7 Fourth Age: Rescue & Recover [MP]

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7 Fourth Age: Rescue & Recover [MP]; [ Invite ]
Topic Started: 29 Sep 2008, 04:16 PM (482 Views)
Deleted User	29 Sep 2008, 04:16 PM Post #1
Deleted User	So the rumors are true. There had been no other thought in King Elessar’s mind since the letter had arrived. The courtly way in which the demand had been worded—his abdication or Lady Celarwen’s death—had such the echo of the Mouth of Sauron that Aragorn could not entertain the idea of this being a very twisted jest. The ransom note had also hinted that Celarwen was being held in Moria. It was almost as if they were being drawn out. Yet what other alternative did they have but to ride for Moria to find the young Lady? Elessar would not abdicate his throne and would not let one of his subjects die. The signatory, the person calling himself the Hand of Sauron, surely would know that. “The Bridge of Khazad-dum is broken, but there is a known entrance at least,” Aragorn said, motioning to the map on the table. The King looked up at the figures standing around the table. They were his friends and family. He would trust no one more. “After we find Lady Celarwen, we bring her back here, to Lothlorien, where the Healers will see to any injuries. We ride to within a league of Moria, then go on foot.”
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Deleted User	1 Oct 2008, 09:08 PM Post #2
Deleted User	Haeleana was riding through Lorien on Athelas looking for some herbs that would assist her in future healing. It had taken her a great time to ride through Mirkwood after leaving Gondor and Rohan behind. She had hardly any herbs left as she arrived so she had plenty when she headed to Lorien and now here she was gathering herbs more than usual seeing as she had recently become a Healer. Sadly her old Healer had become worse over the last few weeks. It was unlikely she would live out the year. Her thoughts were broken by an unusual sight now in Lorien. She smiled as she caught sight of some people up ahead. She wondered what they were here for but once her keen eye sight adjusted she recognised the King of Gondor. She looked away not wishing to disturb him just yet. She turned and rode Athelas around the group as she spotted yet another plant she could use. Ironically it was Athelas so she dismounted and started cutting some of the plants with her dagger.
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Deleted User	2 Oct 2008, 08:21 PM Post #3
Deleted User	Legolas stood at Aragorn's side, (now better known to his various subjects as King Elessar, of course) his fair head rising a few inches above the King of Gondor and Arnor courtesy of his Elvish blood. While he had seen his friend a few times in the past six years, it was always within the safe confines of Legolas's own colony or inside the high walls of Minas Tirith. Now, however safety and comfort would not be afforded to them, and it reminded him very much of when they had both been members of the Fellowship of the Ring. And once again they were few against many, and any hope that they might have of rescuing Lady Celarwen lay in secrecy. His arrival to warn Aragorn of what he had encountered at the edge of Eryn Silivren had been fortuitous indeed, for within days of his coming word had reached them about the kidnapping of the Gondorian lady. Legolas had been given a chance to study the note itself, the finely crafted letters and the educated and well-versed manner that its writer possessed led him to believe that this was no kidnapping by Orcs or brigands, it was someone far worse. Although the blond Elf could not know for certain if Celarwen's kidnapper and the man he had encountered were the same, there was a strange similarity between the writer of the letter and the dark man that sent a strange chill over him. He ran his fingers over the map, tracing their proposed path lightly as he recounted his tale to those present. "Before we set out, there is a chance that I may have already encountered Lady Celarwen's kidnapper. Not long ago, while I patrolled the borders of Eryn Silivren I came upon a strange man who not only ran with Uruks but seemed to wield command over them. We had a brief exchange of words during which he identified himself as Fairion Gurothos to me and attempted to convince me that he was not what he seemed. When I failed to fall for his ruse, he called on his Uruks who attacked me while he fled into the direction of Minas Morgul. "While there is no way for now to be certain that Fairion Gurothos and the kidnapper are one and the same, I believe that any man who slinks into the Mines of Moria with confidence and sees it as a place of protection is deadly indeed, we might perhaps not be wrong in supposing him to be similar to the entity once known as the Mouth of Sauron. That said, we can expect any number of foul creatures who patrol the deep to be at his command: orcs, goblins, maybe even cave trolls. Though hopefully Balrogs of Morgoth will not be one of our worries." Ever since he had escaped from the dreadful mines those years ago, he had never expected that he would enter them again voluntarily, and now here he was. Life was full of twists and turns that he could never have foreseen.
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Deleted User	5 Oct 2008, 03:05 PM Post #4
Deleted User	Elladan was pacing again, it bothered him greatly that their reign of peace seemed to be coming to an end, of coarse, he knew it would eventually, but it was so soon, and the Elf couldn’t help but feel a variety of emotions about it. Still, he paused his walking and glanced to the table, following the road of the their journey with a small nod. The path they took was the best route for action, he supposed, and whilst he may not generally like the idea of the King of Gondor going to personally rescue someone, Elladan understood why and accepted it. It wasn’t lack of trust that Aragorn could defend himself, but he always worried over his family, even after Aragorn left them after finding out who he was and becoming a ranger., he still worried, this time would be no different. Glancing up sharply to Legolas as he spoke of the strager he had encountered, the healer let out a soft sigh and shook his head. “That is ill news indeed. Especially if they are not one in the same, it would be worse for us if there were two suspious and dangerous beings running around Middle Earth rather than just this one who thinks it is safe to hide within mines such as those in Moira” Glancing back t the map, Elladan frowned. “Moira is a large place, and I have not stepped within it’s halls before. The only guide I knew who had led through them before was Mirthandir with the pair of you at the beginning of your fellowship…” Glancing up to both Legolas and Aragorn, the Elf watched them carefully. “Who is it to be our guide this time?” “I am not as concerned over the foul beings he commands but more concerned over the power he has for himself, of which we know little of and I worry for the state of Lady Celarwen since we do not know how injured she would be, if at all.”
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Deleted User	6 Oct 2008, 12:42 AM Post #5
Deleted User	Haeleana straightened once she had managed to hear the conversation properly. She was immediately alarmed especially as this Lady Celarwen seemed to have been taken up north. She wondered whether it had anything to do with what had happened to her on Weathertop or the pack of orcs that she had encountered not far from Imladris. After all she had taken the long route around from Gondor. She had headed through Rohan, crossed to Dunland to stop in Arnor for a while. Her herbs had run short just before the Misty Mountains. It was actually around there she remembered almost encountering the orc force head on. Luckily she had remained hidden but she still felt the horrible memory resurface when she and her clan were trapped in those horrible mountains right after the War of the Ring. The orcs had been accompanied by Wargs and Uruk Hai. She wondered whether they had been on their way to Moria. She grasped Athelas' reins and guided him into the clearing slowly. "My King..." she said shakily. "I could not help but overhear and I believe there is some news that you must be aware of should you go anywhere near Moria" she said her face pale but her jaw set. "I have seen more than orcs...uruk-hai" she said. "And wargs...they may have been heading for Moria. Moria is probably well protected" she said solemnly.
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Deleted User	6 Oct 2008, 03:27 PM Post #6
Deleted User	Elessar remained silent while Legolas, Elladan, and Haeleana shared their news. Their reports were coalescing too well with his own to lead away from one fact no one would want to face: the Lieutenant of Barad-dur was not a rumor; he was a real. Whether he was flesh and bone remained to be seen. “Whoever we face today, we will do it as we always have before, with the weapons of courage and righteousness that arm us against our enemies’ malice. We will not lose this first battle. We will save Celarwen, and in so doing, gain the upper hand and cause our enemy to falter.” The King folded up the maps. Now that news had been shared, all except his own unverified suspicions, it was time for action. The fate of his subject rested in their hands. Aragorn had spoken with Celarwen before, and ultimately found her common sense pitifully lacking. There was, as Elladan had said, no way of knowing how she fared now. “Legolas and I have both been into Moria before, therefore, we will lead the party. Beyond us, it is volunteer only. No more than a dozen should come with us, all lightly armed and stealthy. Half our Healers should remain here and prepare, the other half ride with us. I want scouts there an hour before we arrive.” Squires had prepared the horses during the council. The scouts had long since disappeared by the time King Elessar stepped from the table into the glade. Overheard, the green canopy of the mallorn trees shielded against the summer sun and cast Lothlorien into eternal twilight. Unable to gauge the time, Aragorn turned instead to his squire who handed over Brego’s reins. “Form up according to your stations,” the King declared. “Warriors in front, Healers behind. We ride to within a league of Moria.”
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Deleted User	14 Oct 2008, 06:05 PM Post #7
Deleted User	As their small party moved out, Legolas rode even with the King of Gondor and Arnor, a strange sort of smile forming on his ageless face. Although their mission and their purpose was dire, as they left the peaceful forest with its malorn trees, Legolas could not help but be reminded of the Fellowship's journey from the Mines into Lorien. It was as if he and Aragorn were retracing their steps, only with a new Fellowship this time. It was true that they had fled from the mountains' shadows in sorrow for the loss of a dear friend. But there had been good times. Friendships forged in the fires of struggle that lasted for a lifetime. It seemed like it was just yesterday that they had passed this way, but a look into Aragorn's face could easily dispell that myth. It had been six years, and the faces of men had a way of telling the passage of time. Were there new lines in his friend's face, or was it only in his mind? "Just like old times, is it not?" He said to his old friend with curious measure of mirth in his voice. While he was gratified to be travelling with Elrond's son and the Dunedain healer that he had encountered in Eryn Silivren, he felt that as they headed toward the mountain, there was something missing from their party. Namely a Hobbit or two, and of course, his dear friend, Gimli. It was a great shame that he was not with them this time. His chestnut horse slowed as they came to the harsh uneven rock that marked the way into Moria and the end of the realm of Lorien. He turned to the rescue party, "It would do us well, I believe, to leave our mounts here and continue on foot, for the rocks would not do our hoofed friends any favours, and it is here that we are most likely to encounter resistance." It was nearly mid-day now, and now the sun would begin its descent and the night would rise up around them. "We should move with haste while we still have the aid of daylight. Wargs and goblins hate it, though it will do little good if there are indeed Uruk-hai now lurking in these mountains."
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Deleted User	21 Oct 2008, 01:08 PM Post #8
Deleted User	Aragorn agreed wholeheartedly with Legolas’s assessment of the terrain. He remembered scrambling over the rocky hills well enough, though he assumed his friend’s elven mind was even clearer in the details. “Twos and threes, scouting positions,” the King said. “Keep quiet.” Among the foothills sloping up towards the East Gate, they could blend in to the surrounding landscape by spreading out, but they must still remain close enough together in case of ambush. Aragorn would have liked to bring the Healers closer to Moria, but his instincts told him this was as near as they dared. Years in the wild had taught him to trust his intuition. “From this point forward, only warriors may come. Healers will remain here and prepare for our return.” If we should return, he thought, but did not say it aloud. It would serve no good purpose to speak about the danger waiting in the pit of Moria. Checking his weapons a final time, and satisfied that he was well provisioned, Aragorn led a path away from the gathered Healers. His footfalls were light for a man, and his eyes scanned perpetually the land and sky for any sign of an enemy. “They have been here,” he whispered, “less than two days ago from their tracks. Orcs, I think, but no Uruk-hai.” It was a long trek to the East Gate. The last time he had taken this path, in the other direction, it had been as the leader of the Fellowship of the Ring. Aragorn had been silent then too, though not out of necessity. He had been contemplating the loss of Gandalf, his newfound leadership, and his own destiny. These same thoughts returned to him now. “The East Gate,” Aragorn said, shielding himself behind a boulder. “We are here. The way is still open.”
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Deleted User	28 Oct 2008, 10:28 AM Post #9
Deleted User	Time no longer seemed to exist where she was now. Everything seemed to just exist in the darkness that had now kept her company for what felt like years but in reality was only a matter of weeks. The dryness of her throat had gone beyond the realms of uncomfortable and was now painful. Living on only a little water twice a day had made swallowing a deeply difficult task what with the pain that it caused her. She took a deep shuddering breath as she lay there cold and numb in the dark. She didn't know how long it had been exactly since she had seen daylight but the darkness had kept her company these weeks and she was beginning to accept it as an alternative to light. She Blinked slightly feeling every time she opened and closed her eyes that it was harder work than it should have been. She had lost feeling in her body now and the only way she knew she still had arms and legs was when she shifted her head to see them. The clothes she wore were dampened by the cold damp cavern floor. She didn't care about that anymore. She closed her eyes again feeling the urge to at least try and move. She had been trying to keep herself moving just a little each day. After the first initial few weeks she had degenerated into someone who barely moved but she tried to at least shuffle to the side of the cell. She could at least pull herself onto her side. She hadn't been able to muster the strength to sit up. That would waste all the energy she had been trying to save. But she knew she would never have enough energy to help her situation. It was all a matter of survival now.
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Deleted User	30 Oct 2008, 04:14 PM Post #10
Deleted User	Elladan found himself remaining much more quiet than he usually would be during the journey. He didn’t worry about it too much, however, and put it down to simply feeling too much at once. The peace was breaking a little, this may not break it completely, but this was the first he had heard of such happenings as kidnappings. Six years, glancing up from where he rode quietly on his loyal horse, Elladan frowned, where had they gone? He was grateful now that he had not journeyed with his father to the other side, and that he had stayed with his twin and sister in the land that was now ruled by men. He had been so worried, originally, tense and cautious and so very aware, that the darkness wasn’t over, that it was going to come back as soon as they turned their gaze from it. It had been that, and many other thoughts, that kept him here, healing those who were wounded from the wars and helping rebuild cities and borders that had crumped under the strength of the tidal wave of darkness. It was now, riding to rescue – although Elladan had made the choice to remain behind last minute under the title of healer – that he felt his heart almost ache for the presense of his brother. So, as he watched Aragorn and Legolas travel on without them, he reached to the satchels that were attached to his saddle and browsed through them, thinking of wounds and complications of herbs that he might need to mix.
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