Book 2: Chapter 2 - The Lost Colony

[HunterGreen]

The rain may dampen the spirits of most, but Dŵrgi seems to relish it. Though a perceptive eye will note that the anger always simmering in her is not far hidden, during these days in the White Mountains she is friendly and cheerful, eager to help, and quick to smile. She gathers firewood, lends her spear to the hunt, carries water, and sets herself to the work of making and breaking camps, with nary a complaint nor frown. And sometimes she stands in an open space and looks up into the rain as if it were a blessing, letting it drip through her long braids and down her arms to pool at her feet.

When the question of the key comes up, she seems, somehow, as puzzled as anyone else. She draws out the steel rod from where it hides in her armor and holds it aloft. It doesn't really look like a key, just a rod some seven inches long, enscribed with certh she cannot read. If it hadn't been seen unlocking the colony's doors, one would think it an ornament, or perhaps an enchanted item of unknown purpose, but a key? Not without the customary handle at one end, and teeth at the other. She freely offers it to Blain, and anyone else who wishes to study it.

"I did not mention it because I knew not what it was, other than that it might be a means of opening something in the colony, and perhaps not even that," she explains. "The Wizard told me that he'd found it in the treasuries and thought it could have something to do with the colony, but even he did not know for sure. He bade me to offer it to the company when it were needed, but when I found you, the door was already open, and we did not find anything else it might unlock. And then..." Her countenance darkens as she falls silent in memories of drowning, defeat, humiliation, the cold of the grave. She snaps her eyes back into a focus. She says nothing of this, but all who were there to see it must know what is in her thoughts. "And after that, we were running. The first time it was needful, there was no time to discuss it, so I took what action I thought would serve the company best, and put it to use. We are blessed by the Wizard's wisdom that it was able to save us when we most needed it."

When everyone has seen the key who wishes to, she asks to have it returned to her, that she can return it to Saruman.

OOC

Though she won't resist or argue at all if one of the rest of the company thinks it better that they carry it henceforth.

OOC

Neither Dŵrgi nor I know what the runes read, or even what language they are in, if any, save that I assume they're angerthos certh.

[Wbweather]

"Yes Dwirgi, how in the world did you manage to have a key to the door of that colony? That has been puzzling me since our escape." Hartley looks at the Dunlending woman. "Came in quite handy, for a certainty, but it seems a bit fortuitous."

[Blubbo_Baggins]

Over the days they've traveled in their return to Isengard, Telurin has taken up his usual role of starting and tending the fire, taking his turns at night as a lookout, and chatting with Hartley. He always appreciated the halfling's ability to see the world cheerfully, and to laugh far more than complain at the the discomforts of the road.

He did not know the White Wizard well, but he was not surprised that he had found a key to open Dwarven doors. It was just as likely that the Dwarves of old had standardized their locks and keys for one another, and shared them among the Dwarven Houses, making it so that friends could come and go as they pleased.

Before Dwirgi could answer Hartley, Telurin shared this thought. "It's perhaps not true, but it reflects the friendship of those days. Maybe Blain would know better."

[HunterGreen]

The question seems puzzling to Dŵrgi. That Saruman had the right key seems no more surprising to her than anything else a Wizard might do. If a bird landed on a branch over their fire, turned into a squirrel, and spoke to them in perfect Dunlendish of the Wizard's plans, that would not faze her. "He told me not, save that it was in the treasuries of Orthanc," she says. "I suppose you may ask him when we return."

OOC

Dŵrgi knows nothing about the history of Orthanc, so she can't bring it up, but remember that Isengard was originally a fortification of Gondor, when Calenardhon was a province of Gondor. Wonder if it might have been there even since then.

[Vardaen]

Vara listens in and watches from the fire, he is eyeing the key.

Its Balwain however, who wounded, is grumpy and less happy for the trip along the road than most. "Why did he not give us this key when we spoke to him ourselves? Why send Dwirgi with it after the fact? I wonder."

Vara nods to Balwain's words, "I wonder too."

[Muskrat]

Halleth looks over the key carefully when he has the chance, comparing this dwarven artifact with those of Numenorean make he has seen. He hands it back over reluctantly.

In response to Blawain's question, Halleth, "Eh, I think it's clear enough--Saruman's just like Elrond, all wise and mighty, but too frightened to step outside the territory he controls. But he still needs to keep watch over and control everything. Oh, no doubt, he intended to help us as well, but he has to be in charge."

[Blubbo_Baggins]

"When one is in Saruman's debt, then one cannot forget it," says Telurin. "And perhaps as I said, this key has more use than to open the door of just this one lost Dwarf-hold. Perhaps he feared that in the hands of a Dwarf, it would be too great of a temptation to go and open the door of Moria and reawaken the danger that is rumored to sleep there. As Dwirgi says, we should simply ask him when we arrive."

[Seosaidh]

Dubhthach looks sternly at Halleth: "Saruman is wise and mighty, and so we should not question his wisdom in choosing to give us this rod at the time that seemed fitting to him. But be careful whom you call a coward, for Saruman is certainly not a coward, although to those jealous of his wisdom and grace it may appear to be so."

[Muskrat]

Halleth snorts in mirth and says, "Oh, I have no doubt that Saruman--and Elrond too--are wise and mighty and all, but if they're not cowards, why do they stay holed up in their sanctuaries instead of venturing forth to fight the good fight? I have much more respect for Gandalf--he maybe much more shabby than Saurman, but he wanders about, supporting the Rangers and protecting the lesser peoples like the hobbits and Breemen from dangers they can't possibly comprehend or stand up to."

[Seosaidh]

Dubhthach looks angry, but he is used to unreasonable people, and so he keeps his mouth shut.