The Great Golden Hoard Game Thread

[Thinlómien]

Thin-Gloomy sat on a huge rock, hugging himself and singing to himself on a low voice, and shuddered. He was still gripping his crossbow tightly, though the fight had ended nearly an hour ago.

They hadn't killed him because he had climbed to the rock and threatened to shoot them with his bow. They had agreed to take his things and leave him be. They hadn't wanted to risk even one of them to die for such a poor price as Thin-Gloomy's cheap gear. So Thin-Gloomy still had his life. But that was not much.

He kept his eyes closed. He didn't need to look to know that they had taken everything. Probably every single thing he had had. He wailed. Property was everything for a dwarf, even for a poor one.

Now get up, you miserable creature, he told himself. Get up, you disgusting little crooked monster. Slowly, he lifted his head and looked around.

It was not as bad as he would have expected. His little camp was destroyed. They had taken his tent, his utensils, his cooking gear, his recommendation papers (though with the recommendations he had that was not a great loss), his little wooden flute... Everything. He wailed again.

I don't have anything, I'm lost, I'll die, everything is worse than it ever has been, I knew it'd come to this... He lifted his hand to tear his beard in anguish and dropped the crossbow. I still have the crossbow, he realised. It's better to die, even by starving, with a weapon than without one. At the same moment he understood that he was not totally robbed.

He still had his quiver and ten bolts. His hand found his big knife on his belt. He had a belt! And, logically, if he had a belt he had still his purse! He was not that poor after all!

Thin-Gloomy hopped off the stone, a bit less gloomy than a while ago.

He should have learned never to hop so carelessly. He landed badly. His back was on fire. He swore.

After a few minutes he got up. His happiness was gone even more swiftly than it had come. He searched his camp through to see if they had left him anything. This is in vain. They left nothing, he kept telling himself.

He was wrong. He found his tinderbox lying in a bush. Thin-Gloomy was glad he had left it to such a stupid place.

After a little search he found his spare clothes too. He grinned darkly. Of course they hadn't taken them. The clothes that fit Thin-Gloomy probably fit no other creature on earth.

Thin-Gloomy was an ugly creature, even for a dwarf. He was slightly malformed, short and thin. His back was a little crooked and his black beard and hair were sparse. He had small, dark and beady eyes and an unfriendly gaze.

It was no wonder he never got proper work. With his appearance, badly made and resized brown traveling clothes and his lack of training he was never the first one to be picked for an appointment. And now he didn't even have his utensils. No work for poor Thin-Gloomy, he thought and almost started to cry.

Dwarves don't cry, he heard his mother's sharp voice in his head. The same, merciless voice he had heard so many times as a child when he had come home crying and looking for comfort after being teased by the other children.

Thin-Gloomy did not cry. He walked to the little brook, which probably originated form the river Carnen. He was bowing down to fill his flask with water, when he noticed a little bottle floating on the brook. He picked it up, and he didn't know why. There was a piece of paper inside. It said:

If you are a great adventurer in your heart, leave all that you have and come. Come to Dorwinion on the banks of the Sea of Rhun. You will there embark on your life's greatest adventure, with a prize to be won. Come alone and bring with you only these things.

2 sets of clothing
2 weapons of your choice
1 length of rope
Food and water rations
1 novelty item (must not be on the above list and must be carriable)

Good Luck

With a price to be won..., Thin-Gloomy thought. His eyes were lit in delight. Never to be poor and despised again! Quickly, he packed his things up and left the place.

In the next village he used his coins to buy him food for the journey and a good rope. Then he headed for the Sea of Rhûn and the great treasure that would change his life.

[Naria]

Narleah had crept out of her village in the Misty Mountains with not one of her kin the wiser. She was not very keen on the idea of sharing the hidden loot with anyone else. So Narleah plodded on with her floppy leather hat pulled down over her forehead and a heavy knapsack lugged over her shoulder.

The sun was beating waves of heat down on her small Dwarven body, making her sweat profusely. It was at that time that she decided to take a seat under a tree that provided a small amount of reprieve. Narleah had kept a close eye on her beloved bottle and checked her pack once again, reassuring herself of its whereabouts. First she removed her extra set of clothing and food:One woolen tunic for those chilly evenings and some dried meat and flat bread for when she could not find sustenance elsewhere. "There you are," she said plucking the bottle from the bottom of her pack. She read the label, yet again, and found renewed confidence in herself. Narleah took a huge breath in and gave herself a whack on the chest with her fist. She gave a heave and a grunt and pulled herself up off the ground. She had put all of her belongings back in their respective places in her knapsack. Narleah then scooped up her weapons and looped her hatchet in its belt and with the use of her rope crosswise over her chest and back; attached the mace to it for easier transport.

Once again Narleah found herself out in the heat and wondered while puffing a piece of beard hair from her chin, what each turn would hold for her in the days to come.

[Valier]

A tall cloaked figure stood silently, hidden from the group of waiting adventurers. Stepping out of the foliage the figure approached the waiting group. Not one of the group noticed his approach, they were all preoccupied with their own thoughts and busying themselves with their tasks. He stopped and stood not ten feet from them with not a word. Suddenly one of the group, an Elf, spied the cloaked figure and before the Elf could cry a warning, the cloaked figure raised his hand palm out in a quieting gesture. The large group was instantly silent as they became aware of his presence.

Reaching up the figure uncloaked his face. There stood a majestic regal Elf.
" I am Eoln" again he raised his hand, before a protest could be sounded. "I am sent here by Berrick, he gave to me instructions that I have been paid grandly to deliver here, today, to you." He pulled from beneath his cloak a scroll of paper, tied neatly with a Golden bow. The now gathered group looked around at each other and back to the Elf.

Eoln gracefully undid the ribbon in one quick motion and unrolled the parchment and began to read.

You have come from far and wide to this spot on this day, it is not coincidence that each of you here has chosen to make this journey. You are all great adventurers. I myself could not be there, I am an old man. I have sent Eoln in my stead, he will be watching, always watching. I have given you all a list of items, I dare anyone to bring more than I asked....Eoln has a temper and I would hate to see someone robbed of all their things before the end. Now there are paths that you must follow, it is up to you which way you will go, but do not stray off the paths, for danger lurks everywhere and only on the paths can Eoln provide you all with at least some protection from the evils around you. You shall all travel alone and that is how it shall stay until the end. Beware of the race boundaries....do not travel beyond the Gray mountains or the horrid Ash mountains. You will meet and see many strange or unusual things ion your way, but be strong ands good luck, may you all travel safely and may the Best Adventurer win.

All mouths stood agape. Eoln stood silently before replacing the scroll inside his cloak. Then as suddenly as he arrived , Eoln turned on his heels and about to vanish from whence he came, when a high pitched voice shouted, "Now what?"
Eoln sighed and turned to face the group again, they all stood staring in his direction. " Now you go." he said simply. "Go? what do you mean go?" shouted a large man from the rear. " Eoln smiled, a queer sorta smile that looked as if he would erupt with laughter. "You have all now been racing for about five full minutes and since that there Dwarf is the farthest west then most of you, he is now in the lead." With that Eoln turned and was gone. Each individual looked at the nearby Dwarf who stood slightly apart, as he turned around and took off into a sprint. Every person in turn began to quickly depart. The race had begun.

[Valier]

Player List


Eomeleo

Race-Human
Location-Gondor
Weapons- Sword/Crossbow
Novelty- Golden Ocarina on chain
Clothes- Shirt, jacket, waistcoat, ruffled shirt, a splendid feathered hat.(all royal blue)


Valesseka

Race-Human
Location-Arnor
Weapons-Throwing axe/ Stave
Novelty-Brooch
Clothes-wool and leather travelling clothes


Galadster

Race-Human
Location-Rhun
Weapons- Scimitar/Short bow and quiver
Novelty-Rat tail
Clothes-Tunic and Robe


Kafkalina

Race-Ent
Location-North edge of the Old forest, East side of the Brandywine river
Weapons-Strength and height (body)
Novelty-Mallorn seeds
Clothing-Green leaves/ Autumn leaves


Glirdingo

Race-Elf
Location-Lorien
Weapons-Bow and quiver/Short sword
Novelty-Walking stick
Clothes- Deep green camouflaged clothes and a grey Elven cloak held on by a mallorn leaf pin.


Narleah

Race- SheDwarf
Location-Misty Mountains
Weapons- Mace/ Hatchet
Novelty-Over sized floppy leather hat
Clothes-Long leather jerkin, Wool coat


Novgorod

Race-human
Location-Dale
Weapons-13 Darts/beautiful Easterling Sword
Novelty-Tinderbox
Clothes-Cotton pants, red and yellow silk shirts, scarf embroidered with silver thread


Thin-Gloomy

Race-Dwarf
Location-Iron Hills
Weapons-Crossbow 10 arrows/Big knife
Novelty-Tinderbox
Clothes-Badly made brown traveling clothes


Ransley

Race-Human
Location-Arnor
Weapons-Long sword with a black streak down the middle/Silver plated short sword.
Novelty-Thick metal sheet 15x17 inchs
Clothes-Brown pants, brown boots,grey shirt, leather tunic, grey cloak,long grey robes




Day 1 has now begun. All players please pm your direction choice to me. Left, right or Straight .....You have 36hrs to complete your post.

[Nogrod]

Novgorod was used to the elves from his childhood. They had been arrogant wise-guys to him ever since. But they were beautiful, he couldn’t help his inward feelings. But this elf who declared himself to be Eoln was majestic and more shining than many of his fellows Novgorod had met during his life. Novgorod was taken aback by him.

As Eoln disappeared, Novgorod got the hint fast enough and took his sack. “We’ll see the outcome, although I can’t see the reason why these dwarves would be on the lead here”. He nodded towards the dwarves and then smiled to the others. “We may almost walk across the river, but these guys must swim. Nice to see you little folk to do your best!” With a big grin he walked into the River and started crossing it. At halfway he had to swim for some yards but then he took back to walking in the waist-deep water.

He had taken his path to the left from where they started. He wandered the miles singing the songs his mother had taught him when he was young. He was in a good mood. After the thickets that surrounded the river he started crossing the more open land with small hills decorating his way.

At noon he decided to stop for a lunch and he sat down by the hill that had a rocky outcrop. He took the biggest stone and sat on it, picking some dried meat from his sack to eat. Soon enough he noted a huge rat that was trying to hide behind a rock some two feet away from him. He reached for a small pebble to throw at the rat but managed to scare it by leaning leftwards.

The rat took a flight but happened to jar loose the rocks on the slope to slide down. In an instant there was a landslide of rocks coming over Novgorod. He had no chance of getting out of the way of the stones. His left foot was jammed under the rocks.

For a while he just cursed, trying to free his leg with no avail. Calm down, calm down... you need to use your mind here, he thought to himself and laid down with his foot stuck under the rocks. He remebered Quan-Li, the Easterling captain who had taught him so much about the ways of the world years ago. Use the power of the enemy against him – make his power work for you, he had said. How could one use a rat to turn the tables here?

Then it flashed on him. He took a piece of dried meat he was still holding on his right hand and stuffed it under the biggest boulder that was jamming his left foot. Then he ripped another piece of it, throwing it to the hole between the stones that had covered his leg. The piece of meat felt cold against his ankle he could not reach. Then he fell backwards and started playing dead. He did not move and breathed only slowly and carefully.

It took some fifteen minutes when the rat came back. It had its friends with it. Slowly they started approaching his leg, having the scent of the meat on their noses. Novgorod felt the rats running over him, some of them snapping him from the ears or nose or gnawing his thigh, but amidst all the pain, he remained silent. In the end they found the pieces of meat at his feet and started to go after them, concentrating their biting to his leg.

The host of rats tried to get to the piece of meat that he had stucked under the stone that was jamming his leg. Together the rats hoisted the boulder and as the others were turning the rocks that tied his ankle, Novgorod realised that it was his time to act. Suddenly he jumped up, just when the load of the stones had eased enough. With a quick grasp he managed to catch two rats with his hands. He turned their heads around and threw them to the ground. The others had disappeared. Only two, he thought to himself, not much, but better than nothing. He kneaded his left foot and found it being quite allright.

He skinned the two rats and made a fire. Novgorod thought he had earned that dinner.

[Thinlómien]

Thin-Gloomy swore. He shouldn't have walked straight to the field. He should have guessed that no field is as innocent as it looks like.

There were thistles. Thistles that tore clothes, scraped skin and made the passage almost impossible. They are like elves, Thin-Gloomy thought. The more he thought about his comparison the more he liked it. Elves and thistles. They both were sneaky. They both hid below grass. They both were nasty. They both tended to made a dwarf tingle. And they both had prickles.

But like elves, thistles never beat a dwarf! Thin-Gloomy decided. He looked around. The thistle bush was twenty feet all around him. Once again he hoped he was a normal, big, healthy dwarf, who could wield an axe and cut down the thistles with a few great swings. But he wasn't. He was only a skinny and malformed dwarf whose back was crooked and who would never have the strength to wield a battle axe properly.

A dwarf does not give in, Thin-Gloomy decided. Bitterness was no reason to let the thistles torture him for ever. He drew his big knife from its sheath. He gave it a glance. Heroes in tales name their weapons when they fight their first fight with the weapon. What should I name you, sir Knife? Thistle-cleaver, maybe? A poor name for the blade of a poor dwarf, he thought wryly. But he had already begun to like the name.

Thin-Gloomy lifted the Thistle-Cleaver and started to cut the thistles. It was not as easy as one could imagine. The thistles were thumb-thick and strong. A well-aimed blow might cut one, but could fail to cut one as well. Hacking at the thistles was a more certain way to destroy them, but it took time.

Slowly and firmly Thin-Gloomy hacked his way out of the bush. He had come out of there, but not as triumphantly as he had hoped. He was thirsty and tired, his clothes looked even worse than before, his skin was covered in itching scratches and his blade was blunt. He was shuddering again.

He sat down to have a pause and a well-earned rest. He took a mouthful of water. He hoped he could find water somewhere, but there was no water nearby, not even a little brook. He wished there was. Though he hated water as an element, he hated being thirsty too. And he hated the itch. He craved to pour all the water in the waterskin on himself to stop it.

Thin-Gloomy was just about to bow down and press his ear against the ground to listen if there was water beneath the ground, when a sweet scent caught his nose. He turned to see the origin of the faint smell. He did know many plants, but this one he knew. Both scent and the looks. Green, tapering leaves that sprung from the ground. He remembered the summer when huge horseflies had infested the outer Iron Hills. And he remembered aloe vera, brought by the merchants.

He picked all the leaves he found. He crushed a few of them between two small stones and put the rest of them to his bag. He spread the salve from the crushed leaves on his skin. After a while it didn't itch so much any more. He was feeling better now.

He looked down at himself. He was aware that he looked even more horrible than before. There is no one to look down at me here in the wilderness, Thin-Gloomy told himself, but couldn't help hoping that the robbers hadn't taken his sewing kit.

[THE Ka]

Kafkalina had come through fields, and now the ent had ended up in one with a tricky first face value. The grass, which was high enough to rival saplings, was not the new problem. Underneath stood hundreds of thistles, which at first stood no challenge to the ent’s tough ashen bark, but over time they quickly began to have effect. It would have been easier to think this out, if it wasn’t for the sun overhead, which caused Kafkalina to sweat, while all the leaves would rather spend a day to photosynthesize. The ent stopped for now, and gave thought to a more resourceful nature.

Ha Hmmmm! Thistles, you scourges… Most likely the last testaments to entwives’ gardens. Indeed, I am glad I didn’t join up in that great walk to these lands, teaching northern Huorns was a good change of plans. Is this a punishment, then? No, no, most likely meant for other things of more deviance. I am just an ent, covered in prickles… and half of me wants to take in the sun and just sit here…

Kafkalina searched through her bag, mostly full of entwine, it was something that was saved and eventually had a good use. Taking a bit out in her stone bowl, it helped to quench some of the thirst off for more concentration. The ent’s roots meanwhile took this as a sign that they would be standing here for a bit, and began to slowly burrow into the ground. Then, the ent noticed two things.

This ground is quite soft, far less density it would seem from river rock and sand. Hmmm, maybe walking above is not the answer, but to furrow the plants from below and make a path. It won’t be as fast as before, but patience is a specialty of mine, which I have almost forgotten. I may have never made great gardens, but we ents all have the same secrets I guess.
Wait, I thought I had prickles all over… Oh ghoulish goblin axe, my sap is running…

The ent found the familiar sight of most trees in distress, thousands of drops of sap had begun to flow from where the prickles once where. Now they were covered and flowing within the drops. Soon, Kafkalina came upon a great idea.

Even if I furrow from below, I will still have to contend with the thistle’s little arrows. Sap would help keep them from directly harming me, but they would stick to me. Wait! Ho hmmm! It does not matter how many stick, they can be a good investment later. They can offer protection I see, a sort of armor! Oh great mallorn sprouts, maybe today is a fine day for a walking…

She rummaged through her things in tow and found more entwine, taking sips here and there helped to keep the sap flowing as the ent’s roots furrowed with diligent speed ahead. As predicted, the thistles’ heads where all but decapitated once they touched the sap, and began to collect upon her bark.

What to much younger creatures would seem an eternity, Kafkalina managed to find near the end of the field some small hills where a few trees clung to them for survival. Kafkalina slowly made her way to the closest patch to rest for a minute.

Well, at least I am out of the thistles, though, I might have needed a few more here and there...

Kafkalina gave a laugh to this, but it seemed rather a forced one. She then readied herself for continuation of the journey, maybe soon she would be able to share a laugh, just maybe.