Hunt for the Palantíri RPG

[Regin Hardhammer]

Marreth watched and listened as the Elves passed out of the large cavern into the side tunnels, their footsteps leaving behind an eerie echo through the empty chamber. Even with my coat, it’s still freezing cold in here, he grumbled. One by one the Elves passed by Marreth’s hiding spot, completely oblivious to the Corsair who crouched in the shadows.

So, the Lossoth had been telling the truth after all. Marreth decided he would reward the shadowy figure for being of use to the expedition. Of all the places to look, he would never have imagined that the fools would choose to search in the Cave of the Dead. Gleefully, Marreth saw them stumble and grope through the darkly lit cave. One or two seemed to have sustained minor injury. Foolish immortals, scoffed Marreth, their pretty little faces will all be bloodied and bruised.

After a moment spent relishing the Elven misfortune, Marreth turned his attention back to the reason he had actually come here: to have his men spy on their enemies. He had already learned a number of things. The group was definitely searching for the Stones but had yet to unearth anything of use. He had also found out that their captain's name was Luindal, a tall and gangly fellow who appeared strangely calm.

His men had already apprised him of the numbers in the cave. At the present moment, the Elves outnumbered them by seven or eight. With the numbers being against him, Marreth was quite glad he had decided not to attack the group outright, but to pursue a more subtle approach by keeping his own intentions hidden.

The newcomers were relatively well armed, bearing an assortment of things that could be used as weapons: torches, daggers, short swords, and pick axes. A few of the group were not Elves at all, but Snowmen, like the ones Marreth had working for him. He did not harbor the same ill feelings for the Snowmen as he did for the Elves or Gondorians. But, if these foolish Lossoth chose to side with the enemy, they would have to be discarded as well. These fools might have been rewarded if they had aided the Corsairs. Now, their fate was sealed.

Hearing a suspicious rustling on the ledge next to his own, Marreth rapidly turned about. To his horror, one of the crew had pulled out a knife and was about to jump out and slit the throat of an Elf passing by. Moving decisively out of the shadows, Marreth forcibly restrained the crew member, clapping a hand tightly over his mouth. Although enraged, Marreth controlled his temper for fear of being heard. He had heard tales of the sharp hearing of Elves and did not wish to test their validity.

Moving to a farther corner of the cave away from the stream of Elves, Marreth grabbed the man by his neck and whispered commandingly, “You fool! What do you think you were doing? Trying to get us killed?”

“I am sorry my Captain. I just couldn't resist. They looked like easy targets. I could not bear lying idle and watching them prance about this hole pretending to be the masters of it. As I was spying on the vermin, a fire of hatred burned in my belly and I resolved to act."

Mareth grimaced, “Fool, I am the one giving orders here. If you had attacked, the Elves would bear down on us like a wolf on fresh meat. We must keep surprise in our favor at all costs. Don’t ever disobey me again, or you will swim with the sharks. I will deal with your lapse when we get out of this cave. And do not think my mind so feeble as to forget it!”

“No Captain, of course not Captain.” The man cringed submissively and slunk silently away.

Although the deed was reckless, Marreth understood the impulses that drove his crewman to act. He had also felt the urge to attack and humiliate the Elves. The only difference was that he possessed enough discipline to control his actions. His men, however, were growing restless. He would have to act soon, or they would get out of control. The only question was what course of action would bring the results that they needed.

[Imladris]

Jynne listened to the elves as they worked, listened to the leader tell them how the Stones looked. And he realized that the Corsair's job could be so simple. As he heard the elves and Snowman scrabble down one of the side caverns, leaving the main cavern, he slithered from his ledge of rocks and slipped into the shadows, seeking for the captain.

As he crept along the rocks, he heard a sharp whispering. "Don’t ever disobey me again, or you will swim with the sharks. I will deal with your lapse when we get out of this cave. And do not think my mind so feeble as to forget it!”

Clinging to the cavern wall as if he had become one with the shadows, he slipped around a jutting crag and saw the captain with his hand gripped around a fellow crewman's neck. A thin smile flickered upon his face.

“No Captain, of course not Captain.” The man cringed submissively and slunk silently away.

"Captain," Jynne whispered softly, "why should we crawl around like blind worms when the sun shines?"

"What?" asked Marreth.

"Why not let these...elves look for them? The caves --" he guestured up towards the cavern ceiling -- "are old. They are crumbling. There could be a...natural...disaster," he added silkily. "The elves would become trapped...hopefully they will find the Stones before they realize their peril...we would wait until the filth had died and then uncover the treasure within. And if the elves did not manage to add the Stones," he added, "then we will find them ourselves without our steps being dogged."

[Arry]

Annû snorted as Rôg took off. ‘Captain’s orders, eh?! We’ll see about that.’ He held his torch up high looking to see where Luindal might have gone. Carandû hauled his arm down, hissing that perhaps he ought to think twice before he go taking up Rôg’s directive with the Captain. ‘It’s your own fault you banged your head. I do know you were standing right next to me when the Captain ordered us all to have helmets on.’ He hauled his brother in the general direction that Rôg had indicated. Galhardir followed along with them.

In a few moments, the two Elves and their companion Lossoth stood before a bemused older man. Freyn, the Lossoth said in way of introduction. He held his torch closer to see their injuries. Carandû laughed as the healer fingered the goose-egg bump on his brother’s head. ‘We didn’t find the globe the Captain’s looking for,’ he chortled a bit when Annû winced as Freyn’s fingers found a particularly tender spot. ‘But I must say I think my brother gets the prize for bringing back a globe of his own.’

[Regin Hardhammer]

Regin's post - Marreth

Marreth gazed at Jynne with a glint in his eye, “Yes. I think a little “natural disaster” would be a very good idea. And I’d be exceedingly glad to get out of this cramped, freezing hole. We must gather all the men and climb onto the ledge overlooking the entrance of the cave. The sooner we spring our trap the better. We can do no more spying here for the Elves have moved into the side passages.”

Giving Jynne a short, appreciative nod,, Marreth crept noiselessly toward the entrance of the cave, gathering groups of his men along the way, until all the crew stood outside the entrance. He said to them, “Mates, I have a plan to get back at those vile Elves. We will trap them inside by sealing the cave off with rocks. Best of all, no one will suspect that we are the culprits. Follow me.” Marreth led his crew in scaling the distance up to the ledge, accompanied by the ship’s officers at his side. The ascent was not long or difficult, thanks to the many protruding rocks adorning the opening’s facing.

While at the top, Marreth stopped and waited for his crew to join him. They made their way up the face of the hillside cliff one-by-one. When several had gathered, he began, “The plan is to push the rocks on the ledge onto the ground below, making it look like a rockslide, so that the Elves are not suspicious. When they try to get out they will be trapped. So…there are some large boulders here and we will need to work together. Who will help me push these rocks down?”

With that invitation, Marreth began pushing up a nearby boulder with a sturdy crowbar, hoping to pry it loose.

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Rinfanawen’s post

It's been no use spying on these Elves, Diera thought. They had been waiting and watching for what seemed like hours, but nothing was to be seen. They don't even look to be good at searching in the first place. Who would send an Elf to do a mortal's job? Suddenly she caught herself, realizing the words that entered her mind. What am I saying? She said in her mind. I should be glad the Elves have not found the stones. I want to find them first! They belong only in the hands of my captain at this present moment. Quickly her thoughts were interrupted by the quiet sound of an arguing voice in the distance.

Diera turned to gain Jynne's attention, but he was already near the floor of the cave, walking in the shadows.

“Jynne,” Diera whispered to her shipmate. “What if it's an Elf?”

Whether by choice or lack of hearing the comment, Jynne did not answer. He clung tightly to the wall of the cavern, hidden within the dark shadows around. Diera listened quietly to the voice in the distance. She breathed deeply in relief. It is but Marreth approaching, she sighed in thought. Diera began her descent from her hiding place to find the Captain already near, and speaking with Jynne.

“There could be a...natural...disaster,” suggested Jynne.

Diera already loved the idea. A cave-in would be perfect, she thought, listening to the rest of the proposal. Finally, a little action, and we are going to obliterate those immortal villains.

The captain seemed to agree, though he did not know her thought. “The sooner we spring our trap the better,” he has said. Diera smiled at the remark. She followed her crew out of the caves, and to the entrance from which they had come. Marreth began to address the Corsairs.

“Mates, I have a plan to get back at those vile Elves,” he spoke. “We will trap them inside the cave by sealing the cave off with rocks. Best of all, no one will suspect that we are the culprits. Follow me.”

[Taralphiel]

Freyn kept his chuckle inward as he saw two Elves and a man approach to be tended to. He nodded to them, saying “My name is Freyn, and I’m the man left with tending to you. Let’s see what we have here…”

As he prodded gingerly one Elf’s crown, the other chuckled at him and said “We didn’t find the globe the Captain’s looking for, but I must say I think my brother gets the prize for bringing back a globe of his own.” Freyn let escape a laugh, and added “Aye, that ye did, but I wager it could have been a deal worse. These caves are quite hard to make any way through…”

Freyn applied a cloth, soaked in a sweet-smelling leaf, and wrapped a loose bandage over it, clucking a little “Well, it looks rather awkward, but with a helmet on, it should help it heal up and stop any more bumps coming up, if you follow…”

He turned and looked at the group, seeing that maybe his helped could be needed on one other. But, scratching his head, he smiled and said rather sheepishly “I did not quite catch your names…”