Trails to follow...

[tomcat]

The two Elves moved swiftly across the back fields of Bree heading west. Edrahil watched as Seriand expertly followed what seemed an indistinguishable trail in the muddy, and still snow-covered field. He also noticed how the scout stayed low to the ground and moved with the terrain, using it to mask their presence. It was most times the nature of Elves to wish to move about 'unseen', but Edrahil had been with the Men for quite a while now that he had become accustomed to moving with less stealth.

The trail continued out through the lengths of two more farms and then angled a bit southward to come to the East West road - the road that went west to the Shire and east to Rivendell. The gates of Bree lay back east, behind the two Elves - but now the light-footed boot prints disappeared in the churned up mud of the road. Edrahil wondered if his comrade would be able to resume his track.

OOC: To pick up the trail again will require a Track (Man) test TN 20.

The ramshackle tavern, if tavern it could be called for it had but two wooden walls and a thatched roof, came into view for Dirnhael and Fengel in short time. The two men could see that a wain was positioned at the back of the 'shelter' upon which sat large casks of both tapped and untapped beer and wine. A makeshift bar counter sat before the wagon from which the proprietor served his drinks to some of the most surly looking folks that Dirnhael and Fengel had seen in some time.

The 'entrance' to the tavern was nothing more than the exposed side of the shelter that sat facing the road and the two companions entered looking about as they did. A simple sign swung in the morning breeze, off of the shelter... it said Wily's.

Dice and cards were seen aplenty as the miscreants of Bree spent their idle time, but eyes came up to meet Dirnhael as he strode through the small gathering. The Dunadan thought it a bit early to be consuming ale, but each to their own.

OOC: I am going to let Fengel and Dirnhael determine how you guys wish to discover if Olin is amongst the patrons. Feel free to accompany any dialogue with a test you may feel is appropriate. I will give you any TN's if you state a given action or thing you would like to do (i.e. smooth-talk the barkeep, etc.)

Durgil sat and talked to the now calm Abelmans and listened to them tell of their daughter. Erin was a vibrant, adventurous young lady with flaxen hair and deep blue eyes. She was a help around the farm for her mother, but her father thought she spent too much time daydreaming and wandering about the town.

Sara spoke, "She was prone to find her uncle, my brother, whom she enjoyed immensely as he always told wonderful stories of times past and places far away. He has never amounted to much though he believes his time is coming."

Sara smiled at that, a little sorrowfully for her brother. Conner merely grunted.

"To answer your question, good Sir," continued Sara, "Yes, it would not surprise me if she has gone off on a trail with him. But he need not take her in the night! He knows I let her go with him, if it is safe of course."

This brought another deep sobbing breath from the woman. Durgil looked down at the small box of strewn items, wondering what it might have contained.

[Wiseman]

"Tis a cunning enemy we are following, having his route cross that of the main road to hide his tracks."  With that Seriand got to work, kneeling he used his elven eyes, straining hard to find and resume the trail of the tracks.

Track: Roll(2d6)+8: 3,4,+8 +3 Courage, +3 Courage x2 Total: 21

OOC: I will spend 2 courage in order to find the tracks again, if allowed of course.  Oh and that purple font is hard to read with the dark theme I use. 

[GandalfOfBorg]

Durgil took pity on these people for their loss, knowing some measure of what they are going through.  Those were long hours his parents paced those many years ago when Ioreth went missing when they were kids.

"Do you know of any of her or their favorite places to go explore in the wilds?  Maybe there are some rumors floating about the town that she might investigate?"

[tomcat]

Oh and that purple font is hard to read with the dark theme I use. 

OOC: Sorry Shawn, but I use the SMF default theme.

[sdrotar]

The "tavern" was seedy, and the men here did not appear to be the type that particularly respected authority.

Authority was what Durgil liked to wield, Dirnhael thought to himself. He still wasn't comfortable with doing so.
Perhaps he didn't need to...

Some would say that Dirnhael and Fengel presented a fearsome pair, and the battle-hardened Dunadan thought it time to take advantage of that.
Motioning to his friend, they strode confidently to the bar, and Dirnhael's eyes locked with the barkeep as a stern look crossed his face. Fengel smiled faintly - Dirnhael knew that his friend enjoyed being more... direct.

"Your patrons," he said quietly to the man behind the bar as he noticed Fengel's sharp eyes scanning the crowd, "often among them is a man named Olin. I wish to speak to him... now."

***
Intimidate (Power) +6
Roll(2d6)+6:2,3,+6 Total:11
OOC: If spending a Courage Point would help Dirnhael succeed, he'll do it.
***

[Stefan]

As the morning pregressed and none of the party seemed inclined to leave the hamlet Nain decides that Jethro has had enough attention for the morning.  He heads into the Inn and orders an Ale, some eggs, bacon and sausage for breakfast while he waits for them to continue on their journey.

[tomcat]

Seriand moved up and down the road from where his track entered the mud. The sun was beginning its arc up into the late morning - early afternoon sky and the light made the Elf's work a bit easier. Still, his quarry was elusive, merely for the fact that whatever it was that had come to the window, it walked with a light step.

Edrahil scanned the land around him, his thin hand shading his eyes. There was naught to be seen of any person in the wilds west of Bree. To the south and west, the mounds of Tyrn Gorthad rose, marching their way to the eaves of the Old Forest. The Sindar remembered the cold winter night on those hills and the unnatural fog that had blanketed the town in which they stayed. He also remembered Lunduf's and DIrnhael's recounting of the dark shape in the night that hauled off the young thief. Whatever the fell beings were, they took living prey. This made Edrahil feel more urgent and he hoped that Seriand would come up with something soon.

The other Sindar Elf was on the south side of the East-West Road moving between the line of trees that grew alongside. The large Maple trees were still bare from winter, but evidence of buds could be seen. Soon the lush greens of spring and summer would drape over all.

Seriand reached down and moved aside a patch of new grown weeds, some of shich were broken as if something stepped over them. There it was, lightly impressed in the moist earth, a boot print as those under the Abelman's window. The Elven scout stood and looked in the direction of the hills and without a word, proceeded to move off towards them. Edrahil ran to catch up.

With the track evident before them, the two Elves moved deeper into the hills, marching for two miles. On either side, barrow-topped mounds rose and Seriand and Edrahil weaved between the burial grounds instead of walking atop them - partly out of respect, partly out of a sense of foreboding. At last the trail the Seriand followed came to a hill that was a slight bit higher than those around it and the two companions walked up the steep grade. On their way up, they could see two barrow entrances that were covered with stones securing the contents of the dead within, but once up top, they saw the broken open tomb. Dark of night filled the inside of the barrow and the booted prints that they had followed disappered within.

Wily was a rather despecable person, and he followed a code of discreetness regarding his patrons and friends, but he was no hero. The look in the Dunadan's eye before him and his shorter companion was enough to tell him that these men were not here as the law, which made them more dangerous.

OOC: Willpower test to save TN 11
Willpower +1, Amongst peers +1
Roll(2d6)+2: 5,6,+2 Total:13 FAILED (due to Dirnhael's use of a Courage) but not by much

Wily picked up one of his crocks and pulled a foamy ale for Dirnhael, thinking that this might go better, if not more profitably, if he were more obliging, .

"Well sir, Olin can be found. He's not here at the moment but I can send one of my lads to get' im... say for a silver penny or two?"

[Wiseman]

Relief washed over Seriand as he was finally able to find the track again and start down the trail anew.  The air around the barrow's was almost stifiling, the elves breathing became more shallow and picked up pace as he looked about.  "The dead are watching us..."  Was the first and most pressing new thought on his mind as he continued along the tracks, checking to make sure his elven friend was with him, being out here alone was a bad idea.

As they crested the hill Seriand noticed the tracks leading into the tomb and pointed this out to Edrahil.  In a low whisper he made a suggestion. "Be ye ready to go in here with me or shall we go back to bring allies?"  Seriand silently drew his blade from its scabbard. 

[sdrotar]

Wily was a rather despecable person, and he followed a code of discreetness regarding his patrons and friends, but he was no hero. The look in the Dunadan's eye before him and his shorter companion was enough to tell him that these men were not here as the law, which made them more dangerous.

OOC: Willpower test to save TN 11
Willpower +1, Amongst peers +1
Roll(2d6)+2: 5,6,+2 Total:13 FAILED (due to Dirnhael's use of a Courage) but not by much

Wily picked up one of his crocks and pulled a foamy ale for Dirnhael, thinking that this might go better,if not more profitably, if he were more obliging, .

"Well sir, Olin can be found. He's not here at the moment but I can send one of my lads to get' im... say for a silver penny or two?"

Dirnhael took a deep draw from the mug, and flipped the man a coin.
"One," he said firmly. "We're short on time."

[Palandil]

Fengel stood with his back to the bar watching cautiously the riff raff that call this pub home.  A thought suddenly surprised him, he would actually welcome a little fight right now.  He hadn't had a good fist fight in a pub in some while.  But then he thought about Erin and how she may be in a great deal of trouble.  "We must find out what Olin knows quickly", he spoke within himself.

[tomcat]

"Be ye ready to go in here with me or shall we go back to bring allies?"

"While waiting for aid seems the wiser path, the well-being of the young girl supercedes such caution," Edrahil said as he looked at the black entrance. The Sindar mage had not adorned himself with his own weapon this morning; being in the town of Bree he did not see its use. The lack of it bothered him now. Still, his Art would hopefully be aid enough to his kin in achieving their goal.

Edrahil began to chant as he crouched to enter the crypt.

OOC: Map will be provided shortly; give me actions and dialogue then...

Dirnhael took a deep draw from the mug, and flipped the man a coin, "One," he said firmly. "We're short on time."

Wily picked up the coin and his hand disappeared in his apron to stash it. He then gestured with his thumb over his shoulder, "He hid in my wagon when he saw you two approachin'. Musta known he were in trouble... what's he done this time?"

With a bumping and a blumbering, a mop-headed young man stood up in the back of the wagon only to tumble out and hit the ground hard. The breath inside of him burst fromhis chest, but surprisingly the youth bounced to his feet and then stumbled off at a slow pace, but getting quicker.

Fengel and Dirnhael immediately set off after him...

OOC: Map will be provided shortly; give me actions and dialogue then...

[Wiseman]

"Very well, we shall proceed with the utmost caution."  Without another spoken word Seriand began, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness within the tomb he hoped he would be able to see well enough.  His sword before him he searched for signs of their prey and for signs of a trap.

Observe(Spot): Unknown, not at home
Track: See above

OOC:  Don't remember if elves can see in the dark in LotR (too much D&D!)

[tomcat]

Edrahil finishes his incantation and Seriand is pleased that he will not need to worry about the darkness before him.

OOC: Cast Create Light TN 5
Edrahil's Willpower +6, The Art +2
Roll(2d6)+8: 6,3,+8 Total:17 Extraordinary SUCCESS

I will be posting more later tonight, I just wanna work up our bad guy.

[Wiseman]

I will be posting more later tonight, I just wanna work up our bad guy.[/color]

Which tonight are you speaking of

[tomcat]

The two Elves entered the crypt in the brightness of Edrahil's spell, his mystic light revealing the way before them. The hole was 4' in height and just over 3' wide and was very confining to the two Sindar who spent most of their time under the stars of the open sky. Draped in cobwebs, it continued back some 30' into the hill to finally open up into a chamber 8' by 16' and 6' high allowing both Elves to stand upright. The air was still and heavy with the old smell of decay.

Nothing stirred.

The two companions noticed to their left another passage went off into darkness. In each corner of the chamber an old statute stood cut from wood. The carvings were deteriorating from time but were easy to distinguish as images of men in armor. Guards watching the dead? The Elves wondered at the habits of Men and their reverence for the fallen. Not so much unlike that of the Elves, but still the mortals tried to maintain some form of longevity through their idols.

A large crack rent the floor and a whisper of air circulated up from below.

All was quiet...