Reclaiming Khazad-Dum's Feed: tweeting from Middle-Earth.

Ceveth 7th (July) [Session Report K21]

1100

Bain Stonetongue, @DwarfInCharge

Got the troops back in line and the undead dealt with. Gror really shown

today. Need to secure this mess. #HateZombies #ProudPapa

0830

Thifthal Stonefist, @2CO/AxG/Galley/Mithril
We’ve been cutoff by wargs and big orcs, the CO is dead, me thinks. They are pouring from both sides. #cutoff #FirstLevel #wargs #KIA


Radok Lefthanded, @BG/Elk/Silver
Gror told Roghel MoonOath, our Attack-Lord, that they had to clear the East Gate Hall from the corpses of our ancestors before we enter. Apparently, the orcs have staked them in place. Assholes! #mad #vengeance

0700

Thifthal Stonefist, @2CO/AxG/Galley/Mithril
Apparently, the Eastern Gate Hall is full of dwarf bodies and they don’t know what to do with them. I’ve been standing still, shooting the breeze for an hour now. #Hhour #delay


Radok Lefthanded, @BG/Elk/Silver
The brass are sending those coots in Mithril first. That stinks. Someone must have buttered the hands that feeds. #feelingcheated

Ceveth 6th (July)

Thifthal Stonefist, @2CO/AxG/Galley/Mithril
Early rising for us tomorrow. Galley will be in the middle of the formation and tasked to open the way to the Mazarbul Stairs! #order #Hhour


Radok Lefthanded, @BG/Elk/Silver
The brass are sending those coots in Mithril first. That stinks. Someone must have buttered the hands that feeds. #feelingcheated


Klob Strongspear, @Cmdr/Yelr/Bronze
Them ranger from the Viceroy came to do our job today. Although it sucks with that happen, they are a mean bunch. We’re to keep the mountainside free of pest for the big day! #ranger #orcshunter


Erlich Drumteller, @drummer/BowG/Ice/Ardacer
Some clowns in Slammer let orcs on the loose yesterday. I think that the Viceroy is punishing the unit for this. We are to pull guard duties in the Dale instead. #dimrilldale #pissedoff

Ceveth 5th (July)

Thifthal Stonefist, @2CO/AxG/Galley/Mithril
The woods of Lothlorien are giving me the creeps. I just want to get underground #cantwait #damnelves #garrisondutysucks


Radok Lefthanded, @BG/Elk/Silver
I just had to punch the damn archer who tried to see whether he could see his reflexion on the Mirromere #sacrilege #dimrilldale #camplife


Klob Strongspear, @Cmdr/Yelr/Bronze
Folk in Battlegroup-West (BG-W) are mostly up the stairs now, good luck over the Redhorn pass, and see you somewhere in the old city #westgate #dimrillstairs


Erlich Drumteller, @drummer/BowG/Ice/Ardacer
Chillin’ with the boys by the shore of the Mirromere. Heard that we’re going in tomorrow. #dimrilldale #R&R

K21 - The standing ovation

Over a month ran its course since the Emerald-Unit left Sarn Goriwig in the capable hands of Dwar Ogreaxe. Mirkwood was a mess to traverse, but the old road had been improved by the Ardacer. The transit occurred without significant delays. Under the leadership of Bain, Viceroy of Khazad-dum, and his son Gror, millitary leader of the Emerald, the dwarf army arrived in the foothills of the Misty Mountains by the 4th of Ceveth (July). 

Staring at it in the eyes

As the emerald was heading down the Anduin, their elf ambassador went ahead to make contact with Lothlorien. She came back empty-handed, with the bad news that no contact were made and that something was wrong with the Silverlode river. Bain sent her back to seek Celebrant, the elf King, and report when this was done. 

The Ardacer-attack arrived about a week ago. They secured the Dale and blockaded the East Gate through which there was evidence of orc traffic. They bid farewell to the tail elements of Battlegroup-West as they crossed the Redhorn pass. The silver attack (best unit of the four) arrived next and were ordered to stand down in preparation D-day.  The Bronze attack was deployed to the mountains around the Dale to provide area defense. The Bronze-Attack was understrenght because two of the Lot were left behind to guard the gates of the underdeep in Sarn Goriwig. Finally, the Mithril-Attack was sent to rest along the Silverlode river. The morale in this unit was low, discipline problems were common. Thordar suggested to send Mithril first as they were the most eager to go underground. 

Something strange was going on with the watershed in the Dale. The Mirrormere, a sacred pool that is said to reflect no one but Durin himself, was completely lifeless. No one looked into the mere, but rather inferred by the similar state of the Silverlode river. There was no fish, no algae, no insects nearby. Gesdrek suggested that this may be treachery from underground. 

The Viceroy sent Khazek's rangers to comb the Dale. The ranger did relatively well and identified the dynamic of the area with a good perceived level of accuracy. Khazek discovered that the tracks converged to the East Gate and consisted in small orcs hunting parties supported by wargs. The latest sorties dated to just prior the arrival of the Ardacer. 

The Viceroy also sent his right-hand dwarf Thordar, to discreetly get the pulse of the mood in the Ardacer. Thordar concealed his identity with a hood and journeyed through the camp. The mood there was distinct from the ambiance in the other units of the Emerald. The leader, of the unit, Drolf, was a self-made dwarf who had bankrolled the entire units from the Iron Hills until King Thorin III integrated the unit into the Emerald. Thordar found out that the attitude in the Ardacer was that of a mercenary company: there must be good spoils or else there would be a lot of grumbling. Thordar also found that Drolf had a wild streak and profusely promised riches to his soldiers. Thordar left the camp, largely ignored, and reported to the Viceroy.