Ruins

I write this chapter by the light of the fire, my camp nestled within a rocky outcrop. The wind howls as though it were a chorus of souls; its chill bearing the touch of the dead. This is the Fields of Fornost, upon which Arthedain met its end at the hands of Angmar and its fell ruler, the Witch King, one of the chief Lieutenants to the Dark Lord of Mordor. Here, a great beacon to the Númenórean legacy was quenched, with the ashes that remained being scattered to the winds.

Part I - The Old Greenway Fort

The Bree-landers do tend to be a superstitious people, made evidence through the Unknown Tomb on the Haunted Alley. Whilst this may be a harmless and even cultural icon within Bree itself, beyond the walls, towards woodland known as the Old Forest, there are tales of a more sinister nature. The locals warn travellers to not leave the road from Bree heading towards the Shire, for they will find their way into an inhospitable place.

My work begins in Bree, the largest settlement of Men in the North. After Arnor was divided, it fell within the borders of Arthedain, close to its neighbouring sister-kingdom of Cardolan. After the Kingdoms were defeated at the hands of Angmar, it became an independent city that lost its Numenorian identity over time.

Lissilana had been away from Bree-land for entirely too long. She thought, after having her image of someone she loved, that leaving was the answer. That what happened was a sign for her to leave and do good elsewhere.

"We could leave everything behind. We could just run. Live by ourselves, the dream of us we never achieved. We could live alone in these forests, raise a child to be better than either of us. It would be paradise."

"... Do you mean that?"