''It has been fifteen days since we left the Valley of Imladris. We have finally reached the western passes leading into the Gap of Rohan, following the news given to us by the ranger Artewen. She claims to have seen the company holding Lord Anglachelm captive has gone south through here. We have found western one of the two passes blocked by a barricade and an orc camp was spotted nearby. The barricade seemed built recently, perhaps after Lord Anglachelm's passing. We have taken the eastern of the two passes, which led us to a ridge overlooking the Gap of Rohan. Here, we have found something we did not quite expect, an army of Dun men.
From this overlook we have an excellent view of the Dunlending encampment below, protected by wooden a palisade and towers. I could count up to thousand men, mostly soldiers and more men flowing in and out of the encampment. It is possible that there is another thousand men in the region, judging by the troop movements. It seems that the Dun men are amassing for an assault over the Isen into Rohan. The sounds of men marching and talking never cease, their fires light the night and smoke from their camp blots out the stars.
We have camped in a concealed position near the overlook and we keep a constant watch over the encampment. For it is possible that Lord Anglachelm is being held captive down there. We cannot scout the camp for the sheer number of men guarding it would mean certain death. For now all we can do is keep a constant watch over it, hoping to perhaps catch a glimpse of him, or a clue that he might be down there. Although risky, I intend to send my falcon, Hwesta to fly over the camp. He knows Lord Anglachelm and his sharp eyes might see things we may not.
Despite some minor injuries, the company is well. Until we are sure Lord Anglachelm is not down in that encampment, I mean to stay here. Else we might lose the trail and our quest would come to an end. Stealth is vital as ever, for if our presence is revealed we can neither escape, nor hide.''
Veryacano finished entering the words with his charcoal pen in his leather covered journal. It was a small thing, elegant of make and engravings on leather decorated the cover. By now his daily entries filled many black crabbed pages on it and he would keep writing on it as a record of his search for Anglachelm. He closed the journal and put it away.
He looked upon the encampment of men again in deep thoughts. He remembered his conversation with Estarfin. He wondered how he would assault this camp if he had sufficient troops, imagining and devising tactics to overcome the defenders. It was all a game in his head now, for he knew well he would never have such a force under his command again. His life was spent following leaders and leading troops in combat, hence such thoughts came easy to him and he enjoyed it. He would watch the huts down there carefully and look for any indicator that there might be a prisoner down there but he never saw anything out of the ordinary. Men coming and going in groups of a dozen, horses and dispatches moving in and out, men walking around idly, it all seemed like the daily routine Veryacano was not unfamiliar to. But this time it was the enemy he watched.
In such times of war, Veryacano would keep tabs on his troops. He would talk to them and measure their morale and determination without them knowing it. He would use this information in his decisions and he would know how much hardship they would be able to take. But that was a long time ago and this time he was too distracted, too preoccupied. He forgot of such things a leader must do and he cared little for how those entrusted to him felt or got along. He focused all his attention on how to get through the day and follow the trail which he desperately believed would eventually lead him to his captured Lord.
