This is a story written in installments alternating between Gwyndelen and myself in a role play game style.  The story is based in the world of Middle-earth as created by J.R.R. Tolkien.  There are two main characters.

The first character is Gwyndelen's character named "Erelin" she is an elleth (and elven maiden) from Lothlorien, the kingdom of the golden wood.  She was born there but was raised and has lived most of her like in Fangorn, the forest of the Ents.  She has recently returned to the kingdom of her birth as a stranger.  She is a young adult only a couple of hundred years old.

The other main character is mine, his name is also Pangor, he is elf. He is a few thousand years old and of a rather rare kind of elf for Middle-earth.  He has not had a home since the kingdom that he was young in was destryed and most of the people killed in the battle
of the fall during the war of betryal.  Pangor the elf has settled the same kingdom and has been living there just a little longer then "Erelin".

One day Pangor recieved a message calling for help and he set of to procvide it.  First he had to visit the Elfling talan where the take for his mount was and so was Erelin.  They met and talked.  He rode off to his quest with out his knowing it she rode after him.  They story begins will after that time, when they are about to meet again.

You will also meet some other characters who will be identified as NPC who the two of us will also portray in the story.  Since we write our part separately sometimes the same event will be described twice.  Once by me from my character's point of view and once by Gwyndelen's character's point of view.  At the site where this story is originally posted, we have both posted our own installments.  In posting them here I will be posting both of our works.  So, it identify who wrote way, I will be posting in two colors, once color will be for my work and the other color will be her work.

now the quest to eliminate the raiders begins:

[align=center:b5cd4e88b3]Raiders of the Borderlands

by

Gwyndelen & Pangor


Prelude[/align:b5cd4e88b3]



[color=darkblue:b5cd4e88b3][i:b5cd4e88b3]In the dark pub he sat. From the even darker corner of the vile establishment he watched as each of the rank customers entered and exited. He noted even as they pointedly avoided his noticing his presence. Yet none could not fully forget the presence of the dark figure observing their every movement. The pup master of the disreputable cesspool approached,[/i:b5cd4e88b3] "Are you orderin sumptin! or are..." [i:b5cd4e88b3]The figure turned his is full attention in the direction of the pub master, who could see nothing under the figure's cowl except for blackness, the pup master continued,[/i:b5cd4e88b3] "...not that...ya...hafta order...I...I saw you...hava coin...". [i:b5cd4e88b3]the dark figure's only reply was to slowly form the hand that was covering the coin to a fist. The face of the ruddy pub master blanched,[/i:b5cd4e88b3] "...f...f...forget I sayed anathin.", [i:b5cd4e88b3]The pub master walked away to quickly to maintain his dignity. The dark figure relaxed his clenched hand and resumed observing the customers as they arrived, drank, argued, and departed. Some departed the establishment not of their own volition. At last the dark figure noticed one customer who appeared somehow different than the rest, a hawkish looking man. The dark figure casually exposed the coin that he had been obscuring, then taking it into his hand he turned it three times and replaced the coin on the table and left it as he moved that hand to the grip of one of his sheathed blades. His other hand was already clenching his walking staff as it had been since he first sat down. The hawkish looking man casually strolled over and rotated the coin, tapped it twice and rotated it to a new orientation. The hawkish man then walked across the room and climbed the stairs to the rooms above. The dark cowled figure had what he came for, he now knew where he had to go and when he had to be there. He was about to rise from his seat when-the door opened again as it had countless times before. The figure bowed his head so that the light would not expose his visage. From the opened door entered a patron different from all the others one that defiantly did not belong in this establishment. Pangor thought that he knew who galadhrim maiden was, but she was too well hidden by her hooded cloak to be certain. Could she be the timid young maiden who he met briefly just a month before? What could her reason for being here be? True it was the only public house in four days travel, but still what reason could she have to have to come here. Pangor was intrigued and decided to remain in his seat and maintain the appearance of the dark figure for a little while longer.[/i:b5cd4e88b3]

[/color:b5cd4e88b3]NPC: Pub Master and Hawkish man.

NPC: Thor, a man, and a second unamed burly man

[color=indigo:eff34d26c6][i:eff34d26c6]Tired, weary and hungry, Erelin sat on the palomino colored horse called Lorindol.  From the shadows of a small cluster of trees, she observed, without being unnoticed, the ugly building whose tattered sign declared it to be a pub, with a promise food and drink within.  She had searched for days for the ellon she had met  at the Talan.  He had spoke of a quest ... a quest she desired to a part of for personal reasons.  But she had been too slow in deciding to follow the one who had introduced  himself as Pangor, and had only caught a glimpse of him as he disappeared into the woods.  She had trailed him on horseback for several days, but she could never quite catch up with him.  After two weeks, she admitted defeat, and had decided to return to, but found that she had wandered in so many different directions, she was no longer sure of her way back.  She was not overly concerned, for she had spent many years alone and living off the land.  But Erelin was not familiar with this land,  the hunting had not been good, and the fruits which were generally abundant were not yet ripe.   Now her supplies were very low, and she wished to save as much of them as she could.  The dark, hostile looking pub that was before her seemed to be the only establishment for miles that offered food.  Erelin shuddered at the thought of going in, but if she were to have any supplies left when she truly needed them, then in she must go in.  She could hear the brawling and fighting going on inside, and every now and then, a vile looking patron would land unceremoniously outside on the ground.

In front of Erelin, sitting in a  small basket lashed to the front of the saddle,  was a cat, who complained rather loudly of her empty stomach.[/i:eff34d26c6]  "Hush, [i:eff34d26c6]Little Cat, you will give us away." she whispered.   She reached into her bag and pulled off a small piece of dried deer meat from her last chunk, and gave it to the cat.  [/i:eff34d26c6]"Stay with Lorinar while I go in."[i:eff34d26c6]  She dismounted, and rubbed the cat on her head, and patted Lorinar.  Erelin smiled at them, the only two friends she had in this life.  She started to leave, when the ring on her left forefinger glowed faintly and she heard the thought in her head, [/i:eff34d26c6]"Are you sure it wise to go into that place?"[i:eff34d26c6]  It was the thought of the horse Lorinar.  [/i:eff34d26c6]"Perhaps not wise my friend, but because of my own foolishness, necessary."[i:eff34d26c6] Erelin answered.  [/i:eff34d26c6]"Don't worry, I'll be OK."[i:eff34d26c6]  As she said that, another fell patron flew out the door.  She promptly decided she would take her father's sword with her.  She did not like using the long sword, it was heavy and cumbersome in her way of thinking.  Her father had insisted she learned to use a sword, now she was glad of it.  As Erelin buckled the sword and scabbard under her elven cloak, she was also glad of her father's mithril shirt that she wore under an oversized cotton shirt and brown tunic.  She wished he could be there with her, and for a moment, grief overwhelmed her.  But she shook it off, allowing the familiar hatred for those who took her father's life to fuel a flame of anger.  That was what brought her in the first place, the desire to protect others from those who would destroy.  She checked the two knives that were sheathed at her hips and the dagger sheathed in her right boot.  She extracted just two gold coins from her pack on Lorindol, for she had no wish to be robbed of all her money. Pulling her cloak around her and the hood over her dark brown braided hair and down over her face, and with one last pat for Lorindol, Erelin started for the pub.

As she entered, the stench nearly overwhelmed her.  Bodies slumped over tables, some lay in a drunken stupor on the filthy floor, others were drinking and carousing without restraint.  As Erelin gazed at the mass of  unsavory beings in front of her, she began to have doubts about whether she should stay or turn and leave while she still could.  But she must eat and presently she spotted a small table pushed aside in a corner with a single empty chair.  A partially open window was near it, which though small, she was sure she could get through it, should a quick escape became necessary.   She had to make her way past a large table where four burly looking men sat drinking and another table where two vile looking men were harrasing a barmaid.  She steeled herself mentally and pushed through the narrow path to the corner table.  Barely brushing one of the four drinking men brought a round of curses directed at her as he shoved her away from.  Erelin ignored him and moved on, hoping he was too interested in his drink to take further interest in her.

Reaching the table in the corner, Erelin sat so that the corner was to her back and she could observe anyone who tried to approach her.  As she waited for someone to serve her, she noticed a cloaked figure across the room facing her, and she had the very uncomfortable feeling that he was watching her every move.  She let her gaze continue around the room, for she had no wish to indicate that she had taken any particular notice of the cloaked figure.  She pulled her hood down further so she would appear to be looking at the menu on the table.  As Erelin  watched the cesspool of humanity, self-reproach for getting herself into this mess started to assail her.  What had she been thinking,  racing off after an ellon she just met and knew nothing about, just to join him on a quest she knew very little about, with little food supply ... what kind fool was she?  She sighed inwardly.    A fool with a passion to keep others from suffering the same barbaric end her family had.  Her musings were cut short as she noticed the man she had bumped into earlier glance her way a couple of times, and she became uneasy.  She slowly edged the chair a little closer to the window, and pulled her cloak over her arms. Under the cover of her cloak, she withdrew her knives from their sheaths.  Every fiber of her went on alert when the man at the table got up and starting walking toward her, with his chair in his hands.  Erelin mentally pictured where she would move if he decided to use it against her.  But he did not direct the chair at her but instead crashed it into the table in front of her.  As she stood up, he growled at her,[/i:eff34d26c6] Hey, little man!  You never ‘pologized for hittin' me![i:eff34d26c6]  He smacked his fist into the palm of his other hand meaningfully.  Her grey-blue eyes blazed defiantly under her hood, but she maintained a low even tone to her voice as she replied calmly,[/i:eff34d26c6] Forgive me for my oversight, I apologize now for my clumsiness.  [i:eff34d26c6]She didn't really think this barbarous man would accept her apology, but she did not wish to draw his anger further by bestowing upon him an appropriate cutting remark. .  His laugh was almost a cackle, and he spoke to the three other men behind him, still seated at the table.[/i:eff34d26c6]  Dijja ya hear that boys?  The little man ‘pologized ta me.  Maybe I oughta let ‘im live after all![i:eff34d26c6]  The three men at the table seemed to think his comment very funny and all laughed.  Erelin tried to edge just a little closer to the window so she could leap through it with a single leap, but the man realized what she was doing and stepped in front of the window.  [/i:eff34d26c6]Thinkin'of leavin' us so soon, little man?  Not quite yet, I dunna think.[i:eff34d26c6]  He took a step towards her and his fist flew towards her face.  Erelin anticipated this, and ducked, and brought one of her knives up to his chest.  She had only meant to graze him as a warning, but he could not stop the forward motion of his body as he missed his mark and he fell into her knife. He slumped to the floor, dead.  Erelin withdrew her knife in horror as she realized what had happened and, for a moment, she stood frozen, dumbly looking at the body at her feet.  The three men at the table turned to see what had happened to the little man and upon seeing their companion's body at her feet, they rushed her at once, each drawing a wicked looking dagger.  Erelin came to from her stupor and dropped the knife in her  right hand, and drew her father's sword.  At the sight of the sword, the three men halted, just inches out of the reach.  Growling curses at her, they paced in front of her, like wolves before cornered prey.  Fear spread through heart as they blocked all paths of escape.  Erelin tried to control her fear, but she knew she had little chance against all three of them, and she was pretty sure she would not gain any help from anyone in this crowd.  She was dimly aware that the crowd was gathering in anticipation of a bloody show, but her whole being was tuned to the threat she faced. The man on the right lunged at her with his knife and she parried it with the sword, keeping her knife ready to block another attack from the other two.  In the process, her hood fell back revealing the fact she was an elleth.  After several curses, the man directly in front of her yelled.[/i:eff34d26c6]  It was a she-elf what killed Thor.  Let's make  â€˜er pay for this, boys! A nice, slow death me thinks![i:eff34d26c6]  Laughing wickedly, and as though by a signal, all three attacked Erelin at the same time.[/i:eff34d26c6][/color:eff34d26c6]

NPC Hawkish looking man


[color=darkblue:f382953dc8][i:f382953dc8]Pangor watched the elleth as she walked to an empty corner table on the opposite side of the of the pub from his location. He noted how she positioned herself to be able to observe the room and had her back to the wall. Her attention came to be locked on him. He thought, "Good, that is the right thing to do, stare me down, show the others that you have no fear of me. That will make you the second most deadly person in this building in their eyes, and you will survive." After a few seconds, she looked away and pointedly and appeared to pointedly avoid noticing him again. "Bad move", he thought, "You just lowered you self to their class in their eyes. You have made yourself prey for the animals of this orc pit." One of the vile patrons approached the elleth and began a conversation that included others from his table, they were to far away from Pangor to be heard over the room's din that devoured all sound beyond a short distance. As the brute assaulted her, Pangor prepared to come to her assistance, but it was not necessary. It appeared that the brute had chosen that as a good time to meet his ancestors and chose to use her blade to do it. Others began to approach her and the establishment's din cleared away. It was like the pub was holding its foul breath waiting for what was about to happen next. As everyone's attention was on the elleth Pangor rose and slowly approached. In the conflict her hood fell away now he knew for certain who she was. It was unlikely that she could survive this pub without aid. The light in the pub dimmed as a loud, commanding voice arose from the behind the cordon created by the crowd. It was a voice filled with cruelty and menace, [/i:f382953dc8]"Leave her alone!" [i:f382953dc8]As the crowd turned to see who spoke, what they saw was the dark figure leaving but prior to opening the door his voice boomed, [/i:f382953dc8]"This is my command. She is to be provided with anything that she asks for. Except! Absolutely no food nor drink for here or for the road. She will not pay for anything, you shall bear the costs yourself No one is to touch her or cause her any discomfort or inconvenience. Head my words, everyone of you have been marked. Treat her with the respect you would me, for if any of you cause her any problems each and everyone of you will pay the ultimate price at my hand." [i:f382953dc8]The hawkish looking man returned from the upper floor, [/i:f382953dc8]"Here, now whats all this racket? Oh it you giving orders! I have had enough of you I am going kill that stupid elf and you won't do anything about it,"[i:f382953dc8] pulls out a strange looking dagger, [/i:f382953dc8]"Cause your gonna be dead!"[i:f382953dc8]. The dark hooded figure barely reacts except to hold his walking staff so that it touches the chest of the hawkish one, [/i:f382953dc8]"Oh look a stick, the big scary one has only a stick!". "Will you head my commands?" "No way I..." "Then you can die."[i:f382953dc8], When the word "die" was uttered The hawkish man slumped to the floor, he was dead. The dark one opens the door and spoke one more time [/i:f382953dc8]"Erelin, if they begin to forget, tell them you are my friend."[i] He steps out and the door closes. With the departure of the dark figure, the pub's lighting returned to normal. The dimness was gone.


Once outside Pangor saw nobody. The sun was still rather low in the east. He was satisfied to learn that his time in that vile place was not as long as it felt. He reversed his cloak so the normal brown color shows rather then the dark almost black lining. He went to a location where he could observe the pub's door and hear if anything bad was underway, without being observed himself. In a short while that did not seem so short to him, she exited the pub. Being satisfied that she was safely out of the pit, he mounted Anammu, his steed and waited for her to be ready to depart. When he saw her about to mount her steed, he assume she was safe and began to ride off, thinking to himself, "Erelin, may your business whatever it is be swiftly resolved and may you return to the safety of the Golden Woods. And perhaps if fortune smiles on both of us, one day in the shade of a mallorn, you can tell me what business was so important to draw you to this retched valley."
[/color:f382953dc8]

[color=indigo:54674055e3][i:54674055e3]Even as Erelin jumped lightly to the left in the little space afforded her to lessen the impact of her attackers and  hopefull give her an opening to slay the one closest to her, the light dimmed and a mighty voice sliced through the room and commanded that she be left alone.   It was as though time itself stopped and everyone was frozen in that moment, for the voice held great power and threat.  A shiver ran through Erelin as the voice was all at once frightening, yet somehow familiar. Everyone, including her three assailants, turned to look at the source of the voice.  She hesitated to turn her attention from her attackers, but they appeared to be compelled to heed the voice's order, and they backed away from her.  She turned her attention to the one who belonged to the voice.  To her alarm, it was the man in the cloak that had been watching her. Erelin watched him reach the door and turn to give further commands for her safety and comfort, except that she was to be denied the very thing she needed most: food and drink. In spite of his daunting presence, her temper flared. He seemed somehow familiar, but the fear his voice evoked in her was not.  Who was this man who saved her life one moment, but denied her the food and drink she desperately needed the next, who commanded such awe and fear from a pub full of dangerous miscreants? Before she could assimilate any of the perplexing developments into one coherent picture, an evil looking man approached the cloaked one. His thin face, black eyes, and longish nose reminded her of a crebain.  The crowd remained silenced as the drama between the two played out.  Erelin watched, almost hypnotized, as the evil one threatened to kill her and the cloaked man as well.  Whoever this man was, he apparently did not fear the cloaked one as others did.  She shifted uneasily. Her gaze was drawn to the staff  the cloaked one put to the evil one's chest, for it seemed to her that she had seen the unusual walking stick before.  The memory was just out of her reach...Her thought did not reach it's completion, however, as she was startled to see the evil one  slump to the floor, dead.  Istari was her first thought as she stared at the cloaked one. Then as he  turned to her, he gazed fully into her eyes. He spoke her name and a familiar phrase.  Erelin could not see his face well as it was hidden by his hood, but there was no mistaking the unusual green eyes and cultured voice now, it was Pangor, from the talan at Lorien.  Before Erelin could speak, he turned back to the door and left.  She did not even notice the light return to normal.

For several seconds after Pangor left, silence blanketed the pub, and Erelin stood frozen with shock.  She was still trying to put the complex pieces of the puzzle together,  when a movement toward her caught her eye.  The man that had called her  she-elf was approaching her, drawing his knife again.  Erelin raised her sword in defense, her eyes flashing defiantly.  He evidently was not intimidated by Pangor's threats.  He raised his dagger to strike, but his two friends restrained him and one said, [/i:54674055e3]Nay, Sven! Not here nor now. You be wantin us to end up like that chap over there? Fergit it![i:54674055e3]  Sven hesitated a moment and sheathed the knife.  [/i:54674055e3]Yer safe fer the moment, missy, but yer tough guy won't be around ferever.[i:54674055e3] he growled.  He stepped closer to her so that his face was so close to hers, she was nearly gagged by his putrid breath. [/i:54674055e3]T'was my brother ya killed t'night, and you'll pay fer it, mark my words.  No matter where ya hide, I'll find ya,"[i:54674055e3] he hissed.  Erelin stood her ground, because even with Pangor's commands of protection, she knew she could not show any fear.  She let her anger rise within her as she brought the tip of her knife remaining in her left hand against the man's short thick throat.  [/i:54674055e3]Then when you find me you shall join your brother in death,[i:54674055e3] she replied icily. For a long moment they stared at each other, until Sven backed away from her.  Erelin lowered the knife as the three brutes moved back to their table and sat down.  Slowly, she sheathed the sword and knife, then picked up her knife that she had dropped earlier.  She wished to hurry out of the pub as quickly as possible, but she knew her actions must not give hint of any fear.  She was amazed to find that as she walked slowly and deliberately to the door, the crowd parted, leaving her a clear path. Not allowing the curious nor the malicious stares, nor the wave of murmurings  that followed her to faze her mask of fearlessness, she opened the door and stepped through.  When at last the door was shut behind her, Erelin allowed her self a sigh of relief.  She  breathed deeply of the fresh morning air and allowed it to cleanse her lungs of the foul smelling air of the pub. Surprised that it was morning already, she beheld a spectacular sunrise glowing orange and pink in the east.  Thanking Eru for her deliverance from the pit, she scanned the area for more possible assailants. Although Erelin didn't see anyone, she had the uncomfortable feeling someone was watching her.  She whistled for Lorinar, who came to her immediately.  For a moment Erelin leaned against the golden horse, as a wave of emotions washed over her.  She needed time to sift through all the events of this night, but time was a commodity she could ill afford to spend at the moment.  She must get as far from this place as possible and as quickly as possible. She regained her compoure and mounted, scanning  her surroundings again.  She could not  rid herself of the feeling that someone watched her.  Erelin heard Lorinar's thought, [/i:54674055e3]He is hidden over there,[i:54674055e3]  push through the rest of the thoughts in her head. Lorinar tossed his head in the direction he had observed Pangor withdraw to earlier.  [/i:54674055e3]Who is hidden, my friend?[i:54674055e3]  she asked nervously.   Lorinar replied,  [/i:54674055e3]The one you have searched for, the one you call Pangor.[i:54674055e3]  She looked in the direction Lorinar had indicated and could see nothing.  Listening carefully, she  she heard the noise of horse hooves quietly walking through the trees.  She decided she would take a huge chance and follow him.  Erelin was not sure what would happen when she caught up with Pangor.  After tonight, she feared him where there had been no fear before.  But he had saved her life and called her friend for the second time, and his eyes held no evil shadow in them.  She had many questions she needed answers to and if she were truly honest, she did not wish to ride alone.  Her confidence had been badly shaken at the pub, and even the company of this stranger was preferable to being alone.  Erelin would take her chances with Pangor.  Her mind made up, she whistled again, and Little Cat appeared from nowhere in particular, and jumped daintily to her spot in front of the saddle.  Erelin smiled as the cat licked  her chops with satisfaction before washing herself, a sure indication that she had been successful in finding herself a meal.  [/i:54674055e3]Well, at least one of us got to eat,[i:54674055e3] Erelin murmured softly, rubbing the furry head.  Little Cat purred contentedly, closing her eyes to mere slits after settling into her basket.

Erelin's stomach growled, reminding of her of her own hunger.  Since she was low on food, she had rationed herself to one meal a day for the last three days.  As she had been denied a meal at the pub, she had not eaten for a full day.  She knew she should grab something to eat, but she did not wish to take time to get anything from her food sack.  Erelin started in the direction she had heard the horse's footfalls.  The sun was rising, and she realized she hadn't slept since the night before last, but there was not time for rest either.  If there was one thing she knew for certain about Pangor, it was that he could move quickly and left little trail to follow.  She did not wish to lose him a second time.   For awhile, they wove through the trees at a slower pace,  until they reached a clearing.  She saw Pangor some distance ahead of her.  She urged Lorinar into a flying gallop, and hoped that the half of him that was mearas would lend wings to his hooves so that he could catch Pangor's fleet footed steed.
[/i:54674055e3][/color:54674055e3]