Outracing the Flames RPG

[Arry]

Wulfham


While the others scurried about, getting their gear together, Brand took Athwen aside and explained what Incana and Vaenosa had seen. At the first mention of Orcs, her eyes had gone wide. He reached out and put his hand on her arm to reassure her, though he wondered how to frame what Dorran had said about the men who sometimes followed after the raiding Orcs . . . the Easterlings.

‘Not Orcs, Athwen. They’re just men, like us.’ He was about to tell her the whole of what Dorran had told them, then thought better of it. ‘We’ll take care of them.’ He pointed to where the likely place was that they would enter the camp. ‘I’d like you and Dorran and Leod to let them keep you in sight. So that they think you’re the ones they saw. You three will head out of camp going that way. And while you’re luring them after you, Incana, Vaenosa, and I will be the ones to ambush them.’ He rubbed his left thumb unconsciously along the left side of his jaw, a nervous habit. ‘It will all work out fine. All you have to do is your part, and leave the rest to us.’

[Undómë]

Bregoware

They found Sythric at last. A little beyond the southern edge of the village. And it seemed he had had a successful hunt. There were four chickens, dead, hung from a string from his saddle. ‘Good!’ she thought to herself. ‘At least we won’t be having any dried meat stews tonight!’

‘Where’s Osmod, Sythric?’ Rædwald asked, riding up along side Meghan. Sythric could give them no information; he had not seen either of the two men.

‘Perhaps we should try to catch up to them.’ Meghan looked from one to the other of the three. ‘The went south, didn’t they? Wouldn’t our greater number be more helpful against any foes they might encounter?’ She turned her mount southward. ‘They may already be in some sort of trouble; we really don’t know, do we.’ She kicked her horse lightly in the flanks and took off at a good pace.

[Valier]

Wulfhamers meet some unaware Bregowares

After giving a few seconds to go over Brands plan in her mind, Vaenosa turned to the others."I shall emerge first from the bush, after these strangers enter our camp. This will give you time Brand to come from behind and trap one with your net. Try for the one that looks in charge. Incana you stay hidden until Brand begins to move, then if you can stay your throw, render the other unconscious.It will be easier to question one not two people. The three of you decoys wait until the last possible moment to flee, we need these men to be almost in the middle of the camp before I step out and threaten them with my bow. We do not want them to fly and warn others of our presence here." The others looked at each other in silence, then nodded their agreements to Vaenosa's plan.

Everyone quickly mounted their horses and got into position.The tension in the camp was almost visible. They all sat quietly and the waiting began.

Then came the familiar sound of hoove beats drawing nearer. Vaenosa nodded to Dorran and the others, letting them know to wait patiently. Looking across the camp Vaenosa could make out Brand preparing his net. To her right side not far off knelt Incana, she was ridgid, but she gave an incouraging smile before she readied her stone.

The men where approaching quickly now, they had caught sight of the decoys."Hey there you! Stop where you are!" One of the strangers shouted.Vaenosa watched as the decoys began to turn and look towards the men. That's it...slowly now...not to fast.....come on....
When the men had entered into the heart of the camp Dorran, Leod and the young Athwen, sped from the camp. It was now or never.

Vaenosa nodded to Incana and stepped from her hiding spot into the open. Her bow readied she said, "You there! Who are you and what is your business?" She shouted loudly and with more confidence then she felt at the moment. The men seemed startled at her appearance and turned towards her.At the moment they turned Brand was out of hiding and gave the net a heavy heave, it landed over the man that had shouted earlier, with ease. Before Brand had secured the net a blur flew through the air. With a knock the stone hit the other rider square in the forehead, just as they had planned the man fell from his mount unconsious. Without a pause Vaenosa ran for the unconsious man and nudged him with her foot. Brand had secured the net and was breathing hard as he looked down at the man he had captured.

Moving towards Nay, Vaenosa pulled from his back her large knife. Grabbing the unconsious man by his hair Vaenosa drug him towards the man in the net, who was shouting and cursing.The moment he saw Vaenosa with the young man he became quiet. She got close enough so the man could see her face. She thrust the large blade towards the netted man. "You see this here blade?" She asked with a twisted smile. Proping the unconsious man up she placed the blade to his throat. " I shall cut his throat and make you watch him bleed to death before I turn this blade on you. You will tell us your business here and to whom you swear alligence! Hurry! My hand cannot be stayed forever!"

[Farael]

"Aye! Let's catch these fiends!"

That was all encouragement Osmod needed. He set his horse to a quick trot, then a gallop and riding hard he went after the lone figure that he could see ahead in the distance. Here and there trees obscured his sight, but it took some time for Osmod to realize he would never catch the enemy like that. They too had horses and had gained too much of an advantage. He reined his horse down to a trot and indicated Fion to do the same. Going more slowly, they could follow the other rider’s tracks. Soon they lost both sight and sound of the rider they were going after, but kept their horses moving as fast as they could manage, hoping to scout the enemy encampment and then go back to warn the others.

The trees and shrubs started to thin out. Ahead stood what seemed to be a wide clearing. At first a clump of trees obstructed his sight, but then he saw some riders fleeing what seemed to be a makeshift camp. "Hey there you! Stop where you are!” bellowed Osmod, as he hurried his horse back into a full gallop. He knew Fion was close behind him and this time he would not let the enemy go away. It seemed to be a small scouting party, maybe three of them. They were not orcs, that was clear, but maybe the enemy in his fiendish cunning had hired men to do his dirty work. ”Traitors,” he muttered ”I shall make sure they pay for their betrayal. Hurry Fion, For Rohan!!!” Yet his cry was cut short. Something heavy landed upon him and threw Osmod off his mount. As he struggled with the net, he saw Fion falling of his horse as well, while the enemy swarmed around the place. They had fallen straight into an ambush. He had lead Fion straight into it. He kicked and tossed under the net, trying to free himself enough to draw his sword and cuts his way out, but his efforts were short lived. A monster of a woman, her face contorted by anger and exertion was holding Fion and threatening his friend’s life.

”You will tell us your business here and to whom you swear allegiance! Hurry! My hand cannot be stayed forever!" She screamed. Then Osmod laughed. It was not a merry sound. It seemed to tear through his throat and out of his mouth. It was the laugh of those who know they are going to die and have given up hope.

”Why should I tell you, fiend of the nameless one?” Osmod spat at her feet, forgetting what her mother would say at such ungallantly behaviour. ”You will kill us anyway, as the monsters you work for did to the villagers. But I fear not, I know my death shall be avenged. Theoden King will never let his people die, his Riders will find you and you shall be defeated.” He let out another sour laugh. ”You will not be able to ambush the Riders of Rohan! It surprises me not to see such coward behaviour from the enemy. An ambush! Be a man, I say” He screamed, turning as much as the net allowed him to face the man who was holding him down ”Be a man and let me loose, I shall take a few of you down with me, for my King and for Bregoware!”

[Folwren]

When she heard shouts from behind her, Athwen pulled her horse to a stop and wheeled about. She did not go back, however, until Dorran rushed past her. She looked over her shoulder at Leod who was about to follow and she urged her horse forward.

They came to the camp in a moment and Dorran dismounted and took the strangers’ horses in hand. The animals were spooked and skiddish. Athwen stopped her gelding and dismounted quickly, too, though her eyes and attention were fixed firmly on the two prisoners. Out of habit, but done absently, she reached for her horse’s rein and held him.

The situation was uglier than she had expected. One man, half sat up, struggled vainly in Brand’s net, and the other, looking no older than twenty, lay completely unconscious, his head held up by a handful of hair in Vaenosa’s hand, and in her other, Athwen recoiled to see a knife.

‘You will tell us your business here and to whom you swear allegiance! Hurry! My hand can not be stayed forever!’ Vaenosa was serious in her threat and Athwen shuddered and shrank back against her horse’s neck.

There was a harsh laugh from the netted man and he gave another struggle, but Brand was at his side, now, and held him back from reaching either sword or knife, if he had one. ‘Why should I tell you, fiend of the nameless one? You will kill us anyway, as the monsters you work for did to the villagers. But I fear not, I know my death shall be avenged. Theoden King will never let his people die, his Riders will find you shall be defeated.’ He laughed again and Athwen stepped forward. He had mentioned her village, she knew that’s what he talked about. And he called on the king’s name. He couldn’t be - ‘You will not be able to ambush the Riders of Rohan!’ he went on furiously. ‘It surprises me not to see such coward behavior from the enemy. An ambush! Be a man, I say! Be a man and let me loose, I shall take a few of you down with me, for my King and for Bregoware!’

‘No!’ Athwen cried out, unable to contain herself any longer. Vaenosa had made a threatening move with that blade and Athwen wasn’t prepared for more bloodshed. ‘Don’t! For heaven’s sake, keep your hand away. Did you hear him? He’s not against us after all! Brand, tell her so!’ She looked desperately at him and took several more, hasty steps forward, leaving her horse to stand alone.

[Nogrod]

Bregoware

As sythric saw the approaching companions, he smiled widely, pointing out the four chicken with his left hand, and came to meet them halfway. Raedwald was asking about Osmod and Fion, and Meghan seemed to be worried. She seemed to be so worried indeed, that she spurred herself to a good pace. All the others followed, Sythric remaining by the side of Raedwald and Eostre coming just behind them. Is that girl just worried about her companions, or is there something more in it?, he thought to himself, smiling lightly, feeling quite happy about this possible love-affair he was about to see taking root here. There's always hope and love, even in the ugliest of times! But soon, after gotten to some other thoughts, Sythric pulled himself a bit aside from the group – keeping the pace – and addressed the others.

“I think Osmod and Fion have gone forwards scouting ahead. Didn’t they mention anything like that to you? It’s kind of a risk for a scout to get into a trouble, but that’s, in a sense, the meaning of sending scouts to begin with. And I don’t kind of like this idea of two scouts, and will thence back Meghan's idea of hurrying a bit. We should have a scout, I agree, but one will suffice. We just can’t afford losing two people at the same time, if there is some trouble. One should lead the way and check it for us others to be safe, but two is too much. At least that’s the way the riders have it, and I can see that making sense. Or what do you think Raedwald?” After Raedwald nodded to this common rider-practise, Sythric spurred Thydrë to a swifter gallop, still letting Meghan to be the first on the now line they hade made.

As they rode forwards, Sythric slowed a bit, getting beside Raedwald, and said to him: “The real fight has taken place at most two days ago, possibly yesterday morning, or more probably the night before it. The ash was still a bit warm. But the villagers have been burnt just recently: yesterday evening quite probably. Now who do you think these good people might be? Would they be around, and should we look for them? There haven’t been too many of them as the fire has been quite modest. I know we have a mission, and that’s our main task, but I would hate to leave any survivors without some food, medicare and even a direction to head on – we know, people from Arnanaes are a bit north-west from us. They should know it, now shouldn’t they?”

[Eowyn Skywalker]

Eostre sighed, staying at a steady pace behind the others until Sythric fell in behind her. Meghan seemed in an abnormal hurry; simply fear for their other companions, she wondered to herself? She glanced back at the village for a moment, the burning ashes of bodies far behind them, yet the smell still seemed to taint the air.

And who's young Meghan falling in love with? she wondered softly. Fion or Osmod? She seems to have quite an attachment to the latter...

But Eostre quickly corrected her thoughts before they ran off on a possessive tangent. She had no reason to be falling in love, not in the midst of a frantic mission, not with the possibility of orcs hiding around the nearest corner... though of course orcs hadn't burnt the villagers. That was folly in its purest form. No orc would have that much heart; at the most they might borrow a few of the bodies for their next meal and burn the bones.

And, at any rate, Sythric's too old for you, Fion's scared of you, and Osmod seems to appreciate Meghan far too much for her own well-being.

She sighed, listening in to the conversation between the two older men almost mindlessly. Not as if it mattered. It was simply another conversation, another curiosity, another... just another. Glancing ahead, Meghan led the procession. The girl's growing up.