Why is Amon-Sul closer? You hadn't reached it when you got to the camp (which was halfway between the Last Bridge and Weathertop). And you haven't BEEN there yet, so how can it be the last point of reference?
It's the camp. Let us bring this painful episode to an end... Aniica's bird can tie those of you together who are straggling, and a few days later you arrive, weary, at the camp, in dribs and drabs.
The first thing you all notice is wrong is that the camp hasn't moved...
Good! 'cos I would have watsed a lot of time otherwise.
Your first surprise is that it is written in Adunaic- the language used on Numenor. As a matter of tradition, you know some Adunaic, though you would be surprised if that Dunlending did, unless he was specially chosen.
Secondly, you are surprised that a dispatch as apparently vital as this was not simply sent using the Palantirs... still, you know little of the politics of your court.
Thirdly, whilst some of the messages to your ambassador at Fornost are a little beyond you, one bit makes rather alamring plain sense to you.
There seems to be some deal being brokered between Gondor and Arnor- and now, Gondor plans to send up a mithril shipment all the way up the north-south road to Fornost-Erain.
GAHHH! Aranui, if this is for real, then they are sending a shipment large enough to outfit a small army with mithril gear... that must be.,. almost ALL the reserves you have, more than Khazad Dum produces in a year... in TWO years... maybe more. Heck, it is probably worth more than Minas Anor itself!
Remarkably. In fact, this is probably Gondor's main objective right now. As to how the Dunlendings knew there was something to be intercepted... is anyone's guess. But had they done so, and decoded the message, the shipment would have been history.
This belongs with the Gondorian Ambassador at Fornost.
Oh yeah, if they are going to grab the Princess, that will be in about... four weeks...