Part #10 - Knights Of Eriador - The Battle Of The Camp
Arangilas turns the page to continue his fathers accounts of what happened in TA 1944, eager to find any clues to the mysterious band called Shades Of The Crebain - that might be threatening his order and fellow knights.
Arangilas continue reading:
- Leaving almost half of his forces behind to guard the port, Captain Eärnil II knew he was vastly outnumbered by his adversaries.
But against all odds he led us all to a decisive victory at the Crossing Of Poros.
We lost three brothers at this battle - Alphereth of Gondor, Ringlind of Rohan and Hirphor of Dale. Their deeds will always be remembered, and their memories cherished...
After the battle Captain Eärnil got news from a scout hurrying to us from North Ithilien.
He bore news of the ill-fated battle on the fields of Dagorlad, and that the King and his army were in desperate need of our aid. The scout had been sent by Prince Adrahil I, who apparently had fallen back from the main force to create a defensive line in North Ithilien - between Cair Andros and Ephel Dúath.
We were rallied in an instant, and all of our mounted troops - led by Captain Eärnil - were sent in advance to join up with Prince Adrahil I.
The marching troops were hurried to join us as fast as their feet could take them there.
We met with Prince Adrahil I, and the remains of the northern army only to learn that the northern armed force had fallen to the Wainriders and the Variags - their allies from Khand.
The King and his son, the heir to Gondors throne were both missing.
The Wainriders had also defeated the northern defence line set up by the Kings sister-son.
He had been slain in the battle.
As we were readying ourselves to ride to meet the Wainriders in battle, the infantry of the southern army caught up with us.
Captain Eärnil merged the two forces and we immediately set out towards Dagorlad.
We made use of the gloomy skies, and rode hard to come to the Kings aid.
But Alas... we were too late... And there was no end to the catastrophic result of this disastrous battle...
Just as we were nearing the northern point of Ephel Dúath, we met up with a few retreating horsemen of the Éothéod who had been attacked in an ambush near the Morannan.
They informed us that the King and his son had been slain on the battlefield...
But the tragedy did not stop there...
Apparently King Ondoher's other son - Prince Faramir had left the city in disguise to join the battle - against his fathers orders, and the laws of the Kings of Gondor.
The law stated that one son were to stay behind so that there always would be a heir.
But Prince Faramir had defied his father, and disguised himself to be able to join the battle - but as the battle was failing he joined the Éothéod as they were retreating towards the Dead Marshes.
He was wounded to death in the ambush, and had died in the arms of the leader of the eored.
His true identity was discovered when the Éothéod searched his body and found evidence that he was indeed Prince Regent of Gondor...
This information of course shook us all - and no one more perhaps then our Captain.
Captain Eärnil gave the orders for a scout to ride hard and give him some news of the Wainriders movement.
By now we were caught up by the footmen of the armed forces again.
The scout returned and his news baffled us all.
The Wainriders had set camp instead of moving forward.
Captain Eärnil saw his chance and sounded the battle horn to sound the attack.
He sent all mounted soldiers he had as a spearhead straight towards the camp - hoping to catch the Wainriders off guard, and to revenge the death of their King and two Princes.
And he succeeded greatly in doing so.
The Easterlings were caught totally off guard while celebrating their victory.
They were not able to put up much resistance at all.
Most were driven out of the camp and hunted.
We broke out of the main force and started chasing Wainriders who were trying to escape into the Dead Marshes.
We were soon followed by the other mounted forces of the Gondorian army.
The camp was now totally overrun with Gondors infantry.
We continued to hunt a few Wainriders until we reached the Dead Marshes.
There we halted - and after a thorough recognisance, we returned to the victorious Captain.
In the aftermath of this event, Captain Eärnil was crowned the new king of Gondor, and the Wainriders were vanquished, and would never form an assault towards Gondor again. -
Arangilas rubs his beard...
There is nothing about any cult in these accounts...
Why is there a huge drawing of a crow-like creature clutching a dagger on the next page, if it has no meaning towards the events his father has recorded through these few pages...
He turns yet a page... Nothing!
Arangilas turns the page back and looks at the drawing... this time thoroughly inspecting it.
He follows the body of the creature and the wings.
It is all highly detailed... but nothing out of the ordinary...
Suddenly he notices that there are tint inscriptions on the dagger...
He grabs his looking glass and studies it...
"Search the book of Môradar - within his writings lies the clues to the Shades Of The Crebain - born from the same hatred as the Wainriders of the Battle Of The Camp"
((To be continued very soon))
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