Hunt for the Palantíri RPG

[Child of the 7th Age]

The Elven camp was gradually pulling into shape. Several firepits had been dug and wood collected to start a cheerful blaze. Pots of thick meat soup and kettles of herb tea had been suspended over the pits and were merrily bubbling as they cooked.

Most importantly, the healers bustled about the camp tending to the needs of the wounded. Marreth's arrow had only slightly grazed the flesh of his arm, yet he was grateful for Rôg's insistence that he have the healer apply her soothing herbs. In truth, the wound hurt more than he'd expected, While he kept his thoughts to himself, the strained look on his face attested to the stinging pain that now coursed through his upper arm making it difficult to concentrate or do anything more than sit and cradle one hand in another. The healer had assured him that he would be wholy recovered in a day or two, yet for the moment he could do very little that was useful. Added to this was the grim realization that, while all the injured were expected to heal and regain their strength, they had lost five men: two Elves and three of the Lossoth volunteers.

Once the Corsairs had retreated, Luindal had circled back to the Bay and gathered a large bucket of ice both for himself and the others who were wounded, since this seemed to provide some remedy for the stinging pain. Glancing around the Bay, Luindal noted that three of their casualties had been swept away by the swift currents when the men had slipped into the deep waters, but two of the bodies remained stretched out on the ice. Burial was not possible given the frozen tundra, and a large burning funeral pyre was apt to attract too much attention from the Corsairs. Luindal decided to ask his companions to gather up the bodies and strap them onto one of the reindeer's sledge so the Lossoth could be returned to his kin and the Elf given a suitable memorial.

Returning to the encampment with his bucket, Luindal distributed chunks of the ice and then beckoned Carrandu over to his side, thanking him for his parting shot at the Corsair Captain, "Perhaps I've misjudged you, for you've at least given Marreth something to think about . When we get back to camp, we'll summon the Elders and hold a hearing to try and figure out exactly what happened on the ice today. If you'd like, you are welcome to speak on your own behalf to clear your name fully. Meanwhile, we'll keep Alahseey tied up. Get someone to help Freyn watch her, as he will need his share of sleep. Do it yourself if you like, or find another. I have already stationed guards on the perimeter of camp to warn us against any Corsair visitors, but I believe that will not happen now. I had actually thought to leave tonight, but I see no way to do that until the men have rested. We will rise early in the morning and make our way to the ship. Let the men know what will happen."

With that Luindal leaned back on his pallet. feeling that he had gone a way to mend fences with Carrandu. Lying flat on his back, with his arm supported by a block of ice, the Elf nodded to Rôg to come over, telling him of his plans, and then added, "One more thing...I've had enough of this searching on land. We are finding nothing and I feel like a duck out of water. From now on we will be heading into the Bay itself. Give me two days to heal and I swear I will find those blasted Stones if we have to swim from one end of this half-frozen Bay to the other. "

[Regin Hardhammer]

It was late at night, but Marreth did not intend to camp on this frozen sheet of ice until the morning. The wind howled and a violent blizzard had whipped up which saw snow descending heavily around his men. He could not wait until he could return to his comfortable, warm quarters, away from this frigid wilderness. There was no time for burying the dead, and the wounded must be readied for transport. In addition to the abominable weather conditions, Marreth wanted to resume his search immediately for the Palantiri. The Captain wanted to insure that Luindal and his Elves did not get there ahead of the Corsairs.

“We’re leaving now mates,” he announced to his crew as the heavy wind wiped his brown cloak, “We best get back to the ship before we all freeze to death. It’s a long trek, I know. But it’s better than sitting and freezing here.” On the way back, Marreth reflected on the shot that had nearly missed piercing Luindal’s chest. Curse that infernal wind that had knocked the arrow into the side of the Elf’s arm. If only he could get one more chance to do the job, Marreth felt sure that he would succeed. He was still nursing a minor cut he had received from one of the Elves, but he was convinced that Luindal's wound was giving him more pain.

When the Corsairs returned to the ship after an all night trudge, Marreth felt relieved and slightly sullen, still mulling over his missed opportunity. Cold and exhausted, his arm aching slightly. he flopped down on his bed. It felt like a furnace in contrast to the freezing winds outside. Before drifting off to sleep, Marreth began to ponder where exactly he would look for the Palantiri next.

[Arry]

‘Brother, there is something very strange going on here.’

Annû nodded his head in agreement with Carandû, then raised his brows. ‘I’d like to agree with you, but perhaps you can fill me in a little more,’ he said. ‘I’m not quite sure what it is you’re getting at.’ Carandû smiled up at his brother and shook his own head. ‘Little brother, always by my side . . .’ He handed his bowl to Annû. ‘Speaking of “filling in”, I think I need a bit more in my belly. How about you?’

Carandû spoke no more of his concerns until the meal was done. Then he motioned for Annû to take a little walk with him. When they had gone a little ways from the rest of the group, Carandû broke the silence. ‘You know the Captain never really said why I was assigned to reindeer duty and was kept out of the main part of the action. There was some suspicion on his part . . . but about what I don’t know. And now it seems there is a shift in focus, someone else is under suspicion. And once again the reason is unclear to me.’ He glanced over to where the guard he’d set was watching over the Lossoth woman.

‘It’s no suspicion, brother,’ Annû replied, his gaze also falling on Alahseey. ‘Have you not heard? We almost lost Galhardir.’

‘His rope broke; he was pulled into the water. I know that much . . .’ Carandu said.

‘Not broke, Carandû . . . I’ve heard the rope was severed . . . with her axe,’ Annû whispered, nodding toward the prisoner. ‘She stood up with it in her hand. A lot of Elves and Lossoth saw her.’

Carandû’s brow furrowed as he tried to reconstruct that time just before the Corsairs attacked. His brother’s reconstruction of the events did not ring true for him. He was above and to the side of where the searchers were. He remembered checking Annû’s line from that distance – it was tied to a tree and ran out to his brother’s group without break. He’d looked quickly at the others’ ropes, too. Nothing had struck him as out of the ordinary. And the axe . . . that was it! Someone he’d glanced at had had an axe in her hand . . . a woman . . .

‘Listen, Annû . . . I don’t think it was her . . .’

The conversation came to a halt as the brothers heard someone’s steps behind them. It was one of the other Elves. He’d come to tell Carandû that the Captain’s request had been seen to. The crew and their Lossoth companions would be ready at dawn to return to the ship. ‘We’ve cleared one of the sleds for the wounded,’ he continued. ‘The other,’ he said looking away for a moment, ‘we will use to bring back the fallen.’

Annû and his brother returned to the camp beneath the trees. Carandû had promised Freyn he would take over watch of the prisoner while the Lossoth took some rest. Perhaps he could speak with Alahseey then . . . she must feel as confused as he had . . .

[piosenniel]

Rôg stayed with Luindal for a while, talking over the Captain’s change in plans for continuing the search. ‘I think you’re right in switching where we should be hunting for the palantiri,’ Rôg said. ‘We’ve had no luck on land . . . and if you remember, I had an idea about how we could go about finding and bringing them up. Of course, you’ll need to have full use of that arm of yours.’ Rôg chuckled and was about to make some joke when he heard a strange sound. The herbal tea that Freyn had given Luindal to ease the pain had taken effect it seemed and much to the skinchanger’s surprise, the Elf had fallen asleep and was snoring. He covered the Captain with a thick fur and left him to his dreams.

The wounded had been treated by the healers and all the company had filled their bellies with good food and hot tea. Rôg could see the guards that Luindal had set about the perimeter of the camp, their weapons in hand, eyes alert to any dangers. He felt secure as he marked their presence. And there was Carandû he noted, keeping watch over the prisoner. A thought niggled at the back of his mind as he saw the Elf talking to the Lossoth elder. Something he meant to remember before the Corsairs had attacked. He tried to review the sequence of events, but his thoughts were muzzy, his mind and body dead tired from the exertions of the day. He gave up trying to remember and headed off for some rest, himself.

~*~

Rôg was late in getting up the next day. The Elves were up and about, already getting everything and everyone ready to go back to the ship. Luindal was overseeing the move and looking as if he felt much better, though from time to time his hand strayed to his injured arm, rubbing it. The group tramped further down the beach to where the longboats could come in close to the shore. Then, the wounded were loaded into the boats first and taken back to the ship.

Last to go was Luindal who stayed to make sure everyone had gotten off the beach. As a measure of respect for the fallen he came back in the last boat, behind which trailed the smaller craft that bore the bodies of the dead.

[Orofaniel]

Feeling all better, Galhardir was exceedingly happy to be back at the ship. Last night had been a night without much sleep, and he was no left alone in his cabin to rest. Even though he wasn't completely healed, he felt much better. He didn't remember as much as he wanted from the events of yesterday, though. He did remember being lost on the ice, not able to find Luindal. He also remembered the horror he had felt. He shuddered. He didn't believe he had ever been that frightened in his whole life. But the rest of it was very faint to him. The reason he had been lost on the ice however, he remembered too well; his rope. The end that Hilde and Alahseey was supposed to hold was suddenly just in front of him. Speaking of that, it had been quite short, which meant that it had been cut of just before he noticed it himself. He wondered if it really had been an accident or if....Paranoia wasn't his way of dealing with things. He let it go, as he tried to recall the events that had happened later on. He remembered that he had cried for help. Yes, he remembered that pretty well. No answer had come though, which had made him even more insecure and frightened than he had been before. The next things that followed were....Oh, yes, the ice. The ice had suddenly started to move. The ice had all of a sudden been torn apart underneath his feet....Thinking about this, he realised that everything after that was in fact, missing. A big black hole in his memory. How could he fill it? He wanted to remember. He closed his eyes again as he lay in his bed. Focusing on the lost memories he once again managed to pull threads from the previous events. He had in fact managed to escape from that particularly trap; it had been another one who had almost killed him.

Although these were only faint thoughts, he knew that this was in fact what had happened. Even thought his mind didn't fully remember it, his body did. But how had that hole he'd jumped into gotten there? He couldn't recall seeing any such holes in the ice from earlier adventures. Such holes just didn't exist. It was different if the ice had done it all by itself, meaning that the water beneath it had been moving, causing the ice to stir. This was different. Such a hole he had jumped into couldn't have been caused by the water beneath it. It just couldn't. How could this be?

The knocking on the door surprised him, as he had gotten a strict message of Luindal to stay in his bed, preferably, undisturbed. But as he saw his nephew, Rodhal running in, he was delighted to see him. "Uncle!" He gasped as he approached the bed. "My dear Rodhal," Galhardir said feeling his heart beat faster. "I was wondering when you were going to pay your old uncle a visit..." he then said, smiling at the young boy. The boy giggled, as he found a chair, seating himself just next to Galhardir's bed. "Luindal told me that you needed some rest, so I told him I’d just visit you later on...But then I saw you through the cabin window, and you were awake...I just thought I'd see how you were feeling, that’s all," Rodhal then said, looking a bit worried about his uncle health. "Oh, how thoughtful of you. Luindall was right, I did need some rest, but I've rested long enough now. I could use some company too you know," Galhardir said as he pulled the quilt over himself. “It’s is in fact, the best medicine, or at least that’s what they say…”

“So, how are you then uncle?” Rodhal asked innocently.

"I still have a bit of a fever, and a few scratches from the falls I've experienced over the last days," Galhardir said, looking at Rodhal again. "Yes, they did tell me," he muttered, pointing at Galhardir's face. He hadn't noticed it himself, but he had gotten himself a big scratch on his left cheek along with some dry blood. "Are you sure you're alright, uncle?" Rodhal then said full of sympathy. "Yes, I'm sure. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine..." Galhardir said, leaning over to give Rodhal a hug.

"Alright then, uncle. I'll go so you can rest some more. Annû told me that I shouldn't stay too long at a time. I could rather come visit you later on. Is that alright?" He asked as he got up from the chair. "Of course Rodhal!" Galhardir said, smiling as widely as he could. He could feel the pain from the scratch however, preventing him of making his smile look convincing.

Just when Rodhal was about to open the door and leave, Galhardir asked him if he could ask Annû and Carandû to pay him a visit. "If they'd be so kind.. I would be very grateful."

[Niluial]

Elwë was happy back in his cabin. He now enjoyed and appreciated the warmth of his room and the soft bed he slept on much more than before. He did not at all enjoy camping out in the ice cold snow, on the hard, numbing ground. He also felt safer on the ship, not so vulnerable. The knot and anxiety that once sat in his stomach for long was almost gone. Of course he did still feel slightly uneasy. They are out there, we saw what they did today. I may be worried about myself, but Andtuariel… she is more vulnerable. I love here, I really do. Elwë stood up suddenly, curious as to where Andtuariel had actually gone to.

He walked down the long corridor, observant of many things he had never noticed before; a crack on the walls, a few painting of a rough sea and a few others and also ornaments in glass cabinets. He looked ahead and Andtuariel stood talking to a Lossoth, smiling ever so sweetly. Elwë gestured for Andtuariel to come to him. He watched her walk towards him. Her sunflower yellow dress danced about her legs as she walked and her hair was slightly messy, though it still looked perfect.

“I wonder what did happen to Galhardir yesterday, it is all very dodgy if you asked me.” Andtuariel said to Elwë. He watched her eyes, they were filled with curiosity and mischief-ness.

“It would be better for us to stay out of it. I would like to know too. I heard Annu talking about it too. I heard that someone cut the ropes and it wasn’t just an accident!”

“Very odd. I wonder who it is.”

[Arry]

Annû was in the galley fixing himself a cup of hot tea when Rodhal wandered in. The boy’s face lit up when he saw the Elf, and he called out Annû’s name. ‘Well, look who’s here,’ said Annû, waving the boy closer. The Elf drew him close to his side with an arm about his shoulders, ruffling Rodhal’s hair as he asked the boy did he want a cup of tea, also. Rodhal nodded his head ‘yes’, asking if there were any honey left to sweeten it. Annû laughed, and brought out the big pot of honey in the cupboard. ‘You’ve as big a sweet-tooth as my brother!’ Rodhal watched with wide eyes as the Elf scooped up a heaping teaspoon of honey and stirred it into the tea.

‘Hey! Did I hear someone saying something bad about me?’ Carandû grumbled coming in through the entryway. He had just finished changing his clothes and was in the process of pulling a thick tunic over his head. Annû held out a mug of steaming tea to his brother, whose nose wrinkled in distaste as he took a sip. ‘Where’s the honey? You know I like two spoonsful!’ He helped himself to more sweetener, frowning as both Rodhal and Annû laughed. The joke explained, Carandû laughed, too, shaking his head at his brother.

‘Are you two busy right now?’ Rodhal asked, blowing on his tea to cool it.

‘Well, no, actually. Did you have something in mind?’ Annû said, pouring himself a little more tea.

‘My uncle would like to see you two. He told me so.’ Rodhal looked hopefully at the two Elves. ‘He’s still awake. I just saw him not too long ago.’

‘Pour another mug of tea, Annû,’ Carandû said, rustling through one of the cupboards. ‘We’ll bring Galhardir a cup and share some of these.’ Carandû pulled out a plate of nutbread slices from the back of the cupboard.

The three walked slowly back to Galhardir’s room, taking care not to spill the mugs of tea. Rodhal opened the door when they got there and peeked his head in. ‘Uncle,’ he said, a smile on his face, ‘look who’s come with me!’