In the halls of Rivendell, beneath the watchful gaze of Elrond Half-elven, the fellowship was summoned to a great task. The lost shield Oathkeeper, a relic of Gondolin’s final days, had been sought for centuries, yet never found. But now, a lone scholar, Berethor of Dol Amroth, had uncovered long-hidden records within the libraries of Minas Tirith, revealing that the shield lay entombed within a flooded sea cave far to the west. Heeding this revelation, the company set forth upon their long journey, their path fraught with peril.

Perils on the Road to the Western Sea

The road westward was cruel, and the land itself seemed set against them. In the highlands, a rockslide came thundering down, a test of their agility and resolve. As they pressed onward, ravenous wolves harried their camp by night, their gleaming eyes watching from the undergrowth, their howls a grim chorus in the dark. Most fearsome of all was a stone-giant, hurling boulders with careless mirth, forcing the travelers to navigate the treacherous pass with wary steps and swift feet.

At last, they found respite among the halls of the Dwarves of the Blue Mountains, where warmth and sturdy hearths welcomed them. Here, Fennel was reunited with her mother-in-law, and the company found solace before pressing onward toward the coast, where the true trial awaited them.

Flames Upon the Shore

Upon reaching the western lands, the fellowship beheld a terrible sight in the distance: a village aflame, its people scattered and desperate. Refugees fled along the shores, their eyes hollow with fear, and their words carried grievous tidings—many of their kin had been taken by Orcs for some vile purpose.

In the heart of the smoldering town, a one-eyed old man, hidden among the ruins, whispered to the heroes of the prisoners’ plight. With stealth and swift blades, the company struck at the Orc camp under the cover of night, breaking the chains of the captives and striking down their captors. The captives revealed they were to be taken north, to be fed to a nameless terror—the Watcher, a lurking horror in the deep. The very cavern where this beast dwelled was none other than the resting place of Oathkeeper.

In the darkness, they turned their eyes to the cave, where the shield of legend awaited.

The Depths of the Watery Tomb

The cavern could only be entered at low tide, its entrance swallowed by the sea with the rising waters. Within, the air was thick with moisture, and the silence was broken only by the distant dripping of unseen currents. Shadows lurked in the corners, and from the damp stone creatures of nightmare emerged—pale, bulbous-eyed things, crawling from the stalagmites, their forms twisted by the darkness. A battle ensued, but the creatures, though terrible, were soon overcome.

At last, the company reached a vast chamber, where a black pool of still waters stretched across the stone floor. At the farthest shore, beyond the water’s edge, a glimmer of light shone—a small inlet where two ancient chests lay beside a great shield. Oathkeeper, resplendent and whole, pulsed with a pale glow as it sensed the presence of its long-parted twin, Oathbreaker, the sword of Dorthalian.

In the chests, the heroes found relics of an age gone by—two Elven daggers of exquisite craftsmanship and a pendant bearing the sea-shell pendant, a Token of Ulmo, Lord of the Waters. Their prize secured, they made ready to depart.

The Wrath of the Watcher

As the company leapt from rock to rock across the blackened pool, the water stirred. A shadow beneath the surface uncoiled, and with a surge of motion, a great tentacled horror burst forth, its many limbs lashing against the stone. The Watcher in the Water, a nameless fiend of the abyss, struck with terrible force, dragging heroes into the churning depths. The battle was fierce, the air filled with cries of struggle and steel ringing against slick, rubbery flesh.

With a final effort, the company struck back, wounding the beast enough to flee to solid ground. But even as they escaped, a terrible roar echoed through the cavern—the creature was not yet slain.

The waters trembled. From the darkness of the tunnels, the great beast surged forth, its colossal form shaking the stone. As the heroes fled, the Watcher in the Water turned upon the cave’s lesser denizens, devouring the pale-eyed creatures in its wake. The tremors grew violent, the walls cracked and splintered, and with a final, deafening roar, the cavern collapsed behind them, sealing the nightmare within forever.

The Shield Restored

Victorious but weary, the heroes emerged into the cold, salt-laden air. Oathkeeper, long lost to time, had been reclaimed, its destiny entwined with that of the Dúnedain once more. The tides crashed against the shore as the company turned their gaze eastward, knowing that their journey was far from over.

For in the shadows of the world, the darkness yet lingered, and greater trials lay ahead.

Characters:

  • Adric (Human Rohirrim)
  • Aranel (Grey Elf Loremaster)
  • Dorthalian (Dunedain Ranger)
  • Fennel (Hobbit Baker)
  • Fern (Wood Elf Rider)
  • Kraft (Wood Elf)
  • Mistriel (Grey Elf Seafarer)
  • Sylvaris (Wood Elf Archer)