Fight for Mirkwood and Middle Earth

[Arathin]

~This is an extention of the rp 'The Quest for the Mirror.' In that rp, my character looked into Galadriel's mirror in Lothlorien. As she did this, she found a new dark lord had taken the 'flaming eye' as his symbol and was going to destroy her home of Mirkwood. She/Arathin/me is the half-sister of Aragorn and Glorfindel. So she is half-elven. She and her friends are now on a journey to save Mirkwood and all of Middle Earth.~

Arathin stood in the clearing of the mirror with her companions. "We must leave for Mirkwood now. I must save my people and my land." She mounts her dapple grey stallion, Gildor, and waits to see who is coming and who is staying.

[Goldberry344]

*goldberry gets on rabbit* lets go, hurry. *rabbit sniffs arathin and waits for them to get going*

[¤-Elessar-¤]

An eagle flew up to the comapny, amidst intense debating. It landed on the front of Gildor's saddle. Arathin walked over to her horse, and leaned over as the bird spoke to her. She straightened, and pulled a leather thong from around the birds neck. It had a small cylender attached to it. She opened the cylender, and pulled parchment from inside.

---------------------------------------------------------
Arathin my dearest-

Something strange is happening. A gloom has set upon our people. They have stopped working, and do nothing but sulk around the cities all day. They sleep for hours at a time, in the middle of the day, and the fire has seemed to leave their souls. There is a dark mist that has decended upon all of our lands, and it must be linked to this strange happening. I have never before whitnessed anything like it...The other day we found the imprint of a burning eye carved upon the walls of the castle with a sharp rock... Arathin, I urge you, come back as soon as possible. I am at a loss for what to do.

- Your husband, lord of Dor-Taur-Sir:
----------Elessar Telcontar II €

[Arathin]

After reading the message, a single tear rolls down Arathin's cheek. "We must go now. I can wait no longer. My people call and I shall answer. Any of you how wish to come, may catch up. You all know the way." With that, Arathin scribbles a quick note telling Elessar that she is on her way, and that she loves him. Then speeds off toward Mirkwood with those who are coming behind.

[Goldberry344]

Goldie nudges Rabbit into a kitty gallop in persut of arathin. she hopes the others are coming, but shes gonna follow arathin even if they arent

[HLGStrider]

Elgee, who had fallen into a catnap, is awakened when her cats start to eat her hair. She leaps upon Badger, who is a little confused with all the fuss. Sleeping in the middle of the day and not wanting to work is normal for him. Perhaps Arathin and Elessar's subjects are turning into cats... That might be a marked improvement, in Badger's eyes.

[Ecthelion]

Nain had left the group earlier in the story due to his problems. NAin had been camping out halfway to Mirkwood. He was having dinner waen Arathin came speeding at him. She quickly told him the ill news. NAin jumped on his horse Bob and they rode to Mirkwood.

[Arathin]

*Nain caught up with Arathin* Nain, I gladdens my heart that you are coming with. *Arathin continues to speed towards Mirkwood at top speed.*

[HLGStrider]

Elgee and her cats charge in force. They are not sure what they will find, but a cat is ready to act indifferent at everything.
Elgee is just worried about spiders.

[Goldberry344]

Goldie and rabbit run along with Elgee... "WOOO HOOO!! FLY RABBIT" Rabbit does. :)

[Arathin]

Suddenly Arathin pulls her stallion to a halt. She and Gildor stand in a small clearing on the edge of Mirkwood. "We must stop here for a time. To let the animals and ourselves rest, and also to let anyother's catchup with us. We have ridden hard and fast, far faster and harder than I thought we could." Arathin dismounts Gildor, who looks as though he could still run for days on end just as he was running. Arathin starts to walk off toward a small cliff overlooking the valleys and fields they had just passed over, when she stumbles and nearly falls. She only just catches herself on a tree branch as she almost hit the ground.

[HLGStrider]

"Arathin!!!" Elgee gasps. "Are you all right???" She helps the half elf sit up.

[Goldberry344]

OOC- were you watching Heidi when you posted, arathin?

IC-
Goldie runs over to the edge of the cliff. "Arathin?? Hold on, we'll get you out." then she says to Elgee, "do you think Rabbit could reach her??"

[¤-Elessar-¤]

Elessar ran through the halls of his palace. He came to the window, and then went out to the balcony. His people were laying all over the place, wherever they had happened to fall to when the sleep came to them. He could almost see it, with his sharp elvish sight, a mist that seemed to hover just feet off the ground. H eknew that it would soon reach teh palace, and just then the door burst in behind him, and one of his elven guards fell through, right to the floor. A smile was upon his sleeping lips. Elessar put his cloak to his face and dove into the thick mist. He ran down, and into the tunnel system below he came. He sighed in releif, the strange air seemed to rise rather than fall. He began to run, meaning to get out of the underground highway before he had missed Arathin.

[Arathin]

ooc: very funny, goldie. lets keep this serious, please.

in: Arathin swung from the branch. Nothing they had done so far had reached her. She felt herself slowly slipping from the branch, and whispered to herself. "Oh Eru, Help me. I am going to fall."

[HLGStrider]

Welcome...

You really should rest Arathin...

OOC: HEIDI!!! SOMEONES BEEN WATCHING ME!!!

[Tarien]

Tarien rides up on Tai, dismounting immediately when she realises the seriousness of the situation. She sizes it up immediately, and scurries twards and up the tree Arathin is hanging from.
'Hang on,' she mutters, then runs swiftly down the branch to Arathin, and helps her get on top of the branch. She smiles at Arathin.
'By the way, I'm Tarien.' She says.
'Arathin.' Arathin replies. Tarien smiles again, then laughs.
'Now that we have been introduced, let's get out of this tree!'

[Arathin]

OOC: ok look. Everyone get rid of those posts or edit them. I'm hanging 3/4 of the way down a cliff from a tree branch. The tree is growing from the side of the cliff. And Heidi can't welcome people. Yes you can join Glory. From now on, if you want to join, pm me. Please pay attention to what was written before you post. And no useless ooc's please. I don't want a lot of junk on here. Thank you.

ic:*still hanging from the branch, nothing anyone has yet done has helped her.*

[HLGStrider]

Trees make good habitations... I've been promised recognition for staying in one during the invasion of Lothlorien... despite that Arathin found me incredibly annoying.

[HLGStrider]

ooc: You're the boss!!!

Elgee grabbed onto her cat's back... The cat scaled down the cliff sinking his claws into the tiniest crevices...
"GRAB HIS TAIL, ARATHIN!!!" Elgee cried. Arathin, always the sensible one, complied.

[Tarien]

Tarien blushes deeply that she didn't think of that, and all she has accoplished is to climb up a tree.

Needless to say, she climbs down, muttering incoherently.

[HLGStrider]

OOC: I hope this doesn't apply as Useless, but we really ought to have a thread to discuss this. I'm basically afraid to post 'cause I'm not sure what your plans are or what's happened or which posts you don't like... Etc.

[Glory]

OOC: (don't worry I will edit it as soon as you read this) haha Elgge as funny as always you better Pm her asking about your post you'll make her mad....haha
IC: *Glory came riding on Matt's back. She looks at the strange scene that makes Arathin hang from the branch, Elgee trying to rescue her and Tarien muttering under the tree* ¬¬U "....mmm....Hello...."

[Tarien]

Tarien turns and greets her.
'Hi.' She says. 'You kinda caught us at a bad moment! But I think the wonderful Elgee is soon to have everything sorted out! Just give her a moment!'

[HLGStrider]

Elgee struggles down the tree trunks with Arathin in tow, hoping she is not doing that will incure the wrath of the lady of Mirkwood...

"Well, now that we are all on solid ground, for the most part and at least in the physical sense, what are the plans?"

[Glory]

*Glory dismount* "hello Tarien, Elgee" *bows and looks to Arathin* "Are you ok?"

[Goldberry344]

Goldie glances at Elgee. "you know what the plans are. something is happening in Mirkwood, a new dark lord wants to start his reign with the forest, and we have to stop him from becoming a new Saruon." Goldie sighs. "I really hope Elessar and Arathin's people are okay."

[Arathin]

Once on solid ground again, Arathin immediately when about the business at hand. "Hello Tarien. Hello Glory... It is good to see you again." She walks over to Gildor and writes a message on a slip of paper. She calls to one of her eagles and as it lands on her arm commands it to take the message to Elessar.

[HLGStrider]

"I hope we can do some good," Elgee sighs. "We are such a small group... and so inefficient at times... Armed with Frying pans and herrings..."

[Arathin]

That is true, Elgee. We're a small group. I wonder what is going on with Elessar and our people. I do hope he gets my message. Well we should really make camp for the night. *Arathin pulls her saddle bag off of Gildor's back and starts to set up a hammic.*

[Ecthelion]

Nain makes a tent of his own. At dinner time everyone goes to see what Nain has prepared. When they come they are all shocked to see he has made Herring and spider pizzas! Eat up!

[Arathin]

Ugh...I think I'll pass. I'll just have some dried le vache. (that is french, hehe)

[Tarien]

Tarien eats a wafer of Lembas and drinks a bit of water, sits around, dreaming Elvishly of bamboo.

[Goldberry344]

Goldie glares at Arathin cause she made such a fuss about being serious and now she's not being serious herself. hrumph.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee scrapes the spider off her pizza and chows down. The cats eat the spiders and herrings, leaving Elgee with DELICIOUS cheese and tomato sauce...

Gee, I could live off pizza. Too bad I'm alergic to tomatoes.

[Goldberry344]

*Goldie giggels and unpacks a piece of spider pizza*

[Arathin]

Goldie, I am being serious. Just serious in french.

"We leave before first light. So get some sleep." Arathing lays down and falls to sleep.

[Glory]

*glory doesn't eat something she just fell asleep in the ground pretty quickly*

[Goldberry344]

Goldie sleeps, but she knows that arathin was being silly.

[Glory]

*wjhile they are sleeping something is hidding in the bushes*

[Tarien]

Tarien wanders about the camp, open-eyed , yet resting her mind in sleep. A rustle in the bushes alerts her, and she wakes up, drawing a daggar, and leaping up into a tree.

[HLGStrider]

OOC: Tarien, what's with the Hidden Dragon stuff? Haven't seen that movie, but what you do is a lot like the previews...

IC: Don't panic!!! Elgee screams, waking up.

[Glory]

*tarien sees a little cat*

[Tarien]

ooc: NotHiddenDragon-ey!

ic: The shadow moves, now directly below Tarien.
'Why is she always up a tree?' wonders no one in particular.

[HLGStrider]

OOC: Have it your way... Not Hidden Dragon-ey... sigh...

IC: Get out of that tree Tarien. Elgee groans. Elgee gazes into the bushes then screams and falls backwards. She hadn't really expected to find anything in there, but of course there was a cat there with glowing eyes. When she realizes it was a cat, she quickly recovers... Poor thing.

[Tarien]

Tarien, both out of obedience and curiosity, jumps out of the tree. Cool cat.

ooc: I have CTHD. It's a cool movie. You should really watch it sometime.

[HLGStrider]

All cats are cool.

All the cats welcome the new cat and beg her to introduce herself.

[Arathin]

*The commotion wakes up Arathin. She springs to her feet, but at seeing it was just a cat sits down in exasperation. Looking up over the plains, she sees the cool pre-dawn grey in the air.* Lets get moving. We have to get back to my people and Elessar. *she murmers to herself ~Be strong, Elessar my love. We're coming as fast as we can. Please, by Eru, protect our people til I get there to help you.~ Then starts to pack up her things.*

[Tarien]

Tarien briefly wonders if it's going to rain today.

Gets on cat.
Cat paces camp, waiting for others to join them.

[Goldberry344]

Goldie gets her stuff on to Rabbit and gets on herself, waiting for the others 'cause she has no idea where she's going

[Glory]

the cat: meow!
*glory wakes up and seem surprised at the little cat* "..mmmm..where did that came from?...." *looks at the cat* "Is a he or she?"

[Tarien]

Tai meows in return, and soon the new cat and Tarien's cat are chatting so fast no one can even begin to translate.

[Goldberry344]

Goldie gets bored. so does Rabbit. "are we gonna help Elessar and Mirkwood or are we gonna talk to a little cat?"

[Tarien]

Tarien smiles disarmingly at Goldberry.
'Talk to a little cat, until the rest of this merry cavalcade is ready to travel.' Her voice was tense.

For not only did she worry for her liege and friend, Ellesar, but her own people. If the palace was under some fog, what would befall the people of Taur-Elhed?

[HLGStrider]

Elgee jumps on her cat who is pacing anxiously, ready to go... They are getting instinctual readings from one of Arathin's beuatiful blue cats back at Mirkwood... Things are not going well.

[Arathin]

Arathin mounts her stallion, Gildor, and starts off into the forest. She moves quickly, but seems troubled by something in the woods because she keeps looking from one side to another. Suddenly a huge rowan tree moves to stand in front of her on the path. The tree gazes long at the company and then hands Arathin a vile. Tree:"Hrmm.. Take this, lady of the Mirkwood forest. It will Hoom help your quest in some Hum-hoom unknown way yet." Arathin took the vile and stared at the tree which was odivisly an Ent. Ent:"My name, Arathin and company, is Quickbeam. Take the liquid in the vile and drink it. Hoom-hum when there is only a drop left refill the vile with water and the Ent draught potion will be replenished for you. I must leave you now." Quickbeam vanishes into the forest before any of the company can do or say anything. Despite anyone's efforts it is impossible to find him or any of the Ent. So the company rides on to Mirkwood, Arathin clutching the vile close.

[Goldberry344]

that was odd, random entish courtesy. *Goldie continues to follow arathin*

[HLGStrider]

"QuickBeam has always been a strange, rather hasty ent, however," Elgee points out. "I wonder what the properties of this brew are. Can any brew defeat the dark lord?"

[Arathin]

"Yes, Quickbeam has always been hasty, but I don't think this Entish brew is to defeat the Darklord. I think it is for something else." Arathing rides on.

[HLGStrider]

Of course it couldn't be that easy... sigh...

[Glory]

"the good elgee waiting for things to get that easy...":D

[Arathin]

Nothing can ever be easy. If one takes the easy rode; one is doomed for defeat. One must take the hardest path to the greatest personnal and public glory. The hardest path is the only path to choose.

[HLGStrider]

Sometimes the easiest path is the hardest and the hardest easiest... the path may seem hard but may actually be easier than the easy...

Elgee talks about this for a few hours before Arathin stuffs a sack over her head.

[¤-Elessar-¤]

Elessar came stumbling out of the tunnel, into a broad opening in the wood. Thank Eru, he thought, he had made it on time. He looked about, trying to remember which way was which. He remembered, though, that it didn't really matter. He had to find his wife and her friends, not his way out of the wood. He sat down on the damp earth, and set his fingers together in the four-pointed triangle. His head dropped back, and his eyes rolled even further, to the back of his head. His mind's eye was flying, free as a bird over the eves of the forest. He saw himself, sitting there, contorted without pain. But he did not sop, he flew on. He found places they had been, a clif with a broken branch, and other various places. He finnaly saw them, some five or ten miles from where his body lay. He opened his eyes, and stood up, shaking the drowsy feeling from his mind and bones. He set one foot in the soft earth, and took off at a sprint in the direction he had seen them.

[Arathin]

*Arathin called down on of her eagles. Giving it a message, she sent it flying to find her husband. She felt that something was very wrong in the woods of Mirkwood. She had to know if there was something wrong with him. She rode on, faster, hoping to find him.*

[Glory]

*Rides behind Arathin*

[¤-Elessar-¤]

Elessar ran on, and came finnaly upon their horse tracks. He cursed under his breath, it seemed that they were now running in the direction of the capitol, if they got there they would fall victim to the spell! There had to be some way to stop them...

[Arathin]

*Suddenly, Arathin's eagle flew down and landed on Elessar's arm with her message. ~Elessar, my love. Where are you? We are on our way to the capital. Hopefully, this will reach you before I do. Please send me a message back, my love. My heart grieves for some reason. I fear the worst for you and our people.~* Elessar knew what to do.

[Glory]

*wonders what will happen next*

[HLGStrider]

Elgee is sitting cross legged on her cat, singing in an out of tune voice... Slowly, however, her songs grow more depressed... Finally she stops singing altogether... as they get closer to the Capital she starts crying. She buries her face in Badger's fur and weeps and weeps and weeps... Badger stops respectfully.
"Why are you crying?" Arathin scowls ill-temperedly.
"I don't know... I can't help it..." Elgee blubbers.

[Arathin]

*Arathin sighs impatantly* Fine we had better stop until Elgee gets a hold of herself. *She slides off Gildor and leads Elgee to a tree. Elgee sits down and continues to sod as she leans against the tree.*

[¤-Elessar-¤]

--------------
Elessar writes a message back to Arathin, short and sweet, and sends the eagle away, telling it with his new powers (*smirk) that she will be somewhere by the capitol. He runs on
--------------
Suddenly an eagle flies from the sky, landing awkwardly twenty yards from where the company stoped. Arathin runs over, and sees that it is the eagle she sent in search of Elessar. It seems to be unwilling to cooperate with anything Arathin says. It lies on the ground, unhurt, and seems almost lazy. Arathin pulls her letter off of the birds neck, curses under her breath, and begins to wad it up to throw it into the woods, but sees something written on it with a piece of coal. They are four huge letters written hastaly under her message, and the € of elessar scribbled below it.

STOP

[Arathin]

Arathin gasps. She had thought that her eagle was merely being stupid and stuborn as they are wont to be. After reading Elessar's message, Arathin ran to Elgee and gave her the biggest hug. "Thank you Elgee. You have saved us, I am sure. If we had continued on we would have reached the capitol before we got Elessar's note to stop." Arathin told everyone to stop and not take one more step toward the capitol. They would wait here for Elessar.

[¤-Elessar-¤]

Suddenly they heard a great noise coming from the direction they had come. A tired, worn, and battered figure stumbled into the clearing. It looked up at them and smiled. But then it's knees and back gave out, and it hit the ground with a dull thud...

[Glory]

*glory picks up Elessar and put him under a tree* "I think he is merely tired but you better check him Elgee"

[HLGStrider]

Elgee stumbles up, still crying, and starts to look him over...
"He's suffered... sob... minor wounds... Nothing I can't cure..." She starts to bind them up. "However... sob... I... I... I WANNA GO HOME!!! I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG... I'm depressed..." Elgee colapses again... Finally she pulls herself together and starts to bind up Elessar again. Tears are still running down the cheeks but the salt tastes good, so it makes her feel better.

[Arathin]

Arathin gasps as Elessar stumbles into the clearing, and runs over to him as Glory moves him. She takes his head in her lap and gazes at him worriedly. When Elgee finishes binding his wounds, Arathin reaches over and gives her a big hug. "Thank you, Elgee. If you want to go home you know you can though. I won't try to keep you hear against your will, my friend." She gives Elgee another hug and then takes Elessar's head in her lap again, moving a few loose strands of hair out of his face.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee is hardly in the mood to be reasonible, but she drinks a little of her own medicine, a dark, thick, sweet liquid, and feels a whole lot better.
"I just don't understand why I broke down like that... I'm usually so happy happy happy..."

[Glory]

"you can't be happy always"

[HLGStrider]

"No... Often I'm an emotional wreck..." Elgee muses over this for a minute... "This just isn't normal... There must be something wrong with the air around here... I suggest we leave!"

[Glory]

*points at elessar * "do you think he can move?"

[Arathin]

I think we should wait for him to wake up before we move him. Elgee maybe you should get some sleep well we wait for him to wake up. Maybe that will make you feel better.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee falls into a deep snooze.

[Glory]

"I think you should rest too, arathin"

[Arathin]

*sighs* You're right, Glory. We should all rest. *lays down beside Elessar and, closing her eyes, falls asleep*

[¤-Elessar-¤]

The hasty camp had already been dismantled. Everyone's packs were ready and resting against a tree, the horses were saddled and ready nearby. Mist shrouded the vale that they had camped in, and it was a dark morn, the sun was hidden behind great stormclouds from the north, it seemed as though it would snow before the day was out. The company began to wake slowly. Arathin opened her eyes slowly, feeling that Elessar had gone. In his place there was a single rose. The only part of the camp that still resembled a camp was the fire. It was glowing with warm, friendly light when everyone woke. They slowly gathered around it, talking to each other in soft voices. Elessar came up from the woods a few minutes after everyone had started to get comfortable, and had a bow and two dead rabbits. He set them down by the fire and walked over to Arathin. He kissed her softly and turned so that he faced everyone. "Well, how did everyone sleep?- oh, and who wants breakfast?"

[HLGStrider]

Elgee takes out her frying pan and starts to make eggs...
"I take special orders!" she points out. "Where to next? Apparently we must avoid the Capital... or is there a way to nuetralize the problem?"

[Glory]

*Glory wakes up and walks where elgee is* "mmm....those eggs smell really good!!!":)

[whiterider]

Benjamin galloped swiftly down the road on his horse crusty
until he came upon the group who he had tracked for so long ,
He gave a sigh of relief as , it was a hard task to catch up to them.
As he approaced there camp he spotted them cooking ,Benjamin approached slowly and cautiously bowing low .He apologised for the intrusion and asked for their leader offering his sword in their aid.
and as a symbol of his loyalty he produced a string of sausages for their breakfast.

[Arathin]

"We're fine, Elessar, but how are you, dear?" She asks Elgee for some rabbit stew, then turns to the new comer in only mild surprise. "I believe we may trust your alligances in this matter, but why is it that you wish to help save a kingdom of which you have to afiliation to my knowledge? We will take your help though. As it is freely given." Then she turns back to Elessar. "My dear, where shall we go? Is there no way to fight whatever enchantment is on the capitol?"

[HLGStrider]

"I remember once when there was a plague in a city... and I was called to help... we tried an interesting and origenal method. Since we could not approach the city, let alone enter it, without being ourselves struck down, we dropped the medicine over the city by eagle in the form of a fine, inhalible powder. It worked too... Could some similar method neautralize this fell magic?"

[Arathin]

"It would work, but how shall we find something to counter the spell if we don't know what it is?....wait! Quickbeam! The vile! maybe it will help us in this time of need!" Elessar looked highly confused so Arathin explained about Quickbeam and the strange vile he had given them. "That might work..." he muttered.

[Glory]

*finishes her breakfast and listens to the new plans*

[whiterider]

I gladly help all worthy causes ,and i believe this to most certainly be one.With that he dismounts and has some breakfast.Hearing the news of the vile he suddenly looks up, "not meaning to interrupt but I am skilled in medicines and anti-dotes and would gladly examine the liquid "

[HLGStrider]

"A fellow healer!!!" Elgee cries in delight... "We will need an eagle... perhaps several, to get it over the city, and we will probably need to turn this liquid to a solid, preferably powder or fine crystal, form. How high will the magic's influence go? Normally evil things stay close to the ground, but we should never under estimate our enemies."

Elgee curtsies to Benjamin and offers him her hand.

[Glory]

*listens carefully the conversation then wonders where will they get all the eagles*

[Arathin]

Well I can get the eagles to help us out, but how might we convert this? And how do we know that is what we are suppose to do anyway? Quickbeam said that when the liquid ran low to refill the vile with water and the liquid would be renewed. Perhaps if one of us drinks it and then sees if the spell works on them?

[HLGStrider]

I'd volonteer, but it is your vile... I don't see how our consumption could help other folks.

To convert the form of the liquid is easy enough. It just requires heat and this steam gatherer of mine.

[¤-Elessar-¤]

(sorry I haven't posted in a while, There is a war going on, you know. As a matter of fact, these woods probably don't exist any more, outside of this rp)

Wait.... The morning whence everything started.... the fog.... that's it! Someone must have put a potion in the fountain system in the capitol, and then, in the morning, when the fog rose from the waters, it must have carried the potion with it. So, maybe this is like a counter to the evil potion.... or, I could be wrong...

[Arathin]

Maybe...if we put this potion...into the fountain... Then this potion will counter the affects of the evil potion and the fog will bring this potion to our people the way the evil one was brought! That is it!

[HLGStrider]

If water can renew the substance, what we have will be more than a half... the thing is to get inside to the fountain would be almost impossible.
Would you like me to make it into a powder?

[Arathin]

No Elgee. The fountain is water, so the water will recreate the potion of the Ents. Then when the myst rises, it will bring the potion to our people and wake them up. I will take some of the potion and then bring the rest to the fountain for my people. I think that in case this doesn't work I will leave some of the potion with you Elgee. Try to make a powder from the potion in case the myst doesn't work but don't release it till we see if it worked.

[Glory]

*finally glory spoke* "that's a good idea how can I help you?" *she said looking at arathin*

[HLGStrider]

Elgee wishes her friend lucks and taks the precious potion portion.

[Arathin]

Arathin takes the vile in her hand and sips a small amount of it. Giving Elgee a small amount of the remaining potion, she slips off into the wood.

Arathin's swiftly running feet make near no noise as she flies over the underbrush. She clutches the vile with its small amount of Entish potion still sloshing about in the bottom. Soon she comes to the outskirts of the capitol. Her pace slows. It is only a few hours past midnight. The mist would rise about one or two hours before dawn at most. She gazed about her as she made her way to the fountain. Her people lay or leaned as they had been when the evil potion had taken effect upon them. Some were leaning on carts or laying in the street where they had been walking or talking and going about their own business or affairs. The sight saddened her to the point that tears fell down her cheeks and upon the road as she made her way to the fountain. Soon she reached the center of the capitol and the fountain. Arathin poured the entire contains of the Entish vile into the fountain, hoping that there would be enough time to let it mix before the mist began to rise. She sat beside the fountain and leaned her head against it. Slowly, silently, Arathin began to prey to Eru for her people.

[Glory]

*glory just stood guard on their camp*

[Arathin]

Arathin had sat by the fountain for about an hour and a half, when the mist first started to rise from the fountain's waters. As the first shreads floated around her, she was nervous as to what would happen if the Entish potion didn't work, but then as she breathed in the arroma, she felt her spirits lift on the gentle breeze blowing through the trees. She sighed happily and stood up feel vastly refreshed. As she gazed around, the mist spread out and those of her people closest to the fountain began to slowly awaken. Arathin seeing this, ran with all speed back to the camp to tell them of the sucessful wakening of her people.

[¤-Elessar-¤]

Elessar intercepted her as she came up to the camp, eager for knews. She told him, and he ran over to his horse, wich was (as all the others were) already packed. He jumped into the saddle and motioned for the others to hurry. The masses would be confused, he thought, and he needed to hurry.

[Arathin]

Arathin ran and shouted out her news to the others in the camp as she mounted her own horse and took off at a gallop back to the capitol. She assumed that the others would follow.

[HLGStrider]

And Elgee did, glad that they had apparently won the day.

[whiterider]

Benjamin quickly mounted his steed and galloped down the road after his companions

[¤-Elessar-¤]

As he rode he had one hand on the reins and the other in his saddle bag. He pulled out a wrinkled flag. He reached up and broke a large branch from a passing tree, and fastened the flag to it. He raised it up, and the banner of Dor-Taur-Sir waved in the wind.

[Glory]

*she gallops on her horse swittly after them*

[HLGStrider]

HORRAY FOR VICTORY!!!

[Arathin]

Arathin heard Elgee's shout as Elgee was right behind her. "We have won this battle but the war isn't over yet!" She shouted back. "We must find out who did this and why!" She pushed Gildor into a full gallop, a dangerous thing to do in the woods, and caught up with Elessar. Together they rode into the capitol with the banner of Dor-Taur-Sir waving above their heads. Their people gazed at them in an almost frightened daze.

[whiterider]

From behind Benjamin shouted "be careful there might be enemies around" but as soon as the words were uttered from his lips an arrow flew over his head taking his hat with it. "TAKE COVER"

[Ecthelion]

This is not me as a dwarf. This is meas a hobbit. Here is my profile
Name and description: Tom Muddyfoot from The Shire, My pony and swords name is Goose. I look and act much like Pippin.

IC: After the first arrow a small hobbit came running out of some shrubs on his pony Goose.Arrows flew all past him, he rode screaming "SAVE ME! SAVE ME!" As he got to the group he jumped off Goose and pulled out.........Goose his sword that is but a knife to a normal man. He stood by the others and got ready to fight.

[Glory]

*pulls her sword out and gets ready to fight*

[Arathin]

Arathin spun around as the arrows flew into the edge of the capitol. She only gave the small hobbit a small, fleeting glance as she called her people out of their trance and readied them to fight this new onslaught. "To arms! To arms! To arms!" The cry spread through out the city like wildfire as her people took up their own bows and took to defend their city from their foe.

[Ecthelion]

Tom took out Goose and hid in a hole in the ground, then when orcs ran by he would jump out and stab him. Soon he got bored of doing it so he got out and ran right into the main group. He woud find two orcs looking for someone to kill he would hit one, that one would turn around and those two would fight. Tom did this repeatedly.

[whiterider]

Benjamin took his bow from his back and in a instant had fired an arrow striking an orc in the throat .He then drew he sword and leapt into the fray

[Arathin]

Arathin watched the hobbit in mild amusment as she defended herself from the orken onslaught.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee swings her frying pan violently... Die creatures... Watch that one behind you Benjamin!!! Yikes!!!

[whiterider]

Benjamin hearing elgees warning turns around swiftly
to be confronted by a savage looking orc.
Having lost his sword Benjamin takes
off his boot and begins to batter the brute on the head
He then regains his sword and continues fighting

[Ecthelion]

Now this particular hobbit was very athletic. Actualy he was probably the most athletic hobbit in the Shire. So, Tom, started doing front and back flips and slicing orcs while spinning. Then an orc shoots and arrow at him, time freezes real slow to arrow-time, and Tom bends backwards and dodges the arrow. Then he gets his own bow out and shoots like 5 arrows, the orc starts bending every way really fast. Then Tom got behind him and said "Dodge this." And Tom chopped his head off.

[Glory]

*glory run towards the orcs and star slashing them with her handy sword*

[Arathin]

Arathin saw several orcs dash off into the woods will something hidden by their hidious bodies. She took five of her people and ran off after them. Soon these few orcs were slain and the thing they were carring was in Arathin's hands. Looking at it, she saw what it was that these orcs had be so bent on protecting. It was a bottle of water from the fountain. Odvisiously the orcs had been sent to find out why the spell had failed. She ran back to the fountain and made sure that no more of its waters were stolen by the fiends.

[Glory]

*glory rest after the battle* "now you have to find out who wants to hurt your people arathin" *sighs*

[Arathin]

Yes, but where to begin the search. where to begin... *Arathin seems lost in deep thought for sometime.*

[whiterider]

Benjamin comes up to them dragging a small whining orc by the ear ,
keeping his sword close by .He throws the orc at Arathins feet " I think this little prisoner may have something to tell us if we question him ,But at the moment i am too tired to interrigate him ,are any of you up to it?"
Benjamin goes and sits down keeping a close eye on there captive

[Arathin]

Three of Arathin's Dunedain grab the orc the instant it falls to the ground at her feet. "My men and I will question this little guest *she sneers as she speaks* of us personally. I thank you for its capture, Benjamin. It will, I don't doubt, tell us little. One never keeps an orc well informed. They brake under pressure too easily, but I am sure it will be useful." With this she spins on her heel and stalks off into the keep of the capitol. Her three Dunedain warriors follow her, dragging the slimy, writhing, little orc with them into the deep, dark dungans of the keep, that none but Arathin and Elessar knew. A place so maze-like that none would be able to find them, unless Arathin or Elessar let themselves be found.

[Glory]

*glory cleans her sword* "I hope that orc knows something useful"

[whiterider]

Benjamin nibbles on an apple as he waits to hear the outcome of the interrigation

[¤-Elessar-¤]

As Arathin and her companions exit the battle there is a blow of a horn. Other horns echo in response throughout the woods. Suddenly there is a hail of arrows, and orcs everywhere fall where they stood. They hear a gallop of hooves as the Elven calvary comes storming down the road, tearing through the orcs who somehow dodged the single arrow meant for them...they are small in number. Elessar ushers the remaining companions and his people into the walls of the city, and has the gates closed behind him. Throughout the night watchfires are lighted (how do you spell the past-tense of Light? like the verb light? I know lighted isn't it...), and men lurk motionless on the walls, awaiting another attack.

---- Meanwhile, below the palace ----
Elessar comes to the room where all of the companions sit. The next room over is seperated by an Iron door, and the orc sits inside. "I put the slain orcs into a pile just outside the walls. I had them burnt, and their stench fills the air. There were many of them, probably eight or nine hundreds. You all did well today, even our new member... A hobbit, I see. I have always liked hobbits, and they have always welcomed me. You are welcome here, though I know not your name. And, before we do anything else we must learn of our two new companions, Benjamin and this fine hobbit. Tell us your name, Mr. Hobbit, and what you are doing in my fine woods.

[Arathin]

(The past of light is lit, Elessar...)

Arathin came to stand beside her husband. "Yes, please. You are a fine warrior, and very gifted at combat. A true example that Hobbits are far more than they seem to be."

[¤-Elessar-¤]

(thanks...lol)

[whiterider]

Hmmm , so whats our next move ?

[Arathin]

Arathin laid her hand on Elessar's arm. "I think it would better if we introgated the "guest" in private. You know, as well as I, that orcs talk more willingly the smaller the group questioning them..."

[¤-Elessar-¤]

"As much as I would love to" *winks "I am afraid I cannot, after Ben and the hobbit tell me a bit about themselves (hello! Please post something to tell us about yourselves :D) I must be off to check reports from the field scouts. There seem to be orcs running all over the wood! I have sent messengers telling all patrols to be doubled in size and force, but our area was the only area attacked by the...whatever it was, and our patrols were the only ones absent long enough to let them in... I guess I will have to issue a group of Liante be set upon them.

[Ecthelion]

A short hobbit walks up to Ellesar. "I am Tom Muddyfoot. I am a small hobbit looking for adventure. I had never seen these parts of ME before so I came and hear I am. This is my sword Goose," Tom pulls out a small knife to Ellesar, "and this is my pony whos name is also Goose." A small light brown pony walks out from behind a rock. I hope I can help you."

[whiterider]

Hello Elessar ,My name is Benjamin .I am simply a wandering man accompanied by my horse Crusty , I aid and help all those Whome I meet with good causes.I came upon this group a while back and I offered them my services and I have been aiding them as best as I can since

[¤-Elessar-¤]

Excellent. Welcome Mr. Muddyfoot and Benjemin, I thank you for your services to my love and her friends.

[Ecthelion]

"You can call me Tom. So what is next to do Tall one. What is your name again? I am very forgetful."

[Arathin]

welcome, tom and benjamin. I am Arathin and this is Elessar, my husband. we are the lady and lord of mirkwood. i am afraid that you will have to excuse us now though. Elessar please be careful dealing with those problems and please use the Liante carefully.(pm me about that) well i have a orc to interview. good luck my love. *kisses Elessar then taking three of her dunedain, she goes to question her "guest"*

[HLGStrider]

Well, you all know me, I'm Elgee and I am bored with this smelly Orc. He probably won't tellyou anything but lies and I think we should skewer him...

Elgee was feeling uncharacteristically nasty.

[whiterider]

skewering him is certainly a possibility but some how I dont think we will gain any thing ;)

[Arathin]

ooc:Elgee you can skewer him after he is questioned.
and everyone please notice my siggy!


ic:Arathin and her Dunedain spend many hours questioning the small creature. Finally, looking exsosted(sp), Arathin leaves the small room containing the orc. Her Dunedain can be heard inside moving to stand guard around the orc. Arathing sinks into a chair and closes her eyes.

[HLGStrider]

I just feel like skewering something... sigh...

Elgee then goes over to talk to Benjamin.

"So you say you are a healer. Do you use herbs, magic, or are you a trained physician?"

[Arathin]

Elgee uses "none of the above" most of the time. hehehe sry Elgee. had to.

If you want I can let you in there. we got everything we'll get out of it. so skewer at will, Elgee.

[HLGStrider]

Actually, I used to use the herb one a lot before I got my reputation. I also can cure wounds. I am just incredibly weak magically.

[HLGStrider]

Also I don't have the muscles required to skewer an orc... I'll just hit him over the head with my frying pan a few times.

[whiterider]

I am skilled in the use of medicines from herbs ,I once had magic powers but they were removed for certain reasons ,but yes i can cure most things with herbs

[HLGStrider]

"Herbs are good... here," Elgee hands him a phile. "Take these. They have plenty of uses... Athelas. You probably already have some, but just in case, it is good to have spare. I stumbled on a large patch a few days ago.."

[whiterider]

Thank you very much Elgee ,I gladly appreciate this Athelas as it is hard to get these days it shall aid me very much

[Arathin]

Ah Athelas! King's Foil. The heal all. A ranger like me always has a small supply of Athelas on them. It is invaluable as a herb of healing.

[HLGStrider]

"I remember a rather depressing occurance when I was traveling with a group of Hobbits. Late one night they stumbled onto my herb supply and mistook my Athelas for pipeweed... Sigh... what a waste..."

[whiterider]

Athelas is a cure all indeed ,great stuff .
So did that orc tell us anything?

[Arathin]

Well I don't know where this new evil came from or what it truely calls itself, but I do know this. They call their master Nana. So I believe it is a woman. I know where the orcs came from and that one said that their master dwelt in the same home. Those orcs came from Mordor, but, when Mordor was taken after Sauron's fall, the orcs fled to the far lands behind Mordor. In some great castle back behind Mordor, we will find our new evil. Now I must depart for a time. Elessar will take care of our city. All of you must start the journey to Mirkwood without me, but I will catch up with you. (on the 21st of July, I will be back on) Until then. *with that Arathin left the room and the castle. She and a small guard of two Dunedain and two Elves mounted their horses, and rode from the city. They rode not toward Mordor, but toward Fangorn to see an old friend of Arathin's for answers.*

[HLGStrider]

"We must hurry," Elgee sighs, clutching her frying pan. "When do we leave, Ellessar?"

OC: Does anyone else find it funny that the friend Arathin is going to see for advice is probably Mickey Mouse. :)

[whiterider]

Benjamin mounts his horse and joins elgee waiting for elessar to lead them forward

[¤-Elessar-¤]

(alright, I guess it wouldn't hurt to continue on with this one RP, but only until Arathin arrives again, after that I am finished! btw- any members besides Arathin who do not post within the next week will be assumed dead or lost!)

Elessar and the company made ready to leave. He gave final instructions to the elves. The gates were closed for the final time, and as the company left the fortress fo the elves of Mirkwood it was the last time that it was seen by any mortal on Middle Earth.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee felt happy to be on her way. She did not like Mirkwood, the home of terrible, icky spiders. She hummed to herself and tried to whistle but only produced air.
"Good to be going," she sighed.
"You may not think that when we get there," Elessar said sarcastically.

[whiterider]

Benjamin spurred on his horse to keep up,and began to hum an old riding tune which he didnt know the words of.
Dum de dum de de diddle de dum dum de.
Any hints as to where we are going next Elessar?

[¤-Elessar-¤]

They left the forest to the west, and from there they traveled all day before coming to the Anduin. They made camp there, and were told that they would soon be partaking of an elven ship that would take them southward. The ship was to arrive at dawn the next morning. The companions made idle conversation amongst themselves....

[Ecthelion]

Tom had a hard time of keeping up on his pony, and when he arrived at his destination he practically went to bed. First he lay down by a rock, and right before he fell asleep he heard about the boats and fell into a wonderful dream of boats and sailing and such.

[Glory]

occ: sorry I haven't been onlinbe because my computer crashed thus a virus
*glory rides in her horse (matt was resting in my house) to cach up with the rest of the party*

[HLGStrider]

"Welcome back, Glory," yawns Elgee. "You're just in time to go to sleep."

Elgee curls up and takes her own advice. Half way through the night she hears a strange cooing noise. It seems to be coming from a nearby patch of trees. She goes over to look, peers in, and is immediately pulled in.

Her cry is muffled in the darkness, and it is morning before any realize she is gone.

[whiterider]

Benjamin wakes up with a yawn ,ah yes wonderful we should soon be off sailing."wheres elgee anyone ,i suppose she is just making brealfast or something,,ELGEE! Elgee! where are you " there is a deadly silence ." Wake up guys Elgees gone missing ,WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Glory]

*glory wakes up and finds signal of struggle in a patch of trees there is branch broke and covered with blood*
"mm....I don't like this...we must find Elgee and her captor"

[HLGStrider]

Elgee's frying pan is discovered a few feet away, followed by a small trail of blood and broken fauna, as if someone were being dragged. This disappears at the edge of a small creek. There are no footprints anywhere about the body. On a tree is pinned a note.

"If you do not turn back you shall never see your frying pan fighting friend again."

[Glory]

*glory turns and says* "what are we going to do?" *she have a worried loook on her face*

[whiterider]

Oh no what are we going to do ?
We really need Elessar to see this soon, but there is no way we can can turn back now we need to try and save elgee

[Glory]

*glory smiles* "I agree with you, we must save her"

[HLGStrider]

Meanwhile Elgee, slightly wounded, tightly tied, and blindfolded, was at the moist bottom of a rowboat. All she knew about her captor was that he or she did not bathe enough. He never spoke and he had a rank odor. Possibly Goblin... no it was a stronger smell than even that... Plus the bottom of the boat was mildewy.

[whiterider]

Ok Glory, I guess we'll just have to save Elgee ourselves.With that they begin to trace the track left and soon end up at a creek." by the looks of things i'd say they more than likely travelled downstream,but where can we get a boat?

[Glory]

"ahh ...we need a boat" *glory turns and seek in the trees* "I could build something really quick...but we'll loose time"

[¤-Elessar-¤]

Suddenly there was a rushing noise coming down the river. A small craft came into view. It was what looked to be twenty feet long, and maybe ten wide. It had a sail, all but lifeless in the breezeless night, bearing a picture of a grey dove. Elessar stood at the back of the boat (don't remember any of my ship terms, so I'll use front back left right and so-on). He had a pleasnt expression on his face. He had always loved boats, and had more than once been forced to reside on his boat. He had taken them to the far west, and to the far east also. He saw teh worried expression on the faces of the companions, and threw hooks and other various anchors onto the riverbank. The boat came to a slow stop just in front of the company. "What is the problem?!? Why are you all awake so early? It is only a few hours past midnight."

[HLGStrider]

oc: Starboard, right.
port, left
forward, front
aft, back

[Arathin]

Arathin, having got her information, raced back in the direction she knew Elessar would have gone. She was greatly disturbed by what she now knew and was trying to find her companions as fast as possible. She send one of her pet eagles to find Elessar and the others with a note to Elessar.

~~~The evil is more than we could have imagined. Treebeard is more agitated by it than he was with Saroman and his Orcs. We must move quickly.~~~

[HLGStrider]

Elgee managed to sit up. She leaned over the port side of the boat and, using her teeth to disengage it, tore her cape off and let it slip into the water. The captor then knocked her to the bottom but made no attempt to recover the garment.

[¤-Elessar-¤]

(is anyone alive? My character is clueless, except for what Arathin wrote, and someone needs to tell me that Eglee is gone!)

[HLGStrider]

"Elessar! Elgee's been kidnapped!!!"

GASP!!!

[whiterider]

what will we do ,the only place they could have gone was down river,we need to catch up soon or else elgee will be lost forever with whatever brutes took her,oh no

[¤-Elessar-¤]

well then, let's get going! *everyone gets on the boat, and it takes off down the river

[Glory]

*after sailing down the river they find elgee's garment*

[HLGStrider]

Upon it are traces of a light green powder, streaked across the back of the cloak. Even from a foot away from her face the smell makes Glory naucious, as if she were seasick.
"I've seen this before," Benjamin frowned.

[Arathin]

Arathin rode on toward Anduin. She didn't know where Elessar and the others were. She just rode in the direction she hoped they were. Her eagle hadn't returned yet. So all she could do was wait for it to reach Elessar and then come back.

[whiterider]

yes this green power is part of a foul kind of drink used by orcs and some times humans who deal with them.It gives you a temporary boost of energy ,and sometimes it is put on wounds as a cure ,but somehow I wouldn't trust using it ,its orgins are totally unknown.These are ill tidings indeed ,we must hurry

[Glory]

*glory takes the garment on the boat and says* "well...maybe this green powder ...would lead us where elgee is held prisioner..look, it leaves a trace on the water.."

[HLGStrider]

Elgee, meanwhile was struggling at the bottom of the boat. She struggled and struggled until she managed to kick a hole in the loose boards. The orc gave a cry of horror as the boat began to sink. He managed to get ashore with Elgee in tow, now half drowned.

[whiterider]

Yes Glory the powder is floating on top of the river,come on full speed ,we must hurry ,quick row as hard as you can!

[Arathin]

Arathin pulled Gildor to a quick halt and looked around. She was in a small clearing with foot prints running all through it. She quickly picks out Elgee's and an orcs, then above and around them she see Benjamin and Glory's foot prints. No sign of Elessar. Fear clutches Arathin's heart. What could have happened to him? and why hadn't her eagle returned yet. Arathin now followed the foot prints, but had to go more slowly to keep from losing the tracks.

[whiterider]

Benjamin and Glory paddled as fast as they could ,until suddenly they came to a boat half submerged under the water,,Benjamin leaped out of the boat and swam to the sinking boat ,but to his despair it was empty ,inside there were a few strings of Elgees cloak ,he beckoned to Glory to bring their boat ashore ,there ,there were signs of a struggle but only one tack lead away which meant whoever this was ,they still had Elgee

[HLGStrider]

Who was dragging her heels and doing her best to be difficult. Unfortunately she hit her knee pretty hard and was now limping and dragging her heels.

[Glory]

*glory sighs* well they should be on land... come on we have to move quick her captor had to swing therefore is tired we have a change to recover elgee

[Arathin]

Arathin came to the edge of the river. She now faced a decition that could destory everything. She knew Elgee was a captive til the river and that she hadn't be recovered by here, but did they go up river or down. Going the other way would probably forgo any chance of being rejoined in time to stop the new evil that was descending, but to stall for time? Arathin screamed as an eagle would. Suddenly her messenger eagle swooped down. It hadn't found Elessar. She sent it instead to find Glory and Benjamin with a new note.

~Glory, Benjamin. I am stopped by the river. Which way did you go? Up river or down? Are you still on the river? You need not write an answer. Tell the bird your reply and I shall get it. Quickly or all is lost.~

[whiterider]

An Eagle swooped and perched before Benjamin ,recognoising Arathin s messanger he replyed with a message *We have headed downstream but are now pursuibg Elgees captors on land ,follow this river until you meet a boat half submerged under water there go to the shore on your right and you will see our tracks which are fairly obvious , do hurry "

[Glory]

*glory says with a worried look on her face* "I hope she is okay.."

[HLGStrider]

Meanwhile Elgee was being pulled along by the terrible orc. He was grumbling about the difficulty of his burden when she gave a moan and sunk down unconscious in the middle of the path...

[whiterider]

Benjamin and Glory followed the tracks as quickly as possible .From the heavy tracks and there shape they now knew it was orcs they were dealing with but who was in control of the orcs still puzzled them.The muddy track made progress difficult and Arathin would soon catch up with them

[Arathin]

"How is Elgee to our knowledge?" Arathin still sat on her horse and rode beside Benjamin and Glory. We must found her soon.

[HLGStrider]

When the Orc bent down to pick her up, Elgee twisted herself around, suddenly awake again. She knocked him over and tried to squirm away. She freed her hands, removed the blindfold, and broke a tree branch over the creatures head. It was not that effected. It grabbed her about the waist, growlng in anger. That was when they heard the hoof beats.

[Arathin]

Arathin came up with Benjamin and Glory at a gallop. Benjamin went to behead the creature, but Arathin stopped him and threw a rope around its feet then a net over its head. As she sprayed some liquid in its face, the Orc fell into a deep sleep. "Why did you stop me?" yelled Benjamin. "We need it alive. We need to know who it is working for. Elgee, are you alright?"

[HLGStrider]

"Yeah... sure... fine..." Elgee leans up against a tree to rest. The orc slept on. "Nasty creatures... I'd never met one that smelled quite that bad before..."

[Arathin]

Arathin gives Elgee a canister. "Drink up. It will restore some of your strangth. You should all have a few sips. Elgee you take a couple more than the rest. You need it." She then walks over to the Orc and mutters to herself. Kneeling down beside it, she starts to go through its belongings, leaning close to get a good look at the items it carried with it.

[HLGStrider]

Among them is a live frog, covered in the green substance that had been upon Elgee's cloak.

[Arathin]

Arathin looks at the frog with out touching it. "I wonder what the frog is for. He must be poisonious. That would be the only reason I can think of for him to be covered in this sleep dust and kept alive." Arathin puts the frog in a small sack with some food. "We'll see what his use is."

[HLGStrider]

"Perhaps someone around here speaks frog," Elgee murmurs. Arathin gives her a look of vehmenent warning.

[whiterider]

They must use the frog to extract that green substance.
Why dont we see what this orc knows because I really wanted to kill him

[¤-Elessar-¤]

(ooc: I'm a bit lost... why are whiterider and glory alone? And where am I, and who am I with, still?)

[Arathin]

(Elessar you are with us. You just sorta followed without adding anything. We have found Elgee, and captured the Orc that had captured her. I found them through my eagle. Anything else?)

[HLGStrider]

Elgee stares at the frog... somehow it seems to be more than a nasty amphibean...

[Arathin]

Arathin turned her back to the frog, a big mistake had she known it, and kept examining the conatose Orc. She was trying to figure out if it had come from their enemy's holdings or not, and who controlled it.

[whiterider]

we have delayed here too long ,we dont know what dark forces lurk in this horrible place

[HLGStrider]

"And yet we know more evil lurks before us... I fear to go on, but I know we must," Elgee sighed. She regained her frying pan, which a thoughtful friend had brought along.

[Arathin]

Arathin slaps the Orc. "Wake up, you ugly baffon faced igit!" She slapped it again, but, just as she was about to slap it a third time, the frog behind her blew up to an enormous size and morphed its shape to that of a.........

(I can't think of anything. someone say what)

[HLGStrider]

Good sized Mountain Troll... apparently unaffected by the blazing sun, the creature gave a low growl.

[Arathin]

Arathin froze, her hand hovering an inch above the still unconcious Orc's face. She started to slowly turn about, when the Troll threw her against a tree with one wave of its giant hand. She hit the tree with such force that it broke in half. Luckily, the truck caught on another tree before it smashed down on the now comatous Arathin and her companions.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee gave a quick shriek. Then with Benjamin's help she pulled Arathin into some under brush. The troll growled menacingly reaching in after them. Elgee scrambled away, drawing its attention. She then scurried up a tree and hid in the branches...

Mean while Glory and Benjamin...

[Eogthea]

there is the sound of clattering hooves (is that the plural of hoof?) and an weary-looking elf bearing a sword trots in. "Where-" she pauses for air "where did it go?"

[Arathin]

(yes it is)

The Troll sees the new comer and its growl grows louder. It moves to attack this strange new Elf.

[Eogthea]

She looks confused for a moment but then charges at the Troll, waving her sword like a maniac. "You-- you did it then?"

[Arathin]

The Troll gazed around looking extremely confused. It starts trying to attack the crazed Elf as she runs around him, randomly slashing at it.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee starts swiping at it from above... She grabs a particularly thick branch and BAM!!!

[Arathin]

The Troll fell to the ground and made the whole ground below them shake and rock.

[Ciryaher]

Out of the brush on the other side of the clearing there was a shrill shout and a hobbit rushed out wielding a small axe and a suit of leather armour. He began hacking viciously at the trolls leg, sending a great deal of nasty, black blood everywhere. Before the troll could swing his fist down and pound the hobbit into paste, the hobbit darted around him and hacked at his stomach. "The Shire!" he shouted as he attacked frenziedly.

[Eogthea]

The dazed elf turns to look at the crazed hobbit in amazement, but continues to randomly slash at the troll without realizing she is.

[Arathin]

The Troll kept trying to attack both the Hobbit and the Elf, but it could figure out which one it wanted to smash more. Arathin moaned lowly and gazed around dazedly.

[Ciryaher]

The hobbit pulls out a curved dagger and sinks it into the troll's back, then jumps up and sinks his handaxe into the beast higher up. He scrambles up this way until he is within arm's reach of the troll's head and neck.

In a furious attack that would have shocked an orc, the hobbit hacked viciously at the troll's spine and throat until with a last effort to save itself, the troll whipped its upper body down and sent the hobbit sailing into the bushes.

With a blood curdling roar, the troll was dealt its last blow by Eogthea, and it crashed to the ground in a bloody heap.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee swung herself down from the tree.

"Thank you, brave halfling," she breathed... "And you elf... Who are you who fight so bravely?" She leaned against the tree... short of breath... "I must see to Arathin... Please talk while i work."

[Ciryaher]

The hobbit cut in before the elf could answer, "I'm Marby Burrowes, Minister of Trade to His Majesty, the Emperor. Burrahobbit Extraordinaire from Stock, in the East Farthing, at your service," he said with a fancy bow.

[HLGStrider]

"Welcome, Marby," Elgee smiled as she worke.d "She'll be all right."

[Arathin]

Arathin moaned loudly. "Elgee back off, please." She growled. Then lay back down. "Just let me sleep for a little while. My head is killing me." Sure enough when Elgee looked, Arathin had a gash in the back of her head where it had it the tree.

[whiterider]

Benjamin who had been struck from behind at the start of the fight and had rolled in to a thorny bush now came to his senses ,feeling very uncomfortable and sore ,what happened ? he stuttered

[Eogthea]

The elf looks around, as if coming to, and gapes slowly at her bloody sword and the dead troll. She bows slowly to the hobbit, the only one who seems to be paying attention to her. "You can call me... Eogthea. I seem to be a bit lost at the moment. I happened to be searching for a particular port city when I must have come upon you. My services as a fighter I offer to you as long as I stay. I can do other things a bit better-- healing and the like..." She trails off and continues to look dazed.

[Arathin]

Arathin moaned. "Come here Elf. You say you're name is Eogthea? Well then why don't you heal my head while Elgee deals with Ben"

[Eogthea]

The elf wanders over to Arathin and roughly shoves her head forward. "Hmmm... Lady, you hurt your head bad. Why did you do that? It's bad for your health.."

[Arathin]

Arathin growls. "The frog turned into the Troll and threw me against the tree head first, you silly elf."

[HLGStrider]

Elgee patches up Benjamin.
"I'm sorry you hurt yourself... I've never seen a frog do that before. It is a totally new sort of magic... or so old that it has been forgotten."

[Arathin]

"I think it is that second one. The oldest, most powerful magic is always the first to be forgot."

[HLGStrider]

"Often for the good of mankind is it forgotten," Elgee whispered, glaring at the remnents of the monster... As she watched it shrunk back into the body of a frog. The body moved. The frog was again alive.

[Eogthea]

Shoves Arathin's head back against the tree, without really paying attention, and stabs the frog through with her sword. She watches it wriggle around for a minute before turning back to Arathin. "Lady! What did I tell you? That kind of injury is bad for you!" She promptly kneels down and does her best to heal the wound. As she wraps it in bandages, the elf tells Arathin why injuries are bad for one's health and that when one is injured one should never throw her head against trees.

[whiterider]

?
maybe killing the frog wasn't such a good idea ,how will we be able to
find out what is really is .I mean nobody has given a kiss yet :D

[Arathin]

As the Elf finishes with her and Ben says his piece, Arathin stands up and punches him in the arm. "Were you gonna kiss that thing? I sure wasn't gonna!" She turns her head and stands as if listening to something. "We have to move on. Marby do you have a mount? For we much ride."

(Confusticated, pm me about this please)

[whiterider]

Benjamin leaps upon his horse and chuckles to himself at the thought of Arathin kissing the frog

[Eogthea]

Eogthea looks for her mount, who wisely wandered away in search of food, mounts Trian, and returns. "Why do we need mounts, lady? Who are you anyway?"

[Arathin]

Rides over and back hands Ben in the head. "I am Arathin, the leader of this party. We are in search for a new dark lord that is threatening my fair land of Mirkwood. Come. As soon as everyone is mounted, we shall ride. We are in need of reaching a certain spot soon and need speed. If Marby, my noble Hobbit, you have no mount, you may ride with me."

[Eogthea]

Nods slowly. "Mirkwood is inland..... I have relatives there..."

[Ciryaher]

Marby looked up at the big folk around him. "Ahh, I do indeed have a mount!" he whistled loudly and there was a sharp whinny. A little, scruffy pony poked its head out of the brush and trotted over to Marby's waiting hand. "Big People, meet Darby, my pony," smiled then added quickly, "Yes, I know the name rhymes...it's a coincidence, I assure you. But anyway! Let us go...wherever that's supposed to be."

[Arathin]

"Follow me and I'll tell you all." They all took off at a fair canter. "We are going to the dark lands behind Mordor. A new Dark Lord hath risen, and she means to take all of Middle Earth, starting with Mirkwood for some reason. As I rule Mirkwood, I refuse to let her have it! We must hurry. My old friend, Treebeard, told me some things about her, but I do not know if he learned them from a trusty source. It seems she is an Elf of Mirkwood that left and moved to Mordor. Possessed by the evil still in the land, she now wishes to destroy Mirkwood and all of Arda."