Prelude: The Gathering of Five Armies

It is the year 2946 of the Third Age, and the lands east of the Misty Mountains are astir. From the cloud-shrouded peaks above the High Pass to the spider-infested gloom of the forest of Mirkwood, paths long-deserted are trodden once again. Busy merchants carry their wares to new markets, messengers bring tidings from foreign realms, and kings send forth armed men to extend their influence and the rule of law. Some say that a new age of freedom has begun, a time for adventure and great deeds to reclaim glories lost in long centuries of oppression and decline.

But adventures are not really things that people go out and look for. They are dangerous and rarely end well. While it is true that a handful of valiant individuals set out to make their mark on the world, for others it seems that adventure chooses them, as though it is the path they are fated to tread. They are restless warriors, curious scholars and wanderers, always eager to seek what was lost or explore what was forgotten. Ordinary people call them adventurers, and when they return successful, they call them heroes. But if they fail, no one will even remember their names...

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Re: Prelude: The Gathering of Five Armies

Post by Vardaen » Thu Oct 17, 2013 10:31 pm

The boy if huffing and puffing, and points wildly back the way he came toward the eves of the forest. "Not bandits, my fathers guards, three of them. He hired them, to guard his caravan, they turned on him. Please! Please come with me, hurry!" He tugs on Borir's coat trying to get him to follow.

The elves, dealing with the kite disaster might notice if they look over, the young boy, arms wildly flailing about pointing and puffing toward the eves to the west.
"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

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Re: Prelude: The Gathering of Five Armies

Post by Muskrat » Thu Oct 17, 2013 10:34 pm

"Oh, dear," says Varuthil, quizzically, with an almost clinical (dis)interest as the kites get tangled. "That's going to be a mess to sort out."

In the distance, Varuthil's keen elven ears her a commotion and see Pipkin and Borir intensely talking to a young boy in tears. Varuthil's own trauma allow her to immediately intuit that these are no ordinary tears, but the boy is fearful about something grave. "Wren," she says tightly, letting go of her kite string. "Something's up over there--I fear that boy is in peril. Let us see what the matter is." Not waiting for the other elf, she runs quickly in the direction of the others.
If I need to do anything to justify this quick realization, I'm invoking the Merciful trait as allowing me to figure out what's going on.
Last edited by Muskrat on Thu Oct 17, 2013 10:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Prelude: The Gathering of Five Armies

Post by Shurijo » Thu Oct 17, 2013 10:34 pm

Borir looks over his shoulder and then then turns to Pipkin. "Master Brandybuck, get the towns guard and any able bodies."

Looking up to Aerth, Borir replies, "Come on, you might be able to talk some sense into them."

The dwarf then gives the boy a push back towards the direction he came and follows after him as they make their way towards the caravan.

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Re: Prelude: The Gathering of Five Armies

Post by TetNak » Thu Oct 17, 2013 10:34 pm

Aerth has been watching the others fly their kites. When the small boy rushes over toward them, he gives the bow a deep frown. "Who is going to kill him, his guards? They are taking him to Mirkwood?" None of this makes much sense to Aerth, but certainly there is some sort of trouble brewing, he just hopes it is not a child's fantasy.
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Re: Prelude: The Gathering of Five Armies

Post by Eilandor » Fri Oct 18, 2013 3:42 pm

"Would you look at that," Wren says staring at the pile of now broken kites. "I still think mine was highest before..." Wren is suddenly interrupted by Varuthil. He looks to the direction she spoke of and when Varuthil takes off running Wren follows.
Number Two: "You are number six."
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Number Two: "Muh ha ha ha ha!"

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Re: Prelude: The Gathering of Five Armies

Post by Trogdor » Fri Oct 18, 2013 5:46 pm

"There's no time for guards!" Pipkin shouts. "But I'll get the elves. They can help." With that, he runs over to Wren and Varuthil, calling, "There's someone in trouble. He needs out help!"

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Re: Prelude: The Gathering of Five Armies

Post by Eilandor » Fri Oct 18, 2013 7:32 pm

Wren looks at Varuthil, "Seems you were right."

Looking back to Pipkin, "Lead the way!"
Number Two: "You are number six."
Number Six: "I am not a number, I am a free man!"
Number Two: "Muh ha ha ha ha!"

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Re: Prelude: The Gathering of Five Armies

Post by Vardaen » Fri Oct 18, 2013 9:59 pm

Pipkin races a bit back toward the field and waves toward the elves Wren and Varuthil who were already making their way toward the commotion they were seeing.

Borir calms the boy down a moment, with Aerth trying to get the story from the lad. "My dad, he hired on three guards to watch his caravan loaded with festival good, but they turned on him and are going to him him and rob him." When Pipkin and the elves arrive the boy takes Borir's cue and charges off into the eves of the woods with everyone close behind.

Belgo, the young boy, leads you quickly to a small overgrown path on the eves of the forest Mirkwood. A man, clearly the boys father Baldor, stands with hsi back to a tree and a heavy branch in his hand. His three treacherous caravan guards surround him with drawn swords. One of the three has a nasty fresh welt on his face, where Baldor struck him with the branch. By the look of them three they could be men from Lake-town, obvious troublemakers. Belgo shouts, "That's Jonar the leader!"

As you arrive the largest of the three, Jonar, turns around, “Be off!” he shouts, “This is none of your business!”

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"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

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Re: Prelude: The Gathering of Five Armies

Post by Shurijo » Fri Oct 18, 2013 10:04 pm

Borir gruffs at the man's shout, "If you're going to get into a fight, then it's my business. Get outta here or my fists and boots will be kicking you outta here." The dwarf doesn't show any signs of fear from the three men as he continues to approach them.

Looking back to the child, the dwarf commands, "Get back to the meadow and find the dwarves, they'll keep you safe until your father picks you up."

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Re: Prelude: The Gathering of Five Armies

Post by Trogdor » Fri Oct 18, 2013 10:13 pm

Pipkin knows he won't be much good in a hand-to-hand fight with these guards-turned-robbers. So he looks at the ground around him for any small rocks that he can throw. Like any good hobbit, he used to play at throwing rocks when he was a child.

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