The heavy snowfall made the building progress slow, too slow. The slaves and workers had been working for days and even months only to find htat when ever something was finished another task as demanded from them. So far the outer walls had been almost rebuilt and the ancient ruins of this once inpregnable fortress slowly rosed from its slumber. Below where the snow covered plains of Forochel, bodies still layed open and frozen on the groud. The lossoth had put up quite a reamarkble fight, but to no avail and many had been forced to abandon their homes and head south. The ivasion of these lands had begun with a swift strike, the south pass was quickly taken and th emarch further north saw massacre after massacre on the tribes that were in the way of the great host. Soon refugeses from the north where seen as far south as Bree and they spoke of a terrible army, an army of great warriors and beasts. Who led it they did not know, rumours spoke of a man in dark armour atop a wild dark steed. Some even spoke of what they belived to be a ghost of a woman, who could steal the souls of the very living.
No matter what story they told, fear was always dominant and many prayed to their gods to save them from the unspeakeble horros that had driven them south. The Defenders had sent warnings to the free people of the southern lands but fear had aslo reached the fair elven and dwarven lands, the shirelings spoke of a giant black eagle and the men around Bree had seen more activity from both brigands and orcs. War was slowly spreading, and with the Defenders numbers failing time and time again who would be able to stand against what is to come. Luck seemed to be on the fair free people still as no word has come from the north for many weeks. But none dared to send scouts into the cold north, as the enemy was always watchful and prepared.
”Work harder!” The order resounded throughout the contruction site.
”We need to keep to the plan and have this mighty stronghold rebuilt by the first sign of spring!”
The angmarim slavedriver cracked the whip and bellowed some other orders to three guards overlooking the finished walls. They were soon done with the outer defence and their lord and lady would be pleased with their progress. The three guards nodded at the slavedriver and climbed the walls and gazed across the open fields.
”Still no words from our master” said one of the guards mumbling and the other two seemed to agree. The light of day was fading and great fires where lit to spread light on the walls and around the site.
The guards begun to patrol the walls and as night went by a storm grew and around midnight the howling wind ws so harsh that all work stopped. Then all of a sudden one of the gurds saw something in the dark, across the plain. A small light, he leaned over the wall and looked at it with mild intrest. It appeard to be getting closer but it was hard to tell in this heavy weather. Just as he was about to shrug his shouldes a horn echoed in the wind, and in an instant the guard was all alert.
”A rider! A rider is approaching!” He screamed at the other guards.
”Open the gate! A messanger has arrived!”
