Gondor Burns!

Gondor Burns

Forgive my long silence for I've had little time to rest.  I feel even my Eldar blood is not enough for the trials I've faced of late.  

Saruman's horde before Helm's Deep

I've lost track of my Charges, but I've taken up the trail of Isildur's Heir and his companions.  I tracked them to Helm's Deep just in time for the Battle.  It was ferocious and many good men fell.  I made and lost many a friendship on that day.  Stories of valour, heroism and selflessness that will endure for ages, I hope.  Strangest to me was a peculiar friendship which has arisen between Aragorn's comanions, an Elf and a Dwarf, which I would have not believed had I not witnessed it.  They made a wager as well between them:  Who would fell the most Orcs, and I can tell you there were enough Orc heads to cleave for everyone of us.  

The night was long but and I made peace with my self and steeled my self for a last Riding behind Aragorn and King Theoden.  Magnificent did he shone, like a king of Men of Old!  We rode out to meet out deaths in glory and gore, but at Dawn's coming a light shone from the East.  At first I thought it was the Sun's first rays then he appeared, unlooked for as always but exactly at the right time.  Mithrandir!  He had rode all day and night gathering onto him all the scattered Riders as well as Theoden's sister-son Eomer and his calvary.  I was also awed to see the Forest of Fangorn march out to battle as well.  The Ents awaited the escaping Orcs at the edge of the battlefield and devoured them as the ran headlong from the united armies of Rohan!

After the battle we made preparations to march and muster our forces, though our rode took us through an unexpected road.  I was forced to follow behind Aragorn's company through the Paths of the Dead and the City of the Dead itself, barely escaping.  Now I find myself in the lands of Gondor which is beset by corsairs from the seas and Orcs from the mountains.  

I'm making my way to the White City, Minas Tirith, and it looks like I'll be fighting my way there for alas, Gondor is burning!

Fords of Isen

 
We were able to hold the Fords of Isen, though at a high price. Prince Theodred, heir to the throne of Rohan has fallen in battle. We attempted a sortie against the Uruk-Hai force in Isengard, thinking to surprise them and thin their numbers. Alas, it was we who were surprised for Saruman had all along devised a snare for our host. Before we could be completely surrounded Theodred and his band won free and retreated back to the Fords. Unbeknownst to us though a second Uruk force had made it's way in secret behind the Host and met Theoden's riders, they were caught as in a vice. Grimbold and I cut our way through just in time to see the prince fall. We fought to the death to reach his side and would surely had perished alongside him but for the timely charge of Elfhelm from Helm's Deep who spied the advancing Uruks. Theodred was still alive, but barely. His dying wish: to be buried at the Fords along with his men to guard them until Eomer's return. I am resting briefly, a sense of doom has overtaken my heart. I must fight internally so I may defeat the despair that is clutching at me! We are teetering on the edge and must leave mourning for another time.

Betrayal

 
I write with a heavy heart indeed. The Rangers and I had hoped to convince the Falcon Clan in Dunland to refuse Isengard's influence and stand with the Free Peoples against Saruman. I believed things were going well and I informed their leader of Orthanc's growing power in the hearts and minds of the Dunlanding clans. It seems this information tipped the scales in favor of Isengard and we were betrayed. Many of my comrades were killed and imprisoned, I was brought to Isengard itself.

I was brought before Saruman himself, who tried to get as much information from me regarding my Charge. He mentioned the Ring being in the hands of a halfling, and I secretly despaired but stood my ground. I was able to escape with the help of a man of Rohan and a servant of Saruman's who had fallen out of favor with the Wizard. I returned with the help of Prince Theodred, who has crossed the Isen with a small band of men to scout the situation in Dunland. I was able to free my comrades in the Falcon clan's strongholt and assist in their escape, our vengeance was incomplete but I will return to exact it once the larger War is done with. This I swear, I will return as flesh and blood or shade...but I shall return!

Dunland

 
Where to begin? I've been scouting the lands of Enedwaith, just to the north of Dunland and Dunland itself. I've also been speaking to and fighting alongside the various clans who call these rugged lands home. It is a delicate affair since our aim is to pull these people away from the influence of Saruman, who has effectively declared his treason against the Powers who sent him to Middle Earth. Mithrandir is sorely missed by all of the Free Peoples in these perilous times. But enough of that, the "delicate" part of dealing with these clans is that although they have their differences and war amongst each other at times, they are united in their hatred of the Rohirrim, the Horselords who have ever been allies of the West. The Grey Company and I must choose our words and actions very carefully every second we are in contact with the men of Dunland, for one slip can bring everything crashing down into the hands of our enemy in Orthanc.

I leave this missive with a heavy heart and tired limbs (which is a feat for an Elf!). I will try to write more often and keep you abreast of the situation.

Savo 'lass a lalaith

A Summons, A Mustering!

After a well deserved rest as well as several additional sorties to clean up the filth surrounding Dol Guldur, I received an urgent, yet cryptic message from Master Elrond in Rivendell. I am to travel back to the Last Homely House and speak with him regarding, I am sure, the Fellowship. Before returning to Rivendell, I returned to Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn bearing Sigileth's daggers, which she wished to be gifted to the Lord and Lady either when no more marks would fit or should she fall in battle. Lord Celeborn accepted one of the daggers and bade me keep the other to do as I wish with, it will slay more Orcs before it's laid to rest in Valinor, should I survive to take a ship into the Uttermost West.

My voyage back was arduous but relatively uneventful thankfully. Even my passage through Moria was heartening as the Dwarves are more than holding their own! Passed over Eregion and camped at several Elven outposts which were, to my pleasure, still standing.

Upon reaching Imladris I was met with some most unexpected news. Aragorn has somehow ended up in Rohan along with part of the Fellowship. It seems that they have dispersed and I was first dismayed at this news, but Lord Elrond put me at ease arguing that if evil had befallen the Bearer, the Powerful would have hint of it. In any case, the focus was on Lord Aragorn and starting the process of mustering his brethren, the Dunedain from their myriad locations into a force of reckoning, the Grey Company. Eladan and Elrohir were with him as well and we spoke at length of the best places to search out the Men of West in order to begin the fulfillment of their and their lord's destinies. The time has come when Men will either begin their dominion of Middle Earth or fall into thralldom should Sauron's designs come to fruition. It is a bitter-sweet thought, for either way, the time of the Elves is coming to an end in Middle Earth, the only home I have ever known.

I will take my leave now and rest, for my mind is swirling and the journey has been long.

Well Deserved End *SPOILERS*

I can now shed some light into my recent, cryptic entries. We had captured an Orc general in Moria named Mazog, whom we used as barter to win the release of Broin and other Dwarves taken into captivity in the dungeons of Dol Guldur. It was all I could do to stop myself from beheading the maggot on several occassions. I nearly chose his life over Issuriel's but one of our Dwarf companions couldn't bare it and went searching for the rare ingredient to make another dose of the antidote to cure the poison killing her, only thus was her death averted. When the Lord and Lady of Lothlorien commissioned a force, the Malledhrin, to bring the fight to the Enemy's doorstep, the decision was made to also bring Mazog with a smaller force, the Hidden Guard, of which I was part. Good Elves and Dwarves risked all to bring this vermin alive to negotiate the release of our friends. But we were waylaid by Gorothul, the Angmarim who siezed Broin in Moria, as well a several Nazgul, there our leader Archador perished making time for us to make an escape.We were sure that our mission had failed that the sacrifices we've made were for naught. Mazog was taken into Dol Guldur and all we could do was flee for our lives. It wasn't until several days, when it was decided that the Malledhrim would seize the opportunity granted by our discovery of a secret way into the very foundations of Dol Guldur, that our mission was revived. The attack was a great success, although we lost many brothers and sisters in arms, including one of my Hidden Guard comrades, Sigileth, though I would not learn of her death until well after the battle. We liberated Broin, who recovered the mithril axe Zigilburk from Mazog and slew him with it, to the betterment of all Middle Earth, all Arda in fact.

We are at rest now, awaiting the Enemy's response. We have neither the time, energy, nor heart to celebrate our success, for we paid a heavy price for it. I will rest now, for there is unfinished business. Until my next entry, I remain Fingolthiir

Evil Forest, Evil Choices

 
We've hit a stone wall at this point. I've mentioned my secret mission along with a branch of the Maledhrim incursion into Mirkwood. We've suffered one fatality and the one being that I most want to behead is the one being that I have sworn to protect, even with my life if necessary. My Noldorin heritage makes me want to strangle this...this abomination, but my Sindarin heritage cools my head in time.

Alas! One of my companions, who has grown in my heart, was gravely injured giving chase to our charge as he tried to escape, and I fear that an evil choice looms over our mission. For the ingredients to make the antiote that can cure the poison coursing within both their veins are rarely found and there may be just enough to save one, and not both. So the decision before us is this: save the aforementioned abomination and lose a most gracious and valiant Elfmaiden, or save the Elfmaiden and suffer the utter failure of our mission, and break our oaths to keep this vermin alive at all costs.

My heart is heavy, perhaps some rest will clear my mind.