(004) The West Hall

[waysoftheearth]

mushgnome wrote:
Sili: "Vestri, help bring the fallen human back to camp, and tell Miodvintir of your heroism. Hepti my friend, time to earn a battle-scar of your own, we hunt trolls by your torch-light!"

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tombowings wrote:
"Let us regroup the formation before continuing." suggests Elindir. "What say you all to scouts up front, so do we continue as a company?"

[waysoftheearth]

ehiker133 wrote:
"Aye, agreed," replies Norin, who isn't a scout.

[img]images/smiley/smiley.png[/img]

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ragnorakk wrote:
Celglin will help take Grim outside

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tonneau wrote:
Legandir stands and readies his Rivendell bow, fitting an arrow to its string, and walks silently to the head of the southwest passage, where he awaits the detailed (and noisy) preparations of the rest of the party.

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waysoftheearth wrote:
Celglin and Vestri will need a light, and likely an escort also, to return the body of Grim the Dunderling to the surface.

The ever practical ranger Dernfara volunteers for this duty. He sheaths his two straight, bright swords, and then picks up his glowing lantern, and says grimly to Celglin "Perhaps you should take this light, for the weight of a dead Man will soon weary you..."

Celglin quickly sees the logic in this, and picks up the lantern, while the strong Dernfara and Vestri carry the burdensome body. The three of them begin the long trip down the stairs...

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
As the footfalls and light of Dernfara, Celglin and Vestri vanish down the great stair, the remainder of the company form up into their (depleted) marching order, as follows;



Front

.....
.e.g.
.....
.....
.s.n.
.O.L.
.l.t.
.E.h. Hepti's torch
.A.N.
.b.a.
.u.I.
.B.H.
..S.. Soval's lantern
.....

Rear

A Ardenbard a Largo
B Barald... b Baraglin
C ......... c
D ......... d
E Eremin... e Elindir
G ......... g Legandir
H Hallam... h Hepti
I Einar.... i
L Dalain... l Lomeluin
N Nat...... n Norin
O Eohild... o
S Soval.... s Sili
T ......... t Telthalion
U ......... u Burmon
V ......... v

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
And at last the company is underway again.

Now they cross the mighty West Hall following the central road that runs between the two files of huge columns, with Elindir and Legandir moving near silently a-front of the shunk, shunk, shunk of the marching column.

As they march, Ardenbard notes for the first time that there appears to be a long, rule-straight strip of metal, perhaps 2" wide set into the ground...


Meanwhile, the light of Hepti's lone torch is dim, scarcely lighting the way ahead of the Half-Elves, regardless of their sharp eyes. Thoughts of lighting their own lanterns cross the minds, not for the first time, lest some foe come unseen upon them in the dark.


Now after a short march the company reaches the bodies of the felled Trolls, and very shortly after they reach the long dark passage from whence some of the monsters did came.

The stink of Trolls and Orcs hangs in the air like a fog... but for the low light Elindir and Legandir can scarcely see a dozen yards further into the passage, which is very broad and high. It looks to be at least 20ft broad, and almost as high... the ceiling peaks in the center, and at the great entrance way, there hangs a massive iron lantern, decades cold if not centuries.

What now?

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doctorx wrote:
Lmluin's elvish senses are alert for the presence of anything secret or concealed within the stone halls and corridors of Moria.

He is an experienced enough warrior not to let his eagerness to locate the Trolls' lair smother his caution - it has kept him alive these long years...

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tombowings wrote:
Elindir will move quietly to different positions around the room, attempting to discern where the smell of filth is more powerful.