[Child of the 7th Age]

Far away from the Shire and its festivities, a solitary figure in a hooded cloak trudged along the North Road. Ahead of him lay the city of Fornost. It was quickly apparent to the traveler that Fornost had seen better times. There was a dingy tavern and a large central square where only a few drifting peddlers paraded their wares.

Most of the inhabitants of the city were men, descendents of the Edain who had built the great walled burg almost 800 years before after the division of Arnor into three separate kingdoms. But, here and there, scattered about the streets was an occasional dwarf or Elf, and even one or two of the little folk who called themselves the Kud-dukan. It was to this latter group that the traveler belonged.

Fornost was located in the southern foothills of the North Downs within the region called Eriador. To the south and west flowed the Branda-nin River which meant "border-water" in old hobbitish. The river itself was a rich golden brown. Because of this, and also on account of the goodly brew served along its banks in towns like Bree and Staddle, some folk had taken to calling it "Bralda-him or "heavy ale." The traveler had no quarrel with that. But he did dislike those kuduk who, aping after Elvish ways and words, had renamed the waters Baranduin or, even worse, in some totally new fangled tongue, Brandywine.

The traveler made his way towards the solitary tavern. The wooden sign over the door proclaimed it as the "Numenor Arms," a rather grand name for such an old, dilapidated building. The kuduk pushed his way inside and looked about for those he was supposed to meet. Just as he had ordered an ale and turned around to sit down, three others of his kind made their way into the room. The leader raised his hand in greeting, and bellowed out a welcome to the traveler, "It's been a long time, Perry." The two men embraced. "You look well," he continued. "What have you been up to? Do you bring any news from outside?"

Perry slid himself down onto the wooden bench, then slowly stretched out his legs, first one and then the other. He seemed to be taking as much time as possible to adjust his frame so that the suspense would continue on a bit longer. Then, he lowered his head, and said in a quiet voice, "News? I've got news a' plenty. But whether to laugh or cry at it, I am not yet sure." The four put their heads together and began to converse in earnest.

[ August 27, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]