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Old 10-16-2006, 06:42 PM   #231
Child of the 7th Age
Spirit of the Lonely Star
 
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Lindir:

The back and forth of Beloan and the one called Khamir almost seemed to Lindir like an intricate dance. The two were infinitely respectful in their questioning and careful not to cross paths or opinions, yet each seemed a little uncertain of where he stood. They warily circled each other, testing out the ground, as if they were not used to sharing ideas or making decisions in quite this way. Khamir had been the one with the foresight to contact Elessar and, after so many months of carrying the letter in his satchel, Lindir felt he almost knew the man. At the same time, the elf had been pleased to learn that there were others who could step forward and speak for the group. Those freed from the plantation were responsible for choosing their own leaders. While that right did not not lie with the fellowship, Lindir hoped the men could be brought to understand that only by sharing authority and ideas could they build a real community. Even if Beloan or perhaps Khamir became the main spokesman for the group, they would need to find a way to draw the others in and use their talents without making them feel that they had somehow failed. While that would not be easy, it was the only way the group could survive.

Believing that those who had come from the plantation had much to teach them, Lindir had sat back until this point, learning much and saying little. Now, with the mention of war, he felt compelled to join in. "Yes, Beloan, you are correct in thinking this. Our group, though small, has different talents. At various times I have served as a scout and as a worker in metals, but the one constant in my long life has sadly been war. I have been in more battles than I care to remember. And Dorran, the young man who explained how he escaped from Nurn, is also a Rider of Rohan. These riders are the personal liegemen of the King of Rohan who swear an oath to defend the kingdom and have particular skill in managing horses. The two of us have spoken for some time about what we all might do."

Lindir glanced over towards Dorran as he spoke, "You see, wars are not always won by the sword. Sometimes they are won by whoever can use his wits the best. Your people are not trained with weapons and that is a disadvantage, but they have had to stay active and alert just to survive. I am sure there were times when when you had to come up with a trick to outwit the plantation masters. That's exactly what we must do now. The best situation of all is not killing your opponent in battle but stopping that opponent before he makes it to your camp. We need to build cleverly hidden ditches and traps of different kinds so that some of these men are taken unawares. Dorran and I can help you, but you may well have ideas of your own. Another good thing is even those who are too old or sick or small to fight can often help to build these traps. These things work best at night or when the weather is dark and murky. We can only hope the slavers will cooperate by launching their attack after the sun sets."

Last edited by Child of the 7th Age; 10-17-2006 at 09:35 AM.
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