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arvanion898
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Post Elrond's Message (PM or post in the OOC for pending approval)
on: February 11, 2009 04:18
PROLOGUE
~~~~~~~
A lone horseman moved down the Great East Road, heading for the village of Bree. He was heavily hooded and cloaked against the wind, but beneath his deep cowl his green eyes moved around keenly, alert for the slightest sign of danger. Twilight settled around him.

Arvanion had been Elrond's faithful message-bearer ever since he reached thirty, when the Peredhil came of age. Most of his assignments had involved bearing messages across the High Pass to Thranduil's agents on the other side; it was a short but dangerous road. The sword and bow that he bore were both worn with use against the goblins that had once waylaid the pass against travelers. However, the current mission he had was more important than ever. Elrond had entrusted him with a message to Cirdan in the Grey Havens, and Arvanion had to cross the whole width of Eriador to bear it there. Elrond had impressed on him the seriousness of the mission, making it clear that the battle against the northern forces of Sauron would go ill if the message were to go astray.

A twig snapped nearby, causing Arvanion to snap out of his reverie and seize his bow from the side of the saddle. He peered around intently, looking for the source of the noise. Some sixth sense caused him to duck as an arrow whizzed overhead, and several dark figures detached themselves from the shadow under the trees, charging towards him.

Arvanion loosed his arrow, hitting one in the chest despite the wind and darkness. His second arrow went high as his horse reared in panic, throwing him off. Momentarily winded, Arvanion nevertheless managed to scramble to his feet and felled a second attacker with an arrow. He drew his sword just in time to parry the blow of an axe, drawing a thin line of blood down the leg of the man who attacked. A club bashed down on his wrist, causing him to drop the sword. A heavy foot trod on the blade, snapping it as he scrabbled for his bow. The axeman chopped down heavily, severing the seasoned yew wood and the bowstring in one swipe. Another blow from the club struck his head, and he felt a sharp pain in his side as an arrow struck him. The half-elf fell heavily on his back, snapping many of the arrows in his quiver.

Through his hazy vision he saw the bandits rummaging through his pack. With a jolt of fear he realized that they had found his message. The axeman, who appeared to be the leader of the group, unrolled the message and sneered. "I'm sure I can find someone who'll pay us for the message. Get the horse!"

"What about the rider, chief?" asked a weedy archer, emerging from the woods.

"Leave him. He'll die of his wounds out here in the Lone-lands."

"Where'll we take the message, then?"

"The old elf-ruins, of course. I'm sure that one of the Lord's agents will be able to find us there. One comes every new moon. Just think, we'll be rich then!" Their voices receded into the darkness.

Arvanion's heart pounded as he realized he was bleeding out slowly but surely. If he was to survive, he needed to find help. Besides, it was his duty to recover the battle plans, lest the elves of Rivendell and Lindon should fall into a trap.

Painfully, he staggered upright and began to walk westwards, the waxing moon shedding its light down on him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was another night of business as usual at the pub: wandering folk came in looking for a place to stay, and the hum of conversation filled the air. Suddenly the door swung open, thwacking against the wall. The patrons of the bar looked up in surprise as a young-looking man staggered in, holding his side. His light brown hair was soaked with sweat, and the scabbard at his side was empty. A quiver of arrows, many broken, hung across his back. "My name is Arvanion, of the Peredhil," he gasped. "I need a healer..." He raised a red-stained hand from his wound in a token of peace, then toppled, unconscious, to the floor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

CHAPTER ONE
~~~~~~~~~

Arvanion woke up perhaps an hour later in one of the guest rooms. He sat up, wincing as the motion tugged at his injury. Gratefully, he saw that the injury had recently been bandaged. Looking around, Arvanion noticed his quiver, scabbard, and haversack hanging from the wall, but his bow and sword were gone. He swore softly. "That was a stupid idea," he muttered to himself. "I should have known there would be bandits on the road." He got up, ignoring the pain, and limped over to his haversack. Opening it, he rummaged through it; first slowly, then quickly as a sinking feeling took him. They took the message, the lousy scum! he thought vehemently. By now they'll be in their base in the ruins of Eregion, and I'll never get the dispatch to Lindon. Still, I have to try... Suddenly an idea struck him. The tavern was full of warriors, and although he was incapable of taking on all of the bandits in his current state, surely one of them could. He hurriedly pulled on his tunic and cloak, strapped on his weapons, and walked downstairs. A momentary quiet fell as he walked into the common room. "I need a warrior," he stated. "Lord Elrond sent me on an important mission, and I need the help of someone skilled in arms. The message was stolen from me by a gang of bandits who currently reside in the ruins of Ost-in-Edhil. Will anyone help me?" He paused and waited for an answer.

((OOC: Any volunteers for this journey? Arvanion isn't quite up to extreme fighting just yet... ))

[Edited on 17/3/2009 by arvanion898]
Passepartout
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Post RE: Elrond's Message (PM or post in the OOC for pending approval)
on: February 16, 2009 06:02
Naegauth sat at the pub lazily. His journeys of late have been long and weary and he had decided to take a long break for the day. He took out a long pipe and started to smoke it thoughtfully. He had set off from Mirkwood some time ago. The purpose of his journeys were almost meaningless. He was searching for some people that had been killed many years ago; his parents.

Naegauth was hard to see in the corner of the pub. His black cloak and green tunic made him hardly visible. His brown hair was cut short on his head and he had an eyepatch over his left eye. Naegauth's appearance normally made people avoid him, which was exactly what he wanted. He had not a a worthy conversation with a person in a long time.

As Naegauth was thinking about his past, someone barged in with major injuries saying: "My name is Arvanion, I need a healer." After that he toppled over unconscious. The keeper gave him a free room and tended to him in there.

This happening greatly interested Naegauth. Not every day does a wanderer walk into a pub half dead. The person was definitely, elven. The pointy ears made it quite obvious. He had not seen an elven brother for a while. Maybe he had some important news to tell about the land of the elves. Naegauth had long abandoned the elves and had no clue about what affairs they had of late.

After an hour the man came back out and told them that he needed some warriors to help recover some message that he lost. A message? Naegauth sat up straight on the table curiously.

"Arvanion, is it?" asked the elf, "I would gladly accompany you in the journey. I will expect something in return though; possibly some news, money, or even the meaning of this message. Acts of kindness do not come free any more these days, unless you find a kind heart. Unfortunately for you, I do not possess such a heart, but my skill with the bow shall make up for it."

Naegauth grinned.

"What say you?"



[Edited on 22/2/2009 by Passepartout]
arvanion898
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Post RE: Elrond's Message (PM or post in the OOC for pending approval)
on: February 19, 2009 12:22
Arvanion listened to the elf talking and felt amused in spite of himself. "I'm sure that you can find a nice rich bandit to shoot. If you prove that you are trustworthy, I may even tell you what's in the message." For the first time since being attacked on the road, he smiled. "Now, if you'll excuse us, we have a quest to fulfill. If anyone wants to join us, follow our tracks. Eru knows we'll be traveling slowly." He motioned to Naegauth. "To start, we'll need to find some horses."
Mirach
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Post RE: Elrond's Message (PM or post in the OOC for pending approval)
on: February 19, 2009 01:04
Radavik was carrying a bucket of fresh water into the stables. He didn't remember that his horse needed so much attention, in his times as a Ranger. Now he had many of them, and they needed water and feed every day, when they weren't on the pasture. And cleaning the stables... yes, that was the difference! When you was traveling on a horse, you had no stable to clean...

He snorted. The life of a ranger is hard and you are too old or it they told him. Well, not with the exact words, they spoke about well-earned rest and settling down, but he knew what did they think. You should try cleaning the stables every day, he thought.

First it looked like a good idea to him: to have a place to call home, neighbors and such things. But only one year passed and he felt bored already and his hand itched every time he looked at his old sword and bow resting above the fireplace.

He saw two figures approaching up the street. Two men... no, elves! he realized when he looked better. There was something familiar about one of them. Radavik put the bucket down.

"Arvanion? What are you doing here?" He surveyed the half-elf from head to toe. He was pale and dried blood was on his clothes. "My goodness, what happened to you?"

(OOC: pardon my English, it's not my first language)
arvanion898
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Post RE: Elrond's Message (PM or post in the OOC for pending approval)
on: February 19, 2009 03:32
"You recall that I was working for Elrond as a message-runner, right?" Arvanion asked Radavik. The ranger nodded, so he continued. "I was carrying an urgent dispatch from Elrond to Cirdan when I was ambushed on the road by bandits," he said bleakly. "They wounded me and took the message, but I overheard their plans to find an agent of Sauron and hand the message over to him."

Radavik looked taken aback, and Naegauth raised an eyebrow. Right, I forgot to tell him about the time limit, thought Arvanion sardonically.

Out loud, he said, "My companion Naegauth and I need a pair of horses to track the bandits down. I have reason to believe they're lurking in the ruins of Ost-in-Edhil. How much is it?"

Radavik frowned thoughtfully. "Hmmm... How about twenty silver pennies?"

"Done." Arvanion shook his hand firmly and handed over the money. Radavik darted inside to deposit the money and came out with a pack. Going to the stable, he took the lead reins of three horses and brought them out.

"Wait... I only paid for two!" Arvanion protested. The ranger grinned at him.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm coming with you."

((OOC: Mirach, your English is much more understandable (and awesome) than the English of some people I know who have it for their first language. Also, a quick note on the structure: You can speak for someone else a couple of times in your post... it saves space that might have been used by one-line posts, and as long as it isn't too outrageous, it helps the plot along much more quickly. ))
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Post RE: Elrond's Message (PM or post in the OOC for pending approval)
on: February 21, 2009 09:09
Naegauth snorted at the ranger's persistence. He never did like the Dunadain, but Naegauth decided that it was for the best if they had another companion. He scratched the scar on his face briefly.

"Looks like we it won't be just the two of us," said Naegauth, "I guess we need all of the help we can get. It is a dangerous place in Middle-Earth now. I have experienced horrible things in the wild by myself, and I regret going alone there again. The world gets worse every day, I can feel it."

After a slight pause Naegauth sighed.

"Well!" he said with a grin, "We only have so many hours of daylight to travel under!"

He looked over at Arvanion quickly.

"I await for your order to depart, Arvanion."




[Edited on 21/2/2009 by Passepartout]

[Edited on 21/2/2009 by Passepartout]
Mirach
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Post RE: Elrond's Message (PM or post in the OOC for pending approval)
on: February 21, 2009 11:43
It felt good to have the sword at his side again. Radavik realized that he never really wanted to settle down. He lived his whole life as a ranger... and so he wanted to die, as a Ranger, not some horse-seller. He was conscious of the fact that this could be very well his last adventure. He wasn't so fast and strong as before and the wilderness didn't forgive mistakes. But, despite it... or, maybe, because of it, he had no doubts when he saddled the three horses. It felt good to have purpose again. To be the Ranger...

He turned to the second elf that has spoken. "So, Arvanion, you are in charge here? I thought you are friends, but it seems that you don't know each other well now." He frowned slightly. "And are you sure, lad, that you are able to ride? I wouldn't want to gather from the ground you somewhere in the forest..."

Then he turned to the second elf. "Yes, it is good to have companions in the wild. Someone that you can rely on." He studied the elf carefully. He extended a hand. "My name is Radavik. May I ask what's yours, Master Elf?"
arvanion898
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Post RE: Elrond's Message (PM or post in the OOC for pending approval)
on: February 21, 2009 12:45
"Naegauth," replied the second elf concisely, shaking the Ranger's hand. "I am..."

"Well, we only have so many hours of daylight," replied Arvanion with a grin, cutting Naegauth off. "Don't worry, Radavik, I can ride well enough... it's sort of obligatory when you're carrying messages back and forth. Of course, I fell off the night the message was taken, but it's sort of hard when you're under heavy fire and..." Arvanion realized he was babbling and fell silent.

"Well," he said at last, "we'd better get going. The Lone-lands are too dangerous to travel in after dark." Without waiting for the others to answer he nudged his horse into a trot and headed east.
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Post RE: Elrond's Message (PM or post in the OOC for pending approval)
on: February 21, 2009 05:12
Naegauth frowned with discontent. But he soon realized that the elf was right. We would have to go soon. He mounted one of the horses and started to trot beside Arvanion.

"Are you ready to tell me what this message is about?" asked Naegauth slyly, "I do not care if the business is small or large; I'm just curious. As you can tell, we have a long road to travel. I think that this is a nice time to cough up the story."
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on: February 21, 2009 05:55
Arvanion raised his eyebrows and shot a sidelong glance at his companions. "Unfortunately for you, I'm not going to tell you until I'm sure that you're trustworthy. One day isn't long enough. Now, if we ever get to the point of reclaiming the message, I may consider it. If there's no hope of getting the message back, I will tell you. You are both swifter riders than I am while injured, and the message must reach its destination at all costs." He paused to let his words sink in.

"We can't afford to delay on the road," he continued. "By the new moon, the message will be in the hands of Sauron's agents. If one of them gets hold of it... Well, we might still have a chance. But it's very slim, so I suggest that we try to get the message back before the last second."

They rode onward in silence, each lost in their thoughts. Arvanion was planning an attack on the bandits, running it over and over again in his mind as he sought to find a weakness in the enemy. Radavik was reminiscing about his life as a ranger, and the series of events that had led him to pick up his sword again. Naegauth was still curious about the contents of the message, but he sensed that it wouldn't be a good idea to annoy the leader unless he had something he was sure to gain from it.

After several hours they made camp at the edge of the road. Arvanion, already exhausted from his injury, fell asleep without bothering to remove his boots. Naegauth and Radavik argued softly about who was to take the first watch, then subsided as they agreed the elf would go first.

Night closed in on the small party in the depths of the Lone-lands. But from the desolate forests and plains around them, they were watched by malevolent eyes...

((A small group of bandits are going to raid our camp sometime during the night. Make sure to wake us up, PPT. The two of you can be the heroes here. There are eight bandits, so the odds aren't that much in our favor. Remember, we are ordinary people, not mini-Aragorns. Let the battle begin!))
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Post RE: Elrond's Message (PM or post in the OOC for pending approval)
on: February 21, 2009 06:53
Naegauth woke up suddenly. Just a bad dream, he thought. He was remembering things of the past. Things about his parents. He shook off the thought off it and tried to lay down and get more rest.

Naegauth was very impatient about reading the message. He did not even know why. How does he know that the elf will tell him what its about when they get it. What if the message is destroyed and Arvanion killed. This thought made Naegauth shudder. The message could be lost forever if he didn't tell him, but if he kept asking, the elf would probably keep it to himself.

Naegauth cursed under his breath. Right when he closed his eyes to rest, he heard a noise. A snapping of twigs. He sat up quickly, with his bow drawn. Silence. He peered through the trees to look for the source of the noise. He saw the figure of a man pass through the trees. There were bandits out there.

Naegauth ran over to Arvanion and Radavik.

"Wake up!" he said in a hushed voice, "There are bandits surrounding the camp. Draw your weapons and get ready to attack," he drew his bow and fitted an arrow, "I have already spotted one, I will shoot first when you are both ready for them to come."

They both nodded.

Naegauth loosed the arrow and it went flying into the chest of one of the bandits.

There was an uproar between the bandits.

The battle had just begun.

[Edited on 22/2/2009 by Passepartout]
Mirach
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on: February 23, 2009 04:03
Radavik woke with a start, cursing under his breath. The bandits must have followed them. He should have noticed! But now it was too late for remorse. He reached for his bow and readied a few arrows. The first arrow that found its mark was Naegauth's and then the bandits rushed forth, seeing that they were discovered.

Radavik leaped to the shadow of the trees, not wanting to stay in the free space like a target for the bandits' arrows. A dark figure with a bow stood behind the tree and their eyes met. Radavik ducked immediately and let his arrow fly in the same moment as the bandit. He felt the feathers of the arrow brush his hair. The bandit, however, didn't have the idea to duck. One less...

Radavik took his position behind the tree and watched the glade with his bow ready to shot the first bandit to enter the open space. He didn't wait long and his arrow found its mark. Two less...
arvanion898
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on: February 23, 2009 05:35
Arvanion leapt upright and winced as the motion put strain on his injured side. He reached for his bow and picked out an arrow, trying to spot a bandit moving. His companions had already taken down three, but they were closing in quickly and bows would soon be useless. Arvanion shot as quickly as he could, hitting the bandit in the shoulder. The stretch pulled part of his wound open slightly, and he felt the wet stickiness of blood, but he ignored the pain and shot again, killing the bandit.

I can't survive much longer in the open, he thought bleakly. I'll have to get undercover, or near one of my companions. The odds are almost one on one now... but I won't be much use. He ducked into the trees as quickly as he could without injuring himself further, coming up close beside Radavik. "We can't let them get at our supplies or our horses," he hissed. "You and Naegauth will have to go in and fight hand-to-hand. I'll take over the sneaking and sniping." There was bitter humor in his voice, and both knew that he resented having to stay out of the battle.

"I guess you're right," replied Radavik in a low voice. "I'll see if I can find Naegauth." He clapped Arvanion on the shoulder and slipped off into the darkness. Arvanion clutched his bow convulsively, praying that he wouldn't be seen. Taking a deep breath, he made to draw back another arrow, then winced. I won't be doing myself a favor if I just let my wound bleed out completely, he thought. I'll leave the fighting to my companions.

((Mirach, you and PPT can finish the battle... I'm going to stop fighting for now.))
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on: February 24, 2009 01:33
Naegauth pulled back an arrow and shot a running bandit in the spine. The man screamed and fell over. He ran over and sliced the man's throat with a small dagger to quiet him. He drew another arrow and shot at a man running between the trees. It hit a branch. He shot again. Missed. Right when Naegauth was about to shoot him, an arrow flew into the man's gut. He looked over to see Radavik drawing another arrow.

The fight was getting out of hand. How many bandits were there? Naegauth searched across the battlefield for more bandits. He spotted Arvanion leaning against a tree, holding his side. There was blood on his hand. The man is injured, though Naegauth, He probably shouldn't even be fighting right now.

As he was looking at Arvanion, a bandit with a club came up and hit him across the chest. He doubled over and the bandit hit him over his back. Naegauth flew to the ground and drew his dagger. The bandit lifted the club over his head to finish him off, but Naegauth jumped up and stabbed the dagger through his stomach.

Naegauth dropped onto the ground. His body burned on both sides and he breathed heavily. He crawled over to a tree and sat against it. He looked out on the battlefield to see only a few archers in the trees. The battle would soon be over.

He saw Radavik running by him and he called him.

"Radavik!" he said, "There are quite a few archers in the trees, and I cannot even pull back an arrow. You will have to finish them off."

Radavik nodded and drew an arrow.
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on: February 24, 2009 03:32
Radavik cursed when he saw the elf out of fight. He hoped both he and Arvanion will be alright. That is, if he manages to take the remaining bandits, because in the other case none of them will be alright. He surveyed the situation quickly. The archers were covered behind the trees and he didn't know their exact positions. Not good...

Quickly he jumped into cover on the edge of the glade. An arrow embedded itself in the place where he stood a second ago. He saw the direction where it came from. That's better... He let fly three own arrows in that direction. One was accompanied by a short cry. That would leave one less. Even better...

Radavik didn't want to do the same mistake as his last target. Immediately after the shot he changed his position. A wise decision because a few seconds later two arrows were sticking from a tree in the place where he stood before. So two left... He knew their direction but they had a good cover and waited for his mistake. You can wait how long you want, he thought.

He didn't enter the free space. Instead, he moved alongside the line of trees, making no noise. He learned it in his long experience as a ranger. Well, an elf would hear something, maybe, but certainly not these bandits. A few arrows flew from their cover, but none of them was aimed at him. The bandits were beginning to shoot where they heard some noise. Or where they imagined to hear it. Radavik hoped that Arvanion and Naegauth are wise enough to hide and be quiet.

He reached the place where one of the bandits stood behind a thick tree. He wasn't aware of him. Radavik drew a dagger and approached him quietly. He sliced his throat before the bandit could move, but he saw him in the last step and managed to cry out. Radavik cursed. The last bandit was alerted on his presence. The trees were too thick for a safe shot and the bandit drew a sword and rushed at Radavik.

The old ranger didn't have time to draw his own sword, he had only the dagger. A dagger cannot block a sword and so he ducked and shirked before the blows, waiting for the bandit to uncover himself for a quick thrust. He was tiring quickly in the uneven duel. More as ever was he now aware of his age. His movements were slowing and the bandit saw his opportunity. He performed a series of quick trusts and cuts, the last meant to be deadly.

Radavik saw it coming, and, instead of leaping backwards, he came forwards quickly, using the man's wide swipe to thrust the dagger in his chest. For a moment he thought that the bandit didn't notice - he continued in the movement and the blade cut into Radavik's arm. But it stopped suddenly and fell out from the man's hands. Dead hands...

Radavik stood bowed for a moment with his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. He inspected the cut but it was shallow and didn't bleed much so he went to look for his companions. "Hey, that was not polite to let the old man do all the work!" But behind the light tune of his voice was concern. "Are you alright?"
arvanion898
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on: February 24, 2009 03:58
"Fine," Arvanion gritted out, trying to grin. "I'll be sure to be politer next time and take them... my... self..." He slid down the trunk of the tree he was leaning against until he was barely upright. Seeing his companions' concern, he tried to reassure them. "It's not bleeding anymore... I managed to stop it quickly enough."

"You don't look so good," observed Naegauth. He's one to talk, thought Arvanion. It looked as if each breath Naegauth took was with an effort. I don't think that club broke anything, but he'll certainly have a colorful bruise to show for it. Perhaps if we could find some healing herbs out here, we could minimalize the damage.

"Radavik," said Arvanion, sitting down completely and leaning his back against the rough bark of the tree, "do you think you could find some athelas around here?"
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on: February 25, 2009 12:47
Radavik snorted. "Fine, yeah? That's what I had in mind when i told you that I wouldn't want to gather you from the ground somewhere in the forest..." He approached Arvanion and gently removed the hand that he was clutching on his side. It was red with blood, as well as the bandages covering his wound. Radavik brought the bedroll and spread it on the ground. "Lie down. I'll be back soon, I hope. Athelas should grow near this road."

Then he looked to Naegauth. He didn't know the elf as good as Arvanion, but he winced in sympathy. He could do nothing for him now, without athelas. The plant should soothe the pain and ease the breathing. Avanion thought for a moment and then he shrugged and started the fire. They needed it to boil water for athelas and the night was cold for someone that had lost so much blood recently. Maybe not now, but the injury couldn't be old and Arvanion looked pale. He only hoped that there are no more bandits in the surrounding, that could spot the fire.

"Can you keep it burning and boil some water?" He asked Naegauth. "I'm sorry to ask it from you, but I would like to have hot water when I return with athelas. It should not take long, I hope..." With that he left his two companions alone, and, gripping his bow, he went to look for the healing plants. Athelas foremost, he thought. Comfrey would be good, too, for the bruises. And lady's mantle for wounds, and wild strawberry leaves for strengthening the blood...

[Edited on 25/2/2009 by Mirach]
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on: February 25, 2009 05:25
Naegauth prodded the fire with a long stick. The fire had soon grown decently large and warmed the two of them. It was almost nighttime and was getting chilly. Naegauth wrapped his robe around him and inched closer to the fire.

He rubbed his chest and lifted his shirt up. There was a huge bruise that looked hideous. As he was inspecting it the water started boiling. Finally, he thought. That ranger better get over here quick, the noise bothered him. He would need his rest because of the huge bruise on his back.

Naegauth looked over at Arvanion. The elf had his head hung low and looked very ill. This isn't good, though Naegauth. That ranger better get that plant quick. If the elf died, he would lose all hope of finding out about the message that he yearned for. He admittedly did not care too much for the elf's life. Naegauth was a very cold fellow, doing things only for himself.

Naeaguth was cursing under his breath when he heard the leaves in the trees shake. Radavik? he thought. The leaves shook again.

"Hello?" he said softly, "Is that you Radavik?"

He walked up to see a young bandit lying on the ground next to a tree. He was mortally injured and blood flowed freely from his stomach. Naegauth froze.

"Help me," said the boy in a raspy voice, "I need your help!"

Naegauth stared coldly at the boy.

"Why should I help the one who tried to kill my friends?" he said angrily.

"I'm sorry!"

"I am sorry also."

Naegauth grabbed his bow slowly and fitted an arrow on the string. The boy tried to yell but fell into a fit of bloody coughs. Naegauth aimed for the boy's head. He tried to put his hands up to stop Naegauth but he was too far away. Naeguath closed his eyes slowly, grimaced, and then released the arrow.
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Post RE: Elrond's Message (PM or post in the OOC for pending approval)
on: February 27, 2009 05:40
Arvanion came to his senses suddenly, hearing the racking coughs of someone in pain. Naegauth? he thought blearily, but then dismissed the notion out of hand. He would never want to show his pain to anyone, especially not me. He wiped a hand across his eyes, trying to dislodge the grit there.

"I'm sorry also," came the quiet voice of the elf. There was the sound of a bow being bent, and more desperate coughing. Something is wrong here... Arvanion blinked furiously, seeing Naegauth about to shoot a wounded bandit. "Stop!" he shouted. Naegauth jerked in surprise just as he released, his arrow thwacking into the trunk of a tree. Arvanion struggled upright, incensed.

"How dare you try to kill a helpless man?" he raged. "Look at him; he's no more than a boy!"

"He tried to kill us." Naegauth shrugged and sat down. "You shouldn't strain yourself."

"Strain myself?" Arvanion was incandescent with fury now. "Of course, you can afford to strain yourself to kill a helpless boy, but I'm not allowed to intervene when you do so?"

Naegauth looked coolly at him. "Do whatever you want." He walked over to the fire, leaving Arvanion kneeling beside the injured boy.

"Thank you," rasped the bandit, forcing a smile. "I know it's hard for you to believe, but we weren't here to hurt you."

Arvanion felt a cynical reply welling up in him and stifled it, but the boy must have seen it in his eyes. "Oh, I know that we were trying to kill you, but the only reason we did it was so that we wouldn't starve. Life is hard for us out in the Lone-lands."

"Why couldn't you have just asked for our help?" said Arvanion quizzically.

"Father said there was no dignity in it," said the boy. His eyes jerked involuntarily to a bearded swordsman lying dead with one of Arvanion's arrows in his back. "He said that to live the life of a beggar was worse than death. Still... you have allowed me to die with some dignity. If there's anything I can do..." The boy trailed off; he was fading.

"Do you know of the bandits of Eregion?" Arvanion asked him quickly, trying to stop the boy's life from ebbing away. "We need to find a way to their hideout."

"There is... a secret way..." said the boy. "Near the monument to the elf-lord, there is a path that leads through the ruins. Few know of it, and it's not heavily guarded. You could... get through it..."

"Thank you, friend," said Arvanion softly. The boy's eyes closed and he seemed to slip into sleep. Arvanion, to his own surprise, felt tears welling up in his eyes. He rose painfully, and, ignoring Naegauth's outstretched hand, limped back to the fire himself. I must learn to forgive, thought Arvanion. But I can't forgive him quite yet.
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Post RE: Elrond's Message (PM or post in the OOC for pending approval)
on: February 27, 2009 06:49
Arvanion,

Is the above a joint post with Passpartout? I notice that both chars are carrying on a conversation but hate to assume. If you are jointly posting with another player, please head up the post with a notice such as: "JP with Player so and so"

If this is not a joint post, see my post in "The Journey of the Young" regarding creating dialogue for other players.
Life is good! Live it to the fullest. Love well those near and dear. "You cannot step into the same river twice, for the waters are ever flowing on ....." Heraclitus I Aear cân ven na mar
Mirach
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Post RE: Elrond's Message (PM or post in the OOC for pending approval)
on: February 28, 2009 09:04
Radavik managed to find the herbs he sought, even some athelas. Not much, but it will suffice. Quickly he made his way back to the fire, moving cautiously in case that more bandits are nearby. But he didn't meet a living soul so he assumed that the forest is safe again. For a while. He wondered if these bandits belonged to the group that stole the message from Arvanion.

He stopped before the clearing. "It's me, Radavik!" he called, to be not mistaken with some bandit. Then he stepped forth and surveyed the situation. The water was boiling already. "I found athelas and some other..." he frowned as he sensed the tense atmosphere. "What happened while I was away?" he asked quietly.

Not waiting for the answer he took the water from the fireplace and divided it to three cups. He crushed the athelas to one of them. A sweet fragrance filled the air and Radavik smiled slightly. Then he crushed the comfrey roots to a paste and gave the cup to Neagauth. "Breath it deeply. And smear this paste over the bruise. Normally it should be percolated in alcohol for a few days but it should help this way, too."

Then he turned to Arvanion. "And what about you, lad? I will make a tea from athelas, agrimony and lady's mantle to bath the wound. And strawberry-leaf tea is good after the blood loss..." As he spoke he was putting said herbs to two cups. When the tea cooled a little, gave one cup to Arvanion. "Drink it. And, just to mention, you are quite lucky that it's this tea. There are some that taste like old cheese..."

Then he unwrapped the wound and bathed it with the tea from the second cup. "That was an arrow, wasn't it? Why did Elrond send you alone? He must have known that the roads are dangerous..." He wrapped the wound again in clean bandages.

"And will you tell me what happened when I wasn't here?"
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Post RE: Elrond's Message (PM or post in the OOC for pending approval)
on: February 28, 2009 11:00
((OOC: @ BerethEdhellen: Uh-oh... I was assuming that the rules were like the Revora Forums RPG section... basically, you're allowed to put a couple comments in from other characters as long as they don't break character, completely screw up the plot, or other stuff. In my opinion, it helps save space that would otherwise be filled with one-liners. Still, I wasn't aware of the rules... so I guess I'll try to avoid that in the future.))
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Post RE: Elrond's Message (PM or post in the OOC for pending approval)
on: February 28, 2009 11:34
Naegauth shrugged.

"While you were gone," he said slowly, "I spotted a bandit leaning against a tree, dying. As I was about to shoot an arrow through his head your friend, Arvanion, decided to be a good hero and stop me."

Naegauth smiled slightly.

"As for the information about Arvanion's little trip," he said, "I doubt that he'll tell you anything. But we shall see."

He waved a hand at Arvanion.

"Go on Arvanion," he said smirking.
arvanion898
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Post RE: Elrond's Message (PM or post in the OOC for pending approval)
on: February 28, 2009 12:36
"As a matter of fact, I do," said Arvanion acidly. "If you had killed him, we would have missed out on some major information. There's a secret route into the bandits' camp in Eregion near the monument of Celebrimbor. I was there once, several years ago, and I know where it is. Now the question is just finding it." He turned to Naegauth. "I suggest you get some sleep. I wouldn't want you to strain yourself either."
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Post RE: Elrond's Message (PM or post in the OOC for pending approval)
on: February 28, 2009 01:05
Naegauth laughed slightly.

"Goodnight," he said flatly.

He went over to his bedroll and spread himself out onto it. He looked up at the stars and sighed. Avanion is a fool, he thought, A naive fool. That bandit should've died right then and there. It would ease his suffering and rid this world of one more foe.

He slammed his fist onto the ground angrily. He felt like yelling out loud at the sky but he held it back. Soon he started to calm down. Would it have been right to have killed that boy there in cold blood?, he thought, Maybe his reasons for stealing and killing weren't as evil as I figured. Arvanion may be right, but no one will treat me like that and get away with it!

Naegauth closed his eyes and let sleep take him under the starry night.
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Post RE: Elrond's Message (PM or post in the OOC for pending approval)
on: March 01, 2009 03:41
The next morning dawned too early. Arvanion looked almost cheerful, and moved with an easiness that had not been there for the past two days. "I think the athelas speeds the healing process somewhat," he said cheerfully to Radavk. "In a week or two, I may actually be able to draw a bow without killing myself." Radavik smiled, but Naegauth said nothing.

They rode down the road for several miles before turning slightly to the south, leaving the beaten path and angling towards Eregion. Arvanion shook off nostalgic thoughts of a soft bed and clean bandages in Rivendell and forced himself to concentrate on the ground ahead. It was treacherous, with rocks lying about everywhere and small potholes that could easily lame a horse. Radavik, the most skilled rider of the group, went first, and the other horses followed in his footsteps.

((The troll battle will happen sometime after this, when they're in a place with small visibility. Then MMM can come save us... ))
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Post RE: Elrond's Message (PM or post in the OOC for pending approval)
on: March 01, 2009 10:45
Naegauth sighed wearily as he rode on the rock surface. He slowly followed last in line, making sure not to hurt his horse or himself. He rode the horse next to Arvanion.

"About yesterday," Naegauth said slowly, "I am sorry for what I would have done. The exhilaration from fighting those bandits must have made me think very irrationally for I now see the fault in what I was about to do. I think its best that we make our peace so that this journey does not get any harder."

He sighed.

"I am sorry."
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Post RE: Elrond's Message (PM or post in the OOC for pending approval)
on: March 02, 2009 11:44
Arvanion sighed. He sounds sincere, he thought. I guess it can't hurt to forgive him now. As they rode into a small pocket valley, he finally spoke. "All right. I forgive you. I, too, behaved badly, and for that I need to ask your forgiveness. I hope you can..." Arvanion's horse suddenly shied. "Whoa there! What's wrong?"

The answer came moments later, as an earsplitting roar rocked the valley. A deluge of boulders came down behind them, blocking the path back. The ground shook as a troll leapt down into the valley and advanced. Arvanion paled. "May the Valar protect us," he muttered, stringing his bow. Beside him, his companions did likewise.

((Battle scene! MMM, feel free to come in once the others have had a crack at the troll.))
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Post RE: Elrond's Message (PM or post in the OOC for pending approval)
on: March 02, 2009 01:48
Naegauth's instantly pulled out his bow and shot an arrow at the troll. The arrow barely penetrated its skin and did not affect it. He cursed and started to draw another one. He fired and the arrow hit the troll in its face. It roared and turned its gaze over to him. Naegauth jumped off the horse and let it run back so it wouldn't get hurt. The troll then started to run towards him with devastating speed. Naegauth quickly dodged out of the way and the troll smashed into a boulder. Naegauth started running quickly as the troll was chasing him.

"Watch out!" he yelled, "Angry troll! Run!"

Naegauth knew that they couldn't defeat this troll with just three bows. He occasionally turned and shot at the troll, but the troll did not falter.

Naegauth knew that if they did not get any help soon, they would die.

[Edited on 2/3/2009 by Passepartout]
Mirach
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Post RE: Elrond's Message (PM or post in the OOC for pending approval)
on: March 02, 2009 02:41
Radavik rode in silence, uncomfortable with the tension between his companions. But a few moments earlier the tension seemed to lessen a little by Naegauth's apology. Radavik sighed. He hoped they will get along better. But his thought were interrupted... rather loudly, as an avalanche of boulders blocked the path behind them. Radavik's horse bolted and threw him from the saddle. He managed to end the fall in a somersault, and, after regaining his balance, he draw his bow.

Watch out! Angry troll! yelled the Elf and Radavik would have smirked at the obvious statement. The troll was really hard to overlook. That is, if said troll wouldn't run in their direction with a clear intention to find out, which one of the menu: human, elf and half-elf tastes better... As the situation was, there wasn't much to laugh about.

Radavik decided to show that overactive boulder that he, on the other side, has no intention to end as a dinner. He fired his arrows at the creature with no pause. But none of the arrows seemed to bother the troll as he advanced at them. Radavik had an importunate feeling that they are in serious trouble...
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Post RE: Elrond's Message (PM or post in the OOC for pending approval)
on: March 02, 2009 04:29
Orchalie laughed feebly as she walked along with the rest of the Rangers in the group. She had only gone with them so she could make sure she didn't look like an idiot--and so her horse didn't get taken while she was letting another Ranger borrow him. She sighed heavily as the Rangers continued to converse with her. Pleaseshe begged the sky as she completely ignored the rest, let there be something to take my mind--and myself--away from all these people, at least for a while. She was a Ranger herself, after all--one of the few females, but a Ranger all the same. She couldn't stay away from them forever, but a little break would be very nice every now and again.

The group sat for a small meal, and it was then that Orchalie heard some shouting and what sounded like a Troll grunting in the distance. She turned to the nearest man next to him and asked if he had heard it as well. After a moment in which the group was completely silent, the Ranger nodded his head, and stood, beckoning the others to follow his lead. Orchalie grinned inwardly. Finally, after wishing for some way to take a break, some action would start to happen!

The group walked as silently as they could, using their hearing as their only way to guide them. Once they had gotten there, and the Troll and his victims were in sight (though indistinguishable), the leader motioned for the group to split and draw their bows. Orchalie went with the group that faced the Troll directly, grinning to herself as she did so. She was the sharpest shot in the entire group at the time, she was sure, and Orchalie couldn't wait to make the killing blow. Crouching low in the bushes, she watched arrows fly past her and into the Troll. The creature looked like he were some kind of poor animal that had gotten stuck in a Pine tree, and she almost felt sorry for it. It was that almost, however, that had her decide to stand, aim, and make the last shot. She only had to use one arrow, but it hit the mark dead on--right between the eyes. The Troll collapsed onto the ground, whether dead or unconscious she was unable to determine.

The Ranger group got back together, and decided to try and leave before the unfortunate travelers found where the little extra help had come from. Orchalie, however, had another idea in mind. Walking up to the leader, she asked if she could remain behind, saying she didn't need to go any further. After eying her suspiciously, he nodded, and beckoned for her horse to be brought to her. The group then left, and Orchalie was standing in the small clearing hidden from view.

Grinning from ear to ear, she stroked her stallion's mane affectionately. "Stay here for just a moment, will you Faeor?" she asked the beast, and when it seemed like the animal had understood Orchalie walked out into the clearing. Examining the wounded travelers, the female Ranger said loud enough to be heard, "Looks like all of you got yourself in a bit of a mess, doesn't it?"

((sorry it's so long! Hope it works out ok!))
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Post RE: Elrond's Message (PM or post in the OOC for pending approval)
on: March 02, 2009 05:54
Naegauth sighed and looked up at the ranger. Then he glanced back at the troll with an arrow stuck in its head and laughed slightly. Looks like the Dunadain really do have their qualities, he thought to himself. He stood up on both of his feet and brushed the dust off of him. Naegauth looked back at his company to check and saw that they were still standing limb for limb. He turned back to the ranger.

"That was a great shot," Naegauth said, "We are lucky that you came at this time, or else we would've been a nice pot roast for that troll." he grinned slightly, "You could've come sooner though."

He sighed.

"I am Naegauth," he said, "And these two are my friends Arvanion and Radavik. We have been traveling for many days. Who are you?"

[Edited on 3/3/2009 by Passepartout]
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Post RE: Elrond's Message (PM or post in the OOC for pending approval)
on: March 02, 2009 06:05
Arvanion checked his injury for further irritation. Satisfied that all was well, he looked at the Ranger woman and laughed with relief. "Well, you people certainly are dependable. If you're planning on returning to the main group, tell your captain I send my regards."

The ranger inclined her head politely as Arvanion continued. "As it is, however, I am still in need of some help. You see, some bandits from Eregion stole an urgent message from Elrond to Cirdan, and plan to sell it to the creatures of Sauron within the month. Would you help us recover it?"
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Post RE: Elrond's Message (PM or post in the OOC for pending approval)
on: March 03, 2009 12:31
Orchalie tried as hard as she could to not act completely overjoyed and excited. Finally, some new adventure! She turned to the travelers as calmly as she could. "My name is Orchalie--most just call me Orch," she replied to the two who had spoken to her. "I would be more than happy to travel with you, should you be willing to take my bow and my blade with you. It has been but a long time since I've been away from the group, and I could use a break to meet new acquaintances."

The two nodded, and Orchalie left the group to fetch Faeor. The travellers looked very relieved to see she already owned a horse, and she chuckled. Willing to go back to make necessary provisions for her? That was new. Orchalie smiled, and helped the group tend to their other wounded friend, glad to be among people who were--as it appeared--friendly.
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Post RE: Elrond's Message (PM or post in the OOC for pending approval)
on: March 03, 2009 01:30
Naegauth walked away from the group for a while and peered acros the landscape. Without the troll, this day had been quite peaceful. Birds chirped in the background and the trees swayed in the wind. Naegauth let out a long relaxed breath.

Suddenly Naegauth stopped and started to look out in the sky at a small moving object. Slowly a smile went across his face. He held his arm out and a large raven landed on it.

"Daereth," he said softly, "I am very happy to see you! Where have you been all of these days?"

The bird cawed lightly to him and Naegauth nodded understandingly. Naegauth had grown up as a child raising the bird and it has followed him ever since. He eventually began to understand what the bird's intentions were usually and they became great friends. Naegauth used to consider it his only friend, until recently on this journey. After smiling Naegauth resumed talking to the bird:

"Oh, I see," he laughed, "Found a nest of field mice again, did you?"

The bird cawed and pointed its beak towards the sky.

"You have to go?" he asked sadly, "I see you are still hungry! Fly Daereth! I hope we will see each other soon!"

The bird cawed and flew off into the distance. Naegauth watched it go away and then smiled. He ran back to the camp. He saw everyone sitting there tending to themselves quietly.

"Is everyone ready?" he said expectantly, "When do you think we shall depart? We should spend the rest of this day traveling before the darkness comes."
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