The woman’s words gave some hope to Berthold. "Men from Rohan? Two of them?" he asked her hopefully, closing to the woman. He took his dagge4r to untie her (if she was tied). "Did they give you their names? I’m looking for two comrades who were captured…"

OOC: IIRC there were mor than one figure there, Can Berthold see anyone else?

In reply to Berthold (msg # 332):

OOC: Four figures. Two showed up as warm (alive) to infravision. Two did not (unknown as to whether they are dead or undead).

Seeing the woman not afraid of the cold figures, Berhold assumed they were dead (not undead). If he could free her, he turned to the other warm figure to check it.

"Two prisoners, two cold corpses. Can you bring some light?" he informed the rest of the team, as he tried to give first aid to both prisoners.

"Give us a moment, Berthold," acknowledges Elly. "Einar, please will you light another torch from the one you've got, then we can keep one here in this corridor and pass the other one in to Berthold and Bosco."

As Berthold realized he could not cut the chains with her dagger, he limited to check the prisoners to see if they were hurt, though he could try little without light (and not wanting to try by tact on the woman, as she could misinterpret it).

"Can any of you try to unchain them without making too much noise?" he asked to his comrades, knowing picking locks was far from his specialty.

"I'm no good with picking locks although I might be able to break a chain if it's rusty enough; but that's noisy," Elly answers. "Bosco might be the one you want for locks."

Einar lights a second torch and hands it to Kharrum before entering the chamber beyond.  When Berthold asks about the men of Rohan the woman looks up at him.  Her eyes are blue and as Einar brings in the light, they seem to turn the deep blue of the night and its almost as if he can see stars in them.  "Their names I know not, and did not know one had passed," she said, her voice lowering at the last as she looked at the bundles beside her, now obvious as men.  Their armor is gone, despoiled, and they show many signs of beatings and other injuries.  Einar and Berthold recognize them as their missing companions.  "It is fortunate that the orcs ate their horses first, or none of us would live yet," the woman added. For the moment she remained on the ground, likely because the chains were short.

Bosco comes out of the shadow and approaches the woman.  "Awful things these orcs!" he says.  "Let me have a look at these chains.". Bosco looks at the locks holding the prisoners for a moment, reaches in his pocket for his tools fiddles with the lock for a moment and a small click is heard.  "There you go!" he says

00:44, Today: Bosco Hedgehopper rolled 174 using 1d100+12 with the Role/Spacemaster system (fumble range of 1 to 5) with rolls of 96,66.  Pick lock. –
This message was last edited by the player at 23:50, Fri 05 Apr.

WHile Bosco was picking the lock in the chains, Berthold, now having light, tried to help the unmoving but alive prisoner (OOC: if I understood well, one of the captured Rohirrim):

14:29, Today: Secret Roll: Berthold rolled 105 using 1d100+25 with the Role/Spacemaster system (fumble range of 1 to 5) with rolls of 80.  Applying first aid to the wounded Rohirrim. – 105

Berthold recognizes the two men.  Were it not for the heat vision and the faint breathing he would think the second man dead as well.  He can bandage his wounds, but it seems most of the damage in blunt force: deep bruising and broken bones, but few cuts and he is not bleeding out.  There is a very nasty bump on his head and he is out, unconscious.  The other man seems to have died from similar treatment.

The woman smiles faintly at Bosco, as though trying to remember how to smile.  "What is your name, young man?" she asked Bosco, clearly believing him to be a young human, a boy or such.  In the light you can see she is wearing traveling clothes: breeches of a very fine fabric, a tunic that matches both in dark green; soft boots of ankle length; a blouse under the tunic that was once white and is now ripped and soiled; and a cloak that is brown and looks very old, threadbare and weathered.  Her skin is pale and her hair black as pitch.

As Bosco and Berthold seem to have things under control to the west, Elly turns her attantion eastwards. In case of further goblin activity she tries to find a niche in the cavern wall that's masked in shadow from the torch so that she may be unnoticed by goblins.

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OOC: 00:43, Today: Elly Shae rolled 74 using 1d100+22 with the Role/Spacemaster system (fumble range of 1 to 5) with rolls of 52.  Hide SM

Kharrum continues to pace and watch the other corridor

Bosco eyes brighten at the nice lady smile.  "I am Bosco Hedgehopper, from Staddle." he respond enthusiastically.  "What about you?  Where are you from and what happened to you?  How did you end up in this situation?" he continues.  Bosco's almost joyful tone and natural excitement probably doing nothing to change the woman's initial impression that she is talking with a child.

Standing up the woman bows haltingly to Bosco.  She is tall for a human, if a little short for an elf.  "The call me Rhûniel, I came from beyond the inland sea.  I was traveling through these ancient lands, marveling at the sad emptiness of it when the orcs ambushed me.  These men they brought in after," she indicated the Rohirrim with her hand.  "The orcs did not take anything but my weapons, thankfully; but I dare not consider what plans they had for me," she said with a shudder.

"The inland sea?  Is this across the Misty Mountains? " Bosco asks with wide eyes.  "I am travelling South towards Gondor but later on I want to cross the Misty Mountain and travel to the East." he continues.  "I am glad we could help you.  I hope this other man is not too badly injured. These orcs are awful. I am sure you could travel with us for a little while for safety once we get out of here." Bosco offers.

Elly glances back westward wondering if the locks are too difficult for Bosco and Berthold.

As Elly glances backwards, she notices that Bosco has freed the prisoners and is now juggling absent-mindedly with the lock while chatting with Rhûniel.

Seeing Bosco had opened the locks, the woman being in (relative) good status and his Rohirrim comrade more beaten than his first aid skill being able to fix, Berthold turned to Ely.

"Can you do something for him?" he asked. "I’m afraid his wounds are well beyond my first aid knowledge…"

He then turned to the woman again. "Are you thirsty, madam?" he asked, politely offering her his waterskin

"Yes, I can try, but back outside," Elly replies. "We need to be on the move, now, please."

"Thank you," Rhûniel says to Berthold.  She took a small sip from the bottle before returning it.  "If I can help in any way," she added looking with sympathy on the Rohirric warriors unconscious and dead on the cave floor.

In the hall, Kharrum does not hear or see any sign of the goblins.

Knowing that Kharrum will keep watch the other corridor without her saying anything, Elly sheaths her sword and says, "Berthold, pass the unconscious fellow out, please. Then the dead."
This message was last edited by the player at 12:00, Sat 13 Apr.

"OK, Elly Berthold answered, taking his wounded comrade and pulling him out, aware not to aggravate his wounds. "Why don’t you get out too, madam? he suggested to Rhûniel.

Then he also pulled his dead comrade for a proper burial. "Should we keep exploring the cave? he asked to the others

"The cave will be here later, Berthold," answers Elly as she takes the weight of the unconscious fellow. "I can manage this chap if, between you, you folks can bring the deceased. Someone also needs to keep guard. We'll go back to our little hiding area and try to help this man's injuries."

Slowly and deliberately Elly starts to carry the unconscious man towrds their hasty 'camp' outside.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:56, Sun 14 Apr.

Coming to an agreement on the wisest, immediate course of action, the company collects the two Rohirric warriors and departs the cave system.  Rhûniel follows along and puts the hood of battered cloak up in the bright sunlight.  Moving slowly and carefully, they return to the camp where the few horses they have and the body of Galen await.

Having gently lowered the unconscious man to the ground Elly folds and carefully places her cloak under his head. She asks, "This fellow: what is his name? And one of you, please remove anything metal from him. it will interfere with what I'm about to try." While talking she methodically removes her own armour and other metalwork. "Meanwhile, perhaps someone good at tracking and such could try and obscure our tracks from the cave?"

Unless interupted, when all metal is removed from both her and the unconscious man, Elly approaches and gently lays a hand upon the skin of his upper chest.  She takes a while preparing and then quietly speaks some words in the language of the Valar.

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OOC:  With no metal on herself or her static target (the unconscious man) +10, with touch +30 and four rounds of preparation +20, Elly tries to cast Heal 10:
14:57, Today: Elly Shae rolled 6 using 1d100 with the Role/Spacemaster system (fumble range of 1 to 5) with rolls of 6.  Heal 10, (with +60 modifier)
14:59, Today: Elly Shae rolled 7 using 1d10 with rolls of 7.  HP restored by Heal 10