Heruwine has called his clan lords to council in Framholm, the home of Framlaf, 'Huthane' (High Lord) of his clan. A new hall has been built and dedicated to Heruwine for the occasion. 'Heruseld', the Battle Hall. Among them are Brook Brochamson and his friend Aedin, and Gunthir of the Blue Axe, son of Garamyne, a 'Thane' of the East Mark. Old friends and heroes flock to his banner.

Guthnir has come all the way from the Eastmark, the lands of King Mahrcared. He has brought with him a gift beyond measure for Heruwine. A magnificent white stallion with blood of the Mearas, named Deorod. This mare will sire many and strengthen the horses of the West. It is a great gift indeed.

He has nearly 4000 men to attack a town of 1000. Such odds should comfort him, but he is not. His men are primarily horsemen, and this town is in a forest. Also, this forest is the Mirkwood. There are no walls, but the town is built into a large canyon. The canyon walls rise 60 feet around the sides, and lesser walls (buttes) of 20 to 30 feet exist within, limiting his lanes of advance. Heruwine doesn't want a house-to-house fight, nor does he wish to slaughter innocents. Having never planned such a battle, his lords argue late into the night how to attack. Worst of all, there are the rumors of a powerful Mage within the town, overseeing all that happens. Does he exist and will he interfere?

Secretly Heruwine has already been exchanging messages with this mysterious and unnamed Mage. The Mage cares little for the slavers and is willing to set them up for ambush, but Heruwine wants more. He wants to march into the town with troops, enter the rumored hideouts of the slavers, and recover his people while bringing the slavers to justice. It is this demand that ends the negotiations and hurries the war. Heruwine has tried to do this bloodlessly, but he must bring fire and sword to Strayhold.

Coming late to the council is another brave Gondorian Ranger, Eric of Tir Anduin. He has talked his captain into letting him go north to the Eothraim to give represent even a little Gondorian help. Heruwine begrudgingly accepts him, and sends him with a few Eothraim to scout ahead. Eric finds the Northman Athend trying to sneak into the town through backtrails, captures him, and brings him to Heruwine.

Athend is brought before the War Council and is questioned. He claims to be a trapper, trying to sneak back into town to avoid rogues from the town that are out to get him. He is firm and convincing with his story, but Heruwine is still doubtful. Among those brought in to meet this trapper is Brinwyca, an honored Northman Merchant prince Heruwine has welcomed into his house as a guest. Brinwyca has never seen Athend before, so he leaves. Aedin thought he noticed a hesitation, or something else, when Brinwyca sees Athend, so he tells Brook. Now Brook is suspicious.

The Council finishes questioning Athend and sends him to quarters, to be held until they can determine what to do about him. They fear for spies. But they hear a yell, and going outside they see Athend's guard on the ground, and Athend shrinking away in horror against a wall. Another guard runs over and confronts Athend. While the Council hurries over to see what happened, the guard raises his sword and kills a terrified Athend, then falls unconscious! When the guard wakes, he remembers nothing of it.

Brook is there first and fears some evil magic has caused this. While rumors fly, Brook is reminded of Aedin's suspicions of Brinwyca, and he goes with his guards to confront him. He arrives at Brinwyca's tent in anger (and maybe a little afraid), Brook believes Brinwyca may secretly be a wizard working against the Eothraim. When Brinwyca stands to deny this, Brook strikes him with his sword (flat-bladed) and knocks him out. He has him imprisoned and go to tell Heruwine.

When Heruwine sees his guest shackled and locked-up, he has him released immediately! Brinwyca has been his honored guest for 2 months, and much has been down to bring the Eothraim and Dorwinrim closer in that time. Brinwyca is in a rage about the insult, and screams for justice and honor. Heruwine humbles himself and offers apology for the insult. To settle this grave insult he offers a great gift, his horse Deorod. Brinwyca still wants the embarrassment of Brook, but such a gift cannot be turned down.

Back in the War Council, it is nearly morning in the Heruseld and arguments still rage. His clan-lords cry "Give us an enemy to fight and we'll attack", "We cannot stand and siege the town while my crops are untended", "We should wait for more scouting reports"... Finally Heruwine can stand no more. He stands, draws his sword, and shouts "Enough words, now is time for action. I am attacking the town. Now. I will march right in, and any who oppose me there will see our wrath." He leaves with his 'Huscarls' (personal guardsmen), giving his clan-lords no chance to argue. It is still night and he lights a torch as he marches through his encampment toward the town, 10 miles away. As he walks, a murmur turns to talk and then to a roar. As quick as they can, his men gird themselves for battle and follow him.

By the time he reaches the town, it is dawn. In the center and front is Heruwine, just behind him is Guthnir and the rest of Heruwine's Eoreds. To the left is Brook Brochamson and his troops. To the right, Aldbeor the 'Old Bear'. Arbalests (heavy crossbows) fire upon them, but losses are light and the artillery is quickly overrun. Among the fallen are one of Heruwine's Guards and Guthnir. But Guthnir stands, holding aloft the 'Blue Axe' that has saved his life, again. He is the only man this day to survive being hit by the Arbalests.

The Eothraim enter the town, but there is little resistance, quickly overcome. The Eothraim surround the highest butte, upon which stands the Mage's keep. Now they are stalled, as there is no way to enter the keep. They begin building ramps up by tearing down the houses around, but the work is slow and the butte is 40' high.

While this is going on, Eric the Ranger has led some scouts around the East side of the town to find a way in from above. Along the way they encounter Forest Ogres and start a running fight with them. They come to the eastern edge and find a tower guarding a bridge leading into the Keep. With a mighty throw Eric secures a rope to the top of the tower and sends a scout up. As the first man scrambles up the rope, an Ogre kills the scout on guard and charges Eric. If he lets go of the rope to fight the Ogre the scout would fall to his death. Instead Eric holds the rope and sacrifices himself so the scout finishes his climb.

Also scouting the woods is the Heshawar Scout Jal ma Kodel. On the way he meets shadowy figures stalking the forest that have killed other Eothraim scouts. Jal is an experienced woodsman and silent hunter himself. He eludes 2 that are hunting him, then meets another later. A brief and nasty fight ensues between 2 great knife fighters, and Jal is victorious. He finds out later this heavily tattooed Northman was an experienced (6th level) Assassin-Initiate of the "Cult of Passing".

Finally a tunnel is found through the basement of a nearby building. A handful of Eothraim get into the tunnel before a door slams and locks behind, cutting them off. Then they are swarmed from the sides by many Man-Orcs. Most fall in the trap, but 1 man heroically fights back to the door and opens it so others can join the fight. This Eothraim is Beorthand, an unknown warrior with a hero's name, who joined Heruwine's summons with 10 loyal followers. Only 3 survive this fight, but the way in is open.

Jal ma Kodel finds the tower and Eric's dead body. As the Forest Ogre returns and charges, Jal whirls and fires his exceptional (+2) Hesh Bow. His shot pierces the Ogres chest, killing it instantly. He carefully climbs the rope up to the bridge. Over the top and onto the bridge, he sees a dead Eothraim scout with an arbalest bolt in him. At the top of the tower an arbalest is firing down through windows in the tower at the Eothraim below. He carefully climbs to the window and looks in. The man-orc looks through another window and reloads. Jal balances on the ledge and fires, killing the man-orc. He goes inside and turns the arbalest against the other towers firing down, unable to get any closer to the Keep.

Heruwine leads with his Guards, closely followed by Guthnir and Brook with his men. They fight their way up level by level, overcoming traps and misdirection, until they get to the top. Heruwine and his guards find a secret passage and are the first to find the high tower. Heruwine bursts through the door first and encounters the Mage's Apprentice directing the defense. He almost pays with his life as the Apprentice wheels around and casts a bolt from his hand, but Heruwine's Guard-captain Holdmund shields him. Heruwine and his Guards attack but are unable to even touch the Apprentice, who escapes past them and through a window. The Apprentice changes to a crow and flies off, screeching disdain at them.

From the neighboring tower, Jal sees the flashes and the crow fly off. Prince Heruwine comes to the window, cursing at it. So Jal lifts his Hesh Bow and draws aim. Crows were always the harbingers of doom to his people. It is a long shot and almost impossible for any other. But the Heshawar call themselves the sharpest-eyed archers in the world. Today it is true. He fires and wounds the crow forcing it down.

The Apprentice lands and changes back, attempting to escape into the gutters and alleys of the town, but Heruwine sees him. From the balcony of the keep he calls his troops in. The Apprentice is surrounded in a plaza where hundreds converge on him from 3 sides, blood and fury in their eyes. Heruwine stares down, in victory. The Apprentice looks up at Heruwine, spite and vengeance in his eyes, and Breaks his Staff. Dreadful energy explodes outward, killing, maiming, and injuring scores.

The battle is over and the town belongs to the Eothraim. Heruwine's choice is to destroy the town or keep it. Against the advice of most of his council he decides to keep it, so he never needs worry about it again. But there is much to do to get this town back on it's feet. The slavers have fled, as have the Rogues, and no living Eothraim prisoners are found. Half of the town is gone or hiding.

The Cost: the Eothraim count over 60 dead and 60 more wounded. The greatest losses occurred to the arbalests (18 dead) and the "Death of the Mage (apprentice)" (17 dead and 22 wounded). Among these were 6 so hideously wounded and maimed they 'took the sword'.

Naming the Fallen:
Grimbard the Old died in front to the Mage's Final Wrath. Stegga Stoneson dies in fighting within the town. Prince Heruwine lost three of his Personal White Guardsmen; his Captain, Holdmund; Fasmer the bannerman, and Gamlung, who was raised to Guardsman just prior to the battle. Brook names three of his Home Theodrim; Ethnard, Theomer, and Faramet. Also honored is Eric of Gondor.

Aftermath for the Player Characters

As reward for his valiance in the battle, he names Brook Brochamsom Thane of Strayhold.

Guthnir is feted as one of the Heroes of the battle, his named carved into the Heruseld at Framholm.

Beorthand is also named a Hero and given the title 'Herubrand', as well as offered a place in the Prince's Eored.

Eric of Gondor is buried in his own mound outside the town, beside the Eothraim 'Mound of the Fallen'. Beside the mound is found an overgrown marker for an old hero, Vianor the Ranger (of Arthedain).

Jal ma Kodel asks for no honors and is given none but the thanks of the Prince, and 'Promise of Aid'. Jal remembers this because someday he will go home to free his people.