Fellowship of the Dice

Having no torches, Dŵrgi watches the others as they prepare theirs, their anxiety as palpable as the dread seeping out of the mountain's roots. She takes a step back, another, and braces her spear as her will falters. Watching the hobbit stride forth with what seems to her an almost blithe level of unconcern embarrasses, but does not lionize, her. The others may be able to rely on one another, but she's scarcely met them, and they have no cause to lift a finger to aid her. One by one the rest assay the entrance while she lingers, fumbling about with putting on her crude hide cap. Her hand, drawing the strap below her chin to tighten it, then moves to trace the contour of her bent nose. "Triumph will be your bounty," she whispers to herself, barely more than a breath. Knuckles white on the haft of her spear, she falls into line, counting on the light borne by others to show the way.

Halleth lights a torch from the one offered by Aghan-buri-Mughan, then says, "Well, there's no point in dawdling." He marches to the threshold, then deliberately but cautiously makes his way in. He's dealt with places of Shadow before, but he hasn't survived this long by being overconfident and foolhardy.

Dubhthach is also daunted by the darkness before him. But seeing the hobbit stride forward steels his resolve. He will not be outdone by one with the stature of a child! He looks at Dwrgi and his face tenses with resolve. They will have to be good representatives of their people before these foreigners. With these thoughts toughening his resolve, he strides forward with his head high.

Blain bows once again to Aghan-buri-Mughan and salutes Vara goodbye to acknowledge his choice of staying as he leads Fundar, Dorin, Oxdis, and Skisdis toward the door, grabbing the torch from Telurin and marching rather solemnly and silently into the Darkness. Though fear and trepidation washes over them all, especially Blain as he also feels the weight of endangering all those coming with him, his visage shows no sign of it: his face is like the stone reliefs of his ancestors that adorn the great dwarf realms of old.

Mustering your courage, one by one you plunge into the darkness.

The great door clangs shut behind you with an echo.

Perhaps this was a bad idea.