| I linger, as I write this, in Imladris. Yet even the fair halls of my kindred, cannot keep out the dark thoughts in my mind. I was spoken to, recently, by a fellow scholar of Imladris. Not two days after my arrival here, with my family. He told me of an unfortunate Man, who was brought to the healing of Lord Elrond. Yet, what dark sorcerey was in his veins, he perished. Upon his person, lay a journal. Few pagers were filled; as I am told, mostly about the path's of deer. However, a sketch and an entry caught my fellow's attention; and hearing I was in the land, sought assistance. Alas, I; and Elrond, himself, are at a loss. The entry spoke of how the poor hunter tracked his prey to the Laenen Caves, as they are called. Within, ruins of past Rhudaru lie. In my youth, I fought against the Witch-king of Angmar. Rhudaur had been taken by him; and fell sorceries were made. Elrond tells me that the caves were home to a shrine of sorts, and within; was found a relic, before a locked door... With luck, the hunter provided a sketch within his pages of the relic. Even as I look at it, I feel ill. Drained, as I have never been before. Strangely enough, the symptoms of which I have described to Elrond, are what, as he says, the hunter died of. Disease. Had I come into contact with this relic...who can tell? Elf-kind are immune to the diseases of Mortal-men. But, what worries me, is that Rhudaur was plagued with disease. They brought it upon Cardolan.... Can this discovery mean that the Witch-king is pressing his advantage? Or is it his lord, Sauron, that brings us these tokens? Can this mean that war is soon to come? Is this it...? |
