The Black Ships of Mordor

[Jadyis]

A fleet of 200 hundred ships bearing hundreds upon hundreds of Orcs emerged from the mouth of the River Anduin. Once they were clear the black masts were raised and the Ships increased in speed as they sailed forward. They sailed out until the entrance of the river was barely visibly before turning sharply and making haste towards Belafas.

Jadyis stood at the head of the head ship, Looking far into the distance for she knew that the eye of Minas Tirth watched far and they she would have very limited time before enforcements arrived from the White City. A large Orc strolled along the deck barking orders in the black tongue, Jadyis vaguely understood what he said a help of her since she was to guide these wretchec creatures.

Turning her hand rested causally on the sword that hung at her side and strode along the deck as the Orcs hurried about and prepared for docking. Ropes and bindings off every kind were on deck, Underneath the ship would house the unfortuante ones that would be sold into slavery at Haradwaith upon there arrvial there. The docks came into sight and the Orc leaders instructions became louder and incredasingly frenzied as did the movement of the Orcs, whatever he had told them had worked well.

The masts were lowered and the ship began to slow. The orrs were lowered into the water and the infernal screechings were silenced and the only sound heard was of the omnious quiet and the Orrs silently lasping in and out of the water. The ship brushed against the dock with only the slighest bump and Jadyis leapt down landing with catlike agiltly. The other ships followed suit as ramps were lowered and Orcs began to pour fourth.

Surveying the area it was apperant that there arrvial had not gone un-noticed as she would have hoped. The streets were deserted, doors and windows shut and no doubt bolted as well. One of the Orc captains approached her "What now?" he snarled crudely, and she ignored the anger in his voice without a word she strode towards the nearest cottage and stood still, as though to listen to something only she could hear. Rising her hand she placed it palm down against the frame, smoke began to pour fourth and her hand burst into flames. Growing they began to engulf the wall and travel upwards, licking hungrily at the cottages thatched roof. Terrified screams could be heard coming from within.

Jadyis turned to the assembled Orcs with a satisfied grin "If they will not come willingly, We shall smoke them out! They will flee or die!" she shouted, The Orcs bellowed there approval "Catch all that you can, once your ship is full! Take to sail immediately and began your travel to Haradwaith. Go!" The Orcs spread through the small village like a black plague, Jadyis strolled calmly through the chaos and panic, began more fires as different points so that the surronding houses would burn as well. It would not be long before they could be gone of this place

[Envin]

It would not be long indeed ere reinforcements arrived from the Citadel of Gondor, but even as a eagle was dispatched to Minas Tirith with the tidings of attack, arrows barbed with flame and with stinging, deadly poisons flew from the trees and the rocks and from about the corners of burning houses, speeding with haste into the hearts of they who dared encroach upon the lands of Gondor. For there was a large detachment of Gondorian Rangers, five hundreds strong, who resided at the very center of the Anduin delta, ever watchful for foes, and they had espied this foul, black fleet, and followed it as it landed. And now they attacked the attackers from on all sides, ever elusive and flitting back into the shadows after their arrows were loosed.

[Alcorad]

A vile Orc captain strode forth by the name of Horgakh and spat as the rangers arrived. "The White Tower knows of our presence. Spread out! Show these rangers that we are no mere Orc rabble! We are the Mordorian Orcs of Alcorad! None in Middle Earth may best us!" The Orcs spread out into two groups, one group continuing to ransack the homes while the other proceeded to assult the rangers.

The cruel beasts unsheathed their swords and encircled the homes, taking flint and sticks and using the fire to light the thatched roofs of the homes. As the serfs of Belfalas fled from their homes, nets were thrown onto them and massive heavily armored soldiers pulled them back to the ship. Everywhere screams echoed as Alcorad's vile minions recruited slaves. Of course Aragorn was indeed cunning for stationing a camp so near to Belfalas but still the sinister designs of Mordor would not be so easily countered.

Orc Archers lined the sides of the homes and let loose a flurry of arrows directly upon the rangers and set fires to the trees from afar. Black smoke rose into the air as the cruelty of the orcs became known and naught could be heard in that small villaige save the screams of the peasants. Still many arrows were being loosed from either side and of course the skill of the rangers was not unnoticed but e'en still there could be no true victory from either side. The Rangers could only delay the inevidable and once the slaves were loaded onto the ships, the battle would end and Mordor would depart from the shores.

The Orcs split up and clustered around the front of the homes. Archers ran to one side and unleashed flurry after flurry of arrows upon the Rangers as Orc soldiers awaited on the other. As the rangers ran for additional cover they were cut down by the cruel blades of Alcorad's beasts, the looks of astonishment still upon their face from realizing their folly. "Hurry it up, maggots!" Hargakh shouted, observing all that transpired carefully with a mangled hand clenched tightly around the hilt of a bloodstained Gondorian blade. "We have places to be!"

(I dont quite remember, but do these skirmish type battles count on our main army count?)

[Jadyis]

Jadyis ducked for cover behind wooden barrels, her fists clenched angarily, Of alll the rotten luck she could encounter. An Orc rushed past her, and a single arrow pierced its thick hide, she smirked as though a single arrow could harm such a creautre. The Orc then fell to the ground dead, That is of course unless it was a poisioned arrow naturally.

Slipping free of her hiding place, she watched as the Orcs rounded up what Citizens they could muster and were dragging them back to the ships despite there cries of protest. At least one thing was going well she thought bitterly turning her back to the site. Ahead a child stood on the road, face red with tears as she screamed for her parents. Jadyis starred with a look of cool indifference, It would be so simple to alert the Orcs to the fact this one had been missed, one more slave for Rhun, but something in her could not. Striding towards the child she placed a hand rougly on her shoulder and guided her along to a shed, opening it she tossed her inside "Stay here and be quiet" she said gruffily, closing the door.

Moving back to where the Orcs had engaged the rangers, she ran head first into the trees. Arrows reined down upon her but she moved and darted so that where they had aimed she had just vacated a moment before, as she ran her hand burst into a brillaint flame. As she moved she brushed it against underbrush and shrub causing them to ignite as well, It would not be long before the entire forest was aflame.

[Envin]

{ OOC: No, they don't, we're just screwing around...}

The Lord commanding the Rangers exhorted his men to the fray, leading them with a strong voice and a sure, and swinging skillfully his hardy blade. He directed men to swiftly extinguish the blaze nearby the village, and that was done ere long. The Rangers fell back further into the trees, effectively drawing many of the Orcs from their posts at the village in pursuit. Several miles from the village, one hundred of the Rangers split from the main force and returned to harass the foes at the village.

The main force of the Rangers stood firm against the foul host confronting them. And they would not give ground. And soon their hopes would be realized, for in the distance horns were sounded, still some time away, but the defense-host of Pelargir was nearing, having been alerted by the Ranger commander. It was comprised of two thousands of heavy horsed cavalry, three thousands of footsoldiers, one thousand of skill Gondorian archers, and by happy chance a thousand of the Winged Guard of the King, elites among the warriors of the world, who happened to be in Pelargir upon a ceremonial patrol. But 'twas to no ceremony that they now rode, and the Captain of the Rangers urged on his men with a resounding cheer, looking toward the horizon for aid.

[Alcorad]

As another family of slaves was pulled from the township the orcs began a hasty retreat. "Hold them off with your flames, Witch!" Hargakh shouted as he moved with the hosts of orcs back to the black ships. Slave after slave after slave were loaded into the brigg and as Rangers moved forth to try and hinder the progress, might bolts were fired from ballistas manned on deck as the orcs began to come aboard and tend to the new hostages. A final defensive action was set forth and a large party of orcs lined the harbors and and a volley of black-feathered arrows into the ranks of oncoming rangers.

Cloth was now being wrapped upon the bolts of the ballistas and they were set alight, being fired onto the feilds before the oncoming warriors. A brush fire was begun, perfect for Jadyis to work her magic with, and it quickly spread as the orcs became fewer and fewer in the village for the last of them now passed through the barricade of archers. "Come on, you scum!" Hargakh shouted as he himself pulled aboard one of the black ships.

(ok)

[Jadyis]

Jadyis moved to the front of the line of Orcs and threw out her hands, palms open as if pleading with the rangers to stop there attacking, she could sense there growing numbers and did not wish to wait around to see who had ridden to there aid. The Ors now fired arrows alit, igniting the ground. She felt the heat and fire growing, It strengthened and invigorated her. Jadyis concentrated on this, inticing the flames to grow hotter and higher until the forms of the advancing rangers became but obsccured forms through the flames. There arrows still continued to rain down and she could feel herself gradually weakening, the flames in turn began to shrink as well.

Turning back to the black ship that had bore her, she could see it slowly pulling away from the dock, her concentration broken she turned and began to sprint towards it, determined not to be left behind at the mercy of hundreds of enemies. Gathering herself she took a long leap, catching the side of the ship and pulling herself aboard. It had been a risk, the thought that if her attempt had failed and she had ended up in the water was almost enough to make her physically ill. Turning back to the village she admired her work as it burned.

[Envin]

Many of the good Rangers were taken by the flames of the Orcs and the fire-magicks of Jadyis, but ere long these were extingushed by their comrades, and many more of them were not taken by the blaze. These continued to rain down arrows at the retreating foes, cowardly in their retirement now that their work of slaying innocents was done. At that moment, the reinforcements from Pelargir crested the ridge behind, and without delay the thousand archers readied themselves and soon scores upon scores upon scores of arrows at once flew at the black ships. Returning fire with fire, the darts of Gondor were alight as well, and many a fire caught and spread upon the foul ships. The heavy horsed knights of Gondor sallied forth at the remaining Orcs upon the ground, and worked upon them with dispatch, bloodying their pristine blades with black smoking blood. But they pulled back behind the lines of archers as now the main of the enemy drew away from the shore, leaving it to the bowmen to send flame at the departing ships.

[Alcorad]

As the ships became further and further away, most out of reach of arrow fire, while others burned and sank into the sea, Hargakh actually began to laugh. "Yes, King of Gondor!" he shouted to the host as if adressing the lord of the White Tower himself. "Kill your own villagers to break your foes! Such a noble king. You are no different from us!" With a low croak of satisfaction in his speech, he turned back towards those manning the ship and paced up and down the deck. "Hurry it up to Umbar, you slugs!" he shouted. "Turn due West as if making for more of those Gondor villages and then make a sharp turn back towards Umbar!" The orcs shouted in acknowledgement and a great horn was sounded from the crows nest as Mordor's fleet turned West. Horns from ships behind them sounded aswell, a steady stream of calls moving back furthey into the ranks of the fleet.

[Jadyis]

Jadyis watched the sinking ships with a look of sheer indifference, So there would be a few less slaves sold into a life of slavery once they had reached umbar and Mordor, perhaps they were just as well off in death. Rising her amber eyes she watched as one Orc in particular had taken control of the rest and was furiously barking orders, for indeed he seemed to be far more intelligent then the rest of the group that she had been sent with. For a moment she wondered why Alcoard had send her with a creature such as this at his stead it seemed rather pointless. Regardless, the first part of the this wretched task was over and the second would start shortly, which suited her just fine.

[Envin]

As the ships of evil pulled away from the shore, the hosts of Gondor ceased their fire at them, and with angered breath stared at the fleeing filth. A horn sounded in the distant north, and a scout ran up to the Captain, and breathlesssly reported that by happy chance the Lord Aragorn had been traversing his fiefdoms south of Minas Tirith when the summons passed him by. He had ridden with all haste, and was now cresting the ridge behind the lined army of Gondor. Poor Roheryn was breathless and sodden with sweat, but still he toiled onward, until Aragorn leapt from his back right at the shore of the sea.

All the eyes of his men were fixed upon him, and he felt them searing into his back. His ears strained against the crash of the surf, and heard the trailing screams of women and small children as they were carried away to a fate worse than death. Tears sprang in his eyes, and turning he kicked the helm of a fallen Orc with all of his anger - the skull cap flew several yards. When he faced his men once more, they all saw his silent weeping, and their own choked sobs matched his, for the loss of so many and so much that was fair and good. Aragorn set a watch upon the ships, the which roving with the Orcs as they turned west and then east again, and then he led the men back to the village, where they tended the wounded and maimed, and repaired the ills done to the town.