Baranar, two weeks later
Two weeks of siege have reduced Baranar to the edge of exhaustion. Supplies, including fresh water, are plentiful, but each day more die, more fall ill.
It is too weak to withstand assault. if the enemy outside the gates knew that- and also knew that they were on a clock before the relieving forces arrive- they would storm it now. Lord Baranar orders a mass deception operaton, posting up corpses at guard posts, dressing up children and women in military gear, shuffling people around in large circles to make the fortress look more fully manned... any cheap trick to make the fortress seem more secure than it actually is.
Each day, more scattered bands of Orcs and Dunlendings arrive. They chop down lumber in the nearby area, fashioning crude but efficient battering rams and siege ladders. Luckily, none try to dig- Lord Baranar would have no defence against efficient siege engineering. Such are the rules the Witch-King must play by, forming this rag tag army out of scattered bandits and raiders, all his main forces needed far up north.
Baranar cannot hold, and the relieving force is days away at best. Soon the Orcs will get news of the presence of the releiving army, and know that they must strike at once before it gets there- and then Baranar will fall.
Early morning on this day, is when the Elves from Rivendell arrive, with the cure that might just save the Fortress. But now before you is a Fortress under siege. The Orcs and Dunlendings have enough strength to surround it completely.
How will you proceed from here, to even get inside?
Palanfirith looks in all directions, at all points of interest, thinks and sais
"I don't know what to say master Argentis,there is less chance to make a run for the gate,we would be killed and also our number isn't that great.I say we should make a diversion to redirect the troops in a bad direction and then head for the castle.As they don't see us,they don't know how many reinforcements we brought,and that is very good thing...the only question is what kind of diversion..hmmm
I guess we could use some natural elements here to attract their attention,I think of a small fire.. 😈 "
((OK, who is in Baranar, and who is from Rivendell? just so I know who to talk to...))
"My Lord, they have arrived... They are here, but they cannot reach us..." Aiwendil closed her eyes momentarily with weariness. She longed to meditate, even what the Men called 'sleep' was appealing now. If she could just rest, just for a moment...
But she couldn't.