A2 - Shelter and Arrival

You’d think morning and the knowledge we’re halfway there would bolster the group. Nope; the constant whimpering by Belgo and the maddening rants of his father has set the group on edge. And as if nature is tuned to our aura, the skies darken, the trees begin to sway, ears pop as the temperature drops, and rain falls…in buckets. A gully-washer. Clothing is quickly soaked, dropping body temperatures. G-non scrambles to scout out shelter, “Over here!”

Dark shadows suggest the elf has found a cave, but as we draw near we find the hollowed base of a HUGE tree. Horses tied and wagon secured, we enter. “Phew! What died in here?” The stench overwhelming. A fire flickers within when the dwarf assumes, “It’s a smokehouse. Notice the strips of meat hanging over the fire.” But Rambler notices more, finding bedding and carvings upon the inner walls. Old woodsman clothing, with dried blood on the sleeves. “It’s a home.”

 

Ladee has already taken up Lookout near the entrance when he hears noises outside. He stands as the waft of wet-dog approaches just as a human enters, “There is someone within our dwelling. Bear? Too small. Goat?” Ladee begins to introduce himself when the elf steps forward, “Thank you for your hospitality.” But the man counters, “We didn’t invite.” G-non continues, “But we brought gifts. So where is your friend? I am Galanon from Lorien, and you are; where from?” It’s now obvious the old woodsman hermit’s friend is in his mind, “He is He and I am Me.”

‘Me’ steps further into his home as he scans the others, all while rubbing his wrists as he contemplates. “From…the south…in the dark…pain. He held me. Always in my head. Burning eye. Single eye; sometimes two with a crown. Years ago; ‘He’ says 5 years. Fight above. I fell unconscious. Woke to find my shackles loose; so, I walked out.” As we listen to his fantastic story, we can only guess his madness. Rowlie tries to placate him praising his perseverance [i.e. Persuade]. “You must be the ones I was waiting for.” ‘Me’ shuffles near his bedding pulling out a bundle, then extracts an axe shard handing it to Rowlie, “I’ve heard it called ‘Wolfbiter’. It disappeared a decade ago; so, I went searching near Dol Guldur.” All eyes focus on the iron as we begin to realize there is truth to ‘Me’s’ story.

As if a burden has been lifted, the woodsman crawls into his bed and is fast asleep. It’s a restless night for the rest of us as the storm outside continues till the early morning hours. As we prepare to leave, Ladee retrieves a dwarven toy from Baldor’s wagon and leaves it near the hermit’s feet, “You said we came with gifts.”

Last night’s storm has downed many trees but surprisingly the elf-path is clear. And Baldor begins to regain some of his memory. Which is a relief to Brackrog concerned for our promised pay. But the enclosed forest captures the humidity. No wind to cool us, we begin to sweat which draws the flies. Drowsiness begins to settle. It’s mid-afternoon when the boy Belgo whimpers louder pleading for rest. Rambler suggests he climb aboard the wagon next to Ladee (who is snacking on his 3^rd meal of the day). Yet as the wagon rolls on, depression settles among the group. Maybe it’s thoughts of the hermit’s story, but ‘Shadow’ falls among the group forcing G-non to search for a campsite. A clearing to the side with an abandoned well in the back corner. Old vines have grown out of the well and lace the area.

Ladee jumps down from the wagon and strolls toward the well where he settles at its base to assume his Lookout duties. Maybe looking for water source, Rowlie approaches the well tossing a torch down it as he watches, “There’s a scepter down there!” Ladee rises to look for himself, “Oh look, a book.” The hobbit begins to climb over the lip when the others approach, “Let us tie a rope around you to aid your descent.” All goes as planned till the hobbit kicks off a ledge halfway down…the vines animate, lashing out!

Rambler backs up drawing his bow, but his arrows miss the rapidly swinging vines. Rowlie grips the rope and begins to run from the well, which earns him welts and cuts from the slashing vines. Cries from the well as the hobbit is buffeted along the inside walls. Brackrog takes a que and he too grips the rope as he dashes…Ladee pops out of the well surprisingly landing on his churning feet. “Wack, wack.” The hobbit collapses from the whipping of multiple vines.

With everyone out of range of the vines, Rowlie tends to the unconscious Ladee as the others plink arrows into the vines…that withdraw into the well. The dwarf moves forward, “Let’s burn them so I can get the scepter.” Rambler is already hitching the wagon, “Forget it; there’s nothing there but bait. Rowlie saw scepter, Ladee saw book. Trick of the mind.” As the wagon lurches forward, Brackrog is still grumbling, “Which just goes to prove it was a magic scepter.” 

Come next morning, the forest thins and the sun peeks out. Without hours we reach the ‘Forest Gate.’ But the mood is low as the elf and dwarf suffer depression from the long journey through the dark shadows [failed WIS check thus 2 Shadow]. Despite his mood, the group lets Brackrog take the lead as Guide (maybe to take his mind off the scepter?) while Ladee scouts the way.

At least this path is more open and inviting. The night camp more relaxing.

Morning brings sunnier weather and a gentle breeze; thus, the mood improves when the group enters a glen full of bees and colorful flowers. We pass a fallen human statue of a long-ago king. Most feel refreshed, except Rowlie who feels anguish [failed WIS check thus 2 Shadow]. Spying thatched roofs of buildings ahead, we take comfort at having arrived. Baldor has recovered enough to part ways, paying us coin as promised. 

Boerning villagers approach, curious of Baldor’s ware. “Another shop? Hobbits arrived last month opening the ‘Easterly Inn’.” Ladee asks for details learning, “Dodinas (Dody) Brandybuck and his wife Agatha are proprietors. They sent their cousin Dinodas (Dindy) back over the mountain to bring more goods. Seems they plan to corner the market on fine hobbit pipe-weed.” Rowlie takes interest in the gossip, learning more details: Beorn rules the land as an autocracy. He doesn’t eat meat. The high pass is open. Rumors goblins are coming back into the Misty Mountains.

As Ladee is already walking towards the Easterly Inn, it dawns on him, “Goblins in the high pass? And the cousin traveled west? Did he walk into a trap? Or will he be threatened upon his return?!