Note: Another log of intercultural RP of the Elves travelling to Imladris.
This RP has a backgroud story, it's a part of the Tablet TP. The mysterious tablet was found in Lorin (in fragments scattered along Nomrodel and Celebrant). It clearly carries some enchantment, although at this point nobody knows what are its powers. One of the missions of the party is to ask Elrond and the smiths of Eregion who now live in Imladris about this tablet. Orcs only know that the Elves had recently found some artifact of power, and suspect that we might be carrying it. The tablet is safely in Lorien, but we use some "magical" Elven jewel to scare the orcs away. The party was followed stealthily for few days before the orcs finally decided to ambush it in the narrow creavice. The Elves did notice alot of sneaking around, wolf howls, etc, so they are alert and move as fast as they can.
Both sides did their best to avoid actuall combat, that's why there was none. :)

Rocky Split
Two peaks split here like a cleft palette beconing you into the very jaws of the Misty mountains. The trail running between them is steep, narrow, and covered in loose chaff that could easily break loose and send you spilling down the slope at any moment. This is a treacherous way to pass through the mountains, but is really the only option in this part of northern Middle Earth. You have heard that this trail may in fact lead eventually to the fabled place known as Imladris to the Elves, or Rivendell to men, in which case this pass may be worth its danger!
Contents:
Yog
Graku
Elven Party

Yog remains crouched under the shade of a huge boulder listening intently.

Graku remains at his current location listening attentively.

Glendor walks up the steep slope, following the main trail to the path. Few guards march ahead, and the rear-guard is not far behind. Their steps are light and quick, and the weariness have not yet slowed them down.

Yog snaps to alertness at the rustle of movement in the pass below. He peeks around the boulder, then scans the steep mountainside, as if looking for his next perch.

Graku looks carefully as the elven guards moves above him, hiding in the shadows of the boulders

Jonuk comes up into the mountains along the trail.
Jonuk has arrived.

Yog nimbly picks his way across the slope, movinging westward and down, following the trespassing elves. He keeps to the dark places beneath the overhanging cliffs, a shadow himself, among shadows.

The Elves keep moving up the slope, higher and higher into the pass. Despite the loose chaff covering the trail, not a pebble tumbles down the slope, disturbed by their light step. They cover the distance fairly quickly even on this rugged terrain. They glance warily around, but don't show any unusual alert.

The small scouts needs to move now to follow his prey, as he sneak furtively below the elven party, a small stone get lose under his feets and the sound of her ricochets reverberate on the cliffs above the path.

Graku duck and freezes

Yog crouches into a shaded wall, his eyes keenly focused on the elves below.

The Elves instantly halt, and become motionless shadows among the jagged brocken rocks... all except two. The rearguard warriors swiftly turn around and nock arrows, their bows raised.

Yog slowly bends down for a rock, and quickly tosses it into the brush along the slopes ahead of the elven party.

Graku is immobile like a stone, glued to the boulder against which he crawls.

One of the Elves in the leading group, the tall warrior of proud stature with elfstones adorning his head, summons the party closer with a quick gesture. The Elves continue their ascent, now they are walking in a very compact group, and seem to be paying more attention to the surroundings, but don't slow their pace.

Yog waits in motionless silence as the elves move a safe distance ahead.

The Elves approach the narrow gap between the two split rocks. Their pace slows down a bit, and the guard stretches along the trail. The archers who fall slightly behind finger their bows, and keep arrows ready. The Elves are close enough to the crumbled heaps of boulders at the foot of those large rocks, and anyone hiding there would be able to see them, and perhaps even notice that the tall Elf in the middle of the group is carrying a shoulder bag, which seems to be fairly heavy for its size.

Shading his eyes from the glare of sun and elfstone, Yog directs his gaze to the tall golden haired elf. He contemplates the fairness of it form with disgust, then focuses on the shoulder bag, burning with curiousity, but held by caution.

Yog motions for the scouts to keep cover as the elves move through the unprotected cleft in the mountains.

Glendor continues to climb up along the trail, keeping his place in the middle of the group, few steps ahead of a tall slim Elf-maid. A sudden gust of wind shifts her hood back, and few strands of long copper hair wave freely in the wind until she hides them under the hood again. Glendor carries a long walking staff in his hand, but does not use it as a prop until he leaves the pebble-covered part of the trail, and approaches the place where it cuts through the solid rock.

Arehir walks near the head of the small party, sharp eyes darting this way and that upon the trail toiling upward ahead.

Arehir has arrived.

Yog crouches low in the shadows of the boulders that line the pathside, keeping a close eye turned to the elves as the make their way up into the pass. He motions a few silent directions to the goblin scouts, then falls still listening and watching.

Glendor hastens his pace and approaches the guard at teh head of the group. Mingling with them, he quietly notes to Arehir, "<Sindarin> Since those few pebbles rolled down the slope, all was silent. If these are yrch, they are awfully quiet"

Arehir stops and holds up a fist. The rest of the party stops also. He strides quietly ahead a few paces and peers about... after a minute, he holds up a straightened hand, and the party begins to move again.

Seemingly assured for the moment, Arehir walks back to the head of the party, and shakes his head toward Glendor, eyes glinting grimly.

As the elves enter the rocky crevace, a few goblin scouts begin to shift forward, tailing the party from below and behind.

A crow squawks from a tree top and flaps away to the west, cawing as it flies.

Glendor glances up along the imposing drop of the cliff on one side of the creavice, "Let's hurry through this place, I don't like it. We have no idea what's above there". The Elves hasten their pace, and almost run along the trail

Arehir looks briefly back toward Glendor and the rest of the party, and nods. He crouches low then, and furtively darts forward, keeping a few yards ahead of the party.

No wind stirs the trees, and no cloud shades the passing of the elves through the naked and exposed cleft in the mountains.

Yog creeps along in the shade of the cliffs above the travelers, a few paces behind the scouting party keeping watch from below.

The first few guards reach teh end of the split, and the rocks fall open on both sides of them, revealing a breathtaking view of the mountains. The other Elves pause their ascent few strides below, and wait for the signals from the guards.

Yog grins wickedly to himself as the elves move deeper into the heart of goblin country.

Arehir lifts his head as he half-jogs forward, scanning the cliffs above. He breaks out into the split then, and again holds up a fist to the party. Two guards dart forward to either side, but return in moments. After a quick conferral, Arehir signals the rest of the party forward again.

Jonuk lies on an overhang high above the elven party trying his best to remain unseen. He watches intently as the elves pick their way slowly through the rocky terrain below him.

A crow's caw is heard again to the west, then joined by others, as a flock of dark birds blackens the sky, winging their way deeper into the pass.

Glendor sighs slightly as he clears the split. The trail ahead is again peppered with small loose pebbles. He walks a bit heavier now, and shifts his bag on his shoulder, as if its weight disturbes him.

Zorugg has connected.

Yog peers intently at the bag, as if drawn by a will other than his own greed and ambition. He slowly creeps forward, quietly closing the gap between himself and the elves.

After gathering the party at the crest of the split, Arehir presses forward again, always with eyes ahead and to the sides.

Graku has connected.

Zorugg stirs from his troubled sleep and silently looks about from his place high on the cliff over looking the pass.

Elven Party heaves itself up the steep trail into the mountains.
Elven Party has left.

You heave yourself up the steep trail into the mountains.

High Pass, Eastern Descent
The trail climbs its way upwards into the mountains, offering few flat spots where the climbing would be easier or where weary travellers could stop for a rest. The air is getting colder, and a fine mist has begun sending tendrils down towards you, pulling you deeper into the mountains clutches. Before long you will be able to see very little through the mist, but for now the way is still clear, and a narrow separate trail can be seen snaking off at right angles from the pass and heading north along the mountainside. You also notice a small overhang.
Contents:
Elven Party

The elves travelling with you signal you the location of the party.

OOC: Type "Enter party", "party", or just "ep" to join the party.

Arehir comes puffing up the trail from the east.
Arehir has arrived.

Yog comes puffing up the trail from the east.
Yog has arrived.

Jonuk comes puffing up the trail from the east.
Jonuk has arrived.

Graku comes puffing up the trail from the east.
Graku has arrived.

Yog quietly creeps in, along the foot of the cliffs.

The scouts sneak silently on both side of the path, shadowing the elven party

Jonuk is high over the elven party picking his way from rock to rock trying to keep unseen and silent. Slowly he makes his way to the small overhang and lieing down on his stomach he peers over the edge watching the elves below him but especially the elf with the bag

Graku greets the mist with relief, soon they will be able to move closer to their ennemies.

Yog pulls his wolf fur cloak tighly around him to sheild out the cold and the light. Slowly he continues to creep forward, to a position alongside the elves, still somewhat above them. His yellow remain focused on the tall blond elf with his burden.

Glendor continues to walk in the middle of the group, slightly behind few guards who lead the way. A strand of his golden hair is stuck to his forehead, but his steps are still light and evenly paced, although lack the grace of the earlier march.Few steps below him is the elven maid, wrapped tightly in a gray cloak, almost invisible in the slowly condensing mist. The rear-guard, ever alert, completes teh party.

Graku directs his scouts with quick movements of the hands: to the right and the left... The snaga moves furtively from rock to rock, bolder as dusk come closer.

Arehir strides quickly forward, pulling his jet colored cowl more tightly about his neck. He approaches the area of the overhang, and calls another stop. After moments of scanning his head this way and that, he makes a brief signal to the two guards with him, then walks back toward the blond elf.

In a quiet voice, Glendor calls out to the guards ahead, and points to teh overhang above the trail. "<Sindarin> I don't like this place, if I were to stage an ambush I'd do it from there. Can you send an arrow to land on it? With luck, we'll hear some reaction" He quickly gestures to the guard's bow, and then the overhang again.

The flock of crows begins to circle and swoop above the band of travelers, their loud calls filling the peaks with echoes. Yog nods grimly and eases back into the shade as the elves halt to scan the cliffs.

Arehir walks up to Glendor, nodding sharply. He pulls close to the other, and mutters, "<Sindarin> In truth, there is no need, Glendor. There are yrch here, all about us I deem. There is one atop the outcropping you have seen, even."

Graku sneakes closely along the trail, still far below the elves, his slanted yellow eyes now fixed on the elf with blond hair.

Seeing the flock of crows suddenly circling, Graku ducks quickly behind a rock and keep observing.

Jonuk quietly watches from the overhang above the elves as the elves converse. Every once in while they seem to gesture in his general direction but he pays no heed to this. His eyes gleam in anger when the blonde elf with the sack points in his direction then gestures at a nearby guard's bow then points once more in his direction. Figuring now would be a good time to withdraw before he gets shot at he quickly crawls across the overhang toward a large boulder that blocks the his view of the elves while silently grumbling dark curses against the elves.

Zorugg comes puffing up the trail from the east.
Zorugg has arrived.

Glendor nods to Arehir, and looks up at the outcropping with a clear apprehension on his face. "<Sindarin> Why would not they show themselves for so long?" He looks around, trying to pewnetrate wit hhis gaze into the deapest shadows under veiled in gray mist rocks.

A pair of yellow eyes gleam in the shadows, but quickly wink out, leaving only shadow behind.

Arehir looks about once more, scanning the cliffs on either side. He turns back to Glendor with a grimace, and shakes his hooded head, "<Sindarin> I know not, mellon. This has been pulling at my mind for some time now, for I have been nearly sure of the closeness of the yrch. Surely they have no reason to fear this small party?"

Zorugg slips from shadow to shadow as he makes his way up the path. He finds a large crack in the rock and slips in.

Glendor listens to Arehir's words, then shakes his head, "<Sindarin> No, not the party" He grins slightly, and pats his shoulder bag, "<Sindarin> May be the copies of the tablet I made /do/ capture some of its powers. Or could they suspect we carry the real thing?"

Graku restart his silent progression toward the elves. He moves from boulder to boulder, looking around to verify the position of the other scouts.

The crows begins to swoop lower, diving for the elves and sweeping back up in dark loops, as if hastening the elves along their way with urgency.

Zorugg puts his hands to his ears and scream a silent yell of rage and hate as he hears the speech of the fair ones fill the air.

Yog listens intently, trying to make out the fair speech of the elves in his foul ears, his eyes sqeezed tight, as if pained bby the sound of the words.

Glendor looks up at the circling birds, "<Sindarin> They probably see more than we do" He shakes his head

Zorugg crawls from his crack in the rock and looks up the path from behind a jagged rock. His armor makes a faint clinking noise against the rock as he crawls.

Arehir cocks his head toward the blond elf then, and, after thrashing his bow in the air at the swooping crows, says, "<Sindarin> The tablet? I had not considered that, yet how would they even think that we might have something of that nature with us?"

Graku looks behind him and sees the warlord moving in. He motion the scouts to close on the path and start ducking from rock to rock more boldly...

The crows continue to sweep low in their flight harrassing the elves with their worrisome calls, that begin to ring like dark laughter in the ears.

Jonuk sits with his back to the boulder. Slowly he leans over and looks around the boulder looking for better spots to view the elves from. Scanning the terrain he spots a patch of brush far up the slope and ahead of the elves that would be perfect for him to watch the elves from. Slowly and as quiet as he can be for a smith he slowly makes his way to the patch of shrub hiding behind whatever cover he can find.

Graku is moving closer now, he can hear the sound of the hatred elven voices somewhere above him. He silently curses the orders of the shaman and spit on the floor.

"Clink Clink Cluck Clank." faintly echoes from the rocks and overhang.

Glendor looks back at Arehir, then at his bag. He replies quickly, gesturing, his hands fly in the air, "<Sindarin> Remember when we found the fragments?" He points South, abck to Lorien, then makes a wide gesture, showing some large open space, like a body of water, and picks some imagined object from it with his fingers, "<Sindarin> We found it on the shores of Nimrodel. Might well be in sight of their scouts"

Zorugg peaks about the rocks and then lets out a low guttural groan as the sun hurts his eyes. He then moves back into the dark safety of the crack.

"Clink Clink Cluck Clank." faintly echoes from the rocks and overhang.

Glendor's eyes dart up, and he slowly turns his head around, scannign the area for the source of the sound. He whispers, "<Sindarin> Did you hear it?"

The Thrakburzum Scouts are now moving at the same time, little green spots on the slope below the elven party, in a pince-like fashion.

Arehir nods slowly at the other's words, gently rubbing his chin. He starts at the noise from above then, and wips his head around in the direction of the metallic sounds. Finally turning back, keen eyes blazing, he rasps, "<Sindarin> You may be right, Glendor. And I beg the powers of the West that you are, for if there is nothing holding them from falling upon us, we are lost. Mayhap we should begin to... utilize our advantage?" A grim smile spreads across his face.

Yog continues to watch the elves intently, the seeds of understanding begining to take root in his sinister mind. He takes a quick glipse skyward, and noticing the lengthening afternoon shadows, and the diversion of the sounds above, slips further down the cliffside toward the caravan.

The two guards at the front of the small elvish party dart to the sides of the path as the sound echo down toward them. The find what cover they may, and draw their great longbows.

Graku trots now, bended forward and zigzaging between boulders. He draws his short bow but knows that the elves are still out of range. Looking upward toward the sky, he grins as the red disk of the cursed sun slowly descend behind the mountainous pics: Soon it will be their time...

Glendor nods to Arehir, and mirrors the guard's grin with his own, "<Sindarin> I wish I knew the secrets to its powers. I don't even know if the original has any powers of desdtruction, much less about the copies I made." He looks at the bag, and a smile becomes wider on his face, "<Sindarin> /They/ don't have to know that, though..."

Yog closes one eye and nods to himself as if suspicions have been confirmed. He motions for the scouts to hold back.

Arehir looks back down the trail and shakes his head warily. He turns back to Glendor then, "<Sindarin> That would be my wish as well. But as you say, we may have something they fear, though without cause. In any case, Anar treads westward, and will soon leave us to the bright eyes of Elbereth. If the foul beasts desire action, they will take it soon. We should prepare our ruse now."

The crows make one last mass swooping dive toward the elves before winning their way noisily westward to roost in the treetops of the lower pass.

The scouts have finished locking the valley: If the elves try to retreat, they will have to pass trough them. Seeing the signal of yog, they stop and kneel behind rock, taking cover and drawing their bows

The sun disappears behind the peaks quite suddenly, and you are left in darkness among the mountains.

Graku makes a long howling which echos from cliff to cliff and stands up.

Hooooowl

Glendor peers ahead into the darkness, then frowns as he surveys the surroundings again, "<Sindarin> We should stay and rest for the night, but I don't think it should be here..." He sharply wheels around on his heels as teh sound echoes across the mountains

Zorugg pokes his head out from his crack in the rocks and lets out a evil snicker and makes his way to the path again by crawling . Zor then raises his head to join in the marking of darkness and evil taking other the landscape once more " AAARRRRROOOOOOOOOOOO"

In the distance the howls are answered "aaarrroooooooo"

Following the call of their leader to battle, the scouts stand up. Graku makes a large movement forward with his arm.

Yog pokes his wolfish head out from behind his rock and joins in the howling. "AAARRROOOoooo!"

Arehir spins about, taking the echo of the hideous cry. His hand flashes under his cloak to take solace in cold steel...

Arehir flips his cloak aside and draws bright Gaileg from his scabbard with a metallic hiss.

Zorugg unslings his weapon and scans the slope for the shaman.

The scouts accelerate, encouraged by the seeming absence of reaction of their prey. Without precaution now the snagas are jumping from rock to rock, moving in a wide line upward toward the pass, toward the hatred elves

Zorugg Unslings a blackened troll bone off his back.

Arehir turns about, looking for the initial onset of the yrch. He barks a few orders to the few guards in the party, then turns to Glendor, yelling, "<Sindarin> Our time is passed, my friend! If you have any course in your mind, play it now, or we shall not see the sun again!"

Jonuk rises from the shrubs and rushes over to behind a boulder that sits above the elven party. Putting his back to the boulder he pushes with a his might moving the giant rock a couple inches closer to the slope. Heaving once more he pushes the boulder over the edge and it rolls slowly down the slope at first but picking up speed as it travels torward the elves. Quickly he rushes behind another boulder and starts to push on that one also rolling it off the edge onto the slope quickly he runs to a dense shrub and crouches down in it trying to hide from the elves.

Zorugg spies the shaman and sends some grunts his way hoping he will look his way.

Graku draws his shortsword and encourages his men "Snaga, tonight we will be bringing their heads to the warlord"

The elves draw near to each other, with cries as the two huge boulders pass narrowly by them. Two archers stand in the middle of the party with the blond elf and the maid, while Arehir and another swordsman stand to the sides.

Yog looks over the carefully laid plan, locking eyes in turn with Jonuk on the cliffs, Graku behind in the pass, and finally with Zorugg, the strong orc of Moria.

Zorugg motions with his weapon and bashing movement as the shaman looks at him and he waits for some kind of answer.

Glendor wheels around, trying to locate the source of the hideous howls, then quickly shouts, "<Sindarin> There are too many!" Suddenly, a slight smile curves his lips, "<Sindarin> Let's try this..." He raises the shoulder bag, holding it with both hands above his head. As the bag passes before his face, he makes a quick nod, and the bag sweeps the Elf-stone which was adorning his headband. Nobody could have seen it, not even teh Elves which stand at his side. In his fair voice he proclaims, as if calling on some great power, 'Elbereth!'. The contents of hte bag responds with a glow, faint at first but growing stronger as he keeps calling.

Graku raise his head, his arm standing up, readu to utter the signal for the assault

Yog looks downward, shaking his head, then directs his gaze toward the bag carried by the blonde elf.

The two boulders roll down the slope toward the elven party picking up speed as the move.

Graku looks toward yog: Attack or not? The scouts are shaking with excitation.

Yog emphasizes his previous motion to the scouts to hold back. His head peeks above the boulder as he watches the elves below.

Arehir grins fiercely as the object glows above Glendor's head. He remains vigilant, however, pivotting this way and that for any onrushing foes.

Glendor stands enveloped with a white glow, as if he holds a star above his head. It the light of an elven jewel he's appears as one of the Elven lords, like his ancestors, bright and terrible in the radiance.

Graku makes a quick sissor sign with his arms and the scouts duck again, howling their frustrations: "ELLLLFIZZZ DIEEEE SOOON"

Yog squints as he beholds the fair radiance, cursing the light and howling. "AAARRROOOOOOO!"

Zorugg lets out a grunts a rage and swings his might troll bone into the rock in front of him. Sparks fly from the strike of metal and rock. A shadow of a flashes on the rock overhang of a creature larger than a troll holding a great weapon bigger than a tree trunk.

The scouts look up toward the figure innunded with light and their courage vanishes.

Graku growls and curse the elven magic.

Zorugg joins in the howling "AARRRROOOOOOOOOO"

The howling is answered in the distance. "aarrrrooooooooo"

Without great hope, the scouts start shooting at the lightened target, but the arrows fell short.

From farther down the mountains come fainter answering howls, penetrating the enshrouding mists. "aarrrroooooo'

From the pillar of white light comes a clear voice, like a sliver bell, "<Sindarin> The howls don't come closer! They don't advance!" The shining figure sways forward, pointing with glowing hand up the slope, "<Sindarin> Let's run from this ambush!"

A wolfish shape begins to slink among the rocks near the foot of the cliffs, working its way back toward the scouts.

Graku motions to one of the scouts to signal. Soon, the sound of a Horn breaks the silence of the night "BAAAOUUUUU, BAAAAOUUUU"

Arehir breathes rapidly as the hated calls are taken up all about them. He shouts to the gleaming elf again, "<Sindarin> It is holding them at bay, mellon, but for how long? Mayhap we should test our strength, and attempt a break for the pass!" He nods agreement with the blond elf then, and begins to sprint forward, up the path. His great blade is held before him.

Deep in the night, on the other flank of the mountain, a Horn answers "BAAAOUUUU, BAOUUUU"

Graku start trotting on the path upward, motioning the scouts to follow: "DA ELFIZ MAGIC IS NOT A CHALLENGE FOR YOG, THE SHAMAN IS WITH US, MOVES SNAGA, ARE YOU AFRAID OF ELFIZ NOW?"

The elven party runs up the slope again, following the trail to the pass. Their ascent is swift, as if they found new strength in the power revealed. They all move closer to each other.

The path winds its way into the frigid upper reaches of the Misty mountains.

Yog growls, "<UNINTELLIGIBLE SPEECH> He motions again to the scouts, "<UNINTELLIGIBLE SPEECH>

Jonuk has connected.

Zorugg watches the party run on up the slope as he walks toward walks the shaman.

The scouts pick up speed, jumping from both sides of the path. "STAY AWAY FROM THE LIGHT" yell Graku, "TARGET THE BLOND ELFIZ"...

Arehir sprints forward, gleaming blade at the ready as he runs, eyes scanning into the darkness to try to pick out any movements on the path ahead.

Zorugg as he nears the wise one he begins to curse. "We had them in are claws and you let them pass. Me no understand. Mez want blood " pionts the scouts " they want blood."

Graku screams with fustration as he realizes that the scouts will not catch up with the elves...

Yog glares back at Zorugg. "<UNINTELLIGIBLE SPEECH> He points toward the the elves as they descend into the pass.

You take your place among elvish travellers.

Elven Party
You are among the fellow travellers, all in gray cloaks of Lorien. They move stealthily and silently.
Looking around, you see High Pass, Eastern Descent:
Contents:
Zorugg
Graku
Jonuk
Yog
Arehir

Zorugg stomps his feet like a child not getting some candy and curse again. He then nods slighty at the shaman "You are wise mez follows you but soon shaman soon ... wez need blood to fill are black souls."

From the top of the pass, Graku shows his fist to the hatred ennemies and howls is furor: "ARRRROOOOOOOOOO"

Yog howls, "AAARRROOOOOOOO!"

Jonuk shouts "AAAARRRRRROOOOOOOO"

The echo of the howling rebounds from valley to valley...

Zorugg shouts "AAARRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"

The elves keep running ahead, theor light now flickers from far away as a distant star, still bright, but soon its light is blocked by some rocks which obstruct the trail, and only a diffuse glow, softened by the mist, rolls down the slope.

Arehir takes his place among elvish travellers.

Yog nods firmly to Zorugg, "Soon... when they return from the elf valley, we will be waiting for them."

Zorugg nods at the shaman and grins "Yes.. Yes they will be my weary of there travel. easier to kill and torture . You are wise yes very wise.

You clamber further up the frigid trail.