Last Hope for Moria RPG

[Imladris]

[b] Balin [b]

The elvish circle broke before the dwarves as they rushed into the depths of the forest, leaving bruised and unconscious elves in their wake. Balin turned, and shouted, “Tell your flower crowned King Thranduil that’s thanks for the last time the dwarves passed through his dreary forest!” With a loud laugh, he turned and followed the dwarves through the forest. “Slow it down, lads!” he called. “Old Mirkwood has a knack at taking the strength out of one. Besides, wouldn’t want this to look like a retreat when we beat them fair and square, but they’ll probably say they won.”

Taking his place at the head of the column, besides Ori, Floria, and Alrik, Balin said, “There, Flori, I told you I wouldn’t create trouble.” He flashed them a smug smile and then broke out into a dwarvish marching tune.

They tramped through the forest for several days, passing as quickly as they could underneath the murky darkness. At night, there were always two dwarves on guard, though they only saw glowing green eyes flicker and glow in the darkness. On the third day, when they saw thick, sticky spider strands clinging languidly to the rough bark. Balin shuddered and eyed Ori and Oin nervously. They merrily buttoned their lips and increased the pace.

He once thought he saw a slim, slightly glowing body, vanish between the trees, but he couldn’t be sure. He narrowed his eyes and stroked his beard, but then decided that the elf, if that is what it was, was nothing. He could not bring them all single handedly to Thranduil’s halls.

Suddenly, Balin paused and said, “I thought that we’d be through the forest by now.” Behind him, Mali gave a satisfied snort.

“In other words, we’re lost,” Ori said with a sigh.

Balin bit his lip, peered up into the branches and said, “Yes we are.”

[mark12_30]

Thorgeleb
Thorgeleb smiled sadly as Balin's words reached his ears. Yes, he thought, they were indeed lost. With all their bluster, they were pitiable, in their own pathetic way.

He sighed. They'd end up going in circles, or providing breakfast for the spiders. And then he'd be late for his wedding. Not good.

He swung his heels idly while the dwarves argued below.

Lîs

Lîs had stayed on the fringe of the group ever since she and Balin had had their encounter. She was feeling very chagrined about the whole thing, and tried to behave more like a responsible older soldier and not a rascally young one. The trouble was, she was young. Jewellry was her first passion, of course; but she also liked mischief. If only she could have clobbered somebody besides Balin. Anybody besides Balin.

Round and round her thoughts went, making her feel more and more alienated from the group. She wandered the perimeter of the group again, looking outward, restless. She put more and more distance between her and the group, til she barely had them in sight. Then she stopped. No good wandering off and getting lost, she thought; even though Balin had gotten them lost, at least they were all lost together... She stood in the dark and listened to bits of the argument that came her way.

"There's no sense going on if we don't know where we're going."

"Let's backtrack, then."

"How will we do that if we don't know which way is back and which way is forward!"

The argument went on. Lîn stood under a large tree trying not to worry. The darkness closed in around her, and she imagined webs, and spider-feet. She looked up at the branches above her, and saw a faint glimmer; two faint glimmers. A pair of eyes! she realised with a nasty start. She shrank against the tree, clutching the handle of her axe. But she looked again; and saw heels swinging and kicking in sheer boredom. An elvish face looked down from the tree.

It took several deep breaths before her fear subsided enough that she could whisper, "Why, hello, Silver Eagle. How pleasant to find you here."

Thorgeleb whispered back, "Hello, and well-met, Opal Setter. It would seem that your illustrious leader has gotten lost."

Lîn replied with a wry nod, and the elf smiled. "I don't suppose he'd consider asking for directions, " Thorgeleb said.

"It's not a dwarvish strong point," agreed Lîn.

"Well, I am glad you are an axe-wielder and not an archer; you mistook me for a spider, did you not?"

Lîn smiled, and waved her axe at him. He smiled back.

The argument between Balin and Flori continued, and they listened, the elf's eyes twinkling merrily in the darkness.

[Nilpaurion Felagund]

"Now that was a fight." Flói was gushing before Nali. Did you see the way I felled Thorgeleb like a tree? Serves him right for daring to challenge the helm I wrought."

"The first time one encounters combat is quite memorable."

"Will you tell me your first experience in combat?"

Nali smiled, and remained silent.

[Imladris]

“Well this is a fine, sizzling frying pan we’re in,” Flori snapped. “I may not have actually been here when you and Ori and the others were in Mirkwood, but Ori told me plenty about it and it’s not good! Balin, we could die out here!”

Balin brushed the comment aside and retorted, “Nonsense. The chances of dying are not great…at least I’d imagine they’re not. If you don’t believe me, you can ask Mali to compute the odds for you. And while you’re at it, why don’t you call a meeting.”

Flori, bursting with unprintable comments, swung on his heal and made his way to the dwarves who were clustered together in nervous groups. Balin counted them, and noticed that Lîn was missing. With a frown that broke his forehead into gnarled creases, he went some ways away from the general assembly of dwarves and called, “Lîn! Lîs!”

There was a snapping of twigs and she appeared, dead leaves clinging to her false beard. He stared at her for a moment: her eyes flicked from his own to the ground and back again as she edged away from him. Balin stroked his beard. What is the matter with her? It’s as if she’s avoiding me. A sudden grin flashed on his face and he said, “Lînsie! Are you still worried about that punch?”

“I didn’t mean to hit you,” she said, “I would never purposely show you disrespect!”

“I know, Lînsie,” he said, as they walked back to the camp together. They walked in silence for a few moments before he said, “You do know we’re lost, don’t you? But a few expert calculations from the expertise of Mali should hopefully set us straight again.:

Lînsie nodded, but her lips buttoned into a thin line. Balin sighed. “Yes, I know you probably think we shouldn’t have gone through Mirkwood, but it had to be done.”

Her cocked an eyebrow at that and said, “It’s bad business quarrelling with prospective employers.”

“The elves know we have the best jewel setters and cutters this side of the mountain,” Balin retorted. “If they wish to loose quality because of a quarrel caused over a stupid formality, it’s not our fault.”

“It’s still bad business,” she protested.

By this time they had reached the other dwarves and Balin cried, “As you all probably know by now, we’re lost, but we may be able to find our way through. However, I’d like to hear your opinion about how to go about doing that before I make any drastic decisions.”

[The Perky Ent]

The pleasant talks were all too short
and because we weren't hiding in a fort,
we went all out, and i called one a wort.
they fired their slim clean arrows,
and I wish i was far off in the Barrows,
but all of a sudden the fighting stopped
and then we stood with our axes dropped.
And we agreed on a way to get us through
the forests of Mirkwood, wet with dew.
The through the green we staggered as we walked
and all the way, nothing but talk,
But then the forest grabbed our minds
and on our schedule we were behind,
for we were lost.
And so now we wander
alone and sad
but something tells me we will soon be glad

[Carlas]

It was dark in the deep hall where many of the orcs stood crowded together. Even the torches did not give enough light for any man to see more than a few meters in every direction, but the orcs of Moria were used to the dark. Their large eyes probed the crowd, catching even the faintest ray of light.

Most of the orcs stood, grumbling about how coming had been a waste of time or fighting amongst themselves as always. It was nearly impossible to have a large group of orcs and not have any fighting, especially while the Chief and his more loyal soldiers were days away, on the other side of Moria. Most had thought it quite strange that he had left, he had always preferred to remain down at this end, but after awhile most just dismissed it and took advantage of the opportunity to do what they pleased. It had been quite chaotic for the past couple of days, but Gorzag had done his job and everyone, or mostly everyone had shown up for the meeting.

Nazklash stood silently against the wall, looking out over the group. He was excited to show the others what an exceptional leader he would be, and how he would not keep them all in here to rot away, but have them go around attacking villages and really have some fun. He could just imagine himself before a cheering group of orcs, yet…he was a little worried. Many of the larger orcs had never looked kindly upon him, they had more than once tried to kill him, but he had always been able to trick them into thinking he had run one way, while he had really gone another. This time though, if they did not want to follow him, there would be too many for him to get away.

Lugnush walked over and looked down at Nazklash, telling him it was time they should start. Nazklash nodded and the two walked over to the front of the company, and climbed up onto a large stone that had fallen from the wall. Nazklash smiled to himself as he got up and looked over the large group before raising his hands and shouting out into the great hall.

“Orcs of Moria!” He bellowed loudly. The room slowly became silent as the orcs looked over, curious to see why such a small orc was standing before them. “ We’ve been stuck ‘ere in this ‘ole for way too long, sent to keep watch out for trespassers that’ll never come! Why? Cause ‘a the Chief. He sits around all day and doesn’t do nothin, an makes us run around doing his bidding! He’s no good, and we ‘ave to get rid of him!”

A large orc near the front starting laughing a deep throaty laugh. He was covered in scars and gashes and even though he was laughing, he did not seem amused. “An you think yer the one to lead us, eh? What makes ya think we’ll follow you!”

Nazklash glared down at the orc. “Ya think you can lead? Leaders need to ‘ave brains, unlike the most of you! You couldn’t lead a group from one end of this hall to the other!” The orc below growled loudly and started to push through the orcs infront of him, but was stopped by a much taller orc. This orc wasn’t covered in scars like the other, but he looked just as tough and maybe even stronger.

“If yer so much smarter than the rest ‘o us, what’re yer plans for killing the Chief?” Nazklash smiled, barring his large, pointed teeth. “The plans simple really, but if ya don’t do it right, all of ya will be dead when the chief gets ‘is hands on you! But if ya follow me, we won’t ‘ave to stay in this dump any longer!” Nazklash looked out over the group as the orcs started to talk amongst themselves.

[Saraphim]

"Oi! Balin!" said Narin loudly, causing the entire company to turn to him. "I don't see that there's anything to discuss. Aughtn't we simply retrace our steps and look for the path again? We gave those pointy-eared elven girlies something to think about, and I don't think the'll be back without reinforcements, which I don't see happening before we get out of this accursed forest."

Some of the dwarves murmered in agreement, especially at the phrase accursed forest, and bgan to argue once more among themselves and with Balin, but not all.

One whispered something to his friend that sounded slightly like unenlightened warmonger. Narin elbowed his way over to him, lifted him up by the collar, and said:

"Do you like the look of my face, laddie?"

The young dwarf looked at the scarred and bruised face of Narin and shooked his head violently.

"That is simply too bad. Because if I ever catch you talking about me, or any one of your elders like that again, I will make your nose even more off center than mine."

He dropped the unfortunate dwarf in a clang of chain mail, and turned around. Narin knew, beneath his blazing temper, that he would have to pay for his actions, but his anger was assauged a bit to know that the uppity dwarf was still quivering.