“How much further do you think?” the young elf gasped for breath as they crested the hill, their partner already unstringing his back and setting it on the grass.
“Not much further, I think,” he mused, his eyes trained on the ridge ahead of them. “I think, if anything, what we seek will be just beyond that ridge up there. It has good coverage and protection from the elements, if you look at the at ravine coming down it looks as though they could have had a good drainage system. See, Redhor?”
Redhor inhaled and stepped up and looked where the other elf was pointing. They could just make out the remains of what could be been a ravine, hundreds and hundreds of years ago. Despite their exhaustion, Redhor smiled. “I think I do.” He began to laugh, their eyes filled with merriment and exhilaration. “We found it Amrûndir, you found it!”
The other elf joined in the merriment and sat on the grass, falling into a cross-legged, meditative pose. “We haven’t proven anything yet, that’s just the most likely spot; patience young grasshopper.” He closed his eyes and leaned back until he was laying flat on the sun-warmed earth. He was startled by a clump of dirt and grass that fell on his chest. He jerked, eyes opening wide. He moved just in time to avoid another clump of earth tossing by Redhor.
“Come on, we’ve been searching these mountains for weeks,” Redhor said, dropping a third clump they had held in reserve. “If it’s not there, then it’s not going to be anywhere. We should have brought more supplies.”
“I wanted to,” Amrûndir pointed out, standing and dusting himself off. “But someone” he looked meaningly at his partner, “thought we’d be able to search faster if we brought less with us. And because someone has a high-ranking father in Bar-in-Gonagwelu, I was overruled, and they won they argument.”
Redhor smiled sheepishly. “My mistake.”
Amrûndir grabbed Redhor’s hand and held it tight. “I cannot deny that I’m just as excited though,” his grin was wide and full of joy. “What do you think? Should we rest up, or do you think we could make that ridge by noon?” Instinctively they both looked toward the sun. It was still low in the sky, a great ball of yellow and gold and orange. They had at least a few hours before the sun was at its height and trekking about in heights unknown became hot. The air was still cool. The mists had burned away. The White Mountains were living up to their name. The stones all around them were bleached and bright, they shone with an inner light. If they had had the time, the pair would have stayed there and enjoyed the other’s company as the day wore on, but they had more things to do, things that were more pressing. They could relax and watch the clouds on a thousand other midmornings. Without having to speak, they both picked up their packs and slung them over their backs. They trekked down the hill and began their way up the moraine. Amrûndir in the lead, and Redhor following close behind him.
They’d been searching for weeks and weeks, it felt as though they’d been searching for nearly a year for a mythical place that was just beyond their reach, just over the next ridge or just behind the hills. If they were being honest, Redhor was happy just getting to spend time with Amrûndir. Even if they were dragged along on his meandering, sometimes frenetic searches. They were never able to spend this kind of time together back home. No matter where they went, they were constantly bombarded by people or responsibilities. Out here though, time and space worked differently. Amrûndir was constantly distracted and Redhor had to share him with this mad search (a search that was feeling less and less mad as they clambered over rocks and sedimentary debris) but they felt less crowded, less socially claustrophobic. They didn’t want it to end.
At the same time, though, they were excited by the idea that Amrûndir, a scholar and researcher with the Lindon Guild of Anthropological Studies, might have found that place he’d been looking for. A decade long search, coordinated with a few trusted fellows and researchers, might be coming to a close. The energy of discovery and anticipation fairly thrummed in their ears. Redhor smiled.
The higher they climbed, the rougher the terrain became, the more debris they had to climb over or maneuver around. After about half an hour they were both gasping for breath. They rested against a rounded white stone and looked up, the incline ahead was steep, very steep, but it looked as if there had been cutbacks carved into the mountainside. They were old and had gone unmaintained for hundreds if not thousands of years, but the zig-zag pattern was unmistakable. “Someone’s been here before us,” Redhor pointed up. “Aulë does not build in straight lines like that.” Amrûndir, the elder of the pair by more than three centuries, looked up, shielding his eyes from the glare of the sun. He smiled broadly, his brilliant emerald eyes sparkling.
“You really think it’s going to be up there, don’t you?”
“I do,” the elder elf said as he began to walk again. “I have faith.”
Redhor nodded. “Your faith is all I need to keep going.”
They climbed and scrambled and hiked for another two hours. The sun climbed higher and higher in the sky, making her fiery presence known and felt. Both Sindar had begun to sweat; but still they climbed. They hardly felt the weariness seep into their bones as they rose in elevation. From time to time Redhor stopped and looked out over the edge of the mountainside onto the world they were leaving behind. They were moving from one world into another, as surely as the sun continued to rise. They were leaving behind a world they knew and understood, a world they could quantify and relate to, and were entering into a world of mystery, of unknown, the future as much as the past.
Then it came. They crested the ridge and overlooked the small valley on the other side. They gripped their hands and inhaled sharply at what they saw.
GM Update
Deep within the White Mountains, on the border between Rohan and Gondor, two elves went searching for evidence of a long-forgotten city, an emblem of a civilization long turned to dust. They believed this city could help map the spread of Men as they expanded and travelled westward. They found ruins they believe to be that city. They reported by back to the Lindon Guild of Anthropological Studies and soon plans for a full-scale excavation were underway. Ñarmotar, the king of the Mablui and head of the Guild, wrote to the King of Rohan, asking permission to send teams of researchers and scholars into the mountains promising to share all information found and send all artifacts to Edoras. Having been given permission, he assembled a team and gave leadership of the entire expedition to a young elf, a newly minted member of the Guild (and originator of the theory of the ruins’ existence): Yoshiyo. Now she’s arrived in Edoras with her group of elves and awaits the arrival of the king appointed liaison: Lailyn and the men and women chosen to accompany them on this exciting new chapter.
Rules and Guidelines:
1. If you wish to join, simply RP your character (or characters if you wish) arriving in Edoras and joining the expedition, stating whether you are on the Lindon side of the team or the Rohirric side
2. Remember, this is Yoshiyo and Lailyn’s team, they make the rules and by joining you are agreeing to follow their orders
3. This is an anthropological RPG, anyone is free to join, including Cav and Rangers, but it is not a militarily minded game so please keep that in mind
4. No excessive images and no gifs whatsoever
5. Refrain from using #8B0000 (GM) and #8B4513 (Yoshiyo) colors
6. Should the need arise, the GMs reserves the right to godmode particular characters and situations
7. Regarding canon characters, check with your GMs first (Lail and myself) beforehand but it shouldn't be too much of an issue
8. We are all adults here and can decide for ourselves the stories we want to read so rather than dictate what can and cannot be written in this thread, we will ask that any CW (at the discretion of the writer) be placed at the top of the post