Re: The Quest Begins
The miasma that hung like an unseen pall over the Mirkwood had been slowly increasing in its gloominess, yet the sun continued to shine as brightly as ever. Sort of. It was like looking through smoked glass. There wasn't anything tangible to interfere with the light, nor did it dull one's eyesight. No, it was as if something had slipped into your mind and began shutting down those parts that affected vision.
Of course, that was nonsense! Yet it was harder to see through the miasma. Oh, it was the taint of Melkoth, but he was not returned. No, it was his spawn, his usurper, his heir. Perhaps a bit of all of those, and still something else that was undefined and undefinable, yet there nonetheless.
They'd made good time, over halfway to the Bight as nightfall approached. He was debating with himself whether traveling at night would be safer than going to ground. Not being able to come up with a firm decision, when he stopped for another rest, he sought the opinions of his traveling companions. After all, it wasn't his own safety he was concerned about, but theirs.
"We have made good time, far better than I would have expected through this darkwood," he began. "I can move quickly, and I can move fast, but I do not rush, nor do I make haste. Haste makes waste. So now I am come to a decision which must be made--camp or continue?"
He pulled out his pipe, which already seemed to be lit, and took a few puffs on it, eyes kind of rolling back in his head, as he waited for the others to respond.