it sounds, but yes... I too am intrigued by this 'Mother' person. I just hope we don't find ourselves in hotter water - literally - than we are already. I agree we still need to push ahead to Pelargir although its pretty obvious that someone has already leaked plans of our arrival ahead of time, so we're probably heading for a nasty trap, but... <he sighs, then hackingly coughs> I'm happy to follow the groups lead. I'm certainly not staying here with a big sign reading, "Eat me!"

"I have not forgotten Korvashir, although I’m not sure that it’s as difficult for some than others," he smiled sardonically. "I’m not sure how our plans have been leaked? We don't know how or why the ship was destroyed but we will not find out here or now. Lead on Tang Zong let us find a safe place for now and see what the eve will bring." He gestured with a flourish.

Seeing no reason to remain at the breach the party followed the fence to where it met the sheer cliffs some 300 feet along. The wooden barrier was well constructed and maintained, ending in a cluster of wooden poles snug against the rock face. As the party began looking for cover the troll's bellows carried in the night air. Shortly after there was some activity from the cliff dwellers followed by the sound of metal scraping against rock, a pause, then the noise again ending in two thuds.

It was still dark so the party had to rely on Rolande to find a good place to hide but it was soon clear the Numenorean did not have the necessary outdoor experience to find anywhere that was deemed good enough by the outdoor types in the group. After an hour of wandering around, an interwoven thicket was found which was hard to wiggle into but afforded some degree of cover once some of the middle had been removed.

Drake, Gilden and Rolande (for his ability to see in the dark) decided to look over the other side of the fence while it was still dark. They were gone over an hour before they came back to the thicket. There seemed to be no way to get out of the valley barring a long and treacherous climb up the cliffs themselves. However, they had chanced upon a small plateau in one corner, 200 feet from the four troll holes and about 50 feet up. This had offered a much better hiding place than the thicket so the party had all scaled the palisade and hidden themselves in the plateau to await dawn.

After a stint on watch, most the party were able to get about four hours sleep before the rising sun gave enough light to see the surrounding area. (See
uploaded file of area).

The area ahead of the palisade had been cleared of trees and was mainly short grass with the odd tree stump. There was a sandy circle 200 feet from the cliffs, about 100’ in diameter. The cliff dwellers lived about halfway up the cliffs (300 ft) on a plateau. A village of at least 20 wooden and stone
huts was placed upon it. There were large pulley systems, some with cradles, some with platforms attached hanging over the edge. All were retracted
except four that had each sealed a cave with a large and heavy portcullis.

The rising sun lit up burnished helms, polished shields and glinting spears as a body of Haradrim men assembled and subsequently descended in the cradles. Around two score mail shirted soldiers marched two abreast across the cleared ground towards the breach. Leading the column of around two score soldiers was a leather clad figure who pointed at the broken part of the palisade but stopped in mid gesture as Kheldar and Pharazor limped out of the breach raising a hand in greeting. The lead figure turned around briefly to confer with one of the soldiers in the front rank
before turning again to wave at the approaching injured men. Kheldar and Pharazor said something to each other, slowing their approach then looking about.

"Twenty houses, forty men," thought Tang Zong aloud. "How can we get up there? Let's take a look around before they finish killing those slow pokers! We can watch, see if they are friendly... maybe cut the ropes when they try to come back up. But we should move fast! Can anyone see how those baskets work?"

The baskets or cradles were made of lashed together wood. The baskets were lowered or dropped by use of a thick rope that wound around a drum after going through some gearing in the pulley system.

Dainar watched closely as those armoured men closed in on the struggling Kheldar and Pharazor. He nodded his head at Tang Zongs' suggestion. "Lets see what happens to our two companions before we make ourselves known."

The two injured men met the column of troops at the breach. There was a conversation, during which Pharazor pointed in the direction of the bay, before all figures marched back towards the cradles.

Watching the scene unfold in front of them, Gilden was very interested to see the fate of their comrades. He took a quick look around, to see if there was any way they could be spotted from their current position. He concluded that if everyone stayed low they would be hidden from anyone up the cliff or on the open ground below. If things went badly for Kheldar and Pharazor, out of sight might be the best policy.

When the group got to the cradles, Kheldar, Pharazor and about 30 men went up to the village. Due to the location of the party’s hiding place it was impossible to see what befell them once they were up top.

The remaining soldiers on the ground waited for a group of 5 villagers to descend before the entourage went back to the breach where they began fixing the fence.

Tang Zong's gaze was on the fence repair crew. "That fence is not made for the big uglies, that's for sure! They get out any time they want, except maybe when they're in their cages." He motioned towards the four caves, sealed with portcullii. "No thin things man get over that wall. Those fence fixers, they are busy guys. They have a lot of work! But it not pay a lot... they don't get enough to eat!"

He turned his focus to the plateau to which the large group of soldiers had ascended with Pharazor and Kheldar, then looked back to the group.
"Let's split up! Missie," he said, addressing Soo Yuong, "you and me speak their language I think. Maybe you like to stay here with fishy boy," here he turned to Gilden, "and Dainar? Maybe you kill those fence fixers' bosses, the ones playing with their noses? Make a nice gift to the big uglies' mother! It's always nice to give a gift to the woman in the house! Hah!"

"Me, I'm going up there." Here, his eyes widened and took on a bewildering quality as he turned back to look at the higher plateau. "You, you, and you, boss," he began, looking at Drake, Korvhazir and Rolande in turn, "do you want to come with me? We can have a good time too!"

"I will go with you Tang Zong but be careful what you divulge to these Haradrim, they may not be friendly to the Lords of Umbar and I still think we need to talk to mother to get both sides of the story. But I would admit it is good to see our other companions alive and as well as can be expected. Let us go then but be prepared to act forcefully if necessary."

Korvashir had been thinking hard and looking up a number of times further up the cliff. Facing indecision, he finally announced: "Well, I'm city born
and bred. You won't find me climbing cliff faces, not for any 'Mother'! And anyway, we have a mission that still needs completing and we are not solving it by messing around with this clan of Haradrim. Lets just find the solution that gets us moving towards Pelargir."

Soo Yuong looked back at Tang Zong. "Yes, all right, off you go, I'll stay here and 'translate' if necessary..."

Drake nodded his agreement. “I will come with you also, Easterling.”

Leaving Dainar, Gilden and Soo Yuong behind Drake, Korvhazir, Rolande and Tang Zong climbed down from their hiding place. The soldiers and workmen at the fence, their attention on the forest, did not notice them. When they got to the portcullis sealing the troll holes, they paused.

At the Portcullis:

As the group passed the first troll hole a half troll was right at the grill of the portcullis. This one was much smaller than the others the party had already met, standing just over seven foot. His features were clearly Haradaic and would have a good chance of being mistaken as an ugly huge tribesmen than a troll. "Mother clever, man things not. We feast on you when stonemaker falls if you go to fight makers. Run back to your hidey hole and you live, maybe even profit."

Rolande turned and stepped closer to the portcullis, "Why should we trust you? Or Mother? She could just as easily eat us, whether we go to fight makers or not? Our friends have been taken up their to the fight makers camp. We go to see if they are fine and if we can enlist their aide. Why should we trust you and Mother, give us a good reason? I know she wants something from us, otherwise she would have let those two from before finish us off."

The troll must have been one of the smarter ones as it understood Westron, "You go up to fight makers, then we eat you tonight when fights come. You will be play things of man things! You stay away from fight makers and we no eat, mother say, she make plan to lead us to powerful masters, you help free us!"

Tang Zong was startled by the half-troll, but quickly composed himself and addressed the creature in Haradrim. "Wow! How did you get in that cage?! We want to go kill fight maker things now. Why not? We make them scream for you, you like to listen? We make a big fire and burn them alive! Hah! I'm gonna kill them all! They took two of my friends, two that know how to make magic. Those two taste bad if you try to eat them. You get a really big belly ache, then other nasty things happen to you. Very awful! You cannot imagine! My advice to you: don't eat our friends! Now, we want to go kill fight makers, but we will go back to our hidey hole if you tell us something... tell us something funny about the fight maker man things... something to make me laugh! If not, then you listen closely, and you will hear them screaming! First we chop off their arms and legs, then we burn them alive. Hah! Nothing left except crunchy white bones! Then you have nothing to eat except magic makers and us... and we not gonna feed you for very long! What do you say?"

The troll cocked a curious head at Tang Zong, "You kill all fight makers? You man things maybe new mighty master! You kill them, you free trolls. Drop platform and let us go, we no eat, mother say. You kill them or they send you to us and we kill you. No choice. No kill, no food."

"So what your saying Master Troll, is that they," and Rolande pointed upwards for emphasis, "the fight makers will make us their prisoner and for entertainment put us up against you and 'mothers' brood in a fight?"

The black skinned troll flicked out a red tongue while he replayed Rolande's words in his head then nodded, "Yes, you fight for fight maker and we fight you to live. You make fight if you want to or not. Die to us or die to fight makers."

Turning to the others, Rolande said, "Well I think we should do as this troll asks, I'm not sure why but I think I believe him. As for why we'll discuss it later."

Out of earshot he said, "Because we are not powerful enough to kill all the Haradrim and we certainly are not powerful enough to kill the trolls. I don't think they would eat us if we help them because they could have eaten us before and didn't because 'mother' said not to!!"

Drake nodded, "I think something close enough but it seems very odd sport for a bunch who must struggle to keep themselves fed this far from any civilization. Also I don't like the thought of dealing with trolls at all. If we do this we had better arrange it so they can't decide to eat us anyway."

"I don't like dealing with trolls either Drake but it's the demon you know rather than the demon you don't, in this case," replied Rolande. "As I said if they'd wanted to kill us, the trolls could have. Why go through this ridiculous farce to eat us in the end! I think they need us to help them. Lets just be ready for them to betray us, when our usefulness ends." and Rolande touched the side of his nose.

"Okie dokie!" Tang Zong replied to the half-troll's proposal. "We no kill fight makers, not tonight! Instead, we hide and wait to hear your mother's plan. If it's a good plan, then we help free you. But...." Here he paused, choosing his words carefully before continuing: "If we help free you, you gotta promise to help us with something!?"

Turning aside to speak to Rolande and the others, he whispered: "We take a few big uglies with us when we go to Pelargir, we have no problem raise a merry hell!" He emphasized his statement with a wink so ridiculous it made the others feel they might have missed something.

"Tang Zong, we are supposed to slip into Pelagir and then raise merry hell, as you say. Just how are we going to 'slip' in with trolls?" replied Rolande, semi-mockingly.

Tang Zong look disappointed at Rolande's statement about the advisability of taking the trolls to Pelargir.

"So!" Tang Zang began, returning his attention to the monster, "what's it gonna be then eh? We go now, back to hidey hole, you come and knock like this: 'Knock... knock-a-knock!' and say the secret password 'Trip-a-trap' three times. Then we know it's you. Then I'm gonna say, 'Who's that
tramping at my doorway? I am Tang Zong!' Then you gonna know it's me! Okie dokie?!"

The troll paused while he tried to process Tang Zong's instructions. "Where you hide? If we no find you, come find us."

Cutting through the confused negotiations for a moment, Korvashir made sure he was at the back and out of reach of heavy arms before saying:

"Look, it's simple. Where is this Mother? who so wants us to help? Why don't we just speak to her direct and save us all time and headache (he looked pointedly at the black troll)"

The half troll looked at Korv as if he should know the answer, "She no move with her legs since the birth of the first man trolls, man thing!" He pointed at the portcullis, "When bang holes move back up you come in and talk! She smart, she tell all! You must hide, fight makers at meat stopper eye you soon."

"Meat stopper?!" Tang Zong burst out laughing. "So you big boys make greasy-greasy fence?!" Then, to the others in the party, "He's right! Those fence-fixers are gonna see us if we don't get back to our hidey hole right now! Let's go!"

The half troll shook his head, "No, fight makers make meat stopper so man things cannot run away when fight nights come."

"Ahh, its a games Arena!" nodded Korvashir sagely, as if everyone couldn't work it out for themselves.

"Which makes sense, the way that fence is built, to keep things in! Enough dallying Tang Zong, come Korv, Drake let us repair to our hidey-hole and await night fall." With that Rolande turned and made his way back to the plateau and the others

Back at the hiding place:

After a minute the group paused at the portcullis turned around and hurried back to rejoin the rest of the group at their hiding spot. The fence crew seemed to have not noticed their brief foray.

"Well fellow castaways." announced Rolande as the party was rejoined, "Seems our two friends are in big trouble! The Haradrim capture people and for their entertainment put them in combat with 'mothers' brood, the trolls. It seems, according to one of the most intelligent trolls I’ve ever conversed with! It seems that if we were to make contact with the Haradrim, we would be made prisoner and forced to fight the trolls. So our plan is to wait until dark and then talk to 'mother'. I realize that sounds crazy but it’s my opinion that if the trolls had wanted to eat us they could have done it easily before, rather than going through this elaborate scheme, for the same outcome." He looked around at his companions, "What do you say Drake, Korv, Tang Zong?"

Drake scratched his chin and replied, "I say we get the hell out of here before we wind up as troll gruel. I think we should see about scaling this wall behind us. Avoid the fight makers and the fighters all together by slipping out the back."

"As I said before," pointed out Korvashir. "There's no way I am able to scale this sheer cliff above us and since there seems no other route up to higher ground than using the Haradrim lifts, we have little choice but to negotiate with 'Mother' once its dark. Now, it just so happens that I am a skilled negotiator amongst my many talents," he puffed out his hidden chest, "...so we should have little difficulty in finding an alternative solution to this."

Dainar rubbed his chin thoughtfully "So what was the outcome of the battle between our companions and the trolls?"

He picked up his spear and added "I think we contact this 'Mother', if we don't we will be hard pressed to avoid the Haradrim.”

Rolande replied to Dainar, "Our former companions haven't fought the trolls yet. Hopefully, our negotiations with the trolls leads to their freedom,"
he shrugged, "but it may not!"

"Well Korvashir, my erstwhile companion, I believe I was picked for this mission due to my inestimable negotiating skills but I welcome your assistance in the upcoming moot," and Rolande tipped an imaginary hat in Korv's direction.

Tang Zong cocked an eyebrow and smirked at Rolande's boast about his negotiating skills. "You keep your mouth shut, boss, maybe we all survive. You keep yelling like a crazy fool, we all get eaten, you probably the first."

"I yell when necessary Tang Zong. I speak quietly when needed. I didn't see you being quiet back there at the wall. No, I will not be sidelined in this negotiation, I WILL be present and I think you’re more likely to be the first morsel that the trolls sample." Retorted Rolande.

Addressing the group at large, Tang Zong continued: "I'm still not sure about big uglies... but they too stupid to lie very good. If they want to eat us, they do it by now! Mother not gonna say eat us until she see us... she gonna wait... maybe us later maybe!" He paused for a moment before continuing, in a calm voice: "Tonight, after stonemaker gone. Big uglies come and see us. I stand out here so they can see. Everyone else hide somewhere close. We see what happens. You want to climb rock or go say hello to fight makers? You do it now."

Rolande shook his head, "I think you'll find 'mother' quite capable of lying, there's where I think you’re underestimating them. They are still quite dangerous and we are still likely to be dinner after our usefulness has ended. I will stand with you tonight, when they come."

"Those other two," Tang continued again, looking up at the higher plateau, "our lost friendlies... we gonna see them tonight, like this or like that, but we gonna see them!"

As the morning wore on the party spent their time resting in the shade of the cliffs. Watches were set but the inhabitants of the region seemed content with the capture of Kheldar and Pharazor. No more search parties were sent out.

The fence crew had materials delivered to them via the platforms and were finished repairing the fence by the time the sun was directly overhead. With the shade chased away the temperature rose, becoming almost unbearable, even to the folk from Umbar and the desert. The rock heated up so much that it was painful to touch with bare skin, the party had to erect make shift tents from spare clothes and tarps just to stop from being roasted alive.

When finally the sun moved on enough to throw shade about the hiding place, several details of villagers came back down to the open ground dragging small carts with them. They proceeded to erect poles all around the sandy circle. Atop the poles were large torches. The circle finished they set about erecting the poles along the fence, cliff base and open ground. By the time they had finished a few hours later the open ground was sprouting a forest of the tall torches. Again, they all retired back up to the cliff village.

Sometime later, with dusk fast approaching, the platforms were ladened with more villagers and soldiers, all carrying torches on long poles. They
were lowered to the ground and busied themselves with lighting all the previously laid poles. As they lit the last of them, reedy Haradaic music wafted down from the village accompanied by the smell of roasting meat. As the light providers ascended back up in the cradles the portculli sealing the troll holes were lifted.

For several minutes nothing happened until a black figure slunk out of the hole nearest the hidden party and, keeping close to the cliff base, crept to the party's hiding place.

When he got close enough the same intelligent half troll could be made out, "Man things, mother will see you now! Be quick, fights will start soon."

Soo Yuong went towards Tang Zong and Rolande, after the half-troll had appeared. She said in a low voice: "All right, I'm coming with you two. Maybe it is better we do not split the party to see this 'Mother'?!"

Dainar collected his belongings swiftly and quietly before moving to stand with Tang Zong, Soo Young and Rolande. "I'm coming as well." he told the others.

Korvashir was one of the first to make ready to enter the lair of the Trolls, he had little to pack.

Gilden grabbed his meagre belongings and stood to join the others to meet 'Mother'.

"The way I see it, I would rather take a chance with the trolls. It seems rather certain what will happen if we are found by the men in the village..."

Drake, all alone on the plateau, shrugged then followed on after the others. They all kept close to the cliff base where it was almost impossible to be
spotted from the village until the last 100 feet or so. Looking up at the cliff dwellings no guards could be discerned. It seemed they were busy with the
night’s preparations.

Entering through the first hole the first thing to strike anyone was the utter stench. Every non troll retched which caused the escorting half troll to bark a short laugh before he urged them further into the dark cave. The cave buzzed with activity. Not from any trolls but from the swarms of flies that cohabited the complex. The floor was covered in troll waste and it was impossible not to step through it. In some places, particularly the sides, it was knee deep.

The trolls had been busy as they had knocked gaps through each wall dividing the troll holes so that even with the portcullises down the whole complex could be reached. Stepping into the next corridor the first half troll infant was spotted. The young male had a full head of black wiry hair and looked like a human child from behind. As they got closer they noticed he was delving into a pile of faeces and picking out maggots before eagerly stuffing them into his mouth. He turned at their approach and saw Tang near the front. His filth encrusted mouth parted to bare jagged sharp teeth in a growl as he launched himself at the Easterling. The half troll did not let him get close enough. A swift kick that sent him careering off the wall brought a painful cry from the child. Cowering and whimpering he let the party past but followed on a little ways behind.

About 50 feet in the passage opened into a torch lit cavern. Here resided 8 male half trolls. Two were recognisable as the two who had tried to attack the party the night before. The others displayed differing levels of human to troll heritage though none looked as human as the escorting troll. “Mother say no eat, lads, remember!” He shouted out as a couple scooped up weapons. “Gah, Brains, not one? She need all man things? Juicy female, no miss?” Purred a large half troll with a two handed sword. “No, leave all, she say, Otherslicer.” Brains, the escorting troll commanded. Another troll with a two handed sword stepped forward, “Me no like no eat meat. Mother smart but she no strong. Me take small one, she no miss it”
He pointed with his sword at Tang. “Slicer, mother get Clunker to squish you, if you no do as she say.” Otherslicer cursed again as Slicer lowered his sword, grumbling to himself. Brains gave the party a warning look, “Keep moving, this way.” He pointed to an opening in the back wall of the cavern. The other half trolls kept a hungry eye on them as they hurried through. This short passage led to another cavern, larger than before and populated with four male cave trolls. Clunker, the cave troll from the night before was not present. “Quickly through to next one man things,” Urged Brains as the trolls sprang up, grabbing for clubs. “Fight night! Fight night! You eat lots, but no now. Mother plan for man things. No eat, no eat!” Brains shoved everyone along into the next passage. This went down about 30 feet until the way ahead was barred by a rock. “Clunker, man things here,
speak with mother. Move rock!” An element of fear was in Brains’ voice as he glanced back up to the cave trolls peering into the passage, almost all were drooling. The rock moved aside to reveal a well lit cave and the smell of exotic spices wafted out. Clunker looked at the party and at their weapons, “Leave pointy things in passage!” He boomed.

A deep female voice called out from within the cave, “No Clunker, let them come as they bid my love. They will not harm me.” Clunker did not look convinced but moved out of the way. As the party filed in, the room could be made out. It had rags adorning the walls in some crude attempt at decoration. On one side was a chipped chamber pot, stone wash basin, wooden jug and a large pot with what looked liked animal fat. On the other was a pile of wood, a jar of some sort of powder and a smouldering fire, the smoke the source of the spicey smell. The smoke drifted about the room though it slowly rose up and away into a hole in the ceiling. By the door was a gouge in the rock floor that looked like a trough filled with water. Ahead of them was a huge bed made from stacked animal skins and straw. Atop the bed lay an obese naked Haradrim female, an angry red scar running down her belly. She was possibly in her late forties and looked pregnant. She ran her stubby fingers through her black hair and gave
each of the party members her best alluring look, including Soo Yuong. “Though if you have any decency you will remove your boots and wash the filth from your trousers.” She threw a look at the water trough. Without waiting for an answer she continued, “For many years I’ve waited for someone to come to us from the other side of that fence. You are the first to do so. Plenty are given to us from above but survivors are rare and ultimately of no use. The Al Ambrel like to see their victims die!” She noticed Brains still standing in the doorway, “Oh, I’m sorry my son. You
have done well and I will reward you tonight but for now please go back to the entrance and await the fight makers talker.” Brains smiled happily, bowed and took his leave. Clunker rolled the immense boulder back across the doorway and picked up his club. Mother laughed lightly, “Clunker my love, they will not harm me unless they can fight their way through all the trolls in this hole. Come lay beside me, come all lay beside me, tell me of the outside world or maybe we can have some fun!" She shot a glance over to the pot of animal fat. Clunker, did as she bade but kept his club beside him. He lay his head on her breast as she stroked his huge craggy head. He kept his eyes suspiciously on the party.

Rolande was the most affected by the squalor and stench of the troll quarters. His normally pale complexion took on a distinctly pea-green hue. His face broke out in sweat and he held a perfumed lace hanky to his nose. Managing, just barely, to hold the gorge and bile rising in his throat, he took advantage of the trough to clean his boots and the bottom of his blouse. Although he was obviously distressed by the appearance of his clothing, which was still somewhat soiled after the cleaning.

He approached 'Mother' along with the others and then took a corner of the bed furthest from mother. "Thank you for your welcome and hospitality 'Mother'. I am Rolande Half-Elven and these are my companions. We are shipwrecked upon your shores and are pleased that you saved us from the clutches of the fight makers. May I compliment you on your brood and your obvious beauty and fecundity? How may we help you, to help us?"

Tang Zong did not remove his footwear, nor did he approach the trough of water to wash troll excrement off of his person. Instead, he stood his ground, ignoring the stench and Mother's repugnantly wanton suggestion and glance.

Nudging Korvashir, he whispered: "We dead men already... nothing to lose. Mother need our help, or she gonna die in stinky place. She gotta save our two friendlies, tell us her plan fast... or magic makers gonna give her sore tummy and dead babies."

Dainar was grateful to have made it through the tunnels and the stench. His only concern was having to run the gauntlet on their way out. He took the opportunity to clean himself in the flowing water as best he could before moving to stand at the foot of 'Mothers' bed. He still held his shield and spear as he stood there, looking more like a guard than anything else.

"Mother, as a man of war, I prefer to do business standing up and not between the sheets. If you'll forgive me, how can we be of help to you?"

Mother looked vaguely disappointed at the men's reluctance to get any closer to her. "How can you help indeed?" She looked hopefully at the others who had not approached, "Come and lay beside me, Northrons!"
Clunker glared at those who had not approached and let out a rumbling growl. "Now, now, my love. Be nice to our guests!" She squirmed a little under the weight of his head but seemed to tolerate it. "I have lain here many years and tried to think of ways out of this prison. To my mind there are three." She held up her chubby hand with three fingers extended, "The first is over the fence, to the sea and swim around the coast. Impossible for anyone in my home." She struck off a finger. "The second is to scale the sheer cliffs that surround this bay. Again impossible for my children, they just don't have the dexterity to manage it." Another finger went down. "The last option is through the village and the gates. There are many villagers and I doubt you would get through undetected but that is where my family come in." She gave Clunker's basin like ear a pat, "If you can lower the platforms and bring up my fiercest offspring, they will do the rest."

She pondered for a moment, "How you do that is the tricky thing but tonight, after the arena battles, would be your best opportunity. Most of the Al Ambrel will be drunk and inattentive. Besides," she nodded towards the boulder, "until the trolls have been fed not even I can stop them eating you on the way out!" She smiled as she languished back on the bed, watching the smoke drift through the shield sized hole in the ceiling, "Whatever shall we do to pass the time?"

"I think we can handle getting your offspring up to the plateau but I would know more about the 'fight-makers', the Al Ambrel, as you call them. I would also like to know how your 'brood' came to be imprisoned here by mere humans and finally why is their village here in this place." Rolande smiled, his color returning, although his perfumed hanky was not far from his nose, when he was not speaking, "I understand your appetites 'mother' and in another situation I might even take you up on your very generous offer but I would be afraid of your 'man' here tearing me limb from limb and eating me down! So instead of a wonderful time 'messing' up the figurative sheets perhaps you can help us understand why we should help you kill the Al Ambrel and escape, other than avoiding our own grisly demise!"

"The Al Ambrel are led by a clever Chief called Simak who holds no allegiance to either Gondor or Umbar. Brains estimates their soldiers at close to two score and ten. From what I gleaned these Haradrim have lived in this region for at least three generations and in the cliff top fortress for most of that. The tribe I came from had not heard of anyone in this region so I suspect that this fortress is hidden somehow." She drifted into her own thoughts for a moment before she acknowledged the half elf again, "Simak must be a man of vision as he brought young trolls to this place and began training them through starvation. When they had matured they were as close to manageable as trolls will ever be."

Clunker rumbled a bass growl, "Never man thing pet, wait and man things be food later!"

Mother nodded, "Indeed my love." She caressed his slab sized cheek as she continued, "Simak then arranged fights inviting other Chiefs attend to watch and wager. The troll's victims seem to be travellers or people who have earned his displeasure somehow. My caravan was attacked many years ago and I was part of some game where my surviving guards had to protect me, a task they could never succeed in." Her tone became guarded, "I have persuasive talents so instead of being slain with the rest of them I was taken into the caves where I met the smartest, strongest and most comely of Cave trolls!" Clunker's lips curled up with a cracking sound as he smiled. She opened her mouth to say something but took a look at Clunker and closed it again. She thought for a moment, "It was for reasons of love that I decided to mate with Clunker and risk death but I have other skills that can help me keep from the sprits of the other world and my children were born." She smiled at Rolande, "Does that satisfy your curiosity?"

Throughout the length of the discussion, Tang Zong shifted restlessly from foot to foot. Finally, his impatience got the better of him and he broke his brooding silence. He spoke to 'Mother' matter-of-factly: "Lady, you gotta send us man things out to the fight tonight, instead of your boys. Maybe we meet our two prisoner friends in fight. Then we join together and smash Al Ambrel. Use prisoner man things to fight Simak and other chiefs. Give them a big surprise! You send us with Brains, tell your other boys to stay home tonight. Brains and troll-friendly man things gonna get up top of the cliff, then we gonna throw down all the Al Ambrel you can eat! Hah!"

Korvashir, sheltering un-noticed in the shadows of the roof overhang , stopped flicking bits of muck off his shoes with a stick and muttered:
"Any Troll could do the work of 10 warriors to destroy the encampment above, just leave it to us to get that platform to stay down here long enough," and he smiled in challenge to Rolande across the room.

Rolande listened to the Barbarian Tang Zong's words, arching his eyebrow in modest surprise at the intelligence and tactical awareness displayed by him. Then he noted the challenge from Korvashir, after he spoke.

"I agree with both my comrades mother, we need our two friends who were captured by the Al Ambrel this afternoon. Do the Al Ambrel let you fight down here? And if so do they lower the cage to let your prey out?"

Mother had been musing over Korvhasir and Tang's words. "All our prey is lowered by platform. Anyone not leaving it immediately is encouraged by the guards armed with bows above them. They will be watching when it lowers and until the occupants leave it. As they retrieve it their attention will be on us and our prey. They make sure all the fights start in the ring, though once they see the trolls they usually run!" She laughed cruelly but stopped as Rolande asked, "Or would it be easier for us to be 'captured' by the Al Ambrel and then when we are lowered for the fight we can take over the 'platform' and haul up your lads to wreck havoc."

There was silence for a moment while she continued evaluating what Tang and Korv had said, "This is the first time that anyone has ever come from over the fence and I am willing to bet that the Al Ambrel were as surprised as I was. I am reluctant to give up that advantage by letting you be captured. They are adept at catching their victims and forcing them to fight, you would be hard pressed to escape their clutches once they have you, I fear. The weapons you have are not likely the weapons you will fight with as they are normally of poor repair and quality so for you to hold the platform would be difficult" She lay her head back on the bed and stared at the smoke curling away up through the roof before sighing. "If I send you out to fight they may just fill you full of shafts from the guards above or close the portcullis and capture you or let you fight but if you win, who knows what they might do?" She sat up again and looked at Tang Zong, "How do you plan on getting past my hungry family outside before they are fed? Clunker might be strong enough for them but I do not want to risk hurt to them or my love!" Clunker growled again looking at the doorway. "Give me a description of your friends and I will have Brains try his best to dissuade my trolls from killing them though they may be injured and there are no guarantees!" She looked over at Korv "The number of Trolls allowed in the ring is always controlled, normally one or two at a time so the best you could rely on would be two trolls and if hungry you may not be able to count on them at all! Also, remember any sign of trouble from us will result in them dropping all the portculli."

Tang Zong appeared to believe every word that came out of his own mouth as he spoke to Mother: "Nobody's gonna take me prisoner! Especially not the skinny man things up on the cliff! I use my own weapons!" Here, he revealed the fighting claws he wore beneath his cloak, gesturing with them for added emphasis. "I climb that cliff before they see me!" Here, he pantomimed climbing a wall. "Spill their guts all over the ground!" Saying this, he raked the noxious air of the chamber in an exaggerated whirlwind fashion. "Fill their stinky backsides with my arrows! Hah!"

"Clunker... he's a really tough fellow.... If other boys try hurt Clunker, we help him! Smack a few on the head! Pop! Pow! Your boys don't want to starve? Wanna eat a lotta cliff man things? We help, but first you help us! Clunker gotta stop hungry boys from eating us. I get upstairs to cliff man thing village real quick, help my friendly man things up, and then we gonna make you a great big dinner! Hah! Feed you for a long time. We help keep gates open so you go outside whenever you want! All night long! Hah!

"You need us outside cave, not inside stomach! Brains can convince other boys not to be bad while we go out, keep them inside. That way, Clunker only have to hit two or three. Or, your boys can eat us... fill you for maybe one day. But then you gonna be stuck here forever! Get old, sick, and die!"

Rolande realising too late that Tang Zong's boasting might get them in more hot water than they were already, spoke up just as he finished, "Mother could my friends and I have a moment to discuss our situation and formulate one plan of attack that you can take to your 'children'."
Mother nodded, "Of Course, but don't be too long, I grow excited at all these plans!" She looked over to Tang Zong, looking at the Mithril claws, "Expensive items Northron. Maybe you should go out to others waiting for you, Clunker will help you."

Clunker growled again, "Me no hurt brothers for safety of man flesh!" Mother mumbled to herself for a moment then touched Clunker's temple causing the Troll to look at Tang's claws, a sly grin split across his face like the sound of gravel being raked. "Me do what Mother say!"

Rolande whispered, "Look, we must not confuse her with many plans, let's speak with one voice and with one plan. I trust these trolls as much as I trust Tang Zong not to mutilate the words he speaks! Nor do I trust these Haradrim renegades. We need to be very careful or we will be lunch or filled with arrows or both. I say we get to the top, help the trolls up and make our escape to the wilds as quick as we can!"

Soo Yuong left the shadows where she had been standing silently since their entrance in Mother's bedroom. She whispered back to Rolande and the others:
"I'd rather fight with the Haradrim then trying to convince trolls not to eat us. I agree with your plan of trying to climb the cliffs and lower the platform. Next thing is to convince Mother's boys we need access to these cliffs...preferably without any limbs missing"

Gilden had, until this point, been quietly listening to the conversations at hand. Suddenly, he perked up and, as the others continued to talk, he moved in a little closer to his comrades. He didn't say a word, but touched one of his ears and pointed to the hole in the ceiling. He then mouthed the word "voices"... And after a pause "men".

Tang Zong huddled with the others, and whispered: "We gotta get out of here first. Best way to do that, we convince them they need us, outside. Keep trolls inside tonight. Only other idea... Mother gotta send _all_ her boys out tonight, if possible. Then we slip out with Clunker."

Turning to Gilden, Tang Zong whispered, "Hole big enough for Tang Zong to fit? Want get outta here."

As Gilden nodded, Drake cleared his throat quietly and with an eye on the hole in the ceiling said in a whisper, "I agree with Tang, we do need to be outside for this. We need to find out how the buckets are operated so we can raise some of our friends quickly once we get to the top of the cliff. And we should try to time our ascent so that we can attack as the trolls are able to get outside."

Observing with horror the end result of Mother's apparent psychic communication with Clunker, Tang Zong hurriedly turned back to his companions. "No more time to talk. Master say, 'When push come to shove, push and shove!' Stop big ugly now, before he open that door! Escape though hole in roof," he said in a hurried, low voice. "If Clunker move big rock and take me outside this room, I not be easy meal for big uglies... I think I maybe I make them little bit angry before they eat me... then they come for you!"

"Be at peace Tang Zong, I will save you, though I do it only because of your, as yet unrevealed, worth to our primary mission." Rolande moved over to the bed and smiled at Mother and Tang Zong his features softening, his voice becoming mellifluous, low and sensual, Mother, Clunker, there are many riches in the Al Ambrel village. For you Clunker and your children there will be food a plenty as you feed on the flesh of your oppressors for now and many, many days to come. For you Mother, you will be queen of your domain, you will have all the riches of gold, jewellery, perfumes, oils and tinctures; that the Al Ambrel have hoarded together. We have no interest in their goods, or only interest is to get out of here and go on with our journey. We are on a mission given to us by the Lords of Umbar and it would do you well to aid us in completing this mission. I know my Lord would be pleased to have allies such as you and your brood and such a relationship would be beneficial to all. Now if you kill us, you will feed well, for one night and then you will still be prisoners of the Al Ambrel. As you say we are the first to have come from beyond the wall, in these many years. If you kill us how many years before the next men come? We may have a way to get out of your family enclave without risking the hunger of your children and a way to get to the top of the cliff without being detected by the Al Ambrel. Do you hear what I am saying Mother? Clunker?" His eyes were almost glowing with an inner light as he stopped speaking but it seemed to the listeners that his words continued as a repeating mantra, echoing around the room, dulling the senses and intoxicating the mind.

Mother smiled back at the half-elf, his tone appreciated. As Rolande spoke of the riches to be had she warmed to his words, nodding dreamily as his promises drew pleasant possibilities in her mind. Even Clunker began drooling at the idea of the mountains of flesh for the taking.

However, when Rolande mentioned that the party were on a mission from Umbar her smile was replaced by a scowl and her eyes narrowed. "Umbar? Northrons! What kind-" She stopped abruptly as she looked more intently at the people behind the clothes and then laughed shortly, "Well, some of you indeed could be from Umbar though a man elf and he," She pointed at Drake, "less so!" She chuckled again as the half-elf continued. "Save your Lord's gratitude and your charms, for I have no need of one and know the other too well!" She did not seem annoyed as she murmured and touched Clunker's temple again. The troll looked angry but she whispered gently, in much the same manner as Rolande until the huge 12' troll was placated. She cocked an eyebrow in Rolande's direction, "Sometimes, living here with so little things of value, intelligence or merit cause me to not use the true intellect I possess! You are, of course, correct. I forget I need you as much as you will need my family. Please carry on with your scheming." She laughed quickly again before whispering sweet nothings into Clunker's ear.

Rolande turns to the others. "Gilden, do you think we all can use the egress you've discovered?"

Smiling at Rolande's speech to Mother, Gilden nodded his head slightly. "I am quite an accomplished climber", he said, "I can probably get up there, I KNOW I could do so if I had the use of Tang Zong's claws" he said, his eyes on the opening above his head. "My only worry is that it most certainly won't be the stealthiest of operations"

Rolande smiled at Mother, "A man elf in Umbar's court, yes mother, that may seem strange to you and in truth it is but I am not the usual kind of man-elf you've ever dealt with." There was a slight under edge of malice in Rolande's words but they also dripped so much with honey that the true meaning of what he said disappeared from the mind even as it formed. "With your leave we will set to scheme." and he bowed with an exaggerated flourish. He turned to the others, "Drake, Soo Young, those of you with climbing skills, see where that hole leads and whether we can use it to our advantage!" Then he mouthed so only they could see "sorceress" and then pointed through himself toward the bed and mother and clunker. He then turned back to the bed and the corpulent queen of the trolls. "We will scheme some more mother with your leave. Do you know where that hole goes to," and he points at the ceiling above them. "Or does Brains?"

She shrugged, "I've never given it much thought. The smoke drifts out somewhere and on windy days you can hear the wind through it so probably out of the cliff top somewhere. It's too small for anyone-" She cut herself off again as she looked at the smaller humanoids gathered in front of her, up to the ceiling then back at the party. Nodding her head approvingly, she said with a trace of embarrassment "Clunker will lift you up if you wish to explore."

Dainar watched carefully the interactions of 'Mother' and 'Clunker'. He got the impression that they would be betrayed before any plans they hatched were completed.

Dainar leaned in close to Rolande and the others as they schemed. "I also could climb up through the hole. Perhaps we should firstly cushion the ground beneath in case someone should fall?"

Dainar gripped the shaft of his spear and leaned in close his voice almost a whisper "We are trapped in here, if we can escape through the hole perhaps we should just 'remove' our guests permanently?"

"If I may, I'd like to take a look to see how passable it is", Gilden said, looking at the ceiling. "It's got to be over a 500 ft climb if it goes all the way to the top."

With that, he looked at Mother. "Many thanks", he said. Turning to Clunker, he said "Ok big guy, give me a boost!"

Feeling left out, Korvashir joined the group whispering in a corner and said:
"I am probably the oldest and most... um, emaciated of our group - even though my strength is still as good as always. If this hole is a natural split in the rock that allows the smoke of this room to escape, you may find the way virtually blocked and only someone like me could worm his way through. Plus of course, I have skills that are second to none in evading and out talking any would be guards of watchers up there. I thus have seconded myself to go up after Gilden." He grinned broadly to show that no-one else's opinions matter one iota.

Tang Zong seemed somewhat baffled by the turn of events. However, he quickly adjusted, transitioning from borderline psychotic, troll slayer or troll feed, to would-be mountaineer without so much as a facial twitch. "Fish-boy! Keep your hands away!" he mused, hiding his claws from Gilden. "I climb up too. We well-equipped, right? Got rope and stuff?"

Looking again at Tang Zong's claws, Gilden said "You may want to let me scout a bit ahead first. I'm confident I can make the climb even without your claws quite quickly, but if this shaft DOES come out on top of the cliff, we don't want anyone to hear us coming, now do we?"

Rolande listened to the debate, "I have good elven rope, a climbing pick and grapnel you are welcome to use them. I'm also no slouch when it comes to climbing but if you find it a relatively easy climb I suggest we all go that way, rather than try and get past those hungry trolls!" He put his hand on Korvashir's arm, "I would talk with you Korv." Korvashir, looking mildly annoyed, acquiesced and was led to a corner and engaged in a quiet conversation, while the others made ready to climb.

Drake begun unslinging his climbing implements saying softly so only those gathered around can hear, "I don't care who hears me so long as I don't die in this place." He smiled wryly, "You go on ahead as far as you like and I'll be pulling up behind."

Soo Yuong prepared to climb through the hole too. With a nod from Mother, Clunker scooped up Gilden and thrust him through the hole. The Hillman quickly disappeared as he ascended rapidly and silently up into the slightly smoky natural chimney. To those watching it looked like the Dunlending had done this before, and often. The massive troll looked at the others and grabbed Dainar next, stuffing him up the hole as if he was as light as a feather. The muscular troll didn't break a sweat as he effortlessly helped Tang, Drake, Soo Yuong and then Korvashir (who had been slightly delayed by Rolande) until only the half-elf remained.

Rolande looked up at the chimney as his comrades disappeared, then he looked at mother, "Mother look for the basket to lift your children up for feeding time, be ready. But remember not to betray us, we may look weak but even the mouse can roar, " and he bowed with a flourish, "Goodbye my beautiful mother," then he turned to Clunker, "Now sir if you please, a boost?" Rolande then followed the others.

The Chimney was as Korvashir surmised, a natural jagged crack in the rock which widened as much as 5 feet in places and as little as 2 feet in others but everyone was able to squeeze through. It was mainly vertical but did twist in places which was fortune as a few of the less experienced climbers slipped down every now and then but did not drop far enough to hurt themselves.

Gilden was soon out of sight…

Gilden quickly outpaced the lesser climbers and, although a little out of breath ascended over 500 feet.

When he saw part of night sky through some sort of covered metal chimney stack he slowed his pace and covered the last 50 feet very quietly.

He soon smelled the night air and caught the sounds of reedy music coming from not too far away.

The chimney stack had a number of wide slits in it that let the smoke escape.

As he got close enough to the top he spotted a dozing guard resting against the metal "lid". The lid had an old padlock keeping it shut that Gilden reckoned might be in his skill to pick though how silently it opened might be another thing.

The sleeping guard was within strangling/throat slitting range if the Burglar jammed himself right up at the top.

Looking through the gaps in the stack he could see the chimney came out above the village. The village was a hive of activity with many Haradrim milling towards the cliff edge. In the distance there were lots of guards around makeshift tents. It looked like at least 5 different representatives of tribes were present.

The village ran further back into the plateau where more tents were evident and static torches distant.

There appeared to be no other nearby guards.

Gilden took a minute to catch his breath, so he was breathing calmly and deeply again. He then moved stealthily to the position where he could best reach the guard, inspecting the area first for any potential issues.

Once in position, the burglar removed his dagger and plunged it into the guard's throat.

It looked clear with all the attention of the guards on the revelries starting in the village.

The neck was not protected by anything more than a thick silk overcoat (on top of a leather breastplate) so the dagger sank easily in, the guard suddenly awaking but his gurgling too quiet to hear amongst the reedy music. Soon he was dead.

Gilden stowed his dagger and examined the padlock keeping the lid shut. He carefully etched some of the rust away from the padlock arm and key hole then inserted the pick in. It virtually fell open such was his skill with this kind of lock.

Gilden checked the lid to see if there was anything that would cause any noise when he opened it as he wished to make sure that he and the others could make a stealthy exit from the shaft. He found no visible traps that he could see though the metal chimney stack's hinges look in poor repair and unlikely to open without some sort of noise.

Gilden called down softly, "I've reached the top and the coast is clear. Hurry along".

He then awaited for the others to get closer before explaining their situation.

Drake waited until the rest had gone up before he followed.

Tang Zong finished the ascent, eyeing Gilden and the door with suspicion as they came into his view.

Closer inspection revealed the lid was made of metal and formed the chimney stack. There were large slits in it that allowed the smoke to escape. The top of it was hinged though it looked to have never been opened due to the filth, rust and soot on the hinges.

"We are at the top of the plateau", Gilden said quietly as everyone came into earshot. "I've taken out the guard and unlocked this lid, but it's very rusty and will probably cause some kind of noise so we must be ready to move. Unless any of you think you can make stifle the sound of the hinges..."

The large warrior, examined the hinges "Perhaps we could wrap them up in cloth to muffle the noise? Unless someone has some has some oil we can use to oil the rusty hinges?"

"I have oil," announced a slightly out of breath Rolande as he reached the group near the top. He rummaged in his pack and handed Dainar two oil flasks. "This will work unless one of us has some arcane way of silencing the hinges?"

"Oil sounds like a good plan to me," sounded a ragged whisper from below. Soot rained down on Korvashir once more and cursing, he quickly covered his mouth with his sleeve to hide a cough.

Tang Zong looked at Gilden suspiciously. "How you kill the guard but the lid is still closed? His body up there or down here?"

Gilden pointed to the openings in the side of the "chimney top". "The Guard lies outside against the side here", he said. "Pass me the oil and I will see if I can coat the hinges"

As Gilden applied oil to the hinges Tang Zong spoke quietly, addressing the rest of the group: "We gotta act fast -- maybe its fight time already. We need plan. When this door is open, we gonna sneak around, hide and spy? Too late to act friendly -- Gilden killed already. Unless we hide the body, maybe nobody finds out for a long time. Somebody take his clothes and look like Al Ambrel. Or we gonna start some fires, make a big welcome? Start killing right away?"

Dainar addressed Tang Zong "Let's take what we can from the body including the clothes and lets throw it back down here, I'm sure Clunker will enjoy the snack."

"When we get out are we going to leave and carry on with our mission? I don't see any point aiding a couple of trolls, do you?"

"I disagree. Those Trolls could cause some serious mayhem if allowed into the settlement. Plus it would offer the best cover for our escape." answered Korvashir.

Rolande gave his reply, "Take the clothes and if they're not too bloody, someone who can speak the Al Ambrel's language put them on. We will use them to get 'control' of the basket and lower it for the trolls. Once they are up and killing lets get what supplies and mounts we can and get out of this place!" He addressed Dainar, "Our mission is of paramount import. I for one do not intend to return to Umbar without succeeding. Of course if we fail none shall return. So if we are done talking lets get out of this hole and be about our business."

Gilden greased the hinges with oil and, after a glance to make sure everyone was ready, opened it up. It opened almost silently though let out a short squeal causing the Hillman to stop and apply more oil before flipping it open fully.

The party slipped out through the open chimney stack to stand above and to one side of the village.

Dainar ascended quickly unsheathing his broadsword and unslinging his shield from his back as soon as he was able.

They were on a slope under the sheer cliffs with a path leading down into the village. The Village was set on a plateau within the mountain so the sides of the village were the mountain itself.

There were three similar pulley systems above each of the portculli, staffed by two unarmed villagers on each one. This looked to be how they were opened and closed (raised and lowered). They were raised at the moment.

The village was bussling with activity. Several tribes seemed to be within the village which looked to have swelled to the population of a town. The Al Ambrel looked to be in abundance, their silver and black head bands, scarves and shields all over the village.

By the platforms were the seating areas which were slowly filling up with men. Women look to be discriminated against here as none were moving anywhere near the cliff edge but looked to be guarding tethered horses or working in open air kitchens.

A number of musicians danced through the streets accompanied by laughing children.

A few buildings stood out. At the back of the village was a large and well guarded gate house which presumably granted passage out as it was set into the mountain. There must have been over 20 guards milling about this area.

In the middle of the village was an ornate palace presumably the chief's.

Off on the far side of the village (opposite the chimney) near a lake was a large stone building, again well guarded. All the windows had grills on them and large double metal doors looked to be the only way in. Four guards patrolled the building with eight outside the two doors.

There were no guards on the apparatus that worked the platforms, portculii and cradles, just two unarmed operators. There was a guard keeping watch on the caves though. He was beside a large bell.

The Haradrim taking their seats were not paying attention to the apparatus and seemed more concerned with a number of stalls at the base of the seats taking wagers and showing the night's fighting schedule.