Post by branur on Jan 28, 2012 13:15:46 GMT -5
Branur and his patrol hiked though the snowy paths leading towards the paths of dead. Earlier that month a large group of Wrights raided a small Gondorian Village, Branur scowled at being assigned such a task. He should have been on the battlefield. Not cleaning up the undead. The ice was beginning to cover his armor, even though it was clad in wolf pelts to protect them from the icy frost. A shout was heard from behind as one of the seven patrol members had fell waist deep in a snow drift. Branur ran back to help the soldier out of the snow. He dug into snow and dragged the freezing soldier out of the massive snow-drift. He pointed for the soldiers to move onward as the cold icy wind blasted his face. His white cloak blew in the wind as they continued to move forward.
They finally came across a small canyon which would lead them closer to the paths of the dead. The snow was beginning to lighten but the sun was still blocked by the clouds above. The rock was covered in ice, giving a bluish hue of gleam. A loud howling could be heard from the canyon as the wind continued to blast across the rock faces of the White Mountains. Branur and the seven soldiers pushed onwards, they had been hiking for two days now. They came out of the canyon to a small vale. The sides of the vale had bones stacked around edges. One of the soldiers pushed into the vale. Branur shivered as he felt a strong flow of dread come over him. The soldier rounded a ice-coated gray rock and yelled out in agony. Branur drew his greatsword and rushed into the vale. He rounded the small rock and found a wright running the soldier though a sword made of what looked like black ice. The wright turned and hissed at Branur. The bones of the undead creature covered in dark ;looking ice and snow, with flaps of skin still hanging off its face, preserved by the snow. Branur rushed the creature. He swung the greatsword but the wright parried the blow, he swung again taking off both of the wrights rotting legs. The wright hissed and still swung it's blade on the ground. Branur crushed the wright's head with the heel of his boot. He turned to see his soldiers engaging two more wrights and three of the Gondorians already dead, and a dead wright on ground.
Branur rushed to aid the soldiers. He impaled a wright and then hacked the other in half. Branur could see one of the three survivors with a large gash on his shoulder, blood had dyed the wolf pelt keeping him warm red. Branur sighed and motioned the troops to follow down the path. He had faced, Haradrim, Trolls, Uruks, Orcs, Wargs, and even a Nazgul, these Wrights were as tough but at least they could be put out of their misery and usher them into the next life. He and his men pushed onwards. They were moving though the vale when they spotted smoke. Their walk broke into run and their heavy armor clanged like a set of a drums. The paths were like a maze, each looping and interconnecting. It look as if it would be days before they found the source of the smoke.
The small band of survivors from the wright attack found the clouds have lifted but night had fallen. The sky had a eerie feeling and noise of the undead could be heard around. "Sir, we can't move like this much longer. Darencar is wounded." The soldier who had the gashed shoulder from the previous battle. A large frozen crimson line came down from the shoulder. "We can't stop, or else those wrights will be all over us like orcs to a slaughtered a horse." Branur scoffed and guided his men around a rock. A howl sounded in the distance. Branur looked back and scowled. He motioned his troops to pick up the pace. The howls got louder as the canines approached. Their coats were black, their fangs yellow, and eyes pale red. They were Barghests, hounds of barrows and crypts. Branur drew his sword and motioned the band of survivors to a wall. There they waited and the beasts encircled them. Branur yelled at the dogs trying to scare them off, yet they would'nt relent. The two combat able soldiers readied themselves next to their Captain. Seven hounds stood in front of them. The first lunged, Branur quickly pivoted his blade, catching the foul mutt's throat with the blade and cleaving its head off. Its pack mates quickly joined into the battle. One was on top of a Gondorian Soldier. He was barely holding it off with his tower shield. Branur jumped up smashing his greatsword against the canines back, a loud snap was heard, and the beast fell blood oozing from it. The third soldier had his spear embedded in a barghest's head. However Branur heard screams and saw Darencar, the wounded soldier being dragged off by the mutts. Blood trailing in the snow as the animals yowled and gave a triumphant howl. The spear man tried to follow but Branur grabbed his arm. "No, you'll suffer the same fate." He said. The soldier ripped Branur's hand away from him. "We can't just leave him! He is my brother!" Tears flowed from the soldiers eye and froze in cold night air. "I'm sorry, but he is gone. Its my duty Granhar, to make sure you and Boroheir survive now." Branur said without sympathy in his voice, just sadness. Branur did'nt have family so he could not understand Granhar's woes. "We need to push forward and complete our mission. That smoke by whatever is causing the recent surge of undead. Are you still with me? Sticking together is our only chance to make it out of this accursed mountains." Branur said while also looking at the second soldier, Boroheir,both of the troops nodded and continued walking though the vales.
The three survivors came to a hut. In front of the hut a old man with a white beard and wrapped in tattered mage robes. Motioned with his hand to follow him into the hut. The three exchanged a look before asking. "Who are you?" To the tattered old man, he only replied. "Your last hope." With a chuckle before walking into the hut. Branur sighed and was the first to follow with Granhar and Boroheir at his flanks. The hut was simple with a nice fire, shelves with a multitude of veils and bottles. "I have been expected you," the old man said. "The spirits of the Mountains told of men from the south." He gave a crooked smile before motioning them to sit around the fire. "You are being haunted by grave shadow, especially you." He pointed to Branur. "Your life will be full of honor, death, glory, sadness, friendship, and even a greatness no one will be able to comprehend. However, your life will be stalked by shadows, both good and evil, both small and great, both deadly and haunting." He added with a dark accent. "You must overcome the first of shadows soon and must make choices that will either doom you and your companions or bring them into a death of shadow and despair." Granhar scowled at Branur, as if he anticipated he would in fact bring their doom. Branur did'nt look at Granhar, he was concerned with this future fortold by the sage and what he ment by a greatness that no one can comprehend. The sage pulled from his robe a box and opened it. "I give you the means to survive and defeat these Shadows, potions of Everlight, strong enough to defeat both shadows of physical nature, and those of the mind. There are ten for each. Use them wisely, for there shall never be more, and only I and a select few know the recipe." He smiled and then motioned them out. "You must leave follow the vale southeast and it will lead to a path to the foot of the mountains, however, it will bring you a crypt, where the first shadow you must all face lies. Then you will slay it and complete your journey." He cackled and ushered the three out before they could ask questions, Branur tried to go back in but when he did the sage was gone. He sighed and looked toward his men. "Looks like we found the way out." He said with a grunt, Boroheir remained silent, however Granhar snarled. "You can't be serious, sir, I just lost my brother. Now you expect me to jump into a cave? You are a fool, I don't even know how you a Captain. You'll bring us all to our deaths." "Aye, but else can we do? The sage knows these mountains better than us. If we are to survive our best chance is that crypt. He even gave us the means to fight the shadows." Branur remarked without anger in his voice, understanding why Granhar had lots hope. "How do we know they will work?" Granhar retorted. "We don't, we have to hope." Boroheir replied in Branur's place. Branur nodded and walked off in the direction the sage gave him. Boroheir followed and so did Granhar in the end at the back with a long despairing sigh.
The three traveled until they reached the crypt. A black iron door surrounded by stone clad in the bones of the dead blocked the way. A eerie screech came from within and. The door swung open. Two wrights clad in blackened steel armor hissed and put up shields. Their hollow skulls' teeth clamped a few times and a third wright came from within. He lifted his clad bone and spoke in Numenorian. "My brothers, we must'nt let these defilers to our lord." "Yes, Captain!" The Wrights hissed back. Boroheir and Granhar prepared their weapons, while Branur stepped forward and spoke in Numenorian. "Who do you serve?" The Wright Captain twisted its bone head and hissed. "We serve the master, our lord, and ourselves. You shall fall here, son of our sons." The wright drew a black sword and charged Branur as the other two wrights engaged Boroheir and Granhar. Branur parried the Wright Captain's sword with ease, but as the blade connected he felt a chill run though his veins and he staggered back. The Wright prepared for another slash swung its blade with force unseen to Branur since he engaged a Uruk Warmaster, the undead corpses where held to this world by strong spirits. Granhar smashed the side of spear into his foe's skull, Boroheir had smashed his shield into his foe, shattering the wright's brittle bones. Branur rushed the Wright Captain and locked blades with him, courage and will flowed though Branur's veins as focused on his foe. The Wright matched Branur blow for blow, hissing and screeching as it did so. Branur finally locked his blade and yanked the black sowrd from the wright's grasp. The wright screeched out in Numenorian. "You think you can win the war, you are as blind as your ancestors. You are as blind as I once was!" "Atleast I still have skin and eyes." Branur remarked in Numenorian and brought his blade up and hacked the Wright right down the center from skull to spine. The body of steel and bone collapsed. Branur then saw something. A large shadow lept from the crypt door and consumed him. He fell into a world of shadow and a voice as cold as ice and as dark as night rung in his head. "You have defeated my Captain, you are brave. But you will perish like all those that came before you, you will let your brothers-in-arms fall like the one with my hounds." The voice laughed. "You will break and fall to the shadow in the end, as all of our kind must." Branur opened his eyes and found Granhar and Boroheir lifting him up. "What happened sir?" Boroheir asked with a darkened look on his face. "I--- I don't know. All I know is whatever is in there will be no easy foe." Branur took a step in the crypt and saw a light float above him. It lead him down a path and then into a open room.
In the room stood a large figure, a wright clad in black robes. It held a staff in one hand made of human bones, with a hand in a half-grasp at the top. Blood dripped from its eye sockets. Branur stepped into the room and then noticed he was boot deep in a red substance. Blood! Blood dripped from the walls and the wright laughed and spoke in common. "Welcome brothers!" The Wright bowed and looked at the three. "I have been expecting you. So have they." Four forms came out from behind the wright. Branur recognized them. They were the fallen soldiers form the patrol. "Darencar!" Granhar yelled out. "No.... That is not your brother." Branur stopped Granhar. "Of course it is, and we would like you to join us. Death leads to true power, and the only salvation in this war. You must join with the master and I if you want to live on... In death." The Wright cackled and extended his hand, a pale black orb began to flow in it. "Who might this master be?" Boroheir scoffed. "Ahh, you already know him." The Wright said with almost a sigh. It then clanged its staff against the ground and the blood pool began to take a shape. A large eye glowed orange in the crimson pool and the Wright Lord cackled. "All Hail Sauron! The bringer of power and blood!" The three prepared for battle and the Wright Lord laughed. "You can't hope to defeat me!" "He's right.... I will serve the master." Branur turned to see Granhar speaking. Granhar thrusted his spear at Branur, only to meet Boroheir's shield. "I'll handle this, you get the Wright!" The Gondorian yelled. Branur nodded and rushed the Wright. He locked his blade with the Wright's the staff only to meet a overwhelming sense of dread. He staggered back and watched Boroheir and Granhar fighting. "Useless fool!" The Wright screeched and tossed a spike of blood and ice at Branur, he rolled away and then engaged the Wright again only to be parried once more and blasted with a shield of shadow. The Wright laughed louder. Branur then remembered the vials the sage gave him. He pulled one from his satchel and poured it on his blade. The blade glowed with light and the wright screeched. Branur charged and this time the blade broke the bone staff and hacked the Wright. The Wright screeched and blue light shown from its eyes as it shattered into pieces. Branur then turned to see Granhar dead and Boroheir fighting multiple Wright Warriors. The cave was beginning to collapse and blood began to flow harder from the walls. "Run Sir! I'll be right behind you!" Boroheir yelled. Branur turned and ran for a door on the other end of the crypt. He lunged though it, only for it to collapse and the snow near it be covered in a final flow of blood. "Boroheir! NO!" Branur yelled and got to his feet, he began ripping the blood covered stones from the entrance. Only to find it useless. The whole crypt had collapsed. Branur fell into the snow, tears dripping from his eyes. All their deaths where his fault, why did he have to be sent on this mission? He stayed there till dawn, the light shown on his armor, his blood spattered armor. He got up and began walking down the slope of the mountain. His mission was complete, he slew the causing of the undead, he obtained a powerful new weapon, Everlight. But at what cost?
They finally came across a small canyon which would lead them closer to the paths of the dead. The snow was beginning to lighten but the sun was still blocked by the clouds above. The rock was covered in ice, giving a bluish hue of gleam. A loud howling could be heard from the canyon as the wind continued to blast across the rock faces of the White Mountains. Branur and the seven soldiers pushed onwards, they had been hiking for two days now. They came out of the canyon to a small vale. The sides of the vale had bones stacked around edges. One of the soldiers pushed into the vale. Branur shivered as he felt a strong flow of dread come over him. The soldier rounded a ice-coated gray rock and yelled out in agony. Branur drew his greatsword and rushed into the vale. He rounded the small rock and found a wright running the soldier though a sword made of what looked like black ice. The wright turned and hissed at Branur. The bones of the undead creature covered in dark ;looking ice and snow, with flaps of skin still hanging off its face, preserved by the snow. Branur rushed the creature. He swung the greatsword but the wright parried the blow, he swung again taking off both of the wrights rotting legs. The wright hissed and still swung it's blade on the ground. Branur crushed the wright's head with the heel of his boot. He turned to see his soldiers engaging two more wrights and three of the Gondorians already dead, and a dead wright on ground.
Branur rushed to aid the soldiers. He impaled a wright and then hacked the other in half. Branur could see one of the three survivors with a large gash on his shoulder, blood had dyed the wolf pelt keeping him warm red. Branur sighed and motioned the troops to follow down the path. He had faced, Haradrim, Trolls, Uruks, Orcs, Wargs, and even a Nazgul, these Wrights were as tough but at least they could be put out of their misery and usher them into the next life. He and his men pushed onwards. They were moving though the vale when they spotted smoke. Their walk broke into run and their heavy armor clanged like a set of a drums. The paths were like a maze, each looping and interconnecting. It look as if it would be days before they found the source of the smoke.
The small band of survivors from the wright attack found the clouds have lifted but night had fallen. The sky had a eerie feeling and noise of the undead could be heard around. "Sir, we can't move like this much longer. Darencar is wounded." The soldier who had the gashed shoulder from the previous battle. A large frozen crimson line came down from the shoulder. "We can't stop, or else those wrights will be all over us like orcs to a slaughtered a horse." Branur scoffed and guided his men around a rock. A howl sounded in the distance. Branur looked back and scowled. He motioned his troops to pick up the pace. The howls got louder as the canines approached. Their coats were black, their fangs yellow, and eyes pale red. They were Barghests, hounds of barrows and crypts. Branur drew his sword and motioned the band of survivors to a wall. There they waited and the beasts encircled them. Branur yelled at the dogs trying to scare them off, yet they would'nt relent. The two combat able soldiers readied themselves next to their Captain. Seven hounds stood in front of them. The first lunged, Branur quickly pivoted his blade, catching the foul mutt's throat with the blade and cleaving its head off. Its pack mates quickly joined into the battle. One was on top of a Gondorian Soldier. He was barely holding it off with his tower shield. Branur jumped up smashing his greatsword against the canines back, a loud snap was heard, and the beast fell blood oozing from it. The third soldier had his spear embedded in a barghest's head. However Branur heard screams and saw Darencar, the wounded soldier being dragged off by the mutts. Blood trailing in the snow as the animals yowled and gave a triumphant howl. The spear man tried to follow but Branur grabbed his arm. "No, you'll suffer the same fate." He said. The soldier ripped Branur's hand away from him. "We can't just leave him! He is my brother!" Tears flowed from the soldiers eye and froze in cold night air. "I'm sorry, but he is gone. Its my duty Granhar, to make sure you and Boroheir survive now." Branur said without sympathy in his voice, just sadness. Branur did'nt have family so he could not understand Granhar's woes. "We need to push forward and complete our mission. That smoke by whatever is causing the recent surge of undead. Are you still with me? Sticking together is our only chance to make it out of this accursed mountains." Branur said while also looking at the second soldier, Boroheir,both of the troops nodded and continued walking though the vales.
The three survivors came to a hut. In front of the hut a old man with a white beard and wrapped in tattered mage robes. Motioned with his hand to follow him into the hut. The three exchanged a look before asking. "Who are you?" To the tattered old man, he only replied. "Your last hope." With a chuckle before walking into the hut. Branur sighed and was the first to follow with Granhar and Boroheir at his flanks. The hut was simple with a nice fire, shelves with a multitude of veils and bottles. "I have been expected you," the old man said. "The spirits of the Mountains told of men from the south." He gave a crooked smile before motioning them to sit around the fire. "You are being haunted by grave shadow, especially you." He pointed to Branur. "Your life will be full of honor, death, glory, sadness, friendship, and even a greatness no one will be able to comprehend. However, your life will be stalked by shadows, both good and evil, both small and great, both deadly and haunting." He added with a dark accent. "You must overcome the first of shadows soon and must make choices that will either doom you and your companions or bring them into a death of shadow and despair." Granhar scowled at Branur, as if he anticipated he would in fact bring their doom. Branur did'nt look at Granhar, he was concerned with this future fortold by the sage and what he ment by a greatness that no one can comprehend. The sage pulled from his robe a box and opened it. "I give you the means to survive and defeat these Shadows, potions of Everlight, strong enough to defeat both shadows of physical nature, and those of the mind. There are ten for each. Use them wisely, for there shall never be more, and only I and a select few know the recipe." He smiled and then motioned them out. "You must leave follow the vale southeast and it will lead to a path to the foot of the mountains, however, it will bring you a crypt, where the first shadow you must all face lies. Then you will slay it and complete your journey." He cackled and ushered the three out before they could ask questions, Branur tried to go back in but when he did the sage was gone. He sighed and looked toward his men. "Looks like we found the way out." He said with a grunt, Boroheir remained silent, however Granhar snarled. "You can't be serious, sir, I just lost my brother. Now you expect me to jump into a cave? You are a fool, I don't even know how you a Captain. You'll bring us all to our deaths." "Aye, but else can we do? The sage knows these mountains better than us. If we are to survive our best chance is that crypt. He even gave us the means to fight the shadows." Branur remarked without anger in his voice, understanding why Granhar had lots hope. "How do we know they will work?" Granhar retorted. "We don't, we have to hope." Boroheir replied in Branur's place. Branur nodded and walked off in the direction the sage gave him. Boroheir followed and so did Granhar in the end at the back with a long despairing sigh.
The three traveled until they reached the crypt. A black iron door surrounded by stone clad in the bones of the dead blocked the way. A eerie screech came from within and. The door swung open. Two wrights clad in blackened steel armor hissed and put up shields. Their hollow skulls' teeth clamped a few times and a third wright came from within. He lifted his clad bone and spoke in Numenorian. "My brothers, we must'nt let these defilers to our lord." "Yes, Captain!" The Wrights hissed back. Boroheir and Granhar prepared their weapons, while Branur stepped forward and spoke in Numenorian. "Who do you serve?" The Wright Captain twisted its bone head and hissed. "We serve the master, our lord, and ourselves. You shall fall here, son of our sons." The wright drew a black sword and charged Branur as the other two wrights engaged Boroheir and Granhar. Branur parried the Wright Captain's sword with ease, but as the blade connected he felt a chill run though his veins and he staggered back. The Wright prepared for another slash swung its blade with force unseen to Branur since he engaged a Uruk Warmaster, the undead corpses where held to this world by strong spirits. Granhar smashed the side of spear into his foe's skull, Boroheir had smashed his shield into his foe, shattering the wright's brittle bones. Branur rushed the Wright Captain and locked blades with him, courage and will flowed though Branur's veins as focused on his foe. The Wright matched Branur blow for blow, hissing and screeching as it did so. Branur finally locked his blade and yanked the black sowrd from the wright's grasp. The wright screeched out in Numenorian. "You think you can win the war, you are as blind as your ancestors. You are as blind as I once was!" "Atleast I still have skin and eyes." Branur remarked in Numenorian and brought his blade up and hacked the Wright right down the center from skull to spine. The body of steel and bone collapsed. Branur then saw something. A large shadow lept from the crypt door and consumed him. He fell into a world of shadow and a voice as cold as ice and as dark as night rung in his head. "You have defeated my Captain, you are brave. But you will perish like all those that came before you, you will let your brothers-in-arms fall like the one with my hounds." The voice laughed. "You will break and fall to the shadow in the end, as all of our kind must." Branur opened his eyes and found Granhar and Boroheir lifting him up. "What happened sir?" Boroheir asked with a darkened look on his face. "I--- I don't know. All I know is whatever is in there will be no easy foe." Branur took a step in the crypt and saw a light float above him. It lead him down a path and then into a open room.
In the room stood a large figure, a wright clad in black robes. It held a staff in one hand made of human bones, with a hand in a half-grasp at the top. Blood dripped from its eye sockets. Branur stepped into the room and then noticed he was boot deep in a red substance. Blood! Blood dripped from the walls and the wright laughed and spoke in common. "Welcome brothers!" The Wright bowed and looked at the three. "I have been expecting you. So have they." Four forms came out from behind the wright. Branur recognized them. They were the fallen soldiers form the patrol. "Darencar!" Granhar yelled out. "No.... That is not your brother." Branur stopped Granhar. "Of course it is, and we would like you to join us. Death leads to true power, and the only salvation in this war. You must join with the master and I if you want to live on... In death." The Wright cackled and extended his hand, a pale black orb began to flow in it. "Who might this master be?" Boroheir scoffed. "Ahh, you already know him." The Wright said with almost a sigh. It then clanged its staff against the ground and the blood pool began to take a shape. A large eye glowed orange in the crimson pool and the Wright Lord cackled. "All Hail Sauron! The bringer of power and blood!" The three prepared for battle and the Wright Lord laughed. "You can't hope to defeat me!" "He's right.... I will serve the master." Branur turned to see Granhar speaking. Granhar thrusted his spear at Branur, only to meet Boroheir's shield. "I'll handle this, you get the Wright!" The Gondorian yelled. Branur nodded and rushed the Wright. He locked his blade with the Wright's the staff only to meet a overwhelming sense of dread. He staggered back and watched Boroheir and Granhar fighting. "Useless fool!" The Wright screeched and tossed a spike of blood and ice at Branur, he rolled away and then engaged the Wright again only to be parried once more and blasted with a shield of shadow. The Wright laughed louder. Branur then remembered the vials the sage gave him. He pulled one from his satchel and poured it on his blade. The blade glowed with light and the wright screeched. Branur charged and this time the blade broke the bone staff and hacked the Wright. The Wright screeched and blue light shown from its eyes as it shattered into pieces. Branur then turned to see Granhar dead and Boroheir fighting multiple Wright Warriors. The cave was beginning to collapse and blood began to flow harder from the walls. "Run Sir! I'll be right behind you!" Boroheir yelled. Branur turned and ran for a door on the other end of the crypt. He lunged though it, only for it to collapse and the snow near it be covered in a final flow of blood. "Boroheir! NO!" Branur yelled and got to his feet, he began ripping the blood covered stones from the entrance. Only to find it useless. The whole crypt had collapsed. Branur fell into the snow, tears dripping from his eyes. All their deaths where his fault, why did he have to be sent on this mission? He stayed there till dawn, the light shown on his armor, his blood spattered armor. He got up and began walking down the slope of the mountain. His mission was complete, he slew the causing of the undead, he obtained a powerful new weapon, Everlight. But at what cost?