Prelude: Many Meetings

[Vardaen]

Vara orders another ale, on Blain's tab, "There is more, there is always more. My beasts broke at the signs of the wraiths, we were lost in the wilds of the north. My dwarven companions were driven mad or did not survive the cold trip to find our way. We had a wagon loaded with cursed gold that we could not abandon, and so lost we many a good dwarf trying to survive. You can't eat gold, no matter what they tell you in Erebor." He looks down at the table, saddness in his eyes. "Finally we found our way home. Along the way we lost some mules, some gold, and too many dwarves. I had lost the rangers long before that, scattered when the undead attacked. You would think Bree would be a welcome sight but the troubles didn't end there."

[Boronind]

As he watches Vara order another ale, Bláin reminds himself, Mahinrid khuzd tada ma tashliki (Beware of the dwarf that does not drink). “His genuine sadness reveals him to be one telling a true story. Who could make up such a tale and tell it with such emotion and be lying?” he ponders.

He hesitates to press him any further, given the poor state the dwarf seems to be in, but he cannot resist prying him with another question. “By Durin’s beard, how could your tale of woe get any worse?! Is not Bree a haven for all weary travelers as Rivendell is for the elves?”

[Vardaen]

"I'll tell you how! Nalir!" He spits the name as if it leaves a bad taste in his mouth just speaking it. "That greedy son of a goblin! Petty dwarf if the term ever meant anything. Found me in Archet, down on my luck, exhausted, and in need of finding the Rangers the gold belonged to. Didn't seem to care that it wasn't his, or mine for that matter. Him and his hired thugs beat me up and stole what gold I had left form the venture. Some nice local kids tried to help, but that was pointless." He draws a long breath on his pipe. "So I lost everything, made my way here still, and then the Ranger's son found me. Aravule's his name and he's a real prick. Not a nice guy. His father was a good man, honorable, compassionate, listed to you. Not Aravule, he mad his mind up before we ever spoke. Accused me of betraying them in Carn Dum, of stealing his gold, then giving it to Nalir or some such bullshit." He looks at his empty mug and orders another, assuming its on your tab.


"Beat me up over it. Luckily for me he was with his friends, not sure why they are his friends. Halleth, he's an older ranger, Telurin, and elf if you believe it here in Bree, and Hartley local hobbit used to work int he stables here. If not for them, he might have killed me over it. I tried to tell him it was Nalir who took the gold, against my wishes, for some crazy adventure he was going on. Needed the gold to buy more maps of some long lost colony or some such. Doesn't matter much to me. I'm broke, broken, and in need of a job like I said."

[Boronind]

His heart full of heaviness and pity for the poor Vara, he leans over and pats him on the shoulder. “Here now, here now. Do not fret. All shall be well Vara. Khuzd tada zazin ma katakhthizi, ma zatakyili d'asukh galkh (A dwarf that can't endure the bad, will not live to see the good ).”

He then sits back and ponders Vara’s tale as he smokes his pipe for a minute. His keen insight tells him, “He must be telling the truth. Something must be done…” Then ire stirs within his heart and his resolve rises–for the first time in many seasons has he felt this way.

He stands up pointing his pipe at Vara and declares, “Look here, you shall have recompense and justice, Vara. I shall personally see to it. You mark my words!” He continues looking intently as Vara, “Not since the legend of Mîm have I heard of more treacherous and dastardly dwarf! A Petty Dwarf if ever the name indeed! Yes, history tells us that Elf has betrayed Elf and Men have betrayed Men; but Khuzd betray Khuzd? Unheard of! Absurd! We shall find him in due course and make him give restitution to you with the gold he has stolen.”

“And moreover,” his dwarf sense of injustice and wrong now aflamed, “what is this about some High Man of the West--What do the elves call them? the Dúnedain, no?—that came nigh to killing you? All over some gold? How can this be? Yes, they are odd and mysterious, but cruel, vindictive, and merciless like the minions of the Enemy? Unheard of! Absurd! How is this possible? Tell me what kind of spirit would possess a man of such noble blood to act in such a way?” He waits impatiently for Vara’s response.

[Vardaen]

Vara seems rather moved by the speech of Blain. "I tell you the gold is cursed, that is why. There is a sickness on it from its long years in such a dark and evil place. Aravule is gone, he set off south after Nalir to the ruins of Tharbad if I'm not mistaken. If you wish to find Nalir, go south to those ruins and I do not doubt that you shall find him. So too would be Aravule and his companions for after shaking me down about Nalir's course they went off after him. Took poor Hartley with them, hobbit doesn't know what trouble he's gotten himself into with that lot."

[Boronind]

Feeling rather dumbfounded at Vara’s explanation, Bláin slaps his head with hand. “Of course! We dwarves know quite well of dragon-sickness. Was it not the same malady that took hold of Thorin Oakenshield after Smaug had been defeated? It was my father who first recognized the signs of it upon him. Treasure once possessed by such evil eventually becomes tainted itself. That is what must have happened to treasure of Carn Dûm and why such a high born Man could degenerate so.”

Being more confident now of what must be done, Bláin stands up tall declaring, “It would seem that there is only one course of action that would could makes these wrongs right. You must come with me, for not only do I need you to help identify Nalir, but it is not good for a Khuzd to be alone; for there is no Khuzd without Khazâd. I shall rally some of my kinsman from the caravan to join us in finding this Nalir rascal either along the Green Way toward Tharbad or in Tharbad itself. I’m sure I’m not the only one whose beard feels a bit stiff from simply marching to and fro along the East-West road from Ered Luin to Erebor. Then, when we find Nalir he shall have to give an accounting of himself to us. And Mahal (Aulë in Khudzul) willing, perhaps we shall be able to find this Ranger fellow Aravule who abused you as well to both reckon with him and shake him out of his sickness before it consumes him.”

Then holding out his hand to Vara, his gaze firm, he says, “What say you? I promise that after we accomplish such a mission that you would be welcome to become part of our trading expeditions and thus duly restored to prosperity fitting our kind.”

[Vardaen]

Vara considers, but not for long. "I have little to offer to the expedition in way of material goods. You'll have to do that, but I'm willing to give my expertise to the matter. Not much keeping me here in Bree anyhow and working with someone of your status can only lead to good things." He reaches across the table and shakes hands with Bláin. "One condition. I get to punch Nalir in the face. Eye for an eye, punch for a punch!" He laughs and sits back down. "What about your caravan, shouldn't you see it through, its a long way to Tharbad, and winter is coming."

[Boronind]

Bláin smiles broadly and laughs, “Of course, of course in due time, my friend! After we have gotten to the bottom of truth with him. In terms of the caravan, there is enough of us to divide up, one to Tharbad, the other to Erebor. Now, pardon me as I attempt to rouse my fellow kinsman in such an errand of justice.”

Bláin takes his leave of Vara and strides over to the table of the caravan in high revelry. He clears his throat, bangs his hand on the table and says loudly, “Listen up, my good and stout fellows, l have a tale for you that you’ve yet to hear, a tale of treachery and woe that calls us to action!”
He then orders a round of ales for the entire table (on his ever lengthening tab). When the drinks arrive, he tells him the story of poor Vara in full and his treatment at the hands of Nalir and the Aravule.

“What shall we do after hearing such a thing?” Looking first at bothers Nalin and Kilin he says, “Nalin and Kilin, are we only miners and merchants, tinkers and toy makers?” And tell me, you two, Oxdis and Skisdis, have we not worn out such a path on the East-West road these years that we can now traverse it our sleep? And you, Arthar and Fundar, are we not also doughty warriors who respond to the call of kindred when wrong that has been done to one of us? Though of Seven Houses, are we not united in blood as a single people since the Elder Days, Hlóin and Dróin? And do we not hold honor and loyalty and willing heart above all else, Brandur and Steinur?” He scans the rest of the table being sure to catch the eye of all at the table.

He pauses long enough to take a long draught of ale. After wiping his beard he comes to his summation, “Aye, if all of this be true, should we not band together and right the wrong done to Vara, who is one of us?” Squinting his eyes, he declares, “Any of you who will join me, with Fuin’s leave of course,” nodding respectfully to Fuin, “on such a mission of justice, will not just rewarded in honor but in gold. And by Durin’s beard, I will see to it that each is rewarded in kind when we complete our mission. So who among you is with me?”

Action

invoke lordly trait while orating; roll Inspire 2 if necessary

[Vardaen]

The dwarves sit and listen to the tale, and some of them gives shouts in return. They are rather drunk at the moment and its easy enough to rally them to tales of great deeds, and remind them of their heritage and linage. In the morning it shall be another story, but for now they seem lured by the prospect of gold and of adventure. That is all save for Fuin. He shakes his head and claps his mug on the table.

"Bláin you speak well, and rouse the fire in my heart, but I will give no dwarf among this company who is under contract leave to this caravan lest they are considered in default. No pay will they receive for their hard work if they leave us now. Gold and profit we have aplenty when we reach the Blue Mountains to the west, and adventure enough we shall have in the High Pass and Mirkwood on our return trip. Vara's tale is a sad one, to be sure, but it is one of broken contracts and betrayal. Let not our own venture be the same."

He speaks more directly to Bláin now, his voice lower as the dwarves at the table murmur and chat about both offers as they drink. "Bláin you know we can not turn away now, to Tharbad none the less. Finish what we started, we are nearly in Ered Luin and our halls there. Stay the winter, and come spring set out south for Tharbad with those no longer under contact who will go. Be not hasty in your desire to run off an prove yourself. Steady and firm is the way of the Khazad."

Roll

Lordly and...

Rolled:
SAURON
Success Die: 5,2
Totaling: 7

[Boronind]

Fuin words sting at first as if very waters of the Kheled-zâram (Khuzdul for the Mirrormere in the Dimrill Dale) had been splashed upon his face. But the shock gives way to sobriety as he realizes the wisdom of this elder of Úri’s folk, who though have ever been hesitant to put adventure over commerce have also put prudence over audacity. Still, even on the face of it, Bláin realizes, over all of this comes contractual obligations and those are almost as sacred as blood among all the folk of the Seven Houses. And then there was the impending winter. Only Thulin’s folk have the constitution to brave the winter openly.

Lowering his eyes and nodding his head in deference, Bláin confesses to Fuin, “Forgive me, Fuin for my foolhardiness. My iron had become so hot, that I forgot that I had no anvil and hammer to speak of.” “Your speak wisdom and I not; I’m still young and you are an elder. I will not speak of such adventure until we reach Ered Luin and our business is complete."

He pauses and then looks up to Fuin and beseeches him, “But If I may ask a favor of you. Though we cannot help bring justice of Vara now, would you allow him to join us in the caravan? I would personally be willing to sponsor him. I would willingly pay for his room and board for the remainder of the journey.”

OOC

Mea culpa. I thought we were going from West to East, not vice-versa. If I had know that, I would have never proposed such a diversion. Still, it guess it was a good RP to show Blain's youthfulness and eagerness. Carry on!