This day a Council meeting was held to hear an account of the actions of Estarfin, formerly Sergeant-at-Arms of the Order of the Hammer, so that we could hear what was done, and why it was done, and give our recommendations to Lord Anglachelm.
Estarfin gave an account which dismayed us all, though he seemed not much troubled, believing in his heart that he did no wrong, and would be pardoned yet again. How true this is I dare not believe until I hear it.
The word DUTY was tossed about frequently when Estarfin made dubious report of his so-called ‘mission’ to the goblin caves. He should have been accompanied by the recruits of the Hammer order, he said, because it is their duty to act swiftly, whenever any difficulty or disaster intervenes. But he was not, because the recruits rode out with Lord Belethoriel to find the errant lord Themodir instead.
Estarfin thought this an abandonment of their duty, and took it upon himself to continue his singular ‘mission,’ which was to plant goblin heads on sticks from here to Mount Gundabad. And then, as if to give solemnity and authority to his rash and foolhardy actions, he said he did it because of his Oath, and the fear of attack by the Goblins would not keep him in the Valley, because if he did not do as he did, then he would have failed in the performance of his duty; and he was not prepared to give up the Valley to the Enemy.
A just and reasonable apprehension of attack by the Goblins may excuse him, but is the fear of attack sufficient to justify leaving the Valley without notifying his commanders, and seemingly abandoning his post? Is fulfillment of duty sufficient to justify this conduct? Did he have good reason to suspect that an attack would be the consequence if he did not ride out? And is it proper to cite his Oath in support of his position? The cause of his disobedience is a fear of attack and conquest by the Goblins, for he said that if he did not take arms against that foul folk, their numbers would increase unchecked, and pose an even greater danger to the Valley.
It seems to me that danger must be imminent and resistance impossible, if we were to take such risky measures. It seems to me that the fear of a misfortune is not the misfortune itself.
Tindir told him that, by his ill-thought venture, Estarfin had provoked the Goblins, and therefore it is most likely that they will wreak more trouble, and hinted at worse things stirred up in the mountains.
Vorongwe thought Estarfin’s reasoning very faulty, but nevertheless said he admired his will and determination to protect his kindred, even if it was thrown away on a hopeless act.
Danel did not say much, because she knew much of what Estarfin said already. She only added that his purpose was not merely to perish, which did not do much to help, methinks.
Veryacano was the most severe of all of us, and frowned at Estarfin, and said that he disobeyed command, by acting alone, and mentioned a place named ‘Ever-cold,’ and said that once Estarfin waited there, and if he would wait there, then why could he not wait in the Valley?
Dolthafaer wondered that Estarfin was permitted such freedom, after the other trial business. But the Arrow Lord did not know that Estarfin was afterwards set at large in the Valley, because of his command in the Hammer, and because the Lords were so greatly occupied about other great business (namely, finding the lost Themodir) that he was left to himself, and the stubbornness of his own heart.
What other result can one expect when a meathead is allowed to follow his own foolish counsels?
And so the business ended with Lord Veryacano making a solemn acknowledgment of his fault, saying that none of us wage war alone, and there were many wrongs done.
And Danel was sore wounded, and Estarfin near died for it.
