Oh! what a tangled web we weave

Upon returning to Thorenhad, I gave my report to the two brothers and requested aid for Calenthon. They promised to see about doing so and told me of another scout they wished for me to look in on. Wisely, they had been asking about camp for some time and had already gathered a group of brave adventurers willing to accompany me in my search for the scout, Thoroniel, who kept watch over the northern Trollshaws.

Upon reaching Thoroniel's camp, she told us of how she had been spying on a brood of foul spiders, one that was increasing in number with dizzying speed. She suspected the brood would soon spill out of their ruin and lay claim to much more of the land.


During our first foray into the ruins and surrounding paths, we discovered that there was not just one brood, but two! They seemed to be fighting for dominion over the area, a fact that Thoroniel wished to exploit with a very cunning scheme. After we had slain enough of the two different broods, she distilled the venom from the fangs we retrieved for her. With the aid of some herbs growing nearby, she confectioned it into separate mixtures and had us pour each one onto the opposite brood's egg sacs! This not only destroyed the eggs but also shifted the blame to the opposite brood, at least in the spiders' eyes! If only I were as clever as Thoroniel, life would be so much easier!


While poisoning the egg sacs, we spotted a ruin upon a large hill that overlooked the area where the spiders roamed. Creeping up to take a look, I caught a glimpse of the ugliest, hugest spider I had ever seen! When we reported back to Thoroniel, she figured it had to be the queen-mother of one of the broods.

Together, my allies and I decided to try to end her life and strike a huge blow to the threat the spiders posed. It was wonderful to work with such a brave and talented fellowship, for we cut through the spiders and dispatched the queen-mother with surprising ease!

We returned to Thoroniel's camp, where our fellowship disbanded all too quickly, each person hurrying off to their next mission, whatever that might be. Thoroniel graciously allowed me to make camp with her that night, and we talked for a long while. I have to say, the differences between her and the scout, Arrod, were quite striking. Thoroniel was direct, quick-witted, and held all her focus upon the task she was assigned to complete. She blushed and smiled when I complimented her on these things. It is a wonderful thing to see in someone the attributes you would most like to have for your own. It gives one something to strive for, you know?

The next morning, we embraced and wished each other well before I departed for Thorenhad. I hope that I will again have the pleasure of her company but, perhaps, in a more comfortable setting!

With Light,
Kaleigh

A scout amidst the ruins

Upon returning to Thorenhad, Lord Elrohir asked me to look in on a scout he had sent to watch over the ruins of an old settlement. There had been signs of an ancient evil that might yet still linger there, it seemed. I headed north and through the beauty of the Trollshaws to Nan Toraeth. After lingering in places of splendor for a bit, and taking a wrong turn or two, I eventually came to spy a campsite near a large hill, where I found the scout, Calenthon. He was quite concerned, as it seemed to him the very beasts of the land were being corrupted by some malevolent force. I was to hunt some of the possessed creatures and bring him back their hides so that he might better determine what might lie at the root of the problem.

We came to learn that the evil men of the region had coated their weapons with a disease-bearing filth that drove whatever it came into contact with into madness! While I was hunting, Calenthon had send his falcon, Malloval, out to spy on the men, but he was quite worried, as Malloval was not yet returned.

As I well know, the life of a Scout is oftentimes a lonely one, and whatever friends and allies one can have at their side are always cherished. I could tell from Calenthon's anguish that he cared deeply for his friend. I offered to go in search of Malloval, so that he might continue to study the hides and determine a course of action for us. I laid my hand on his shoulder and vowed to bring him peace, promising to recover his lost friend.

I searched for a long while, and night had turned to day, before I came into a ruin lying atop a large hill. There I spied what appeared to be an injured bird attempting to take flight far in the back of the ruin. To my dismay, there were also many evil men skulking about. And there were darker things still. Beings trapped in a place between life and death wandered the hillside, cursed to find no rest.


I skulked over to the falcon and, by Calenthon's description, recognized it as Malloval, his feathered friend! I used the words and gestures Calenthon had taught me, and Malloval half-scurried, half-fluttered to me. He had an injured wing, so I knelt down and put my arm out to him. He told hold of my wrist and, as I stood, he fluttered up to my shoulder. Thankfully, my thin armor was able to keep his talons from piercing my skin!

I returned Malloval to Calenthon, who lovingly began to soothe and treat his injured friend. While he tended to Malloval, I went out to strike at the hillmen to see if they worked with the men of undeath in some way. Together, Calenthon and I determined that there must be a great power at work uniting these forces of evil, creating an even greater threat. We realized that eliminating this power would not be something we could accomplish ourselves, so I rode to all the friendly camps that I could find nearby to search for others who might aid us in this.

I could find only one person willing, that being Qirk Zuhan of Rivendell. Together, we bravely fought our way through the ruined hillside, until we came to spy a rather gruesome figure surrounded by men and undead henchmen in the center of the ruin! We tried desperately to cut a swath to the creature, but we were greatly outnumbered and forced to retreat. We reported our failure to Calenthon, and I promised to ask for more men to be sent to him to deal with the threat properly.

With Light,
Kaleigh

Say what you need to say

The next day, as I was speaking to those in the camp, I met an elf-maiden named Narlinn. She was worried about a friend who had been assigned to keep watch over the Bruinen Gorges. She believed him to be distracted by his fancy for another elf-maiden from Rivendell and wanted me to see how he fared.

I found the elven scout, Arrod, keeping watch over the road from high above on the hillside. He told me of his wish to find gifts for his love, but he dared not leave his post. Realizing I could help keep the camp safe and have a part in uniting two lovers, I gladly offered to find the gifts that he sought for his beloved.

He first asked for a pristine feather from a hendroval. I looked for nests upon the highest peaks until I found one with such a feather in it. Upon returning it to him, he then asked for a mauve lily. Such flowers are exceedingly rare, and I could only hope to be fortunate enough to find one growing nearby.


I went down to the Ford of Bruinen and headed south to the Blooming Fens. Many wildflowers grew in the area, and I was almost smitten by the beauty of the riverbank and had a dance! I had to refrain, as darkness would come soon, and it would be difficult enough to find such a flower in the sunshine!

As luck would have it, I chanced upon the perfect mauve lily in the Fens! "Such a love must be meant to be!" I thought to myself, joy filling my heart for the two of them.

Upon happily returning to Arrod and offering the lily, I was finally told of the game he had been playing. It seemed that he had been pretending to be smitten with someone else, but it was really Narlinn he had loved all along! Using the hendroval feather and the lily, he crafted a beautiful necklace and asked me to bring it to Narlinn and pledge his undying love to her!

I did as he asked, but Narlinn was not to be fooled! Or, rather, she was already fooled! She did not believe Arrod's heart sang for her, but she instead wished me to bring the necklace to Faimir, Arrod's supposed love in Rivendell! No words of mine could convince her otherwise, so I had no recourse but to bring Arrod's gift back to him.

He was shocked at her disbelief in his regard but wisely chose not to abandon his post to find her, and I left him to his grief. "Perhaps there is a lesson to be learned from this," I thought to myself as I walked away.

With Light,
Kaleigh

Kaleigh Starshine - Skulker Extraordinaire!

I met the sons of Lord Elrond, Elladan and Elrohir, at the camp of Thorenhad in the Bruinen Gorges. They had a chilling tale to tell. It seemed that one of the black riders, powerful agents of the shadow, had escaped a cunning trap Lord Elrond had laid for them. They believed he fled into the southern Trollshaws, but they were not certain. They asked me to seek out doughty warriors in Thorenhad, and any other camps nearby, in order to form a search party that would enter the troll-infested ruins where they believed the rider may be hiding.

I beseeched all I came across to aid me in this task. It was of vital importance that this black rider be found before he could cause more mischief! Unfortunately, my pleas fell upon deaf ears. I understand that all of us struggle in our own way to strike at the shadow, but this was such a vital task! I was quite shocked that I was unable to muster any to it. I am sure, dear friend, that if you had been within earshot of my call, you would have answered. If only you had been there with me.

Eventually, I returned to Elladan and Elrohir to report that I could find no others to aid me in their task. They were quite disappointed, to say the least! Sadly, I realized that, if I could not rally any to such a mission as this, I had best be prepared to make my own way, no matter what may come. I offered to attempt to skulk into the ruins and look for the rider by myself.

They refused, saying it was far too perilous to go alone. And I agreed with them, but I knew it must be done. I excused myself and began the long, treacherous sneak into the southern ruins.



It is all a blur now. Trolls were everywhere, and evil men skulked about in great number. I searched through the remainder of the day and throughout the night. Every last bit of mischief I had learned in my travels, I brought to bear. Sometimes, it even came down to tossing a pebble to make a noise far away, so that I might slip by an archway or guard post undetected.

Eventually, I came into the heart of the ruin, where so many trolls and men lingered, I knew that no degree of skulking would avail me any longer. Wearied from the need to be ever-vigilant, I nearly gave myself away with a loud sigh of despair. I quickly put my hand to my mouth to stifle it and was about to begin the long trek back to Thorenhad, when I caught sight of a very black, gruesome horse lying dead near one of the tents in the camp.

There was no sign of the rider, but I wanted to be sure. I waited a long while for my best chance, then began to creep toward the horse. I was able to get quite near but was spotted! Quickly, I drew my dagger and cut the bridle off the decaying muzzle of the foul beast and ran for my very life!

I know not how I eluded capture or death. I ducked large stones aimed for me and dove past weapons that should have cut me down with a nimbleness and skill I did not know I possessed. It was rather touch and go! At one point, I thought my luck had run out. Trolls and men surrounded me and began to close in. I looked around in terror and cried out in despair. I wished with all my might that I had a safe place to hide! I saw the smallest of crevasses in the face of a large rock nearby and dashed to it, scrunching myself as far in as I could.

It was hopeless to even try, I figured, seeing how much of my body could not be hidden by the shadow of the rock. I waited for death, or worse.

But it never came. Somehow, I had eluded them and was free! After a while, I poked my head out of the fissure to make sure nothing was about. It seemed safe, so I knelt to the ground, tears streaming from my eyes, and gave thanks that I had not been found. I could not help but think that perhaps my tending to the land, and the many ways in which I have tried to honor it, had come full circle, and it had gifted me in return with something far greater.

Still trembling with fear and wonder, I slowly made my way back to Thorenhad. As I walked toward Elladan and Elrohir, concern shone in their eyes. I am sure I must have been a ghastly sight! I reached into my pack and pulled out the black bridle I had recovered from the horse and handed it to them, explaining what had happened.

Elladan rushed over to me and helped me to sit before the fire. Elrohir said, "Kaleigh, you have performed a hero's feat that will be remembered by us and our kin for days unnumbered. We owe you the greatest of debts."

I could tell that they did not give such praise lightly, and to have earned such respect from them filled me with a pride I had never felt before. Sheer exhaustion set in, and I collapsed before the fire, crying until my last tear was spent. Sleep overtook me as I lay at their feet.

With Light,
Kaleigh

Gone trolling!

The next few days were ones of leisure, at least a leisure self-imposed. When I was not trotting Dandelion on the field near the fairgrounds, I took my rest in the Pony or wandered about in town, taking in the sights. It was a wonderful time of healing and an ever so important reminder of what it is that we all wish to save.




Eventually, I made my way south and east of Bree-town, skirting the Marshes, and into the Lone-lands. I was to press on through them and into the Trollshaws, where I would meet my contact.

I came to the Last Bridge, which offered such a lovely view of the river, that I decided to see if I could convince Dandelion to jump up onto one of the stone supports for a better look. She obliged quite willingly!

Afterward, I took a quick swim in the river and was awed by the bridge itself. How these structures are made I will never understand. To even try to ponder such things leaves me a bit dumbfounded at times, but that does not mean I cannot be lost in the wonder of their construction and splendor.


Soon enough, I made it to Barachen's camp, where he and a dwarf named Heithur Ironfist asked me to scout about for some trolls nearby, drive them off, and recover some stones they had stolen. I skulked about the troll camp and recovered many stones, and even managed to strike down a few of the trolls! They are rather large, you know? And quite stinky!

Barachen and Heithur were quite happy with my efforts. They said the sons of Lord Elrond held a camp to the northeast and asked me to report there. I bid my new friends farewell and rode off!

Take care, friends, until our next meeting!

With Light,
Kaleigh

I will never be alone again!

I arrived in Bree-town and made my way to the Prancing Pony for supper and some rest. Seeing the great sign above the door filled me with longing for a horse of my own. I took hold of my coinpurse and was surprised at its heft. I decided I would visit the Hengstacer farm the next day. They are well known for raising the finest horses, and I could only hope that I had enough coin to purchase one.


The next day, I ventured north from Bree-town and past the fairgrounds until I came to the Hengstacer farm. Eogar, the horse-master, took me around the stables, showing me all their lovely horses. They were all so beautiful. To be honest, I wished I could buy every single one! It was a hard decision, but I knew I made the right one when I came to the stall of a gorgeous bay filly who whinnied and pawed the ground as I came close.





It was love at first sight, to be sure! I asked if I could ride her around the farm a bit, and Eogar agreed. I took her outside the stables to have a little more room as she pranced about in the grasses nearby. Finally, I was about to guide her to the gate leading back to the stables, when she decided to bolt toward the fence and jumped it, clearing it by at least a foot!

We pulled up near Eogar, who sighed and said, "Yes, I'm afraid this one has a bit of a wild spirit." I slowly dismounted from the bay and stroked her neck a bit.

"I can show you some others," he called out over his shoulder as he started walking toward the stables. I looked at the bay, who had the most becoming mischievous glint in her eye. She nodded her head, whinnied, and pawed the ground, while staring at me with such deep brown eyes that I could not turn away.

"Oh, no sir! This one will do just fine!" I exclaimed. I gave him nearly all that was in my purse, but she is worth every penny and more! We were already fast friends, and I know that she will be there for me from now on.

With Light,
Kaleigh