Book One: All That Is Gold Does Not Glitter

[Grimbold]

All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.

On the summit of Pen Drebi, three have met and found that their destinies are connected.

The Breelander Melvan Ferny is on a mission for his master, Brano. The Dwarf Gorin Goldhammer seeks to make roads safer for travellers. Vardanil is a Dúnadan Ranger of the North who was sent here by Halbarad.

Evil bandits are pestering the surroundings of Bree, pretending to be Dúnadan rangers they are besmirching the honour of the real rangers and make the common people more hostile to "Strider" and his small army.

While most of the rangers are away in the north, fighting orcs or keeping close watch on the Shire (on Elrond's personal orders), there are no others here in Bree who can uncover this vile plot.

As the sun rises, a task is at hand. Plans need to be made, plots undone.

As the first birds are singing in the clearing, three people, two men and a dwarf are having breakfast.

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Welcome to "Book One". Keep up the good work!

[Vardaen]

Vardanil wakes with a yawn, and rubs his legs to get circulation back into them before sitting up. "I could use something to eat." His first words of the day are to no one in partciular. Then he checks his bandages and listens to Melvan, "Your master doesn't understand the true nature of the world Melvan. I am a Ranger you see, and I am no thief or criminal. We are protectors of the north, but we do not ask for rewards or accolades for what we do. We live in the wild, sometimes for years, because that is where the danger lives and we must face it. People think we are trouble, because we look wild, but we are I assure you good men and woman to last." He moves to Melvan after checking his own bandage and then check's Melvan, "We must wash this wound out once a day, the bite of a wolf can cause infection. I was not taught by Strider, but I know him, he is a captain of our people, and I assure you he is not the enemy." Considering he looks up, "However, should some one claim to be Strider, an imposter, that could cause us great distress. Tell me, have you met this Strider? How do you know him?" He considers his options, and thinks that tracking the bandits trail may be the best way to start.

OOC

I also posted this in the prelude. Grimbold you can lock the Prelude threads when they are done so people don't post to them.

[Melvyst]

Melvan thankfully nods as Vardanil instructs him after checking his wounds :"I will so , thank you."
After the wound is cleaned he answers
"It seems that little is known about your folks true intentions, at least for me... forgive me if I have doubted you! I never met Strider nor do I really know him. My master told me he is the leader behind all this evil, but he didn't knew more than a simple name."
Speaking loud to himself
"If there really is an impostor we should find and stop him and I guess finding those bandits should lead us to him. But I know little about those bandits nor do I have a track. Should we head to one of the villages to find more information?"

[Nate]

Gorin stands up, and begins packing up his belongings, as he takes a few bites of the wolf he cooked over the fire for breakfast. "Eh, tastes better then tha' dried meat at least..." he mumbles as he finishes packing everything.

grabbing the drying wolf skin's off a nearby branch Gorin moves over towards the other two. "Last place I stopped, I was told the wer' aroun' here. We should try looking for tracks first, if we can't find 'em, then we should check the town."

Looking down at the wolf skins Gorin ponders for a moment why he even bothered with them... Maybe I can make a rug or somethin' he thinks to himself.

[Melvyst]

"At least we have a starting point!" says Melvan as he also starts packing up his belongings and prepares for the descent.

Melvan wrinkles his nose from the awful smell of the wolf meat " Nah , I would try any of this ... " and grabs some off his dried meat leftovers.

[Vardaen]

Vardaenil also partakes of the wolf meat, tough and stringy, and very gamey, but atleast it is fresh. He packs his own things up, "I found a trail a ways back, it was an old trail, but must have belonged to the bandits, for they were moving wrecklessly, not like a Ranger at all, and they had with them a heavy chest. Its possible this chest contained things of your master Melvan?" He rolls his bedding up and smiles at the wolf hide Gorin is packing, "With the right amount of time that would make a find cloak, or carpet." He checks his wounds again, and stands lightly. "Truest me Mevlan, Strider, the real one, is a good man, and would never cause harm to good folk."

Now ready, his sword on his belt, his bow on his back, and his gear packed neatly away the man pulls his hodd up over his face and reaches into a pocket, "I have a question for you both, have you any idea if these men are using any identifying symbols among them?"

[Nate]

"Nope, Aint never seen 'em myself." Gorin replies "Jus' been told they've been botherin' tha' area. Lookin' to see if I can find 'em, and put a stop to it."

Gorin tosses the two skins over his shoulder, glad they had some time to dry, and takes a few more bites of the wolfs meat. "Looks like yer leadin' th' way then."

[Vardaen]

"Alright, lets see if we cant' find the trail again..."

Vardanil then begins to move down the hill, careful to keep his eyes open for trouble or danger, and circles around and around down the hill looking to see if he can pick up the trail of the bandits from here, just in case, before he will consider heading back to where he knows it it.

[Grimbold]

The quickest way down from the top is the cliff that the three all climbed yesterday. So Vardanil, Gorin and Melvan take the path to the cliff. When they are about 50' from the top of this rocky wall, they hear something, or someone, below.

[Vardaen]

Vardanil holds his hand up to stop the others, turns his head and puts his finger to his lips. "Shhhh." He as silently as he can draws his bow, strings it, and slips around into the brush and cover to get into a hidden position, an arrow on his bow.

OOC

Stalking, so I want to be hidden with bow out and ready if that's a bbandit or a wolf.