Thief Hunt::Series III

[Gwai]

Apparently there was a shortage of hobbits, likely due to the darts game, as there was not a barrel to be found. Dhâd Bûrz was a bit scary to be around, and no less so was Winddancer. Gwai considered. Had she potentially made off with something valuable, such as Grond? It would be worth the confrontation, if so. If she was wrong about that, well, then she would probably regret it, and she was in the right place already for regretting it.

[Zôrzimril]

The air was full of screams. Zôr smiled widely and paused for a moment, breathing it all in. She'd left On the Rocks in such a hurry that she'd left her weapons behind (or so she thought, she wasn't quite sure what had happened to them). She wished for a knife or something so she could join the torture but reflected that Dhâd Bûrz seemed like the type of place that would provide instruments of torture for those whose tasks required them. As she stood framed in the doorway to the Pits, the Cat O' Nine Tails floated into her mind once more. Why, Cat, why? She followed the trail of her idle thoughts. Cats, purring, arched backs, hide and seek, Frost . . . Hmm. That did make some sense. She did suspect that Gwai might be around, looking for hoppits to torment. If that were the case, she'd have to talk around the woman to be able to hide.

[KingODuckingham]

There's not much more to say about poor little hobbit Reikon. His final moments were down in the depths of Dhâd Bûrz--he never even tried to escape. He was too weak to attempt such a thing. Not only was he a tiny pathetic Halfling, but Landy was torturing him the entire time, sucking his life force in both metaphorical and sometimes literal ways. It wouldn't do to go into much detail, especially if some of you readers have strong sympathy pains or sensitive dispositions, but suffice to say the tool of choice was a Cat O' Nine Tails that was liberally applied across the entire body. Let us have a moment of silence for the tiny young hobbit whose constitution could not withstand such an assault on his frail body, nor could his soul bear up under the weight of senseless torture. We knew ye, Reikon, a hobbit of infinite jest.

[Moriel]

DING DING DING!

The thief has been caught!! @Dwim has successfully apprehended that terrifying thief Winddancer in her hiding (is she really hiding, thought?) place in Dhâd Bûrz, where she had made off with the Cat O' Nine Tails. Dwim, you are now a Minion First Rank Hunter! Nothing special happens.

As always in Mordor, thievery is rife, and it's time to set out after one again... a new culprit is abroad, the traps have been reset, Thief Hunt Round Four, commence!

[Gwai]

Another day, another thief. Gwai decided to start her search for the always elusive thief at Barad Dur, hoping she wouldn't run into her old friend the fell beast again. Hopefully something really high profile had been swiped, like the One Ring. Who would walk off with something like that from right under the Dark Lord's nose was a whole other story. It did seem something Frost would probably be willing to do. Investigation and a tasty beverage were clearly needed. Possibly beverage first.

[KingODuckingham]

Thalionwen looked over her shoulder nervously. She and a couple of friends had been riding their horses hard, pushing their way through enemy territory after a secret spy mission. The enemy, however, had caught wind of them near Minas Morgûl, and now there was an entire platoon of orcs (or worse!) after them. Already arrows were flying here and there through the air, some occasionally landing very close.

"We shall have to make a contingency plan" she said to herself, as she realized being overtaken was an inevitability. "We cannot allow the Hauberk of Angmar to fall back into their hands."

She and her friends slowed the horses, grimly preparing to face down the orcs and take some of the creatures down together with them.

[The Good Hunter]

The last game of hide and seek had gone perfectly. Not only had Frost eventually found Zôr (if one counts the object of the search happening to walk in the room the seeker is in constitutes as found) but they had enjoyed the meal of oysters, Írimë’s Wine Stash, and finished it all off with lots of chocolate. Everything he read about oysters and chocolate were, in fact, true. However, after everything was said and done. It was Frost’s turn to hide and Zôr’s turn to look for him.

There were a lot of questions Frost had to consider before he started. One, should he just hide in The Shadows and wait for Zôr to begin her search before he actually found his hiding spot? Well that was an easy yes, and why stop at a single hiding spot after that? He was certain she had tried at least three before they both ended up in the Pits. Was it cheating? It’s Mordor for Thuringwethil’s sake does that even matter? Two, should he bring something to eat after, or was that now her responsibility?

Best make sure. Frost wrote a note, telling Zôr to go to Moriel and get a good supply of whisky and that delightfully perverse bubbly drink he’d found in Rohan. What was it called again? Something about Doctors or Peppers, it was Rohirric so he really didn’t pay too much attention to what it was called. A few glasses of that mixture and suddenly things would be topsy-turvy. Frost couldn’t wait.

[Dimcairien Luiniel]

"How was Dwim so damn good at catching thieves?" Zarâm muttered to herself. While she had caught one just a little while ago, she was annoyed that this so-called expert was back to catching them. Perhaps Dwim was in fact the blasted thief! After all, it would make sense for him to desire the Cat O’ Nine Tails and make off with it to somewhere. But where would he go to hide? Zarâm pondered this question as she peaked Beneath a Rock to see if the thief was hiding there.

[Zôrzimril]

Zôr emerged, laughing lightly, from a dark and echoey room in the pits - the trip to Dhâd Bûrz had certainly lifted her spirits. She'd never before indulged in such delicacies as oysters and chocolate, but now her eyes had been opened. Wide.

As she swept out of Dhâd Bûrz, Zôr noticed a note written in Frost's hand. He had scrawled something about Moriel, whiskey, and a "doctor." Hmm. What were doctors? A vague memory of Rohan awoke in her mind. Ah yes, that delightfully fizzy and sweet drink, which she'd liked against her instincts to hate everything about the place. There had been so many sweet things in Rohan . . . She sighed with both satisfaction and longing. She supposed it was time to head to On The Rocks for some supplies.

She emerged later from the pub with her bag heavy with bottles. Now she was off to find Frost in a new game of hide and seek. Maybe she'd get lucky and find that Lava Snake the big orc had been going on about earlier.

[Moriel]

The thief has NOT been found!
The item HAS been found!
The hiding place has NOT been found!

[Gwai]

If she tracked down the One Ring, should she keep it, Gwai wondered to herself, envisioning what she could do with something like that. Endless power, bending people to her will, selling it for a steep profit if she ran short on cash, probably never running short on cash...the list was endless. Toasty probably knew where it was hidden, would be her best guess, but where to track them down was the harder part. She really had little desire to go back to the Towers of No Return, but there might not be much of a choice. The only other pressing question was whether to stop for a drink first.

[KingODuckingham]

When the platoon of Sauron's servants overtook Thali's little group, the evil orcs made quick work of the spies. Landy only appeared in the aftermath to interrogate a single survivor, whom they had kept alive for the purpose.

"What have you done with the Hauberk of Angmar?" she asked darkly, throttling the poor spy to make her point. The brave survivor insisted they were not spies and thieves, but simple diplomats. Landy glared at him, and asked sarcastically, "Then where is the ambassador?" Without waiting for a response, she tossed aside his corpse like a dirty rag.

"Commander tear this Thief Hunt apart until you've found that hauberk, and bring me any locals, I want them alive!" she shouted.

[Zôrzimril]

Zôr's back was aching both from her time at the Pits and from carrying around so many bottles. She had stocked up well at On the Rocks for what was sure to be another raucous reunion with Frost, whenever she found him. (The alcohol would also be a good way to wash away the memories of what she thought was a run-in with the ghost of the hoppit that Gwai had killed not too long ago.)

She paused amid the decrepit buildings surrounding the pub once more, gently deposited her bag on the ground (it wouldn't do to waste so much booze by throwing her bag and shattering the bottles), and pondered the possibilities. Where would her delicious prey go to hide? Frost had been known to get up to hijinks with wargs in the Towers of No Return, so she decided to head that way. She picked up her laden bag once more. Zôr still was not armed or armored and wouldn't have said no to wearing the Hauberk of Angmar to this particular destination.

[The Good Hunter]

“Worse than Narv in a trivia match” was a very unfair saying. Narv was not at all bad at trivia, for a cave troll. However, the phrase did have poignant meaning right now. Frost’s hiding skills were apparently just as theoretically bad as the charismatic cave troll’s trivia knowledge. It was a close call, escaping Zôr. He had been too distracted with some of the strangely adorable warglings (he might have stolen one or two) and nearly got caught! How could he, Frost, get so caught up in petting wargs? Yes, yes they were adorable and now that he has some he can keep them at home but that was not the point!

Leaving the Towers of No Return behind (and obviously having no plans on returning to them), Frost began to calculate his next move. It was going to have to be fast, Zôr very nearly caught him back there and if he was going to have any chance at winning, he needed to think fast. He thought for a moment about the Pub, but that was a bad idea, between the mess Grobby had undoubtedly left and the fact that it was far too obvious, he would be caught before he took two steps inside. No, he was going to turn south. Head toward the beach at Nurnen, maybe have a special drink or two there.

There was just one thing he needed to do first, that was manage to cross a field of Lava Snakes. Why did he need to do this, you ask. Well, His lava snake at home needed a mate, and she was very picky about who she picked. The last three he brought her, she ate. Perhaps this bunch might prove an adequate suitor? Though, even if it did. He was already carrying two warglings, a lava snake was just going to complicate things. Best come back later.

[Moriel]

The thief has NOT been found!
The item HAS been found!
The hiding place has NOT been found!

You are all very lucky so far... only a matter of time until someone springs a trap...

[The Good Hunter]

Frost could not shake the feeling that he was being followed. Technically yes he knew he was, Zôr was trying to find him, but this sensation of being followed was different, more sinister and less sexy. Okay, that last bit is debatable, he had seen Sil wandering about aimlessly near the where he’d left the lava snakes. However he hadn’t been sure if Sil was Sil just then or if it was more Naokis in control of things and that made him less inclined to visit (not that he didn’t enjoy Naokis as much as he enjoyed Sil of course, Naokis just required more brain power to understand at times).

They hadn’t followed him, at least that he’d noticed but they were a craft wench and could have waited. But why would Sil be following him? Yes, this was definitely sinister and not sexy, even if it was Sil that was following him (which for all he knew it wasn’t, he was in Cirith Ungol so there could be a few things following). The drip, drip, drip of water somewhere on the passageway was getting on Frost’s nerves. The pitch was all wrong and the rhythm was irregular. This was not a good place to hide, he decided. The warglings seemed to agree with that assessment wholeheartedly and yipped with glee when he came back out the other side (only having seen a few normal sized spiders).

So the question became, where to next? Back to the herd of Lava Snakes? The towers? Home? Nan Morlith would certainly be a more comfortable spot to get “caught” in, but that seemed far too lazy. Still though, he needed to drop off the warglings, they kept licking his face and distracting him. He needed to focus. Why was he getting a hankering for yucca fries all of the sudden? He wasn’t even quite sure what they were but he wanted to try them, preferably with a garlic aioli.

[KingODuckingham]

Unbeknownst to Landy, the Hauberk of Angmar was already far away, having been given to an Eagle named Uruva by Thali just before her group was ambushed by the orcs. The Eagle carried the hauberk swiftly away, straight into A Cloud of Ash, so that it could not be seen by watchful eyes from the outside. There were very few life forms within the cloud, so hopefully the hauberk would stay hidden from Landy, but at the same time, one had to wonder...how would it fall into the right hands? It was just the moment for someone to step up and be a hero. And to save Thali from interrogation and torture by the forces of evil. But who could there possibly be within a cloud of ash?

[Zôrzimril]

Unlucky at the Towers of No Return, Zôr had still paused to see the wargs. There were tales of the things Frost had done with (or had done to him by) wargs, and she wanted to lay eyes on the creatures. A nursing mother, by the look of her, surged forward with hackles raised when Zôrzimril approached. She was defensive, almost as if she was lashing out for some reason. Zôr wondered vaguely if someone had harmed her or taken something from her recently. She shrugged. The troubles of wargs were not her first priority at the moment (or at any moment, really). Lava Snakes and cats were far more her style.

Animals aside, Zôr refocused on the task at hand: finding Frost so she could put down this bloody heavy bag and have a few drinks at last. Maybe they could settle down into this or That Dark Corner for their first round. So where could he be? Perhaps he'd run to his friend Krumhûr for shelter and to eat some waffles together (surely he must be hungry by now). She had no idea where the man lived but set off toward a more run-down area of Mordor. She could start by interrogating the locals if needed.

[Dimcairien Luiniel]

Unfortunately, the vicinity of the rocks was not the location of the thief. As Zarâm left the rocks, she wondered if Grobby had been seen anywhere lately. The odd little creature was likely to have made off with the Lava Snakes, if its obsession with them in the pub that one evening had anything to say about its personality. Of course, the most likely hiding place in that scenario would naturally be Grobby's Cupboard, it was a very good hiding places, for items and thieves alike.

[Moriel]

The thief has NOT been found!
The item HAS been found!
The hiding place HAS been found!

@KingODuckingham within the Cloud of Ash you have stumbled upon the Tar Pit! Here the thief has cunningly concealed a deep, wide tar pit beneath the floor and you must swim or otherwise make your way out of the hot, sticky morass before hunting again.

@Dimcairien Luiniel within Grobby's Cupboard you have stumbled upon the Covered Pit of Stakes! You immediately fall into the dug out pit to your untimely doom and cannot play for the remainder of this round (until the thief has been found and we start again)! You are free however to describe your torment or/and death and haunting of other players as the round proceeds.

[The Good Hunter]

His trip back home had been nice, but It ha been risky. Zôr knew where he lived and would likely be checking the place soon. As much as he might enjoy being caught by her, he also enjoyed the thrill of the chase. There was no way he wanted it to end soon. To that end, Frost began thinking of obstacles he could put in her way. He knew Gwai was about somewhere. She had recently killed a Hobbit, thinking it was all a dream but, well either she was still dreaming or she was coming to the realization that it wasn't a dream because she was still here in Mordor. How could Frost use that to his advantage?

Aha! Of course! The answer seemed so obvious now. Convince Gwai that Zôr had stolen a Lava Snake and her “thief hunt” skills would automatically kick in. From there, Frost would be able to throw Zôr off the scent. Could Zôr evade Gwai whilst also hunting him down? The Woman most undoubtedly could, but at least it would provide him enough time to get ahead. The only question that remained was where he would hide out and wait for her.

That Dark Corner of On the Rocks looked appealing, if not completely exposed from behind. Would she think to look here again? Doubtless she’d already been there and crossed it off her list of potential spots. Until a better place presented itself, Frost decided to stay put. It would simply not do to get caught out in the open. Though maybe that would lead to a picnic and those were always welcomed, even by the denizens of the black lands.

[Gwai]

Stopping for a drink was sounding better and better. An innocent little Lava Snake has been stolen, and Gwai felt more inclined to hunt a bit quicker. She needed a new lava snake anyway. Maybe she could keep it! She'd make sure to feed him, give him water, exercise him, give him all the lava he wanted...she shook her head. She'd have to find him soon. Someone quite nefarious must have taken this hypothetical lava snake, and Gwai felt sure it was probably Tarawen. She was probably hiding in the Ringwraith Review, thinking that would protect her. Best think again!

[Zôrzimril]

Zôr was lost in thought, imagining all the ways having a Lava Snake might be to her benefit. It could help rid her cramped living space of the vermin that scuttled in occasionally, which would make it all the more inviting for folks like Frost to visit. A lava snake could also provide heat when needed, and it could help her poison enemies quickly. But where to find one? If she was lucky, a friendly snake would simply appear from the shadows in That Dark Corner over there and eliminate the need to expend effort in acquiring one. And maybe Frost would also emerge from the shadowy corner to greet her, all pretense of "hiding" and "seeking" forgotten ... Right. She was supposed to be looking for him. He'd not been at Krumhûr's house, and no matter what she'd done to try charming the man, he wouldn't give up Frost's true whereabouts. She'd have to escalate the interrogation to Elenhir next, and who knew how he'd respond to her overtures? She reached into her bag, popped open a bottle, and took a swig of wine. This was just a tasting, though, a teaser before the true party. She would have to locate something to pair with the fine wine, she mused. Something with syrup might be in order.

[Dimcairien Luiniel]

"AHHHHHHH" screamed Zarâm as she fell down into the covered pit of stakes, unfortunately to her demise. Before she could scream or shout anything else, her body hit the ground and was impaled. And then something surreal happened. She began to float upward and observed her prone body lying there, with all sorts of stakes poking through it. Her spirit gave an involuntary shudder. "Ooh, I can go through things now," she murmured. "Hmm, who do I want to go and haunt?" She floated up and out of the cupboard and the pub, looking for a certain someone to try and disturb while they continued to hunt for a thief.

[Moriel]

The thief has NOT been found!
The item HAS been found!
The hiding place has NOT been found!

@Gwai within the Ringwraith Review you have stumbled upon the Fell Beast's Lair! The thief has been clever enough to abduct a fellbeast and you waste a great deal of time running from the hungry, angry creature. You must RP your way out of the situation and may not guess until the next turn.

[The Good Hunter]

Okay, okay, okay. What to do now. He had nearly been cornered by Zôr in the pub. Someone must have given up his location. Krum? Elenhir? Surely the surly man would not succumb to her wiles, but stranger things had happened before. She could do something to the cheekbones that… no not right now. Focus. Focus now or a giant Cloud of Ash is going to come sweeping along and ruin everything. Where could he go? Where could he go that he wouldn't be given up in a heartbeat? He had definitely meet his match. Was there even a point to hiding now? Should he just walk out into the open and let her catch him?

No! This was to much fun. Now quit bloviating and get out of there! Back to the Lava Snake hole (for lack of a better place name), because It was so fascinating to watch. No, pay attention! Lava snakes later. This was a serious game with stakes after all. So where would he go next? He felt the walls closing in around him. She was shutting of avenues of escape every time she inched nearer. Under the floorboards of the pub it was, as least until Zôr finished inspecting the place.

Under the floor, Frost had time to think, yes he did engage in thinking, no matter what Thali had told Taethowen. His world had expanded exponentially recently and he was not sure how all the puzzle pieces fit together. Grobby, Taeth, Zôr, this nagging feeling that something else was out there that was a part of him, it was all a bit much. Still, he wouldn't change anything. He was happy with it all. He was hungry though, waffles sounded fanatic. Did Zôr like waffles?

[Gwai]

The minute she entered the Ringwraith Review Gwai realized she had made a mistake. There, once more, was her friend the fell beast. Or at least, she assumed it was the same one that she had recently hypnotized, and also had lured to Cirith Ungol to make friends with Shelob. Perhaps that friendship had not turned out well, because he looked...miffed, judging from the loud roaring, snarling, and drooling he was doing.

Should she just fight him this time? Run? She was starting to run out of options. She instead opted for bribery. Fortunately she always carried carrot slices for her own horse, and she decided a bit of training was just the thing the angry fell beast needed.

Putting on her sternest voice, she walked up to him. "Sit down right now!" she yelled. He just looked at her. "I said sit!" she bellowed, channeling her inner drill sergeant. The fell beast looked surprised, but did as she said. Gwai was a bit surprised herself when he did so, and concluded he must have had either a very good visit with Shelob, or was still partially hypnotized from last time. "Good boy," she said, throwing him the carrot slices from a distance, not loving the idea of getting closer. While he snuffled around looking for the slices, Gwai took the opportunity to run the opposite direction.

[Zôrzimril]

Was that Frost? A figure had fled from the shadowy corner when Zôr approached. She had been too slow to catch whoever it was and so sucked her teeth in disappointment. She turned slowly where she stood, floorboards creaking (perhaps an unusual amount?) beneath her. She took another drink and replaced the bottle in her bag. Sighing, Zôr resigned herself to further seeking.

She was considering leaving but paused for a moment, hearing something continuing to move beneath the floor. Was it ghosts again?! Or perhaps a hidden pit of snakes? That decided it. She had to leave. No more ghostly encounters for this woman, and she only cared to find one Lava Snake, not a whole pit of them, thank you very much. She'd only accept a pit of snakes if Frost had killed and grilled them all first. She'd rather enjoyed the green chile.

Zôr considered her next move as she stepped out of the pub. And then of course the thrill of the chase came back to her. There were lots of places to hide in Cirith Ungol - she knew that from experience. As much as the smells of the place grossed her out, she couldn't deny that it was a clever place to hide. She headed in that direction. If she couldn't find Frost there, she'd have to approach Tzu for some help.

[KingODuckingham]

OOC: @Moriel Don't wanna cheat here. The trap reads that I must RP before guessing again, but most of the traps say just wait a round. I missed last round just because I wasn't on plaza for about 36 hours. Am I still stuck in a tar pit or can I guess because a round has gone by? I'll do whatever you say (obviously)

[Moriel]

@KingODuckingham Please still RP your escape, thanks! I'll adjust the trap wording to make it more clear

[KingODuckingham]

Landy was certainly endeavouring to find those missing plans, but was hindered in the cloud of ash by a most wretched hive of tar, scum, and villainy. None of her troops could turn anything up, no matter how many of the locals they interrogated or detained. It would appear the rider carrying the stolen plans had concealed themselves most cunningly, and had not themselves fallen into the tar pit. Perhaps that could come later, if ever she could get her hands on them. For now, it was enough to herself take a bath, and station minions at all the entrances and exits she could find to the cloud of ash, and wait to see who would appear. In the meantime, she had to return to the Barad-dur and have a meeting with the other higher-ups in Sauron's forces. What a bureaucratic nightmare that was sure to be! They didn't respect her power, and considered her something of a pet dog on a leash. Well, she would be sure to show them.

[Moriel]

The thief has NOT been found!
The item HAS been found!
The hiding place HAS been found!

@Gwai and @KingODuckingham you may now hunt again!

@Frostbite within the Cloud of Ash you have stumbled upon the Tar Pit! Here the thief has cunningly concealed a deep, wide tar pit beneath the floor and you must swim or otherwise make your way out of the hot, sticky morass before hunting again.

[The Good Hunter]

shire balls! Mother baggins! Dammit it all! Frost was still in a tar pit. A freaking tar pit! Of all the rotten pieces of luck. Of course it would happen right after he slipped from Zôr’s grasp at the pub. Hiding under the floorboards had been a stroke of genius! Too bad he had bout also had the presence of mind to make horse noises. Of course none of that mattered anymore! He was stuck in a tar pit! How the living hell was he supposed to get out of this? It would be really nice to have a fell beast right Now to pull him free. Of course he didn't have one so he had to settle for a branch that was just, just out of reach. He wasn't sinking, not that he could tell at least, but he was going nowhere in a big damn hurry. He was making haste very slowly. If this kept but, Zôr wad going to find him and being stuck in a tar pit was not the sexy position he had envisioned being found in. Come on! Reach! Reach! fredegar! Come on! There, there! He grabbed the pathetic bush, of course it had thorns, and nearly yanked the entire stupid thing into the pit with him. Thankfully though, he managed to pull himself just enough out rust he could touch the earth on the other side. Finally! Now he needed a bath and a change of clothes, and a bandage for his hand. Wait. Was that Zôr in the distance? Or Gwai? He couldn’t tell from all the dust and ash in the air. Either way, he did not want to be seem like this.

[Gwai]

"Cirith Ungol is the place to be!
Spider haunts is the life for me!
Tunnels spreadin' out so far and wide,
Keep your towns, just give me that web'd tunnels!"

Gwai sang as she left the fell beast munching on carrot sticks, not thrilled with her last line of the song. Where was Dimcairien? She was probably good at song lyrics, and Gwai definitely needed the help. And where the heck was Frost? Probably looking for the Lava Snake. Or drinking in the pub. She sighed. Why hadn't she gone to the pub? Her feet were getting sore.

[Zôrzimril]

A drip, drip, dripping sound echoed quietly through the pass of Cirith Ungol. Zôr moved as quietly as possible so as not to give away her approach. Fredding fred, there were a lot of potential hiding places in here. It had been to her advantage to come here when she was the hider, but it was going to prove a lot of work as the seeker. The stench was horrible, as usual. Maybe she could train her future Lava Snake to wrap itself gently around her head, covering her nose to keep out unpleasant smells, which were naturally abundant in Mordor and Umbar.

If she found Frost in the pass, she would insist that they leave this place for the comforts of . . . somewhere. Just not here. Maybe they could emulate the grossly pleasant lives of elves like Dimcairien. What would a pleasant life look like? she wondered. It would certainly involve Frost and more oysters. But beyond that, she wasn't quite sure.

[KingODuckingham]

Tarawen was traveling with her uncle out to hire some help for the family farm. It was quite the trip out to Cirith Ungol, but that was where the Haradrim came to peddle their goods scavenged from all over Ithilien and beyond. They were a strange folk, hiding their faces from the scorching heat of their homeland and chattering in an exotic tongue that was so fast it became hard to follow. Tara still appreciated the chance to get out of the house, though. She longed for adventure. She was always looking for an excuse to ride the Lava Snake out into the desert, seeing nothing but hoping for something. This shopping trip was hardly "something", but everything changed when they made today's hire. But that's a story for the morrow.

OOC: This might be a really dumb question but is it possible for some location to contain a trap and yet still be the correct location?

[Moriel]

@KingODuckingham et al, in case anyone else missed this change to the OP, which began in Series II:

IMPORTANT: With the exception of the Pit of Stakes, just because a location has a trap, does NOT mean it is not the correct location. You might just have to try more than once to get the right combination...

So, yes! And it has been on more than occasion already

[Dimcairien Luiniel]

Zarâm floated up and out of the building, looking for someone she could possibly haunt. Was that Frost she spotted, trying to get himself out of a tarpit? She flew over to where he was and lightly brushed past him, hoping to startle him just a bit. He was a mess, but just as handsome as ever. Life was a bit boring as a ghost, at least at the moment, but hopefully there would be plenty of ways to freak out the various hunters as they went about their searches.

[Moriel]

The thief has NOT been found!
The item HAS been found!
The hiding place has NOT been found!

@Frostbite, you may now hunt again!

[The Good Hunter]

There was no other way forward. Frost hated it but, well since when does everything go your way? He had just crawled out of the tar pit when he realized something had fallen off while he was stuck (no, not that get your mind out of the gutter). While still covered in black, sticky, flammable tar, Frost realized he felt a little too light. Oh no! His pack was missing. He was wiping his fingers off on his pant leg when he realized it was missing. It was not that he cared so much about the pack itself so much as what was inside it: cactus, or more precisely, nopales, that he planned on surprising Zôr with. It would not do to have them sink to the bottom of a tar pit, not after the effort he went through to get Túrin to get them for him.

With a great, dramatic sigh, he waded back into the tar pit, but not before tying a rope around the trunk of a dead tree some few paces off. It was sturdy enough that he could pull himself out without too much issue. What was going to cause an issue was the Cloud of Ash that was coming his way again. Tar was bad enough, ash on top of that? He wad going to need an entirely new set of clothing. What he had plans for didn't involve much, but still, it was the principle of it.

Just a few steps in, Frost growled angrily. A Lava Snake had apparently also thought it worth the risk to wade into the tar pit for the nopales. It was making straight line (as much as a snake could while moving through tar) for the pack. If Frost did not hurry up, he was going to lose them not to the black sludge, but to a belligerently stupid snake.

[Zôrzimril]

Zôr had searched every nook and cranny she could access in Cirith Ungol to no avail. It was time to move on. She moved the strap of her bag from her left shoulder to her right in the hope that this would ease the ache in her low back. At this, another potential use for a Lava Snake dawned on her: if she was right in guessing they could emanate heat from their bodies at will, it could serve as a heating pad for her aches and pains.

Back to the game, though. Where to next? She considered visiting Frost's own house (he would have some hidden rooms in there, she mused) but that was far away and she was tired from the long descent out of Cirith Ungol. The wasteland of Mordor with its countless hidey holes stretched before her. She had just decided to visit Tzu when a thick Cloud of Ash blew in from nowhere.

The woman coughed and covered her nose and mouth with her hands to keep out the larger particles. She crouched low, head down, hoping the cloud would just pass her by. Who could she blame for this? All she'd wanted was a nice game of hide and seek with Frost to elevate the tension a bit, preferably ending with another lovely meal. Túrin had been known to blow hot air around, and so it was him she decided to blame.

[KingODuckingham]

Tara's uncle had hired out a fellow named Túrin, but he had immediately ditched the family farm for a Cloud of Ash instead of showing up to work. The nerve of that guy! Tara was tasked with tracking him down and bringing him back to the farm, or canceling his contract. It was a difficult trip. The weather was hot, sandy, and of course, there was tons of ash flying around everywhere. Fortunately she had a heat and motion detector that should help her locate any stray life forms. She also was riding the Lava Snake, after promising her uncle she would bring it back safely. He really was protective of the old nag. She soon spotted Turin, who appeared to have gotten into a spot of trouble.

[Gwai]

Singing notwithstanding, Gwai was feeling significantly more cheerful as she continued looking for the infamous Lava Snake. She hummed under her breath the chorus of her song, the thought of a drink coming up was spurring her on. She still thought perhaps she should swing by the pub, but on her way to a Cloud of Ash she was distracted as she ran into Túrin. Literally, not figuratively. She scrambled to her feet, dusting off her bumflap. It was highly suspicious, how fast he took off around the corner. Who wouldn't stop and help her up? Although she didn't blame anyone for trying to escape the ash cloud. She was probably going to get a sinus infection.

[Moriel]

The thief has NOT been found!
The item HAS been found!
The hiding place HAS been found!

@Frostbite, @Tarawen, @KingODuckingham, @Gwai, within the Cloud of Ash you have ALL stumbled upon the Tar Pit! Here the thief has cunningly concealed a deep, wide tar pit beneath the floor and you must swim or otherwise make your way out of the hot, sticky morass before hunting again. For extra bonus points that are worth absolutely nothing, feel free to help or hinder each other.

[Dimcairien Luiniel]

A very amused Zarâm floated above the tar pit, her ghostly toes skimming across the top. It looked like everyone was having a delightful time in the tar pit, though perhaps someone should let them know that it wasn't a bathtub? What was it with these strange individuals? If there was one perk to currently being a ghost, it was that she could hover around the dreaded tar pit without getting stuck. "Hello!" she called out in a ghostly voice, wondering if anyone would notice her presence.

[Zôrzimril]

The passing cloud of ash seemed to have had magical properties, for she was suddenly transported to a place with floorboards and a tar pit beneath them. "What the actual - ?!" Zôr cried, her feet sinking into the pit. She quickly removed her bag and tossed it onto solid ground. Saving the alcohol was critical.

She was up to her waist in the slick stuff now. Fortunately, she was wearing black, so the tar would not stain her dress. But could the garment be salvaged? This was a question for later, she decided, when she noticed multiple other figures struggling in the tar, too. Was that Gwai? And a wizard? And - holy shireballs, she had found Frost! She had won the game! In her excitement she almost tried to swim over to him to yell "BOO!" and scare him, but she thought better of it. That was not exactly the most sultry way to greet someone with whom you hoped to have dinner.

Zôr noticed that someone had tied a rope to a nearby tree and moved slowly toward it. She reached the edge of the pit and grasped for the rope (maybe she and Frost could keep it for later) and heaved herself up and out of the gooey mess.

Her self-preservation instincts kicked in and she almost walked away. Then she recalled that it would be in her interest to save Frost. She should probably help Gwai, too. She didn't need more Rohirric ghosts following her around. And FINE maybe she could save that weird wizard. She tied the rope to her waist (this seemed familiar) and leaned over the pit to offer her hand to whoever was closest. "I promise this is for real," she said with a smirk.

[Gwai]

Where a tar pit came from in the midst of a cloud of ash, Gwai had no idea, but she soon found herself floundering in one, along with Frost, Zôr, and Ducky. Misery loves company, and all that! And unlike Zôr, she had not had the foresight to wear black. Her clothes were most definitely ruined, and the tar was probably never coming out of her hair. This would have been a good time to be a ghost, she reflected.

She tried to swim through the gooey blackness that was the tar pit. Zôr was ahead of her, and had reached for a markedly convenient rope, and had managed to pull herself out. Gwai felt a momentary flash of jealousy, which turned to pure shock as Zôr actually turned back, offering a hand.

Was this for real? Gwai could hardly get into a tighter fix at this point, and struggled toward Zôr, gratefully accepting the offered hand, although still not completely convinced she wouldn't be pushed back into the tar pit. Or worse.

[The Good Hunter]

Well this was a pleasant surpise! As the rolling cloud of ash cleared it seemed that everyone had had the same idea as Frost! Everyone in Mordor should jump into the tar pit and… do whatever it is that people do in tar pits. Did people do things in tar pits? Was that a kink he needed to explore? No. At least not right now. Right now he had other things to explore. Speaking of exploring, apparently Zôr had found him! While it was not the desired end of the game, or at least the desired location for the end of the game, he was happy to have it over. Trying to find a hiding place in a location as vast and wide as Mordor should have been easy but either she was a very good seeker (very likely) or he was absolute billferny at hiding (also probable). Whatever the reason was, he was going to get out of the tar pit and well now! Was that Gwai in there as well? That was certainly an unexpected surprise. He wondered, as he pulled himself and precious cactus plants out of the muck, if she thought this was all real or if it was a dream. Was it a dream? Was he a part of her dream? Was he real? No, don’t do that now is not the time.

He rolled out of the pit, covered in the ichorous mess. His clothes were ruined. He watched as Zôr tied a rope around her waist to help pull Gwai out and, yes, he could not resist coming up behind her and yell “AHHHHH! You found me!”

Satisfying that odd urge, he helped her pull Gwai, who was very much not dreaming, out of the tar pit. He saw the wizard out of the corner of his and wondered how strange it was that a wizard should be stuck in a tar pit. Couldn’t he just blink himself out? Frost would love that ability. Maybe he wasn’t that kind of wizard though. What kind of wizard was he? The kind that got himself stuck in tar pits, that’s what kind.

[Moriel]

@Frostbite, @Tarawen, @Gwai, you may now hunt again!

[The Good Hunter]

Well the gang was all here. Only, what were they supposed to do now? Frost and Zôr and been on a salacious game of hide and seek and Gwai had been… doing actual work, but now they were all sitting together, covered in thick, nasty tar and good layer of volcanic ash and ruined clothing. The more Frost thought about it, the more he realized that Cloud of Ash should have been the death of them all several times over. After all, it wasn’t the lava the killed most people, it was the ash, the hot burning, cover you in an instant from head to foot ash that claimed most people. He was not about to complain of course. Why would he? Hey deity somewhere up there, why are the three of us still alive after falling into a tar pit and getting covered in volcanic ash? Sounds like something you shouldn’t press.

All of this climbing in and out of tar pits (Frost really hoped he was done with that for now) had made him hungry. Naturally, the craving consisted of wine, cactus, and grilled Lava Snake. Would Gwai and Zôr be amenable to a meal at the pub? Just the meal of course, the tangle of potential problems arising from anything more than a meal with these two women was not something Frost was too eager to test. That was deadlier than tar and hot ash.

At the pub and grilling a few snakes he’d caught lurking around Grobby’s cupboard, Frost began to think back to his conversation with Tzu the other day about a lava snake that turned into a Hobbit. What was his name? Jorgy? Or at least that was his name now. How in all the leaping hells did that actually happen anyway? It made absolutely no sense the more time he devoted to thinking about it. He had been spared between Tzu telling him and now with being far too busy to contemplate such a random, incredibly strange event. There were far too many weird avenues of thought that this Jorgy conundrum could lead down and it was not worth the headache, since there was no way to figure it out and he had ladies waiting on food.