During the fall season of the past year, Yorric courted the dwarf-maid Arica, and they were soon wed. Months later, a son, Kendric, was born—a rare child of both human and dwarf. Yet, even as joy filled his hearth, Yorric brooded on his rivalry with Adric, a fellow Rider of Rohan. Though Adric was his equal only in skill, his highborn status gave him favor among the lords of Rohan, a privilege Yorric lacked.

Meanwhile, Dorthalian uncovered lore of his sword, Oathbreaker, once wielded by a Black Númenórean. Legends told of its companion shield, Oathkeeper, whose last bearer had fallen in battle near a great body of water.

Mistriel, among her enchanted fishing hooks, discovered a mysterious amulet. Wrought of gold with a green patina, its gemstone center shimmered with swirling patterns. This talisman seemed to bind her fate, enhancing her luck—whether for good or ill.

In Rivendell, Aranel delved into ancient manuscripts to uncover the origins of Magolach, a blade of fire and darkness. Forged in the First Age by a servant of Morgoth, it bore eldritch runes and had passed through the hands of Zoril, a dread sorcerer of Minas Morgul. Was the blade cursed? Could it be wielded for good? Only time and deeper research could reveal the truth. In his studies, Aranel also uncovered lost lore of Lúthien and Beren, learning that they had a child whose name had been lost to the mists of time.

As the year 2968 of the Third Age dawned, Sylvaris joined Aranel in Rivendell, seeking counsel from Elrond about her brother, Therian. Once a noble elf, Therian had been corrupted by a desire to “heal” Middle-earth, abandoning the elves in search of forbidden power. Elrond revealed that Therian had fallen under the thrall of a Black Númenórean sorcerer in Umbar, apprenticing alongside the dark sorceress Usapthon.

When rumors arose of a wizardly presence in the Old Forest, Sylvaris summoned her allies. Gathering in Bree, the fellowship—Yorric, Aranel, Mistriel, Dorthalian, and Sylvaris—traveled west across the Barrow-downs.

Amid a stygian fog, Yorric stumbled into a sinkhole atop one of the downs and was beset by six barrow-wights. The fellowship fought valiantly by torchlight, driving back the undead and escaping with their lives.

Venturing into the Old Forest, they searched for days. One night, while Yorric slept, creaking roots ensnared him, and a trio of malevolent trees attacked. Aranel, lost in a book, scarcely noticed the battle until it ended in a fiery inferno of screaming, crackling wood.

Finally, the fellowship reached their goal: a dark, misty lake with a small island at its heart, patrolled by orcs. They plotted a stealthy approach, splitting up to catch the wizard’s tower unawares. But as they entered, it was clear they had been expected. From the shadows emerged Therian, now a grim, corrupted figure wielding a wizard’s staff and a ring of power.

A fierce battle erupted. Orcs poured forth from hidden tunnels, while lightning crackled from the tower’s heights. Sylvaris’s arrows were magically deflected, and even Mistriel’s enchanted hooks failed to ensnare the wizard. Yet her amulet of luck offered her a fleeting edge in battle.

It was Sylvaris, gazing upon her fallen brother, who broke through his dark thrall. Therian, distracted by a glimmer of recognition, hesitated as his sister’s pleas stirred his fading light. Seizing the moment, Aranel cleaved Therian’s hand. As the cursed band fell away, the pall of shadow left him, and Therian returned to himself, free at last.

In the tower’s uppermost chamber, Dorthalian found a palantír—its surface alive with the fiery gaze of Sauron. The dark lord’s malice seared into his mind, leaving him shaken but also granting visions of the enemy’s designs. An ally quickly cloaked the stone, severing its connection.

Though the fellowship emerged victorious, the echoes of their encounter lingered. The shadow’s plans had been unveiled, but the road ahead promised only greater perils.

Characters:

  • Aranel (Grey Elf Loremaster)
  • Dorthalian (Dunedain Ranger)
  • Mistriel (Grey Elf Seafarer)
  • Sylvaris (Wood Elf Archer)
  • Yorric (Human Rider)