Bree to Moria RPG

[Tar-Elendil]

"They were set to issue forth from Minas Tirith one week from my departure. A larger force like that will not move as fast, and not all of them are horsed. They still have about a four day journey, if my reckoning is correct. A group of swift riders would be able to meet them upon their reaching of the Drimrill Dale."

[Tar-Elendil]

"yes Fimbren, numbers arent everything. But neither is valour or hope. With our current numbers, we could take the first chambers of Moria. But to hold them and succesfully drive the orcs out, we shall need many more."

[Menelvagor]

Oops, double post....

[Menelvagor]

Maew nodded, concidering, 'I shall volunteer to meet them then. It is best that at least they know of our strength and attack. I would estemate the rest of you to reach the mines about mid-day three days from now, then, if you leave dawn tomorrow.'

[Tar-Elendil]

Halbarad surveyed his men. "Good, five of my company i shall send with you."

[Menelvagor]

'Thank you, Halbarad, I shall leave as soon as the council over,' Maew replied, then looked to the sons of Elrond. 'What do we know of the orc host in Moria?' he asked.

[Nariel Starfire]

Kal stood. "I am well enough to continue. The elves have been good to me. However," she turned to Maew. "I believe I must accompany you to meet the King's soldiers, for betweenthe two of us, we have but one horse."

[Menelvagor]

'I think for this, the weight of two would hamper Linsul's speed, but I will be glad to have you along,' Maew said. 'I shall have to borrow one of the Rivendell horses,' he looked to the sons of Elrond, Elladan nodded ascent.

[Tar-Elendil]

"Well then, it seems we have decided what is the best course for us. We need sleep for we shall ride with much haste tomorrow,"Halbarad said wearily.
Everyone seemed to agree with this and they went to their rooms. In the middle of the night Halbarad woke up and walked into the hallway. He then went out onto the porch and was surprised to see someone already there..

[Finrod Felagund]

It was Fimbren.
He looked strangely weary and sad.
"Halbarad," he smiled weakly, "come sit with me my friend."
"Does your wound pain you Fimbren?" asked Halbarad.
"No, no. My wound was nothing. It is just sadness. Here at Rivendell, it was once so beautiful, and it is still but it is fading. Just as Lorien is. Especially now that Celeborn has left to dwell in East Lorien. it saddens my heart. Beauty passes west.
And Moria troubles me. I sense a great evil there. Yet the Balrog was dstroyed by Mithrandir. And the fact that Earang has disappeared id quite unnerving. Oh Halbarad. Remember us, the first-born, when we are gone. Tell the tales to your children and their children. Never forget they who befriended you in the first age. Finrod who first found you and his kin!"

[Tar-Elendil]

"The Eldar shall never be forgotten, Fimbren. And I hope Men shant either, in the West." And no other words were spoken between them that night. They sat there in silence until the break of day.

[Menelvagor]

When dawn came Maew, Kal, and the Gondorim had left the valley of the Loudwater and were deep in the country of Hollin. Wide and grey it stretched before them, stepping up to the wall of mountains to their left in high rocky clefts or rugged hills. Just before dawn they had stopped to rest. Maew had slept for a few hours and now lay with his ear pressed to the ground, after a while he rose and pulled some of the food they had recieved in Rivendell. He went and sat by Kal, tossing her an apple as he did so. 'The country is troubled, few animals walk here, they feel the evil in the mountains.' Kal smiled at him, 'All the more reason to make haste! Don't be so gloomy, friend, we will win through in the end.' He grined at her, 'Aye, press on indeed! Well, we probably should...' They still had many miles to travel before reaching the passes over the mountains. Most of Halbarad's Gondorim were about and repacking baggage, and within half an hour they were headed for the mountains.

[samwise of the shire]

Alaird rode Perri in a brooding silence, he could not believe Merry had given him this heirloom for protection(he was SURE it was Merry. After all the rascal had helped him pack). It was enough that His Grandfather had given him Sting...but Alaird would have been happier if his coat of mail had been normal steel and NOT mithril...the very stuff he was risking his life for. He shook his head. He could have guessed that Merry would have sneaked the coat wrapped in tissue into the bottom of his pack to be found when he went through his pack in Rivendell.
The young hobbit kept shaking his head over the absurdidty of it all. Then he remembered he wanted to talk to Katt. He rode foward to where Katt was riding a borrowed pony from Rivendell. She smiled as he rode foward and he grinned back somewhat nervously, He swallowed. "Ummm Katt I was wonderin', you've been lookin'...bored I guess. Umm why?"
She sighed "Because I haven't been a help to anyone. I'm just a nuiscance." Alaird looked at her in suprise" Well now I need your help. Would you like to be my assistant in herbs? I'd need help with the wounded an' all." Alaird held his breath as he waited for her answer....
Sam

[Handmaiden of Yavanna]

Lara had riden with Maew, Kal, and Halbarad the next morning. She held the reins of her horse lightly. Her head ached with anticipation

"Lady Lara, has all gone as planned so far in your mission?" She heard a voice behind her say. It was Halbarad, "I told you you would do well," He added with a grin.

Lara blushed and smiled, "Yes you did sir, and I thank you for your encouragement," She answered.

"Well, it was the least I could do," He answered with a smile, riding by her...

[Tar-Elendil]

Traveling south from Rivendell they encamped once in the land of Hollin and continued on the next morning. It was nearing evening when they came within sight of the West Gate of Moria. The orcs had reopened this passage and where the doors use to be, there was a large jagged gap.
"Well, we're here. Hopefully Maew and Kal have reached the forces on the eastern side." Halbarad looked about him and everyones eyes were fixed on the gap opened on the side of the mountain. The entrance to Moria.

[Eäráng]

Eäráng knew he wouldn't be able to defeat the Balrogs by himself, but no one else was there. Dorong the dwarf was killed, slain by the Uruk-hai. None of the company that had left from Bree was any where around. He was trapped, by the Captain of the Balrogs, no less. The huge wings of the Balrog were hideously strong as they scooped Eäráng up. The Balrog was looking at him, those huge eyes of red gazing into the sea-gray eyes of the elf. The elf was not afraid of death, he had nothing to live for now. The Balrog was just about to swallow Eäráng into his maw, when suddenly Eäráng yelled out, "FIMBREN! AVENGE MY DEATH!" The Balrog was so suprised with the elf's scream that he abruptly and promptly dropped him on the sharp rocks below, knocking the elf out cold. The Balrog couldn't find him, so it just went back into the shadows with the others.

[Finrod Felagund]

Fimbren felt a twinge of pain. He clearly heard a voice in his head yell 'avenge me Fimbren'.
"Earang" yelled Fimbren. Lara looked at him. "He has been hurt, probably killed in Moria. Let us make haste for I sense great evil there."

[Handmaiden of Yavanna]

Lara, Fimbren, and Halbarad entered the huge opening in the mine, keeping their swords up and ears alert. The inky black air seemed thick with fear. Fimbren strode ahead, followed by Lara than Halbarad. All held their breaths.

Suddenly a groan erupted from beside them. All swung their swords around in the direction and found it was Earang on the floor. He looked wounded terribly. Fimbren knelt to the floor beside the elf, while Halbarad and Lara stood, holding their swords high with anticipation.

"What happened friend?" Fimbren asked Earang.

When the elf did not answer, Fimbren realised that he was unconcious.

"Quickly now," Halbarad said nervously, "We must get him and us out of here now."

Halbarad and Fimbren lifted the limp elf as Lara led the way through the shifting darkness, holding the torch they had brought aloft. After a while of walking Lara began to feel desperate.

"Fimbren," She said not turning, "Do you know where we are?"

[Tar-Elendil]

As Lara and Halbarad looked around in the dim light they could see the approaching torches of the rest of the company.
"The orcs have done some construction of their own. Well, here begins our true peril and mission, Lara."

[Menelvagor]

Maew and Kal reached the edge of the large encampment by the thin light of a waning crescent moon. As they approached the fringe of firelight that fenced the camp, three men bearing the livery of the Tower of the Rising Sun materialized from the gloom and crossed their spearshafts before the head of the foremost horse. The leading man looked them over, he noted the presence of the Gondorim, but addressed himself to Maew as the apparent leader of the group, 'Whence come you in the company of Gondorim soldiers over the mountain passes to our camp?'

Maew answered, 'We have ridden hard and far to bring news from Rivendell of the orcs in Moria to your commander.'

The man searched Maew's eyes for a moment then nodded curtly to the two men with him, as he led them though the ordered rows of tents the men fell in behind them.

A few words were exchanged through the canvas door of a large tent, obviously that of the commander, and they were admitted. The soldiers that had led them in now led their horses to the nearest picket. The commander was of strong build, but with keen eyes that they felt assessing them from the moment they entered the door. He gestured to two camp chairs erected for Maew and Kal. 'Greetings friends,' he began, but Maew waved away the formalities. 'We have littletime talk, sir, and much that must be said. We have ridden hard from Rivendell to bring you news from Lara and Halbarad, who were sent to find witness and aid to this battle about to be fought; I see you know their names. I am Maew, a Dunedan of the North, this is Kalnarnen, a companion of ours since Bree, and these men were brought to aid our quest by Halbarad of Gondor.' The commander introduced himself, Targon was his name. Maew then recounted for him the account of their first attack and the rumor they had had of orcs massing outside of Moria, telling him of the size of the force Lara would lead and the time the would arrive at the West-gate. 'But what of you, Captain?' he enquired. 'I sense from our welcome that all is not well this side of the mountains, and what of the dwarf host from Erebor, have they not arrived?'

'We have been much harried by orc raids on our journey north,' Targon replied, 'but we have heard naught of any dwarves from our scouts.'

Kal frowned, 'You should have met their scouts by now, surely, but one thing is certain, you must enter the gates at dawn tommorrow with or without them. All counts on your winning through to our friends, they are valient, but they could not possibly hold the mines for long without being crushed, and our best hope of beating hte orcs lies in capturing them between us. You should leave some parties here to wait for the dwarves, and attack first thing on the morrow.'

To this Targon agreed and as dawn's pale fingers stole across the heavens, the battle for Moria began in earnest.