Board Thread:Lore Texts/@comment-27991709-20170528221735

This is an account of a ranger that had an encounter with a barrow-wight.




 * 1) title:Beware the Fog


 * 1) author:{Ranger Name}


 * 1) types:shire,eriador,rivendell



I am {Ranger Name}, a Ranger of the North. I was hunting some orcs down south of the road. They were running

close to the edge of the Old Forest. I hoped the huorns could do the work for me but the orcs kept their

distance.

It was dusk when my chase brought me to a valley of hills. However, these hills were covered with stone bricks

and ruined structures. I realized soon enough that these were not hills, but tombs for our ancestors. I knew

this was a place that was not to be disturbed, so I turned back. Unfortunately, the orcs that I had been

tracking launched a sneak attack on me, and they brought more of their friends with them. I had no choice but

to run towards the mounds of the barrow-downs.

These were some persistent orcs, as they followed me even when night began to fell. However, as the sun

disappeared from view, something else came to sight. There was this heavy fog that fell unto the land,

surrounding me and my pursuers. I could barely see through this fog, but what I could hear, I could hear very

clearly. I heard the sounds of orcs screaming in terror and agony, and then the horrible sound of cracking

bones and ripping flesh. At that point I ran away from the source of the horrible noises.

I had to stop and rest for a bit. Even a ranger like me cannot go on forever without sustenance. As I prepared

to eat some berries I foraged earlier, I spotted some strange figure throught the mist. The longer I stared,

the clearer the image was. Suddenly, my vision began to cloud. It was like I was looking down a tunnel, but I

was out in the open. I focused my attention back on the figure, and it was coming closer.

The identity of this creature soon became clear to me. I heard about them. They must be the wights, monsters

of untold horror. And now I have one hunting me down. I ran once more.

As I fled for my life, I could feel the aura the wight gave off. It felt like I burning. No, it felt more like

my body was withering away. The pain was growing more and more intense, but that just made me run even harder.

However, my vision also withered away, and I tripped over some stone that was blocked from my diminisnhing

field of view.

On the ground, I turned back to see the monster, and what a sight I regret. It was tall and lanky, shrouded in

a torn robe. I looked at the head, and all I could make out was two piercing, glowing eyes. The rest of the

face was so terrible I could not explain in it words. Then, it began to reach out for me, revealing its lanky

arms, with skin drooping from the bone. Its fingers were just as long, made even longer with sharp and rotting

nails, ready to stab into me. I drew my sword and swung at the wight, only for it to be caught in its skeletal

palm. I pulled as hard as I could to recover my sword, only for the blade to crumble into pieces, with the

other shards falling from the clutches of this demon. I could only stare as it reached out once more and laid

its hand onto me.

Suddenly, I felt this sharp stinging chill, and I yelled out in pain. I tried to escape its grip, but it was

like I was bound by chains of tilkal. Then it began to speak. I could not understand what it said, but it was

strangely soothing amdist all of my terror. Then, I started to feel nothing. I could not move any part of my

body, as if it had submitted to the wight. I knew I was going to fall under its wretched curse, and my life

would be over.

As my head drooped, I saw something right under a nearby bush. It looked to be the hilt of a weapon, but it

was to small to be a sword. Perhaps a dagger? Whatever it was, it was the only thing I had left to rely on

before I am lost.

I fought hard in this battle of will, and I managed to resist the curse the creature has put on me. I know

this will not last long, so I stuck my arm out towards the weapon. After enduring great pain and slowly losing

my will, I finally reached the dagger. I gripped the hilt and struck at the evil being with all the might I

had left. I felt its grasp on me loosen as its disembodied hand fell to the grass besides me. The wight let

out a terrifying shriek, clutching the stump where I left my mark.

Suddenly, all senses and feelings came back to me. I could move my legs again, and once I got up from the

ground, I immediately put them to good use. I ran, faster than I have ever ran, and faster than I will ever

run. My sprint saw no end until I saw the end of the mounds. And then I resumed my sprint until the mounds

were no longer in sight.

I had finally reached familiar lands. I panted in the air, and I felt as if I were invigorated. Suddenly my

vision began to narrow once more. Had the wight been chasing me this whole time? I had no energy to go through

such an ordeal once more. I tried to raise my dagger, but my grip gave way and let it fall unto the earth. I

spun around to find the wight, but to no avail. The darkness continued to shroud my sight until the entire

world was black.

I opened my eyes to see two fellow rangers watching over me. They said that they had found me collapsed in a

field, along with the dagger that became my savior the night before. I was told that it was a barrow-blade,

and asked me where I had found it. All I could do was place my hand firmly onto his shoulder, and whisper

these words:

Beware the fog.  