Day 6
It gives me no pleasure to recount the events of the past day. We have lost our chief.
We set out from Rivendell as planned; but barely had we crossed the river and turned south before we were waylaid by a band of goblins. Somehow none of us saw their trap until it was too late and we were taken without a fight. They beat us savagely with cudgels, and hauled us back to their camp in some ancient Elven ruin.
They dumped us all in a cell - except for Fiontann, whom they had taken somewhere else. Goblins are crude and stupid creatures - even I found being captured by them humiliating - so it did not take us too long to crack the locks and break out. We could not find Fiontann anywhere, but we did manage to recover our gear while the horrid beasts were busy feasting.
We attempted to escape by sneaking past the dozing goblins; but to our very great surprise, at the same moment, the Dunlending Clay - who had taken a great risk in travelling alone through those infested wilds all the way from the Forsaken Inn to come and find us - leapt from hiding and attacked the goblins, shouting something about Fion.
Between us - Morfryn, Clay, Blodflaed, Anita and myself - we were able to defeat them reasonably swiftly, despite being greatly outnumbered. However, Lheuwen had arrived just in time to see six orcs on horseback bear Fiontann away south. From questioning the remaining goblins, we learned that they must be taking him to a larger encampment, somewhere between here and Hollin.
Clay was injured in the fight - I did my best to patch her up while we discussed what to do. It was late in the day. We were all worried for Fiontann - but on foot, and weary, we soon realised we had no hope of catching our foes on horseback. Clay had brought one horse - but even so, in the dark, the risk of losing the trail was great; and even if she caught up with them, what could one rider do against six? Eventually it was decided - not without a heavy heart and a nagging sense of guilt - to rest for the night, and give chase in the morning.
Looking for a good place to make camp, we came across the cabin of a charming local couple, Merneth and Dok, who had long lived in fear of the band of goblins we had just slain. They generously gave us food and shelter for the night; and Merneth, a skilled healer, looked over Clay's wounded leg - which was a relief to me, as I am no kind of physician!
In the morning we shall go after our chief. I pray to all the Powers we will not be too late.