Sands of Harad: RPG

[Curubethion]

Lady Willow's voice drifted high into the sky, as she sang an elvish lament. She stood in Rath Dinien, at the fore of the procession. The white stone felt cold under her feet, and the wind blew coolly before her. Behind her, seven men carried the litter with Curmaar's body on it. The moon shone pale over them all.

As they slowly walked down the Silent Street, they were followed by others: Elnar, Faramir and his sons, Acalewia, Alatar and some rangers, Gimli, Makoin...and at the fore was King Elessar. As they came within sight of the doors of the Hallows, the crowd stopped, and the eight people entered alone, bearing Curmaar with them. Their steps rang hollowly on the stone floor, and they seemed to glide over to an alcove inside the house.

"Cormamin niuve tenna' ta elea lle au'," she whispered as the litter was lowered onto a shelf. "My heart shall weep until it sees thee again."

Curmaar's eyes were closed in a peaceful sleep; his hands were folded across his chest. The procession left the building, slowly, led by Lady Willow.
~~~~~~~~
"Hold!" shouted Curamir, and the rangers stopped. Slowly, they eased the bier that carried a man-Curmaar-to the ground. The hot wind blew around them, stirring up the sand. Sweat dripped down the brow of Faramir's son. He looked around, and turned to his men.

He asked, "Where's the map?"

Each of the rangers uncomfortably looked around, shuffling their feet. Curamir repeated the question, and waited for a response. Finally, Atarion, the young one, stepped forward. He looked from side to side, and then stared directly at his captain.

"We've lost it, Curamir," he told the Ranger. "Now what?"

Curamir growled. "Look what you've done. This is likely to be the death of us all. Come on-let's head west. I saw what may be some water that way, on the horizon."

The procession started again, slowly crawling in that direction. The sun beat down upon the cloaks worn by all of them.

[Lady Willow Rose]

Nessa Oronar walked briskly, a cheery bounce in her step. The flaming sun bothered as little as the burning sand that her bare feet trecked across. Her skin was tanned and her hair rivaled the sun for redness.

The wandering lady caught sight of an oasis and began to run in that direction. Nothing like a bath to ease the occasional aches of travel.

[rohirrim TR]

"Lord, someone approaches" called out Hluor

"aye, I see you and arhor watch my back and I will welcome them to our oasis, stay sharp though whoever it is might be a decoy" replied Curamir his eyes narrowing.

As nessa approached the spring she noticed that the ground was stirred up in a peculiar way when out of the few trees that surround a ranger materialised.

"hold yon stranger, be ye a friend I deem? or foe? though I for one hope the former given your beauty and familiarity with the surrounding area."

[Lady Willow Rose]

Nessa smiled gently, having long ago gotten used to the appearance of new things.

"I mean no harm to you if you mean none to me. After all, I'm just a humble wanderer." She walked toward the ranger with an easy, loping gait. "My name is Nessa Oronar and it is my very good pleasure to meet you."

[Udukhaturz]

Deep in the land of Harad, Bayhas, son of Beli, watched from a high knoll as the flock of sheep and goats owned by his brother and him cropped the short grass. The bell on his lead goat played a merry tune as the goat browsed.

The sun had now risen to her zenith, the signal that it was time for the mid-day meal. Tethering his horse in a small clump of cypress, he made preparations for his small meal. Milk fresh and warm from the she-goat, bread and dried meat, and a small piece of goat cheese were his repast. He relaxed and watched as the flock grazed.

He would spend the afternoon alone, watching the herds as he did every day. Little changed in his life. He would be glad when the day would be at its close, for then he could turn his duties over to his brother and his brother's son. Then he would go back to the village and eat his evening meal with his widowed mother and younger brother.

[rohirrim TR]

"so let me get this straight, were about forty leauges from Umbar 'as the crow flie' but closer to fifty by the Harad road that is just west of this oasis?"
asked Curamir of Nessa who had agreed to help them find their way for the present.

"correct, except I don't think you realize how large the country of Harad really is, if you're going to Near Harad you have only to cross the river Harnen and your basically there however if your goin to Far Harad you'll have to follow the main road other wise you'll have to make your way along the small paths scattered about the country to the west and east, where in Harad are you going?"

"yeah Curamir, where was Cumaar from anyway" asked Hluor

"er...well...Oh! look! a shooting star" he replied pointing upward

"no....don't tell me we've just started a hopeless mission"

"don't worry I'm not goin to tell you that, but anyway it can't be hopeless, we just have to find a local, someone who knows all the different clans and tribes and what not and I'm sure we can find his family or his clan. Do you know about that kind of thing Nessa?"

[Lady Willow Rose]

"Oh, I have some vague understanding of all that," Nessa said sweetly. "Fact is, we're about a three days away from a family I know that have a son who could benefit from a good adventure."

"Three days, eh? Not such a bad distance," Curamir remarked.

"Well, three days as itchy feet run."

"Itchy feet?"

"Well, my feet," Nessa confessed. "That's how I measure distance. How many days run it is." When Curamir groaned, she only smiled innocently. "I'm sure big, strong men like you could keep up with a feminine slip of a thing like me."

[Acalewia]

Elnar chuckled.
"He's keep up with a woman before." he said smiling at Curamir's dirty look directed at him. "I'm sure he can keep up with you"

[Lady Willow Rose]

"Splendid!" Nessa proclaimed. "Now, we'd best rest up for tomorrow. I keep a rather quick pace and I get especially bored when I'm going over terrain I just crossed." She flopped down on the grass, curled up and immediately went to sleep.

"We just had to get the eccentric wanderer for a guide," Curamir mumbled. Elnar shrugged.

"It's better than getting the mass murdering wanderer."

"True."

[Udukhaturz]

The day had been long for Bayhas the nomadic herdsman. The hot sun beating down on him after he had eaten had made him sleepy, and before he knew it, his small nap had turned into an hour-long slumber. He had to spend some two hours searching for the strayed ewes and their lambs, and when at last he had herded them up, he was in no good mood. At least it would not be long until his brother and his brother's eldest son would come to tend the sheep for the night.

He saw his brother and son riding double on the family's second horse across the rolling landscape. After an exchange of greetings with his brother, the two men talked a while before Bayhas' departure for the evening. Bayhas walked to the small shelter where he kept his hunting falcon, secured the bird on his left arm, and prepared to leave for the night. He had just mounted his horse and was waving goodbye to his brother and nephew. It was then that he saw upon the far distant horizon a small cloud of dust.

"Brother, I think I shall see what is the cause of that cloud of dust. If it is strangers, no doubt they are enemies, for is there any difference? In the morning tell mother I am away on a hunting trip."

"May fate be with you, brother." Bayhas' brother looked worried.

[Drake]

"Master," came the voice of a man in armmor,"when will we go home I'm getting tired."
A tall man emerged from the dust with some sort of beast over his shoulder," Why do you ask such questions you want to leave umbar to explore surrounding areas, so do what you asked me to do my son. I may be a king where we are from but not here." Drake said. " We must find shelter." Drako said.

[Acalewia]

"You should follow her example, Curamir." Elnar said. "We have had a long trek today. Perhaps a longer one tomorrow." He glanced over at Cumaar's body. "I'll take the first watch" He held his hand up when Curamir opened his mouth. "Don't argue."

[Lady Willow Rose]

Nessa woke after three hours, washed her face in the oasis and filled her water jug. Elnar watched her closely.

"I thought you'd need more rest than that," he said. She shrugged.

"In all honesty, I have little patience for sleep. Too much time spent without movement." She glanced at the sleeping company and considered for a moment. Finally, she took a deep breath and bellowed, "FIRE!" Everyone jolted awake.

"What the blazes...?" Curamir grumbled, eyes still sleep-laden.

"Oh good," Nessa chirped. "You're awake. Best get a move on, then." Without another word, she walked off into the desert.

[Acalewia]

Elnar laughed at Curamir's surprised look.
"Well, we best start or we'll never catch her"

[rohirrim TR]

"well" said Hluor brightly "at least we'll make good time this way"

"unhh, if we are alive at the end of it you mean" growled Curamir in reply

"you know when we reach this family you may want to discard your chainmail its only slowing you down and making you sweat more than you need to" suggested Nessa as she watched the heavily clad rangers struggle to keep pace.

"yes you have a point, but I was was loth to bring it up, its foolhardy to go unprotected in hostile country" commented Hluor

"I doubt you need worry much about hostility unless you offend a particular tribe, or if this warrior of yours was of an offending tribe to the tribes we might meet if you understand" she replied " in that case I sugges you keep your leather jerkins, but you should still lose the chainmail"

[Lady Willow Rose]

Nessa kept a swift pace, nearly running but still technically walking. "You know," she said thoughtfully, "there's something you might need to know about this family."

"And that would be?" Hluor asked.

"Well, you should probably speak with them without my being with you."

"What? But why?" Curamir stuttered.

"I had... intimate relations with Bayhas. It's a delicate subject and I'm warning you not to mention my name until you absolutely have to. I'm betting it wouldn't be well-received."

"Do you often have such relations?" Elnar asked softly, a gentle smile on his face.

"Every now and again, when the mood strikes me."

[Udukhaturz]

High atop the knoll, its surface covered with a scattering of cypress and oak, a lone man lay stomach-down, peering over the side into the expanse of land below the small hill. He smiled as he studied the ground below. His mind counting the numbers of horsemen, he stored the information for future use.

Undetected to any below him, he slowly slid down the hill behind him to the group of waiting horsemen hidden behind the small knoll.

"What news, Bayhas?" the gathered men asked him.

"Strangers, Tarks by their dress and by their looks."

"What do you think they want, Chieftain?"

"That cannot be determined with such scant information, Fawzan, but, aye, if you are wondering about a rich looking party, they are all that."

"Chieftain," the other man's voice was excited, "do you plan a raid?"

"Not yet, anyway, Fawzan... but there are women amongst them." Bayhas licked his dry lips.

[Lady Willow Rose]

Nessa rolled her shoulders uneasily. She'd sensed a sudden chill in the air. A snake slithered quickly across her path and off into deep sands.

Unwanted company was nearby.

"Elnar?" she inquired. "Are all your men skilled in battle?"

"They are not my men, Lady Nessa. But I do believe they have some skill with a blade."

"Good. We may test that theory today."

[Udukhaturz]

"Bayhas! You cannot go without a guard!" Fawzan shouted, but Bayhas had already sprung into the saddle. Sitting there atop his tall, gray mount and looking down at the other men, Bayhas gave them a grin.

"It is better for only one man to ride out. Perhaps they present no threat. Of course, should I be proved wrong and if there is any trouble, attack the intruders immediately!"

"Bayhas," the man reached out and reached for the reins of the gray horse, "it is folly to go out all for the sake of one woman! Can you not find another?"

With a laugh, the chieftain touched the sides of his horse with the spurs and soon the animal was loping across the terrain to meet the intruders.

[Acalewia]

Elnar saw the rider before the others.
"Curamir. A rider approches." Curamir nodded.
"Stay on guard." he leaned in close to Elnar's ear. "Keep those eyes open"