Day 363: Night Raid

[tanaquiljall]

In response to rakshathedemon saying What will you do for your last few? More Faramir, I hope...

Day 363

Night Raid

Faramir wormed through the reeds on his stomach until he reached the edge of the river. Cautiously, he parted the fronds before his face and peered at the enemy on the far bank, visible under the faint starlight as ghostly shades against the darker trees.

He glanced to the side, alerted by a change in the way the rushes whispered. Readying his bow, he hooted three times like an owl, and rose to let fly a cascade of arrows in company with his fellows.

Before the orcs had recovered from their confusion, the Rangers had melted away into the night.

Comments

[tanaquiljall]

Hmm, I think Faramir is interesting in that, yes, he's not so hung up on the "right" way to conduct warfare that he won't use "sneakiness" and cunning - but he also won't do absolutely anything to win (such as using the weapons of the enemy). For him, there are still right and wrong ways to conduct war - but he would definitely favour winning by being smart rather than by making a heroic but futile head-on challenge.

And yes, Faramir is very, very cool - if not quite the only Dunedain worth admiring.... (Apart from Imrahil, what about Isildur?)

[elena-tiriel.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes, absolutely! I meant that he wouldn't do the "line up with scarlet jackets and fixed bayonets and advance like gentlemen, firing muskets only on command" type of warfare when guerrilla tactics were called for... He wouldn't waste his men foolishly like that.

I think he was much better suited temperamentally to the Ithilien command than Boromir... I think B. would want to use more flashy, obviously "heroic" tactics... making an obvious stand, rather than ambushing and running (to live and fight another day).

But Faramir definitely had his honor. He not only eschewed the Ring, but also did the honorable thing for Frodo and Sam.... I always thought giving them walking-sticks was an especially telling gesture... not to mention the food, of course.

Sorry, I'm rambling... but yes, I agree that Faramir had his limits; they were just not artificial limits that were inappropriate for the situation he was in....

- Barbara