Last Ride of the Heir RPG

[The Perky Ent]

Arathorn was having trouble getting sleep. He couldn't deside if it was because of the towering black castle shadowing him, or the fact that his horse had picked a really bad time to go to the bathroom. Whatever the matter, it caused Arathorn to get up and walk around. "So much history" Arathorn said, looking around the fields surrounding Angmar. All around the ground were remnants of skeletons shattered from battle. "Much evil rests here" Hanindur said, walking up to Arathorn. He too was facing the same sleeping problems as Arathorn. "I still don't see why we should come. The orcs only came this way. We don't know if they came in. Face it, Arathorn. It's been deserted for years." "Then what's the harm? I know you mean well, Hanindur, but this is something I have to do. After all, how often do you get to come here? And what if the orcs didn't come here? Then that makes it even safer." Arathorn said, picking up a rusty sword from the ground.

"Not necessarily" Elladan said, walking behind Hanindur. "Say something dark still festers there. If the orcs came, it would have killed them, and revealed itself. If the orcs didn't come, and something is there, we betting hope we don't catch it's eye." "We won't" Arathorn said, putting the sword back on the ground. "I promise."

[The Perky Ent]

The red sun raised slowly from the endless horizon. A magnificent display of ruby, saphire, and magenta danced around the sun in such a way that gave awe to Arathorn. "Now that," Elladan said, "Is something you can only see up here. In the cold places of the north. Slowly, one by one, everyone began to wake up. And after they woak, they sat and looked at the sun. Then, after a while of watching, the sun took a breath, and lifted up from the horizon, shining great beams of light, reflecting on the men.

"Well men," Arathorn said, though pausing, as Eldin gave a grunt. "And elves!" Arathorn corrected. "We're going in! To mystery and glory! What mysteries lie here we do not know, but I know that there are many. This is why I call for an act of seperation. You elves will go up to the towers and see what is there. No doubt many secrets...and treasures." A murmer passed through the elves. "Us men," Arathorn continued, "We will go down into the dungeons." There was a mixed reaction throughout the group: elves and men. "What!" Elrohir shouted! "You get to find the real adventure all by yourselves?" "There is too much danger Arathorn! This is madness!" said Paladir. "It is what it is! It may be danger, but what glory has been taken without danger?" Arathorn said fiercly. There was silence. "Then it's decided. We're going in!" said Hanindur.

Standing in front of the gate, the men felt acquard. It wasn't in as good a shape as it was when the place was inhabited. What was once a great, thick, strong door, was now a rancid decaying hunk with cracks in it. "Time to break it open!" Owacyn said. "Not exactly." Arathorn said. "There's a crack large enough to crall through over there." Arathorn said, pointing to a small hole at the bottom of the gate. Owacyn began to blush. "Well...well...well where's the adventure in that." Owacyn said, charging up to the hole. Shocking everyone, Owacyn took his sword and began swiping his sword just above the crack, making it bigger. In a few moments, he had made a small door. "See! Now we don't have to crawl!" Owacyn said, drawing a breath. "Very heroic" Arathorn said sarcastically, walking into Angmar.

Inside, everything was dark, with the exception of the light from the "door", and two torches. "I don't like this" Hanindur said, taking a step back. Eldin looked at him as if he was looking at a monkey, and grabbed a torch. "What a nice coincidence!" Arathorn said, taking a torch. "Well, let's get going! It looks like there's a stairway past that hall! Let's go." Arathorn said, walking slowly into darkness.

The dark, high ceilings were starting to get to the men. Suddenly, they heard a scream. Though, none of them were screaming. "Calm down men!" Arathorn said. "The place is old! It squeaks!" "It came from outside!" Elladan said, rushing back to the "door". Outside, there was nothing. "See, nothing!" Arathorn said, starting to go back inside. Suddenly, something hit Eldin very hard. He nugged Elrohir, and then he too realized. "Exactly." Elrohir said, softly. "Nothing. There's nothing here, or anywhere. This is bad!" "What?" Arathorn said. "Of course there's nothing here! We're in the middle of a deserted kingdom. There hasn't been anyone here for centuries!" "You don't get it!" Elrohir said, once again softly. "I know where the scream came from. Our horses are missing."

Arathorn was mentally hit with a ton of bricks. He looked all around, but the horses weren't anywhere. "No horse, not even of Rohan, could get beyond the horizon that fast. Something is wrong." Arathorn said, looking at everyones mildly scared faces. "We should run now! Go back!" Owacyn said. "No. If something did take the horses, the could take us. We're safer inside...for the moment" Elladan said, walking back inside. The others followed.

Comming to the stairs, everyone took a gulp. Two great black stairs were stretching for what seemed miles. "Well, I'll be seeing you!" Arathorn said, going down. The others followed, except for the elves. Once the men had passed beyond light, Elladan, Elrohir, and Eldin stopped going up. Waiting for a minute, Elladan signaled Eldin, and they, with Elrohir, began to take the stairs not up, but down.

[Hama Of The Riddermark]

The group moved down slowly through the total darkness. Owacyn kicked a stone by accident, and it made a resounding sound as it bumped down the stairs. Owacyn cursed wildly, silently, at himself. He heard a scratching noise above him and looked up. He couldn't see a thing, and he shook his head for being so stupid. He felt a breeze on his back, and he took another step down. He heard the scratching sound again and his heart started beating faster. He took a torch out of his pack and struck a tinderbox to illuminate it. Light flooded the tunnel. Again he looked up, seeing nothing, he again berated himself for being so paranoid.

He tried to step forward but found that his legs had gone numb. He pulled his legs forward with a concious effort and stepped down the stairs. Breathing heavily now, trying to keep as calm as he could. He slowly drew his sword with his right arm he continued down, trying to make as little sound as possible...