Last Hope for Moria RPG

[mark12_30]

Lînsie walked slowly back to stand beside Oin and Narin, leaving the orc-corpses behind her. Her axe was notched, her arrows were spent, her limbs ached, and the smouldering anger within her was giving way to grief.

The dwarves waited, rumbling. Who would lead them now? What would they do next? Some asked these questions; some gave various answers.

Lînsie didn't care. She wiped her axe on the grass, and tried to wipe the orc-blood off of her armor. Her beard was full of it. With an exclaimation of disgust, she yanked the beard off and flung it behind her toward the field of slain orcs. And then she stepped back beside Narin, and sat down and began to weep.

[The Perky Ent]

"They know. They must know. They will come again Ori! Can't you see it? We must leave before we are devoured by orcs!" Nali said as he dipped a cloth in Mirro-mere and cleaned his ax. "No Nali. It is perilous, but we will survive them. This casualty shall not stop us." Ori said as Nali ripped his cloth in two and gave a piece to Ori, who in turn dipped it in the water and began to clean. The sky was darkening as the dwarves were gathered together closely.

"Well, we can't leave the bodies." Nali said as if the statement was 100% correct. "No, there is nothing we can do about the corpses." Ori said, giving a great yawn. "Can't we just throw them in the river?" Nali said. "No. If there's orcs camped on the Silver Lodes, they'll see the bodies and come for us." Ori said. "Well then we can burn them!" Nali said as if a torch was already in hand. "No good. That's worse than throwing them in the river. The smoke will make every orc in the area come. We must leave them." Ori said as if it ended the conversation. "Then bury them!" Nali said before he was interjected by Ori. "No! Even if we bury them, do you expect that 50 orc families will fail to notice their family dead!?! It's too late. There's nothing we can do! The only thing we can do is pray for how long it goes before we're noticed." Ori said as he handed back the cloth to Nali and walked away. With this new advice, Nali was panicing.

After a while, Ori took a deep breath and said, "Well dwarves, we can't just leave him here. Let's find a tomb."

[Saraphim]

The company was in turmoil. All of Narin's comrades were either confused, terrified, or angry.

Narin was all three. Balin was dead, they had fifty dead orcs to give thier position away with, and to top it all off, he had a beardless dwarf-maiden sitting next to him weeping.

Some tiny vestige of kindness told him to console her, and after a brief struggle with the rest of his mind, it won out. Narin sat down awkwardly next to Lin.

"Er, Linsie? Are you all right?" Narin cursed himself inwardly for calling her by her nickname.

She didn't say anything, but continued crying. Narin remembered something that he hoped would make her stop. Reaching into a pocket, he produced a large, uncut, green gem and handed it to her.

"H-here," he said nervously, stuttering like he had not done since he was a young dwarf, " I, I thought, you might, perhaps like this."

Narin was mostly afraid of getting hit in the nose again, but forced himself to remain where he was.

How I've changed since leaving Erebor, he thought.

[Orofaniel]

Uzgash


Uzgash leaned over and prodded Lugnush with his ax. Lugnush, the name suited the orc, he really was a lug. "Eh?" Lugnush grunted, "What do you want?"

"What do I want?" Uzgash said, "I want everything. I want the filthy, noisy, stupid dwarves out of Moria, and I want Nazklash dead. He’s become rather full of himself lately, ruling the orcs and all that. Claiming glory for the Chief Dwarf’s death. Pha! Jerky is all he’s good for, and there’s not even enough of him to bother with that!"

Lugnush looked up at Uzgash and was glad, at last they would get rid of the absurd little Nazklash. He really had gotten annoying lately, lording about as he did. Reminded him of old Turgrog…Lugnush had been there for Turgrog’s death, now he would be there for Nazklash’s death. "Nazklash has become lazy in his power. We can easily get rid of him, the orcs will rally to me." Lugnush promised Uzgash.

Uzgash already knew this, and was counting on it. He was ready with a plan. "I’m leading a company to the gates. Nazklash also has plans for victory in the entrance way, but he will not live to see them fulfilled. He and his troops will be rallying in the armory, myself and my company will meet you and them there. We will surround Nazklash, and you will announce his death and your new command. I will provide the troops, and you will provide the death. Is that clear?"

Lugnush could only nod his agreement. He was ecstatic, finally he would even the scores upon that twerpy little upstart of an orc. A slow smirk twisted across his ugly face. Tonight would be a night to remember.

[Orofaniel]

“Do ye think we’d actually succeed?” Lugnush asked curiously, yet carefully. He didn’t want to upset Uzgash by showing his lack of trust in the mission. Well, actually Lugnush thought this was a rather good plan. Uzgash had explained to him how they were going to kill Nazklash; it seemed to easy, almost like killing a defend less Orc with his hands on his back. Nazklash would almost see his own head rolling on the floor, if that was eve possible. Lugnush laughed while thinking about this. “A surrounded Orc, is a dead Orc, Lugnush.” Uzgash stated.

"Don’t you see?” Uzgash replied, sounding a bit harsh. Lugnush expected that Uzgash way to reply was only supposed to emphasize how easy it really was. Lugnush nodded, while Uzgash continued; “You see, the best thing about this plan is that Nazklash has no idea what we’re planning whatsoever. It’ll come like a big surprise! It is unexpected…”

Lugnush liked the idea that Nazklash didn’t have the slightest idea that they were planning his death. “…at least if no one is eaves dropping… Right here…Right now.” Uzgash muttered in a low voice. It sounded like he didn’t want anyone else to hear what he said. “Yeah, we better watch out,” Lugnush said, without meaning it, when he saw that Uzgash was on his guard, looking back and forth.

“Everything will go as planned…I’m tellin’ you,” Uzgash said finally and sneered.

Lugnush gave a smile. He was full of energy and was could ony imagine what it would be like to kill Nazklash off and take his place. It seemed so unreal, yet they were close. But then the doubt struck him, a thought was probably more like it; why had Uzgash proposed him to take over for Nazklash?

What did Uzgash get out from all of this? Lugnush considered the possibilities, but none of them seemed reasonable. Well, at least none of those he could think of. “What’s in if fer ye?” Lugnush asked Uzgash, trying to sound a bit naive, Yet again he didn’t want Uzgash to get the impression that Lugnush wouldn’t follow him; because Lugnush would follow Uzgash, there was really no doubt about that. However, Uzgash didn’t look too surprised over this question, but asked Lugnush if he could repeat it.

“You know what I said!” Lugnush growled, but lowered his voice as soon as he saw the expression in Uzgash’s face. Who could blame Lugnush for being a bit suspicious? Uzgash was no ordinary Orc, he was Uzgash the Iron Helmed; an Orc captain.

It was like Uzgash had read Lugnush’s mind; “Well, you know…I’m already a Captain, and you’re…nothin’…” h said and smiled. Lugnush wasn’t too pleased with that answer and Uzgash noticed that.

“What I mean is; you have no an opportunity to become someone, you can be a Chief. I’m already a Captain, so I’m not that interested….yet. You see, when both of us are powerful Orcs in Moria, we can rule this filthy place as we like. I can become the second Chief later on maybe…” Uzgash smirked. Lugnush thought it sounded reasonable and quote fair, and was suddenly not affected by Uzgash comment anymore; The one saying that he “nothin’ while he, himself was a Captain. “If there really is such a thing as two Chiefs,” Uzgash added and laughed. Lugnush laughed as well.

The two Orcs were then interrupted by another Orc. He ran into the Hall, calling for Uzgash. “What is it now?!?” Uzgash growled. You could tell by his voice and the expression in his face, not to mention his body language, that he was annoyed. “We need some help ‘ere..” The Orc muttered. “With what?” Uzgash asked, now seeming even more annoyed.

“You better see fer yourself,” the Orc replied. This had to pretty bad, Lugnush figured. Uzgash sighed and growled;” I’ll be there in a minute!”

The Orc didn’t seem to move, he just stood there. Uzgash looked at him and narrowed his eyes; “Well…Shoot!!!” Uzgash cried. His voice was harsh and the Hall roared. The Orc seemed surprised by this, but hurried off. He probably didn’t want to make Uzgash more upset than he already was. Lugnush thought that was understandable.

“I better run…” Uzgash sighed. “I wonder what those filthy Orcs have done now. I better fix it quick…Anyway, just follow the plan, and it’ll run smoothly. ..I’m tellin’ ya.” Uzgash said and laughed. Lugnush nodded to confirm that this was a deal. They were set and ready…

[Imladris]

Ori, with Flori beside him, watched as six of the dwarves placed Balin stiff corpse in a solid stone tomb. His white beard had been braided, resplendent rings bedecked his fingers, his hands crossed an axe that rested on his chest, and a golden crown encircled his brows.

Flori cleared his throat and in the dwarvish language that only their race knew, he gave an eulogy over their fallen leader. He spoke softly, retelling Balin’s brave deeds and his part in the retaking of Erebor from the vile Worm Smaug. As Flori’s voice grew in passion and admiration, Ori slipped into mists of memory. The times in the coal mountains when they had been nothing but blackened weary dwarves, with no hope of ever re-possessing Erebor and the piles of wealth within. He had always been cheerful then, confident that one day they would come back into their own. And they had, with Gandalf’s and Bilbo’s help. A smile glimmered on Ori’s face at the thought of them.

Flori nudged him, signaling that he had finished. Ori bent down and kissed Balin’s clammy forehead. “That your reign would have been happier and longer, my friend,“ he whispered. With a gesture, the tomb was sealed with a slab of stone. The words, BALIN FUNDINUL UZBAD KHAZADDÚMU were carved deeply in the smooth surface.

Ori straightened, cleared his throat, and said, “As you all know, the threat of the orcs has increased. We must leave now while we have the chance before this spawn of Moria become too great for our feeble force.” Ori sagged, his cheeks drooped, and he sighed, fancying he heard the shrill cackles of orcs.

[mark12_30]

Sniffling a little, she wiped her tears with the back of her grimy hand, and leaned over to look at Narin's palm.

"A beryl, " she murmured.

She looked up at Narin, and said, "Balin was fond of beryls." And she burst into tears again.

Narin's shoulders slumped. But then before he closed his hand around the gem, she reached up and took it.

"Thank you. I'll make a Mithril setting for it, in his memory."

She returned to weeping in earnest, and Narin sat fidgeting next to her, trying to think of something else to say. He failed, which may have been the best thing he could have done.