The Grand Hall of Torech Besruth echoed with a welcoming mixture of voices and talk as the members of the Household gathered for a council. Kortheod and Ingrasion were getting acquainted with the newcomer Iyenue in the Library. Boghadair and Aifiolossë stood near the Scullery as Applecider regaled them with talk of her latest encounter with the “screechy gobbos”, as she called them. Another newcomer, Finrolas, entered just in time to join them and grab a pint before the council.
“Aye, it has been too long since the House gathered like this,” Boghadair said.
“You speak for me also,” Aifiolossë agreed. “As the Dwarves are wont to say, ‘we have come at a most fortuitous time!’''
“Oh, is thet right?” Applecider said. “I thought they said, ‘I'm here to raid yer entire pantry an' drag you off to sort out all our problems.’ Oh aye, an' 'Woe to me’…” Boghadair puffed his pipe and with a nod and smile to Applecider.
All eyes in the hall turned and heads bowed as Lady Seregrían entered from the Gallery, her young apprentice Anurania on her elbow. The company moved to be seated as Seregrían, as her custom, sat in the white chair at the head of the red high table, with Applecider bustling about making sure everyone’s drink of choice was topped off and every snack plate in place.
Seregrían cleared her throat in way of announcement. “Welcome, dear friends! We meet as a House once more. Old faces have come and gone, but new ones have arrived, and our Household is stronger for it. Now, so that you all understand the things of which we speak, I shall tell you of a recent journey that Anurania and I undertook. She and I explored a region of the Lone-lands called Annunlos by the locals, upon the heights of the South Downs. Some of you, I deem, may have ventured there in your travels?”
Boghadair’s brows knit in remembrance of friends lost there. "It can be a dangerous place, Your Ladyship."
“’Specially these days,” Applecider said, “thar be orcies about!'
"Well, we will just have you sing at them!" Boghadair whispered to Applecider, who grinned in agreement.
“Indeed it can be dangerous,” Seregrían replied, ‘but the rewards far outweigh the dangers. You see, Anurania and I spent several days there seeking out ways into the ruins above the valley, and we made some remarkable discoveries; so much so that upon our return, I hid in Duillond for a few days, rifling the archives.”
“And this is unusual because .....?” Applecider quipped.
Seregrían smiled then continued, “I found out more than I realized about those lands. There are ruins of a great town and fortress to the south of Amon Sûl named Minas Eriol, the Western Tower. Minas Eriol was once part of what was called the Stone Necklace, a chain of forts and towers that the Dúnedain built stretching from Bree to Mitheithel.'
Applecider laughed, “The Stone Necklace'? Thar be a funny name! Ah, but them Tall Folks' Bounders in hoods were a busy lot, once upon a day.”
“I myself had never heard that name,” Aifiolossë said, “but as I remember now, Bree was at one time a garrison town. Much of the old citadel remains intact.'
“Yes, Breeland was the anchor on the western end of the chain.” Seregrían said. “The Greenway and the Great Road cross there, as you all know. But what has fallen from knowledge is the main reason why Minas Eriol was built. It was the Vault, the Treasure-House of the Dúnedain of Cardolan. The wealth of the Princes of Cardolan was kept therein.'
Reactions swept around the hall. Kortheod listened with raised eyebrows. Applecider exclaimed in glee, as Anurania attempted to hush her. Iyenue listened carefully, a gleam sparking in her eye at the thought of treasure.
"But it would be a certainty that the wealth was carried off when the castle fell," Aifiolossë said.
“Not all, according to the lore I have,” Seregrían explained. “When Angmar invaded, the Knights of Cardolan moved from their tower at Minas Eriol to Ost Guruth to do battle with the Witch-King's army. When the Knights moved, they intended to take the hoard, but the Witch-King struck before the hoard could be completely moved. The two forts of Amon Ros and Daerost fell first, and the Road was cut. Both cities of Minas Eriol and Ost Guruth were besieged, and both fell; and the survivors of Cardolan fled west to Tyrn Gorthad, the Barrow-downs.''
Kortheod frowned when hearing of Angmar again, thinking that the past is so complicated. Boghadair was puffing away furiously, his thoughts leaping forward.
“But what bearing does this history have for us, you ask? It is this, and this,” Seregrían lay upon the table a worn fragment of stone tablet, and next to the tablet a scroll.
Kortheod peered on the artifacts suspiciously. Applecider looked at the tablet with one eyebrow raised, “You found a rock?” Iyenue smiled at her comment.
Seregrían said, “This is something Anurania found in the ruins of Ost Laden. Anurania's tablet contains cirth gondrest, Stone-cutter runes’.
Aifiolossë smiled at Anurania, “Well done, sister.” Anurania looked up and blushed bright red.
“Well done indeed, Ani!” Boghadair said.
"Thar be a slow way ter write books, I tell yeh that - chippin' 'em out with rock," Applecider said.
"But at least it's durable," Boghadair grinned.
“The scroll I found in Duillond here,” Seregrían said, “tells the tale that the tablet begins. It speaks of Findol Stone-smith, an Elf of Lindon. Findol had the gift of being able to duplicate the Dwarf's skill with stone - especially making Dwarf-doors, which might not be found or opened without the passwords. One obscure text I found places him in Eregion, when the Doors of Durin were crafted; this tells us how and where he learned the skill.”
“Thar be tricksy,” Applecider said, “beardie Dorfs be almost as good as vanishing underground as Hobbits!” Kortheod 's eyes widened, hearing more and more hardly believable stuff. Anurania said to herself, “... Dvärgar...?”
“Findol, I deem, assisted the Dúnedain in building the treasure-vault at Minas Eriol,” Seregrían said, “using his skills to augment the vault. The fact that Anurania found his name recorded at Ost Laden may be a clue as to where the vault may be - and it may still be intact.
“So, this is the reason I have gathered you here. We must decide, as a House: shall we mount an expedition to Minas Eriol, to locate the vault and recover what may still be there? I would know your minds. Come, friends - you have heard me, now I would hear you...”
(Next Chapter: The House Debates, The Quest Awaits)
