Wilderlands Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
wildermods) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
wilderlogs2018-06-01 11:22 pm
wildermods) wrote in wilderlogs2018-06-01 11:22 pm
Entry tags:
FLIGHT TO THE FORD ※ RIVENDELL ※ LOG 1
FLIGHT TO THE FORD
The foot paths are thin but seem to lead somewhere. Not far ahead, there is the sound of rushing water.
Someone is following them in the woods. They move with perfect quiet. If leaves are rustled, at most they sound like they're only shifting in the breeze. They keep circling around them, scouting to the front of them, scouting behind them.
They notice the great evil approaching from behind. Scaring away the horses of the Nazgul slowed them down, made it so they could safely rest in the city, so they could reach it without a fight, and so the magic encircling it went unchallenged by their evil. But they weren't going to stay behind forever. As they close in, the figure that has also been stalking them eventually reveals themselves.
A woman suddenly appears before them, leaping into the path ahead with a swiftness that is inhuman. She is shrouded in a silken cloak of light green. A sword is at her belt in an intricate silver sheathe. She calls out to them with a calm voice that rings clear like a bell.
"Hearken, weary travelers! Your coming was forespoke to my people and my kindred and I feared that you were in danger upon the road. I come offering refuge and succor."
She draws away her hood and reveals pointed ears and braids of black hair drawn up into silver net of gems. Her clear face is flawless and smooth, as if carved from the purest marble. The light of the stars burns in her bright eyes, grey as a cloudless night. Her bearing is that of a queen, fair and just and fierce and kind. Even among her kind, who are known for their beauty, she is counted among the most beautiful.
Her father is displeased with her willingness to travel forth into danger, but after the death of her mother, she too was trained to fight just like her brothers. In the strange new world that has been thrust upon them, Arwen Evenstar is no longer content with wiling away her days with needlework and song. There is too much that has changed in the world, too much that must be protected, and her long neglected skills with sword and bow have already been put to good use, sharpened by the many dangers of the Wilderlands.
"I can tell that some of you carry grievous injuries but you must hasten. The Servants of Sauron approach! The house of my father lies just beyond the swift waters before us. Once we pass over the ford your enemies can no longer pursue you."
Not far behind them there is suddenly an inhuman screech that makes the bright daylight seem as perilous as the darkest night.
Arwen unsheathes her sword and starts to run, leading them, moving swiftly but taking care to not outpace them entirely. There is no time for questions or explanations.
"Fly!" she calls out as she runs. "The enemy is upon us! Fly, ere all is lost!"
The waters of the ford are only knee deep when they cross it and the moment the last of them reaches the other side, the Nazgul appear on the opposite bank and then start crossing the waters, moving through them with mechanical ease.
Arwen raises her sword, glinting in the sun, and cries out:
Nîn o ChithaeglirIn a great crush of frothing white, flood waters rush forth, and it seems as if the waves comes in the shape of prancing horses. The waters crash into the Nazgul right as they get close to the other side of the ford. They screech as they go under and get swept away.
lasto beth daer;
Rimmo nîn Bruinen
dan in Ulaer!
She resheathes her sword.
"This way."
As they walk, the path descends into a gorge filled with warm sun and cool mists. The walls of the gorge are streaked with waterfalls pouring over the edges and the air is filled with the gentle sound of many rushing waters. Some of the streams thread through arches under the Last Homely House. The Elven settlement is spread over garden-covered terraces, with open buildings that mingle indoors and outdoors. The Art Nouveau style architecture is intricate, every bit of the buildings looking like a masterwork. A single stone bridge is their entrance to Rivendell.
Many Elves rush out as soon as they arrive in the first courtyard. Their clothes are made of fine fabrics, most of them colors found in nature, and some of them have silver ornaments in their hair. All of them are tall, slender, graceful and beautiful, almost exuding an aura of goodness, and the light of the stars and the moon is in their eyes. Their ageless faces are filled with genuine worry. Though the Elves are sometimes an aloof and distant people compared to mortals, they detest all evil, and seeing the haggard nature of the group seemingly has them deeply concerned for them.
The lord of the house leads them. The face of Elrond is ageless, neither old nor young, though in it is written the memory of many things both glad and sorrowful. His hair is the same color as his daughter's, like the deepest shadows of twilight and upon his head is set a circlet of silver; his eyes are grey as a clear evening. He carries himself with the aged dignity of king crowned with many winters, yet there's a lightness in his step, like he carries the energy of a young warrior.
"Daughter," he says, reaching for her first, taking her hands in his own. "I started to fear the worst."
"Father, some of them are badly injured."
Elrond nods, his expression stern and beckons to the squad.
"Quickly, bring the injured this way, to the Halls of Healing! I can sense a malaise in some of you, the taint of the Dark Riders, and know this must mean some of your number must have felt the bite of a Morgul-blade. You haven't much time; the shards must be removed and the wounds treated before you pass into the shadow-realm."
He gestures for some of the Elves to attend to the squad. Some offer a stable arm of support to the injured or any weak with hunger or illness, if they need to take it. Others offer cloaks to those who were sent into the Wilderlands under-dressed. Others bring gilded water jugs and golden ladles to those that appear thirsty, and offer to lead them to places where they can eat or where they can find creature comforts like baths and beds.
"My people will attend to your needs. The masters of those who pursued you are the enemies of all free people, and those innocents they would harm can find refuge in these halls. We will eventually hold Council, and all questions shall be asked and answered by all parties, but rest and healing must come first."
✦ Arrival Log: This is a log for people to play around arriving to Rivendell, so some characters can react to the Elves and players of injured characters can play out any drama of them reaching the last leg of the journey.
✦ Post in actionspam format. Plots and mod-run events in the game are meant to be in actionspam format to keep a brisk pace.
✦ Free-for-all Post. This event will be in "free-for-all" format, meaning that threadhopping is encouraged and that threading should be treated in the same conversational way as network posts.
✦ Cursed Weapons/Powers: Players don't have to play it out unless they want to, but the Elves can sense cursed weapons and "cursed" beings, such as Necromancer mage types, vampires, werewolves, etc. If players want to play out their character having to talk the Elves into letting them in, they can and the mods will npc the Elves. Please hit the "NPC ENCOUNTER" post if you want to play this out and describe what your character is in the action brackets.
NPC ENCOUNTER
Re: NPC ENCOUNTER
Thank you, for the help and food. I'm Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, and this is my friend and partner Toothless. If it's not too much trouble, could you tell us how you knew we were coming?
[Yes, he had introduced the dragon next to him as his friend. He hoped that they wouldn't have much reason to fear dragons.]
no subject
[Elrond gestures for Hiccup and the others to move towards Rivendell itself. Their injured must be attended to, which means he'll be called away as soon as they're inside, but he can answer a few questions as they walk.]
[He eyes the dragon with a raised eyebrow.]
Friend and partner? These are strange times indeed if dragons can be called "friend" by any. But perhaps the tales told by travelers from lands beyond about peoples who are friends to dragons are true. With so many other worlds being drawn together, I suppose not all dragons are alike.
[There is caution as he regards Toothless, but he sees how calm the dragon is - in the presence of Elves, no less - and he's wise enough to at least give the dragon the benefit of a doubt. The Elves love nature and the prospect of a dragon being something that is part of it like a large lizard, instead of an insidious unnatural element created by Morgoth, is a novel one.]
As for how we knew of your coming, there are some among my people with the gift of prophecy. We've also had visitors to Rivendell who have brought tidings of prophecies foretold by those who share similar gifts among their own people. In anticipation of your arrival, two such oracles even came to Rivendell in person; their people are known to us to have even greater gifts of foresight than the Elves.
All of these oracles believe your presence in the new world we've found ourselves in is of great import. They believe your actions will decide the fate of us all.
no subject
It's a recent development where I'm from. Toothless and I are actually the ones who proved it could be done.
[And it had only cost him a leg in the process. A pretty fair trade, as he saw things.]
Is there anything about the dragons you're more familiar with to read here? I've spent the last five years trying to prove to everyone I meet that dragons aren't the monsters we all thought they were, but I'm guessing things may be a little different for you.
[Alacruun's ability to speak and shapeshift had been proof enough that dragons on other worlds wouldn't necessarily be the same as the ones he knew. Evil and monstrous dragons weren't hard to imagine, even if Hiccup didn't like thinking about. He'd seen it with the Red Death, after all.]
no subject
Remarkable. Though the joining of lands in this world is unnatural, sometimes it brings strange new wonders alongside new dangers.
You are welcome to explore the libraries here but you will find no tales of similar alliances between dragons and other peoples. They are not natural creatures. The Dark Lord Sauron, creator of the Dark Riders that pursued you, was but a protege of the greater evil that created our world's dragons, breeding them in the black pits of his fortress ere it fell. Since then they have plagued the good peoples of Middle-Earth with their cunning and malice.
Re: NPC ENCOUNTER
Don't come any closer. I am sworn to protect humanity. And the gifts of your kind always have hooks in them.
[ He doesn't mention how often he's fought them. They don't need to know that, not yet. ]
no subject
Stranger, I know not what enmity can be found between the races of your own world, but in ours, the Elves have founded an alliance with the race of Men, and though there have sometimes been times of conflict between our peoples, long have Elves and Men stood together against the evils of our world.
I myself am of mixed blood. The king of Men that sits on the throne of Gondor is a distant relation and betrothed to my daughter.
[He gestures to Arwen who nods in agreement.]
Rivendell is meant to be a haven where the people of many lands can stand as equals and take counsel and forge alliances. There are enemies greater and darker than us all and only through bonds of fellowship will we survive the trying times that lie ahead.
Let us help you. The healers here have experience tending to the wounds caused by Morgul-blades. Our gifts carry no hooks, as long as you do not oppose us in our struggles against foul enemies like the Dark Riders.
no subject
I'm here to protect these people. I... can never trust you, but I'm dying without assistance.. I will accept your help.
Re: NPC ENCOUNTER
There's nothing to say here, he's just one of the group, it's Fine. ]
no subject
[Glorfindel is not like Elrond or the others. Ages ago, he led his people away from the Elven city of Gondolin as it fell to the forces of Morgoth. Then he successfully killed a powerful balrog and his body was broken as it dragged him off a cliff as it fell.]
[After his soul waited for a time in the Halls of Mandos, the Valar gave him a new body and returned him to life as something stronger. Like Kevin, he died, and like Kevin, Glorfindel rose again.]
[Perhaps it is his brush with death that makes him perceive Kevin is like him, someone who died and was brought back, but he also senses that perhaps he came back...wrong.]
Hold. There is an evil air about you, as if the dust of the grave clings to you. [He draws his sword but does not attack yet. He's alarmed yes, but he's not cruel.] I can sense a beast within you, a hunger for blood like that of Sauron's servant of old, Thuringwethil.
You are no ordinary man and yet you come here with those who are rumored to be the saviors of this land and the many beyond it. You truly were chosen to stand with them?
no subject
[ Kevin mutters it under his breath. He’s being singled out. Great. ]
I don’t know about Sauron and stuff, man, but yeah? I’m dead. And a vampire. It’s kind of a thing that happened.
[ He manages to shrug casually despite being faced by a radiant elf dude with a drawn sword. He’s not quite scared, but this is awk, bro. ]
I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t get picked for the team, I guess? We got a system though, so it’s cool.
[ It’s still not cool overall, and Kevin knows that. But it’s as close to cool as he’s been in years. ]
no subject
He doesn't stop to ask for permission, of course. He belongs with the rest of the group, doesn't he? ]
no subject
[The speaker would be clearly a son of Elrond even if he hadn't said as much, with his twilight-dark hair and night-grey eyes, narrowed in suspicion at Alacruun.
Another elf, identical in appearance to the speaker, joins him in barring Alacruun's way into the Last Homely House. The brothers arms are crossed, their stances not inviting battle, but neither do they invite Alacruun to pass.]
no subject
[ Alacruun cocks his head to one side and then the other, examining the pair of elves with bright eyes and just a hint of a smile in his voice. ]
Or are elves, too, given to ignoring the rules of hospitality?
no subject
[Elrohir folds his arms beside Elladan, the brothers' expressions identically stalwart as Elladan takes up his brother's speech left off.]
It may remain to be seen until such time as you have left this house. One who comes to our door in the form of a dragon we can hardly assume is our ally. No one whose magic carries such an air of death has ever passed these doors.
no subject
[ Alacruun's voice carries the hint of a smile. ]
As for my magic - well. Death is a part of life; we all die. And if my magic taps into it, does that truly make me worthy of scorn?
no subject
[The two brothers have not unbarred the way yet.]
Do you expect us to judge by your experience, or by ours? We would protect our father's house from that which has been nothing but a threat in the history of our world.
[Elladan nods as his brother speaks.]
If you are not that threat, then you are not worthy of scorn, yet necromancers and dragons in our experience have been worthy of only far worse. Your words say you have considered the same for elves, yet this is our father's house to protect, not yours. Understand, then, that we will be watching.
no subject
[ His eyes flicker between them, studying their faces. ]
We come from vastly different worlds. Things are... not quite the same.