Ok then, here we go, time for the game to re-start!
I shall start with some small intros. Whilst the old hands know the full plot, the new people don't. These intro posts do NOT explain the full plot, so do not panic- that will be explained over the period of this entire starting sequence!
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At the Fortress of Baranar
(Anglomir, Talin, William, Aiwendil, Andromir)
Tike goes by as the enemy presence builds.
Baranar (lit. Tower of Fire) is one of the few remining strongholds in Northern Cardolan. Cardolan, a mass of competing minor Lords, a shadow of its former Dunadain glory, is not even one Realm any more, just a symbol of what was. Half of it is now almost entirely destroyed by the forces of Angmar, its populace turning tail and running west. There is no spirit of man left in Cardolan now.
Yet even this shattered realm may yet prove important to the victory of man. Arvedui's plans for unifying against the threat of the Witch-King, with all its twists and turns and prophecies, has turned its eye upon Cardolan. An Alliance must be found, and the realm unified under one banner once more, but how to convince these scattered Lords to accept rule from Fornost-Erain, Arnor's capital?
Baranar is the starting place. The Lord Baranar, a Lord of great strength and charisma, who can claim faint Dunadain descent, and has created a zone of safety inside Northern Cardolan, is minded to listen to King Arvedui's proposal. And so a deputation has been sent to Baranar to work out the details, The journey was arduous and many died on the way, beset by Barrow Wights on the western downs where Cardolan's dead royalty lays- already, peopel are starting to avoid the Fog on the Barrow Downs, as the extent of a great curse upon it becomes clear.
And upon reaching Baranar- more Witchery from the forces of evil. Baranar has fallen under a plague, a sickness, of vile intent and evil in nature. It could not be cured by any standard means, and so the Elves from Rivendell in the deputation have ridden home to seek aid from Elrond himself, for a cure. Meanwhile, Baranar prepares for the one thing this plaguie can mean- attack.
The Witch-King has spies everywhere and has heard of Arvedui's plan. He seeks to crush Baranar and stop the Alliance before it starts. But how? The Witch-King's forces are vast and mighty but cannot roma Middle-Earth at will. Baranar is far from his front lines. He can move a small army there, but to move siege equipment, and mass amounts of supplies for a long siege? Impossible. So this plague has weakened Baranar to breaking point, so that even a small force of Dunlendings and Orcs can take it.
Baranar is now defended by but a handful of Men, as they anxiously await the return of the Elves from Rivendell. Meanwhile, the army of Orcs and Dunlendings waiting outside the walls grows.
As time passes, it is clear that the siege must be further delayed by direct action. And so Lord Baranar calls a tactical Council, of himself, his advisors, the representatives from Fornost (who all know what they are doing), and Andromir. Andromir is a young Dunadain, but in the absence of his Lords, who have returend to Fornost to bring a relieving army, he now represents Arthedain at Baranar.
Before the meeting starts, you may talk amonst yourselves...
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At Rivendell
(Argentis, Palanfirith, Vardalain, Eliara, Darvan, Revan, Palidan, Corlindel, Ceren, an any new person I forgot)
As ever, Rivendell is a home of peace and tranquility, a bastion of the old times. It is in stark contrast to the lands surrounding it. The human Kingdom of Rhudaur, a splinter from Arnor, long fell into evil.
That evil is sourced from the mountain Kingdom Angmar, long at war with Man but ruining life for Man and Elf alike. From its baleful infleunce, much evil has come. The Greenwood, pride of the Elves, has now become the Mirkwood, crawling with darkness, and the Elven Kingdom there is in constasnt fight with giant spiders and other such things. Rivendell is best on all sides by Orcs and worse, and throughout the world the slight touch of evil is felt by the Elves.
Yet little is being done. Angmar is to remote, too far away., and besides, it is a problem for Man, not Elf, for this is Man's Age, with the Elves only here as a reminder of what was. Angmar does little to threaten the Elves directly, but even so, its threat exists. Many think it should be fogut ONLY if the Elves are threatened. Many think that it is time to leave to go West, now, like so many did at the end of the Second Age. A very few think that open war should be declared. But few are willing to work with Man- whose promise has long since vanished; they fight amongst themselves and have little regard for Elves- or themselves. Man brought this doom upon himself. And how many immortal Elves will sacrifice their own lives for the folly of Man?
Still, the situation is worthy of consideration and now, as the chill of a poisoned land spreads, a meeting has been called at Rivendell to discuss the problem. All the new players have come as representatives of their people to address the meeting and talk of things. Those from Rivendell are aiding Elrond at the meeting, from the Grey Havens, Cirdan, a little worried by some developments,m has sent a representative. The kingdom at the Mirkwood sends envoys here (as it will send Legolas, a thousand years hence, to a more important gathjering), and so on, from all the Elven settlements on Middle-Earth.
Argentis, Palanfirth and Vardalain, Elrond has asked you to stay an extra day to address this meeting, and maybe get some aid.
So! You are sitting at the meeting place at Rivendell, with wooden chairs set-up all around. Elrond is not here yet and the meeting has not started, so you may all talk to each other, and ask me for guidance if you wish!
Corlindel enters the meeting place suddenly. He was meditating for a long time in the forest near Rivendell. he did a long travel since he leave Grey Havens crossing the ancient realmof Anor by south.
"Greetings from Cirdan and from the elves of Mithlond!!! I am honour to be here, My name is Corlindel and I am a Noldo son of Noldor lords.. " Takes a fast look at Palanfirith and Verdalain and says "And I guess I am not the only Noldo here"..