Torebras himself, startled by the abrupt departure, slipped on the wet cobbles and decided not to visit the Mathom-House that day after all …

Graim himself was beset by the mace-wielding forest dweller LOGOZ, whilst the young Firebeard UNNAR found himself occupying the troll. The eager CALENORC (played by Calenloth) beset BOLOSI and his companions until the press of battle whirled him away to face OSKAR’s apprentices instead. These latter bested the orc in the end (those days of dodging Oskar’s ladle have clearly paid off!), just in time to turn their attention to the fallen Graim, who had suffered badly at the hands of Logoz’ mace. Whether he suffered more at the hands of his inept ‘healers’ is a moot question.

It was now that the twin blades of ELLADAN and ELROHIR joined the fray. Elladan took on Logoz with great zeal, whilst Elrohir found himself in the position of troll-carver. Elrohir’s dancing blade appeared to be doing little damage; but then his monstrous opponent simply keeled over, cause unknown. Perhaps the beast had suffered internal injury during an earlier fall. At this the orcs lost heart and those who survived, among them the wounded Logoz, fled into the tunnels like rats.

The Dwarves have made secure the cavern, tended their injured and honoured their fallen. Now it only remains to explore the labyrinth in search for the long-hoped-for treasure. Will anything be found? One thing is clear: Dwarves and Elves cannot remain beneath the mountain for long. Aside from the danger of goblin hordes returning, there is Winter itself to contend with.

OOC:
Log up on closetgamers site. For anyone who needs a refresher of the TP, the summary page is at

http://elendorwiki.closetgamers.com/index.php?title=Gundabad_Quest_TP

Hearing the mention of Great Smials brings a grin from Wulfstan, “You’re lucky you left before the flood of ought-eight, Miss Vera.” He looks a bit more seriously in the direction of Ranly and whispers, “If you’re planning on setting out any time soon, let me know. I’ve a trusty dagger that would be a match for even any big folks we might meet on the road.”

“Oh hush, Heli,” Herifast Hayward grumbles to his sister, cheeks that were already rosy reddening a little more. “Y’know I can’t marry R- uh, marry anyone, I mean, just yet. Got ta put a bit by first.” He fidgets uncomfortably and returns his attention to the conversation.

A dozen ponies? Herifast’s mouth falls open at that. “Ye’ve never got that many already,” he states firmly. “Happen I could hire ye a few, stout little fellows who’ve never shirke at an honest day’s work. At a good price, too. An’ I’d come along to look after them. Only there’s a few things t’get straight first-”

“He means,” cuts in the sharp voice of Heliotrope, the middle-aged ladyhobbit with a cloth in her hand, “what about remuneration? And out-of-pocket expenses, and,” she pauses, offering her brother a fierce glare, “compensation to his family in the case of untoward happenings.” She affects an expression of prim shock at Vera’s offer to join the indecent ‘adventure’ – after all, a hard-working barmaid hardly falls in the same category as impressionable young Finneus or a mad Took – but there’s a calculating gleam in her eye too. With Vera absent, the Innkeep will be seeking another barmaid …

“Half a dozen! Twice that!” A wave of Ranly’s pipe very nearly knocks an old gaffer’s hat off his head. “Er. Sorry about that.” Ranly jumps up onto the table. “Who’s with me, then? A dozen ponies, a quick ride past Bree, and wealth for us all!” There is a gleam in his eye that quite possibly says he is mentally translating ‘us all’ into ‘me’…

Lango Bolger, an especially stout hobbit, saunters past the bar and snatches (as unobtrusively as possible) the last rasher of bacon from the free lunch provided there. He ignores the glares of several other hobbits who did, in fact, notice this breach of etiquette, downs the bacon, picks his teeth and speaks up, “Gold? Trolls? Bah! Nothing but Big Folk business. Or maybe Tookish? And if you ask me, more likely to end up with trouble instead o’ benefit. Old Bilbo never was the same after he got back from that ridiculous trip of his.” He winks at the bartender, “O’ course,if anybody’s heard of a secret stash of pipeweed just lying about in the wilderness, I’d go to the ends of the earth on yer expedition… maybe even as far as the Breeland.”

Lango’s comments are interrupted by the sound of a spoon being vigorously tapped against an ale mug for attention. All eyes turn toward a table in the corner of the Inn, where a Wulfstan Took, a young hobbit with a shock of fiery red hair sits, tapping with ill-concealed annoyance. His face almost matches the redness of his hair, whether from excitement or an excess of imbibing is hard to tell… “Now then! What’s this about my cousin Mr. Bilbo? And about Tooks? I dare say we’re the match of any Bolger for good sense, if I do say so myself, who shouldn’t. But if there’s gold to be had for the taking, it seems to me that the path of good sense is to see where the rumours lead us and not sit about eating rashers.” He looks around and folds his arms, “If there’s an expedition planned, I’m not one to be left behind.”

Perhaps because he has yet to come of age, this little hobbit glances around the inn quickly with darting eyes, scanning the faces of those gathered. Confident that no elders are present who might be on speaking terms with his family, he pipes up in a squeeky voice, “I heard there’s an entire mountain of gold out east that he left in the woods, free for the taking! So the rumors are true then, Mr. Ranly sir?” As he speaks, another local farmer eyes the little youth sternly.

A clout from damp cloth distracts him. He turns to face a harried-looking middle-aged ladyhobbit who is clearly one of those pressed into helping in the Inn today. “Herifast Hayward,” she scolds with familial familiarity. “I trust no brother of mine’s considering getting involved in this … this …” she waves the cloth around , “ridiculous escapade. Just what would Da think? ‘It’s high time you settled down and found a wife’.” She imitates an old man’s creaky tones.

It is only midafternoon, but the Bridge Inn is crowded. Part of this is because of the weather – no one can harvest in the rain, after all! And part of it is because the insane behavior of Ranly Sackville-Baggins has spread like wildfire across the Shire, and everyone nearby has turned out to have a look at the fellow.

The innkeeper has pressed more hands into helping him carrying drinks back and forth, and bustles about himself, with a broad grin on his round face. Insanity is good for business!

“That’s right!” Ranly’s voice lifts from the center table where he is holding court. “All that gold Cousin Bilbo left out there in the woods! I mean to bring it back to the Shire, where it can be put to good use!”

“Good use lining his coffers,” grunts a farmer under his breath.

OOC Notes: This is going to be an experiment. A What-If TP combined with forum-style RP. There will be room for any and all races and characters as we go along. If you want to use your main char, feel free to; if you prefer not to, that’s perfectly alright too. If you can only add one pose to the mix and never return again, we want your one pose!
Log on, read the board, add a post, log off again. For those who can’t be online long enough for a traditional scene, those who can’t find other players online at the same time as they are, and those who just want to try something different over and above whatever RP lines they already have going.

A few other notes:
Tolkien Theme still applies. No Half-elf, half-orc babies reared in the wild by telepathic wolves with purple hair!
Current Time Frame (year 3008).
The Poses will be archived at http://eriadainstories.wordpress.com/. If something has timed off the board that you need or want to read, it can be found there.
Any questions, talk to Nob or Ith.