(Archive) Return

From out the dawns lights comes a proud gondorian vessel. It\'s mast bears the pennant of Dol Amroth and just below that rides the pennant of the House Earendor. A red ensign, the sign that the Lord of Earendor himself, also rides on the staff, but the ensign rides at half mast. The Lord Earendor does indeed ride upon the vessel but not as a living man. The old Lord Earontir returns to Dol Amroth in state, and voices upon the waterfront quickly rise as word is sent to the Castle of Prince Imrahil with word of this strange arrival and the news the ensign imparts.

[Elphir(#23270)] Standing on the docks of Dol Amroth are several blue and silver clad men, tall as lords, black-haired and grey-eyed. Upon each of their heads is a winged helm. In the center of these is one with no helm, but instead a mithril circlet, one who stands taller than the rest by a few inches. Nine pairs of grey eyes look out to the horizon, awaiting the return of the ship.

Earedail steps to the edge of the vessel and stands there silently even as the proud ship touches the docks of Dol Amroth. A large bruise covers his forehead, but his bearing is still one of nobility... and pain. No open signs of weaping can be seen upon him but in his eyes there lies a darkness, almost blackness. As the ship touches the dock Earedail motions to some soldiers, those of the Sea Guard, to follow him and they lift up a body, shrouded in grey with the emblem of the Gull and Ivy, embroidered in brilliant scarlet, upon the chest of the body. They lift the body up on their shoulders without a word, and the silent procession comes down the gangplank, moving towards those of Imrahil\'s house stand. Earedail approaches them and bows his head briefly. He takes a single breath and then stands more upright, before announcing in a voice that carries over the murmur of the crowds that have gathered, \"I come with sad tidings. The Lord of Earendor, Captain of the Great Seas, Lord Earontir, is dead. The Gull mourns its loss and requests an audience with the Lord Imrahil, Prince of our domains, to bring to him our tale so that he may know of his servants departure.\"

[Elphir(#23270)] As the news of the Lord\'s death is mentioned, the Knights all in unison remove their lofty helms and bow their heads. Elphir bows his head along with them before raising it again. \"Your wish shall be granted, Lord Earendor,\" Elphir replies quietly. \"On behalf of my father, Prince Imrahil of Dol Amroth, and the city of Dol Amroth, I offer you my sincere condolences. Your father was a great man, and he shall be missed.\"

Earedail nods softly and says, \"Your understanding and kind words lighten my heart. My father always strove to uphold the honor and tradition of the house and to bring honor to that which your family had bestowed upon us. I am here to tell his tale and to renew my houses pledges of fealty as of old. Please, my prince, lead us to your fathers house, for I would not have my father forced to wait too long before being laid to rest. We were upon the seas for some weeks before we finally came back within sight of land and his soul aches for it\'s final rest after your father releases him from his service.\"

[Elphir(#23270)] \"Your father shall be laid to rest in the manner which suits him best,\" Elphir agrees solemnly, \"But your oath must wait, for my father has travelled North to the City of Stone. Death has released your father from the Prince\'s service, Earedail - his oath is fulfilled.\"

Earedail nods slowly and there lies something else within his eyes, \"I am pleased to know that my father\'s spirit can rest. I can but hope to live to be my fathers sorry equal in that respect.\" Earedail looks at Elphir for a moment and something passes from Earedail, a look of despair deeper than sorrow and tinged with madness, but the look is gone in a flash and none but the man before Earedail notices anything in the brief moment. \"I must take up my fathers burdens and I must speak with your father upon his return. If you will excuse us though m\'lord. I would return to our house here for the House Earendor does not fully know yet of it\'s loss and I fear that it will not be easy news for our house has had too much sorrow of late.\" A slight shift in Earedail\'s stance reveals something that hadn\'t been noticable before, a new blade rests upon Earedail\'s back. A greatsword as he has been known to wear, but one much older than any other. A blade from ages past but looking newly oiled and prepared for war.

[Elphir(#23270)] \"Go whither you will, Earedail,\" Elphir replies softly. \"I mean to sail to Pelargir within a short while, where I will meet my father the Prince on his return from the North. Were you to sail with me, your duties as the next Lord Earendor could there be realized. First attend to your loss, however. Do you wish my presence at the ceremony?\" The last is spoken quietly and is clearly just meant to be shared with the man with whom he is speaking - a gesture of friendship as much as a gesture of kindness from lord to vassal.

Earedail nods slowly and says, \"I thank you for your kindness and respect. My father would surely have wished to say goodbye to you m\'lord and your father. Your presence would be appreciated.\" Earedail looks away from Elphir for a moment and his eyes depart from the moment as Earedail seems to consider something, \"I would be pleased to travel with you m\'lord to greet your father. I wish to let him know the circumstances surrounding my fathers death as soon as possible and in truth it is better should I do so myself.\" Earedail looks back at Elphir and for a moment the noble speach is not as important as the fact that these two are men and something more primal hangs in Earedail\'s speach, \"It is time for Earendor to rebuild and I wish for those of the Prince\'s Court to remember that. We will have difficulties enough with those of Harad and I will not have the time to fight battles on both fronts. I want than known and know of no better way than to make sure that the Court understands that. Aearuth has been drawn again and the Sea\'s Anger turns against the enemies of Earendor as it did in ages past.\"

[Elphir(#23270)] \"The only battle you face, Earedail, is the one we all face,\" Elphir replies with a comapssionate smile. \"House Earendor has always been given resepcte in the Court of the Princes of Dol Amroth, and that shall not change so long as the House fulfills its Oath, and I live. I swear this in your presence, and before these witnesses.\" He nods to the Knights around him, who form a sort of honor guard around the remains of the Old Lord Earendor. \"These men will accompany us as we travel to the house of your forefathers. We depart whensoever you decree.\"

Earedail nods and says, \"I and my house appreciate the honor you do us and my father. Let us go then and lay my father to rest. His spirit has been bound too long by the circumstances surrounding his death.\"

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Sea Hall(#24410Vae) Contents: Elphir Sea Hall(#24410Vae) A massive granite hall, the room is sparsely furnished with benches by the walls. Light streams in through blue quartz \'windows\' in the ceiling, creating a cascade of blue-green light across the halls polished white granite walls. The emblem of house Earendor, the Grey Gull clutching the Green Ivy branch in it\'s claws, has been rendered on the back wall of the hall above the Earendor Seat in embedded chips of sea stones. The room smells of the sea and the sound of the waves, from the Great Sea nearby is a soft background that adds to the room.

Contents:

Elphir

Earedail

The Sea Hall of Earendor is quiet, though the sound of the surf still underlies the room. The Sea Chair has been replaced with a table, upon which is carved the name Earontir and below that the crest of Earendor. A long sword lies unsheathed on the left side of the table, on it\'s side, and an ornate sheathe for the blade lies in a groove on the right. The noise continues softly for a while with just the surf until the sound of boots upon stone begins to softly echo from the open doors of the Hall. The boots ring as one and beat out a solemn beat before a procession of eight soldiers, clad in the finest garb of the Earendor Sea Guard march into the hall. Upon their shoulders they bear the wrapped body of Earontir, Lord of Earendor and the Captain of the Great Sea. Behind them come the Lords Earedail and Elphir, each beside the other. Behind them comes eight helmed guards of the house Imrazor and finally the folk of the house Earendor, lead by the last of Earontir\'s crew and the other nobles of the house. The people stream off to the sides of the hall, soon filling the room while the Sea Guard bears the body to the table and gently lays it down between the bared sword and empty sheath. They step away and come to attention as Elphir and Earedail come to a stop at the foot of the table.

Earedail stops for the moment, looking at his fathers body and then raises his head, his voice echoes strangly in the room but carries even to the furthest corners of the hall with ease, \"People of Earendor. Lord Earontir, Liege to us all is dead. We honor his sacrifice in our defense and his leadership and keen understanding which have steered us through the seas of turmoil and through the storms of fate that have wracked this house. May his spirit find ease as his burdens are laid to rest upon the soil that was his, and may his body find peace in the oceans which nursed, protected and uphold us. May his memory and wisdom guide us through the storms of our own grief.\" Earedail knees once to his father and then turns to face the people after a brief glance at Elphir, for it is the House Imrazor\'s place to finish the ceremony as it has been since house Earendor was first raised up.

Elphir\'s head remained bowed as Earedail spoke, in deference to the son of the departed. As he finishes speaking, the Prince looks up, and then as Earedail bows on bended knee, Elphir returns the bow with one of his own, from the waist. \"Thus passes Earontir son of Earentil,\" he says quietly, and the Knights of both his own house and the Guards of Earendor step forward. Together, flags of the Ship and Swan, and of the Gull and Olive Branc are spread out, the Royal Flag of Dol Amroth atop the Noble Flag of Earendor. And together, the vassals of the two fiefs fold the flag, slowly. It is a silent, solemn process, and when they are finished, the two flags, folded together for eternity, are laid at the old Lord Earendor\'s feet.

Earedail stays kneeling after Elphir\'s words and only the slightest sighs escapes him as he listens to anothers confirmation of his fathers death. The crowd around the hall are as silent as Earedail and only the sound of breathing, and the surfs constant presence. The eyes of the houses guards and servants rest upon the two lords and there is an almost curious anticipation to Elphir\'s next words, for many still do not know the full details of Lord Earontir\'s death and rumors abound that Earedail is responsible somehow. And so they wait to see if Prince Elphir will confirm Earedail in his fathers position, silencing such rumors, or if the rumors will be proved true.

[Elphir(#23270)] \"And now, Earedail son of Earontir,\" the voice of Elphir begins, \"I do bestow upon thee that which is thine, for thouart thy father\'s son. In the presence of thy father, thy people, and the Swan-Knights of Dol Amroth, I declare that thou art Lord Earondor, as shall be thy firstborn son after thee. Rise, Lord Earedail of Earondor and be recognized by thy people!.\"

Earedail rises again and then then says to Elphir, \"And the House Earendor renews it\'s pledge of fealty to House Imrazor and it\'s line. So long as the Gull and Ivy sail the seas shall our hands be turned against thy enemies and our hosts be at thy back. Your honor we shall uphold and protect as if it were our own. May our blades be ever sharpened and our sails ever ready for your commands.\"

The crowd listens intently to Elphir\'s words and Earedails and then shouts as one, \"Hail Earedail, Lord of Earendor!\"

[Elphir(#23270)] \"Thy oath I hear,\" Elphir speaks, after the crowd has quieted down again. \"And would that I could take it. In the place of my father I hear thy pledge, and shall hold it fast unto myself, until such a time as the Lord and Prince of Dol Amroth may hear thee.\"

Earedail nods and says, \"My thanks m\'lord. And I appreciate your holding our pledge.\" He turns to the Sea Guard and says softly, \"As my father is of the sea, and as we are all of the Sea, to the sea we shall return. As his guards and liegemen I ask but one last duty to my father and your lord. Take him down to his final vessel and send him out upon his last sea journey. May the Sea recieve him and hold him dear until the end of all.\" With those words the Sea Guard take up Earontir\'s body and depart from the hall to bring Earontir\'s body to a ship prepared for him.

[Elphir(#23270)] And so the body of Earontor, Lord of Earendor, and a great captain of ships and men, was taken to the small boat which had been prepared for him. Young Lord Earedail and the Lord Elphir watched as his boddy was placed within, and the boat allowed to sail down the flowing river. Through the lands which he had known as a child, and out to the sea he grew to love as a man.