Day One
Set out from the Homesteadsat dawn. Good thing too, what with the recent appearance of Eorangar, our work must pick up pace. Denerick and Lore ride with me.
Day Three
Arrived at the Forsaken Inn. A couple of days solid ride left us and our horses in need of rest. Asked around for any news of the road ahead... bloody Falster the Fox wanted paying for information. A good jab in his chest sorted him. From what we heard it seems the lands beyond have gone quiet. Whatever strength the enemy had here has scattered. We'll take our rest and ride onwards with haste along the dusty road. Won't rest properly again till we're in Ost Guruth.Day Seven
Arrived in Ost Guruth. No trouble on the road. Rode past the Weathertop, always makes me stop and stare. It was midday and the sun was hot, the ruins seemed to shine like they once must've. The other two felt the same way. Denerick kept his hood up all day, must've been hot under there. Miss Lore is a lively sort, even with the burning sun overhead. We'll rest here tonight. Been given a corner and a tent by the folks here. Kind of them. Got some coney roasting, going to eat and sleep.
Day Eight
Woke from a strange dream. Saw a pale face, might've been elven, with cold bright eyes. Was shrouded in mist. Those eyes, they shone out, pierced the mist and looked at me.. they were ancient. I heard a whisper, "Seek the Darkling Fae in the Vale of the Lord..." I can only wonder as to what it means. I am not sure I want to meet this Darkling, he was not like other elves..We are packing up now. One of the old men here told us to walk our horses after we crossed the bridge. Told us why we should travel only at day... the forests ahead are given their name for a reason.
Day Ten
Crossed the bridge yesterday. Met a woman on the road, said her name was Rinwyn. Warned us of the road ahead. Told us to travel only by day, and make sure our horses could run if they needed to. Also told us of an elven camp ahead. Found the path to the camp, but we still had daylight to burn and thought we could make the Ford of Bruinen. Let us hope we are right and night does not fall as we are on the road...Day Thirteen
Made it to the Ford the day before yesterday. Had a tense, sleepless night on the roadside before then. Set up camp on a nice outcrop overlooking the river, easy to watch from. Lore's gone around the cliffside to wash, makes me chuckle how even after near enough two weeks travel she cares for her odour! Denerick's gathering dry branches for a smokeless fire. I've set up my fishing rod and with any luck we'll have fish for supper.All I've caught so far are leaves. The others look hungry. I'll have to get my shortbow and hunt before sundown. A fine hunt! The forest is filled with deer. Killed a young doe and brought it back to camp. Skinned and cut, it's cooking nicely over the fire. I just hope the smell doesn't attract anyone, or anything...
Day Fourteen
A strange thing happened last night. I was on watch with my back to the river, keeping an eye on the forest. Nothing happened until Lore tossed a stone at me. When I came to look I saw nothing, but she said she saw a rider in the water of the Ford. He reared up on his mount and then rode off. We sat there, tense, the silence of the night broken only by Denerick's soft snoring and the gurgle of the river. Then a whisper floated across the water, couldn't understand what it said, but as it died in our ears a soft bank of mist rolled in from the shore opposite. It encircled our camp and the bank we were camped on and stayed there, slowly shifting. A sense of calm came and peace came, and we rested well. Tomorrow we shall make for Rivendell.Lore seems insistent on shuffling closer. It's not even cold either..
Day Sixteen
Two days of hunting for the trail into the Valley and no luck. I begin to despair. I have returned to the camp as Denerick takes his turn to hunt for the path. Why must the elves be so secretive!Day Seventeen
Finally! Success! Denerick has returned with haste. He has told us of a series of small white stones that dot the hill every so often. He thinks they lead all the way over! We shall set off quickly and follow this trail. I only hope he can find it again!We have found the trail and are making slow but steady progress towards, hopefully, Rivendell! Hopefully my next entry shall be written from within the valley!
