In the Footsteps of the Grey Company RPG

[Annalaliath]

Flicking her sword from the earth to her hand Geriel parried, blocking the impending blow. Swift as a wink she caught the mans wrist with her own cold as death hands. "Fool!" She rasped, it echoed through her own halls," You fool! Do you think that I can read minds?!" She looked at him and changed her shape. It was the dead gaze that looked at him now.

"I was a mother once," she said through dead and cracking lips," My children are all but dead, and here you are. A descendant of them."

She let him go and looked at him again, "All beauty and love was stolen from me in these tunnels. The only thing that I wish is to see the semblance of them again." This time her face although dead and cracking became twisted with her anguish. " You call me a wench, but I have known no man but that of my husband." Her face twisted in disgust again, pieces of dried flesh flaking to the ground. Looking at his face again she said, "You need proof of my mortal heritage look at the hilt of my sword."

Then without thinking, or in distrust she looked at him through shriveled but narrowed eyes, "How do I know you speak the truth, boy? For all I know you are lying about your heritage just to fool me."


Her eyes dropped to the man's breast plate. She saw the crest upon it. And she could have wept.....

[kittiewhirl1677]

Hermesin jumped from a large rock. The first to rush to fight him was a dwarf. Hermesin, although big and not very agile, managed to dodge a great amount of blows. He managed to add in a few of his own, too.

It happened right then. The dwarf brought his axe high above his head, and was about to shatter the man. Hermesin rolled to the side and managed to slip his sword under before the blow fell. The axe, as expected, hit the sword with a loud clang. It started to vibrate, and the dwarf dropped it on the ground. Just as Hermesin was about to take out his dagger, a sound from the mouth of the room made him turn.

All he saw was a dwarf being dragged in, before an agonizing pain hit him on his back. Before blacking out, he rolled over and saw the fuzzy shape of a man overlooking him, a sword in his hands.

He did not even start to realize what had happened when another blow came onto his neck. The last thing he managed to say before the blow struck was, "An end to my pointless enduring."

Then total, terrible, and eternal darkness.

[Taralphiel]

Aldor's gaze was fixed on the dead eyes of the creature that claimed had mothered his family. Her look was of a pain he had never endured, and could only imagine. But nonetheless, he was a soldier of Rohan, always a soldier.

He shrugged off her grip on his wrist, and raised got a stronger hold on the hilt of his sword. 'You see I speak truth. Will this not convince you too?' He let what light there was hit his sword, which matched her own with design and the creat of the Mariners. She spoke not a word, but stared at him with twisting pain.

Aldor shook his head 'That you have to torment me is a thing, whatever is truth. This place is unlike any I have pillaged.' Rousing from his own musing, he kept his sword raised

'Shall you let me go, or shall I have to make my way out with force?'

[Annalaliath]

With the anguish twisting her shriveled and cracking features, Gaeriel lifted her own sword. Looking at the crest and the inscriptions she read,"Pick me up, " she rasped as she turned the sword over,"Lay me down." This is the sword that my husband carried before me. He died on the seas. This is all that survived him. I moved back to Rohan, tha land of my kin to escape that thought of the trachurus sea. I carried this for the memory." Her voice rasping the air at the sight of her new found kin, she let a sigh of relief escape her dead lips.

With this sigh she released all of her traps and webs. The she turned," Take this," she said hading her sword and sword belt over to the young one." Then without a word she walked away from him and went in search of Gorthroth. She found him not long after, and she did not hide, but stood her ground in front of her foe.

[Nerindel]

Faruom had held Nori back as the battle between Falin and his attacker ensued, Nori could see that the man was the stronger fighter and wanted to help, but Faruom reminded him that he had trouble lifting his Axe and that swinging it would be near impossible for now. Nori sighed realising that his companion was right.

Seeing the others with the dwarf they decided to turn back to look for Haydn. They ran back the way they had come. When they came to the place where they had left Haydn, Faruom crouched down to the ground examining the foot prints for clues, he then made his way to the far wall then back again to the footprints.

"They went this way and it looks like Haydn may have been unconconsious" seeing the dwarf's look of confusion he pointed out the drag marks on the ground, that heading off to a dark side passage. As Faruom got back up Nori nodded his agreement the pair then silently followed the tracks, stopping every so often to listen for sounds of their quarry.

It wasn't long before they heard voices coming from a room to the side of the passage, they stopped crouching behind a large out crop of rocks , they could not make out all the words but they could definitely hear a womans voice, the crack of a whip and Haydn's cries.

They had only been waiting for a short while when the young, pale skinned woman strode out of the the room forcing haydn forwards in front of her. They saw the flash of the dagger in her pale hand. They waited for her to get far enough ahead, so they could follow safely, "keep to the shadows" Faruom whispered to Nori "and move quietly" he added looking at the heavy set dwarf. Nori just nodded then followed him into the shadows.

[ May 29, 2003: Message edited by: Nerindel ]

[Taralphiel]

Aldor stared at the wonder of the sword and belt he held. Like his, they were carved with the great steeds of Rohan, and the proud crest of the Mariners. But this sword was one of greater power than his could ever be. Fastening it around his waist, he stared at the woman walking away. Against his better judgement, he followed her.

The passages wove through great darkness, and only her faint glow held his way. Finally he began to see shapes forming, and he gripped the old sword warily...

[the real findorfin]

Gorthroth was floating ominously through the passageways back to his halls. He was furious! The plan had shattered and it was only by mere chance that the enemy had been scattered. Hermesin and Kurzag were dead and he knew not what had happened to the others.

He entered his halls and took his place on the throne and brooded. He was not sure what to do next. Suddenly he felt a presence near and turned, to see Rysha leading a prisoner into the cave.
"At least one of my subjects has been useful," he thought. He rose and moved toward the man.

"I have brought you a prisoner, lord," Rysha said, pushing the man forward into Gorthroth's grip. The Wight watched as the energy drained from him and he stood, unable to move. Gorthroth pushed him to the ground.
"You have done well Rysha."

He turned and looked down at the man, devoid of movement. "Why are you here?" He questioned, his voice deep and ominous. The man did not respond so Gorthroth took him by the throat and raised him from the ground, in an effort to cow his already weak spirit. His clothing rode up and Gorthroth noticed many whip marks. He dropped the man and turned on Rysha, "what are these whip marks?"
Rysha backed away and was about to speak when Gorthroth whirled around. From the entrance to his left he had sensed further presences, and in seconds three enemy warriors rushed in through the gaping hole. Gorthroth growled angrily and made ready to quash this feeble attempt to invade his domain.

[ June 01, 2003: Message edited by: the real findorfin ]

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

Rysha smirked as Gorthroth accepted her offering. This was why she'd brought the man. She bowed low. Suddenly Gorthroth spun on her. "What are all these whip marks?!" Rysha paled and stepped back. She trembled as she felt the rush of cold that signalled Gorthroth's anger. The woman's lips trembled as she opened her mouth to answer.

Thankfully, Gorthroth's attention was diverted by the three living warriors who rushed into the cave. Rysha recognized one of the men and the dwarf as the ones who'd been with Haydn when she captured him. The third, Rysha's quick eyes noted, carried two identical swords. Gorthroth growled with displeasure and moved slowly toward the three would-be rescuers.

Rysha stopped her hands from trembling and drew her sword. She stalked slowly in Gorthroth's wake, relieved at the wight's distraction and excited to confront these men. It had been a good day, and it looked to be getting better.

[Nerindel]

As Nori and Faruom followed the woman and her prisoner, they came to the entrance of a large cavern, The woman roughly pushed Haydn through. Faruom put his hand on Nori's shoulder stopping the dwarf a short way before the opening, "footsteps, coming from that passage" he whispered pointing to the passage immediately to their right. Nori peered down the passage, his eyes were more accustom to the darkness of the tunnels than that of his Gondorian friend, "it's Aldor" he whispered, the pair cautiously walked down the passage towards their fellow companion.

As they got closer Aldor's hand gripped his sword, "It's us" Nori informed him in a low voice. "We're glad to see that you are alive" Faruom smiled giving his stern looking friend a slap on the shoulder. "Nice sword" he said spotting the second sword hanging from his waist, "There's no time for this!" Nori interupted impatiently, looking back down the passage to where the young man who had healed his wound was in need of their help. "your right, Haydn needs our help" Faruom said his smile fading into a frown. Faruom then turned back to Aldor, quickly filling him in on the events since they left the cavern of spears, he nodded but did not speak of what had happened with him.

They then drew their weapons and made their way determinely back the the cavern entrance, they crouched behind a large out cropping of rock, then the dwarf proceeded to tell the two men what he could see beyond the caverns entrance, "It looks to be a throne room of some kind, there is only Two of them" he whispered, "the woman and some male ghostly undead creature" he continued puzzled at what this other creature could be, "A wight" Aldor said answering his unspoken question, "and how do we kill it" Faruom asked slightly concerned, Aldor just shrugged.

The three quickly discussed a plan of attack, in the end Aldor had insisted that he would take on the wight, Nori would take on the woman and Faruom would tend to Haydn.The three then rose and rushed into the room weapons raised.

The wight was already advancing on them and as it did it throw Haydn away like a piece of old meat that it had finnished with. Nori stood beside Aldor his axe raised, he saw Faruom dash across the room to Haydn's side, then he spotted the pale woman rushing over to intercept him, so he rolled out of the way of the wight and charged at the woman knocking her to the ground.

[Annalaliath]

Gaeriel seeing Gorthroth hid in the shadows of his lair. She looked on as the living girl Rysha brought her wares in from the tunnels. She saw Gorthroth's face as he looked at the lashings and then at the men entering the cave. One of them Aldor. She watched at Gorthroth advanced.

She could not stand rooted to this spot and watch him kill her descendant. She could care less about his companions. She stepped out of the shadows, quick as a wink, and stood face to face with Gorthroth....

[Taralphiel]

Aldor stared at the creature that had drained his life from him, sitting like a king on a throne. He could have retched.

It was luck that he had run into the dwarf and his companion in the tunnels, and he looked with some pity at the Man that the strange looking female had captured.

Aldor fixed his gaze on the Wight that sat before him. He seemed to be amused by him being here, something strange playing in the deep eyes that gave a sickly glow.

'I am not here for your sport, foul beast. I came to avenge the wrongs against me. Will ye have honour and come to my blade, or will it come to you?'

The Wight roared with laughter, and Aldor gritted his teeth. Once the chambers filled with the echoing cackling, he stopped and spoke...

[GaladrieloftheOlden]

Cersed stormed down dark hall after dark hall, swiping aside orcs and men in fury. He could not bear to be like this, with no prey to have and Gorthroth acting like he was above them all...

Suddenly, he heard a noise. Excited once again by the idea of potential prey, Cersed switched quickly back into his man form, as he enjoyed confusing his victims, threw his pitch colored hair back, and stalked into teh cavern on his left, where the noise had come from. But the moment he saw what was going on, Cersed became his usual self once again, and rushed into the fray. It was that nasty wight, he could see, getting ready to fight Gorthroth. Of course, he disliked her intensely, but he could deal with her later. His hatred for the other wight was far more, and he came forward, standing next to Gaeriel, staring forward at the other's expression of contempt, and equalling it.

[ June 03, 2003: Message edited by: GaladrieloftheOlden ]

[Nerindel]

Nori raised his axe ready to strike Rysha as she rose, but the axe whistled as it cut through the air Rysha heard it and quickly rolled out of the way, It connected loudly with the carvern floor sending chips of stone flying in all directions, the vibration shuddered up his arm but he paid it no heed.

As he rose he followed though swinging the axe to his right in the direction the lithe woman had rolled, just in time as well for Rysha had managed to get to her feet and was bring her sword down to strike. The two weapons Rang as they connected and the two struggled for awhile each trying to over power the other.

Rysha was suprisingly stronger that the dwarf had imagined. Rysha thought quickly as she started to feel her arm give and before the dwarf had a chance to react she had spun around and kicked him hard in his wounded side. the move cost her a graze to her leg as the Nori's axe hand fell from the blow and the axe head scraped across her leg.

As the Nori struggled to lift his axe, Rysha taunted him "You shall beg like the other one" she hissed at him. enraged he lifted his axe to met her downward thrust then started attacking forcing the woman back as she was forced to block blow after blow.

"He told me everything you know" she taunted Grinning menacingly at him, it worked the dwarf hesitated wondering what exactly she knew, she took the advantage taking the offensive and pressing the dwarf with blow after blow of her own. She was getting more an more furious as the dwarf blocked her blows.

"yes, I know about the treasure" she hissed at him hopeing that the taunt would have the same effect as the last. It did not instead it infuriated the dwarf, he growled fiercely and lifted his axe and with all his strength he brought it down, Rysha's eyes widened but she still had presence of mind to lift her sword to meet the blow, the sheer force of the strike was enough to knock the sword from her hand, it clattered as it hit the stone floor out of her reach. "Nooooooo" she screeched as she jumped back and pulled her whip from her belt.

The force of his blow had pulled him down to one knee. Rysha cracked her whip before he could rise, the end struck him hard across the face, but as he was rising he had grabbed his throwing axe from his belt and had let it fly just as the whip connected with his face, it hit Rysha on the left shoulder.

She looked down at the axe sitting in her shoulder. Gritting her teeth she pulled it out and throw it to the ground "you shall pay for that dwarf" she growled as she rose her whip to strike him again. As she cracked it Nori grabbed it and held it tightly despite the searing pain. Rysha pulled at it frantically, Nori lifted his axe ready to strike the woman down, when suddenly there was a loud roar that shook the room knocking him to the floor. He felt Rysha pull the whip from his hand and raised his axe instinctivly to fend of any blows the woman had in mind, but no blow came, as he looked up he saw the woman picking up her sword and running out of the room the way they had come in.

As he was puzzling over what had just happened he felt Faruom pulling him up "Quick we have to get out of here" he was screaming at him. He picked up his throwing axe and ran after Faruom who was carrying the unconscious Haydn. "Aldor come on" he cried as he spotted the man still upright and conscious.

They ran for what had seem like hours. Then Faruom finally stopped in a large cavern, which they all later recognised as the one before the cavern of spears. Nori collapsed on the cavern floor gasping, as he caught his breath he looked up, he was relieved to see that all four of them had made it out.

Faruom had propped Haydn against a wall and was frantically emptying the contains of his pack searching for something, Aldor was standing with his sword still drawn breathing heavily, watching the passage they had just come down, Proud and noble the man looked to Nori as he kept his watch. Nori then got up and made his way to the other exit to stand watch as Faruom worked to heal Haydn.

None of Haydn's wounds were critical, mostly welting, but he was cold and deathly white. It looked to Faruom that the life had been drained right out of him. He searched his pack for a small glass phial that he had been given by a friend on one of his many visits to Rivendell, he prayed that it had not been broken. At last he found it, he looked at the glass container and it's clear contents.

I hope this works he thought as he pulled the stopper and poured the clear liquid down Haydns throat. Haydn gagged slightly then his eyes fluttered open. Thank the Elves Faruom smiled pleased to see that the elven healing liquid had worked. He place the stopper back in the phial and carefully placed it back in his pack and picked up one of his waterskins.

"I told her everything" Haydn croaked, "Hush, don't talk of such things" Faruom told him, but Haydn turn his head away in shame, "Take this and drink" Faruom said thrusting the waterskin into Haydns hands. "I'm going to check on the others I'll be back in a bit" He said lifting some of his herbs and another waterskin. Haydn didn't even look up, Faruom sighed as he walked towards Nori. I may be able to heal his physical wound, but his wounds run deeper than skin deep I fear.

As Faruom checked Nori's wounds with the dwarf protesting the whole time that he was fine, but the wound on his side was bleeding again, he made a fresh dressing of the herbs that Haydn had given to him earlier and bandaged the dwarf back up. "Drink" he said handing Nori the skin, the dwarf drank deeply and handed the skin back.

Faruom then went over to see if Aldor was hurt....

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

Rysha remembered how she had staggered as Nori's last blow knocked her sword from her nerveless fingers. Bit her lip with shame as she had swept up her sword and scurried out of the cavern. Who cared if it was cowardly, she thought to herself, she'd live to be brave in another fight. The dwarf would pay for her humiliation.

From her position now, crouched in a deep shadowed tunnel, she could see the wights coming together in Gorthroth's lair. Rysha cradled her nerveless sword arm in her good hand and watched with fascination. Perhaps they'd destroy each other. Perhaps the caves would need a new leader. Stronger and more ruthless. Rysha smiled to herself. Yes. But these dwarves must be dealt with first. She would go, as soon as she saw what was happening here.

[ June 03, 2003: Message edited by: Sophia the Thunder Mistress ]

[the real findorfin]

Gorthroth was enraged, he had been about to take the puny human and suck the life from him when the wight Gaariel had stopped him. HOW DARE SHE! Now she stood before him, challenging him! And if that wasnt bad enough, Cersed now stood menacingly before him too.

The three Wights stood, facing each other and Gorthroth decided to play it tactically.
"You think Cersed wants to help you?" he said to Gaeriel. "He'll just kill you!"

Doubt flickered over the female wights hideous face. Gorthroth smiled inwardly, he still could win this. If he took them separately then he would be alright.

Suddenly, as the two wights apposing him faltered Gorthroth moved. With a deft kick he sent Cersed flying across the hall. A roar of anger and pain left the wight's lips as he hit the stone wall and slumped. Gorthroth advanced on Gaeriel, who stood her ground. He moved quickly for her throat but she knocked his arm away and dodged him. Gorthroth was not put off and continued his attack. After feigning many blows, he deftly reached out and his hand entered into her ephereal body. She screamed and fell limp as he fed off her undead energy, restoring his more quickly than any living energy could. He felt revitalised already and as power surged through him Gorthroth roared with delight...

[ June 04, 2003: Message edited by: the real findorfin ]

[Annalaliath]

"If I thought such a thing I would not likely have lasted the centuries that I did!" She siad this with such hatred and venom that those that heard were shocked and chilled to the bone. But she still had a moment of doubt.

As Gorthroth sent Cersed flying across the room, Gaeriel's determination solidified. She would have fled but for the life that it would cost. She stood her ground. When she had fallen unconscious she drifted for a moment. Then with the last of her earthreal strength she sent a wave of insanity throughout the cavern....

[Taralphiel]

Aldor stumbled out of the cavern panting, the womans sword still gripped in his hand. He knew it was a fight he could not win, but the gallant stand of who appeared to be his ancestor struck courage in him.

Slowing, the dwarf looked at him in bewilderement 'Indeed you must have a story to tell if a wight be coming to you aid!' 'I do' he said with a slight smile, and went to help the young Haydn be carried to safety.

[Meoshi]

Falin, Jem, Ravenwyn, and Touriner trudged on in the darkness. Falin had considered staying to wait for the others- he had seen some of them run in and out of the room when that young man attacked him. Aldor he had less hope for. He shuddered to think what the fate of someone dragged off by a wight must be.

The tunnel they were in was certainly the main one. It was wide and high, and all over the floor there were footprints.

Deep footprints, of a large band of horsemen, were clearly visible. Even after all these years, it was clear that the Dunedain had passed through here.

Then Falin's heart jumped. There were not only the footprints of solid men and horses, but shallow footprints, as if of horses and men who had almost no weight. Hundreds, thousands even, a mighty army of the Dead had passed through here. He shuddered- the fear had not entirely left this place.

As the group trudged on, Falin heard something in the distance, a tapping, continuous and swift. He raised his hand to signal his followers to stop.

It was louder now, louder every minute, from a faint noise to a minor annoyance to a sound that seemed to be close, very close...

"Quick, follow me!" the dwarf yelled, and ran into a side passage. Ravenwyn and Jem ran after him. Touriner stood in the passage, looking ahead, frozen. "Touriner, there's almost no time! what are you doing?" Ravenwyn ran out into the main tunnel and grabbed Touriner's arm, then froze herself, in terror- Erchas, the great spider, was advancing on them at a pace like that of a speeding horse.

[Nerindel]

As Faruom reached Aldor he saw that although he had three Blistering red marks across the length of his torso, he was other wise fine. "Drink" he said pushing the waterskin into Aldor's free hand, he drank deeply then return the skin back to him.

Satisfied that Aldor and Nori where fine he went back to check on Haydn. The Elven elixer had replenished the mans strength and he was now able to stand.

"We can not stay here" Faruom said turning to the others, they nodded their agreement. "Does anyone know where we are" Haydn asked. "Aye, I do" Nori answered, "If we go this way we should be back at the room were we where ambushed!"

Without any more words they set off down the passageway, Nori taking the lead, with Faruom and Haydn close behind him, and Aldor taking the rear. They went as quickly as Haydn's recovering strength would allow.

When they finally reached the room of spears they could clearly see sign's of battle. There was two bodies, an evil looking man and a Dwarf. "Buldro" Nori cried as he rushed over to the dwarves cold dead form, but before he could grieve futher Faruom laid his hand on his should "Listen can you heard that" the Four of then listened intently, in the distance they could hear faint cries and the ring of weapons, then a chilling deathly shriek, Nori got up and unsheathing their weapons they ran on down the passageway.

[ June 10, 2003: Message edited by: Nerindel ]

[piosenniel]

Meoshi has returned, the game is now back in play.

Will remove this once the posting restarts.

~~ Piosenniel, Shire Moderator

[Meoshi]

Erchas leapt forward in a great bound, bowling over Ravenwyn, and dug her fangs into Touriner, punning him down with her huge front legs.

"Quickly, follow me.", said Falin to Jem-Tyroan, gesturing him to follow, and with Jem following, he rushed into the main passage, waving his mace at the spider.

Erchas turned her head to look at the new arrivals, and suddenly dealt Falin a sharp kick with a front leg, sending him and Jem flying into a rock wall. She then screeched in anger: The distraction had allowed Touriner to escape! Looking around for her victim, Erchas saw Ravenwyn struggling to regain her footing, a few feet away.

The great spider lurched toward the injured woman, with malice gleaming in many eyes. But that malice was cut off suddenly, by a stabbing pain.

Touriner thrust his sword into the great underbelly of the spider, where it was buried to the hilt. A fluid oozed out, and Touriner gave a cry- it burned his hands when he touched it.

The spider turned slowly, looking for the source of its pain, but aware that her life was very close to its end. Spotting Touriner, Erchas prepared to spring on her enemy- but then shuddered, held still, and collapsed.

[Nerindel]

Nori and the others rushed into the passage weapons drawn, they had not gone far when their way was partially block by the huge lifeless body of a spider. "Ha! I knew I had heard something when we first entered these infernal tunnels!" he shot a satisfied look in Aldors Direction.

"Nori! Nori Gravehand is that you I can heard boasting"

"Aye it is, It's good ta hear your voice Falin" he yelled back excitedly.

"And who exactly are you boasting too" came another voice from behind the spider

"If you just wait one second you will see" Faruom laughed. "This way" he said indicating the way passed the spider.

Nori, Faruom and Haydn squeezed pass the corpse being careful to avoid the black liquid still oozing from the creatures abdomen. As they reached the other side they were glad to see Falin, Touriner, Ravenwyn and Jem, although a bit beaten up much like themselves.

Before they could get to discussing their various encounters, Falin called them over "This way" he cried " The door is just beyond this passage " the group followed him, Nori was more than a little excited.

[ June 18, 2003: Message edited by: Nerindel ]

[Taralphiel]

"Ha! I knew I had heard something when we first entered these infernal tunnels!" bellowed Nori in triumph at Aldor. 'Indeed' he grunted as he made his way past the corpse of the spider. The stench that ran from it almost made him gag, and the oooze flowing from it seemed viler.

Moving along, he saw more of the company where they had left them. Bodies were scattered here and there, both Man and other.

He regarded the rest of the party with a quick nod, some obviously noticing the new sword he acquired, and followed not far behing Nori as he led the way.

[Meoshi]

"...and then the wight grabbed her and we managed to run away." Aldor had just finished telling a story about a strange encounter with an ancient ancestor of his, from who he had gotten his strange new sword.

With that and several other stories, laughing, and joking among the party, half an hour's walk had passed like nothing. Falin was getting concerned, however. He thought that they would have reached the door by now, and an alarming thought crossed his mind. What if we have gotten lost?

As soon as he thought that, however, the light from his lantern illuminated a sharp turn, then a sudden widening of the passage. Before long, he stood with a huge room ahead of him, its ceiling low, with natural columns here and there.

But in a far corner of the room, huge and plain, stood a door. A few cries of alarm came up from the men behind him- a skeleton, armored in plate and carrying a broken sword, lay below the featureless door.

Falin ignored the skeleton; dead bones, unlike dead spirits, couldn't harm him. He returned his attention to the door. It had no hinges, no keyhole, and a nearly imperceptibly tiny crack seperating its two sections. They had no hope of opening it.

Falin now realized why he had been chosen to lead this expedition. He put down his pack, opened it, and took out his stone-working tools...

[Nerindel]

Nori watched as Falin ran his hands across the stone door feeling out the barely noticable edges, he continued to watch as the dwarf took his masonary tools from his pack and began chipping away at the thin crack. Excitement grow in him as he listened to the clack..clack..clack of the small tools hitting the stone.

Metal craft was his gift, but Falin he could plainly see was an accomplished stone mason. "It won't be long now lads" he said to no one in paticular, "and lady" he added with a slight bow and his most charming smile, as he saw Ravenwyn's sharp look.

As he looked around the group he could see the anticapation and excitement gleaming in their eyes. What wonders lay behind the door...? he wondered. Knowing that the others would likey be thinking the same he bust out laughing, We will soon find out... he thought. He laughed again as the others stared at him puzzled by his sudden mirth.

[ June 20, 2003: Message edited by: Nerindel ]

[the real findorfin]

Gorthroth was thrown back from his adversary as the wave hit him. he hit the far wall and groaned. Across the hall Cersed lay dazed but Gaeriel was gone, free from her body and free from eevrything.

Gorthroth rose quickly, determined to put an end to Cersed while he was still weak. He was severly weakened by Gaeriel's suicide, but he was still more than a match for Cersed. He raised the wight up from the ground and held him against the wall.

"Long have I waited," Gorthroth said, spitting menacingly, "to see you end. And now it has come."

Cersed roared with anger and kicked out, catching Gorthroth in the leg. He dropped Cersed as he fell and the weaker wight attacked with ferocity. Swords forgotten, the two adversaries fought with hands and teeth, bitting and tearing at one another. But finally, Gorthroth threw Cersed away and with a final effort, plunged his hand into Cersed's insubstantial form, right to the core of his being. The wight cried in terror and pain and his body wafted away on the air and was gone. Gorthroth roared in annoyance. He had hoped to feed on Cersed, but the wight had been so weak that no energy had been forthcoming. He rose and made to follow his enemies but fell to one knee, exhausted.
He snarled but returned to his throne to recover his strength. He had not thought that Cersed and Gaeriel would have been such a drain on his powers. he must sleep, yes for a time, then he could continue on after the men and dwarves.

Gorthroth's eyes closed and as he slept, a breeze swept through the cavern and his form, bereft of all energy, fell apart and drifted as dust upon the winds. And so ended the powers of Cersed and Gorthroth, last of the great Wights of Middle Earth.

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

Rysha cowered as Gorthroth swooped down on Cersed. She had known the ferocity of the wights in battle was terrible, but this was the first time she'd ever seen it. How foolish she'd been to think that she could ever supplant Gorthroth as the ruler of these caves. How foolish. Her fingers trembling she dropped her sword, the sound was muffled in the folds of her dark cape, and Rysha was grateful. She wanted no attention drawn to herself, she wanted the wights to have no reason to replenish themselves with her strength.

Though she was terrified, Rysha's eyes never left the figures of the battling wights, and as Gorthroth reached into Cersed, finally and forever destroying his foe, the woman drew a quick breath. The snarling wight retreated to his throne, weak and shuddering. Rysha, the fascination lifting, reclaimed her sword and hurried down the dark passageways away from the wight.

The fleeing woman didn't stop to see Gorthroth evaporate, or his dark throne stand empty. She walked briskly, kicking the body of Kurzag out of her way as she went, hurrying past Erchas' cavern. The door was just ahead, the door-- the way out. She slipped through it, pulling the hood of her cloak over her face to sheild her eyes from the stinging light of day.

Breathing deeply, Rysha looked around her. One life was over. She had the chance to continue somewhere else. Turning to spit on the ground in front of the doorway, Rysha looked again at the caverns that had been her home. She flicked her whip with irritation, cursed dwarves, and started down the path toward Edoras.

[Meoshi]

Falin had worked for hours, but he did not tire. Powered by excitement and curiosity, he had nearly seperated a large block from the rest of the door, large enough to alloow a dwarf to walk through or a human to crawl through.

Hammering at the deep groove that seperated the block from the rest of the door, his chisel suddenly fell through. He reached to take another, but saw something strange. There was a light coming out of the hole. Furiously, he chiseled at the grooves, breaking each and every one of them through. Exhausted though he was, he was propelled by a sense of curiosity and wonder. Attaching ropes to handles he had cut into the stone, he handed their ends to the others.

Dwarves and Men pulled with all of their might, and the loose, section of rock groaned, cracked, and fell outward with a great crash.

[Meoshi]

Falin walked into the opening, the others close behind. A room, forty feet long, twenty feet wide, and twenty feet high with a vaulted roof, stood before him.

Its floor was paved with what looked like fine black opal, its ceiling painted sky blue and seemed to be studded with sapphires. Its walls were decorated with crests of many noble houses which he did not recognize...save one.

Sitting at the very back of the hall, was a crest of a White Tree, with seven stars in flower about it, and a great crown set with many gems above it: The sign of the house of Andúnië.

The room was lit with chandeliers set in the shape of stars, forged by arts long forgotten by the skilled of the elves of Valinor in the First Age of the Sun, and had once been given as gifts to the people of Numenor, before the Elven-folk ended their journeys to the shores of that isle.

Below the crest was a pyramid ten feet high, built from bars of what looked like silver. But in their hearts, all of those present knew what it was. Finally, Nori broke the silence. "Mithril", he whispered.

None of them ever knew how it came to be that a metal lost to the world was found in such a strange place in such great supply. Nowhere in any book of lore is the tale of how it came to be told, but here it shall at last be known:

In the dying days of the reign of Tar-Palantir, last good King of Numenor, he was burdened with terrible grief. For Tar-Palantir was a true Seer, and received in those days a vison of things to come: The great fleets of Numenor sailing from its harbors into the west in war, and Numenor foundered and sunk under a great wave.

Tar-Palantir did not know, however, that some of his folk would escape from that grievous demise, and so he saw it necessary to leave a memory of the civilization of Numenor, that in the dark times ahead, the glory of Numenor would shine wherever light and hope remained.

He sent a ship laden with mithril and fine stone-smiths into the East, to build a treasure-store before that metal was lost forever. He sent it under the command of Amandil, then the scion of the hous of Andúnië.

As Amandil grew from youth to age, and saw hope shrink away in the darkness growing over Numenor, he forgot the place where the treasure-store had been laid, and while his sons searched for it after the fall of Numenor, they never found it.

[Meoshi]

Some part of the mithril was divided among the treasure-hunters, enough to make them all wealthy, or (in the case of Ravenwyn) wealthier than before.

But the greater part of the mithril, it is said, was given to the dwarven-smiths of Erebor and the Glittering Caves, who made with it great gates of steel and mithril, to replace the gates of Minas Trith that had been destroyed by the great ram Grond in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields.

The new gates stood throughout the Fourth Age of the Sun and beyond, a symbol of now-faded glory of Numenor and Gondor.

And so our story ends.