Moria. Perhaps once it had been fair, at least to the eyes of the Naugrim in Elder days. Casarrondo it had been called, before it fell into darkness. Their greatest King, Durin, had ruled it, or so Estarfin had been told. He had seen King Azaghâl upon the field during the Nirnaeth Arnoediad; if Durin was greater than he, he must have been a mighty Lord of their kind indeed.
We continued, Estarfin doubtlessly thinking of what could await us in the Halls of Moria…as indeed was I. Parnard was likely thinking of dark tales he had heard of Moria, without any clear idea of what it was really like, and Marawendi unable to differentiate one danger from another. But at least we were leaving Mirkwood.
I watched Parnard with a sad expression. This journey had brought him nothing he had hoped for. Far from it. It had confirmed his worst fears. We were about to depart Felegoth - what need was there for us to remain?- but only with a new apprentice for me, that being Marawendi. None of us had seen or spoken with Parnard’s hoped for betrothed. That door was closed to him.
And after miles of almost emptiness, they finally come across a Goblin camp. Estarfin, Danel and Parnard do not hesitate to clear the way, but reluctantly leave the far less experienced Marawendi some distance from them. And after the immediate path is cleared, they all take a short rest in what appears to be an old library. Parnard takes the first watch.
The group continue in their slow and difficult traversing of the old Dwarven realm. Narrow bridges, steep stairs, and always an oppressive darkness over what was once a most beautiful place. But the Dwarven ideal of beauty has more to do with caves and mines than the elven ideal.
Marawendi does well for one so young and inexperienced, but she is obviously scared. At least the situation seems to have diverted Parnard's thought from Brasseniel for the moment.
With the Hithaeglir more dangerous to cross on their return journey due to the thaw, and likelyhood of a larger number of goblins above ground, the group decide to travel through Moria. Maybe a wise decision, maybe not?
They have heard the rumours of a Balrog in the depths. but wonder at the accuracy of the tale. It is sure to be a home to goblins and orcs, but at least it shouldnt be slippery?
Danel has traveled through a few areas in her days as a Mirdan, but that was many yeni past, and there may have been cave-ins or rockfalls.