[Himaran]

Kaldon rode east for several days. Soon he came to the tower of weathertop. He tied up his horse and made his way to the dell, where he waited. Soon a small group of orcs appeared.

"What orders from the Tower, my lord," asked one. Kaldon dispised the creatures, but they were stupid enough to fight and die for his father.

"Within a few days a large party of men, elves and dwarves will be passing through this area. When they camp in the dell, attack and kill all of them. Their belongings and bodies will be yours."

The orc chieftain turned to his followers. "Here that, lads, tender manflesh right off the bone!" Cheers and snarls of anticipation met his ears.

Kaldon left them, and continued his ride east. Finally coming to the gates of Moria. Leaving his horse in the care of the orc guards there, he swiftly traveled through the labranth of tunnels, and was escorted over a new, wooden bridge over the chasm. He then set out on foot, and within several weeks reached Mirkwood.

He waited in the eaves of the forest for nightfall, and was then escorted by a man posing as a ranger in that area. He made it through in a few days, and then turned north, toward the dark tower of Ulignoth in the Weathered Heath of the Grey Mountains. It was where his father was based.

After passing through the gate and over the defense trench, he ascended to the top level of the tower, where he met his father.

It was a grand room, with large stone pillars set throughout. Everything was furnished with gold. Great windows and galleries were frequent, magestic tapestries were hung on the walls, and on a great throne, at the back of the room, sat his father.

"Welcome home, Kaldon. How goes the plan on your end of the world."

Kaldon sat down at a table, took a sip from the wine glass there, and helped himself to some of the finer parts of the feast laid out.

"Everything is in place. Belfalod is in the group, orcs are waiting to attack at Weathertop, pitfalls have been dug along the Caradhras, and of course, that force of Uruk Hai is waiting near Mirkwood. I would highly doubt if even a few of the company reach Erebor. By the way, have you attacked?"

"Ah, yes. My first attack group moved out yesterday at noon, to set up a fortified camp north of the mountain."

Kaldon chuckled. "No need to get hasty, eh father."

"No, none at all. I do not wish to give them time to rally forces. I have heard news that a Gondorian army recently left Minas Tirith, bound north. I hope to have taken the mountain long before they arrive, if they do at all."

Kaldon had ate and drank his fill, and now sat back and lit a full pipe. "So, what is my next assignment. You know I get restless if I'm sitting around all the time."

"Yes, we can't have you getting out of shape, can we. I want you to head west, and see what sort of trouble you can cause for the group. Your mission to kill Bali is still unfinished. And what of Hogar? Has he defected?"

Kaldon removed the pipe from his mouth long enough to speak. "No, but he is no longer working for us. He has taken to hanging around a hobbit called Sarello. He is slowly turning."

"Well, in that case, forget about the group. We have enough obstacles in their way. Your next assignment is to find and kill Hogar, at any cost. I do not need you here when I attack anyway."

Filling his pouch with pipeweed, Kaldon bowed and left the presence of his father. He took his leave of the great fortress, bound west.