A Higher Helm

Tower of Ecthelion - Pinnacle

You stand now in a perfectly circular room which overlooks Minas Tirith below. There are roughly sixteen windows, heavily curtained and glass-paned, evenly spaced about the room so that you may easily see in all directions. Above your head, a latticework of gold-gilted iron supports a somde of pure crystal. The floor is an intricate pattern of mosaic tiles spreading in a circular pattern from the center of the room till it reaches the rounded walls. Along the wall is carven a sturdy bench, encircling the entire room just below the windows, and from the study seat one may look out in comfort at the city and countryside below. Otherwise, there is no other furniture in this room. A golden-gilt trap-door in the floor proves the only feasible exit.

Obvious exits:

Trap-door leads to Tower of Ecthelion - Foot of the Long Stairs.

[Arathis]

Ecthelion’s Tower beacons the midday’s sun, gilting the capital’s pale granite and its rich autumnal leaves.

The Guardsmen below mirror their charge for their high-helms all wed Anor’s rays, taking eventually to torchlight as one rounds the White Tree to stand before the Tower’s entrance.

One of their number stands to receive the incoming, escorting Aearon upwards to Ecthelion’s pinnacle. Arathis awaits them there, surveying the city from above.

[Aearon(#16333)]

Finally arriving at the Pinnacle is Captain Aearon, dressed in what looks to be one of his finer uniforms he looks ever the professional soldier. Looking at Lord Arathis he bows his head and gives a salute \"My Lord, I have come as quickly as a horse could carry me.\"

[Arathis]

Arathis turns sharply and hails Aearon in the manner of a hostman, pumping a fist with force to his chest. “Captain,” the word earns a slight smile, as the knight gestures the addressed to join him by a window, “it has been long, but it is somehow you who return from Dol Amroth, and I who receive in the capital.

“Tell me, what think ye of the Princedom?”

[Aearon(#16333)]

Joining the Knight Herald at the window the Captain says \"Too long Sir, the Princedom?\" pausing for just a moment \"They are gravely undermanned, many of my men resent the order.\" Shaking his head \"With the Prince and so many of his adept Knights missing for so long the Order seems to. Forgive my bluntness, the order seems to have fallen on dark times.\"

[Arathis]

“I welcome bluntness,” assures Arathis, his hands coupling loosely at his back.

“But men are often as their captains. Do you too resent our Order, and the weakness it has won our south?” He advances a step to the window’s edge.

“And if so, for what did you go there?”

[Aearon(#16333)]

\"The Order has grown weak Sir, as for my men being as myself I do not let my own emotions be known to the men, they follow my orders as they did in Caldur where we lost so many.\" says the Captain, looking out over the White City he continues \"I went there for the Knights Council, to be the voice of reason if need, be but mostly so that we would know what they were planning and we could be ready to aid if need be.\"

[Arathis]

\"Would you aid what you found lacking reason, Captain?

\"And if not, did you judge your word alone sufficient to rein an Order?\"

The questions issue flatly from the Lord Isilrim. At their end, he pivots acutely, leaving a steely gaze to consider Aearon in wait.

[Aearon(#16333)]

\"It would depend Sir, we cannot simply leave the south unguarded but we cannot simply throw the lives of our soldiers away like was done in Caldur.\" says the Captain with confidence.

Continuing he says \"My word along no, I had hoped to lend my voice to those speaking against any foolishness, if there were any.\"

Looking to the Knight he says \"I intended to try Sir, which is all any man can do in such a situation.\"

[Arathis]

Arathis hears the Captain, ere turning to once more peer over the lands of Gondor stretched below. A moment of brooding stills ere he speaks. “Foolishness and worse is there, Aearon, but it shall take more than your voice to stem them. Perhaps a deed here and there.

“Tell me, in what capacity would you serve the Lord Denethor?”

[Aearon(#16333)]

\"Any deed he would command Sir, any deed he would need done.\" are the only words the Captain responds with.

[Arathis]

“I have heard you, Aearon, and will not forget what you have said.

“Raise to Captain within your company your most loyal Lieutant, whether he is competent or not. You shall maintain hold upon the Silver Ship in part, but you shall report instead to the ranks of Lord Denethor’s Guardsmen.

“You shall then join me in Dol Amroth aside the Silver Ship, for the Steward has named me a Captain of Gondor, and I shall need some deed-ful hands loyal to his will.”

Arathis regards Aearon then directly, his bass without compromise. “Are we understood, Guardsman?”

[Aearon(#16333)]

Standing up straight and going to the position of attention the new Guardsmen says \"Yes Sir, I understand completely.\" The new Guardsmen has a look of pride on his face.

[Arathis]

A nod regards Aearon, flowing again into a hostman’s salute.

“Ready the Ship, Guardsman. We march on the morrow’s dawn.”

With this, Arathis again reviews the lands outward.

[Aearon(#16333)]

With a nod of his head the Captain salutes and says \"It will be done Sir.\" and with that he makes to leave, heading for the Silver Ships barracks.