"Oh, heavens, this stinks worse than my socks."
"By the Valar… Lord Kaen, you and Zakri actually took down three rock trolls by yourselves?"
"Wait, am I seeing things? Is that a pile of gold, silver, and copper coins?"
"This food… it could feed us for a whole year!"
"I like this sword. It looks sharp—way better than mine."
"Hahaha! Lord Kaen wasn't lying—there really is treasure here!"
Cheers erupted around Kaen. The men looked at him with eyes full of admiration and awe.
They had once followed Kaen because of his personal charisma and strength, choosing to leave their homes and brave countless perils to cross the Misty Mountains. Now, Kaen had shown them—through action, not just words—that their decision had been right. There really was treasure here.
Kaen spoke firmly, "Each of you, choose a weapon and armor that suits you. Then gather everything else. We're bringing all of it back to the village."
"Yes, Lord Kaen!"
Everyone nodded and got to work.
Soon enough—
Caden was clad in heavy armor.
Zakri had taken up a fine longbow and a bundle of arrows.
Mundar layered chainmail beneath leather armor and equipped himself with a finely made spear and sturdy shield.
As for Kaen—he entrusted the legendary blades from the original tale—Glamdring, Orcrist, and Sting—to Cathril, Lairon, and Ameliah, respectively.
With their new gear in hand, the group began hauling the treasure. Ameliah took charge of inventory.
In total, they acquired:
-> Over 2,000 pounds of various grains, enough to feed them for more than a year.
-> 7 sets of heavy plate armor, 24 chainmails, and 54 leather armors, along with high-quality swords and weapons sufficient to arm a hundred soldiers—and over a dozen elven longswords sharp enough to slice through iron like butter.
-> Gold, silver, and jewels—converted into coin value—amounting to a staggering 13,000 gold pieces. A fortune vast enough to allow Kaen to train and equip 1,000 elite troops.
….
It took all seven of them two full days to haul the loot back to the village.
Now that they had seed capital, Kaen began planning the future.
There was no doubt—he needed an army. And that meant weapons, armor, and resources.
The gear was no issue. He could purchase what was needed from Rivendell. Kaen wasn't short on money anymore.
The real challenge was manpower. To purge the Troll-woods, Kaen needed at least a thousand warriors.
The problem? He had no population to draw from. His only option was to recruit from nearby villages and towns.
They were currently based in an abandoned village south of the Troll-woods, near the East-West Road.
To the west lay towns and villages along riverbanks—perhaps tens of thousands of people in total.
To the east flowed the Bruinen River, where the presence of Rivendell's elves ensured the safety of several mid-sized towns, adding another hundred thousand to the recruiting pool.
With the right pay, Kaen could definitely find the troops he needed.
He summoned his companions.
"We now possess treasure," Kaen said. "It's time to raise an army. Each of you has your own strengths. Tell me the kind of troops you want to command—I'll do my best to equip and organize them accordingly."
The excitement was palpable. One by one, their eyes lit up with anticipation.
Cathril spoke first. "My lord, I'd like to form a cavalry unit. Not heavy cavalry, but swift and agile rangers on horseback."
Kaen nodded after a moment of thought. "That's doable. But for now, I can only grant you fifty riders—warhorses are expensive."
"I want a unit of heavy infantry," Caden said next. "No frills, no tricks. I dream of leading warriors in full armor into the thick of battle."
Kaen nodded again. "Same as Cathril. You'll start with fifty men. Outfitting and training heavy infantry is no easy task."
Zakri stepped up. "My lord, every army needs archers. I'd like to command the bowmen."
"Of course," Kaen said. "You'll have one hundred archers under your command."
Then Mundar added, "Heavy infantry is great for holding the line, but lacks flexibility. I'll form a light infantry unit to complement Caden's troops."
"That's an excellent idea," Kaen agreed. After some thought, he added, "Heavy infantry are specialized—they can't be scaled easily. Light infantry will be the backbone of our force. You'll command three hundred men."
Then Lairon stepped forward. "My lord, if possible, I want to assemble a ranger unit—preferably composed of Dúnedain. We'll patrol the wilderness, scout the terrain, and hunt down threats."
Kaen hesitated. He had only interacted with three Dúnedain thus far—Lairon, his sister, and Sigilis. Although they were all skilled warriors, Sigilis had made it clear: The Dúnedain pledge loyalty only to those of royal blood.
"I'll leave that to you," Kaen said. "Recruit as many as you can—I'll provide the equipment and funding. But I have only one condition: loyalty."
Lairon considered it and replied firmly, "I'll depart tomorrow to find the Dúnedain. My lord, you have my word—I'll bring back a loyal and capable ranger unit."
"Lord Kaen…"
The last to speak was Ameliah, her cheeks flushed. "I'm a healer. I'm not good at commanding troops. Other than basic combat and medical knowledge, I'm not much use."
Compared to the seasoned warriors around her, Ameliah couldn't help but feel inadequate.
Kaen, however, smiled.
"Ameliah, you're not useless. You simply haven't realized your worth yet."
"Even the bravest warriors are wounded in battle—including me. But you can heal us."
"That's why I want you to lead a medical corps—fifty combat medics, trained in the healing arts. Your task will be to pass on your knowledge."
"Really? I… I can do that?" Ameliah asked in disbelief. The very idea of a dedicated medical corps hadn't even existed in Middle-earth until now—Kaen was the first to propose it.
Everyone's eyes lit up.
Cathril spoke warmly, "Ameliah, Lord Kaen's idea is brilliant. A unit that can heal warriors would earn the respect of every soldier."
"Absolutely," another added. "A true warrior does not fear death. What we dread is surviving—crippled and broken."
One by one, the others nodded in agreement.
Tears shimmered in Ameliah's eyes as her doubts melted away. A smile blossomed on her face. "I will raise a corps of medics worthy of you, Lord Kaen!"
"Good."
Kaen nodded, satisfied. "Then our first recruitment goal will be 550 troops. Lairon—your ranger unit will be separate. Recruit as many as you can. My only requirement remains the same—loyalty above all else."