Fellowship of the Dice

Halleth draws his bow and motions for another sneak attack. He knocks an arrow and aims it at the chief jailer. If they can take down the commander, that may damage the goblins' morale.

BUMP

Hey all, I know I have been bad, but I would love to try and finish this story up. Give me a post, and we can keep going.

Halleth draws his bow, and sets an arrow to the string. Drawing back he whispers, "Do not fail me now arrow." He looses the arrow and it flies straight and true and strikes the chief jailer in the throat. He staggers back and topples over a geyser of blood sprays into the darkness. The lesser goblins in the chamber are filled with terror and as your light presses into the room they scatter.

Hartley darts forward and deftly takes the keys even as Telurin holds up his lamp and fills the room with pure silver light. The enemy scatters, the larger Orcs move in fear now also. Hartley has the first cell door open before the last of the foes has fled the room. In side the children are cowered together and you move to gather them and assure them you are friends and to come. The next two cages are open and the children are free, but the suddenness of your assault is wearing off, and the Shadow that drives your foes is greater than the light you bear.

"They are coming back!" cries Halleth as you press the children down the passage to your waiting friends. Eysult, Hugo, and Freach grab up the smaller of them, and there is a moment of happy meetings. The children seeing familiar faces are emboldened now to flee with you. Hwalda orders some of the hill men you saved to join in, and the children are soon moving forward.

You race for the entrance that you came in that will take you to the Red Valley. Twice Halleth, Telurin and Hartley turn and give battle against pursuing orcs. Halleth takes a spear slice to the arm, and Telurin suffers a few sling stones to the chest, yet each time you turn back the enemy. The last turn is up a head, already Freach and Esyylt and Hwalda have exited the tunnel with the children into the cold. As you turn the corner one of the men you rescued is there, and he drives a spear into the belly of Hartley as he comes around the corner first. It is the black haired man who gave no answer before. He sneers, "You have ruined all of it!" As he yanks the spear from the hobbit's belly he laughs, "I shall kill your child for stealing away our children."

Hartley lays bloody on the ground, alive or dead you don't know, but your final test, and the last foe stand before you even as the others are escaping into the mountains around Carn Dum.

Halleth roars in rage as the traitor strikes down Hartley, charging the man with his sword.

Hartley stares in disbelief as the large man thrust his spear. The pain in his belly is overwhelming as he crumples to the ground wondering why the hillman has turned on the company. He sees Halleth rush in to attack his assailant through blurring eyes as darkness overcomes him. "so, this is how it ends, he thinks to himself."

Halleth pounces on the man, his blade drives through the sternum of the traitor nearly up to the hilt. The ranger twists the blade even as the black haired man slumps forward, weapon clattering to the ground. His arms reach out and he falls into Halleth's own arms. Blood gurgles from his mouth as he head rolls to the side and his face becomes visible under his thick mop of hair....

"Not yet it doesn't halfling." Hwalda, the hill-woman healer is there. She grabs hold of the hobbit Hartley and produces a thick bandage and fills the wound with it pressing hard. "Its not so bad. Your other companion survived his strike, you will survive this one." She's right, the blow is bad, but not fatal. Hartley will be useless in a fight, but with some luck and the stern stuff of hobbits he will survive. She scoops him up...

...Halleth looks into the face of the assailant. Something is off, something is wrong. He's no hill-man. His features are fine, covered in years of dirt and filth, but there is a refinement to them only seen in the face of the Dunedain. His complexion is pale and his eyes are sunken with dark circles, and there is a pain in them greater than that made from the sword in his chest. "You.... you have freed me at last. At long....cough cough... last I am free." Then he slumps to the ground at Halleth's feet. The recognition strikes Halleth, here is Arelan brother of Aravule long thought lost, long thought dead!

Now, now he will be, slain by Halleth's own blade!

Halleth stares in horror as he suddenly recognizes who he killed. "My liege, my liege!" He kneels by Arelan's side, holding his hand, tears streaming down his face. "My liege. I wish ... I wish I could freed you without slaying you." Halleth sits their weeping, disconsolate at the bitter end to his quest.

Telurin stares, balancing disbelief on one side, with a complete sense of fate on the other.
It seems the line of Aravule was cursed, and yet the one good man, the servant Halleth, would be the only to remain untouched, who could enter into Carn Dum not once but twice, and return (he hoped this time) unscathed.

After a moment of taking things in, the Elf turns back to ensure Hartley is feeling good enough for the party to continue their escape from this evil place.

Halleth cradles Arelan in his arms as the two sink down to the floor. Arelan's pale face begins to flush with color, his dark bitter eyes clear even as blood spits up from his mouth. "Tell me brother I tried....cough cough. Don't be bitter....don't...." he grabs Halleth's hand and places something in it then he passes over the sea to the Halls of Mandos.

Telurin takes it in, and fate it seems has cursed the line of Aravule. He turns to those alive as the sound of approaching orcs echoes in the passages. Hwalda looks up, "He can't walk, take him Telurin." She lifts him up and hands Hartley to the elf.

Eysslt shouts, "HURRY! THIS WAY" and breaks the stillness of the situation.

Halleth clutches the object in his hand. He takes a deep breath. He is a trained warrior and has all too much experience putting his grief to one side and dealing with it later. Now, they must act. He closes Arelan's eyes and whispers, "I am sorry I cannot give you a proper burial, my liege. May Iluvatar forgive whatever evils you have committed under the sway of the Shadow and give you rest." He stands and follows Essylt. "Lady," he says to her, "you are more fit to be the leader of your people than any of your men folk I have encountered. I beg you think on that when we have reached safety and you have time."

When he has a moment and can do so without dropping it, he looks at the object Arelan thrust into his hands.