(Archive) Huan, the Wolf-Hound of Dol Amroth
From the archives of the Gondorian
Huan the Wolfhound: Indilzar\'s Best Friend
October 1, 2000
*Note - log supplied by Tamran aka Menethor*
Dol Amroth: Men Ernil
The Men Ernil--\"Prince\'s Way\"--is a cobblestone pathway some fifteen paces wide, surrounded on the sides by walls roughly twice a man\'s height. It leads from the Marble Gate at the city\'s eastern edge to the outer bailey of Imrahil\'s Marble Citadel by the sea. There are occasional breaks in the wall--some from age, some intentional one of these opens onto a broader road that leads northwards towards the town of Dol Amroth and the quays that line the Bay of Edhellond to the north.
The Men Ernil is ill-lit at night, but there is little fear of brigandage or ruffians here within the protective sphere of the Prince and his Requain, his Knights. Stretching above you in all its glory is the canvas of Night, sprinkled generously with the jewels of Elbereth Star-Kindler, chasing away the darkness, and in the distance to the west you see the steady gleam of Earendil\'s Star.
The western horizon still glows with the Sun\'s departure, but the Moon now rules the dark skies,and the Sickle swings clear and bright in the clear Summer sky.
[Indilzar(#10108)]
When starlight strikes the dusky gaze,
Of sweet evereven lofty hills,
To those green things my soul claves,
By the sweet ripples of the water rills.
No bread or home or wont of thought,
Can set me down from this beacon,
For all of that and none is naught,
To drive me from this mortal heaven.
Those words were spoken by a harper of old in Dol Amroth the fair \'neath the summer boughs by the sweet waters of the sea. Now, in this later day when the world is dim, a voice lifts up and sings a few of those staves, hearkening to the sound of the gulls. Tis Indilzar the Black, by right, Lord of the Bragollach and master of his House.
Grim mooded he seems and his grey eyes do not look hardly upon the stars in hopes that his song may defer some of his troubled thought.
\"Intresting song my Lord.\" another voice is raises under the star filled sky, \"I do not believe I have heard it before.\" The stranger slowly walks toward Indilzar, his grey eyes fixed upon the Bragollach.
[Indilzar(#10108)]
Spinning on his heels suddenly the Bragollach cries, \"By the Valar and the mountain of the sundered land! Who are you? And what are you doing in this Land?\"
Menethor stops, foot not yet touching the ground. Slowly he takes a step back. \"I am sorry my Lord. I did not mean to scare you this way. Have I known you were frighten this easy I would of made an effort of comming from the other side, facing you.\" he pauses for a second, his lips twiching as he tries not to smile, \"As for what am I doing in this land...visiting.\" he adds plainly.
[Indilzar(#10108)]
\"Scared?\" cries Indilzar Bragollach with a barking cough that might as well be a hound-like laugh. \"Scared? The best and mightiest knight of the swan! Nay, but you break my meditation as would a man break even the meditations of Tar-Minastir upon Sorontil the Tall. Yet you do not state your name. Be quick now. Once you have roused the wrath of the Bragollach. Twice might be quick and sudden .... shall we say... unpleasantness?\"
\"Such great praises coming from yourself, my Lord. Menethor I am called and a sailor I am. I am not the mightest nor the greatest and do not pretend to either as others that I have heard during my travels.\" The sailor says, his voice now sounding more firm. \"Are you always so easy to anger, threatning strangers that have complimented you? Many enemies you must have and not many friends.\"
[Indilzar(#10108)]
\"What care I for enemies when I have the greatest and most fierce weapon in the arsenal of Imrahil?\" asks Indilzar rhetorically.
\"And what might this be my lord? Your ego? Do you bore your foes to death with your continued praises to yourself?
[Indilzar(#10108)]
\"The jaws of steel,\" says Indilzar slowly...
[Indilzar(#10108)]
\"The master of the hunt...\"
[Indilzar(#10108)]
\"Huan the Wolf-Hound of Dol Amroth!\"
[Indilzar(#10108)]
Then a whistle...
[Indilzar(#10108)]
Followed by the baying of a mighty hound...
[Indilzar(#10108)]
Leaping down from the steps of the citadel there comes the greatest hound of the Third Age, the living legend that can only be Indilzar\'s best friend: Huan!
[Indilzar(#10108)]
Huan pants...
[Indilzar(#10108)]
Huan sniffs Menethor\'s boots...
[Indilzar(#10108)]
Huan then lies at the ground by Menethor\'s feet.
Indilzar blinks and then says, \"Oh very well. If Huan likes you, so do I. Welcome, to Dol Amroth! You shall find the Golden Kraken accomodating.\"
\"I have always said that dogs where better judges of character then their masters...Thank you my Lord.\" Menethor says with a smile, glancing at the dog.
You say, \"I will remember that my Lord...\"