[en] The Prancing Pony > The Battle for Middle-earth

Tales from Middle-Earth: BFME screenshots

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Walküre:
Beautifully written and showcased, really. The passage concerning Rivendell was very pleasant to see. I hope that, even in a fictional narration, the fate of the Iron Crown could eventually entangle itself with the Golden Wood and its Lady of Light. Even as a brief digression.

Julio229:
Thank you very much, Walk! I think I can try to include Lothlórien and the Lady of Light in some form, I'll try to think of the best way of doing it  :)

Julio229:
I've updated with more stuff these days, sadly couldn't today. Enjoy! :D

Julio229:
Updated with pictures, continuing the tale. Enjoy!

Julio229:
As the limit has been reached on the main post, new screenshots will be post here from now on  :)

The ranger camp in the Barrow-Downs had seen better days. What once had been an entire order of Rangers serving under the banner of the King of Cardolan was now not much more than a small group of people, as determined as the old, but in the lowest numbers they had ever had. Their captain, though, was Carthaen, a man who was considered as the finest captain the Barrow Guards had ever served under. A member of the line of Kings of Cardolan, even now with the lack of an heir, he had never desired the throne. He had commited himself to guard the tombs of his forefathers against the Iron Crown's evil purposes. Carthaen of Arnor was a man that truly instilled courage into his men. Now, deep inside he knew his time had come, but he would not surrender. He would not go out without a fight. Turning to his lieutenant and his two other main soldiers, he said "The troops of Angmar are here. My friend, I bid you and the rest stand one last time with me. I will not let the sorcerers of the North defile our people's barrows. Even in this twilight, we must be the only beacon of hope for Cardolan. Please, rally the rest. I want to say something to them"



At the request of Carthaen, his men had finally gathered at the foothills of the Hollow Hill of their Camp. Carthaen stood beside his three main soldiers, and prepared to give his speech. "Men of Arnor, men of Cardolan. We've always stood here to defend this hallowed lands, our sacred past. We've always strived to bring peace to Cardolan, and to keep the stench of the Iron Crown off our lands. But today, I have news of an ill nature to tell you. The enemy is coming, and we have no strength left to survive after this final stand. You've always served me - Cardolan good, you have fulfilled your purpose here. So, I shall relieve all of you of your posts. If you choose to, you can leave now and live your days in peace. However, I will not do so. I will stand, one last time, against the enemy. i shall not let them corrupt these tombs. Those of you who want to leave, you can do so; I will not stop you. Those of you who want to stay here, though, I promise you: our last stand will make the enemy desire they never came here. FOR ARNOR!". Nobody left. Instead, everyone started shouting the war chant. It was set, Carthaen thought. They would stand against the enemy, one last time. He had lived to protect the Barrow Downs, and he would die doing it.



The Angmar army had come. Carthaen and his men stood in front of the Royal Barrow, which he knew would be the main place to defend from the Iron Crown. The enemies he had seen, Dark Elves, Morchant, and Gulzár, the High Sorcerer of Angmar, were there. Carthaen, looking right at him in the eye, shouted: "You dishonored the souls of our fathers once atop these hallowed grounds. I will not suffer your foul presence again!". His Rangers prepared their fire arrows, while the enemy drew their poisoned swords. "Surrender now. You have no chance of winning this", said Morchant. "I will stand here until I die! You will not defile our lands, the spirit of our people! You shall not do it, and I shall not allow it! Rally now, men, for Arnor! Remember, foul enemy: my name is Carthaen, and I stand for the seven stars!". "Very well, then. Good. Attack, Morchant. I have a plan.", said Gulzár, and the combat started. Nothing but resolve was on Carthaen's heart, even though he knew those were going to be his last moments alive... What he didn't know was the fate that had been chosen for him... A fate worse than death.



The Barrow Guards of Arnor had died... All but one: Captain Carthaen. Even being the last man standing, he still hadn't abandoned his resolve and bravery, and his promise of fighting until the end had proven true. "Congratulations", said Gulzár while clapping. "Your bravery and strength have gathered my interest. You want to die... I'll fulfill your wish. Good. Morchant. Now, kill him. Do it". Carthaen didn't flinch, but stood valiantly and shouted: "I have done all I could for my forefathers, and I am happy for it. Come on, finish it if you can!". After a few swings of Carthaen and Morchant's weapons, Carthaen dropped dead... Did he? The weapon of Morchant had sorcery in it, imbued by Gulzár himself... A man of the skill of Carthaen was useful for the Iron Crown, and he would be the crown of Gulzár's achievements until that moment... The final corruption of the Barrow-Downs, and now, the ability for Gulzár to delve even deeper into the hidden evil of the world... And now, Carthaen would be a tool for it. Where the man's body stood, it raised again, but as a wight. "I shall name you Karsh, and you shall be the nightmare that will dwell on Arnor's hearts. A fate worse than death for you. You have no choice but to raise your weapon against the very people you sought to protect.", Gulzár said. Deep inside, Karsh wanted to swing his weapon against the man who had made him what he was now... But he didn't find the will to do so... He hadn't will on him anymore. All he was was a shell of his former self... That retained his memories and conscience, and would suffer killing his own kin, by order of the very kingdom he fought against.



The main valley deep inside the lands of Gundabad had only known darkness for a long time, ever since they had been taken by the goblins, and even bigger evil had found a home there... The Harbinger, Morchant and the Chieftain of the Goblins stood at the entrance of the old Dwarven fortress, the birthplace of Dúrin The Deathless, armies of Goblins having been rallied by their chieftain by order of the Harbinger of Doom himself. "You have been summoned here because I have a task for you. Our scouts have told me of a Dwarven group, whose intentions are to retake Gundabad. We must show them that is not possible... Without showing our true power. Morchant, you will lead the Goblins in raiding the Dwarven camp. I want no survivors... Well, leave one. I want word of this to get back. Fear will be useful. After this, I have an important task for you and Thogar... Meet with me in the Ettenmoors, and we shall continue talking about it.", The Harbinger said, before disappearing in a cloud of darkness.



Filled with hope and desire to see their old city again, a group of Dwarves led by Fóri, Captain of the Royal Guard of Dúrin V, were resting on an abandoned camp near Mount Gundabad. They were determined to find the old birthplace of their forefather, and reclaim it again. It had been lost to Goblins ages ago, and it should be regained that day. "At last, we are here. We must take care, for those evil creatures may have big numbers; but we are the best fighters among our folk, and the task we have chosen to take is no easy one. But it will bring glory to our names and glory to Durin's folk alike. Today, we will show the world our strength will never wither!", Fóri said. Many Dwarves had come with him. Some of the members of the Royal Guard, his most trusted ones, the Guardians of the Forefather, as they were called; some members of the elite infantry forces, which were called the White Guard of Khâzad-Dûm, and a captain from Ered Mithrin, brother of the Ered Mithrin Dwarves commander, Zhor the Dragonslayer. "Are you sure we have enough troops, Fóri?", the captain said, adding "I could ask my brother to send more troops, I feel like we are not enough". "There's no need, old friend. We are the best among us, I'm sure we will destroy the enemy here and retake what's ours by right", Fóri replied. Little did he know, that the lands of Gundabad had been the home of an evil presence greater that mere Goblins for a long time...



After walking  across the foothills of Gundabad, surrounded by blizzard and snow, the Dwarves had reached their destination... A strong door marked the entrance to the outer city of Gundabad. No sight could have been more encouraging for them, except for the Dwarf that stood in front of it. "Good morning, my friends, and welcome to the city of Gundabad", the Dwarf said. He was clad in dark armour, and his presence was unsettling to them. "Good morning. We have come searching for Mount Gundabad, as we wish to reestablish the Dwarven hold over it", said Fóri, while the Ered Mithrin captain at his side started to feel an unnerving atmosphere around them. "Then you will be pleased to know me and some of our kin have retaken the city and are rebuilding it. I would be pleased to guide you into it, so you can rejoice and rest. You've earned it, friends", said the Dwarf. "Thanks, we would be very much pleased. Tell me, what is your name, Dwarf?", Fóri said. "My name is Thogar. Please, follow me", the Dwarf said, and the doors opened. Soon, the Dwarves would be resting...



As soon as they had crossed the gate, the Dwarves were completely surrounded by Goblins. Fóri then knew they had been betrayed... By one of their own kin. The leader of these Goblins was a tall Elf, with hair as white as the snow around him and as pale as the dawn. "Welcome to Gundabad", the Elf said. "It is a shame that you will go no further". "Who are you, Elf? Talk!", Fóri said. "You're in no position of asking questions here. You were too eager to trust one of your own kin... And this is how it ends.", Morchant said. "YOU! How can you do this?! Betray someone of your own folk?!", Fóri asked Thogar, visibly enraged. "I am not of your kin, for your kin betrayed me first and left me to die. As you all will now.", Thogar said before laughing. Then, Morchant spoke in Black Speech so the Dwarves wouldn't understand: "Very good. Start attacking, archers. But do not kill the one in red armour. Beat him bloody, and I will carry him myself to the doors of Khâzad-Dûm. He must be left alive." The arrows rained on the helpless Dwarves, who were killed one by one. Thogar himself took care of the Ered Mithrin Captain, who recognized him then, before Thogar started beating him to death with his bare hands, and then took care of Fóri... The plan had worked.



Dol Guldur, the Hill of Sorcery... The place that seemed ruined from the outside was actually the place where the mysterious Necromancer had been for four hundred years. What had been Greenwood had been corrupted and became Mirkwood; and Spiders and darker things dwelled between the trees... The Witch-King and the High Sorcerer Gulzár had moved swiftly, through hidden paths, to avoid the Elven Scouts that still dared to wander the south of the forest, and had finally arrived at their destination... The old fortress where the Necromancer dwelled, and where dark sorcery was starting to rise... "Master, I am here with Gulzár, son of Gulfár", the Witch-King said, bowing before his master. The Shadow murmured in black speech, and the Witch-King of Angmar replied: "Master, I have brought him here because I wish for him to learn the powers of the plague from thee. This man has proven his loyalty to the Iron Crown, and to thee alike" The Shadow talked loud, and Gulzár was suddenly engulfed in currents of dark magic. Once the dark clouds had disappeared, Gulzár felt more powerful and wise than he had ever been. "Unlimited power", Gulzár thought. The Shadow of Mirkwood spoke again, and the Witch-King answered: "We will use this power to end the Realm of the North, my Lord"



The Witch-King had summoned some of his most trusted generals (and Mornamarth) to the throne room of Carn-Dûm. Standing at the Witch-King's side were Gulzár, who had recently returned from the east with the Witch-King, and Atandel Dûrdraug, one of the members of the council of Thirteen (the council of Sorcerers led by Gulzár, which were the ruling body of the realm in service of the Witch-King, and which also included Zaphragor and Mornamarth). The ruler of Angmar waited until everyone was ready and then talked: "My loyal servants, you are here to recieve your new orders. These need to be carried with the utmost ability and care, so the Iron Crown continues to rule the North. Mornamarth, you are hereby allowed to partake in operations outside Carn-Dûm again. You and Helegwen will go with Atandel to reclaim the Tribute from our vassals in Rhudaur and in the south of the realm. Drauglin and Zaphragor, I order you to escort Gulzár to the lands of Arnor. He wants to do something in the ruins of Amon-Sûl, something I have ordered him to do. I have no task for you, Hwaldar, but to rally your men and win the fight between clan leaders that will decide whether you stay as chieftain or not. And Karsh, Dûrmarth... I have an special task for you. You will go into Fornost. While Karsh strikes fear into the citizens of Arnor, you will take the chance to go into Fornost's Great Library and return some documents for me... Old documents dating back to the First Era of our world. Do not fail me."



Night had fallen while Dûrmarth travelled to Fornost, and even though he planned on travelling under its cover to reach Fornost, where Karsh would be already waiting for him, there came a moment when he had to stop and get a bit of food and rest. Atop a small hill in the mountainous lands, three soldiers rested, preparing to come back to the city after a campaign in the north. Dûrmarth knew these were enemies of him, but he could use some rest and they would never know who he was. "It's a little bit late to be still awake, isn't it? Good night, travellers", said Dûrmarth, and continued "May I take a small rest with you?". The commander of the men, distinguishable thanks to his more ornate armour, stood up and said "Good night, friend. Of course, you may take some rest with us. We'd enjoy some company on these cold lands". Dûrmarth got closer to the fire, and the men of Arnor offered him some food. As expected, conversation arose soon. "So, what are you doing in these lands, friend?", said the Ranger of the group. "I'm making my way to the ruins of Annúminas, on the north", Dûrmarth said, "while also visiting my old hometown, where I have not been for years". The one that appeared to be the youngest, but still experienced in war, of the group talked, a brief moment of nostalgia in his eyes: "You have a noble purpose. I travelled to Annúminas not long ago. The glory of our old kingdom is still visible. We've fallen on hard times, and I fear the Iron Crown will bring an end to us. Where do you hail from, my friend, that it is on the way to Annúminas?". Dûrmarth answered: "I hail from one of the nearest villages to the old capital. When I was a child, my father died and my mother and I had to go to live with my uncle... An evil man, he was. After a decade of enduring hardships, I decided that was enough... He tried to kill me, and I had to kill him in return, which let me no choice but to flee, after the soldiers of the city executed my mother... My life is my curse, and ever since I've been travelling and longing to forget that time. To have memories of those you've loved and lost is... Harder than having no memories at all. Good night, gentlemen, I need to keep on my way", Dûrmarth said, and left hastily. A long time would pass before those three men realized who their mysterious visitor truly was.



Even if they had been standing strong against the shadow of Angmar, Arthedain was not in its best days. Even outside the fortress of Fornost, abandoned ruins dotted the landscape of the lands of the north. Dûrmarth, Karsh and their allies had hidden in one of them to prepare their entrance into the capital of Arthedain. "Morchant, I didn't expect you to be here", Dûrmarth said. "I have been sent by my lord to help you enter the city of Fornost. We have prepared a cart that will allow you to infiltrate the city as a merchant. These people need the supplies, so they won't ask questions, I'm sure of it", Morchant said. "What about Karsh?", Dûrmarth asked. "Karsh will get in through the old tunnels that run beneath the city. He will start causing trouble and vanishing so chaos spreads and you can enter the Great Library of Fornost unseen", Morchant explained. "Sounds like a good plan to me. I assume you'll scout the area for any weak points in the walls?". "Indeed, Dûrmarth. We need to prepare for the future", Morchant said, and smiled mischievously. "Very well. Let's dance", Dûrmarth said, and took the carriage into the city walls.



Arnor's guard had found the body a few hours before nightfall, and the men of the city had started to feel chills running down their spines. Something was not quite right there. "My lord, we found him a few minutes ago, and we sent for you as soon as we could... Our brother in the guard... How could somebody do this?", one of the captain's lieutenants said. "This... I feel something here. Something is not right... Dark forces are acting upon Fornost...", the captain said, visibly worried, before recovering his usual stance and continuing: "We need to find who did this. I want every man on the city guard to be prepared for whatever happens now". He had not even finished talking when the other one of his lieutenants fell to the floor, his blood running through the pavement. The captain, almost in a fit of rage, shouted "Are we blind, lieutenant? Deploy the garrison!" Then, as if it came from the very pits of the world, an ethereal voice came, echoing "With me, I only bring peace...", making the captain's body frighten to the very core.



Having gotten past the city walls, Dûrmarth had left his merchant wares in a lonely part of the city, when he heard a frightened voice call him from behind. "Y-you! I know who you are", the voice said. "Is that so?", Dûrmarth said, while turning around to see a young man, wielding the sign of Gondor in his chestplate. "Y-yes, I... Do. You are that... That man from Angmar, who them all fear!", the man said. "What is your name?", Dûrmarth said, interested. "My-my name... Is Beleg, sir.", the man said. "Hmm... Perhaps you can be of use to me. Do you value your life, young Beleg?", Dûrmarth asked. "I do... And I am certain I will get killed if I stay here for more time. I was sent to Gondor to serve in the army, but I couldn't handle it... And I fled on a situation that could have entailed my death. I've been hiding since then, praying nobody recognizes me.", Beleg said. Dûrmarth started to think and analyze the man that stood in front of him, and said. "I see something in you... Even if you are afraid of war, you are certainly skilled for it. I can make you into a fearsome fighter, worthy of the Iron Crown. I am going to make you an offer. If you start a fire in the western side of the city and meet with me outside it in a few hours, in the ruined fort, I will take you with me to Carn-Dûm and make you a worthy fighter... If you don't accept, you'll find your death, either from me or from the city guards... Your choice. I must leave now, and I wish you can see which path is the best for you", Dûrmarth said, while leaving. He had taken quite a gamble... But he was sure it would help him.



The ruined fortress that was outside of Fornost had been abandoned for centuries, the waning kingdom of Arthedain becoming unable to take it back and rebuild it. And there stood Morchant, Dûrmarth, Karsh and Beleg, who had completed the task given to him. Fornost's western side had burned that night, as a simple ruse to allow Dûrmarth to finish the task which the Witch-King had given him. "Beleg, you've done well. I will fulfill my promise, and take you as my apprentice to make you into a powerful warrior", Dûrmarth said. Morchant was seemingly impressed by the magnitude of the ruse Dûrmarth had carried over to steal the old documents, and said "This has surprised me, Dûrmarth. I knew you were the perfect one to see this done, but this is... Something else. Well done". Dûrmarth, flattered by the dark elf's words, said "Thanks, Morchant. So, going back to our task, have you received word from the Witch-King?". "Indeed. He wants you to depart to Amon Sûl and join Zaphragor, Gulzár and Drauglin on their task, bringing them the documents. Then, he has ordered you something different... A while ago, we killed a group of Dwarves that intended to take Mount Gundabad for themselves. However, we left one, Fóri, alive for my lord's purposes. After this, my Lord ordered us to join him in the Ettenmoors, though he sent me here first, and the Witch-King has now ordered you to join us in the fortress after you are done in Amon-Sûl. I feel this will be an important task... So you will be of great help on it. Goodbye, I must depart now."



Amon-Sûl was once one of the biggest fortresses the Kingdom of Arnor had, holding within its keep one of the coveted Palantir. A long time had passed since then, though, and now Angmar held the place. Gulzár, alongside Zaphragor and Drauglin, had been sent there to conduct his experiments on the hill of Weathertop, and now Dûrmarth and his now-apprentice Beleg had arrived there, to finish the enforcer's task for the Witch-King. Gulzár greeted Dûrmarth as soon as he saw him, and Dûrmarth was relieved to see his master again. "Master, I have brought you the papers I took from Fornost", Dûrmarth said. "Thanks, Dûrmarth. This shall mark an advancement on my experiments here. As you can see, I have been taking... "Volunteers" from Arnor's patrols, thanks to Drauglin and his wolf packs. Zaphragor and I have been making research on the tower, and as you can see, we have set up an altar... With these old documents, and the power I have been given, we will make a breakthrough on our mission here". Gulzár motioned his hand towards the dark elf that was standing near Zaphragor, and said "Make the preparations. We can start now with the final part of our endeavor". Dûrmarth, remembering his task on Amon-Sûl, said "Master, I must leave at once. I have been ordered to join our allies in the Ettenmoors". "Very well, young Dûrmarth". Once Dûrmarth was leaving, Zaphragor and the Shadow Guard had started moving one of the Arnor soldiers towards the altar. Gulzár's experiment had begun.



On the path to the Ettenmoors, Dûrmarth and Beleg wandered across Rhudaur, where Dûrmarth knew Mornamarth, Helegwen and Dûrdraug were, taking tribute from the hillmen, and Hwaldar was fighting among the chieftains of the hillmen to keep his place as the high chieftain. Night had fallen upon the two travellers, and when they were walking across the Great Road, Dûrmarth heard voices in the distance. "Hide, Beleg", Dûrmarth said. The two wanderers went to hide under the shadow of some trees that were near the road and where the voices had come from, and then Dûrmarth saw the ones talking. Mornamarth and Helegwen stood beside some Tribute Carts, not carried by hillmen but by Mornamarth's own men. Then they started talking again: "Helegwen, I trust you will guide these carts towards their destination. Take them to Carn-Dûm... To that place we both know. Don't let the Witch-King's henchmen see them. That fool of Dûrdraug will be too focused on looking like an useful asset to the Lord to notice you have taken these out of the regular pathways", Mornamarth said. Dûrmarth listened closely, a burning hatred of Mornamarth inside him. "I will do it, my lord", Helegwen said. "Very good, Helegwen. I knew you would be useful when I took you from that puny Arnor village you fought so hard to defend. I need more people like you by my side... Let's hope that these resources will be enough to start building towards our plans", Mornamarth concluded. Dûrmarth was angry at the sight of betrayal, but he couldn't allow Mornamarth to see him, so he told Beleg that they would continue, and to not ever reveal what they had heard... Dûrmarth would take care of it later.



It had been long since Dûrmarth last stood on the great fortress of the Ettenmoors, home of the Goblins. The Goblin Chieftain was now one of the servants of Angmar's mysterious ally, and Dûrmarth had been summoned there by the Harbinger itself. Leaving Beleg to rest, Dûrmarth stood in the courtyard of the city, joining Morchant, Thogar the Dwarf, the Goblin Chieftain of the Ettenmoors and the Harbinger of Doom. Thus, the dark shadow spoke: "My servants, Dûrmarth, I have summoned you here for a task of the utmost importance. For too long have the Dwarves frustrated our advancements on the Misty Mountains; their patrols forcing our troops to abandon or diverge from their course. This shall end. The expedition to Gundabad had one survivor precisely because of this. One had to live to tell the tale of Gundabad, so they would not dare to return there again. Now, the time has come to drive them underground... To their impending doom. I want you to end Fóri, the captain of Dúrin V's royal guard, who lead the host who intended to recover Mount Gundabad. Now he is determined to find every orc in the Misty Mountains and hunt them down, to avoid the memories and guilt of the failed expedition. I know what's hidden beneath those mountains... For long have I known it. But we shall not wake it. Instead, we shall lead the Dwarves to dig further underground instead of trying to keep the top of the mountains... Their doom will follow suit.", the Harbinger explained, before continuing: "Dûrmarth, Morchant and Thogar, you shall hunt the last Dwarven patrols with the goblins of these lands. They have been promised the mountains if we succeed, and I will not be one to forget my promise. They thirst for Dwarven blood, and Dwarven blood shall be given to them. Go on your way... I trust you will succeed"



Fóri had been one of those once-in-a-millennium cases of military prowess among the Dwarves. Dúrin the V himself had recognized his talent and took him into his Royal Guard, of which he was made the captain. His red armour instilled fear over Dúrin's enemies, and his abilities in combat had made him a fearsome opponent. However, Fóri had always been too trusting of Dwarves. That had led to the failure in the Gundabad expedition, something that he was not able to take off his mind. The guilt crushed him, and the fury that was unleashed on his soul had led him to wander the Misty Mountains with a patrol, killing every orc he came across. However, that sometimes went against Dúrin's wishes. Dúrin the V considered Fóri a friend, and was worried about his health and sanity. Thus, he had sent one of his closest advisors to meet Fóri in the mountains. "Fóri, the King is worried about you. You have spent too many time on here, and the risk of your death is not one Lord Dúrin wants to take", the advisor said. Fóri, however, did not heed to his request: "Sorry, my old friend. Ever since our brothers fell, my tears have ran dry. I will not take the evil influence of the Goblins here, not anymore. I will exterminate every orc in the Misty Mountains, even if it costs me my life. I value the King's friendship... More than anything in the world. And I sworn to protect him with my life. But this... Is something I must do. For the sake of our brethren... And for the sake of us all. Don't worry about me. Once I'm done with every orc on these mountains, I will take my place at my King's side. But now... I must fight", Fóri said. Dúrin's advisor completely understood what Fóri felt, having helped him to get back to health when he was left on the doors of Khâzad-Dûm, bloody and on the brink of death. He hoped Fóri would succeed, and that Dúrin would understand his friend's wish - deathwish, even-, and left to go back to his lord.



The axes of the Dwarves and the wicked blades of the Goblins clashed on the Redhorn Pass, while two shadowy figures observed from afar. Those were Dûrmarth and Beleg, watching the Goblins they commanded carry out the first part of the ambush that would result, if it was successful, in Fóri's death. "Master, it seems like they are already having trouble with the Goblins", Beleg said, analyzing the situation. "It would seem so, but soon they will kill them. These are but a distraction, while Morchant and Thogar prepare it all. This has to be something that the Dwarves remember: their future is underground, outside of their homes of stone they will only find death", Dûrmarth explained, and then smiled, telling Beleg "and meanwhile, we can keep observing them. It has been a while since I could just take the position of a commander, rather than taking matters directly into my hands. It feels... Refreshing. As Commander of the Shadow Guard, I do that too, but my duties as an enforcer are equally important, and I will always carry them without hesitation. And Thogar wants to take care of the dwarf himself, so who am I to deny him the pleasure? It is a shame that I won't be getting to fight Fóri, though... His prowess in combat seems great; he would certainly be a good opponent", Dûrmarth finished, when a somber look crossed his face. "Master, what is going on?", Beleg asked. "All of this... Me talking about great opponents... When the biggest one Angmar has would rather let his lackeys do the work and just stand there, conspiring... My thoughts drift to his dark plans... I will start to take care of this matter once we are back home. You'll like Carn-Dûm, Beleg. It's cold... But I've never known a warmer home than it. And I will end the shadow that intends to destroy what we have built... But for now, let's take care of this"



The Dwarves and the Goblins clashed that day, and after this battle ending with all the Dwarves that Fóri's patrol had been composed of dead, Fóri was alone.  And now, the true shadow that had finished with his kinmen appeared. The fury in Fóri's heart grew, when he saw the first two figures standing amongst the goblins: an Elf, and a Dwarf. He instantly recognized them, and then saw two men appear from behind them, but just stay there. The Dwarf was the only one who approached him, clad in dark armour and with a morningstar in his hand. Then, the dwarf greeted him: "Fóri, it has been so long. I wish I could have killed you back then, but it seems like I have been given the pleasure of finishing what I was not allowed to before", Thogar Stoneheart said. "You... You and that Elf... You are the ones behind this... I had wished I would never see you again, but now... This give me a chance to atone for my failure, and send you to the pits of this world!", Fori shouted, full with anger. "You will defeat me? Oh, I'm sure you will... I killed every last member of your kin in Gundabad, made it sure so the goblins would just leave them barely clinging to life, so I could end them myself... I destroyed the Dragonslayers on the Grey Mountains, as fearsome as they were to some... I just ended them without a problem. Tell me, Fóri... What have you done against me that I should fear you? You'd never kill a Dwarf, so in the end... I'll enjoy the irony of killing you", Thogar said. His heart held as much hatred for his kin as Fóri's heart held for him, and both of them knew it. "My companions will not interfere in this, Fóri... This is between you and me. You'll serve as an example for the rest of the Dwarves... The land above your gloomy caves is not yours to wander anymore. Now, die", Thogar told the Dwarf. "So it will be... Fight me, and I'll show you the might of your own kin! Baruk Khazâd! Khazâd ai-mênu!", Fóri shouted before throwing himself into battle. The duel was harsh, showing how many hatred they had for each other... But in the end, Fóri could not match the sheer power the Slayer of Dwarves had, and his remains now laid upon the broken aqueduct that once had reflected the glory of Khâzad-Dûm... A decaying kingdom.



Chief of chieftains. That was Hwaldar's title among the people of Rhudaur, the one that by tradition was held as the prize in a fight among the chieftain every few years. But for centuries, it had been Hwaldar's position, and after that day, it had still not changed. For Hwaldar was no mere human anymore, and serving under the Witch-King had granted him a lifespan that not even the men of Arnor could have dreamed of, as a reward. Thus, every fight to become the chieftain of Rhudaur had instead become a way for Hwaldar to choose the best soldiers among his people, his Blood Comrades. Hwaldar of Rhudaur valued strength as the most important quality a man could have, and he chose the best of his kin to protect them from Arnor. Hwaldar truly cared about the Hillmen; that was his main reason to serve the Witch-King and drive the Arnorians out of Rhudaur. Now, after choosing a new member for his group of comrades, it was time to celebrate. The hillmen's love for mead or any kind of beverage was well known, and they could get specially loud under its influence. Hwaldar was not an exception. "I WAS STRONG THEN, AND I AM NOW! CHIEF OF CHIEFS!", the hillman shouted, while the others cheered for him. "NO ONE CAN DESTROY THE MIGHT OF THE HILLMEN! ONE OF US, SEVEN ARNORIANS! THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES, IF WE LET OUR GUARDS DOWN, AND WE NEVER DO!", he continued. Later on, the feast was interrupted by a messenger of the Witch-King, one of his Shadow Guards. "My lord Hwaldar, the Witch-King sends me to check on your victory. I assume everything has gone well". "YOU ARE RIGHT, IT HAS!", Hwaldar shouted again. The envoy, whose face was hidden under his helmet, said "Very well. Hwaldar, you may also be required by Gulzár soon. You'll get more news as every piece is set", the envoy said, and left without a word.



Dûrmarth and his apprentice were finally at Carn-Dûm, back from the Misty Mountains. Dûrmarth had shown the city to Beleg, and finally, after a few days of preparation, Dûrmarth could finally set his plan into motion. “Beleg, it's time for me to test your abilities... We must start to unravel the tangled depths of the conspiracy that has engulfed this kingdom. Remember what we saw on Rhudaur? As your task, you must find wherever Mornamarth and Helegwen have hidden them. There's an area in Carn.Dûm that hosts the hordes of Orcs from Gundabad and Mount Gram, and which the men of the city don't visit much. I think that Mornamarth will take advantage of this and hide the tribute carts in there. I think you will be able to succeed and gather proof of Mornamarth's deception. Now... Go. I will be trying to further my inquiries aswell, there are some men I suspect are part of Mornamarth's scheme... It is time to get that out of them. Good luck, my apprentice”, Dûrmarth finished. “Master, I promise you I will find them. For the Iron Crown!”, Beleg said before leaving. Once his apprentice had gone, Dûrmarth took his time and got lost in his thoughts. Finally, the time had come. With enough ability to avoid Mornamarth and Helegwen's spies, Beleg and him would be able to gather enough information to bring them down. But it would not be easy... Dûrmarth knew it too well.



One of the biggest areas of Carn-Dûm was home to the orc hosts of Gundabad and the Misty Mountains. Not many of the men of Carn-Dûm wandered on this area, and the orcs were mostly left to themselves. Dûrmarth had thought of it as the perfect place where somebody like Mornamarth would carry his secret affairs against the Witch-King. Beleg walked for a while, trying to find somebody that he could interrogate. Soon he found what seemed to be a high-ranking goblin, and decided to start his inquiries. “I am here on behalf of the Thirteen of Carn-Dûm. You seem to be the commander of this host. Have you seen any strange occurences here as of late?”, Beleg asked. “Why would I tell you, filthy human? What authority do you have?”, the goblin shouted. “Should have expected it”, Beleg thought. Beleg decided to take matters into his own hands, and grabbed the goblin by the neck. “Remember who I am from now on. I am no mere man. I learn at the hand of one of the best warriors you'll ever know. Now, answer my question, or I will strike you down”. The orc, visibly scared, proceeded to give him the information he needed. “My-my lord, s-some men have been visiting the zone as of late, c-carrying some kind of resources and stashing them here. I-I am not in league with them, I-I swear!”. Beleg left the frightened goblin be, and decided to follow up on this clue. This all seemed easy... Maybe too easy.



Beleg had found it. The secret place where Mornamarth's henchmen had been stashing what they took from the tribute carts of Rhudaur. Piles of gold, weapons, and general supplies were secretly taken by Mornamarth and hidden there, for his own benefit. These were news Beleg would have to tell Dûrmarth... "Maybe something can be done against Mornamarth after all", Beleg thought. He was also satisfied he had done his mission as expected. There was truly hope for him after all. After fleeing Gondor while on the army, he had regretted that decision every day. Having to hide from the Arnor army officials and their spies hadn't been easy, and he thought of himself as a coward for the actions he had taken. There was no way back... But now he had found a place amongst the men of Carn Dûm, and could finally look to the future with hope and not despair... But Beleg's thoughts were interrupted. An arrow split the air and pierced through Beleg's leg. Then, a voice that felt like pure ice said "Stand still. Don't move. Don't raise your weapon. Turn around"



It was a clear night outside of Carn-Dûm. Beleg was looking at the stars, wondering, thinking... He had been dragged out of the city by his captors and thrown against rocks in a small grove near the ring of ruined walls. Thoughts raced on his head. This had been so fast... At one moment he was on top of the world, but now he felt he was about to reach rock bottom. And so his captor spoke: "Any last words, Beleg? You were about to cause so much trouble for my master and I... It's a shame that you will now be silenced, isn't it?", Helegwen said, revealing her face. "I have nothing to say on my part. I have failed my master, and the Iron Crown. What about you? Have you no loyalty for the Witch-King? For what he has built for all of us?", Beleg said. "There's no loyalty. No loyalty. None! I owe everything to Mornamarth. He was the one who took me from my village and taught me everything I know. You were so close to uncovering our plans, Beleg... It's a shame you will die now, like others that thought they could stop us before you. I've been taking care of people like you for years... It once pained me to know that I was the cause of such despair... But achieving our ends is all that matters. To your knees. We will make sure that Dûrmarth learns of what happened to you. Now it is time for you to feed the wolves.". Beleg said no more. He knew there was no use for it anymore. He looked again at the star-filled sky, as he drew his last breath.

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