BloodMonth of Year 2974 of the third era, seventy first year of knight Erenthos the fourth.

BloodMonth 1

Though ancient lore says that the Bloodmonth brings an end to the shedding of blood, prospects are grim.

Balanthir, whom I sent out to watch the siege of the Gherins Tower, returned this afternoon at the castle. He reported to have advanced as far as the upper slopes of the Katapuna. perhaps it is a sign of our impending doom that we use dwarvish names and orcish names instead of the eldar names of old. The orcs seem to have penetrated the lower levels of Gherins Tower, but Gherin and some soldiers seem to hold out on the upper levels. Nevertheless, they will not be able to hold out long.

Bloodmonth 2

Erenthos sent Togun out to the Twin Towers, so that the Kings of The Hills may know that he has to prepare against the orcish onslaught, as he should have done long ago. Woe the quarrels between elves and men!

Bloodmonth 4

Togun reports that the Twin Towers are strengthened, and that the King of the Hills has enlisted the help of many dwarves to reinforce the basements of the towers. He also offers shields and swords to our castle, as well as bows and arrows. My heart was rejoiced, because it shows he is ready to forget past wars between us. I sent Togun back replying that I will gratefully accept the arrows, but that we have plenty of other weapons. I also sent Tenuvial with Togun, in order to strengthen the Twin Towers with many spells unknown to humans. I asked Tenuvial to hurry, I expect our castle to be under siege before the end of the month.

Bloodmonth 5

Dark smoke rises from the east, the orcs may have set Gherins Tower on fire. I will send out balanthir tomorrow to investigate the siege of Gherins Tower.

Bloodmonth 7

This morning we woke up and noticed large bands of orcs camping around the castle. Alas, a heavy stroke: it means Gherins Tower has alreay fallen, and Tenuvial will not be able to return!

Bloodmonth 9

The guards report that the orcs get their water from the well halfway down the slope, and not from the Thelassaridum in the valley. There are now about 500 orcs around the castle. Balanthir leaves the castle at night, and throws the powder into the well that Tenuvial has preparted.

Bloodmonth 10

The orcs have started constructing wooden towers. Towards the end of the afternoon may are rolling on the earth, or sitting down quietly. they suffer from the orc poison. I lead a sortie out of the gate, and find little fierce resistance. We butcher about 200 of their sick before fresh orc tribes drive us back into the castlegates.

Bloodmonth 11

The orcs now get their water down from the Thelassaridum. The castle is besieged by about a thousand orcs. Every night we see more of them arrive.

Bloodmonth 12

Faguntus, our captain, estimates the orcs will need about 10 more days to complete the siege engines they are constructing.

Bloodmonth 14

A group of trolls seem to have arrived, hard to see, as they are hiding in some caves and come out only at night. Faguntus thinks there are about twelve of them.

Bloodmonth 15

Something seems to be stirring. There is a lot of movement in their camp.

Bloodmonth 16

The cook reports that we have supplies left for 13 months. More movement in the orcish camp, as well as a fight between two tribes.

Bloodmonth 17

This night our walls have been suddenly assailed. All our twenty soldiers rushed to the walls, except five who guarded the gate. The orcs stormed the walls with ladders, and we overturned many of them, making them break their limbs or worse. While this attack lasted, about ten trolls attacked the main gate, but the spells of Tenuvial held and none of the Trolls could rip them loose or break them.

We poured burning liquid on them, doing the great harm despite their thick skin. When the orcs saw they trolls did not get through, they gave up their own attack.

Bloodmonth 19

Last night Faguntus left the castle with several buckets of greek fire through the tunnel the dwarves delved a few decades ago. While I made a new sortie on horse accompanied by several soldiers, he could approach the siege engines without trouble, as all orcs hurried to fight us. All but three of their towers went up in flames. We did pay a heavy price: our beloved soldier Bonuva is heavy wounded, wish Tenuvial was here. Flimus is doing what she can.

Bloodmonth 21

Bonuva died today. A heavy price for a week delay. New orcish tents have appeared, and I think several shamans have joined the group.

Bloodmonth 22

Without my leave, Jamina, Piedinumul and Westerus left the castle to revenge the death of Bonuva. They slaid about 3 orcs each before returning to the castle.

Bloodmonth 23

The shamans approached the gate and made a circle to undo the spells of Tenuvial. Faguntus, Jamina and Westerus broke up their chanting with well aimed arrows.

Westerus eye is like the eye of the high flying hawks

not the slighest detail escapes his sight, be it day or night

his arrows put the foe to an unordered flight

they fly, be them shamans, trolls or orcs!

Arrows were the seeds that Westerus sow,

The foe hided behind strong iron shields,

or on the gentle slopes and grassy fields,

No shield could withstand the arrows of his bow

Flimus sang this song and many more tonight in the castle hall, and the singing disquieted the the orcs outside. We should sing more often!

Bloodmonth 24

More heavy siege engines have been built, not only towrers, but heavy catapults as well. Also some shadow has appeared, and the sun has disappeared, and one of the tents is covered with a dark cloud even at day.

Bloodmonth 25

They have started digging a cave, their entrance is just beyond our bows.

Bloodmonth 27

We made another surprise sortie, but ran into fierce resistance. Still, our arches succeeded into setting aflame some of their siege engines. We were lucky to suffer no losses.

Bloodmonth 28

The Shadow passed to within a few yards of the gates. The gates trembled but held. Flimus fell down uncounscious though. We have carried her to het bed.

Bloodmonth 29

We can hear the orcs delving underground. They must have delved deep and hard to have come so far in so few days. We have brought all stores up in the towers, as the will probably enter our cellars somewhere. As Teluvian would have wished, I stored his staff, his bottles and scrolls in the secret place we prepared for just this occasion.

Bloodmonth 30

The orcs have entered the castle. We saw them entering the entrance to the cave they had started digging, and we noticed even the Shadow going in. It took some time before more orcs started to enter the cave. We could hear them down in our cellars, and opened the gates of the brook. I guess about six hundred of these vermin must have drowned as they tried to creep back through the narrow cave and assemble in our cellars. Something casting great fear tried to get out of our cellars, and it took the utmost of Flimus powers to make the roof collapse before it. I doubt rocks could kill it. The brook will guard our secrets well, though they would be of no use to these orcs. May it also guard the nameless Terror burried below.