Tales From The Beer Cart, Part 7 - Sarn Ford, Battle Finale

Here concludes the Battle for Sarn Ford...

The eastern allied flank routs after severe casualties inflicted by the Beholder.

In the center, Jakjak continues his crushing advance into Bugman and his Beer Cart defenders.

Boromir and friends attack Boneclaw.

While the east was won in favor of Evil, the west is won for the allies!
Wallace pursues and destroys the Undead.

Giblet and the Doomstickers flank the Beer Cart!

Boromir mauls Boneclaw with some ground and pound.

The Beholder crushes the last resistance of Baron Hawk and his Reaper Dwarves.
The Swan Knights rally and charge the Beholder.
Will they break the beast?

Nope.
The Swan Knights are food for monsterous Eye Beast.

The Beholder looks at the tasty wizard next.

Boromir takes on Jakjak.

Things look grim for the Gobbos as the Gondor infantry move into flanking position.

Jakjak and the Gobbos break.
Caught between the Beer Cart and the Gondorians, they are beaten and drowned in the river.

More victims for the almighty Beholder!

This is it!
Boromir and the Beer Cart versus the Beholder.
Wallace and the Gondor infantry move to surround the Beholder.

Even Boromir stands no chance against the Eye!

The Beholder is surrounded, but will it be enough?

I bet everyone forgot about Oddgit and his Gobbos!
They jump at the surprised Gondorians.

But in the end, the allies squeak out a victory.
A damned near run thing...

Here are all that is left at the end.
Wallace and a handful of scouts.
Badly mauled Gondor infantry.
And a few valiant Beer Cart defenders!
Hey, at least no Beer was spilled during the battle!

Merlin seems disturbed that Wraiths and Greenskins are pillaging the Shire.  Is this more than just raiders?  Or has a Great War begun in Middle Earth?


Merlin uses the Palantir on his staff, though he knows it is dangerous since Sauron may have captured one of the other Seeing Stones.
He risks it...

He sees Rivendell surrounded in a sea of Orcs and Undead.
Far up north at the Wall, Aragorn has joined with Castle Black's forces for a united Rangers defense force. 
Even so, many massive armies have bypassed the Wall and the whole of the Shire is about to crushed. 
The road west to the White Towers and the Blue Mountains is no longer clear.

It seems that Merlin's quest to the White Towers, Boromir's quest for Rivendell, and the Beer Cart's quest to the Blue Mountains cannot be completed.


---

Boromir:  Merlin what we can do to save Middle Earth?

Merlin:  There are many movers and shakers in play besides us.  But still, we must all do our own part, no matter how small.
 
Boromir: What part will we play?

Merlin: (recalls an old oath)  "Be without fear in the face of your enemies.  Be brave and upright.  Speak the truth even if it leads to your death.  Safeguard the helpless.  Do no wrong. That is your oath."

Boromir: The knights oath...

Merlin:  Well we cant get to Imladris and the Shire is no longer defensible.  There is an alliance army to the north at Willowbottom.  We must try to save them and then save as many Shire civilians as we can and lead them to a safe place.  Some place where the walls are as hard as stone and as immovable as the mountain.

The Dwarves:  (all together)  Khazad Dum! 

Merlin: Yes!  Khazad Dum, the Dwarrow Delf, Dwarf Home...
we must find as many free peoples as we can and take them to the safety of the mountain.  How many inhabitants can fit inside it?

Bugman:  Umm... everyone.  Its a 2 days walk from one side to the other!  Oh... One little problem.  Theres a Balrog, and a Wraith.  And some Orcs and Gobbos, Undead.  Oh and Dark Elves too. Aaannd... they have Dragons.  Tiny little ones though.  But without Beer and supplies the Moria Defenders are doomed!

Merlin: Well, looks like we got some work ahead of us.  Maybe we can find supplies for Moria someplace other than the Blue Mountains.  First things first.  Lets get to Willowbottom and make some new friends.

~~~~~

So that concludes the Beer Cart mini-campaign.

And while we dont get to see Rivendell, the Blue Mountains, or the White Towers any time soon, Im excited for the big Moria homecoming that seems bound to happen!

But first things first!
We will shift our focus back to Buckland for a bit and then on to the Battle For Willowbottom.

Next post:  Frodo Lives!