The time had come. Swords were sharpened, armors were polished, horses were bridled. After two whole weeks of gathering supplies and warriors, the Eored was ready to depart.
Captains Aueryll and Ceobrand were to lead the host of riders south through the road in Andrath Vale. It was bad luck or perhaps miscommunication that took the host past Bree town's cemetary to a path impossible for horses to take. Thus it was decided they head back west and seek the road that crosses the land from north to south, that goes by the name Greenway.
Greenway road passed by Halecatch lake and through South-Guard ruins, now teeming with bandits and wild boars. The Captains were wise enough to halt the ride and send forth a small team of warriors on foot to scout the path ahead and if possible to reason with them with an enticing offer.
Captain Ceobrand, Abellinda, Eofreth, Shadwen and Eomere approached the gate. A thug ran up to the group, and the Captain not tolerating delays punched him, leaving him slumped on the ground rather comically. The group, then, tried to treaty with any erstwhile Gaffer of the Robbers. A squint-eyed Half Orc came out and mocked them, before entertaining the group's offering of supplies tribute to get past. Unfortunatelly the hostile nature of the brigands became apparent. They rejected the offer and instead demanded Abellinda and Shadwen to be given as a tribute instead. Aggravated by the counter offer, Ceobrand rejected it. The half orc then turned around and gestured at his cronies, who immediatelly attacked the small group of Rohirrim.
Meanwhile the rest of the Eored was waiting outside, under the command of Captain Aueryll, who noticing how long it took their companions to return, ordered Eorran and Ysmirson to hide by the gate and take a look inside. The two men did as they ordered and were soon joined by Aueryll himself who wanted to see first hand. It didnt take long the three men to notice their companions running hard towards them with a host of brigands on the tail. Suprising their enemies, the Rohirrim quickly dispatched the bandits and decided to head back to a safe distance to discuss what had happened as well as their next move.
Despite the disheartening discovery that the pass through Andrath Vale was closed, the Captains took note of the council of Wardris, a man hired as a smith but proved to be much more, and decided to re-examine their path taking in consideration the Great East Road. For that, the Eored needed to camp somewhere where they could resupply and plan ahead for the new road and what better place than the Stragglers' Camp just outside the south gate of Bree-town...
