The Yule Log RPG - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

littlemanpoet · 03-31-2006, 08:47 PM

"Hoom now, one mustn't be hasty. A danger to me, you say?" Greenbeard strode farther up the slopes, carrying Wenda and Mara, one in each hand, the reindeer trotting behind. "Does it wield an axe?"

"No," said Mara, "it is a spirit of evil! It hungers!"

Many steps the Ent took before he answered. "There is little enough that we can do against such a one," he said at last. "We will go to my home."

The Ent said no word more. Wenda held Mara's cloak about herself tightly, shivering nonetheless. Had Mara meant Mori and Stamo? Had the wraith fled from them? Could it be that they were more than a match for it? Why then was it still free? It did not matter. It was chasing her again, and she was doomed. Of this she was sure. Ever since that moment when she had faced it far in the north, she had known. She had seen this in its eyes. There was no hope for her, and she had been a fool to think there ever was. Why had she run from the Green Man inn? She had only the will to live, deep in her bones, rendering her no different than the beasts. Half beast she was anyway. Sometimes it felt more than half.

The Ent placed her on the ground and she trotted along, keeping pace with Padu and Manu. Thinking like a beast always made it happen. Somehow she felt a little safer this way, doomed though she knew she was. Maybe she could outrun it? No. She looked up. Mara had wrapped the cloak around her shoulders again, having received it from the free hand of the Ent.

Wenda smelled it in the air. It was gaining on them.

Rose · 04-07-2006, 02:53 PM

The intensity of the creature’s presence had pressed in hard against the hound, despite the efforts of the two tall men. White Paw leaned against their legs for support. Like a mountain they felt to him. Rock hard and mighty in their endurance; their roots delving deep into the earth beneath them. A whirlwind, it seemed, of words swirled round him and the men, pushing back against the dark presence.

He could feel the creature’s struggle to pull back and the sudden withdrawal of it as it strove to flee from the two men. White Paw raised his muzzle and gave a long howl, as if calling the pack to gather.

With a great leap he bounded away from the men and after the creature, calling them to follow.

Arry · 04-07-2006, 03:21 PM

‘Did you hear that, Granny?’ Willem’s head was cocked as if straining to catch a sound from far off. ‘A howling on the wind.’

His brothers nodded their heads at his question to Old Goody. They too could hear the ghostly trailing of a far off howl. They shivered despite the warmth of the Yule blaze and drew nearer to the fireplace.

As if in answer to Willem, too, there came a keening bay from the Green Man’s back courtyard as the old hound raised up his grizzled muzzle to answer his son’s call. And from the hills came the yips and yowling of their wilder cousins as the thrill of the hunt to come was sung out . . .

Undómë · 04-07-2006, 04:22 PM

‘Yes,’ she said nodding her head at the flames. ‘The hounds are answering the old call. The hunt is up and rides the night.’ Goody turned her head to look at the solemn-faced Halflings. ‘They are tireless . . . and will hound the prey until ‘tis brought to bay. They never lose the scent, be it man, beast, or spirit. Over dirt and stone, through water and air they chase their quarry.

She gazed dreamily back into the fire and in a soft sing-song voice told part of a long forgotten tale . . .

When the winter winds blow and the Yule fires are lit, 'tis best to stay indoors, safely shut away from the dark paths and the wild heaths. For those who wander out by themselves during the Yule-nights may hear a sudden rustling through the tops of the trees - a rustling that might be the wind, though the rest of the wood is still.

But then the barking of dogs fills the air, fire flashing from their eyes and the hooves of the great horse strike sparks of gold and silver as he shimmers in the moonlight . . .

Nerindel · 04-08-2006, 12:43 AM

Arato

Arato cursed silently both in anger and confusion as he saw the creature flee in the opposite direction. For a moment he had been sure it had been snared, but then suddenly it broke free. He had raised both staff and sword ready to prevent it’s passage only to see it flee back the way it had come. It’s anger shaking the trees and renting in the air like a clap of thunder. Then with a sudden howl the dog at the two men’s feet suddenly leapt after it.

“What happened!” he called leaping out from the shadows, racing to catch up to the two Istari who had also took up persuit. “I was almost certain that if it failed here it would try for the inn and the shape shifter?”

04-07-2006, 04:22 PM	#4
Undómë Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 400	‘Yes,’ she said nodding her head at the flames. ‘The hounds are answering the old call. The hunt is up and rides the night.’ Goody turned her head to look at the solemn-faced Halflings. ‘They are tireless . . . and will hound the prey until ‘tis brought to bay. They never lose the scent, be it man, beast, or spirit. Over dirt and stone, through water and air they chase their quarry. She gazed dreamily back into the fire and in a soft sing-song voice told part of a long forgotten tale . . . When the winter winds blow and the Yule fires are lit, 'tis best to stay indoors, safely shut away from the dark paths and the wild heaths. For those who wander out by themselves during the Yule-nights may hear a sudden rustling through the tops of the trees - a rustling that might be the wind, though the rest of the wood is still. But then the barking of dogs fills the air, fire flashing from their eyes and the hooves of the great horse strike sparks of gold and silver as he shimmers in the moonlight . . . Last edited by Undómë; 04-07-2006 at 04:48 PM.

03-31-2006, 08:47 PM	#1
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	"Hoom now, one mustn't be hasty. A danger to me, you say?" Greenbeard strode farther up the slopes, carrying Wenda and Mara, one in each hand, the reindeer trotting behind. "Does it wield an axe?" "No," said Mara, "it is a spirit of evil! It hungers!" Many steps the Ent took before he answered. "There is little enough that we can do against such a one," he said at last. "We will go to my home." The Ent said no word more. Wenda held Mara's cloak about herself tightly, shivering nonetheless. Had Mara meant Mori and Stamo? Had the wraith fled from them? Could it be that they were more than a match for it? Why then was it still free? It did not matter. It was chasing her again, and she was doomed. Of this she was sure. Ever since that moment when she had faced it far in the north, she had known. She had seen this in its eyes. There was no hope for her, and she had been a fool to think there ever was. Why had she run from the Green Man inn? She had only the will to live, deep in her bones, rendering her no different than the beasts. Half beast she was anyway. Sometimes it felt more than half. The Ent placed her on the ground and she trotted along, keeping pace with Padu and Manu. Thinking like a beast always made it happen. Somehow she felt a little safer this way, doomed though she knew she was. Maybe she could outrun it? No. She looked up. Mara had wrapped the cloak around her shoulders again, having received it from the free hand of the Ent. Wenda smelled it in the air. It was gaining on them.

04-07-2006, 02:53 PM	#2
Rose Haunting Spirit Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Playing to the tide with Uncle John Posts: 49	The intensity of the creature’s presence had pressed in hard against the hound, despite the efforts of the two tall men. White Paw leaned against their legs for support. Like a mountain they felt to him. Rock hard and mighty in their endurance; their roots delving deep into the earth beneath them. A whirlwind, it seemed, of words swirled round him and the men, pushing back against the dark presence. He could feel the creature’s struggle to pull back and the sudden withdrawal of it as it strove to flee from the two men. White Paw raised his muzzle and gave a long howl, as if calling the pack to gather. With a great leap he bounded away from the men and after the creature, calling them to follow.

04-07-2006, 03:21 PM	#3
Arry Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 704	‘Did you hear that, Granny?’ Willem’s head was cocked as if straining to catch a sound from far off. ‘A howling on the wind.’ His brothers nodded their heads at his question to Old Goody. They too could hear the ghostly trailing of a far off howl. They shivered despite the warmth of the Yule blaze and drew nearer to the fireplace. As if in answer to Willem, too, there came a keening bay from the Green Man’s back courtyard as the old hound raised up his grizzled muzzle to answer his son’s call. And from the hills came the yips and yowling of their wilder cousins as the thrill of the hunt to come was sung out . . .

04-08-2006, 12:43 AM	#5
Nerindel Spirited Weaver of Fates Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: In an endless sea of dreams! Posts: 827	Arato Arato cursed silently both in anger and confusion as he saw the creature flee in the opposite direction. For a moment he had been sure it had been snared, but then suddenly it broke free. He had raised both staff and sword ready to prevent it’s passage only to see it flee back the way it had come. It’s anger shaking the trees and renting in the air like a clap of thunder. Then with a sudden howl the dog at the two men’s feet suddenly leapt after it. “What happened!” he called leaping out from the shadows, racing to catch up to the two Istari who had also took up persuit. “I was almost certain that if it failed here it would try for the inn and the shape shifter?”