Rangers ONly Rp! Rp#50-Misty Mountain Journey

[Ecthelion]

Nain waited for his fellow Rangers on a path east of The Misty Mts. He studied and restudied many a map while waiting so as to not get lost or injured during the quest. HE constantly looked around to see if any Rangers had yet to arrive.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee was never hard to spot. She rode up atop her large, black and white cat, Badger. She dismounted, curtsied to Nain, and awaited the next group.

[Arathin]

ooc: I am sorry, but what happened to the Rangers thread? I can't find it.

ic: Arathin, unlike Elgee, was much harder to spot. She was almost upon Nain before he knew it. Her stallion, Gildor, reared as she neared where Nain waited. Arathin wore her custumary traveling clothing. A worn brown tunic, her dingy green leggings, tall soft, worn leather boats, and her old traveling cloak of Lothlorien. She smiled at Nain and Elgee and waited the others.

[Ecthelion]

"The others will come in time, let us begin. As you may or maynot know we are journying deep into The Misty Mts. to uncover what is supposed to be the most beutiful and expenise jewels in Middle-Earth. Let us begin." The trio started on and soon it began to storm. Nain had to yell for Arathin or Elgee to here him "Does anyone see some shelter? Look for some quick if you don't and try not to get seperated!"

OOC: The Rangers thread is under the Guild of Soldiery. Also everyone try to stay serious *cough Elgee cough*.

[Arathin]

Arathin silently motioned for Elgee and Nain to come over to her. As they neared, she pointed to a rather large cave to her right and some ways off the main trail. As they neared it, Arathin with her keen elven eyes in front. They all saw the very old and tattered remains of a door a little in front of it. The cave gaped open before them; dark, dank, and foreboding...

[HLGStrider]

OC: Elgee, cough, can get a hint, cough, though she was already planning to oblidge and just show off her writing skills on this one... with a few well placed... cough... jokes.

IC:
Elgee thought carefully. Going into dank, dark, caverns is never a smart thing to do, but she felt strangely drawn to this particular dark,dank cavern. There was a strange smell eminating from it. It wasn't dirt or must. It was something stronger, vaguely over powering and strangely alluring. She started to tremble and took a step forward. Immediately everything went gray. She gave a whimpering cry but kept walking forward.

[Arathin]

Arathin put her arm around Elgee's shouldars and called to her horse. Gildor came up behind her, and Arathin and Elgee entered the cave. Arathin couldn't see a thing inside the cave.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee shivers.
"There is something in there... something that I don't particularly want to mess with..."

[Arathin]

Arathin stands in the opening of the cave. 'Nain,' she whispers. 'Can you light a fire or something? I can't see a thing.'

[Ecthelion]

Nain nods and walks out of the cave. He comes back caring lots of firewood. He soon starts trying to make a fire. After half an hour he finally get a fire started, but when they look to the back of the cave they see.........

[HLGStrider]

Nothingness, emptiness... yet perhaps, just perhaps, there is a shadow, lurking somewhere in that empty space, deep where the fire cannot penetrate. Elgee steps forward.
"Whatever you are, show yourself!!!" she cries. "If you are nothing I am something. If you are empty, I am full. If you mean good we shall not harm you."

[Arathin]

Arathin mutters to herself, "oh well that is real couragious." then grabbing a single flaming stick, walks into the back of the cave alone. soon she is engulfed in shadow, and they cannot see her anymore.

[Ecthelion]

She comes out in the grasp of a huge mountin troll. Nain pulls out his axe and swings at the troll. He keeps swinging until another comes out and whacks Nain in the back. Nain is knocked into the wall leaving Elgee alone. Another troll comes out making three trolls. Two of them charge at Elgee.

[Arathin]

Arathin squires and writhes, trying to brake the troll's hold, but it is impossible. There is nothing she can do.

[HLGStrider]

For lack of a better defense, Elgee screams like a banshee... She then leaps on the back of one of her cats who in turn leaps on the back of the troll. Elgee grabs it around the neck, sinking her teeth into its ear. She then screams again, grabbing Arathin's knife from her sheeth. She starts to hack, first into the creature's neck and then into the hand that holds one of her friends. The troll drops Nain to enable him to better swipe at Elgee.

[Ecthelion]

Nain shakes himself back to his senses. He takes a mighty swing with his axe and by-bye is the leg of the Troll with Elgee on it. The troll flops over and dies. Now he turns to the one with Arathing. Another slash and down goes the arm and Arathin. "Elgee check on Arathin!" Nain turns to the two trolls left, one missing an arm. He sees a dead mans spear and picks it up. He throws and it hits it's mark. Directly between the ok troll's eyes. It falls over with a thump. Now for the one-armed one. He charges it and rolls under it, then the troll kicks him in the darkness. The troll slowly loomes over Elgee and Arathin. When they think it's over the troll stops and falls forward dead. They see an axe in it's head, then they turn to see Nain breathing hard.

[Arathin]

Arathin stood over the troll gazing at Nain. She stepped over it and pulled Elgee to her feet. "Nain, there is a huge assortment of goods in there. I saw them just before the trolls grabbed me."

[HLGStrider]

"Taking trolls illgotten gains is good..." Elgee smirks, starting to paw through the bags and baskets... "Huh...? What in the heck is this thing?"
She withdraws a round ball that shines darkly. "I've read of things like this... but I can't remember where or what it was..."

[Ecthelion]

"Wow I've never seen one of those Elgee, Arathin, any idea on what it is?" Nain asks curiosly.

[HLGStrider]

It was cold and dark as night. Despite its apparent small size it felt heavy in Elgee's small hand. She tried to grip its smooth surface, but suddenly there was a jolt, like being hit by an ice sickle in the wrist, and it sprang out of her hand.

[Ecthelion]

It was about to hit the ground and crash, but Nain dove and caught it. Nain gazed at it in amazement. Could it be another Plantir or some other device?

[HLGStrider]

Elgee rubs her arm delicately.
"It tried to hurt me, whatever it was... as if somehow my touch aggravated it. I dare not look into it, for if it is the palantir, I don'tthink I have the right or will to use it."

[Arathin]

Arathin took the thing from Nain's hands. She gazed into it. Slowly, distantly, she muttered, "This is one of the lost palantirs, but which I don't know..." Her voice trailed off. Suddenly she ripped her gaze from the stone and, pulling a cloth from her bag, wrapped up the palantir in it. She tucked the palantir into the bottom of her bag, and when Nain was about to protest, she held up her hand. "Nain Ironfoot." She murmered to him, low but clear. "My people made the palantirs long ago. You're people have to claim to them. Elgee found it, so she has claim to it, but she stated that she doesn't wish it. You asked me what I thought it was. I have told you what it is, and that should be enough for you. I will keep it safe, but you should be warned! Palantirs weren't made for mere idle meddling. They were made for the connection of the Numenor Nation." With that Arathin went looking around through the rest of the Trolls' store.

[Ecthelion]

Nain madly turns away and looks through the rest of the junk. He looks and finally finds something. Nain gasps and Elgee and Arathin both look at him and rush over they quickly asked "What?! What?!" Nain held up to them one of The Rings of The Dwarves of old. Not any dwarfs, but Nain knew that it was the ring of Thror. Nain said to them "The Necromancer of old must have lost it to these trolls after he stole the ring from Thror." Nain took the ring and slipped on and felt all of sudden mighty and overly powerful and cared no more of The Plantir.

[HLGStrider]

Having no great heritage, Elgee knew there was nothing for her to claim among this treasure trove. Still hopeful, however, she reached into a bag. All that was in it was a tiny box of woven silver and sapphires. It was locked, but so beautiful that she could not help but take it. She dared not shake it for fear of damaging the contents that she could not see.

[HLGStrider]

Still, Elgee could not help but wander at the strange luck that had brought them to this cave of riches, of hidden treasures long lost to men. What could they mean? How could mere trolls have amassed such wealth? There was something more behind this and it made her uneasy.
From the little box at her side she could feel a tingling warmth. Somehow it reassured her. They were meant to find these treasures, but by what? Was it just fate or was there something more behind it... perhaps something sinister?

[whiterider]

Benjamin having travelled far to catch up with his fellow rangers finally came upon a very faint track which lead into the mountains and stopped by the mouth of a cave .Inside he could hear voices and a glow from a flame could be seen ,he listened intently and then began to smile as he recognoised the voices of his fellow rangers inside.Just as he began to enter the sound of heavy footfalls coud be heard close ,Benjamin glanced around the corner only to see a troup of 4 Trolls coming up in a hurry as if they had beed alarmed by something, quickly he dashed inside the cave ,he greeted his friends quickly and then told the three of them the danger which lurked around the corner.........

[Ecthelion]

Nain hurriedly started to give orders "Elgee grab that long rope and give the other end to Arathin. Now go crouch down by the entrance. You can guess the outcome. Ben, you come with me." Nain hands him a set of arrows and a bow and takes one for himself. They then hide behind treasure chests and take aim.

[Arathin]

Arathin crotchs in the entrance across from Elgee. Her end of the rope tightly help in her hands. For the moment the rope was slack and lay on the floor. Suddenly Arathin saw the Trolls coming. They were coming from Elgee's side of the entrance. Arathin moved deeper into the shadows as to not be seen. Two of the Trolls stopped at the entrance for a moment before heading inside together. Arathin and Elgee both pulled on their ends hard. The rope went taut and jumped in to the air. Both Trolls came down hard, unconcious. As they hit the floor, the cave walls shook. The third Troll grabbed the rope. Arathin and Elgee let go of their ends of the rope and hid in deep cravaces on their side of the entrance. The Trolls couldn't find them. So they entered the cave very cautiously. Looking for the intruders. (This will be my last post til I come back on the 21st. Please just like say and do things for me. Nothing major, but just keep me in here. thanks)

[Ecthelion]

OOC:Will do Arathin

IC: The first two trolls that fell stood still. Then Ben and Nain shot them both in the head with two arrows, killing them. Two down two to go. Nain and Ben took aim again only with three arrows in their bows at once. Thwang, the arrows shot and six arrows were in the stomach and chest of one troll. He howled in pain and the other got very angry and started swatting his club everywhere. He swung one near Ben and Nain and out of instinct Nain lifted up an axe from the ground and swung at the arm and cut it off. Now the trolls were both confused and angry. One was abou to die from the arrows and the other had one arm. Nain whispered to Ben and they both shot an arrow at each trolls legs. They trolls fell over in agony. Nain signaled for Ben to stay and Nain walked up to the trolls, he also picked up two sharp spears from the ground. He walked up to each troll and plunged a spear right between their eyes. Nain turned and asked "Everyone alright?"

[HLGStrider]

"I think so," Elgee murmured, coming from the shadows. "You, Arathin?"
The ranger nodded stonily as she emerged.
"A lot of trolls for a small area," she then commented.
"I think so too," Benjamin stated, noticing the other dead creatures.
"It must have to do with these treasures... I wonder if they draw them somehow..."

[whiterider]

It must be something to do with the gems ,either that or we have discovered a vast colony of trolls. I dont think we should hang around too long.Benjamin then produced his sword which shone with a low blue tinge ,"there are sure to be more around , my sword never lies ,perhaps we should retreat to safer ground for the moment"

[HLGStrider]

"Yes, perhaps we should," Elgee sighs. "This is too dangerous. Shall we pack the rest of their loot, or at least what our horses and cats can carry? There might be other things we could find in there."

[Ecthelion]

"Yes take what you can. But not to much, it's already hard enough for the horses in the rain(which it still is)." The group gets their loot and proceeds through the rain.

Eventually they come acorss a small cave but big enough for a group of 10. They checked it out and saw it was perfectly safe and no treasure was there. "Here we will stay until the rain clears." Nain proceeds to take out a some wood and start a fire to warm them.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee sighs with relief. She and her cat lie beside the fire to doze.

[Ecthelion]

Soon the company departs and travel to the Mountain, luckily for them the raining has stopped.

Nain and co. Finally make it to the Mountain's tip. Soon they find a hole that leads into the Mountain. "Alright everyone take some breaths of fresh air.................it could be your last." Soon after saying that A hoard of trolls came charging at them. Nain hurried the group into the Mountain. The ponies(which were very smart) ran to a safe place and waited for the company to return. Into the Mountian the went, immediately Nain told everyone to get out their bows. All 5 of them took out bows and aimed for the doorway. Now, the hole was pretty small making humans slouch a little to get through, but the trolls were very dumb. They started trying to get in. Nain yelled "Fire!" All 5 shot arrows through the darkness to the light hitting each troll who tried to get in.

[HLGStrider]

"horray!" Elgee chimes. "We have them on a run!!!"

[whiterider]

With the trolls on the run Benjamin moves to the edge of the hole and begins to pick off the fleeing scum. With the danger over they all sit and take a rest in the hole ," so what is this place?"

[HLGStrider]

"It's obviously a cave, but why it seems to attract Trolls so often I know not..." Elgee sighed, leaning against the back wall... The wall opened up, and with a shriek, Elgee was gone...

[Ecthelion]

"Elgee!" Nain yelled and banged on the wall. He kept banging until he hit a certain spot and the wall opened. Nain and the group slowly filed in. Soon they heard an awful laughter and a whip cracking. The group peeked around a corner and saw Elgee tied to a stake in the ground surrounded by goblins and goblins. Nain and the group went back around the corner and Nain whispered. "Ok, I'm going to go in right here." Nain pointed to where Elgee was held. "You two go around there, and it leads you into the room as well, then untie Elgee and attack." They nodded and took off. When Nain was sure they were ready he stepped up and said in a powerful voice "Release the girl." The goblins laughed because they were far more in numbers. They all fingered their weapons and slowly walked at Nain. Nain glanced behind them and saw Elgee being untied. Then Nain pulled ouyt his axe and yelled "Attack!"

[HLGStrider]

Snatching up her frying pan the grateful Elgee rushed forward and started banging away with it.
"Evil, terrible, goblins," she gasped. Her back was cut from the whip and after a few desperate hits she fainted dead away.

[whiterider]

Benjamin was quickly forward and caught Elgee before she hit the ground .Leaving her carefully out of harms way he leaped into the battle,swiftly beheading a goblin with his sword whilst in a fluid like motion pierced another in the eye with an arrow.Yet the Goblins weren't going to back down easily

[Ecthelion]

There were many and Nain saw Arathin slicing orcs down in front of Elgee using her life to protect Elgee. When the group started attacking all the goblins forgot Nain, he smirked and in a loud yell Nain spoke "Barak Khazad! Khazad Amineu!" And with that Nain leaped upon the goblins slicing through many.

[HLGStrider]

Arathin impaled a nasty looking orc who in turn squashed a lot of smaller golbins when he fell.

Elgee awoke.

"They want the palantir..."

[Ecthelion]

Nain started talking to Elgee as he fought "Arathin where is it now?" "I gave it to Elgee." "Elgee, where is it?" Elgee pointed to a big goblin looking at something. Nain nodded and fought towards him. When Nain got to the big goblin, it pulled out a huge scimitar and challenged Nain. Nain fought the big goblin and at times was forced to dodge other goblins and throw axes at them. In the end Nain finally found his weak spot, his legs, he could barely block them. Nain swung high and was blocked a swung low hard and hewed off his right leg from the shin down. He picked up the goblins scimitar as it howled in pain and Nain went on fighting with the goblins scimitar, who Nain kept and later named Scar. Soon all the goblins were dead and all the company were battered and bruised

Nain strode over to the big goblin who was still in his own torturous pain. Nain slipped out his scimitar and in an instant hewed off the head of the goblin and took back the Plantir. He said to the group "Here we will rest until we are all better," then to Arathin he said "And make sure you keep this safer." Arathin nods and takes the Plantir back.

[HLGStrider]

"They took the Palantir from me," Elgee stammered out. "There was nothing I could do... Why would they want it so badly? How could such creatures have the strength needed to weild it?" She lay down but immediately sat up. Her face contorted. "My back feels as if it were aflame," she winced.

[Ecthelion]

It's ok Elgee, but I assume there is something in here that is stronger than them. Here wipe this on your back," Nain tossed Elgee some Athelas leaf mixed with something special of Nain's in a lotion form,"It will sting a little , but the pain will stop. I suggest you all get some rest, we may need it." With that Nain fell asleep.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee thanked Nain then gave herself a back massage... :rolleyes:
She fell asleep her back now numb.

[whiterider]

I have never seen so many goblins to stay fighting together at once
,I agree with Nain they must be lead by some stronger force .Are you ok Elgee?Here eat this ,gives Elgee a biscuit ,its a special recipe of my own it will have your energy back in a short while.Here there are plenty to go round

[HLGStrider]

"Thanks," Elgee said, chomping down on her biscuit. "It is strange.. strange, strange, strange..."

[Arathin]

Arathin sits down and leans against the wall. Her eyes no more than slits. One hand moves into the bag beneath her cloak with the palantir in it. She fingers the palantir and looks over at Elgee. "Are you alright?" Elgee nods. As everyone else falls asleep, Arathin stays awake. She thinks long about what might be going on and soon comes up with an idea, but she waits for the group to wake up before she tells them.

[Ecthelion]

As the night passes and morning comes(they think) Nain starts to awake and is the first and then he sees Arathin sitting in a corner fingering the Plantir saying things to herself, Nain asked "Are you ok? Arathin?"

OOC: Arathin aren't you back early? It sure seems like it.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee slept on... Suddenly, while still sleeping, she felt a pain coming from her pocket where the little box was stored, like needles pricking her skin. She awoke with a cry.

[Arathin]

ooc: I said I would be back on the 21st Nain. I am not back early.

Arathin looked up at Nain as if broken out of some dark rever. She was about to say something to him, when they heard Elgee. Arathin rushed to her side. "Elgee what is it?" Elgee pulled out the small jeweled box. Sure enough pins seemed to have come out of the box and had pierced Elgee's side. Arathin told Nain to get pour some of his water onto the wounds. Arathin then placed two whole Althelas leaves over the wounds. "Those needles might have been poisoned. We have to get her a special herb called Dragon's Weed. It only grows in the ashes caused by a dragon's fire and will cure any poison. The trouble is I have none. It is very rare now with the dragons all but gone."

[HLGStrider]

Elgee rubbed her wound carefully.
"Dragons Weed? The only dragon scorched place I can think of is Dale and the Lonely Mountain... Lonely... Nain, as a dwarf, you wouldn't happen to have any... would you?"

[whiterider]

Benjamin woke with a yawn ,seeing all the commotion he soon learned what had happened.Dragons weed is rare indeed but here I have another herb called Greenwhisp , it wont cure this wound but it will prevent it from spreading or getting any worse for the moment

[Ecthelion]

Nain thought for a moment and pulled out his herbs bag and started searching. There in the very bottom of the bag was some of the herb they needed. Nain handed it to Arathin and said "Do what you can with it." It was up to Arathin now.

[whiterider]

Bless you Nain ,you are most resourceful. I sure hope it heals Elgee though .

[HLGStrider]

"I really feel quite fine," Elgee assured them. "Nasty little box, however." She picked it up. As she did there was a whirring noise and it sprang open. The room was immediately filled by a thick cloud of smoke.

[Arathin]

Arathin grabbed Elgee and dragged her down deeper into the cave, away from the smoke which, luckily, didn't follow her. Arathin crusted a few leaves of the herb and poured some water over the wounds and the herbs. Then Arathin made Elgee lay still, which wasn't hard as she was already falling asleep from the smoke that had come out of the box. Arathin then waited for the smoke to clear. When it had she looked around. Nain and Benjamin were both asleep. In addition, so was Elgee. Arathin pulled them all into one corner of the tunnel and sat down waiting for the sleep to wear off. Suddenly she heard a noise deeper in the tunnel. It sounded like orcs, and a lot of them. More than ever their small group could handle, even if 3/4 of it weren't asleep.

[Ecthelion]

Arathin roused Nain and Nain headed to Ben, Arathin to Elgee. The other two would not wake up. Nain and Arathin pulled the two over to a different hole in the mountain. Nain notice the smoke was going away and saw the box on the ground closed again. He picked it up and told Arathin to move a huge log to where the orcs were coming. This she did and Nain tossed her a rag to put on her mouth and nose. The orcs ran up to the hole angry as can be and tripped over and over eachother after hitting the log. Then Nain opened the box which again let out the gas, but it did not put the orcs to sleep just made them very woozy. Nain rushed in and would hit an orc causing them to hit one another. Arathin did this too and soon all the orcs were fighting eachother.

[Arathin]

Arathin then got an idea. She slit one orcs throat. Then another while slipping in and out of the orcs view in the thick white smoke. The orcs started to panic. Some yammered about a demon come to slay them all. While others merely yelled and ran.

[whiterider]

Benjamin seeing the smoke too late inhaled a lungful and soon was in a deep sleep ,dreaming about a secret passage in a mountain that lead to a hidden dwarf city of old ,suddenly thoughts of orcs began to fill his dreamy mind when suddenly he woke up to the noise of battle taking place he looked around and saw Elgee asleep beside him ,but he decided to stay where he was and to wait for the others to return

[Arathin]

Soon all the orcs were either slain or had fled, and the smoke had begun to clear. Arathin and Nain made their way back to where Elgee and Benjamin were. Elgee was still asleep, but Benjamin was awake. Arathin told him what they had done and that she planned to make her way through the mountain in this way as it would greatly shorten their travel distance and she could kill some more orcs.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee was put upon a pony's back and carted like baggage. She awoke to this rather bumpy ride a little later.

[whiterider]

Benjamin told the others about his dream ,of the secret passage in the mountain leading to the anciet dwarven halls.It may only be a figment of my imagination but it just seemed too real .What do you htink nain ,do you know of any tales about forgotten cities or anything of the likes

[HLGStrider]

"Any city around here would have long ago been discovered by the Goblins. They have been swarming about this mountain like obnoxious ants for ages."

Elgee starts mumbling to herself.
"Really obnoxious ants... BIG obnoxious ants."

[Ecthelion]

"Yes that does come to mind, but it was said only to be a myth. Do you know how to get there?"

[HLGStrider]

"We've already tripped off at least one secret door around here..."

[Arathin]

Maybe some dwarven item is needed to open the secret door. *Arathin looks at Nain's new ring* Maybe your ring is the key that the Dwarves have been missing for all these years, Nain.

[whiterider]

I remember in my dream that you had to pass through a narrow passage which lead to a large chamber before the gates of the city .I have no reclooection of how to gaet into the chamber ,this could be that very passage but I am not sure.It wont do any harm to try the ring ,will it ?