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When last we left off…Chapter 5

The Siege of Rath Sereg

The sky over the Ettenmoors hung heavy with iron-grey clouds as the company of dwarves and their companions surveyed the fortress of Rath Sereg from a rocky hilltop. Its broken walls jutted from the earth like the jagged teeth of some ancient beast, guarding secrets and horrors long forgotten. Beneath its shadow, the Red Gorse Hills stretched, red as blood beneath the dim light filtering through the clouds.

Nuri the dwarf, Bungo the hobbit, and Forlong the ranger stood alongside Floki, a grim-eyed dwarf warrior seeking vengeance for the death of his brother, Flonar. With him marched twelve stout dwarven rangers from the Blue Mountains, battle-hardened and ready to risk all to rescue their brethren held captive within the fortress.

They watched Rath Sereg for a full day and night, taking note of the orcs’ movements. Through keen observation, they discovered that even the limited sunlight peeking through the clouds left the orcs nearly blind, forcing them into the shadows. It was a weakness they could exploit.

Bungo, nimble and silent as a shadow, slipped into the fortress under the cover of  a brief shaft of sunlight. Within the grim halls, he discovered a hulking Great Orc guarding the gates, clutching a massive ring of ancient keys. Deeper still, he found a subterranean level where a sturdy portcullis blocked the path to the goblin caves below. In the other direction lay three heavy doors—one of which surely held the captives, while another might conceal the orc leaders: Snava, the shaman, and Hultmar the Many-Handed, their commander.

After regrouping, the company devised their plan. First, they would ambush the orcs at the gatehouse and wrest the keys from the Great Orc. Floki insisted on joining the fight—his thirst for vengeance burned too hot to be denied. The remaining dwarves would await the signal arrow, ready to storm the gate if needed.

Thus the ambush began. The clash of steel and the snarls of the Great Orc filled the air. Nuri met the beast head-on, wielding his great axe with deadly precision. The orc fought ferociously, but with a mighty swing, Nuri’s axe found its mark, and the Great Orc crumpled to the ground. Forlong, narrowly escaping injury, gave a grateful nod as he examined the deep dent in his well-crafted armor.

With the keys in hand, the heroes descended into the fortress’s depths. Carefully, they brought down the portcullis, trapping the goblins in the lower caves. Then, one by one, they freed the imprisoned dwarves, their shackles falling silently to the floor. Victory seemed within reach, but their mission was not yet complete.

Floki refused to leave without his vengeance and also there was the issue of the key to Moria, a precious relic his brother had carried. They pressed onward, seeking Snava the shaman. In a dark chamber filled with the scent of old parchment and strange herbs, they found him. Flames roared to life as a trap sprung, but Forlong leapt through the inferno without hesitation. His spear found its mark, striking Snava just as he vanished through a secret door. Pursuing him through the twisting corridors, Forlong hurled another spear, wounding the fleeing shaman before losing him in the shadows.

Bungo searched the chamber and found a pair of darkly forged daggers—Snava’s cruel and enchanted weapons.

The final confrontation awaited in the chamber of Hultmar the Many-Handed. The orc commander fought with savage strength and cunning, wielding his Great Leap to evade Floki’s attacks and strike at Bungo, who had already taken a poisoned arrow to the side. Meanwhile, Nuri and Forlong battled their way through Hultmar’s guards, cutting them down one by one.

At last, Hultmar’s blade clashed with Forlong’s. Weakened but unrelenting, Forlong pressed the attack. Bungo, clutching one of Snava’s daggers, staggered to his feet and struck the orc from behind. The dark magic bound to the dagger flared ominously as Hultmar turned in terror, recognition dawning too late. With a final gurgling breath, the commander fell silent.

Among Hultmar’s hoard, they found a beautifully crafted elven helm and a great trove of dwarven coins, each stamped with the ancient sigil of lost Moria. Using the secret passage from Snava’s chamber, the heroes slipped away unnoticed and rejoined the dwarven rangers beyond the fortress walls.

There, they parted ways. The dwarves returned to the Blue Mountains with their rescued kin, while Floki agreed to bear news of their victory and their findings to Bilbo and Balin in the Shire. As for Nuri, Bungo, and Forlong, their journey was not yet over. The key to Moria was still missing, and the shadow of Snava lingered like a dark promise in the distance.

The road ahead would be perilous, but for now, the heroes had won a hard-fought victory.