Lady Isilë never descend down to meet the newcomer, keeping in the sky where she knew she was safe from the Shadows that lurk on the ground.

Once the group was ready to move forward she then allowed herself to come down to meet the second group that Radagast was waiting with.

"Greetings all, I'm Lady Isilë as most elves she was an exotic beauty that time hasn't touched.

"I think the skids are a good idea and while it may be a tad slower, it offers more than just shade and a means of storing items.  If someone is injured badly enough, we can transport them more easily and without having to take time or worry that we don't have the means of making a stretcher," Anira offered.  "Perhaps if necessary we could store it but for now I don't see the harm in continuing to use the wagon."

She'd gone quiet as Radagast spoke of the Entwives, a topic he'd talked about before with her and she smiled wistfully.  It was like sitting by the fire again, her eyes wide as she drank in every word.  "I think Saxon may have a good point," she said, her wish to restore a part of nature obvious in her expression.  "Even if we don't know the area, others there would and it may be we might hear of newer gardens which could help us find them."

Radagast helps fashion the skids for the wagon, gathering fallen wood from the forest and shaping it to his needs. He makes three long flat pieces per runner and then glues them together, curves the front upward, and then fastens two upright supports to them so that they form a triangle. The supports are made of soft springy wood from saplings so that they are flexible, and once the wagon wheels are removed, no doubt with help from Garan, Radagast fastens the apex of the triangle to the axle with vines.

Once he and Saxon are satisfied with the alterations to the wagon, he steps a bit away from everyone and pulls out the amulet. After a moment of concentration he puts it away.

"Still to the east. It indicates a broad sweeping direction, not a straight-as-an-arrow line. It will work more precisely the closer we get. I hope."

"Alas, I do not know if it will be necessary until after we have tried it, but I believe we need to go through the Brown Lands to try and find a trail. Yes, it is very old, but the Brown Lands have not changed in that time."

"Time to go, then. Might I ride with you, Saxon? My old bones have changed; I am not nearly so nimble any more."

"I have thought about this and will accompany you" Tilaleria said. It had taken some time to sort the wagon out, and she had used that time to consider her options

"It is perhaps time that we set off" and with that she summoned her horse and mounted it.

Saxon smiled wide, "Not so nimble for a true elf, but I would bet my bones you are a far cry sharper than nearly all who still live. However, I will always have a seat on my wagon for you. As a point I would be honored if you would master my little caravan."

"The horses are no rabits but they will not give up ground to them either. The reins are yours fie the taking master Radagast."

"Ah, Tilaleria, your choice gladdens my heart," the Istari Druid replies to her.

"Very well, Saxon. I shall take it slow at first until I get used to wagon's idiosyncracies. It is not nearly as small and flexible as my sled, but then we are not bounding through dense forest either."

"I daresay Borun and Borjnen would prefer to ride in the wagon for this next leg of the journey. Although not in a hurry, we shall cover ground quickly. If you feel you may not be able to keep up with Saxon's witch-horses, by all means, climb aboard!"


"We travel south along the western edge of the Brown Lands, getting a feel for them as we go. Upon reaching the middle, we will then head east through them."

As soon as Saxon's horses are summoned, he has them spring forward, pulling the wagon almost effortlessly.

"Tila my dear, its good that you decided to come with us. We need every ray of light we can get."

"Though I can't help but enjoy the opportunity to get to know our kind, and yourself better. Least now there are more to share the jarring questions."

Saxon secured himself on top of the wagon with a lashing to a ring he used for mounting ale when he made it. It provided the beast view now he had someone who really knew how to drive.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:00, Sat 18 July 2015.

The Fellowship heads out as Radagast prompts the phantom steeds forward. It is close to a hundred miles south to reach the Brown Lands, sprinting across rolling plains.

Tavaro is the wind itself, for now, and Lady Isile also takes to the sky as a bird. Tilaleria's horse matches Saxon's.

After an hour, Saxon is amazed at how quickly Radagast drives the wagon, slipping effortlessly over low hill and shallow dale, at times even going airborne yet coming down as gently as a feather.

It seems as if Radagast knows the land quite well, or else his perception is rather keen, for he avoids the rocks and steeper hillsides with unerring accuracy.


The Fellowship travels all day, only coming to a stop as the sun starts to dip behind the western mountains.

It is time to set up camp.

You'll reach the north tip of the Brown Lands my mid-morning on the morrow, and the mid point by noon.

So you can discuss whatever sub-groups you feel you should split up into.

Acknowledgement of the newcomers had come in the form of a few curt nods, obviously more or less too lost in thought to worry too much for those that had just arrived. It really was only a matter of time before they would be set upon by the enemy.
Really he wasnt so much concerned for himself as he was for those around him. He knew little of those joining, would they be an asset or a hinderance? Time would tell.

He watched silently, listening intently as the sled came together. Not much one for convenience it would certainly be better than walking, assuming it was faster.

Stepping onto the sled he looks to Rhadagast, "This will work for now, if we are ready now would be a good time to be back to the trail."

As the traveling companions settled for the night, a mighty oaken tree grew next to the wagon at astonishing rate. Mighty were its branches, deep its roots. And on its mighty bark grew a weathered and old face looking down at Saxon. It seemed wrinkled and sagelike. With a deep sigh it moved its lips. "Saxon it is you are called? You spoke earlier of Tom Bombadil and the River-daughter. Will you share with me your tale of how you came to know them?"

Every part of him wanted to run. Trees that moved are trees that hunt. He was so use to old oaks trying to run him down that it was second nature to be ready to leap out if the way.

Still, he kept cooking evening meal. "I make my home in the old wood, a good walk south and a bit toward the barrows from Tom's home."

"Ehhhh, I figure its better you know now than get a surprise later."

"There was a tree long dead that still walked. Corrupted bears lived in that clearing in the old forest as well. It threatened my home so I did my name sake. I went into the barrows and made the dancing dead dance to my own tune. Then I sent them to stomp out the infection before sending them home."

"Shortly there after; Tom, Radagast, and the river daughter came bursting into my glade looking for a necromancer. Well, Tom and Radagast burst in, she had much more grace about it."

"What they found was me, as a child, making dried fish steaks with lemon juice."

"I had Radagast and Tom bound up in an alchemical spell, for all the good it did, but the river daughter talked it out."

"From then on I learned from them. Tom taught me song and root. Radagast taught me words and numbers, and the lovely daughter taught me the names of things and how to not take it too far."

He shrugged, "I enjoy working to help them rather than doing my own thing. They are kind enough to tolerate me, so I aim to keep paying it back."

"Well that was a good journey" Tilaleria observed "it is rare I travel with others that can keep up with me and yet today I was the one struggling"

"Your magical location, Radagast... However far are we away from our target.. You said a long way this morning, so perhaps you will get a feeling for the number of days travel we have to do if we try again today"

"We need to discuss watches and things as well. I have no idea how many of you require sleep"

OOC YOu said 'discuss splitting up? Why would we want to split up? Are we 'there' even if we are, why would we want to split up (other than to send our aerial scouts out)

OOC: Some players might feel that too many characters in one group would get confusing. Splitting up into 3 smaller groups, all still heading in the same direction, would let you cover more ground. At night, you could always regroup and compare notes. It doesn't matter either way for me.

Elmohtar is a little overwhelmed by all the people his Master has gathered. His master! And yet, now it seems that Radagast is the master of many, and he himself just one of many followers. It shouldn't make a difference - the important thing was the big picture, the battle between good and evil and all that. But still...

Elmohtar motions for his great bird to pick him up, and he spends the first day of travel pondering all that has happened. It occurs to him that he doesn't fully understand why they are seeking the Entwives. When the group gathers for camp that night he approaches Radagast.

"Why are we searching for the Entwives instead of going after The Necromnacer? Who knows what evil he will raise by the time we get back from our journey?"

"When it comes to rest Tila, I still need to sleep. Though I trade off with my guardian when I sleep out in the world, as we are now."




Without looking away from the skillet that he was using to cook his meal, Saxon raised his hand. He had a very powerful guess, but in the end it was still a guess. However, the scents of seasoned porkchops started wafting about his wagon. If there was anything Saxon liked to do, it was cook.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:32, Mon 20 July 2015.

"Alas, that is not a simple question to answer," Radagast replies to Elmohtar.

"First of all, we do not actually know that there is a Necromancer. He may just be calling himself a Necromancer without actually being one. All we have so far are indications, which could be someone trying to hide their identity or real intentions. That doesn't necessarily make them any less dangerous, of course, but we are... well, dancing in the dark."

"Secondly, there are a group of Keepers in the Mirkwood already thwarting this Necromancer's efforts."

"Third, well, there are rumblings that Sauron may be trying to return. It is not for me to say 'yea' or 'nay' on the matter, as the White and the Gray are looking into it. What I can do is to make sure that the there are still Ents around if he does return. It is uncertain if Sauron understood the significance of the Ents in Middle Earth, but it seems doubtful."

"As long as there are Ents, Sauron can never succeed in his dark plans. Even if you told him that, he would refuse to believe it, perhaps be incapable of believing it. Sadly, the Ents are dying out. No new Entlings are being created. The Ents need the Entwives for that, and vice versa."

"Finally, it is a worthwhile cause, and I choose to pursue it."

Saxon pulled a covered pot off of his fire and drew from its contents. He placed it in a large mug and then poured some of his cider into the mix. He walked up to Radagast and handed him a plate with the mug. "Hot veggies and a mug of cider with a roasted apple in it. I know you don't really eat meat. Anyone else is welcome to food as well. I have a few days more before hunting becomes a need."

"As far as a necromancer. It would be better to call it a Her until gender is confirmed. Women make better necromancers due to the fact they have much more powerful minds when it comes to attention to detail. However, calling someone a necromancer is like calling Radagast a woodsman. It is not something you are any more than I can pick up a bow and shoot an arrow. To think along lines like that will leave you slightly blind to all the other tricks such people can do."

"The most common tricks come from mimicking the existing template. Corrupting the living and using the bones of things long dead and forgotten. If given oodles of time they can start making new things like skin kytes or bone golems."

"As far as stopping a necromancer. The most common tacit is to burn the bodies and starve him of much needed resources. Better the dead rest than to dance to the strings of one who desires harm unto the living. Kin shouldn't ever fight their ancestors."

"however, the best option is direct confrontation when such a person is at their weakest. Daylight, away from their demense, and made silent so they cannot give commands. That will eliminate the minded undead but they will still have access to their kabered husks."

"The absolute prime option is to fight fire with fire, blow for blow, eye for an eye. A necromancer is one man or woman, they cannot sustain a prolonged campaign if they are unable to take time to recover."

"I understand." Elmohtar replies. "I did not know about the Keepers."

He wonders why his master is still not certain that there is a Necromancer. Anyone who killed people and turned them into wights more than qualifies for the title in his mind, but Radagast might attribute more to the term than just the creation of undead.

He eats from the food Saxon had cooked, and drinks from the cider, listening politely to the lecture about necromancers.

Borun politely declined to travel on the wagon. "I'll walk if that's okay," he said. He was confident that his Academy training would allow him to keep up with the horse-drawn wagon.

If somehow Master Radagast magically altered the horses to pull the the wagon faster, however, then Borun would have to swallow his pride.

Anira would offer to help with the cooking and also cast a spell for the secure cottage the smaller group had utilized.  "It has eight bunks but if some don't mind sleeping on the floor, we can get more inside," she informed the newer additions to their group.  "We fit all of us and Radagast's rabbits so we should all fit rather comfortably and it has enchantments to keep us safe."  She listened to the discussion as she ate while the little squirrel scampered about her, taking a few seeds and nuts for its meal.

Borun can't keep up with the wagon across the open fields because Radagast is determined to cover a lot of ground before nightfall. In general, the wagon travels twice as far as it would normally be able to move.

It's like riding a roller coaster for 8 hours.

Anira creates her protective cottage again, and other than the occasional howl of a distant wolf, the night passes uneventfully.

Heading out into the Brown Lands will be at a more sedate pace, as everyone needs to search for signs... something to indicate that the Entwives went this way.

"I think the idea of splitting up is a good one," Arithal announces. "Not for safety reasons, of course, but so that we can search more ground. We will not be so far apart that we can't come to others' assistance if they need it."

"Does that sound alright to the rest of you?"

"Otorno and I will take the left flank. Will anyone join me?"

" Well that was hectic" Tilaleria observed "I've never ridden that fast in company before! Does your magical 'which way are the Ent-wives' give us any clue about whether we are close yet" she asked Rafagast as she helped prepare breakfast

"Personally I'm not keen on splitting." She observered in answer to Arithal's question. "We are following a magical device, if we travel fast we will get there sooner. If we split we can't travel so fast as we have to coordinate our activities, and few of us can keep up with Radagast"

"I see that there is a suggestion that we slow down and look for tracks. I would like to propose that we don't"

"If we were to cut for tracks of Entwives... Well I don't know what they look like... Or have any reason to beleive we will see any. So we would be halving or quartering our speed for no perceivable gain that I can see. Given we have a magical device that is taking us to them"

"Perhaps I am missing something obvious.."

This message was last edited by the player at 19:44, Fri 24 July 2015.

"Sometimes when you hurry and don't pay attention to clues, not just of what you are tracking but of other things about, you end up never reaching your goal," Anira replied calmly to the impatient Tilaleria.  "Whether we stay as one group or divide, Radagast thinks we should slow down a bit and I agree."

Turning to Arithal, she inclined her head and then sighed as Melda darted from one shoulder to the next via the path over her head which flicked some of her hair over her face.  "If we do split, I would go with you," she offered to the man who had a companion himself.

"I would agree with you if we didn't have a magical direction device" Tilaleria pointed out. "There is no reason this particular patch of wasteland has any more 'clues' than the ones we will spend at the far end. There are potentially around tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of square miles between us and there. Even spliting into say three groups we are unlikely to find things"

"Surely having aerial scouts to see anything obvious and then making good progress is a better plan?"

"If the powers that be she was careful not to look at Rafagast "wish us to accidentally find that needle in a haystack, then we will find it. If we are looking go for ent wife clues that are newer than an Age or two old, that are more obvious from the ground than the air, then perhaps we would be better spending our time looking for those clues where the Ent-wives are..."

OOC I'm looking for a credible IC reason and not hearing one. Come up with one and I'm a happy bunny. I don't like metagming if we can avoid it. I will of course if the majority want it. I thought quite hard and cannot think of a single reason why it is better to split up and go slow at the moment. Going slower maybe...but aerial scouts are good... Traveling faster than most messengers means people behind us cannot report is to people in front...etc etc