Book 7: Act 1 - A Darkness in the Marshes

[Shurijo]

Borir turns to look behind him and then turns back around to face Varuthil while the bird remains perched on his axe behind him. "What'all talking 'bout?" The dwarf looks confused at the elf.

[Blubbo_Baggins]

"I seem to recall Borir finding it funny that Hild spoke to a bird some days ago. And Dwarves are known for friendships with Ravens. It appears he can't get away from it, either!" adds Finn with a smile.

[Shurijo]

Borir face changes it's expression when Finn reminds him of the Raven. "Ah, the bird. He calls himself Black Wing." The dwarf shrugs.

"Ah sent letter to mah cousin in Lonely Mountain for a riding boar which could also help plow the garden. And darn it, he visited weeks ago and gave me this bird. He's a pain in the neck. Never shuts up." Borir says.

"Greetings fellow adventurers, I'm Black Wing." The Raven speaks in common tongue for all to hear. "Borir is a grumpy dwarf. His uncle was my grandfather's companion. I am tasked to protect him."

"See what ah mean, darned bird, just keeps talking. Ah don't need no help. Ah got mah axe." Borir lets out a sigh. "Ah can't get rid of it."

[Blubbo_Baggins]

Finn laughs. For once it seemed something had annoyed Borir, but in a good way. He imagined he would enjoy Black Wing's company.

[Shurijo]

Borir looks at Finn and Varuthil and then turns to try and look over his shoulder at the raven. Being unable to see the bird due to its position, the dwarf sighs again.

"You know." The dwarf says. "Ah wanted a boar, but got a bird. Ah wanted to name it .... boaring ..." Borir starts laughing and slapping his knee. "Get it? BOARING! BORING!"

"Ouch, hey stop that you darned bird." Borir exclaims as Black Wing pecks on the back of his helm a few times.

"Grumpy dwarf. Not funny either." Black Wing says.

[Muskrat]

Varuthil says, "Welcome to our company, Black Wing. I'm sure Borir will grow to appreciate you in time." She looks to Borir and says, "At the very least, it will prove a great boon to have an additional pair or eyes and one that can see from a vantage point much higher up than any of us can. I'm sure Black Wing will make an excellent scout."

She looks around at the others. "Are we ready? If so, we should be one our way."

[Blubbo_Baggins]

Finn looks at Hild, who gestures imperceptibly. He turns and replies, "We are ready for the road again. But let me take a moment to go and thank Dindy and Agatha for their hospitality again. And discuss when we will be here next if all goes according to plan." He walks toward the kitchens and a few minutes later is back again.

[Vardaen]

The raven has proven already to be of some value, even if if its at pestering Borir. You are ready and soon say your good-byes. The road from here down the river to Gelvira's House is not difficult, and you have made the trip many times. You expect it to take a week, along the way you would stop at Beorn's House, but Fin informs you the man isn't at home, he's off in Mirkwood to speak to the Elf King about some matter.

On the fifth day, two days south of Beorn's, as you pass through Beorning lands, you stop at Old Geral's farmstead and are able to spend the night in a bed, instead of on a blanket on the ground. The summer weather is nice, so travel and camp isn't troublesome, but a bed is always nice. You take your leave of the Beorning there, with a few extra jars of honey in your packs, and keep on heading south along the River Anduin. Another few days and you spot the Old Forest Road crossing the landscape out in front of you. Your feet touch the road and your turn west for the Old Ford and Gelvira Pot-stirrer's place. You know that not far from here over the river is the Gloomy Fold where you did battle with a great number of bandits, and south from here is Stonyford the simple town where men of Woodmen and Beorning decent live.

Right on schedule you spot a Beorning farmstead in the distance, then another, then another. There must be about a dozen Beorning farmsteads scattered about within twenty miles of the Old Ford. This community must be used to seeing the passing of wanderers and traders through it for you receive a warm welcome here and there as you run into the farmers who call the area home. Directions lead you closer to the ford and to Gelvira's Hall of the Crossing as the call it.

So traveling through the Beorning farmsteads you make your way to the one closest to the Old Ford known as Gelvira's Hall of the Crossing. The farm is still many miles from the ford, but just about any traveler that makes their way over it comes to Galvira Pot-stirrer's place, so it is a hub of information and news.

The farm is rather large, with fields of radishes, tomatoes and pumpkins still being harvested and growing in great numbers. A small fenced in area holds a dozen goats, and few random pigs. A watch dog lifts his head up to lazily gaze at you as you find your way to the path that leads toward the main building. Three small out buildings dot the land, but the main structure is a nice farmhouse with a long low single story guest-hall attached to it. A trail of smoke rises from the chimeny and the smell of something cooking on the fire reaches your nose.

Nearly to the door a young woman comes out from the house, in her late teens and sizes you up, then turns back to the door, "Mom! More travelers just arriving!" The girl waves you forward, "Come on folks, everyone is welcome here if you have a kindness in your heart and you leave your shadows behind you."

Nearly at the porch now you are greeted to another arrival, and this must be Gelvira, an older Beorning woman with her greying hair pulled back in a pony tail behind her head. She wears a smock which she wipes her flour covered hands off on. "Welcome travelers, my aren't you looking thin...." her comment is to Varuthil before she realizes she's an elf. "Come on in." She holds the door open with a smile.

Map

Gelviras Hall

[shipwreck]

Rathar's mouth was mostly agape for the first day in the presence of Black Wing. He's accustomed to Radagast's birds, but never heard a bird speak the Common Tongue before. Next day he grew more comfortable and stopped staring. The rest of the journey he passed in mostly daydreams.

Passing the threshold into Gelvira's, he smiles broadly and bows a little bow to the old woman. "Thank you for your hospitality, mother." And he sits down.

[Blubbo_Baggins]

"Mother?" asks Finn, a little surprised at Rathar's words.

Hild runs up and hugs Gelvira as if the woman actually was her mother.

"Now what?" says Finn, more puzzled than ever. Hild says nothing, just hugs Gelvira tighter, whispering in her ear.

At a loss to know what else to say, Finn thanks the woman for her hospitality and eventually follows her in.

OOC

V, hope you're ok with me making up that Hild knows Gelvria. Not close like a friend, but Dreymis and his company had stayed at Gelvira's before, so there were some interactions in the past that made Hild glad to see Gelvira.