Rangers: Headquarters & Armoury

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn @Isolde Alarion

Trainee Trastion Leithor
Headquarters, Command Office - Early October

Trastion didn't have to turn to see his roommate, but grinned as he turned his head slightly to greet Mourgan. "No idea. I can't think of anything," He shrugged. "Also, I was thinking.. if we were in trouble, I'd think she would come say something to us, or the message would have said to come right away... not 'tomorrow after breakfast', right? So.. I think we're fine."

He glanced at Mourgan's attire, thinking about his question. "I don't know. I thought this might be something to do with training.. since the early session was canceled." He did find that slightly puzzling. "I learned from my first day that if I'm going for training, to bring all my gear." He explained, recalling that first day's training with a little grin. "But.. well if it is training, we're not far from the barracks. I'm sure it wouldn't take long to grab your stuff first." He figured they'd find out soon enough.

[Arnyn]

@Isolde Alarion @Rillewen

Lieutenant Arnyn Dealedwen
Headquarters, Command Office - Early October

Contrary to Arnyn's habit, the door to the command office was closed. A map was covering most of the desk, with Arnyn leaning over it, both of her hands leaning on the top of the desk, palms flat. Her long blonde hair had been gathered over one shoulder, as not to impede her vision of the roads and trails.

The Lieutenant looked up at the knock and moved to open the door. Seeing Trastion - in full gear - and Mourgan - not in full gear - standing there together, made her lips quirk into a smile. A funny contrast. "Come in," she told them, leaving the door open and walking back toward the other side of the desk. "Leave the door," she added. "I'm expecting ten more rangers." Her tone was all business as she assessed them briefly.

She gestured for them to come closer. "Taras," she addressed him, but her dark eyes remained on the map. "Here is an exercise for you. What would be the swiftest way for a dozen or so Rangers to travel from Minas Tirith to the slopes of the mountains to the northeast of the Gilraen?" Finally, the Lieutenant glanced up, and she flashed a quick smile at Mourgan.

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn @Isolde Alarion

Trainee Trastion Leithor
Headquarters, Command Office - Early October

As the lieutenant mentioned she was expecting ten more, Trastion was a bit surprised, but nodded as he stepped into the office, leaving the door open. He was still rather confused. Why no training session? What was going on? Who were the other ten rangers who were coming? He came closer when she motioned to do so, and looked down at the map she was studying.

His eyes glanced up at her when she addressed him, then returned to the map after hearing what she asked. It had been a little while since he studied geography, but he still remembered some of it. He frowned thoughtfully as he first had to locate the river and the area of the mountains she spoke of. Now that he looked at the map, he realized what area she was talking about. He had traveled that way himself, coming to Minas Tirith, several months ago. He had taken a more leisurely and meandering way of traveling, however, since he hadn't really been in much of a hurry. Aware of Mourgan's presence, however, he didn't comment on his own experience of actually traveling that way before.

"Right about here?" He checked, pointing to the spot on the map which he thought she was referring to. He looked at her for a moment, wondering why she was asking this. Despite his confusion, he turned his attention back to the map and placed his finger on Minas Tirith. "Well, we can't really go by water.." He began. "Not if you want speed, and especially not with ease." He happened to know there were several places with waterfalls along that river, and if they tried going by river, they'd be traveling upstream by that point. Not ideal for any journey, much less one requiring speed. "So, instead, I would suggest taking this road," His finger lightly followed the tiny, dotted line marking a road on the map, "Through Lossarnach. There's a good solid bridge here at the river Erui, commemorating the battle where king Eldacar defeated the usurper Castamir," He remembered. "It's kept in good condition. There's another bridge here, at Sirith, but it's not as good. And then, after crossing the river Sirith, the road veers downward to the south-west, toward Minas Brethil, but if we need to go upward instead, we could cut across the land between the Sirith and Serni... there's another road that follows alongside the Serni, upstream.. but I'm not sure exactly where we're needing to go," He added, looking back up at Arnyn inquisitively.

He had followed the tiny, dotted lines with his fingertip, and with his other hand, pointed out the different locations he had mentioned on the map, while he spoke and gave his suggestion for the best route. "And, obviously... it'd be much faster on horses than on foot." He wasn't sure if that was even necessary to say, but figured he better not leave it out or she might think he meant to travel on foot. "Keeping mostly to the road, I would think it ought to be quick enough." His own travels had taken longer, given that he had avoided the roads mostly, but he knew the roads offered a much more direct route from town to town, which was more conducive to swift travel, on or off horseback.

[Isolde Alarion]

Ranger Mourgan Alarion
Headquarters, Command Office - Early October
@Arnyn @Rillewen

Trastion made sense. It wouldn't take him long if armor was needed so he shrugged and nodded then looked back at the door, but they didn't have to wait long for it to open. "Lieutenant." It was a short greeting before they were told to come in and leave the door open. Hearing she was expecting ten more raised his brows slightly, curiosity rising in him as he followed behind both Trastion and the Lieutenant till they came to her desk where a map lay spread out on it.

He stood looking at the map, pausing only long enough to acknowledge the Lieutenants quick smile with a small one of his own before returning to the map and Trastions assessment. His brown eyes followed Trastions finger as he made his suggestions. His reasoning was sound, he nodded lightly in agreement. If you wanted quick, then taking the roadways by horseback was the way to go. He had a couple questions but thought to hold them until the others had arrived and were brought up to speed, no sense repeating. He lightly rubbed at his stubbled chin in thought. Whatever the Lieutenant had in mind it was time sensitive.

[Arnyn]

@Isolde Alarion @Rillewen

Lieutenant Arnyn Dealedwen
Headquarters, Command Office - Early October

She watched the trainee calmly, not overly scrutinizing, but simply curious to see what he would say. "Well thought out, Taras," she said, her tone still businesslike, which somehow almost made the compliment more valuable. The Lieutenant was completely into her analytical mindset at the moment, with little room for anything else - unless she were forced.

"What happens to the route if you are no longer looking to go here," she began, tapping her finger to the location Trastion had indicated just now, "but rather here-abouts?" She indicated the mountains halfway in between - on the one hand - the point where two streams coming down the mountain started the river Gilraen and - on the other hand - the town of Ethring. "Two options become available to you now. Would you still prefer the route by land? Or would you consider going down the Anduin by ship and sailing to Linhir, before taking the road north?"

Arnyn straightened, regarding both Mourgan and Trastion. "I would like to hear both of your opinions on this, actually. Which route you would prefer, and your reasons for doing so."

[Pele Alarion]

Captain Pele Alarion
Command Office, Headquarters
Second Half of November

For the last few days Pele had exchanged her early longer training sessions in the training grounds for a shorter workout in the barracks courtyard with the following breakfast in the office within head quarters. And this turned out to be one of those mornings when sat at the desk covered in maps - a bigger map showing Gondor, Harad, and some lands beyond, as well as a more detailed map of Umbar - with the list of current Rangers on top and various smaller notes scattered all over the desk. She jotted down some more notes with one hand, while trying to finish off the sandwich which she held in the other.

She was doing her best to consider strengths and weaknesses of each Ranger, considering what each would need to work on, what options there were for smaller units if necessary. All this went into the sea of small notes which looked to be in too much of disarray to make much sense. It should be that the more she thought and planned, and prepared, the clearer the mission should be, and yet there was doubt. With all the careful planning, she was not sure if they would be able to pull this off successfully, if any success would outweigh any incurred losses, and if there would be any long-term effect and benefit for Gondor.

All the thinking made her shoulders tense up quite painfully, so the Captain decided it was time to take a break. Carefully she snuffed out the candle, for the daylight was already streaming in through the window, and then stood up. Perhaps she should open the door of the office so that people would know she was available, but perhaps not yet. Perhaps she would finish her tea first. With a sigh she stretched upwards, and then rolled her shoulders back and forth to release some of the tension. Then she reached for the cup only to discover that the tasty liquid was no longer hot, barely lukewarm at best. She muttered something in that regard, and sipping from the cup walked over to the window, opening it to let in a fresh breeze, while she sat on the windowsill and enjoyed the tea in relative peace.

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn @Isolde Alarion

Trainee Trastion Leithor
Headquarters, Command Office - Early October

He gave a small smile in reply to the lieutenant's compliment, but that soon turned into a thoughtful frown as he studied the map with the altered route. He considered her questions, hesitating slightly. What would be quicker? He felt that there were a great many factors to take into consideration with that, and wasn't sure quite how to put it into words.

Therefore, he began speaking a bit slowly as he tried to sort through his thoughts out loud, to give her an answer. "Well.. I suppose that depends somewhat on the people who are with us. If they know how to sail, for instance.. if they know the river and how to navigate the bay around the areas you're talking about, then perhaps sailing would be quicker, but personally.. I don't know the Anduin and I don't know these waters at all. In fact.." he shrugged. "I'd have no idea how to handle a ship. A horse, on the other hand.." he smiled slightly and left that unfinished. She had seen how well he could ride, that day that he and Rome went with her on a riding outing.

"Still.." he added with a little frown as he studied the map. "Even with skilled sailors to man a ship for us, it seems a little out of the way to me.. going all the way down the Anduin, through Pelargir, and around this chunk of land to get to Linhir, then going up the road.. when we could just cut straight across on horseback. I mean.. why go down, across, around, and then up... when you can just go straight across?" he shrugged. "Then again, like I said.. I'm not familiar with the Anduin. Is the current swift enough to make up for all the extra time we'd take, going around all the land we would otherwise just cross over, if we went by horseback?" He asked, genuinely curious about that factor. "The way I see it, the only real drawback to using horses is that they would tire, while a boat would not." He shrugged slightly.

[Pele Alarion]

&
Captain Pele Alarion & Cadil
Command Office, Headquarters
Second Half of November

Pele drank half of the cold tea and poured the other half into the pot of a plant nearby though it had apparently been watered recently. Leaving the cup on the windowsill with an intention to refill it later with a steaming hot beverage, she walked over to the door casually and swung it open. Yet the door had barely travelled one third of the distance before hitting an obstacle.

"Now, what is this?" Pele muttered under her breath and stepped out and around the door to find Cadil rubbing his forehead with an expression of being more startled than in pain.

"What is the meaning of this, tell me! Cadil?" she demanded from the young man. "Standing here listening to secrets?"

"N-n-no, Serg... Captain," Cadil quickly corrected himself, taking note of her insignia of rank. "I heard nothing. Only wanted to bring news."

A frown mastered Pele's brow, even as a curious glint appeared in her eyes while she observed Cadil. It seemed to her that since the last time they had seen each other he had rather grown around his waist rather than build some manly muscle; and he still appeared to have the same playfulness in him, though she could also clearly see certain seriousness in his brown eyes. It had been quite some time, and she expected him to have grown in character and experience a bit, considering the information she had come by.

"News? Like, news of you wanting to join the King's Rangers?" she asked, and motioned for him to enter the office. "Or is it something else?" She quickly collected all the notes from the desk and stashed them away, yet leaving the maps out.

"I only wanted to say that Nal... Unalmis said that he and some others might be in danger of being killed or such..." seeing Pele immediately become tense and peer at him as if she wanted to burn holes in him, he hastened to say: "It was after Midsummer. I just haven't really seen him since."

The last words made the Captain slowly let out the breath she had been holding unawares. "Midsummer. And you come and tell me only now? Do you not think at all, Cadil? Still?," she could not help but roll her eyes. "What if he had been killed while you sat around comfortably? And you would tell me only now?"

"He said to wait, so I did," the young man said in a small voice, wanting the ground to open up and swallow him. He was not sure he wanted to explain the reasons he had waited as long as possible since he knew those would not be found reasonable.

"Unalmis is just fine, as far as I know," Pele said, taking pity on Cadil. "Now, is that all news? Or?"

"That is all," he replied, and then added tentatively: "Though perhaps you would give me one more chance, Captain?"

She stood, arms crossed and studied Cadil in silence until it seemed that the silence was almost becoming unbearable for him. "What chance? You want to enlist?" she asked and received a small nod in response.

"You don't have a head about you. And you are not fit, as far as I can tell..." she waved towards his belly, but seeing hope disappear from his eyes she continued: "Tell you what, Cadil. You meet me very early tomorrow morning, at the hour when night guards are replaced by the early morning shift. By the gate of the third circle. Bring all you think you would need for three days. Then I will decide once I see what you are capable of. Deal?" Receiving another nod, Pele said: "Now, off you go."

Cadil did not have to be told twice, and headed for the door with relief obvious on his face.

"Oh, and, Cadil," Pele called after him before he could disappear out the door. "Don't you worry about Unalmis, all right?" The young man returned the smile faintly and made to get out of the headquarters as fast as he could.

[Arnyn]

@Isolde Alarion @Rillewen

Lieutenant Arnyn Dealedwen
Headquarters, Command Office - Early October (end of the first week)

At Trastion's questions, she suppressed a thoughtful sigh as she straightened to her full height, rather than leaning onto the desk with the map. And not because the questions were bad ones - they were not. "I'm afraid that we will all have much more experience on a ship soon enough," she mumbled, half under her breath. That is, if Trastion and Mourgan would agree to go with them to Umbar. She had a feeling they both would, however. And Arnyn wasn't sure whether that warmed her or worried her. Probably both.

Other Rangers were starting to spill in through the doors. The Lieutenant welcomed them, and soon the command office was filled with thirteen rangers total. "I received a message from Ranger Thûllir Bregedyr," the Lieutenant began, addressing everyone. "He and Hyandaner Kaylin were called to investigate some trouble to the north of Linhir. It appears that a group of bandits are wreaking havoc on caravans, from regular traders to beacon resuppliers. Thûllir and Kaylin were already in Linhir on personal time," she added as a ways to explain why the two were already working on the problem. "And they sent word through the Captain of Linhir's Guard that assistance would be appreciated, since the bandits' number is estimated to be around 15 to 20 people." She wasted no time today. She never had when it came to missions. "That is where everyone now standing in this room comes in. Your schedules have been cleared. We are taking a ship from Harlond," her brown eyes flicked to Trastion and Mourgan, as if to warn them that the answers to Tras' questions were coming now, "Manned by experienced sailors, who can swiftly take the ship down the Anduin and into the port of Linhir swiftly. We will also be taking horses on the ship with us. The idea is to leave Linhir on horseback, still well rested and well supplied, to follow the road and Thûllir and Kaylin's trail north to the area they are investigating. Otherwise, it would be rather difficult to find their current location. The hope is they will have already scouted the area and can relay all the necessary information we need to move in on these criminals and eliminate the threat to the people of the area."

Arnyn's hands were clasped loosely behind her back. "I expect we will be gone from the City for about a month. Report to me just outside the Great Gate, tomorrow, after you have all had your breakfast. That should give you enough time to make your preparations and inform anyone you wish of your absence." She knew several of those present today had family they would prefer to speak to, before leaving. Possibly they would also need to make some arrangements besides their duty schedule - which Arnyn had already taken care of for them. "Any questions?"

[Isolde Alarion]

Ranger Mourgan Alarion

Headquarters, Command Office- Early October (end of the first week)

The Lieutenant wished to hear both their opinions and Trastion gave his first. He looked down to the map as he listened to Trastions reasoning. Honestly much of it mirrored his own and would have explained so as the Lieutenant made her comments to Trastions thoughts, but soon other Rangers joined them in the room. He nodded to each a silent welcome before turning back to the Lieutenant as she addressed the gathering of 13 Rangers.
Heres where they got their answers to the Lieutenants inquiries, he caught the flicker of a glance from the Lieutenant. He stood still, listening. Absorbing her words, the plan, their mission. They were next given instructions of when to meet and where and then to wrap it up she asked if there were any questions.

"Lieutenant." He spoke up. "Our attire, blend in?" He motioned to his casual attire then to Trastions armor. "Or make a statement?"

@Arnyn

[Arnyn]

@Isolde Alarion @Rillewen

Lieutenant Arnyn Dealedwen
Headquarters, Command Office - Early October (end of the first week)

"Greys, greens, browns or blacks," she told Mourgan matter-of-factly, even though her lips curled up in an amused smile at the way he'd worded the question. "Don't burden yourselves with heavy armour. We're not going to a battle field. We're uprooting a band of thieves." And killers. "Light to medium armour will be best for this."

After answering a few more practical questions, the Rangers filed back out of the office. The Lieutenant was left alone once more, with nearly all of the arrangements on her side dealt with already. With a grim look in her eyes, she tidied up the office and left herself, securely locking it up behind her. She'd get the key to the Ranger who'd be taking over during her absence. And then she only needed to make her own personal arrangements. Which were not all that many.

~ Continued here. ~