Under the timeless eaves of Rivendell

[tomcat]

The days passed under the quiet, timeless eaves of Rivendell and the Company rested and prepared for the next leg of their journey. Before they would turn east for Fengel's homeland, they would make for Khazad-dûm to pay the last respects to Lûnduf. Because of this, the group began to pour over the many fine maps that Elrond's library held.

Before them were two options, to travel south down the west side of the Misty Mountains and pass through the lands of western Cardolan and what used to be Eregion. Once south, they hoped that the Dwarves would let them pass through the halls of Durin to the east side of the mountains. If not, they would be well into spring and the path of Caradhras would certainly be open. If both of these roads were closed, they would have to pass through Dunland and into the lands of Calenhardon, from there they could travel east, just south of Lothlórien, and onto the lands of the Éothraim.


*the red lines signify potential paths for you to choose from

The other option was to cross over the mountain's northern pass. It was early spring but the pass should be open although the travel would be hard. From there the Company would have to travel south to the Dwarven city, but that would entail passing by the southern area of Mirkwood which was said to be haunted.

Seriand was most familiar with the choices here, though Fengel knew much too, but his knowledge was many years old and that would do them no good. If they went south on the westside and the Dwarves did not let them through, that could add as much as a month to their trip.

A decision needed made, but to do that they needed to take council and so they all met on the evening of the fifth day on the quiet veranda that sat on the backside of the house. The evening air was fragrant and cool and fireflies twinkled under the boughs. Before them was a large map of the Misty Mountain region, its corners weighted down to keep it spread open. Candles glowed around them providing sufficient light for them to see by.

Edrahil looked to all and said, "Spring has definitely come to the mountains and thus our options for crossing the barrier are many, but each contains the possibilty for challenges and dangers. What think you all on our course of action?"

[GandalfOfBorg]

Durgil puts forth his thoughts.  "I believe the prudent path would be to take the mountain pass and travel down the east side of the Misty Mountains.  We would have the benefit of populated lands, sparse as they may be, and the possibly the elven wood available for aid if our need was dire.  Wholesome it may be, Eregion and further south just doesn't offer us such an advantage to travellers."

[Stefan]

"Nonesense.  We should travel to Moria.  Tis he shortest route and the hospitality of Durin will be much better than any lonely mountain pass."

[tomcat]

As the Company spent their days resting, the Elven smiths were given the shard of Andúring and the weapon was taken to the forges. Some of those present marveled at the ancient work and remembered the skillful hands of old, the Noldorin smiths that had come from Valinor and who had studied their art under the likes of Fëanor.

The break was examined and the smiths wondered that without the original shard that now lay deep within the dragon Scatha, would the blade be strong and not break again? The tang was still strong but to forge a new length to the sword, a piece that may not be tempered the same, risked the weapon failing at an inopportune time. It was resolved that without the original shard, the weapon would not be able to restored and so it was taken back to Elrond and he laid it in a place of honour within his house. He would need tell the Dúnadan that his families sword would be kept here, but it would not be whole again until the dragon was sought out.

The Lady Arwen was present when her father was given the shard from the smiths and she listened as they explained the loss of the weapon. Quietly she rose and left her sire and his fellows and headed off towards the guest quarters that lay on the East side of the house. As she walked, she thought of the words she had with Dirnhael and the love that he had spoken of for the Lady Ioreth in far off Fornost. The sadness that she saw in his face, but the devotion to both her and his comrades were strong and thus he was once again upon the road. It was this enduring devotion that would carry him to the east only to one day return home to the love he had left behind. She did not know why, but she felt that he must come home to Ioreth.

Arwen found Dirnhael's room empty and she stole inside to scoop up the blade that lay there across his bed. He had told her that it had been a gift to him from Ioreth and that he carried it in Andúring's stead - it would be the blade the would bring him home. She left the apartments and carried the sword to the Elven-smiths and to them she gave it with her wishes to be done.

OOC: the sword's enhancements shall be explained later but Arwen will present it to Dirnhael in a not to future post... Shawn, understand that all of the above has taken place since the first night of your arrivel in Rivendell and you giving Andúring to Elrond. Dirnhael has not needed his current sword in this land, so you can decide whether or not he has 'missed it' over the last 5 days.

Also to everyone that might be interested, I have been modifying the Babylon Boards skin, dressing it with a Tolkien LotR look.

[Wiseman]

Seriand sat with the comrades when they decided it was time to choose their route.  With his experience of the area due to his many trips through the woods and back and forth across the mountains the elven scout's opinion would do well for the party as a whole.

"The journey will be difficult either way, but you are all used to the hardships of the road."  Seriand looked at the map and thought.

"If we cross now we will not have to worry about the dwarves allowing our passage.  I recommend we cross now and then turn south to enter the eastern side of Moria whence we you can pay your respects for your fallen friend."

Survival: +10?
Lore: Realm - Lorien? +5
Either way I rolled a 4 so you can add that to the skills based on which one is more fitting to Seriand deciding which would be the best way to go.  The last part of my post would of course change if Seriand knows one way is better than the other.

[tomcat]

OOC: Nope, that is a great post Shawn. I will leave it in all of your capable hands to discuss/debate the best possible path!

[tomcat]

First the sword was unwrapped of the tightly wound leather and the pommel and guard were removed leaving only the length of the steel from tip to tang. Once done, the Elven-smith thrust the blade into the brightly glowing coals of the furnace and there it was left to heat to red hot, thus was the sword re-tempered and each time removed the edge pounded to a razor keen-ness.



The days passed as the smiths worked the steel making its edge hard but its length flexible so it would not break in battle. While the smiths worked, Arwen and her ladies laboured together in the crafting of a sheath and baldric. The Elfess smiled to herself, hoping that the Dúnadan had not yet realized his weapon was gone so that her gift to him would be more of a surprise.

In the smithies, the length of steel was now laid out on a large wooden table and the white-smiths began their work. With keen tools, elegant elven inscriptions were carved along both sides with fine shapes of leaves and vines and that of the seven stars of Elendil. Once the inlay had been finished, liquid mithril was poured along the tracery, filling it, and was then left to cool. The precious metal shone brighter than that of the steel that made up the sword and the beauty of the blade was great to behold.

Thus with this work finally done, the guard was replaced, the pommel placed back on and the handle re-wrapped with soft, white doe-skin leather. Arwen then took up the weapon and brought it to those within Elrond's house that were skilled in the arcane arts. The mages followed her wishes and laid into the metal the graces that the Elven folk were able to bestow.



The Lady of the realm watched on as they worked and she thought to herself, "It shall be called Vorandúr, the enduring devotion, and it shall keep him and his line beyond his short span."

She would see to it that Dirnhael had this gift before their departure which she understood would not be long, for even now the Company discussed their route.

OOC: I know, I know! That is Glamdring from the movies! But I couldn't find a nice looking blade image that was in my head.

Vorandúr

Description: Longsword of Dúnadan make that has been enhanced by the Elves. It is considered now enchanted for attacks against any fell-creature that can only be stricken by one. I will allow you to come up with any physical description that you would like Shawn using the above description of work.

Standard Damage: 2d6+6

Modifiers: +1 Parry bonus

Enchantment:
Blade Preservation - The sword will not tarnish or show any sign of age, or damage for 550 years; and it may only be damaged if it defends and fails in an -25 Extraordinary Failure (meaning your test results would have to be -25 to the intended goal).
Victory - This enchantment gives the wielder a +3 bonus to Armed combat tests and Willpower saves against Fear. It also grants a +5 bonus to Courage spent on Armed combat tests instead of the normal +3.
Bane - the sword gains a +1 damage bonus to all allies of the Shadow.
Detect Foe - the swords mithril tracery will glow a faint blue-white when within close proximity to Orcs.

[sdrotar]

OOC - Sorry about the delay, everybody... finally got all caught up from the All-Star stuff...

BTW - I love how this scene's been set, top-to-bottom. We're really getting into a nice groove with these characters, IMHO.

***

Dirnhael listened to his friends as they discussed the path they would take. He had concerns about crossing the northern mountain pass so early in the spring, but such a pass was preferable to that of cruel Caradhras - even during warmer weather. But there was Mirkwood to contend with, and rumors that the spawn of Ungoliath still dwelt in the accursed woods traveled even to the West.

With Nain traveling in their party, and with the express goal of paying respect to their fallen Dwarf comrade, Dirnhael was hopeful that the Dwarves would let them pass, and he yearned to see for himself the wonders of the legendary Dwarven city.

He wanted to believe the Dwarves of Khazad-Dum would let them pass - but if they did not, the road south would be hard, across sparse terrain, and Dunlendings were not on the best of terms with the Dunedain.

"If there were only a way to know if your kin would welcome us," he said quietly, thinking of Lunduf, but speaking to no one in particular.

[sdrotar]

OOC: This post is out of sync, chronologically, so perhaps I should have posted in in the previous thread. If so, I apologize for the confusion.

Dirnhael's at peace in Rivendell, and as such, he's not even thinking about his sword when Arwen chooses to take it.

***

Dirnhael was more formally introduced to the Lady Arwen, and when he took her hand in greeting, he felt a mixture of awe... and love.
Not because he was enraptured by here - which he was - but because she was so pure, as if the light of a gleaming star took form and shape. And there was something else... a connection that he could not comprehend.

"My Lady," was all he could muster as she smiled to him and nodded with a wisdom he would never know.

***

In the solace of Rivendell, among the greening valley, Dirnhael had found true peace for the first time in his life.
Since meeting Arwen, his sadness had lifted, and the visions of Angbor and Lunduf, whose faces had haunted him each night, were seen never again in Dirnhael's dreams.

He was renewed - a whole man once more, and he had seen for the first time who he had become.
His whole life, he had felt little but fear and sorrow - from losing his parents, from knowing his home was destroyed, and by watching his dearest friends and companions die - all from what he had perceived were his own failures.

But the living vision that was Arwen - and their ethereal bond - had lifted a veil from Dirnhael's eyes.
He had friends - no, they were family - and he realized that his joy was for living for them, protecting them as a father would his children, for they would help bring comfort and light to the world, while asking nothing in return. He thought of Durgil, the bright and eager young man, brother of the woman he loved; of Fengel, his stalwart companion, whom he would too soon miss deeply; of Edrahil, the Elf whom Dirnhael considered a brother. And above all, Ioreth - who after Arwen's touch, became even more important to him than she even had been before.
He would return to her one day, and they would live - Dirnhael knew now that this was his purpose.

Walking under the trees as the fading light filtered softly through their leaves, he hoped to return here one day.
As for now, however, his path was finally clear. "Arwen," he thought. Should he and Ioreth be blessed with a daughter one day, he thought he would like to choose that name for her - two women that would make Dirnhael's life one worth living.

The candles were alight in Rivendell when he returned from his walk - their flickering fires echoed by the flames now lit in his beating heart.
He kept watch over the night, staring at the stars and listening to the river run; comfortable for the first time in his own skin, and eager to face what would come tomorrow.

[Stefan]

"My kin may not be the most hospitable of folk to outsiders but they'd never turn away a dwarf from their doors.  The ways and paths of Mirkwood are even less welcoming than a mountain full of my most dour cousins.  I've heard nothing but ill news from there of late and it gets darker with each passing year."

Lore Realm (Mirkwood) 5,3+4=12
Lore Realm (Kazad-Dum) 1,4+6=11

[GandalfOfBorg]

"Is it not true that the dwarf-realm has an east door?  If I have read the maps rightly, by crossing here, we still can travel down through the lands of the woodmen of the Anduin Vales, to the those doors at the bounds of Lothlorien.  We need not worry overmuch about the Dark Wood while we remain on this side of the river," countered Durgil.

[Palandil]

"Nay, it is still early Spring and the nothern pass will be yet still a hard road.  And though we will not travel through Mirk Wood, the evil that lies there has arms that I would rather avoid.  Besides, Lunduf had traveled out of the west gate and we should bring him back to that gate for they are expecting his return there.  And if the dwarves of Kazhad-dum will not allow us passage, then Caradhras will be an easy jorney as the snow will have been gone."

[Wiseman]

OOC: Wouldn't we be far from Mirkwood if we went over in the North and skirted the mountains?  Just having to pass through Lorien?  Sorry if this is stupid gentelmen, but I haven't been keeping up with or growing my LotR knowledge

[tomcat]

OOC: First of all... WOW!!! You guys are talking to each other and this post is going great! Shawn D - I love your posts, I iwll fit them into the compilation where they need to go; everyone else, great RP'ing your characters, I can actually hear it in the posts - the Dwarf with his gruff voice saying "Of course we will be allowed through" and everyone else with quiet apprehension! Kudos to you all for re-vitalizing the Rivendell scene. I thought I was boring you all! (I wish I had a dancing emoticon)

PS - Hey Shawn D, I hope you like the new sword and aren't too bummed about Anduring being put to rest... I thought about repairing it, but I kind of like the idea for a future adventure seed to reclaim the shard when Scatha is finally slain. I hope too that you do not think the whole story behind Vorandur is sappy, but it seemed right that Arwen would do this for you though she knew not why.

"Is it not true that the dwarf-realm has an east door?  If I have read the maps rightly, by crossing here, we still can travel down through the lands of the woodmen of the Anduin Vales, to the those doors at the bounds of Lothlorien.  We need not worry overmuch about the Dark Wood while we remain on this side of the river," countered Durgil.

"Ahh yes you are correct Durgil," said Edrahil, "but remember your people's own history. It was within these very vales that you speak that the returning host of Arnor was beset to the loss of us all... the fall of Isildur and the loss of the One Ring!"

Then the Elf addressed the rest, "I would very much like to walk through the lands of Eregion and take in what once was... but I fear that the Dwarves will bar our way. No slight to you Nain, but long have the relations been sour between your folk and ours since the Second Age wars with Sauron. Would that we could return to days of old when the doors of Durin stood open to travelers of any ilk, and Dwarf and Elf worked together for the greater good of both folk, but those days have passed."

He sighed, "Thus do we still lie at an impasse. To take the north road seems more hazardous, but to go south on the west side of the Misty Mountains may add at least another month to our road. My heart yearns to see the lost lands of my kin, but neither choice seems good."

Edrahil looked exasperated and he left his comments out there for the others to take and hopefully use to make a decision that would be best.