Right then. Baranar- and what few senior staff members remain to attend him- turn up timely and take their places and the head of the table. He bids welcome to the new visitiors- but cordially.
"I will try and keep this as brief as possible," says Baranar. "Obviously, you all know of the situation outside. The siege of this place is now into its fourth week. However, we have supplies enough to last at least three more months, and our fresh water supply is secure.
"Our only problem is that we are vulnerable to assault. My fortress is well defended but I do not have the manpowert to properly defend it. Now Vardalain has started to cure many of my men, in future weeks I can return more to man the walls.
"However, this is unlikely to help. The only reason the Orcs are not assaulting now is that they do not want to take needless casualties to assault a doomed place. As soon as they realise the plague has failed and that we are NOT doomed, they would launch an immediate assault that will likely take the fortress.
"But even this is not what will happen. A relieving army is coming here from Fornost. The Witch-King cannot easily direct forces this far from his home, whereas my fortress is not far from the North-South road which leads north from here all the way to Fornost; if Arvedui and his Lords are so minded- and I am assured they are- they can get a force able to lift this siege down here without much difficulty. And this is what is happening.
"But of course again, there will be no battle fought between these armies- as soon as the Orcs know they are on a timer, and the Orcs always scout well, they will again simply launch an assault on this place.
"This is now the situation we find ourselves in. We can only wait for the relieving army to arrive- but as soon as it gets close, the Orcs will attack a day or two before it can get here."
there are many things to take in consideration.If we are alone in this one we shouldn't let them gather more,and somehow attack to reduce their numbers...as when they will finally attack, they will b less.Another thing is to plan the defences.If they are forced to attack or if they attack by their own will,we must think of a solution to guard this place.Somehow I was thinking at an ambush.We all go up on the walls and fortifications...we let the outside impression that we are almost all dead,we don't reinforce the gate,and when they bash the gate they will see total silence in the castle.They will enter the courtyard,quietly because they will b surprised.And suddenly a few man push something to block the gate and with the higher position and with the element of surprise I think we will teach them a lesson..
"The defensive plan is a good idea but I've got some worries there :
For one the courtyard won't hold more than 500 orcs or so whils their numbers are ten times that. Then, while we are busy killing the orcs inside, the orcs outside will be busy overwhleming the men defending the walls" says Andromir