The Darkness Awakes Within

[hrafnr]

It seems we, as The Pillagers, have a problem. Perhaps not directly; not yet. I've known Slorin for many years; or more I've known his traveling companion Drugar. While not the brainiest dwarf Drugar has always been very trustworthy; Slorin not.

It seems Drugar is a bit worried as yesterday Slorin showed up in one of them fancy new outfits, muttered something about "meeting some old friends" and "enough of the goody two-shoes" and left.

Not long past Slorin was a very ... unscrupulous fellow and had run afoul in many kingdoms. I see he's vanished from the hall with all of his stuff. Luckily, none of *our* stuff. I feel a bit responsible for bringing him into our fold. And hope he hasn't gone and done a few things I think he may have. Someone said down at the Forsaken Inn, that he had passed through, and a ranger came by a few days looking around for him...

I think I still know where he spends his free time; aye, and he has too much of it. And I think I could still call him in if we need his skills. But we have to be cautious in doing so.

We should keep our eyes out, Pillagers, he may be up to no good out and about... and having once known us. Surely someone may come to ask questions and doubt our side in the the coming storm...

[Rhavaniel]

*peers over at hrafnr from behind some volume of forgotten text*

*shakes her head*

I knew there was something about that man i didn't like! In fact, i really didn't like the way he kept eying me up and down, as if i were a large piece of roast venison!

The question is who are these old friends he is meeting? are they servants of the enemy? Was he going east or west along the old road?

I am sure that my contacts in the trollshaws may have some information...perhaps he is consorting with the trolls!

*gathers her traveling things and heads out the door *

[Verewen of Rohan]

*posting as Farran, my elf hunter*

Farran had been following the all but nonexistent trail for several days now, watching the signs and wildlife around her for signs of the rogue's passage. He was clever indeed, this Slorin fellow; but she could track even the most elusive of prey and was confident that he would not get away. She'd found the remains of a campfire just past midday, the ashes and charred wood still exuding the faintest trace of warmth. She was perhaps not more than half a day behind him now, and slowly gaining ground.

Slorin's steps seemed quite erratic at first, taking her all the way through the Lone Lands, into Ost Guruth itself. She was able to spread sufficient coin around there to find out that he wasn't heading into the Trollshaws, as she had originally suspected.

That was 2 days ago, and she now found herself scouting through the Nen Harn region, skimming the shore of the lake. She knew from experience that this was a little known shortcut into the North Downs, if one was stealthy and/or skilled enough to avoid the host of orcs and goblins camped south of Meluinen.

Farran crouched to examine a broken blade of marsh grass. Something wasn't right. She followed the trail for little while longer, until it seemed to vanish in the long grass at the edge of the lake. Why would have have taken to the water? Did he suspect that he was being followed??

"Ah hah... you are a tricky fellow, aren't you?" She made a clucking sound with her tongue as she took note of a clue that she had missed previously. He wasn't heading to the North Downs, that much was certain. He had taken the time to certainly make it seem so, however. She found a footprint in the wet clay, partially filled in with water and obscured by the tall marsh grass. She followed it, and found another, then another, heading east instead of north. Where was he going now?? He would be a fool to pass through Trestlebridge, the guard there would notice him immediately. Yet that seemed to be his intention as the slender Elf huntress carefully headed westward along the shore of the lake, tracking all the while.