Ungoliant's Children RPG

[Witch_Queen]

Thranduil looked around and noticed that all the elves were there and accounted for. His nephew was there along with all the others he had talked to during the past few days. Everything had gotten out of hand at his house. Legolas for the past few days had been trying to talk him into letting him go along. Thranduil turned around and looked all the spectators.

Thranduil turned back to the gate and began walking towards the forest. His fate still unknown to him. He could hear his wife at home crying. He hated to leave her in such a dangerous time but he couldn't trust any one else. He wasn't going to send his son or his nephew into a fight in which he didn't know the enemy very well. He then realized that Melen had spoken to him. "To tell the truth I have no idea how long this will take." He coud feel his cheeks burning and knew he was blushing. "Legolas and the rest of the men will see to it that the spiders don't harm any of our women and children. Melen you have nothing to worry about." He then turned to face the rest of the men. "I don't know how long we shall be gone. Hopefully it won't be long, but remember that Legolas is here for guidance and he will reign in my absence. We have fathers and sons leaving their family, I can't make this a promise, but I will do my best to return them to their wives and mothers alive."

Thranduil was at a loss for words. He knew the spiders would try to attack the city while he was gone. The spiders aren't as stupid or coward as he had thought. He knew who he had to blame. At that moment his thoughts when back to the dwarves. He knew in his heart that they didn't mean anything by it but he couldn't help but be mad at them. What else was there for him to do now. "We must leave you now, let us not leave you as rivals or friends but let us leave you as our own family. At this moment forgive those who go to fight in your stead and for your life. After all we don't know what this road has ahead for us."

Thranduil turned back to the gates. His heart only sinking deeper in his chest. He carried little with him including his bow and swords. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see that his good friend Uragonia was there. Along with him was his son Runia. "I thought you would never come Uragonia. Yet you surprise me like always. I am glad to see you." The older elf smiled and began to laugh. "Oh Thranduil, my king you didn't actually think I would let you go off to who knows what death. Indeed you must have drank too much last night. Was the celebration that bad?" Thranduil motioned for the others to follow him. His friends words stuck in his mind. Death? I had thought about it alot here lately. What the others don't know will only hurt them more. He motioned for his nephew to come join him at the front.

"Lossenfirithion, I need to tell you something. The others shouldn't know." The young elf nodded his head. "Last night a few spiders were spotted outside the city gates. Luckily they were killed before anyone else was hurt." Thranduil paused after realizing what he had just said. " Urquania, Eruever's wife, is gone. She dissapeared before we could tell her about her husbands death. I fear that she was taken by the spiders. If we find a trace of her, the others are to keep their mouths sealed. If word gets back to Mirkwood about this then we will have alot more problems on our hand."

Deep down in his heart he knew he was putting a heavy burden on his nephew. "You can't even tell your son. For it will only trouble his soul even more. The one thing we don't need is restless men." The trees around him began to blow in the wind. He figured that in the next couple of days they would at least find a few of the spiders. Thranduil remembered that he was never informed on where exactly Eruever's sword was found. Now he was worried even more. He wasn't worried for himself, he was worried about his men.

[Boromir88]

Ercuion and Nefal remain lounging underneath a tree waiting for the word from Thranduil to start heading out.

"Nefal, I want you to listen to me on this, stay as far away from Lossenfirthion as possible. I don't want you doing anything stupid to get yourself killed, I'm already regretting myself for letting you come" said Ercuion stroking his chin.

"Yes" Nefal said rather irritatingly and it appeared he wasn't totally paying attention to his brother.

"Thankyou" replied Ercuion.

Targon comes to join the two brothers. "I must warn you" he says "I've gotten word that spiders have already been spotted outside the city walls. It seems like we'll get the taste of battle sooner then I expected. I won't always be there to watch out for you, so you must be prepared to watch out for yourselves." Targon spots Thranduil off in the distance, "Ahh, I must be off, I need to discuss some matters with Thranduil."

Targon strides up to Thranduil, who right now is by himself, Targon notices that Thranduil is in deep thought.

"Greetings Thranduil, do you have a couple minutes?" asked Targon.

"Yes, I always have time for you Targon, what do you need?"

"I was wondering," Targon says "if the spiders have already been spotted around outside the city walls, why don't we go out in full force and attack them now. Of course, leave people back to defend the city, but clearly they are already closing in around the city."

Thranduil rubs his eyes, he seems tired, "Truthfully, we do not know the exact location of the spiders, we don't know where they are coming from. The purpose of this small group is to scout ahead and try to find that location. We'll deal with how we will finish them monsters off when we find their exact location."

"I understand" Targon says. Targon spots Uragonia approaching, he bows to Thranduil, "that was all I needed, thankyou my lord."

"Tell everyone to prepare to head out, we will be leaving soon" Thranduil says.

"Yes, my lord" Targon walks back to rejoin Ercuion and Nefal. "Get your things ready, I have word from Thranduil we will be leaving soon."

"About time I get to see some action, now Thranduil will really get to see my skill" Nefal says enthusiastically. Nefal runs off to go get his supplies.

"That's the most excitement I've seen from him since, well since, I told him he could come along" Ercuion laughs faintly.

[Hookbill the Goomba]

Taurthol followed the company as they marched out. He knew not to what end this whole hastily cobbled together mission would come. It all seemed hopeless. None of them had recovered yet from the party and the anger of the Dwarves' escape. Many were angered and would take it out hastily on any.

"Tâlmor, come here," he called looking behind and seeing Tâlmor looking at something in a tree, "What are you looking at?"

"What do you make of this?" he asked pointing at what looked like a spider web, "I'd say its no more than three hour old, do you think they are close?"

"No," Said Taurthol, "They sent out a scout to look for trouble. No doubt, by now they know of us and out intensions. SO much for the element of surprise."

"Should we inform the king?" asked Tâlmor, "This may change the tactics."

"Indeed," replied Taurthol, "The king will not be best pleased, so you'd best go and tell him."

Reluctantly, Tâlmor shuffled off and came to the king. Taurthol kept his hand on his sword hilt as he looked into the tree, in case the scout was still around. There was a ruffle of leaves behind him, quickly turning and drawing his sword he saw that it was a bird hobbling along the floor and fluttering.

"My king!" Cried Tâlmor, "Taurthol and I hath found something!" he beckoned them to follow as he puffed and panted. Coming to the spot they all looked at the large spider thread.

"The omens are not good," said Taurthol, "Do we continue on our errand?"

Thranduil looked at the thread and said nothing for a while. he hummed as if he was thinking. This seemed to have prompted a line of thinking.

[Witch_Queen]

Thranduil heard his name being called. He didn't have a guess of what for, but being the person he was he turned to see what was going on. At the sight of the over sized spider web, Thranduil knew the secret was out. The spider were closer to the city than he had guessed. Remembering that he didn't know where the scout's weapons were found, he began to think. Humming while he thought Thranduil didn't know what to tell the others.

"Ok, everyone I want for you to search around the area. If anyone sees anything let me know. I will alert you if I was to find anything out of the ordinary. Uragonia's voice could be heard. Leaving his spot, Thranduil quickly hurried over to where Uragonia and his son was standing. "What have you found?"

"Its here my lord." Unsheathing his sword Uragonia picked up what looked like an article of clothing. "I wonder how long this has been here. It seems to small for an elf. Perhaps it was something one of the dwarves lost." At the mentioning of the dwarves Thranduil's temper jumped a little.

"Uragonia, its too beautiful to be something a dwarf would wear. Yet all we have seen is the dwarve, nothing or no one else." Thranduil' s mind couldn't seem to contemplate what was occuring at that moment. "Don't worry about it. Put the clothing away and we will look at it when we make camp later." Thranduil returned to his searching. While he was walking he seemed to trip over some sort of metal object. "Over here!," he shouted calling all the others over to him.

"It seems that someone else has been captured and met their end due to the spiders. Except this time I have no idea of who this may belong to." Reaching down Thranduil pulled up an elven sword. Not realizing what was going on Thranduil heard someone else shouting. "My King..... My King....!" Turning the group headed to where Runia was standing.

"It seems that we are not the only ones who have been out here lately. This looks like my cousin's bow and that appears to be his fathers sword. What is going on?" Thranduil figured now would be the best time to tell the others what was going on. He went on to explain how the night before a few spiders were spotted outside the city walls. Thranduil told them that Eruever's wife was missing and new not of her husbands fate. "My companions we are dealing with monsters and there is no way of telling how they may attack us or what means of protection we now have. We are indeed naive to what is going on. Now is a time for strategy. Come now tell me what is on your mind. I don't care who you are, speak up." Thranduil thought he heard some mumbling but paid it now mind.

Now was a time for his men to prove themselves. Would they let him and their fellow elves down or stand up and speak what was in their mind. Thranduil was now begining to worry about his safety and the safety of his men. He didn't want to send them off to what he knew was a certain death. Now was a time for action and planning.

[Boromir88]

"Nefal," says Ercuion "Targon and I are going to scout ahead, see if we can find any tracks or any more webs. In the mean time you STAY here."

"I'm going with you" Nefal objects.

"Listen to your brother, Nefal," Targon says "he is wise, and not to mention older."

Nefal has no place in objecting to Targon's word. All he can do is run off in a bitter rage. It seemed like Targon and Ercuion were only out for a meager five minutes, or so, when Nefal comes running back, "Thranduil has called a meeting, to discuss our current situation" he gasps.

The whole party gathers around Thranduil and listens to what he has to say.

Ercuion comes out of the crowd first, "I think our best defense, right now, is to stay together, I deem spiders love to pick off a couple unsuspecting elves, alone in the forest. If we stick together, as a group, we will be much stronger. As for what to do. Does anyone know where the dwarves said they encountered the spiders? Why not find the place, maybe that will lead to more clues?"

Targon quickly jumps in, "Ahh, young Ercuion, that will be useless. It is most likely that there are spiders all over, infesting Mirkwood. I fear before this day ends we will have some company." Targon chuckles trying to lift some spirits and add a touch of warmth. He looks around and sees no one's heart was lifted by his comment, not even Thranduil. He notices in all the young elves eyes, the glory and anticipation of fighting, but the fear of death.

[Sleepy Ranger]

Melen was just lazily looking around not the least bit bothered to listen to Tharanduil. Berkengond on the other hand was paying full attention to what was being said, upon sensing the correct moment he stood up and spoke, "My lord, I believe we should set a trap. Hide most of our gear and most of us should hide ourselves in tall tress which give us a good view of the region and enough space to fire our bows while a few others stay on the ground to lure out a party of the spiders, I believe upon seeing the small force they will not be bothered to send a large portion of spiders to attack and then as they draw nearer to us and farther from their main group we pick them off and hope that instead of sending the whole army they send in another small force." He paused for breath. "What do you deem of this?"

And he calls me rash. was all Melen could think of as his friend said this. Not bothering himself to stand up Melen spoke from where he sat. "It may work, it may not. What if they send a large force to begin with. Sure we'll have the advantage but once they learn where we are I'd say we'd be goners." As he spoke Berkengond just looked at him sharply with that you-spoke-before-thinking look. Melen smiled to himself upon noticing this, as much as he did like this other elf he also enjoyed annoying him from time to time, for the fun of it as he had told him one day. That led to a fight between them but they got over it soon, very soon.

"I'd propose that we lie in wait and perhaps send out the sthealthiest amongst us to learn the strength of their force and then make a move." Melen said still lazily looking from one member of the party to the other, wondering what they had left behind at home and what they were thinking at the moment because all of a sudden Melen remembered his mother and how much he loved her.

[Hookbill the Goomba]

Taurthol could do little at this time. He and Tâlmor were sent to search the surroundings in case of spider attack. Taurthol knelt to the ground and listened carefully. Tâlmor shivered and looked around. The surroundings were not pleasant and the threat of spider attack hung heavy on him.

"Sir, I don't think," began Tâlmor, but he was interrupted by Taurthol

"Quiet!" he said stubbornly, "there may be something a foot!"

Tâlmor quivered and shrank down behind Taurthol. He looked up into the trees as if he expected a spider the leap out of there at any moment. Taruthol got up and turned to Tâlmor. He nodded his head and slowly moved on.

After a short time, they saw a clearing; a small sword had cut the remnants of some spider webs. Thirteen small sacks made of web lay upon the floor. There was evidence of some sort of a struggle.

"Wretched Dwarves," whispered Taurthol, "They caused a lot of trouble here."

"What shall we do?" asked Tâlmor shivering, "Go back? Or investigate further?"

"I'm not sure," said Taruthol, "Let us explore a little further." he stepped cautiously into the clearing and peered about. The spider tracks were not easy to miss, large trees pulled from their roots were left thrown upon the ground and there was a path cleaved going southwards. One small spider crept up behind them and squirmed, Taurthol saw it and it dashed away.

"What was that?" asked Tâlmor, "A sentinel?"

"Yes" answered Taurthol scratching his head, "Come, we have lingered here too long. No doubt that small fellow will tell others of our position."

Swiftly they made their way back to the rest of the party. Tâlmor was beginning to regret coming on this mission, all the hairs on his back were stood on end. Taruthol sheathed his sword and knife and readied his bow.