An Unexpected Fellowship
My name is Beran to any who may find this journal I ask that you return it to Beorn the Bear. I am sure a reward will be made available to you for it's return. Beorn, my chief, if I have fallen . . . know I fell honorably and upon my feet.
Day 1 -
Beorn has asked I keep a detailed notes on my dealings with these "visitors" until they can be called friend. I was called down from my patrol up North to help find the murderer of two Thanes. They were my friends and great wardens. Their spears and shields will be missed. They were discovered dead by Artem the elf, Podo the halfling, and Braegin the dwarf. These "visitors" claim to have no involvement in their deaths and wish to assist in tracking their murderers. Arrows removed from the victims prove an orc tribe attacked them. Artem claims that a third man, a prisoner, was in the boat at the time of the attack as well.
I will believe it when we reach the scene of the murder. It makes no sense that orcs would attack two Thanes to free a prisoner. The prisoner would not have been a creature of the Shadow . . . so why did the orcs attack and free "him"? The elf accuses me that Men are weak and claimed by the Shadow. I wish to argue but am unable as I have seen it happen. Men are weak. The dwarf speaks up now and agrees with the elf and accuses me of being too young to help. Again I wish to argue but I can see the years of experience etched upon his face. Men will never the amount of years he has seen. Men are weak.
Day 2 -
We arrive at the murder. A prisoner did escape. He has stolen Oddo's sword. About midday I discover the corpses of two orcs killed by one spear. Obviously Morovik's work. His spear strength was second only to Beorn. My companions pretend to help while playing in the river. I discover another body that they had missed. This one killed by a single sword stroke. The prisoner? He avenged the Thane? He has a four day head start. I would ask to pick up our pace but Podo seems to be hard pressed to keep pace now. We may lose him if we do not hurry or if he doesn't stop.
The dwarf now accuses Men of not being able to fight the Shadow. I do not rise to the bait. He is right again. It has taken me many years to learn to wield my axe and I am still learning. I will die before mastering the weapon while he is still young. Men are weak.
Day 3 - We are closing in on the prisoner. The elf Artem . . . his woodland skills are impressive. He moves like the wind and can shot the eye of a cony at 60 yards. A small outpost lets us know the prisoner was a young man from Stoneyford. We press on.
Day 4 - Come upon a farmstead just outside of Stoneyford. The elder is kind enough to let us stay. He has seen the prisoner - his name is Odrik. We will reach Stoneyford tomorrow. Soon we will have answers.
I decide to hunt for the elder in repayment for his kindness. Artem beats me to it. He brings a full string of cony. Podo hunts and finds all kinds of herbs both for cooking and medicine. The elder is well supplied. I am once again reminded of how Men are weak.
Day 5 - Arrive at Stoneyford. I am told to go into town and find out what I can. Podo will accompany me. Artem and Braegin fear resentment from the town. Or that the attention will alert Odrik.
The town is led by a woman filled with hate. She almost does not let us in. I find that Odrik's adoptive father lives here. I go to question Helmgut. Podo decides to wander. Helmgut is not too helpful. He is drunk in regret. Men are weak. Raffik his son was killed by Odrik and that was why he was a prisoner.
I go to ask Broomhilt about the night and am met by Artem and Braegin. They had found Broomhilt first. I am able to piece the night together between her and her father's story.
Odrik loved Broomhilt and asked her to leave with him. Raffik her husband returned and a fight ensued. Raffik struck Broomhilt and Odrik attacked to defend his love. The weapon belonged to Raffik and I believe was accidentally used to kill him. Helmgut arrives and disarms Odrik. Odrik is set to go for judgement from the Beorn. He uses the orc attack to escape and kills the orc to avenge the Thanes.
He may not be a bad man but the elf is quick to remind me that this would not happen if it had been elves such violence does not exist. Men are weak.
Broomhilt finally admits that Odrik had returned to ask her to come again. He is across the river. We journey across the river in pursuit. We are in Woodmen territory now. We are forced to camp once it gets dark. Odrik is close I find a used fire pit and the ashes are warm.
Day 6 - Find Odrik's broken dagger. Dwarf is quick to remind that if it had been dwarf make - it would have never broken. Men are weak.
Find site of a struggle. 4 bandits try to attack us. We quickly dispatch them. 2 to the elf. 1 to the dwarf. we take a prisoner. Men are weak. Artem questions the prisoner and learns Odrik was captured. I believe he will join the bandits. Men are weak. The bandits are lead by Valtor the Bloody - he will attack the Dale. Artem then kills the prisoner. Interesting.
We find the camp. It is full of slaves. Podo and I agree to free the slaves. Podo goes under disguise to free the slaves. Braegin has no interest and camps in the trees. Artem stalks the Valtor the Bloody. For the stability of the Wildlands he must fall. I enter the camp in disguise to help free slaves and help Artem. Odrik is within earshot he is selling out all of his friends and family. Men are weak. I signal Artem to attack. Artem attacks and kills Valtor in seconds. I accuse Odrik of working with the assassin. Odrik is attacked by his new friends - fitting. A man attacks me but I am able to get a clean blow in on his stomach and split him like a rotting deer. Podo has unlocked almost all the slaves. Panic begins to work in our favor. Odrik is almost free and going to escape. I signal Artem to finish him. I watch as Odrik falls. He deserved no better.
We will lead the slaves back to Beorn's lands. Here they will be safer.
Artem has struck a blow on my behalf. He did not need to help with the bandits. He could have forfeited like the dwarf. I will follow him to repay the favor and perhaps I will become stronger.
Men are weak - it is true but that makes us strong too.
We are not disillusioned like the Elves and Dwarves.
We acknowledge our weaknesses and seek to overcome.
This is our strength and our weakness as we can be corrupted by it.
We are short lived - so we will live to the fullest
We are barbarians - so we may adapt and thrive and pass it on
We are passionate - so we may live and feel the world around us instead
of hide in it's past.
I will keep this in mind to embrace and overcome it - if I travel with these companions will I become more than Man?
I will believe it when we reach the scene of the murder. It makes no sense that orcs would attack two Thanes to free a prisoner. The prisoner would not have been a creature of the Shadow . . . so why did the orcs attack and free "him"? The elf accuses me that Men are weak and claimed by the Shadow. I wish to argue but am unable as I have seen it happen. Men are weak. The dwarf speaks up now and agrees with the elf and accuses me of being too young to help. Again I wish to argue but I can see the years of experience etched upon his face. Men will never the amount of years he has seen. Men are weak.
Day 2 -
We arrive at the murder. A prisoner did escape. He has stolen Oddo's sword. About midday I discover the corpses of two orcs killed by one spear. Obviously Morovik's work. His spear strength was second only to Beorn. My companions pretend to help while playing in the river. I discover another body that they had missed. This one killed by a single sword stroke. The prisoner? He avenged the Thane? He has a four day head start. I would ask to pick up our pace but Podo seems to be hard pressed to keep pace now. We may lose him if we do not hurry or if he doesn't stop.
The dwarf now accuses Men of not being able to fight the Shadow. I do not rise to the bait. He is right again. It has taken me many years to learn to wield my axe and I am still learning. I will die before mastering the weapon while he is still young. Men are weak.
Day 3 - We are closing in on the prisoner. The elf Artem . . . his woodland skills are impressive. He moves like the wind and can shot the eye of a cony at 60 yards. A small outpost lets us know the prisoner was a young man from Stoneyford. We press on.
Day 4 - Come upon a farmstead just outside of Stoneyford. The elder is kind enough to let us stay. He has seen the prisoner - his name is Odrik. We will reach Stoneyford tomorrow. Soon we will have answers.
I decide to hunt for the elder in repayment for his kindness. Artem beats me to it. He brings a full string of cony. Podo hunts and finds all kinds of herbs both for cooking and medicine. The elder is well supplied. I am once again reminded of how Men are weak.
Day 5 - Arrive at Stoneyford. I am told to go into town and find out what I can. Podo will accompany me. Artem and Braegin fear resentment from the town. Or that the attention will alert Odrik.
The town is led by a woman filled with hate. She almost does not let us in. I find that Odrik's adoptive father lives here. I go to question Helmgut. Podo decides to wander. Helmgut is not too helpful. He is drunk in regret. Men are weak. Raffik his son was killed by Odrik and that was why he was a prisoner.
I go to ask Broomhilt about the night and am met by Artem and Braegin. They had found Broomhilt first. I am able to piece the night together between her and her father's story.
Odrik loved Broomhilt and asked her to leave with him. Raffik her husband returned and a fight ensued. Raffik struck Broomhilt and Odrik attacked to defend his love. The weapon belonged to Raffik and I believe was accidentally used to kill him. Helmgut arrives and disarms Odrik. Odrik is set to go for judgement from the Beorn. He uses the orc attack to escape and kills the orc to avenge the Thanes.
He may not be a bad man but the elf is quick to remind me that this would not happen if it had been elves such violence does not exist. Men are weak.
Broomhilt finally admits that Odrik had returned to ask her to come again. He is across the river. We journey across the river in pursuit. We are in Woodmen territory now. We are forced to camp once it gets dark. Odrik is close I find a used fire pit and the ashes are warm.
Day 6 - Find Odrik's broken dagger. Dwarf is quick to remind that if it had been dwarf make - it would have never broken. Men are weak.
Find site of a struggle. 4 bandits try to attack us. We quickly dispatch them. 2 to the elf. 1 to the dwarf. we take a prisoner. Men are weak. Artem questions the prisoner and learns Odrik was captured. I believe he will join the bandits. Men are weak. The bandits are lead by Valtor the Bloody - he will attack the Dale. Artem then kills the prisoner. Interesting.
We find the camp. It is full of slaves. Podo and I agree to free the slaves. Podo goes under disguise to free the slaves. Braegin has no interest and camps in the trees. Artem stalks the Valtor the Bloody. For the stability of the Wildlands he must fall. I enter the camp in disguise to help free slaves and help Artem. Odrik is within earshot he is selling out all of his friends and family. Men are weak. I signal Artem to attack. Artem attacks and kills Valtor in seconds. I accuse Odrik of working with the assassin. Odrik is attacked by his new friends - fitting. A man attacks me but I am able to get a clean blow in on his stomach and split him like a rotting deer. Podo has unlocked almost all the slaves. Panic begins to work in our favor. Odrik is almost free and going to escape. I signal Artem to finish him. I watch as Odrik falls. He deserved no better.
We will lead the slaves back to Beorn's lands. Here they will be safer.
Artem has struck a blow on my behalf. He did not need to help with the bandits. He could have forfeited like the dwarf. I will follow him to repay the favor and perhaps I will become stronger.
Men are weak - it is true but that makes us strong too.
We are not disillusioned like the Elves and Dwarves.
We acknowledge our weaknesses and seek to overcome.
This is our strength and our weakness as we can be corrupted by it.
We are short lived - so we will live to the fullest
We are barbarians - so we may adapt and thrive and pass it on
We are passionate - so we may live and feel the world around us instead
of hide in it's past.
I will keep this in mind to embrace and overcome it - if I travel with these companions will I become more than Man?
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