Hytorax

[Adrian Baggins]

ooc:would you mind catching a hobbit? Because if not you can catch me.ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME.

[Sicirus]

We watched the parad go by and Asaar disapeared from sight. I saw him struggeling with a man and decided to help him. But as I approached he disapeard(sp) I wandered lost in the large crowd of Big people and as I approached a bridge I stumbled but was caught by an enormous creature. I looked at it with shock and found that it was an ent called Bushbark. Bushbark told me he would take me with him to the meeting of these soldiers after I explained to why I was here. We arrived and were instantly atmitted into the company of a powerful magic thing called a Hytorax.

I get to go on an adventure. I told myself about a hundred times. I thanked Bushbark and Boulderhead for their help and went to find Adrian and Asaar so they could explain what this Hytorax was. A big party was being held for the arrival of the soldiers and that night I heard screaming near the government hotel stables. Something about stolen horses and an angry Rohan and sorcerer.
I know it would have been intelligent for any hobbit to stay were they were after hearing such a conversation. But... I was a very curious and board hobbit who wanted to check on her pony just in case.

I walked quietly to the stables careful not to disturbe those who were sleeping. I made my way to the stables but had to back up quikly to avoid being trampled by a woman riding a horse out of the barn in great hurry. I stood dazed for a moment then went inside the barn to find a flustered but scared bald man rubbing his head. I looked around the barn and found my horse. He was sweating with fear and nuzzled me for his blankette. I gave him his blankette and was nuzzled by the horse next to him to give him his blankette. I spent half the night getting nuzzled by almost 20 horses for their blankettes. As I finished giving the horses their blankettes I returned to my pony (I forgit my ponies name) Blackpaws and saddled him up. I wanted to ride him for the first time I bought him. I have never riden a horse or pony before on my own and wanted to feel what it was like. I got on the pony and without command it bolted for the barn entrance and out the city gates. I held on for dear life, half scared and half amused. The pony loooked around wildly as though trying to find something. If only I knew what.

Blackpaws ran down the bridge and onto the dirt path following the path of muddy hoof(sp) prints in the mud. We started to go faster and faster intill I could barley tell what was a tree and what was a cottage. We continued to follow the trail in till we caught up to three riders in the distances. Not knowing who they were I was scared my pony would get us in to serious trouble. I pulled back on the reins hard but had no affect. I decided to stay quiet and pray not to be seen.

ooc: You guys almost got me behind.

[Lief Erikson]

*Like Zavron missed it, you too appear to have missed part of the post in which I described the discussion between Hruad and the others. Gil-Thalion was there, and so was Boulderhead. If Gil got left behind afterward, that's none of my doing.*

[Mathron]

As the leaves of Dwinei gently rustled down about them, Aasinav looked over the newcomer, who held his blade to Adrian's throat.

"Your forest?" Aasinav asked, with an eyebrow raised. "Can anyone truly be said to own such a place as this? Perhaps one could be the caretaker, or call it home - but owner? I think not."

He glanced at Elise, still speaking calmly, and said, "This one seems dangerous, for all his wildness. Do you think he has some connection with the sorcerer you saw? Or is he simply... a wild man of the woods?"

[Sicirus]

ooc: Sorry I am getting mixt up in long posts and little time on PC. Is it ok if zi keep my path with following Imarwyn. But if you want I can delet that post and put another little entry inn.

[elvishfaerie3088]

"This is MY forest! I am not a keeper or a caretaker of this forest this IS MY forest and i live here too at times! IT IS MY FOREST! And i am no wild man! Though i am as dangerous as they come! i have not yet met an enemy that i could not defeat! And once again i will say i am not a MAN!" Taking my free arm i pulled down my grey hood that covered my face. My eyes blazed as i once again looked at the strange people infront of me. "As you can plainly see I am an ELF! a FEMALE ELF at that! How dare you say i am man! could it not be that a woman could be better than a man? And what is this you speak of a sorcerer? There be no sorcerer in MY woods! Now tell me what i want to know! or ur friend here will be the first to meet their death!" I screamed at the group that stood before me still in a little bit of shock. "TELL ME! OR it will be the DEATH of you all!" I screamed again but this time thrusting my sword up into the beings neck so some blood trickled down it's neck.

[Tessar]

Asaar moved quicker than thought. One second he was standing beside Hurad, and the next he had leapt for the elf and with a roar, quite surprising for one of his size, he kicked her in the face, knocking her back against a tree.

Asaar did a full body spin and two knives leapt from his sleeve, pinning the elvish girl's cloak to the tree.

"How DARE you!" cried Asaar in rage, his eyes radiating disbelief.

"You dare to take an innocent hobbit and threaten her life just because we stepped onto "your" forest?! Now give us your name and we'll CONSIDER letting you go!"

Hurad stepped forward quickly and moved to pull Asaar back, but Elise was quicker.

"Put that toy back in it's sheath now and stay out of this!" Elise hissed and yanked Asaar back by the hood of his cloak. "DON'T say or do ANYTHING." Elise cautioned as she saw Hurad step forward and begin talking soothingly to the elf. "We do not need her any more excited than she is."

Adrian had scrambled back to the group and was watching the elf warily, rubbing her neck and holding her handkerchief against the cut.

It appeared the elf had calmed down somewhat, yanking the daggers out and exchanging heated words for Hurad's for calm. But she looked a little saner... In a manner of speaking.

"I do hope the boy didn't mess things up too terribly..." Aasinave murrmered to Elise, rubbing his hands together in thought and knitting his brows for a second. Keeping most of his attention on the girl.

"We have agreed," Hurad said, walking back to the group with the girl behind him. "to calmly speak this thing over and figure out who is who." Hurad shot Asaar a quick warning look but it was waisted. Asaar was already speaking with Gil and helping her check on Adrian's neck, his half grin already back on his face. The young never learn...

"Now then my lady," Elise said cooly. "What is your name?"

[Earniel]

OOC: Sicirus, see discussion thread

[zavron]

I watched the elf and scratched my head. I walked over and picked her up so I could see her properly.
''Hello! My name is BoulderHead! What is yours?'' I asked witha smile.
''PUT ME DOWN YOU GREAT OAF!!" She screamed, Kicking wildly.
I let go and let her drop to the ground. She fell to the ground witha bump, but she sprang back up and withdrew her sword and struck me on the toe. I couldn't feel anything. I bent down and flicked her against a tree.
''Not very nice is she!'' I said blinkingly to bushbark

[Blackboar]

"Well, hoom, I think she is quite well, impetuos.
Very forward if you ask me, putting a stick against your toe, what is wrong with her anyway? Has she got woodworm or somethin?

[zavron]

''Sounds Like a crack to me.''

[Arat-Falathion]

"She has gone through enough now," Glimdrell said calmly making his way forward to the elven lady. Boulderhead let go of the elf and stepped aside, not quite understanding the situation. Giving the ontor a fierce grin, the elf turned to Glimdrell, and their eyes met. Turning to the elvish tongue he said, "Pardon my interuption, fair lady. These people will bother you no more. Me and Athalts group of soldiers from the city of Néred has come to arrest them."

Glimdrelled bowed in the way of the Lothlorian. "Fair lady of these wild woods, I am sorry for their tresspassing, but now, as I look upon the sky, I realize that we won't get home before nightfall. I am Glimdrell Silvershadow of Lothlorien, and I give you my word that we shall watch every step we take, making sure not to hurt a single grasstraw in your forest, if you let us camp here for the night." He bowed again in all his graze, but as he turned up again he realized the elfs sceptical look at the ontor.

[Earniel]

As much as Glistenfae's sudden appearance had surprised the little group, Glimdrell's presence startled them even more.

"Where did he come from?" asked Gil surprised.

"I can answer for that, I believe." came a voice from behind them. Glistenfae and Glimdrell had drawn most their attention so none had heard Athalt and his company appoaching. They had left the horses a little behind so their approach would have been silent. The thirty soldiers now stood beside Athalt, forming the half of a circle, their spears and arrows were aimed at Hruad little group. Escape would be difficult, though not impossible.

Imarwyn in the meantime had decided not to wait for a formal introduction and walked briskly over to Aasinav who still held Merrah's reigns. With a dark look at the scholar Imarwyn snatched the reigns from him and led Merrah back to the place where the soldiers were standing. There she immediatly started checking Merrah over to see if she hadn't suffered during het stay in foreign hands.

"Shall we kill them?" asked the ontor once the group had recovered from the surprises, already rasing his rocky fist for the first blow. But Hruad motioned him to stay where he was and took a step foreward. "Athalt Cranain, I believe? I had hoped to meet you in rather a different way."

"I can imagine." answered Athalt. "You are Hruad?"

"I am."

"I have been sent by command of King Vahatres...."

"And probably not by him alone." added Elise with a cool smile.

Athalt looked at her for second. He recognized her from the descriptions that Dagankor had showed him. So this was the sorceress. The old woman did not look very threatening, though Athalt knew how deceiving looks could be. He continued without acknowledging her remark. ".... You are accused of theft, murder and treason."

"What, all of that?" said Asaar amused.

"Yes, all of that. Now put down your weapons and we will take you back to Néred."

"Commander Athalt, I know you're only trying to do your duty but we can not go back to Néred. You may probably not believe it but you are misinformed. The danger for our realm doesn't lie with us but in the heart of Néred itself. Will you listen if I say that we want to help king Vahatres as much as you do?" spoke Hruad calmly.

"We do not have time for this."

"Still I must ask it, for the sake of Enedwaith. Night is falling and you can not return to Néred tonight. Let us make camp here tonight and let us explain our doings and maybe you'll see things in a different light tomorrow."

Athalt considered it. It was indeed true that night was setting in. Making camp was the best option. Hruad seemed sincere which was intriging and Athalt had not forgotten Elise's strange comment. Finally he nodded. "Very well, but you must disarm your company and keep the ontor and ent under control."

Hruad reluctantly agreed and motioned the others to lay down their weapons. A camp was made and Athalt soldiers kept watch. Glistenfae protested to lighting campfires in her wood but Glimdrell managed to convince her.

OOC: It's a bit lame, I know, and probably not how Lief would have played Athalt and Hruad but since Lief has other obligations for the moment I needed a way to bring the two groups together and Imarwyn back with the other players.

[Tessar]

Asaar flipped out his two long knives and handed them to one of the officers with a grimace. They were beautiful knives and it would be a shame if they got dammaged by one of these people.

When no one was looking, Asaar hastily bent over, snatched the two throwing knives he had tossed at the elf, and spun them back up his sleeves with the others. He had about six throwing knives on him and four were up his sleeves. Better make them think he had given them everything...

Pulling one out of his boot, Asaar hurried back over to the man he had given his knives to.

"Sorry! I forgot this one." Asaar said with a dissarming smile.

"Oh, you can keep your eating things." The man brushed Asaar off and hurried to help with getting things set up.

"Eating things! Huh!" Asaar muttered darkly and resheathed his dagger.

[elvishfaerie3088]

(You bet i don't like you lighting fires in my forest!)
Turning my gaze away from the group i concered myself with the elf that had in a way had kept me from the others sword. Turning to elven tonuge so no one else could understand them hopefully.
"Who are these new men that have come so suddenly? And who exactly are you anyhow?" I curiously asked.

[Sicirus]

ooc: Ok I really cannot delet my message right now. Just try to ignore it if you can.

ic: We took of for the forest but ran into an elf who seemed to own the forest and threatend Adrian. Asaar gave Adrian a chance to get away and The man in the hood relvealed himself as an elf of great past. He talked to the lady of the forest and she let us saty. For the time being.
Then we were taken over by an army led by Ahalt and had to give up all our weapons.
ooc: OK lame but it gets me to a good part to start off with.

ic:I gtave the soldier my beautiful elven knife reluctently and gave him a stare of pure venom. I saw Asaar grab his two knives from the tree were he had thrown them at the elf in anger and offer one to the officer who called it a mere eating knife. I flared at once but was happy to see one of us had means of protection. I started towards him and laughed at his sneaker ways. he laughed back when I showed him my small knife that I had hidden for just this situation of losing my weapon. it was a small knife used for cutting ropes and working. i had taken it from the hotel fishing equipment. Assar flipped his knives enthusiasticly them we made our way to Adrian who was still supporting her wound. She was fustered at the weapon Natzis and gave us a very short hello still keeping her eye on the bag of weapons.
I knew Adrian like Aragorn never liked anyone else having possesion of their weapons. We sat down next to each other and talked about the Glistenfae and Glimdrell.
"A real elf. I always wanted to meet and elf and here now I have a chance. But maybe I should wait in till tension goes down between us and Athalts army."
"yeh" both my friends agreed.
A fire was lit against the approval of Glistenfae and we watched the golden flames jump merrily in the rock incircled fire place. I looked up in a dazed half dream state at the trees and felt drowsy from the smells of the odd plants. But as if from a hobbit unknown sense of oncoming danger I felt my hair tingle on the back of my neck. I looked dazedly over at a shadowy part of the forest near a running stream far of and saw two brightly shinning eyes gazing around then seemeing to disapear into the shadows. The eyes made the sound around me go away and instead was replaced the the eery sound of running water and a voice calling out to an invisible messenger. Things semed to get cold around me evn though I was near the forest. Then I came back to focous looking up into the eyes of the shadowy creature... no..
it was the old sorcerer.

[Mathron]

Gil was suddenly startled as a light hand came to rest on her shoulder. She spun about, but it was only the sage - Aasinav.

"Are you all right, child? You seemed disturbed." His voice was calming, but Gil still shivered as she looked back into the woods, remembering those eyes.

"There - in the woods!" She paused, noticing that the image was gone. She shook her head. "I saw... I thought it was the enemy - the Sorcerer, watching us. But it isn't there now."

"Hmm." Aasinav frowned. "I sense darkness is abroad tonight. Perhaps it was our foe, watching us... or sending a message."

He shook his head, and then shrugged. "Hopefully all will be clearer in the morning. And hopefully morning will bring a resolution to this situation with Athalt and his men. In any case - you may wish to share what you saw with Elise and Hruad. For myself, I will be catching some rest - and recommend you do the same. Certainly something dark is out there..."

He trailed off, and then left Gil to her musings, and to staring out into the dark shadows of the wood.

[Servant of the Dark Order]

"Dagankor," whispered the cold voice in the "counciler's" private room, and the sorcerer looked up. Ahead of him floated a shadowy form, cloaked in a robe of darkness, with no features visible to the eye.

"Ah," Dagankor replied. "It's you."

"What news have you to report to the order? I came to... check up on your progress." The voice was cold and emotionless, ignoring Dagankor's taunt.

"All proceeds smoothly. A band of adventurers seeks out the Hytorax, while the kingdom's soldiers chase them - and should easily deal with them, I am sure."

"Your soldiers are not nearly as controlled as you think they are, Dagankor. I suspect that this ... fellowship... of adventurers, shall be released by them. Your control of the kingdom has not been as subtle as some would have liked."

Dagankor gave a low bow, and replied, with a hiss, "We all know how you like to operate, watcher. But you cannot argue that my methods have been anything less than effective. The kingdom is firmly in my grasp, after all."

The dark form seemed to draw in upon itself. "Very well then. Continue to maintain your position, and I shall continue to monitor how things go. And let the Red Flame triumph."

As the form vanished, Dagankor bowed again, and responded softly, "And let the Red Flame triumph." However much he and his colleagues might battle amongst themselves, and strive for power within their internal hierarchy, they were banded together in a common goal and for common ends - and many plans, long lain dormant, were coming to fruition.

[Arat-Falathion]

As people settled about the camp, Glimdrell walked over to the elven laidy who was sitting a little outside the circle of soldiers and captives surrounding the fire. Sitting down at her side she asked him who these soldiers was, and who himself was.
As she spoke he understood this elf had been, like himself, not too socialised with other elves or men. She was speaking quenya, the ancient language, made in the days of the firstborn, not the common elven tongue, Sindarin.

"These men are soldiers of the capitol of Enedwaith. Sent on a mission by the king to capture these strange people who was threathening you. Only little do I know of them, for it has only been few days we have walked the same road... Pointing over at a man standing by the fire, Glimdrell said, "that is Athalt, the leader of the group. A hero in the kingdom, and a hard man he is indeed." Rising from the crowd was the rohirrim. "And that is Imarwyn, the rohirrim. Little do I know of the other soldiers..."

The elf nodded and waited for Glimdrell to continue...

"As I have already told you, I am Glimdrell Silvershadow, elf from Lothlorien as my looks must tell you. The Silent Assassin I was once called in those lands." Widdening her eyes, the elf looked at Glimdrell in amazement. Then she quinted. "Seldom do they speak of him
For few of them has seen him
Though most of them has felt him
and his gleaming silverdagger
in their back
They know to fear him
They know to flee him
Glimdrell Silvershadow
From the west..."
She smiled, "A true legend of old you are, if you are whom you claim to be," the elf said. "Long has it been though since I last heard your name spoken, and long back in memory your name laid indeed, still I saw something about you at your first apearance earlier." Glimdrell nodded aprisiativly, "I still did not catch your name..." Glimdrell said, fixing his sitting position...

Suddenly Glimdrell turned his eyes into the woods as he felt a sudden inch of horror going through him, realizing the elf did just the same. "Something evil is at hand here tonight," Glimdrell whispered...

[Mathron]

Aasinav stirred, and sighed, and then approached Elise and the elf she was speaking with. Seeing their faces, he asked, "You have felt it, as well?"

Glimdrell spoke, "Something wicked. Something dark. Something hidden."

"It is gone now," said Elise, peering about.

Aasinav nodded. "I tried to track it, but could find nothing. Merely a watcher, I think - for now. One of the hobbits saw a dark shape in the woods - a shadowy sorcerer, as she described it. I told them not to burden themselves with worry over it, and to speak with you of it in the morning - but wanted to investigate more tonight."