I don’t believe either of you jokers was in earshot of what was, after all, a private conversation. :mad: 
Thoroncir will visit the Glittering Caves with great interest, and walk the walls of Helm’s Deep, looking out over the plain and remembering what he’s read and been told about the great battle against the Orc army of Saruman so many years before. He invites Gilraen along.
Please read here for details of Helm’s Deep and here for the Glittering Caves.
Gilraen is eager to walk the walls and to see the Glittering Caves. She has never had the chance before. The walls are steeped in history and the caves are brilliant. They are well lit and the chambers and arches and columns are beautiful. Gwaelur would probably be happy to escort the Princess and his companions through most of the chambers.
Thanks for the links, DM.
With any of the party who care to join him, Sir Thoroncir will also pay his respects at the two burial mounds of Rohan’s honored war dead.
Ghân would very much like to do this.
indicates large upswept ears Hello? 
I can’t speak for Wose hearing, but I understand that Wild Man courtship entails the male reciting poetry while the female throws things. The two are possibly not unconnected, from what I’ve heard of Ghân’s poems.
To the sights, then, and to pipe a poignant and mournful air by the burial mounds. And also to see the wondrous caves where, as is told, an Elf held himself mastered in a contest of words, saying only the Dwarves could properly speak of them.
Gwaelur has been quiet, even somber as the party approached Aglarond. He had been away from home for a long time. And as they got closer the memory of the past came flooding back to him. He remembers the first days with Gimli and the others, the grounding of colonization, making a home for himself.
His mind wanders back further to the days before they came to Aglarond. Back to the blood and smoke of the battle of Dale, to the friends from childhood that he has lost. Coming home can be so bittersweet. On the road it’s easy to forget, easy to distract yourself with adventure and action and hard living. And he will be back to the road soon, Gwaelur knows this. But for now he is home, his adopted home, the home he helped carve out and reclaim with his own two hands and his hammer.
As they enter the city Gwaelur breaths deep and a single tear drops from his face and he lays his eyes once again on the stunning beauty of the glittering caves. He will never grow tired of the sight. He smiles, he is home.
“Princess, Thoroncir, friend Ghan, I would be most honored to escort you and anyone else who wishes to join us to the buriel mounds and around the caves in general. And then I would like to invite you all to dine with me at my home. Welcome to Aglarond.”
Deor will be with him.
Elfstan will go on the tour with Gwaelur. While touring the tower of the Hornburg, he can’t help but wonder what the horn would sound like if sounded by a Hobbit.
He also wonders what the penalty would be if he got caught… not that he would do it… get caught that is.
The party explores historic Hornburg and Helm’s Deep. When they approach the way to the Horn, a nervous guard asks if either of the Holbytlan are Tooks? When he is told one is, he informs them that the way to the Horn is closed today. He apologizes profusely. Gwaelur might recall and incident a dozen years ago when a visiting Faramir Took son of Peregrin did take it upon himself to try the Horn. It caused a bit of chaos and minor panic in the area. Three people and a horse got hurt. Worse yet Faramir is one of Elfstan’s favorite Uncles, married to Goldilocks Gardner.
Princess Gilraen is honored to be escorted by Gwaelur around his famous home. The floors of Aglarond of now of colored polish marble and set so as to compliment the crystalline walls of Aglarond itself. Off the main passages, the floors are still of fine sand but often these are mixed carefully with colorful sands and pebbles to make intricate designs. The lanterns are magnificent and seem to be larger and better versions of the travel Lanterns. Gwaelur explains that they can produce as much light as a normal lantern and yet burn for 10 times longer.
The slender natural columns of white, yellow, and rose have been shaped into greater beauty. Many are just patterns but some are of past glories and others of future hope. Gems and crystals and veins of precious ore glint in the polished walls; and the light glows through folded marbles, shell-like, translucent as the living hands of Queen Galadriel. There are columns of white and saffron and dawn-rose, fluted and twisted into dreamlike forms; they spring up from many-coloured floors to meet the glistening pendants of the roof: wings, ropes, curtains fine as frozen clouds; spears, banners, pinnacles of suspended palaces!”[sup]1[/sup]
In one great chamber that is exceptionally beautiful, there is a crystal table with a glowing block of imperishable crystal containing three golden hairs. It sits amid a small perfectly round reflecting pool. The room glitters and shines. Gwaelur tells the story of Gimli’s gift from the Lady of the Galadhrim. Gil-Gandel knows this story well and Elfstan remembers it from the Red Book. Gil-Gandel will comment that the Lady said, “Gimli son of Glóin, that your hands shall flow with gold, and yet over you gold shall have no dominion.” [sup]2[/sup]
The Dwarves found many ore veins in Aglarond and gems and crystals beyond count though no Mithril of course. The smithies are glorious even to those that don’t know anything of smithing. No mere blacksmith shops are these. The various smithies include many glass and crystal works, Gold and Silver smiths and toy smiths. There are armouries where Gwaelur use to work and his cousin still does. Weapon smiths making wondrous weapons and of course the makings of everyday items that coming from Aglarond will last a lifetime. It is very glorious. One thing of notice, the great halls in has only small doors 6’ tall and 5’ wide. It would be very hard for an older dragon of any size to get beyond the front halls and into the town of Aglarond itself.
In Hornburg itself the Dwarves have several large stone shops set up where some assembly is done of larger items and everyday items are for sale. There are many Dwarves and human apprentices here. There are even three Hobbits working with the Dwarves. Curunauth is utterly engaged and enthralled by all that he sees. He is especially entranced by the sword smiths and crystal smiths. He returns to them when the tour is done and stays without eating or sleeping working and talking to his fellow smiths until the party collects him the next day. He is given a welcome to return whenever he wishes. A great respect and friendship grew between the Master Weapon Smith and Curunauth in their short hours together.
Lorliana is also excited by the living history, but nowhere near what Curunauth has obviously experienced. She picks Deor for every detail he knows of Helm’s Deep the next few days.
The Dwarves have apparently turned over much of there goods and replaced them with goods from Rohan and Aglarond in the last few days. They look forward to Tharbad, Bree and Fornost and then the Shire and Ered Luin.
[sup]1[/sup] Lifted nearly verbatim from the Two Towers Chapter 8The Road to Isengard.
[sup]2[/sup] A direct quote from the Fellowship of the Ring. Chapter 8 Farewell to Lórien
Nicely played, Sir!
After hearing the stories from Helm’s Deep so often from his grandfather Brego, Deor can recite the order of battle and many of the stories of the defenders by heart. Indeed, it’s easier than ever now that he can see the battlements for himself. He’ll spend a few hours with Lorliana tracking the ebbs and tides of the battle, maybe even using Levitation to get a birds-eye view.
Lorliana who is nearly as tall as Deor who is but 5’7" and by far the smallest man of his family, clutches tightly to Deor as she accepts the ride with great timidity. She is grateful for the ride and amazed by the view. This also catches the eyes of many below, not often are such wizardly powers shown.
She thanks him and says with some regret, “I wish I had trained as a Mage and not just a sage. Please forgive my clutching you so tightly, I did not realize you are but skin and bones. You are strangely strong for your size or is that part of the magic of the spell?”
RogueRacer, thank you.
As to Elf ears, it’s a good thing you didn’t say “pointed.” The DM might have called a foul.
So Woses are like Klingons now in their mating rituals, are they? :dubious:
What Exit?, some great imagery for the caves. Thanks.
"And truly her blessing has come true a hundredfold, for Aglarond is the wonder of the modern age and is a fount of gold and wealth, while of all Lords the most unspoiled by wealth and power is Gimli Elf-friend, who I deem would give up all his possessions and prestige in an instant if he felt that friendship required it.
"Truly none ever made a bolder request of the Lady than did he, but who could take it ill when it was made in pure love and admiration? And much good has come of Gimli’s boldness, and may yet in the short years while the elder races yet tarry East of the Sea, and a greater reconciliation ensue between the Children of Eru and the Children of Aulë than any ever looked to see.
“Nay - this is too great a wonder for poetry and music. Let its glory bear silent testimony to itself.”
A few Dwarves in the chamber listen raptly to the elf’s fair words. It appears very much they approve and appreciate the words.
Not a rebuke, but please take Ears and Wings and Fuzzy Slippers and Wose mating rituals to the setup thread. Thank you for the complement though.
“‘Strong?’ If that were true, I’d have lost fewer wrestling matches to my brothers. More like wiry, and that from time spent in the fields with the horses. I’m glad you enjoyed the flight! I’m just getting used to using that spell more.”
“Why did you train as a sage, anyway? Where are you from originally? What sparked your interest in lore so much that you would dedicate your life to it?”
Lorliana replies, “My father was a scribe and my mother was scribe and they wanted me to have a better education than they got so they trained me well and taught me to love and respect knowledge and when I was 13 the House of Lore excepted me as a student. I was very proud and I enjoy it very much. Now I am trying to bring back more learning and more history of the Dúnedain and where better than Imladris itself? I might have studied to be a Mage but I had spent my whole life studying to be a Sage. I don’t think there are any woman wizards or even apprentices anyway.”
Wouldn’t dream of it.
Thoroncir, overhearing this last, smiles, bows and says, “Then it is high time there were some, or even - who knows? - many. I believe that all those under the Sun, Arien’s fiery charge, both men and women, should use their talents for the good of all. I wish you success in your studies, my lady.”
Lorliana replies to Thoroncir, "I might be a bit old to start now, I hear you need to start young. Perhaps I could pick up a few tricks and spells though. Still a sages life is a good life. There is so much to learn and so much to add. "
It is nearly 400 miles to Tharbad from Aglarond. If the party is lucky, it will take 10 days. It should be fairly safe but around the mid-point it could get dangerous.
I will assume no changes to marching order or watches. Again, please still feel free to continue odds and ends from Rohan, but I thought I would get us moving. PMs would be a good way to handle minor stuff not related to other members. There will still be time before action to catch up if I moved to quick here.
July 16[sup]th[/sup] to 18[sup]th[/sup]: The first three days are peaceful and the weather is good and you make it across the bridges of the Isen. Day 4 will see the camp closest to the mountains. The dwarves recommend extra watches as wolves and worse have occasionally been seen.
Any other extra prep?