Year 2950: A Darkness in the Marshes

Vladim · January 3

Chapter 3: The passage of the marshes

Scene 15: Folk of the Great River

Time: Early summer 2950 T.A. Twenty-three days since the departure from Rhosgobel. Morning.

Location: At the shores of Traders' Island

The good summer weather held, and it did not hinder them as they completed their descent from the Misty Mountains and continued along the plains, seeking the Anduin, who would carry them to their destination. As they drew nearer, they sought to avoid the Beorning village of Stonyford, which Dahr-Ol now called home, for secrecy was still their wish, as Radagast had counseled them. By some good fortune, they found the same three boats that had carried them upriver: they still lay hidden in the place they had left them, and so Magric needn't spend time to find new ones for the next leg of the journey.

The Woodman, who had at first known only Gramtyng primarily, and Ernstyr to a lesser extent, begun to grow more comfortable with the remaining companions as the days passed, his jests gradually becoming more genuine and less forced. Gifts of pipe-weed from Cecil were more than enough to gain his friendship, and by the time they reached the shores, he was calling them by their names, instead of using the broader "your new friends" when he spoke to Gram, which he had relied on in past days.

By the eyot north of Traders' Isle they took to the waters, and found the old Anduin a friendly fellow, eager to carry them along smoothly. Since they now went downstream, they were spared the strains and sweat of rowing, which they had had to resort to before. Now oars were only needed for steering and avoiding obstacles, which were few and far between. And they moved much faster, and so by the end of the second day of their river-journey, they had already reached the shores of Traders' Isle.

Only Gramtyng and Ernstyr had set foot on the place before, and as they tied their boats to the trunk of a tree by the shores of a small, man-made inlet, they looked about and found the place much changed from what they could recall. Gone were the large and clumsy barges with their river-homes, where most of the éafolk dwelled, and gone also were the colourful tents that had always been raised at the breaking of Spring. And there was no sound of song or speech: it seemed as if the place had been abandoned, though none could tell how long ago. As they slowly begun to walk towards the place where the éafolk made their market, they begun to see the first signs of their presence at a distance: a couple of tents still remained, which they remembered from their upstream journey, though they had only seen them from a greater distance before. But there was not a soul in sight.

The river-folk had always been a wandering peoples, more at home on the water than any land, and had stubbornly refused to put down roots for centuries. But now they held no market on the island, despite the good weather? This was strange and unusual, and the silence was eerie, particularly for those that had been here in better times.

OOC

Sorry for potentially cutting off the RP, but if you want to continue it (for example, if Ernstyr wants to answer Cecil's question), just split your post into two parts, one labelled "On the road" and another "On Traders' Isle" for the sake of clarity.

I will let you handle this situation as you wish, and I'll push things forward if we get stuck. You may use skills as you see fit: Awareness and Riddle and Stealth are good candidates, so just describe your actions and make what roll seems appropriate. Just keep it to one action & roll per post, to avoid spamming lots of rolls.

Good luck!

Eric · January 5

Ernstyr of Rhosgobel - On the road

Ernstyr's countenance fell as the Dwimmerhorn was raised again. "I know only a little. It is said the land is tainted and the water is befouled, such that living things grow twisted and evil simply by its presence. It stands atop a great tor, if the rumors hold, and as such commands a strong defense over any approach. We will need to find some means of infiltrating it. It is also said... that..." The Woodman hesitates even more, and his voice becomes almost inaudible. "The darkness is fed through the blood of the living."

Eric · January 5

Ernstyr of Rhosgobel - On Trader's Isle

The Woodman had been in a pensive mood through the long journey, but as the party neared the summer gathering place of the river-folk, his energy seemed to rise, almost to the point of agitation. He kept close watch in the direction of the island, and as such he was perhaps the first to sense that something was terribly amiss.

Eyeing the tents, his gaze darted back and forth. "This be no ordinary departure, scattered by storm or making their separate ways after a pleasant market-day. No son of the river would leave anything of value behind if he had the time to stow it."

Suzuki Stumpy · January 5

Barin Greycloak

He didn't need Ernstyr's warning to see that something was amiss on the island. The abandoned tents and general disarray was enough to do that.

Walking slowly and carefully, Barin unlimbered his axe and motioned Núr to go back and remain with the boats, tossing his pack to his young protegé as he did so.

Now, suitably ready for anything untoward, he continued his cautious advance towards what had been, presumably, some form of market at some point, eyes darting here and there at the slightest movement.

What had happened here was a puzzle, and no mistake...

OOC

oof ... "advancing cautiously, Barin managed to trip over a discarded leaf..."

thesloth · January 5

Dahr-Ol of the Beornings

******ONTHE ROAD******

Dahr-Ol nodded as Ernstyr described the twisting of things by the powers that controlled the Dwimmerhorn.

"It will not be any natural circumstances that support such a place. Always the shadow corrupts what it touches. I fear we will see more like that mercenary captain who attempted to invade the Beorning lands years ago. He shrugged off several blows that should have killed him. A sick greenish light seemed present about him."

**********The Isle********

Dahr-Ol noted his companions observations and agreed. Wary of an ambush he drew his axe and glanced round. He wouldnot be taken unaware.

Vladim · January 7

The quietness, unusual for this place, was met with unease, and the company proceeded warily, fearing that something foul was afoot. Ernstyr, who knew the place better than most, inspected his surroundings with the keen eyes of a marksman. Far away, he saw the tent, and noticed its entrance-a simple piece of cloth-flapping in a light gust of wind. Had no-one bothered to fasten it? Had it too been abandoned in haste, and why? The orcs were known to infest the Gladden Fields, but attacking the Isle was unheard of; they never took to the river in boats.

But another thing caught his attention: out of the corner of his eye, a fleeting shadow: a small shape shifting in the undergrowth, observing them from a distance.

As for Barin, he too looked about him, but his purpose was different: to gather all the clues that he could find, and assemble them in a way that could aid him reconstruct what had transpired. Thus far, there was little to go by, but the general abandonment of the place pointed to a simple yet certain conclusion: there must have been an attack here, and a relatively recent one for that matter. But where were other signs of it? Why had the enemies left the tent standing? Had it been an attack from the waters?

Meanwhile, Dahr-Ol kept his vigil too, aided by the ever-loyal Elfwyn.

OOC

That's a basic success for Ernstyr; mark down any advancement points if applicable.

Barin fails with a Sauron, and likely draws a wrong conclusion. I've offered a hint of it above, but feel to roleplay this as you see fit (and only if you want). Adding +1 to the Eye Threshold.

Dahr-Ol is aided in Awareness by Elfwyn. Don't forget that you can reroll that Fear die (D12) and keep the higher result! I'll do it below and see if it alters the outcome.

Edit: In this instance, it does not.

Suzuki Stumpy · January 8

Barin Greycloak

"Be wary!" Barin whispered as the company crept towards the abandoned campsite. "This has all the hallmarks of an attack, but ... where is the blood and the bodies? If Orcs or Goblins had come here then it would have been a slaughter. And who's ever heard of Orcs and Goblins using boats anyway?"

He began a methodical search of the site looking for further clues, a perplexed look upon his face.

OOC

Diofant · January 9

Gramtyng, son of Fastred

As the days passed, it was good to see the company had gotten more comfortable in talking. Regardless how serious their purpose, traveling with only grim faces and dark thoughts had worn on anyone more than they would tell. Magric, too, seemed to be getting along with the others, so the bard was not forced to be a middleman between him and the others to get them to talk, and instead took the time to educate Belgo while the journey continued.

An empty island awaited them. Gramtyng walked after his companions, his recently better mood utterly evaporated; what could have forced them to leave? Some of their tents remained... But no boats. No market, despite fair weather? Barin's thoughts seemed similar to his own. If this was a result of an enemy threat - where was the blood? Why had the enemy not taken or befouled anything left behind? He looked around sharply, trying to find a clue to what had happened.

OOC/Actions*

I will use 1 point of Hope to raise my 13 to an 18.

Edited January 9 by Diofant (see edit history)

Modest_Proposal · January 9

Cecil Brandybuck

Along the Road

The ease of river travel lightened Cecil’s mood and for those few days, he didn’t much dwell on what lay before him. Here and there along the Anduin, a proud boulder testified to the trials of the journey to Mountain Hall and how fiercely his boat mate Barin had rowed to avoid them.

The sediment of their differences were settling. He felt content in a way that solitude could not nurture - and he had much solitude since leaving the Shire.

————-----------------------------------------

At Trader's Isle

There was a foulness in the air and the land had an unwelcome, trampled look. It was as if the people had simply vanished (much like after an emptied hobbit house party). In a way, he’d almost prefer this be the work of goblins rather than some shapeless threat. At least he knew something about the wretched creatures.

He walked cautiously through the debris. Little made sense in this grey, hapless den. How hobbits had ever lived here, he could not understand. His hands balanced along his belt and bow and he took to examining the remains of a tent in the distance.

Eric · January 9

Ernstyr of Rhosgobel - On Trader's Isle

"Barin, wait!" Ernstyr's words were lost in the wind as the dwarf hurried toward the encampment. The Woodman had noticed something, and whether it was shadow-play or an actual concern, he was determined that their approach should not be watched without action. With his bow held close at hand, Ernstyr turned slightly off the path and toward the ragged vegetation that ringed much of the island. He kept enough distance that if it were a threat, he would have warning ere it was upon him, but he raised his voice so that anyone nearby could clearly hear.

"Hello? Who goes there? If you are a friend of the river, speak!"

thesloth · January 9

Dahr-Ol of the Beornings

Dahr-Ol noted Ernstyr's rapt attention focused on some bushes and moved up bside the woodman. Dahr-Ol motioned for Elfwynn to go to Ernstyr's left.

"Ernstyr, Elfwynn and I have your flanks."

Spear in hand the fierce woman took up a fighting stance.

Vladim · January 10

Perplexed, Barin turned to the ground, inspecting it for any hidden clues of an attack. He still found no trace of orcs or bloodshed, but his search was not fruitless. There were tracks in the soil, few and faint, but fresh: small shoe-prints that must have belonged to a child. Barin was certain of it.

At the same time, Gramtyng turned towards the direction that Ernstyr had indicated. The Woodman’s cry had gone without answer, but Gram could discern that its intended recipient had not yet fled, though he seemed still and fearful. He was well-hidden; he must have been of small of stature to conceal himself so well behind the shrubs. But he held something-likely a weapon-and a feature seemed to stand out to the Man of Rohan, barely visible through the undergrowth. Wild, black hair that he still recalled, though only barely.

It was a boy of the éafolk that went by the name of… Wigfrith? Winfrith? He did not remember it perfectly, for he had only heard it in passing, when this Wigfrith or Winfrith was running errands for his elders while Gram spoke to them all those years ago. But it must have been something along those lines.

Ernstyr listened, and Dahr-Ol and Elfwyn and Cecil remained vigilant. But there was no answer.

OOC

Those are great successes for Gram and Barin, and -1 Hope for Gram (stats updated).

Someone give me a social skill check (anything will work) at TN 14 to avoid scaring the boy. Getting the name right will reduce the TN by 4.

Suzuki Stumpy · January 13

Barin Greycloak

He heard not the summons of Ernstyr to tarry, yet Barin held firm to the belief that the muddied prints before him bespoke the presence of a child. From the corner of his eye, he beheld both Gramtyng and Ernstyr advancing with silent steps toward the fringes of the forsaken campsite, endeavoring not to disturb aught that lurked within the verdant concealment.

Gazing intently into the underbrush, he discerned a definite presence, though the nature thereof eluded his sight from his current stance. However, the comportment of his comrades betrayed no sign of impending peril.

With a deliberate motion, Barin set his trusty axe upon the earth, delving into the folds of his jerkin until his fingers discovered a provision of hardtack. Extending the morsel at arm's length towards the concealing foliage, he snapped off a fragment and began to chew upon it, a sign that sustenance was at hand. Placing the broken biscuit upon the ground before him, he withdrew step by measured step, a silent entreaty woven into the very fabric of his retreat, beckoning forth whatever dwelled within the covert sanctuary.

OOC

I'll leave one of the others to try to call out to the boy. I figure that a dour Dwarf who can't see clearly who, or what it is that's hiding is unlikely to be able to entice them out on his own. (Plus, with my usual luck of the dice I'll probably just scare the poor kid straight into the river)...

Modest_Proposal · January 14

Cecil Brandybuck

Cecil twisted at Ernstyr’s call, his cloak soaking in the brown water. He traced the figure in the bush: A small thing, gripping some bit of metal with wild eyes. These were not the twitches of an evil thing. Many travelers he had seen by the Brandywine. Children were always the same - like rose buds in the Spring.

“You, brave boy - yes you. Come out now, would you? You have us beat!” With a finger, he lifted his bow and lowered it in the patchy grass. “You are too clever to be a goblin, and too light-footed. Show us who bested the messengers from Mountain Hall.”

Edited January 14 by Modest_Proposal (see edit history)

Vladim · January 16

Barin's offer did not attract the child-at least not at once. Yet upon hearing the hobbit's call, which was met by a moment's silence, something stirred behind the bushes where the boy was hiding. It was enough to alert all in the party-even those who had not been as observant as Erntryr or Gramtyng-to his presence. Then the boy stepped forth and revealed himself, but he did not speak to them at once.

He was a wild little thing, with hair untamed and unkempt, and well-worn clothes, and his face was dirty. In one hand he bore a bow, all strung and ready, and in another a sword, but it was too big for him. His face looked grim, but his eyes were wide, especially after seeing Cecil and realizing that he was not merely another boy like him. But only for a moment-soon they narrowed again.

"There is no market here." he said to them at length, still not dropping his wary watch over them. "My peoples are on the river, to the south. You had better leave."

OOC

I'll leave you handle this as you see fit, with RP and/or skill checks. Up to you.

Cecil's courage points have been updated in the first post of this thread. You can find the Fellowship Pool score there (currently at 6/6) with a brief explanation of how these points can be used to your advantage (for future reference).

Text_1	Text_2	Text_3	Bold_1	Accent_1	Mood_1
Warm_1	Warm_2	Warm_3	Bold_2	Accent_2	Mood_2
Cool_1	Cool_2	Cool_3	Bold_3	Accent_3	Mood_3
Bright_1	Bright_2	Bright_3	Bold_4	Accent_4	Mood_4

Year 2950: A Darkness in the Marshes

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