Hunt for the Palantíri RPG

[Orofaniel]

Galhardir was somewhat relieved, although he knew it wasn't over yet. He'd heard Carandû's voice calling out that they would soon be out of the cavern, but Galhardir could know nothing for certain. He wondered what Rodhal was doing at the ship and if he'd noticed how the tide had come over them all of a sudden. He wouldn't know the consequences of it though, would he?

All of them stood close each other on ledges. Galhardir could feel the rocks beneath his feet a bit unsteady, but they would manage to hold him for some time. The water became higher and higher for every minute, although it would still take some time until it reached them.

Galhardir wondered if they had overlooked anything while they walked in the tunnels. What if they had? What if the thing they were looking for had been just beneath their very noses, and they hadn't found it. How dreadful. Had the whole day been in vain? Had the crew been looking for something that wasn't really there after all? This made Galhardir confused and rather annoyed. He should probably never have gotten himself into this.

Then another thought rushed into his head; how had these rocks suddenly blocked their way in front of the entrance? How was that possible? Galhardir could recall hearing any big rocks falling down from anywhere while he walked the tunnels. Yet, this could be the situation, but he somehow doubted it.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Luindal had been the last to seek safety on the ledge. At first he had been wholly occupied by the pressing need to find a means of escape for his companions. After making sure his message had reached the Elves who remained behind on the Spirit, he had darted back and forth, making sure that Freyn attended to all the injured and that everyone was safely removed from the frigid waters.

At his suggestion, the Elves and Lossoth had strapped ropes about their waists, linking themselves together in groups of two or three. Once the rocks gave way, there would be a rush of water, and it would not do to have the smallest or weakest pushed under by the pounding waves. They would stand a better chance if they linked arms and helped each other to push through against the rushing water.

Now all he could do was sit and wait. Outiside, he could hear the welcome sound of picks and hands clawing away at the thick wall of stone and rubble imprisoning them, and watched as his own crew attempted to push out the stones from inside with some success. The water below now looked to be some four feet deep. They would need to move quickly when the last stone fell.

Yet still knawing at the back of Luindal's mind was the grim scene that had occurred earlier inside the tunnel. He had extended his thoughts outward and touched one of the Elves, trapped with his Lossoth companion inside a narrow cleft of rock with the water relentlessly pouring in. One instant, there had been a quavering response laden with fear, and the next, nothing: only emptiness and shadow. To leave behind two companions in a watery grave seemed a hard thing indeed when they had only been here for less than a day.

A thundering crash put an abrupt halt to these ruminations. Outside, two boulders had been pried loose and heaved aside from the entrance so that the hole was large enough for a man ofr Elf to get through as long as he bent low, crouching near the ground. The waves surged forward with great force, but close behind came a familiar Elvish voice. The next moment, one of the rescuers stood firm inside the cavern amid the swirling waters, urging them to spring down from the ledge and come forward to leave the cave as quickly as they could. In groups of two and three, they approached the opening and crawled through with difficulty, coughing and spluttering, as the waves beat rhythmically against the walls of the cavern. After a time, each one managed to push their way through to the outside. Thoroughly cold and drenched, they waited for the longboats to bear them to the safety of the ship.

[Regin Hardhammer]

Marreth's mood was sullen as he watched the Elves exit the cave and head for their ship on longboats. The Elves had gotten the message out to some of their allies outside the cave. Their rescuers had managed to create a large enough hole in the sheet of rocks blocking the entrance that would allow the prisoners inside a method of escape.

“Infernal Elf vermin, Lossoth dogs, may my hate for you be stronger than the waves of the stormy sea." Marreth sourly reflected that nothing in this quest for the past few months had turned out the way it was expectged to. Marreth wondered how the imprisoned Elves had possibly managed to alert their rescuers. Probably some of their devlish feats of magic and power! Scowling, Marreth resisted the temptation to hurl a rock at the head of an Elf as he boarded the ship. That would only reveal their presence to the departing band, making them agitated and compromising the safety of his own crew. He needed to return to the ship and think of a new, better plan to eliminate the Elves.

After the boats had all departed, he motioned to his crew to follow him down the cliff and back to the ship. On the way, he tried to think of some new strategy the Corsairs could employ, but was thoroughly stumped. Then, when he reached his quarters, Marreth remembered the mysterious Snowman and what he had said to the stranger in their last meeting: Watch for the flash of the lantern at sunset. Of course, how foolish! I shall find out the plans of the Elves and surprise them again. Only this time, I will not be so gentle. As the sun lowered onto the horizon, Marreth took his lantern to the window of his ship and flashed it three times. His plan would not fail again.

[Arry]

The mood as they returned to The Sea-Spirit was somber. The crew who had remained on the vessel rejoiced at first that the search party had been brought safely back to the ship. But word soon spread among the Elves and Lossoth that lives had been lost. The entrance to the cavern had been blocked. An unfortunate landslide it was said.

Carandû and his brother had retired to their cabin once all had been brought aboard. Galhardir and Rodhal had gone to the galley for something to eat and to talk with the other Lossoth. Carandû had pulled the small fossil he’d found in the cave from his pouch and laid it carefully on the boy’s bunk.

‘Small comfort, brother,’ said Annû, taking his quiver of arrows off the peg by his bed. ‘Small comfort for one who has lost a kinsman.’ He took the small whetstone from his pack and began sharpening the edges of the arrow heads. Carandû sighed heavily, and sat down wearily on his own bunk. ‘I heard what Rôg said when he returned from trying to get out to find aid,’ Annû continued, bent over his work. ‘You remember – the two vague figures who scurried away.’

‘Hardly a definitive sighting,’ said Carandû. ‘He saw them as a bat, didn’t he? Which means, really, that he couldn’t see anything clearly, if at all.’ He scratched his head absent-mindedly as he watched his brother hone the arrowheads carefully, one after the next. ‘Still, don’t you find it odd that there was a “landslide” – and yet we felt no tremors in the caverns.’

Annû’s grey eyes met those of his brother. ‘I do indeed find it odd. And I wonder if those rocks had a little “help” in finding their way to the area in front of the cavern’s entrance.’ Carandû pulled out his sword from beneath his bunk and unsheathed it with a practiced hand. He turned it this way and that, sighting down the sharp edge of the blade, as he held it to the light. He fished about in his own pack for his whetstone and began to run it down each side of the edge.

Silence filled the small room, save for the swish-swish as the arrow heads and sword edge grew sharp. Old habits are not easily put aside. The practice of making ready ones’ weapons against the threat of attack had been ingrained in the two Elves those many years they had served as warriors in Imladris. Their hands recalled the familiar disciplined movements as their minds began to consider the possibilities of how the deaths of their two search companions might have come about.

[Niluial]

The cabin of the ship swayed gently on the lolling ocean. The sheer curtains that framed the windows fluttered in the cool night breeze. Moonlight bathed the carved benches and splashed pinkly on the rose red cushions. Easing Andtuariel into a becushioned chair, Elwë wrapped a thick woolen blanket around Andtuariel and made sure her leg was firmly supported. “By the look of it you won’t be walking for a few days. Your leg isn’t looking too good.” He said desolately. Elwë looked at Andtuariel’s pale yet lovely face which shone in the candle light. He liked to catch her thus, her eyes bright even though she felt pain, her skin soft and pale and her lips slightly apart the way they always were when she was in deep thought. The candlelight shone richly in the deep browns and reds in her hair. Silence fell upon the room as they both sat and thought about their danger riddled day and how close they had come to death.

Andtuariel sighed deeply and Elwë lifted his head, “is it hurting badly?” he asked with a worried expression on his tired face.

“No not too much. You know me I am strong and I can endure a lot.”

“Yes, you never seize to amaze me. I do not know of many females who could cope with what you have today.” Elwë smiled slightly.

“Is Carandû safe?”

“Yes, Carandû is fine.”

“what about Annû?”

“Annû is fine too! Though we did lose a few crew members.”

Silence fell upon the room once again. “You need some sleep; you need that leg to heal fast. The palantiri is out there somewhere; you do not wish to lose out on the fun, now do you?” Elwë said with a slight trail of teasing in his voice.

“Before you go please won’t you close the curtain for me, the moon is bright this evening.”

Elwë did so but before he left he lent down and gave Andtuariel a soft, intimate kiss on the lips. Andtuariel fell silent, not even her breathing could be heard. “Good night” Elwë said.

[Imladris]

They were back on the ship now. Marreth was in a nasty mood because the filthy pure ones had escaped. Jarlyn's face wore an I-told-you-so mask. Jynne glared moodily at the both of them from under his heavy brows.

Jarlyn. Jynne's eyes narrowed, and his lips slid into a sneer. The dog. Accusing him of cowardice. Always looking at him suspiciously. Jynne made ready to spit, but caught himself just in time. No...it would not do to ruin all before the time came.

Marreth was pacing restlessly across the cabin, casting impatient glances as the sun went down. Suddenly, he lit a latern and winked it three times in succession. Jarlyn's brow arched, but Jynne peered at him.

That was a signal. Who could Marreth be signaling to? Jynne's eyes narrowed to black slits.

Jarlyn spoke up, "What are you doing, Marreth?"

Marreth turned, and flicked a glance at Jynne. A thin smile stretched the Corsair's face. Couldn't tell his dear pal what he was up to with nasty, slinking Jynne around, could he. Well...then nasty slinking Jynne would just leave.

Slipping to his feet, Jynne asked, "I'm going to get a tankard of ale. Want some anyone?"

Jarlyn -- how predicatble -- nodded and eagerly asked for some. Marreth glowered at him and then nodded his acceptance as well.

Hovering in the shadows, Jynne slipped through the door and made his way towards the cook's quarters. He took down three wooden mugs and notched the rim of one with a knife that had been left carelessly on a barrel.

Slipping his hand underneath cloak, he unhooked a small leather bag that was filled with even smaller bags. Carefully he selected one and extracted a soft green sprig with a cluster of small white flowers. A thin smile stretched his face.

With his long brown fingers, he began to shred the green leaves, pouring them into the cup. Tenderly he plucked the dainty white petals and let them float for a long while in the ale. He was not concerned with how long he was taking. Let them wait...let them talk of their plans...

When he was satisifed, he fished some of the leaves and petals out of the ale and threw them overboard. He didn't want the drink over powered...

Balancing the third mug on his head, Jynne slunk through the shadows until he reached the captain's lodge.

"What took you?" said Jarlyn with false cheer, for his eyes had narrowed when Jynne slipped in.

Jynne merely smiled and shrugged, handing the captain and Jarlyn their mugs. He slightly raised his mug in toast, and drunk deeply so that none would see the malicious grin.

Jarlyn yelped and said, "By a Dwarf's beard, I almost got a splinter!" He examined the mug carefully, and said, "Oh look! Something notched the rim...ah well...such is the life of a mug that is forever in battle or on a long journey." Winking a Marreth, he raised the mug to his lips, and drained it.

[Rinfanawen]

The sky had grown dark as a grim nightfall crept over the sea. Diera sat on the edge of the boat letting one leg hang over the side. She kept the other bent to where she could rest her arms and chin upon her knee. She sighed deeply. Their plan had been perfect. Nothing was going to go wrong. Nothing should have gone wrong, She thought in the depths of her foul mood. She looked out towards the land in anguish. She had failed. She had failed greatly, and now the Elves had escaped. “Despicable fiends,” she said aloud as if speaking to the Elves, but she knew none of them could hear her. It made her feel better though. Somehow, it just seemed to help.

Hardly any light could be seen on the shore. The pale light from the moon and stars cast dim shadows over some things upon the land. There never seemed to be enough light to make out distinct objects. She imagined what the shore looked like in daylight. Such a dreadful thought it was to her. Diera hated the land even more than she did the Elves. Feeling an ill feeling come over her, she stepped down from where she sat and laid on a bench nearby. The stars reflected in her dark eyes that night. Her sorrow-filled face glowed under the light of the moon.

Suddenly quick footsteps were heard on the deck and were followed by a friendly voice. “You look depressed,” Doyal commented as he approached.

Diera placed her wide-brimmed, brown hat firmly over her face. She sighed, “What would you know of it?” She turned her face to where one eye peered out from under the hat. She almost began to laugh at the comical expression on Doyal’s face.

“I know,” began Doyal, “that you are always depressed when things do not go as planned.”

“I am not,” argued Diera, hiding her face once again beneath the hat.

Doyal laughed. “Yes, you are. Just because you don’t show it half the time doesn’t mean you aren’t. I know you better than that.”

“Too well, I fear sometimes,” Diera said removing the hat from her face, and placing it atop her shoulder-length, brown hair. She sat up on the bench and let Doyal take a seat as well. Diera continued, “And I’m not depressed. I’m just frustrated.”

“Well, don’t be,” comforted Doyal. “It’s not your fault the Elves escaped, so stop beating yourself up over it. Besides, it’s wouldn’t be natural for Captain Marreth to give up so soon.”

Diera nodded in agreement, but a strange light on the ship caught her eye and her attention. What’s that? she thought, standing. The light flashed three times toward the land.

“What is it?” Doyal asked joining her.

Diera smiled wickedly. “A signal.”

[Child of the 7th Age]

Boarding the ship with a heavy heart, Luindal immediately retreated to his cabin and was surprised to find both Alahseey and Hilde waiting for him there.

Hilde scurried up to address him, still clutching her broom and cleaning rags. “I am pleased to see that you and the others came through alright. At least most of the others," Hilde nervously averted her eyes and pursed her lips, wondering if she should say more. News of the loss of the two men had already spread through the ship. She quickly added, “Don’t blame yourself, sir. Those caves were never safe. I’ll never understand why anyone would tell you to search there. Too dangerous, if you ask me. It's a wonder any of you made it out alive." She cast a ponted look at Alahseey and then turned back to Luindal, smiling. "I didn't think you'd mind, Captain. Elder Alahssey rushed here right after we got the news of the landslide. She seemed very anxious to wait and talk with you so I let her in.”

“That’s fine, Hilde. Would you like to go down and eat supper now? You’ve worked hard today too. I understand something is being prepared in the galley.”

“Yes, sir. That would be fine. I’ll get my things and go.” Hilde was about to slip out the door when Alahseey gestured with her hand for her to remain and explained, “What I have to say concerns both of you.”

First the Elder questioned Luindal, “You are alright? And the men? After what happened....”

“As well as can be expected. We found no sign of the Stones and two of our party were swallowed up by waters that flooded the side tunnels: one of the Elves from Rivendell and his Lossoth companion”

“Sadly, we have heard. The Elders have sent someone to speak with the family of the man who was killed. The caves seemed like such a promising place to search. Yet the Elders debated whether to send you there first because of the dangers. Still, we felt there was a real possibility of finding the Stones.”

Luindal sighed and said, “Promising or not, we found nothing.”

“Aye, and the Council of Elders met again this afternoon, trying to decide where you should search next if you returned with your hands empty. Some said you should head straight to the Bay and begin to plumb its depths before the waters became too cold. But then I remembered this.”

She put her hand in her pocket and withdrew an oblong-shaped rock that was no larger than a Man’s palm, on which could be seen inscribed letters. Luindal reached out to finger the piece, then peered at it more closely.

“These are Elvish runes….fragments of a script that would seem to come from a time even before I was born.” He traced the letters with the tip of his finger.

“Aye, it looked peculiar to me too. And I have seen others like it in the same area. When I showed the letters to the Elders, one of them thought it looked like the script he’d seen you and the other Elves use. This comes from a place north of here, about a one-day trek, a stretch of coastline along the Bay that has already seen much ice and snow.” With that Alahseey drew out a map and pointed to the spot where she had found the strange stone. She handed the paper to Lindal to keep and he carefully circled the spot on the map to which Alahseey had referred.

“You think some of the shipwrecked things made their way to this point?” he queried.

Alahseey shrugged her shoulders, “Perhaps. I have seen some strange things in this region. And, if that is so, it is possible the Stones could have landed there too. It is a land both Hilde and I know well, for we both hail from that portion of the Bay. My reindeer herds spend the summer there. The two of us could easily lead you north.” Hilde smiled and nodded her head in agreement.

Luindal remarked, “This seems like a good idea. And, for now at least, I would rather wait to search the Bay. But we need to rest and recover. It would do no good to lead the men out when they are still exhausted and disheartened. I would say two days' rest are needed.... I will tell them to be ready on the third morning to set out for this northern shore, and to plan to stay overnight there.”

“Yes,” added Hilde, “I’ll be glad to help scout the passage and, once we've gotten there, can show you how to build an ice trench, to keep your men warm and comfortable thoroughout the cold night.”

Luindal had to smile at the thought of an ice trench being called warm and comfortable. But he was not unhappy with the suggestion to search further along the shore, since they still had not come up with a practical plan on how to search for the Stones on the bottom of the Bay. "It is agreed then. I will speak with my crew later tonight."

Saying good night to Hilde and Alahseey, Luindal left the map on his desk and then wandered down towards Rôg's cabin, knocking on the door. But before the Shapechanger could respond, the Captain slipped his hand into his pocket and felt the scrap of fabric and button that he'd picked up in the cave. Perhaps, Rôg could tell him which of the men had lost it....

[Taralphiel]

Freyn was on the deck, leaning against the cool wood of the railing of the ship, his eyes closed, smiling at the gentle sway of the waters. His aged back ached from the hours he had spent hunched over the exploring party, bandages sore bones and cut skin. His thoughts dwelled too on the one they had lost, and he felt a great twinge of grief.

“He was too young…” he mumbled aloud, and a few heads turned.

Lowering his gaze to the floor, he stretched out his limbs, which gave small comfort. He threw around in his mind the happenings of the day, trying to shake the grey feeling when he thought about that landslide.

‘My warnings ring true…’ he thought to himself.

Even so, the miracle that the rest of the crew had come to rescue them was a marvel to him indeed. Freyn had seen many a man lost on a journey never to be found. Seldom had he heard of a successful rescue, or of one so marvelous. He smiled a little at this, while he tightened his coat about his shoulders and stood up.

‘Let us hope we have better fortune in our search tomorrow, and not have to rely on fortune for the rescue’ he thought.

[Orofaniel]

"Come here Rodahl," Galhardir said to his nephew. He was relieved to see him again and very proud to hear that Rodhal had managed his tasks on the ship earlier that day. "Are you hungry?" he asked. Rodhal nodded. He was indeed, very hungry. "Anything to drink?" Galhardir then asked him when Rodhal had been served bread and meat. "Yes, please," Rodhal answered, polite as always.

When both of them had settled with good food and drink, Rodhal was curious about Galhardir's adventures in the cave. Galhardir stopped for a moment. He didn't want to frighten the boy, so he decided to tell Rodhal about the other parts;

"We, the eleven bothers and myself went into loads of different tunnels, caverns and so on," Galhardir started. "It was very dark, oh, believe me; very dark," he continued. Rodhal's eyes widened, he was already caught up in Galhardir's speech. He was fascinated. “One can’t even imagine the darkness, it has to be experienced. And even then, it’s unbelievable. It’s the darkest place you’ll ever know….”

"We bore torches, all of us, but still we found fit quite difficult to see anything. Annû, poor thing managed to hurt himself.." Galhardir told the young boy who was still listening to what he said, eagerly. "Did you see anything...dangerous?" Rodhal burst out. Galhardir used a moment to think about his next reply. "Oh, no...Nothing “dangerous”. I'm thinking that all those old tales about the caverns are nothing but lies and fiction," Galhardir said, sipping his ale. Rodhal looked a bit confused, but Galhardir soon understood that it was not confusion, rather pure disappointment. "Oh wait...There was something...maybe not dangerous...but quite fascinating," Galhardir then said, just to cheer up the boy; he remembered the fossils Carandû had found. "Oh, please do tell, uncle," Rodhal cried fully of impatience.

"Carandû, you remember him, don’t you?" Galhardir started. The boy nodded, as eager as before. "Well, he found an interesting stone in one of the caverns.." Galhardir then continued. "What was on the stones?" Rodhal asked who had already understood that there was something about the stones his uncle had mentioned. "Fossils," Galhardir stated. "Fossils...."

"Really?" Rodhal asked, interested in Galhardir's story. "Really," Galhardir said finally. "I saw it with my own eyes," he continued. "But what was it?" Rodhal then asked. "I'm not sure...but there were some lines...or something of that sort," Galhardir then told the boy, who was even more impressed by what Galhardir told him than he would have thought.

"Now, eat you meat," Galhardir said as he saw that Rodhal's plate was still full. "I will, uncle," he smiled. "It's your turn to tell me how you climbed up to the look out post..." Galhardir then said teasingly. "Oh, I had almost forgotten!" Rodhal exclaimed.

Rodhal’s story then followed, something Galhardir found almost as interesting as his own story about the fossils.

[Regin Hardhammer]

Marreth grinned broadly as he walked back down the road from the place of his meeting with the mysterious Lossoth. Once again, their meeting had been a very enlightening one. Marreth had learned that the Elves aimed to search in an area of the bay about a day’s journey further to the north. He had even been presented with a hand drawn map that had the exact location circled. Apparently, some wreckage had been found there bearing Elvish script. Marreth had been extremely disappointed when the Elves were able to escape the cave, but he realized that they must be gotten rid of if the Corsairs were to find the Stones.

He reflected on his good fortune in having such a useful informant. We will get the better of these Elves yet! And this time I will not be so easy on them.

Returning to the ship, Marreth immediately summoned his men together for another meeting. He even sent a special messenger out bearing messages for those Lossoth who were presently off the ship, having chosen to return to their own families and kin for the night.

At first, the crew looked sour, but were soon brought around by promises that their next expedition would prove far more enjoyable than the one they'd had that afternoon. Marreth leapt onto the top of a barrel, waving his sword in the air, and loudly proclaimed, “Two days from now the Elves will be searching an area of the bay one day north of here. Tomorrow, we will rise and depart, getting there long before them and drilling holes in the ice. We will cover the holes over with snow, and the nightime flurries will also help hide any indication of our presence. Then we sit back, waiting for the fools to arrive and fall through. After a few have taken a bath in the freezing current, we attack. Do not stop until the snow is soaked with the blood of them all. Then we may return to looking for the Stones uninterrupted and even line our pockets a bit with any gold or magical implements they have brought along in their packs and pockets.”

Cheers and howls of jubilation rang through the night air. The men chanted Marreth’s name as praises to the dear Captain echoed through the crowd. Marreth put up a hand for silence and then continued, “We leave at dawn tomorrow. Dress for cold weather, bring picks and axes plus plenty of weapons. We shall teach those Elves respect for the fine crew of Captain Marreth!”