Episode XXVI – The Hidden Hold: 17th Halane, 720TR
Thorim forms up the uninjured warriors, Snorri, Hrafn, Heming, Hrapp and Brand, to take the war to the Khuzdul. Telen volunteers to go as well. Ulfarr, Sigmarr, and the remaining men stay behind to work on Ologi.
The war group stalks up to the small vale where Telen and Vermundr saw the fields. As they approach the spot where they saw the goatherd a crossbow bolt shoots out of a narrow slot in the rock cliff face and strikes Heming in the stomach. Brand attempts to put an arrow through the slot while the others charge to a covered position at the base of the wall. When he tries to join his fellows he is shot in the leg forcing Hrafn to dash out of cover to rescue him. Telen attempts to summon his art to protect them, but faints with the exertion. Heming crawls back into the cover of the orchard trees.
Thorim and Snorri initiate an antagonistic conversation with the Khuzdul above. They trade insults and Thorim promises to burn their fields and chop down their trees, to which they respond by hurling a freshly severed human head from their arrow slit. It is the head of the kinsman seen previously by Vermundr. It is only when Thorim mentions the khuzdul ‘princess’ they hold back at their camp that the Khuzdul start to bargain seriously. After further bickering and insulting they demand that the Khuzdul release their Ivinian thralls in return for the girl. Furthermore, they demand one captive be released immediately as an act of good faith. After a long silence the Khuzdul acquiesce and release a half crazed old Viking. The man identifies himself as Ulfend Ruindael, lost these many years since the second great assault on Thay.
The warband retreats from the vale saying they will return with the girl and they return to the beach camp to check on the progress of the repairs.