(Archive) - Returning on an Ill Wind

Elendor - Wednesday, September 27, 2000, 10:26 PM

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Weather: Clear

Time: Midnight

Season: Summer

Date: Monday - June 5, 3021

Real Time: Wed Sep 27 19:53:34 2000

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Dol Amroth: Marble Gate(#10211Rto)

You stand on a narrow bottleneck of land no more than two thousand paces wide, shooting westwards to connect to the rocky promontory on which the Castle of the Prince and the city of Dol Amroth stands. To the north and south are the waters of the sea--even from hear you can smell their salt tang and hear the cries of sea-birds.

Directly to the west stands a massive wall that covers the entire width of the narrow bottleneck of land, visible only as a massive monolithic shadow, black against the navy star-filled sky. A gate, illumined by torches and flanked by two statues is guarded by a company of men-at-arms wearing the royal blue tunics of those who serve the Prince, leads through the wall into the city and eventually to the castle beyond.

Contents:

Indilzar

Ithras aka Aearwen

Meneliel

Obvious exits:

East leads to Belfalas: East of Dol Amroth.

West leads to Dol Amroth: Men Ernil.

The Black Knight of Bragollach returns on an ill wind

[Indilzar(#10108)]

It is night. The proud banners of the silver towers of Imrahil glitter in the mirk like mirthless teeth chattering. It is to these gates that a rider. Two riders in truth come. One, tall and proud and the other younger. A squire and a knight clearly.

A bell sounds. Shouts go out and then a voice from the tower cries clear, \"Hail Indilzar son of Indilkhor. Welcome again to the citadel by the sea, mighty Amroth where the gulls sing their sad song by the quays.

\"And indeed let them lament them,\" says the knight sourly coming up. \"For what honour or praise of fortune or even the faintest doubt of heart that might concede to Men such a glad sight as a home enthralled in the grinding gears of war.\"

He looks at his squire and no word is spoken, just a mere glance. The squire and his knight dismount and the the young one takes good care of those steeds. Proud and valiant and tall flanked, shimmering under the sun but even more sheenlike beneath the pale moon.

Standing near the massive wall on the narrow bottleneck of land is Ithras, healer of Dol Amroth and apprentice to Lady Ivriniel. The sounds of the arrival of Indilzar split the night with majesty, the ringing of the bell--the hail greeting for the hero of Dol Amroth. Quietly, silvery eyes watch as the knight and squire enter the gate the shimmering of their armor visible in the pale sheen of the moon.

Stepping forth in a bold manner the elder woman exclaims, \"Did you by chance see Imrahil along the road to the fair city?\", her voice carries a note of concern as does her brow furrow with discontent.

Adding a note of explanation to her inquiry she doth say, \"Two squires were treated in the Halls of Healing today and spoke of the Prince being injured by the massive bear that attacked the party of three.\" Sighing deeply she says, \"But alas, no one has seen our Lord and liege since and my worry is much\"

[Indilzar(#10108)]

At the craggy voice of the old woman the knight Indilzar turns on a sudden. He then replies, \"No old woman. Not I have seen the proud Prince or his shining banners shimmering over glen or fen. No, not I. For I have come hither looking for that Prince that you name with so bold a voice.\"

Then that knight, the thane of Imrahil steps forth, \"Troubling words you speak and I would of heart would be shaken by them if not I was of my House Bragollach, the Sudden Flame of Gondor. Not least among the houses of the Stone-Land. Has the Prince\'s sword dimmed or do you not think his manhood is so full as to avoid the fell strikes of such a beast? Speak on, for brevity is action and thus deeds I would take even if I were to be laid low and my bones be picked clean by the carrion.\"

Nodding her raven head in acknowledgement the old woman says boldly, \"I know little of the attack as one squire fell unconscious upon arrival into the healing sickroom and the other only regained consciousness long enough to inquire of his Prince--the young squire is a favorite of Imrahil\'s ...\", her voice drops off as she adds in another vein of thought.

When the men at arms told me of the incident I set them upon a task of searching for the Prince...instructing them to leave no stone unturned.\" Wringing her hands together the old woman says, \"By the valar, Lady Ivriniel will have our heads if her brother should become ill whilst she is in the Stone City.\"

Raising her head to clearly look into the eyes of the Lord Bragollach she says clearly, \'Many tales have been told of you in recent years Indilzar, tis good to see you grace the city with your presence.\"

[Meneliel(#26525)] Moving quietly along, her long shirt swishing faintly against the roadway as she walks, is a girl with her nose in a book. Though she seems distracted by what she reads, this tall and slender maid does well to avoid the Lord Bragollach, watching him somewhat cautiously from the corner of her eye. Not trying to eavesdrop, she nevertheless can overhear his conversation with the healer, but she says nothing and offers no input, simply wandering as she reads.

[Indilzar(#10108)]

With a dark look the knight Indilzar speaks, \"Speak not to me of good or grace. For neither shall I find until my oath is fulfilled.\"

Then with a sudden emphatic strike of his hand against the stonework nigh him he cries, \"Umbar must fall! Why did I swear so terrible of an oath, and in vain? Why by the mercies of fortune must I be played so? No heir, no love, no fortune to be given. Just a mere oath to death and hopelessness!\"

Indilzar then straightens up and stiffens and as quickly as the flame of his wrath comes, it passes. Cool now is his voice and polite, \"Thank you for your greeting old woman. Name me this squire. Do not hold back, all this must be shared with me so that the best of the knights may aid his mighty Prince.\"

Stepping back once and then again, a modicum of fear upon her face as the -mad- Lord Bragollach strikes his hand upon the stonework, the old healer woman tilts her chin in a defensive manner as she replies, \"M\'Lord, I will speak as I wish. The good you have done for those in Gondor is written into the tomes and shall live on for many generations to come.\"

A cough of embarassment or perhaps amusement sounds as she covers her mouth and obviously forces another -cough- from her throat and then says a bit huskily, \"I will only name the two squires involved if you give me your word---nay, your oath that you will disturb neither as they rest.\"

Her voice is stern as she shakes a finger in his face, \"Both linger on the edge of death and I will not allow their return to full health hampered by you trying to question them.\"

[Indilzar(#10108)]

\"Then why name it?\" says Indilzar sharply. \"For do you wish to rouse my wrath? Do you wish the fire of the Bragollach to find you as well. Too often have I seen the loitering eyes of the fishmongers and their haggard wives pausing in their mocking chatter to send their staves of treachery in the hearts of Men. Phaw!\"

Then Indilzar bows slowly, \"Until we meet again. Time is short. But you have my word and that is as good as I can give. Name them, but be swift, night wanes on!\"

[Meneliel(#26525)] Considering the pair as the silent observer, the young astronomer fidgets with the small astrolabe in her pocket, taking it out to play with it a bit absently, now curious to listen to the ravings of this madman. She shuffles her feet as she walks along slowly, pretending she has somewhere to be without a real destination, listening to the swishing of her uncared for hemlines. Meneliel smiles to herself, turning the astrolabe over in her fingers repeatedly.

A fierce gaze holds that of the Bragollach lord as the old woman replies, \"The ire of the Bragollach does not frighten me young man.\", her voice full of heavy irony as she smiles and says, \"I am a cousin of Lady Aearwen---so you see, well acquainted am I with the fire.\"

Nodding her head, almost regally Ithras says, \"The men in question are the White Squires Amano and Rowaen. The latter should regain enough strength to talk to you in two days hence.\", her voice drops off tragically as she says, \"The other, I fear will be longer.\"

Suddenly aware of the cloud passing over the moon and the chill of the breeze blowing in across the bay Ithras rubs her wrinkled hands along her arms and says, \"If that would be all M\'lord, I have a sickroom full of patients that I must see too.\" Her gaze catches the wandering girl in the distance and a smile flits across her brow, but just as quickly, the expression returns to one of serious nature as she turns back to the fierce man before her.

Indilzar grunts, \"Then see to them. I shall continue my errand. Until we meet again Healess... and may it be on better terms.\"