The Skirmish at Morgarath's Bridge was a small scale but important battle in The Burning Bridge. Will, Evalyn and Horace discovered the bridge being built by captured Celts that would allow Wargals to cross the cliffs in large numbers unbeknownst to the Araluens. Deciding that it would take too long to get word back to more experienced parties, the three decide to destroy the bridge.
Summary[]
Will, Horace, and Evalyn were left alone in Celtica to make their way back to Araluen so that Gilan could go ahead and make faster time to relay information about the Celts to King Duncan. On their way they hide from a Wargal troop marching captive Celts. Following the Wargals, the teenagers discovered a bridge being built over a ravine at the base of the Mountains of Rain and Night. They waited until nightfall to discover as much information on the bridge as possible. At night the Wargals march the Celtic workers through a crack in the mountain face, apart from one who had collapsed. They leave no guards. Will and Horace cross the temporary plank over the unfinished part off the bridge and discover the collapsed man is still alive and he requests to be taken inside the cave. Just inside the crack in the stone is a much larger tunnel that had been carved out by more Celtic slaves. Horace stays with the dying Celt while Will sneaks ahead to scout. He finds a large amount of troops, both Wargal and human, camped in a valley at the mouth of the tunnel. Will listens in on a group of Skandian mercenaries and learns of a surprise plan that would flank the Araluen troops.
Reconvening with Evalyn, Will relays Morgarath's plans. Horace believes they should head for Araluen to warn the commanders but Will and Evalyn convince him they would take too long, and to burn the bridge themselves. The next night, with the bridge dangerously close to completion, Will and Horace pried up planks of the bridge for Evalyn to set at the pylons on the cave side of the bridge. Horace shaved several planks into kindling and broke them into smaller sticks. Horace and Evalyn waited on the far side of the bridge for Will to light the fires.
Results[]
Will and Evalyn are captured by the Skandian mercenaries after the battle, who intend to keep them as loot. Horace escapes and is able to return to Araluen with the information of a planned surprise attack from the Thorntree Forest as well as the one they foiled from the north..