(Archive) The Strange Adventures of Numandil, Naerdil, and Huan 2
From the archives of the Gondorian
Numandil, Naerdil, and Huan deal with the fens and soon find Rauros
Elendor - Sunday, April 02, 2000, 8:34 PM
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Weather: Cloudy
Time: Midday
Season: Winter
Date: Monday - December 20, 3019
Real Time: Sun Apr 02 18:04:25 2000
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Anorien: Along the Anduin
The ground here is muddy for the river laps right upon the shore, but there is much rock below the soupy mud so that one\'s feet do not sink deeply within. Tall reeds and grasses grow right upon the bank, some even into the water itself, and a plethora of water-birds and frogs can be heard and seen frolicking within. Across the river, which is wide and impassable without boat or raft, the forest of Ithilien can be seen, dense and lush and holding great beauty. North and south the riverbank stretches as far as the eye can see, and west the land of Anorien opens empty and vast.
The sun shines brightly overhead, shedding warmth and life upon the land of Anorien.
Contents:
Numandil aka Indilzar
Naerdil aka Aearwen
Huan, Wolf-Hound of Dol Amroth(#29314n)
Obvious exits:
NorthWest leads to Anorien: Along the Anduin - South of Entwash.
SouthEast leads to Anorien: West Bank of Anduin, North of Cair Andros.
When young dawn with her rose red fingers shines once more, the Great Hound Huan howls in gladness at the coming of day. Already the adventurers have prepared for the days march and their packs are stowed tightly on their backs and horses. Thus Numandil Nimothan speaks to his brother\'s son and says, \"Today Naerdil we shall pass through yon marches and maybe come to the Falls of Rauros. Oft I have wished to look upon that place as the shining silver ribbon of Anduin is hastened to fair Gondor.\"
Naerdil glances at Huan with a slight bit of irritation as the first streaks of sunlight peek over the horizon. Inhaling deeply of the crisp December air the younger Nimothan rises and repacks the supplies taken from the steeds, preparing for another day\'s ride with his kinsman. Splashing his face with a handful of cold water, he shivers and shakes his head as droplets fly from his hair. Smiling at his uncle, pearly white teeth stark against his tanning face he says, \"Shall we ride? Everything is readied and waiting.\"
Anorien: Along the Anduin - South of Entwash
The land to the north slopes gradually downwards from this point until it blends with the saturated Mouths of the Entwash, directly north. An area of stinking mire and muck. Reeking of methane and rotting vegetation, these fens seem indeed impassable, and none may truly know what dire creatures await therein. It is difficult to decipher just where the fens meet the river, for the two combine and blend together seemlessly in an endless see of mud, grasses and water, and many large crane-like birds can be seen walking upon stilt legs across the water. North the way is blocked by the fens and only a madman would attempt such a crossing, but west the northern fringes of Anorien extend out as far as the eye can see. Southeast the banks of the Anduin continue into the distance.
The sun shines brightly overhead, shedding warmth and life upon the land of Anorien.
Contents:
Numandil
Obvious exits:
West leads to Anorien: South of the Entwash.
SouthEast leads to Anorien: Along the Anduin.
A cloud of dust kicks up under the hoofs of the steed upon which Numandil rides. Bringing up the rear, Naerdil has little time to observe much as they speed towards the Mouths of the Entwash.
Numandil points northward, \"The Mouths of the Entwash. I fear that here we must lead our horses by foot lest their hooves become entrapped within the reedy pools. Somehow we must find a way through there.\"
Numandil slides off of his horse and looks carefully.
Numandil calls to Huan, \"Huan!\"
A cloud of dust kicks up under the hoofs of the steed upon which Numandil rides. Bringing up the rear, Naerdil has little time to observe much as they speed towards the Mouths of the Entwash. The muck and mire of the ground as they get closer makes a sucking noise as the horse\'s hooves sink into it.
Sliding from the back of his own stallion, Naerdil reaches for the reins and carefully leads the horse. The stank of the mire rises up and his nose is filled with the smell of decay as he and Numandil follow the hound through the fens. One boot sinks almost to the knee as Naerdil takes a wrong step, cursing sharply he struggles to pull his booted foot from the muck. The soft nickering of his horse responding to his angry mutters.
\"Be not angry Naerdil,\" says Numandil looking back as the hound guides them. \"Emotion is the undoing of Men from both love to fear. Anger is within that realm. So if we must endure this place and think it perhaps less fit than our own halls away to the South, deem it not so vain. For this is no other than life: Behold! To the north birds gather and they live in this place, calling it more home than any abode of Men.\"
Shrugging broad shoulders in dismissal, Naerdil says in an even tone, \"Tis not true anger that brings the words to my lips, perhaps disgust would be more fitting an emotion.\" A cheerful laugh from one of good heart rings out as he adds, \"Although, I cannot deny the stank of this mire is not firmly entrenched in my nostrils and I could not even enjoy the sweet scent of a rose were it placed within my hands.\" Shaking his head as he watches Huan bound first one way and then another he grins, \"That wolf-hound is an amazing creature.\"
Naerdil hesitates for a moment before he answers, \"Did Huan not slay the werewolves of Sauron?\" He frowns a bit as he says, \"I know there is more to the story, \"All I can recall is his death by the great wolf bred by Morgoth.\"
Pausing in his speech Numandil looks out for a moment, \"On and on do the fens run. West we are bending and this will be hard toil for it is taking us out of our course and closer to the land of Rohan.\"
Quietly nodding his head as he listens to the wise words of his elder kinsmen, Naerdil swats at the swarm of insects circling around his head and spats out one the flew into his mouth. Pausing to reach into one of the pouches on his stallion, he pulls out an ancient bottle with a cork stopper. Popping the cork he pours a liberal amount in his hands and quickly swipes it over his clothing. Speaking to Numandil he inquires, \"Would you care for a bit of feverfew to ward off these pesky insects?\"
Here the Mering Stream, border of Gondor and Rohan, merges with the Mouths of the Entwash and joins with the stagnant and reeking fens. The land of Gondor suddenly ends upon the opposite side of the stream and is no more, and the marshes north belong to no man or nation. The waters of the Mering are clean and pure, for they flow from the mighty Ered Nimrais away south, but soon the inky black marsh-water, clogged with mud and bits of vegetation, overcomes the pureness of the stream and the clearness is lost. North can be seen one of the only passable reaches of the Mouths of the Entwash, for the land there rises fairly dry, and the water is not deep and easily forded. South the plains of Anorien open vast into the distance.
The sun shines brightly overhead, shedding warmth and life upon the land of Anorien.
Obvious exits:
North leads to Mouths of Entwash, North of Anorien.
South leads to Anorien: Open Fields.
East leads to Anorien: South of the Entwash.
Mouths of Entwash, North of Anorien
Amusement brightens the expression of the younger Nimothan as he looks in the direction of the wolf hound. \"Tell me uncle, what lies beneath the exterior that drives you onward with such determination?\", asks Naerdil.
East Emnet, Near Mouths of Entwash and the Anduin
You stand on the path which winds beside the Mouths of Entwash. The swamps of the delta lie beside the trail, and you are glad that you have no need to cross into them. Swarms of bugs fly around the swamp (and around you) and dead trees and strange plants reach up from the marshy pieces of land that seperate the different rivlets of the Entwash. The area smells strongly of swamp gas, rotting plants, and stagnant water.
Contents:
Numandil
Obvious exits:
Southwest leads to Mouths of Entwash, North of Anorien.
East leads to Mouths of Entwash and the Anduin.
\"The House of the White Ram does burn true within me Uncle, but you have...an inner peace that seems to go beyond that of our house....beyond Men of Gondor.\", Naerdil pauses for a moment and says, \"More like the stories of old.\"
Mouths of Entwash and the Anduin
You stand on a small path near the edge of the swamps of the Mouths of the Entwash. To the northeast you can see the Rauros Falls, where the waters of the Emyn Muil join the Mouths of the Entwash to form the Great River, Anduin. Past the river to the east you can spy the Nindalf, also known as the Wetwang, and beyond them you can sense the foreboding fear of the Dead Marshes.
Contents:
Numandil
Obvious exits:
North leads to West of Rauros Falls.
West leads to East Emnet, Near Mouths of Entwash and the Anduin.
East leads to West Bank of the Anduin, Below Rauros Falls.
Numandil(#10108)] \"Maybe you descry the air of Numenor from afar,\" says Numandil. \"Yet even so think not that I have won my peace only through hard years of labour in the service of the White Tower. No book can teach you that. Yet I hold myself honoured to be appointed to this task.\" He sniffs the rank air and says, \"It is beginning to smell clean again. I think we are drawing nigh the Anduin again.\"
Lost in thought Naerdil had failed to notice the cleansing of the air until mentioned. Sniffing deeply he says, \"Some of the rank vegetation does seem to be gone from the air.\" A soft spoken man is the younger of the two and he says, \"Books can teach much of history and knowledge gained by past mistakes and truimphs as well. This trip is an honour as I seek more than the knowledge learned in the White Tree. Yearning to see more of the world does cry from deep within my soul.\"
The rushing water of the Auduin is loud and strangely pleasant to the ears as the travellers leave the fens. Naerdil pauses in his tracks for a moment, watching the water swirl around rocks near the bank, a white cap of foam coming to the surface and then skimming on down the river.
Nodding his head in anticipation Naerdil shows the youth of his years as he says, \"Yes! Let us explore the wondoer of the falls. I should wish to see all the wonders there are to see and log them in my journal for later perusal. Never do I wish to forget the sights, smells and events of this journey. The good with the bad.....everything shall be held tightly in the recessess of my mind.\"
Numandil nods and then heads east....
The sky is quite overcast, and the air is bitterly cold.
Your freezing breath turns to smoke in the air.
Elendor time is: Dusk
Much like a child at play, Naerdil picks up a handful of small stones lying on the ground. Stooping on haunches, he broad shoulders flex as one broad hand skims stone after stone across the mighty Auduin, disappearing quickly when they reach the turbulent pool at the bottom of the falls. Smiling to himself as the beauty of this place is captured forever.
Pulling his cloak tighter around his shoulders as he and his kinsmen move on further to the North, the freezing mist casting a damp chilliness to their person. Looking around the area, Naerdil says with a little bit of trepidation, \"Do you not think we should travel a bit further to perhaps escape some of the moist air from the Auduin?\"
Numandil pausing for a moment Numandil considers and says, \"You are right Naerdil, a little further, at least to escape the noise of the falls.\" Then he mounts his horse again saying, \"Though still I would counsel to stay within the breath of the Anduin, for it is a wholesome river and it has a power within it.\"
Urging his stallion along the path, Naerdil follows the white steed of Numandil to a drier area a few miles Northwest of the Auduin. A slight path forks off from the one that follows the cliff and he asks, \"Shall we camp here where the path forks? Tis a dry spot and still within riding distant of the Falls.\" The bark of Huan sounds as he runs a covey of quail from the brush to the left.
Numandil nods slowly and eases himself off his horse, \"Yes, the time has come to make camp.\" With that he begins to dismantle his gear from the horse and shrugs off his pack.
Astride his horse for a few minutes longer, Naerdil looks over the countryside, admiring the view from this vantage. Finally his long leg swings over the backside of the stallion and he dismounts. As before, his hand strokes across the flank of his steed, soft words spoken as the horse turns to nuzzle his arm. \"A good day\'s ride you have given. A treat shall be yours before night has fallen.\" With no more words spoken, me moves to the task at hand, setting up camp for the night. Turning to his uncle after the saddlebags have been removed he inquires, \"Dare we light a fire to ward off the chill?\"