[Child of the 7th Age]

Luindal had found safe harbor for the Spirit in a cove sheltered from the worst of the storm. Slowly, the wind and rain subsided. He had berthed the Elven swanship a considerable distance from the Corsair vessel and now it bobbed up and down in shallow waters on the western side of the Bay. The Spirit’s sails had been tied back onto the masts, and her anchor tossed over the side to rest on the muddy bottom.

Both ships were now positioned far enough from the shoreline that there was no danger either would collide with the burgeoning ice banks that ringed the edge of the Bay. The captains could, however, see each other's vessels.

Several hours had passed since their first arrival; the sun was sinking lower. Most of the crew remained below enjoying a well-earned respite from their arduous labor over the past week and chatting about the task that lay before them. Delicious odors, merry words, and snatches of song poured up through the open grill-hatches. Luindal caught the whiff of dinner and heard the voices of his companions speaking his name below. He would have preferred to go downstairs to join them and see how his friend Rôg was doing. But, at the moment, he had something else to do.

Leaning against the rail, he peered through his spyglass. A party of twenty had congregated on the coast. Each man climbed into a small coracle constructed of ash lathes and overlaid with hazel that was woven much like a basket. To make sure that the boats would not let in water, the Snowmen had smeared pitch over the outside frames. Each coracle was similar to the one Luindal had built as a youngster to ply the streams of Lorien. He watched as the Lossoth maneuvered their craft into the water using long poles, but then shifted to paddles when they progressed out deeper.

These looked to be the same folk Rôg had described. Many wore leggings and boots with thick fur mittens and parkas. Even from the deck, Luindal could see the gleem of hunting knives and axes hanging suspended from their belts. These men looked totally different than any other he had known. Yet he suspected that they had feelings about their own land that were not too different than the way his own Elves felt about theirs.

As the boats drew closer, the leader of the Snowmen signaled an intent to come aboard. Luindal watched in fascination as the solitary Lossoth climbed the ladder and clambered awkwardly over the railing, walking onto the deck. When the leader threw back a thick fur hood, Luindal was even more surprised to see that the face now revealed was that of a woman. She was small and sturdy with dark eyes and hair that hung down in two grey plaits tied back with scraps of leather. He could not have guessed her age. Among her people, she would have been counted an Elder.

“Alahseey. I am Alahseey,” she hastily explained, speaking perfect Westron. “I bring new from the Elders. They have asked me to come and speak with you. With me are the Lossoth who will help you to find the missing stones. They each know a bit of Westron, enough that you may talk with them.”

Luindal looked down at the coracles, each filled with a volunteer or two, and smiled readily at the welcome news. For a short time the two sat together on the deck speaking privately about how the Lossoth might best be used and what should be done next. By now, the small boats were tied up in a line and attached to the starboard side. Then Luindal beckoned the Snowmen to come aboard and to follow him down the ladder to greet the Elves.

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There was silence below at the first sight of the strange new recruits, but it was quickly broken by the round of introductions. Alahseey brought forward each of the Lossoth volunteers in turn. The last to be introduced were Freyn and Galhardir, along with the latter's nephew Rodhal whose parents had finally consented that he come along, and Hilda Halvardsdatter who had been assigned to do a bit of cooking for the Elves as well as to tidy up the cabins on shipboard. Elwën and Andturariel nodded their head in greeting, while Carrandû and Annûlas came forward to welcome the new arrivals. After a few moments of chatting and a round of drinks, they all sat down together to listen to what Luindal and Alahseey had to say.

"Your help is most welcome," Luindal addressed Alahseey first and then smiled in the direction of the other volunteers. "I know little of these regions or its waters. We will rely heavily on your own knowledge and common sense for, without that, I am quite sure we will never find the Stones. As to what these Stones can do, .... and why the Corsairs would want them? I have heard some say they are magic, but that is not so. "

"It is more like the harpoon that you carry. In the hands of many, it is a dead and lifeless thing because they lack skill. For some, it becomes an instrument of killing and they strike out unwisely at other men. But for still others it is an instrument that gives life: a tool to be used with great skill so that they can feed and cloth their family. So too it is with the Stones. To those who know and understand the old tales, these Stones can be used for good purposes, for talking across long distances. But for those with evil intent, they can become instruments of enslavement or torture. This is what we must stop."

"Alahseey and I have agreed. We will begin the search in the great cave that fronts on the bay. The tide is low, much lower than usual, and it is possible that these things lost at Sea may now be found along the shoreline. The Corsairs have searched all the smaller caves already: only the great one is left. We will begin in the morning."

Bear turned an ashen face towards Luindal and queried, "The Great Cavern? That which we call the House of the Dead?" He shook his head and scowled. "But that is a terrible place. Even the Corsairs would not go there. The passages are so narrow that it is hard to get through. Some of the ground looks good and solid, but when you place your foot down it sinks into the mud or even breaks through the crust to deep water underneath. Parts of the cave floor are slick with ice, and I will not even mention the boulders scattered over the hillside always ready to come crashing down on the heads of the unwary. Surely you can not mean to start there?"

Luindal sighed. "Aye, mean it I do! Alahseey has looked at the maps and says this is the most likely place for the Stones to have settled, if they came onto the shore. We will begin at sunrise tomorrow. I would advise everyone to keep your festivities short and get some sleep tonight for tomorrow could be most difficult."

With that, Luindal walked over to Rôg and whispered a few hushed words in his ear. Then he gave instructions as to where the Lossoth would be housed on board, and asked Hilde to secure some provisions in town before nightfall. He escorted Alahseey back to her small boat, saying goodbye, but was surprised to see her paddling east across the Bay in the general direction of the Corsair vessel.