Book 3: Chapter 2 - Into the Cold North
- Wbweather
- Level 13 Elite
- Posts: 2085
- Location: Kansas
- User Class: Wanderer
The Bridge of Carn Dûm (May 28)
"Come. Look what I have found", Hartley tells the others. The way down looks treacherous, steep and icy with no hand holds. If one were to lose their footing, it could be disastrous. "We must choose this way or the bridge. I don't know that either is without its dangers. This way seems to me more likely to gain us access without revealing our approach."
He looks at his companions. "What do you think?"
He looks at his companions. "What do you think?"
- Muskrat
- Level 21 Elite
- Posts: 10513
- Location: The Secret Places Beneath the Earth
- Title: Keeper of the Hidden Word
- User Class: Scholar
The Bridge of Carn Dûm (May 28)
Halleth says, "It seems a simple enough choice to me--we take the stairs. We take the bridge and we're bound to be attacked, most likely in numbers greater than we can handle. We take the stairs and we have some chance of going in unnoticed. The stairs may be dangerous, but I judge them less dangerous than the horde of orcs we would face if we openly crossed the bridge."
- AndyDez
- Level 3
- Posts: 121
The Bridge of Carn Dûm (May 28)
"Well, I've had enough of bridges. Why not fall from stairs as well!?"
- Wbweather
- Level 13 Elite
- Posts: 2085
- Location: Kansas
- User Class: Wanderer
The Bridge of Carn Dûm (May 28)
"Perhaps we could at least secure a rope at the top of the ravine to provide some protection in case someone slips. That way we could have something to hold on to and we could secure it wherever possible on the way down to provide a hand hold on the way back, once we have rescued the children." Hartley tries to sound confident about the last part, especially.
- Blubbo_Baggins
- Level 14 Elite
- Posts: 3767
- Location: The Old Forest
The Bridge of Carn Dûm (May 28)
Telurin nods at all his friends have said. "It is dangerous either way, but one way leads to certain danger of being seen, and the other has some small chance to keep us hidden. Whether we can secure a rope or no, let us take the stairs. Though, I hope the rope will work!"
- Vardaen
- Admin
- Posts: 66394
- Location: Miskatonic University
- Title: Great Old One
- User Class: Unshackled AI
The Bridge of Carn Dûm (May 28) - Down the Stair
The stairs are no easy task. You can see in places they are broken or worn away. In others they are covered in snow and ice, and the fall from this high will certainly be serious. You can not cross the bridge directly for fear of being spotted, and to date you have not been spotted, either by Fortune or Fate.
So you tie off a second length of rope to a rocky spire near the stairs. Now Halleth and Telurin are both out of rope. You can only hope that it will give you some extra help, but as you toss it down you can see it only reaches half way at best.
"There is no point in waiting here, in the cold and the open." Freach has no desire to climb the stairs, nor cross the bridge, but he won't abandon the group now this close to your goal.
So you begin the long climb down... Halleth takes the lead, he clears the stairs where he can, knocking off snow and ice. The rope is a solid anchor for him, and he is strong and cunning, he's climbed his fair share of dangerous places in his day and reaches the far bottom safely. Once there he waves the rest of you down.
Hartley and Hugo both move onto the stairs, and little by little shimmy down. Unfortuntely there is a gap among the stairs, where the cold heaved against the stone and broke away three steps. The gap is too great for them to reach easily and as they attempt to hold their weight on the rope to repel down each one in turn slips and looses their grip on the cold rope and down down down they tumble. Hartley is fairly nimble and rolls with it bounding into a snow bank and is only light bruised from the fall. Hugo however is not so lucky and strikes the frozen ground hard and at an awkward angle.
Soon Telurin makes the decent to join Halleth in helping the fallen Hobbits.
Slow and steady your Hill-men make the climb. Their people are strong and athletic, and used to climbs among the mountains and the hills. Each of them reaches the bottom safely in turn.
So you tie off a second length of rope to a rocky spire near the stairs. Now Halleth and Telurin are both out of rope. You can only hope that it will give you some extra help, but as you toss it down you can see it only reaches half way at best.
"There is no point in waiting here, in the cold and the open." Freach has no desire to climb the stairs, nor cross the bridge, but he won't abandon the group now this close to your goal.
So you begin the long climb down... Halleth takes the lead, he clears the stairs where he can, knocking off snow and ice. The rope is a solid anchor for him, and he is strong and cunning, he's climbed his fair share of dangerous places in his day and reaches the far bottom safely. Once there he waves the rest of you down.
Hartley and Hugo both move onto the stairs, and little by little shimmy down. Unfortuntely there is a gap among the stairs, where the cold heaved against the stone and broke away three steps. The gap is too great for them to reach easily and as they attempt to hold their weight on the rope to repel down each one in turn slips and looses their grip on the cold rope and down down down they tumble. Hartley is fairly nimble and rolls with it bounding into a snow bank and is only light bruised from the fall. Hugo however is not so lucky and strikes the frozen ground hard and at an awkward angle.
Soon Telurin makes the decent to join Halleth in helping the fallen Hobbits.
Slow and steady your Hill-men make the climb. Their people are strong and athletic, and used to climbs among the mountains and the hills. Each of them reaches the bottom safely in turn.
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring
- Muskrat
- Level 21 Elite
- Posts: 10513
- Location: The Secret Places Beneath the Earth
- Title: Keeper of the Hidden Word
- User Class: Scholar
The Bridge of Carn Dûm (May 28) - Down the Stair
When Hugo falls hard, Halleth hurries over to him. "Ah, that looked nasty." He holds out a hand. "Here, can you stand? Were we elsewhere, I might say we should stop and rest--but this is no place for that, if we can help it."
- Blubbo_Baggins
- Level 14 Elite
- Posts: 3767
- Location: The Old Forest
The Bridge of Carn Dûm (May 28) - Down the Stair
Seeing Halleth moving to help Hugo, Telurin turns to Hartley, who stands and nods that he is alright.
Instead, Telurin remains at the bottom of the stair, watchingEssylt, Fraech, and Hwalda. He might not be strong enough to catch them, but he would do what he could.
Thankfully, all three reach the bottom without incident, and so the Elf turns back to check on Hugo.
"Well there young Hugo, if fire and fall do not kill you, you've only one more test to pass to prove that you're tougher than mithril . . . though I wonder what that might be."
Instead, Telurin remains at the bottom of the stair, watchingEssylt, Fraech, and Hwalda. He might not be strong enough to catch them, but he would do what he could.
Thankfully, all three reach the bottom without incident, and so the Elf turns back to check on Hugo.
"Well there young Hugo, if fire and fall do not kill you, you've only one more test to pass to prove that you're tougher than mithril . . . though I wonder what that might be."
- Wbweather
- Level 13 Elite
- Posts: 2085
- Location: Kansas
- User Class: Wanderer
The Bridge of Carn Dûm (May 28) - Down the Stair
"Well, my poor body is bruised, but not so much as my ego. It could have been worse though. I say Hugo, you have stood up remarkably well despite your repeated falls. I am glad that we have both made it down in one piece. I should not wish to go on without you."
Turning to the rest of the group he says, "Well, now that we have reached the bottom, let us hope there is a way inside. Would someone care to help me search for such an entrance?"
Turning to the rest of the group he says, "Well, now that we have reached the bottom, let us hope there is a way inside. Would someone care to help me search for such an entrance?"
- AndyDez
- Level 3
- Posts: 121
The Bridge of Carn Dûm (May 28) - Down the Stair
Hugo rubs sore muscles and bends to and fro to loosen up bones after the fall. Trying to remain cheery in this dreadful place, Hugo weakly jests "Perhaps now I understand why our ancestors chose to live underground. Above is full of falls and spills, what with windy bridges and icy stairs! No place to fall in a Hobbit hole, once it's dug."