Legacy of Traitors RPG

[Melisil]

Aelimur listened to Maén carefully and intently, as she told her story.

"My character is not as it should be, it has not been so for a very long time, Its not nice living in the shadow of a traitor, less nice living with the fact that your house regrets you werent born a man. Thats what I have to be to be myself. Im sure that you have not met many noble women who would love nothing more than to be educated in the courts or eat meals with the servants to aviod conversing with their own family." Maén gave a slight smile before rolling the arm of her tunic up again.

"Nay, those as you, I have not met many of." Aelimur would have liked to have spoken more with Maén, but did not, as Roryn joined them.

“Would you like me to keep an eye on Carathir, My lady?” asked Roryn, as he came up beside Maén.

“No” Maén replied, “He’s harmless, after all why should I be afraid of him, he means well. He’s harmless you’ll see, he owes my Aunt everything .” Roryn nodded, but as he started to ride away, Maén stopped him, grabbing his arm. She whispered something in his ear, though Aelimur could not make it out, nor did he care much if he did or not.

Ferethor had seemingly caught more of the conversation then Aelimur, and called out, “Valar Help Guriel when you come to pass judgement on him Miss Il Galoth.”

Maén looked back to him, calling in reply, 'I don’t intend to pass judgement, I did that a very long time ago. What I intend Mr. Ferethor, is to bring his head to Elessar in a box.” Aelimur was not suprised by this, as he had supposed from the begining that something of this manner was what she was planning on doing to Guriel. “I apologise for my conduct gentlemen, It was uncalled for and highly morbid, and highly different to what the other feathered peacocks of the Gondorian court would express.” she rolled her eyes. Aelimur shook his head, she did not seem in sorts, not content in life. Well, obviously. Aelimur corrected himself, But no, she still does not seem well. I cannot think of what it could be, though.

Aelimur guessed by the change in the scenery and sounds, that they were nearing where they would cross the Anduin.

“Ïve never been this far east before.” Maén announced, “Ive been plenty far West, my Aunt Diera Troyaeganeas (my mothers sister) she resided in Dol Amroth, I was about seven during the war (maybe I was six?) anyway, it was to escape the immediate danger of Minas Tirith. Aunt Diera lost her husband and her five sons, they were slaughtered by Guriel’s ambush. They weren’t Il Galoths but they were married into the clan. The Il Galoths were the most prominent though. All the same, you get the general idea. Its very important to me that we get this traitor. I care little or nothing for the legacy.” Maén snapped her head up, “Come, this shant take long” and this was said almost merrily. She lead the company down the the cool waters edge and to the jetty where the barge was settled.

“This is the right way isn’t it?” Maén asked over her shoulder to the company.

“It is, Lady Il Galoth.” Offered Idruil. Aelimur did not add anything to this, as he didn't see all that much point in it.

“We desire passage to the other side of the river if you would be so kind Sir.” Said Atharen trotting his horse over to the bargemaster.

“That's not a problem, hows many yous taking?” Asked the toothless bargemaster.

“Two ladies, and the six lads.” came Atharan's reply, Maén threw a bag of coins to him, “For our safe passage” he said, seeing the old man’s eyes widen.

“Yess sir! Right away sir!” Their company rode onto the barge. Aelimur dismounted Aaron once they all were on. Aelimur looked around him, studying their surroundings from the barge.

“that’ s another thing that will have to stop. We are reaching the east bank, My name could mean danger for us. Keep it under raps.” Aelimur overheard Maén say to Crystal. He walked over to the two.

"I shan't say a word about your name, but shouldn't you have another one that we may call you by? Otherwise how will we get your attention?" Crystal asked.

"Those were my thoughts, too. What other name should we use?" Aelimur added into their conversation.

[Everdawn]

“Which name to use, which name indeed.” Maén obviously, but Maén what? “Lahnoro” she nodded to herself. “Im sure there are plenty of Maén’s around, but Maén Lahnoro is quite a way from Il Galoth. It was my grandmother’s maiden name, she was just about the only one who came form a normal family.” She added with a slight grin.

She leant over the railings of the barge and watched the water running past. It was a very wide section of river. Maén also wandered what lay beyond the other side of the shore, which as she could see was still a little way away and the barge was very old and very slow. She reached for her map which presently was being looked at by several of the party.

Roryn and Idruil were muttering to themselves. She walked up behind them and observed them for a short time. “East” she said making both of them jump suddenly. “There is a road form her, or so I am told, which will lead us to a small town. Lysia told me that it is near to where Guriel purchased some land form a fellow.”

[Eorl of Rohan]

“Valar Help Guriel when you come to pass judgement on him Miss Il Galoth.” Cried Ferethor had called out from behind, with a cynical sobriety. The reply of Maen Il Garoth was expected, of course – her intent was to have Guriel dead and nothing else would suffice to ease her bloodthirsty wish for a vengeance.

A fevered yearning for blood-drenched vengeance that he could almost pity Maen for, although Ferethor was fairly sure that she wanted no sympathy from anyone. A just and impartial retribution for her kinsmen’s death and twisting of her general father’s mood, as well as for her childhood lost.

A heavy sigh of regret escaped through Ferethor’s gritted teeth, although he was unaware that he was unconsciously clenching his teeth. It would be a pity to turn on Maen at the last moment and forbid her from slaying the renegade that she had hunted for far and wide, but it was his duty as a soldier of Gondor.

“Aelimur.” Ferethor murmured in a tense voice to his comrade, “She’s going to make some trouble when we arrest Il Garoth the traitor and deny her the pleasure of shedding his blood. What would we need to do then? Slay her alos?”

[Crystal Heart]

Crystal overheard Ferethor ask if they should slay Maen also. She walked over the few paces slowly and looked out along the horizon.

"Shan't be necessary, Ferethor. Bloodthirsty vengenance runs through a woman's vains, but doesn't remain for long when she finally realizes that the one she wants dead is human just as she and has its weaknesses as a human being. She will most likely not do what you are fearing, nor would she go against you. If my assumptions are not correct, make it clear that torturing a soul truly punishes more then just a mere quick death," Crystal whispered softly.

At one time she would have done anything to kill a traitor or a murder not even connected to her. She had gotten her chance once with the travellers, but when she looked into the eyes of the man in front of her she couldn't bring herself to do it. There was a soul within that evil body, one that feared for its life as she feared for hers. She had asked the others if torturing him would be a more beneficial punishment then a swift death. The others had agreed, but she had no part of his punishment. She had been the honorary leader type then.

Now here she was with these men and they were wondering about the inner workings of the mind of their female leader. If Maen was the person Crystal thought she was then she would see and not kill him, she would allow the men to arrest him for his crimes. She hoped that she wasn't wrong about Maen.

[Eorl of Rohan]

"Little would you know, Crystal daughter of Dorian." Ferethor stirred and raised his grey and steadfast gaze to meet Crystal's level one, a faint trace of a derisive smile softening his hard countenance. "Yearning for vengeance for wrongs done us is one of the most fundamental desire that courses through us from the beginning of time. Such a desire could easily overthrow very reason and rationale of a person, and at last shape that person into a blood-lusting wraith that knows naught but to seek for revenge and would have no reason to live after such as been accomplished or found vain."


"I do not say that Maen is such a person, but I do know that Vengeance is a sweet, sweet desire that would not be satisfied except for in blood." Ferethor's grey eyes gleamed with bitter remembrances, and then he turned his head away as he said in a low voice scarce discernible. "Do not ever trust in a person, Crystal. Trust only betrays one. Remember, for one day you'd come to realize it."


Ferethor cast an unnerved and doubtful glance at the Great River as he said it, for he had scarce dealing with the sea or great water as he spent his childhood days in the edge of Eryn Lasgalen.

[Crystal Heart]

Crystal looked away from Ferethor.

"I have lived a life where trust meant death. I have seen what trust in another can do to a single solitary life. I know that desire for vengenance. I understand all that comes with. I may just be a mere girl pretending to be a grown up woman, but I do understand even the slightest of what you are talking about, Ferethor. There is something that you should learn, something that you should know right here and now. Trust can betray you, yes I will admit to what you've said but trust can also save your soul. To never trust is like never breathing. Have you ever lost your breath and finally regained it? Trust is like that Ferethor. Especially when you trust the right person. Maybe one day you will trust and maybe give your heart to a woman. Maybe then you'd understand where I was coming from. Yet again we come at an impass of thought. I accept your opinion. Try one day to accept mine. You may be surprised by what you find in trust. You can trust me. I shan't ever destroy it or ever cause you to regret trusting me, Ferethor," Crystal said to him softly.

She looked out over the water and breathed deeply. She had learned too much, had been forced to grow up to quickly then she would have liked. She vowed that her daughter or son, if she was ever granted with such blessings, that they would be allowed the childhood that she should have had. Times were hard in her childhood, they still were in fact. Each childhood would see its hard times, but there was so much more happiness in other childhoods then she had been granted.

Maybe that's the reason she thought the way she did. This journey had made her question her beliefs and what she had originally thought. She had in fact grown in the way that she thought, had taken one of the last steps to becoming the adult that she should have been. She had jumped a gap from the little girl still yearning for what she could never get back to the confident young adult that looked at the world in a new way. She had learned to trust. She had learned that trust could burn her very soul. She knew that she could be betrayed again by trust, but she refused to give it up. There were some beings that trust could be entrusted to. Arty had been one of those people. She knew she could have trusted him forever. Unfortunately she had trusted her father to be kinder to a young lad then his daughter. Her trust in that slim chance had costed Arty's very existance. He had been burned in the most worst possible way by trust. She had been partly to blame.

She had vowed to never trust another soul after that. She had been wary for years of the other travellers she had found herself with. She had always been on guard, never believing that trusting another was ever a good thing. Then she had met Atharen and somewhere deep inside she knew that she had to trust this man. She could feel that he wouldn't try to hurt her, try to betray her by the trust she had placed in him. She knew that this trust would not be her end.

She watched as they glided along. She could trust again. She had learned how. She had even trusted a man that knew her father, Ferethor. Why she had decided to trust him after being so wary of who he was she could never explain in words. She had realized that he was just as human as she was. She had realized that he had been hurt in similar ways as she had. They were two people that had shared similar life experiences that had created lasting impressions of distrust in their hearts. She had overcome hers, she hoped that he would as well.

[Amanaduial the archer]

"Trust is something to be very careful with."

Atharen's voice surprised the other two, for he had been quiet for some time now, staring over the grey water pensively beneath the current of his own thoughts. He didn't turn around so sensed rather than saw Ferethor nod.

"That is not to say it is wrong, Ferethor," he continued with a small grin, and turned to face them. "'Twas a fine speech that you made Crystal, and for someone with your past to trust is...a fine thing. I can only hope you will be rewarded." He smiled gently at her and his eyes held hers for a moment, the secret promise in the air between them before the ranger looked back at Ferethor. "And many things in it were true. But on such a quest, dangerous..undercover...you must be careful with where you place your trust."

As Atharen said this, he couldn't help but let his opaque, unreadable eyes flicker over to Carathir for a moment. The movement could be taken for simply a checking of the boat, maybe glancing at some movement made by a bird, but although Atharen did not linger on the easterling he had made sure to have him in his sights for much of the time recently. Since the very first meeting of the company, Atharen had not felt quite comfortable about the easterling and his strange isolation from the group and quiet, almost menacing watchfulness of them and especially of Maen. Maybe it was simply that he was one of the Haradrim and that Atharen had fought too many of them: that would probably explain the distrust of Carathir for the ranger as well. But Atharen was a little above that, he felt: there was something else...

"Give your trust too freely and you are bound to get hurt." Ferethor's snorted reply brought Atharen back to the future, snapping him from his thoughts and he glanced at the man slightly irritated before shrugging. "Everyone may have his own opinion, I am sure. I can only hope your trust is more freely given than you make out, Ferethor."

The guard grunted, looking over the water, and Atharen, with a small smile, did the same, drifting back to his thoughts as they came close to the bank.