Episode 2: Tainted Dreams of Ages Past

General Summary

Guests of the Eagles

As the dawn rises over the valley of The Anduin the fellowship are awestruck at the majesty of the vista below them. The Lord of the Eagles arrives shortly after. With a wingspan of more than 100 feet, his arrival is a sight to behold. He lands on the edge of the platform, his dwarf-wrought golden crown glittering in the morning light. He addresses Irimë first of all, and she thanks him for heeding her prayers.

“We heard your song on the wind, but it was the light that guided us to you. Long has there been friendship between your kind and mine, and we came when we were needed.”

Next, the Lord of the Eagles turns to the companions.

“Gaerthor, one of my chieftains, was grievously wounded as he rescued you from the Orcs. Tell me, whose lives did he buy with his courage?”

Hathus uses his diplomacy and healing skills to aid Gaerthor and the struggling eagle is soon returned to something of his true majesty. The Lord of the Eagles is thankful for the help and offers to fly the fellowship back down to the valley to enable them to continue their escort of Irimë.

The Ruins of Haycombe

After a half day of cautious travel West, the companions recognise the tumbled stones as Elendil’s Camp — the place where they fought the Night-Wight. Irimë also remembers this place, but hers is a different memory.

“I have been here before. This was Haycombe, the trader’s town leading to the Cirith Forn en Andrath. It was built by Middle-Men with golden hair who traded over the Mountains. They were a kind folk. They held a market here, and my kin from Lindon would come sometimes, and we would dance in the snow. The Men would laugh to see us run.” “They are gone, now. Some went South, with a brave chieftain called Eorl. Others stayed, until the shadow in the forest reached out and destroyed them. Treachery brought the enemy into the town, his horrors took the people here as slaves, and then there was no more laughter in the pass.”

Irimë explains that this is where she is to meet the emissaries from Rivendell. She suggests that the company make camp here and rest.
During the night, a foul shadow descends on the camp. The first sign of the spirit is a feeling of unnatural coldness. This is not the chill of the mountain air, but the clammy cold of sickness. A shadow slithers through the night. Off in the distance, the Look-out sees Irimë glimmering softly, as if surrounded by a moonlit radiance – and then the shadow is upon her, suffocating her light. Irimë casts a single desperate glance back towards the sleeping adventurers... and then utter darkness falls upon the whole company.

Irimë's Dream

During the night, the fellowship experience vivid and unsettling dreams. The dreams are shared and so vivid that the company finds it hard to separate dream from reality.
The companions awaken, exactly where they fell asleep, in the same positions on the mountainside. All their equipment and weapons are at hand. The mountainside, though, has changed. Where once there was an old and ill-maintained track, there is now a well-travelled road. Where once there were ruined walls and fallen stones, there is a town called Haycombe. While it is but a small town compared to the great cities of the South, it is a far larger settlement than any that exist in Wilderland today, save perhaps Esgaroth or Dale. It is protected by high walls of timber.
They run to a small Tavern called The Falling Goat seeking signs of Irimë and their investigations unearth some troubling sense of where - and when - they are.

• The lord of this people is named Heáfod, a name out of Mannish legend, belonging to a time when a powerful Northman nation ruled the northernmost vales of the Great River.
• Many travellers have brought word of a new darkness in the great wood to the east. For many years, there had been a respite, and it was hoped that the shadow had departed Mirkwood. Recently, the tales claim, there has been smoke and foulness issuing from the Hill of Sorcery in Southern Mirkwood.
• Some months ago, the Alderman of Haycombe, one of Heáfod’s most trusted followers, went on a journey south to survey the Hill of Sorcery, and to see for himself if there is any truth to these tales of a new shadow.
• Despite these rumours, the mood in the town is merry. While little trade comes over the mountains these years, the town still attracts merchants from the South.

Days pass in the dream town, and the companions begin to lose any hope of finding Irimë again, before they hear the sound of a commotion outside. From the shouts and excited conversation, they hear that the Alderman of Haycombe has returned from his journey south! A procession stops in the middle of the market square. The crowd draws in close to hear the Alderman of the town. The Alderman – a tall man, wearing an exceptionally fine torc of gold and well-made armour – stands and raises his hands.

“People of Haycombe! People of the North!” he announces. “Your true lord has returned!”

And then the killing begins, for The Alderman has a large force of Easterlings and wraith-like figures in his company. The fellowship bravely defends the patrons of The Falling Goat from waves of attackers but their efforts are ultimately futile and one after another, they are cut down by the overwhelming force.
Death in the dream-world is not final, however, although companions who wake in the mountainside camp can only glimpse some foul shade battling Irimë's will before they drift back to the dream-world.

The Journey South

The fellowship next endure many weeks of forced-march south, slaves of The Easterlings. Along the hard march, those slaves who cannot keep up are whipped; those who fall are left to die when where they lie. More than a thousand prisoners were taken in the sack of Haycombe, but less than five hundred survived the grim march south.
By the time the Hill of Sorcery, is in sight, all the companions are dead on their feet, and the other prisoners are equally weary. Aldor, the proprietor of The Falling Goat, suffers from a terrible fever and wracking cough. The prisoners are driven into a dark tunnel that runs under the forest into the dungeons beneath the hill. They vanish into darkness.
Hathus wakes momentarily to see Irimë locked in a struggle with the shade. Before he slips back into the dream, she has the strength to whisper a warning.

“A spirit of despair – it has entrapped us all in sorcery! It will consume us if we cannot defeat it!”

Darker Dreams

The dream-time in the rancid dark under the hill cause dark thoughts and feelings of hopelessness. Sigmarr succumbs to the temptations of a hot meal and vows to kneel to The Master of the hill. He is removed from their dank cell and wakes on the mountainside, locked in a waking state but unable to help Irimë.
The rest of the companions struggle to aid the wretched slaves still alive in their cell, but one by one the poor patrons succumb to the despair under The Hill. On the mountainside, Sigmarr can only watch on in abject fear as the first rosy fingers of dawn rise to the East. Irimë stands as she has stood all night long, locked in magical conflict with the spirit, but the frozen features of her face are flushed pink by the first light of the rising sun.
Back in the dream, the cell is suddenly filled with an eerie presence. An unearthly greenish light fills the chamber, and the companions see a thing of shadow looming over them. The spirit is vaguely man-shaped, like a shadow cast on a wall, but its outline shifts and warps as it moves. The spirit lashes out with fingers of darkness and seizes the Elf tavern-patron Rodwen. It holds her up by the throat, and shakes her. Her features change – one moment, she is Rodwen, the next, Irimë. The spirit speaks through the dead body of a poor idealistic lad called Haleth. The boy’s broken, bloodied lips and smashed jaw move, and a sepulchral voice echoes from his dead mouth, addressing the adventurers.

“Do you know what the Noldor-witch has done? She dared not face me alone, so she dragged you into this dream to defend her. This has ever been the way of the High Elves – to use others as their pawns! They despise the race of Men, fearing your growing strength. They hate the Dwarves, and are jealous of your craft. Even their own kin they do not trust. I am more merciful than she. Leave her to her fate. Deny her, here and now, and you may awaken.”

The companions in the dream do not deny Irimë and immediately awaken on the mountainside. They see Irimë standing before the rising sun. A shadowy horror hangs in the air, lashing her with fingers of darkness, but she is unafraid. She lifts her hand, and it is as though the dawn shines through her fingers. The spirit wails and vanishes as the morning breaks over Wilderland.

Dawn in the West

At the breaking of dawn, a company of travellers approaches from the west, led by two Elf-Lords who are alike in appearance and garb, dark-haired, grey-eyed, their faces elven-fair, clad in bright mail beneath cloaks of silver-grey. These are Elladan and Elrohir, the sons of Elrond. Elladan and Elrohir rush up to Irimë’s side. They explain that they sensed a dark presence, and came as quickly as they could. Irimë assures them she is safe.

"A spirit attacked us in the night. Some ghost out of Dol Guldur, perhaps. It tried to destroy us...” She smiles at the companions for the first time. “But it seems there is still strength and fire in the hearts of the Free Peoples. These companions aided me in my struggle, preserving hope when all hope seemed lost. I spoke truly when I said our meeting was ordained by the stars.”

She tells the company that she will continue on to Rivendell, and urges them to bring word to the wizard Radagast of their experiences.

"The spirit was driven off, not destroyed. I did not think such evil things were abroad in this age of the world, but I was wrong. Darkness is coming, I fear, and I have not the strength to fight again. I go into the West, but I leave you with my blessing, for what it is worth.”

The Lady bestows her blessing upon all companions save Sigmarr, who bowed to the great evil under The Hill: from now on they will be recognised as Elf-friends.

Missions/Quests Completed

The companions succeed in delivering Irimë to the sons of Elrond on her journey West.

Report Date

29 Feb 2020