A last visit to the Prancing Pony (ORP)

[Tarmeon the Fading]

A notable inconspicuous cloaked figure enters the tavern. Some who could see his face might tell that they saw a mad spark flickering in the old man's left eye. silence fell over the inn as Tarmeon entered. He putted over his cap a little bit more, covering his scarred face. After a few seconds the muttering returned and the attention of the customers had loosed again. Tarmeon walked to the barkeeper and whispered to him.

"Can I talk with you for a moment, Butterbur? Somewhere where the mugs don't have ears."

Tarmeon showed a filthy grin to the barkeeper and awaited his answer. The bartender looked a little mistrusting at the old, hooded man but some coins pushed in his hand made him change his attitude quickly.

"Surely, mister..."

The bartender looked questioning at the old man in front of him.

"You don't know me? You ignorant fool. You showed all your weakness in your one sentence. It is that I need you longer or I might have made it your last sentence."

The bartender shrunk back a little bit under the intimidating words of the wizard. Sweat started pouring from his neck as he walked to the back of the inn.

"For now, mister Butterbur, I've one question for you. Did a long-bearded gray wizard or a bunch of small hobbits pass recently?"

The bartender examined the old man for a few seconds then he scraped his throat and gave him the answer he desired.

"An old grey wizard, you say? No. But hobbits..."

The bartender waits for a moment.

"No... not recently."

Tarmeon's wooden wizards staff started glowing a deep red light. He stepped forward and pulled off his cap, showing his face to the bartender. Hes left eye glowed brightly with the same color as the staff did. Butterbur's face turned to a tormented expression. He obviously suffered heavy pains but he wasn't able to scream out his agony. Suddenly the pain faded away as Tarmeon lowered his staff.

"Now tell me the truth, liar."

Tarmeon's face turned viciously. His misshapen eyes hungered for pain as the bartender answered his question.

"Four of them... yes four. They passed a week ago. Strange things happened that night. But... But I managed to survive. It was a total massacre but..."

Tarmeon's voice overwhelmed the bartender.

"Silence, I've heard enough of your lies, Butterbur. Be a little bit more hospitable to the ones that visit this place and tell them the truth. I'll leave you alive with this torment as a warning to you, but don't dare to lie to me ever."

Tarmeon turned his back on the barkeeper and put back on his hood. Gazed over his shoulder one last time and walked back to the front of the tavern and left immediately.

A strange party of creatures waited outside. They saw Tarmeon leaving the building with a grim expression on his face.

"This liar inside told me that the hobbits passed here a week ago indeed. We need to change our plans now we know for sure where the ring of power lurks. And where we can expect the enemy to strike next time."

[runshak]

Tarmeon and his forsaken party of creatures where talking to eachother while not aware that a hidden foe waited for them. A Half-Elf, dressed in old, grey clothes, worn like a too tall cloak, was hiding around the corner. Though she had elflike ears, she couldnt understand a word of the conversation, she knew it were plans of an evil nature.

"Tarmeon, that old fool. where is he up too this time? I must know it, but he cannot be trusted. I think he knows more then i even can imagine, maybe even my precence here. His companions, invissible beneath their clothes have to be as forsake as the old man himself."

Eressa didnt know much of Tarmeon, who knows his lore better then she did. She heared of him that he had uncovered much of what was ment to stay hidden. Secrets, commonly as foul like the oldest creatures, like Morgoth or good as many other Valor. Eressa knew nothing of this all, and didnt trust Tarmeon, as unpredictable as he was, in any means.

The only thing she could do is keep an eye on him...and wait.

[Tarmeon the Fading]

Tarmeon glared over his left shoulder as if he'd seen someone, after a short silence he continued his speech while pointing a specific creatures.

"You, find out who knows anything about this all. Don't tell anything about what we know and watch out for the gray one. He know tricks only I can know and imagine."

Tarmeon points at some other figures in the group.

"You two, track the hobbits they may never reach Rivendell. I one of you sees a black cloaked horseman, then flee. Those horseman are not what they seem and they will slay you if you block their path. I myself will deal with some other people here. After that, I'll be where I'm needed. Good luck."

Tarmeon's party splitted up and disappeared into the streets of Bree. Tarmeon himself walked back inside the Prancing Pony and took a seat in a dark corner of the tavern. He hid deep within his hood while he ordered some grog. He sat there and waited for her to enter the tavern.

[runshak]

as he already had expected, a person in grey cloths entered the tavarn, took seat at an empty table and looked around in the tavern, her face hidden in the shadow of her cloak.

She saw Tarmeon sitting in the corner but acted normally for not atracting attention.

"What in Middle-Earths name is he waiting for? Would he expect me, nah, thats impossible. He doesnt even know of my disquise."

She did notice that the air in the tavern had become colder then normal. Was it the precence of the wizard or something else. She couldnt tell, but it was an unpleasant cold, almost freezing her inner thoughts. She had to concentrate on Tarmeon, although that was difficult.

There she waited for an action of either Tarmeon or his minions

[Tarmeon the Fading]

Tarmeon felt the air cooling down. He didn't knew why and payed nearly no attention to it but he stayed focused on the inn's front door. He felt her attention and he knew she had also noticed his, but Tarmeon didn't understand why she'd not entered the tavern yet. She must have already entered the inn. Tarmeon looked around at the many visitors but he noticed only many standard tavern-people, a grey cloaked tramp, the bartender who stayed as far away as possible from the old wizard and a few waitresses. Tarmeon beckoned the bartender and spoke to him nearly inaudible.

"Yes mister... Tarmeon.?"

The barkeeper looked pale and he approached the wizard cautious and obviously feared. Tarmeon nodded at him and as he arrived Tarmeon pressed some valuable coins in his palms.

"Warn me if an female elf enters this tavern and tell this to none, understood? I guess that you know the consequences, Butterbur."

Tarmeon chuckled and grinned vicious at the barkeeper. He raised from his seat and handed some more coins over to the bartender.

"A room please mister bartender, with sight over the front street."

The bartender showed a fake smile and signed Tarmeon to follow him. Tarmeon got his room and looked out of the window for a long time without seeing the person he desired to meet, very soon.

[runshak]

"He knows of nothing, the old fool. He cant possibly think that some-one would follow him to undermine his plans of power. Although he is wise, his madness has blinded him. And thats the right thing to know when i try to diplomate with him, power and madness are beloved things for this man."

She looked over her shoulder to the stairways where Tarmeon had disappeared a few moment ago. The air seemed to warm up directly when he left the room. The Barkeeper had returned to his bar and the colour on his face had returned.

She waited a few minutes she raises from her chair and walked to the bar placing some coins before Butterbur. 4, 5, 8, 10 in total. She keeps her fave hidden for her own safety.

"I think this will do for a room, doesnt it? With the money here i please want to choose my own room, is that a problem?" she said with an acted voice.

"Ye ye, sure, whatever you want stranger. the roomes arent locked, go ahead" the bartender said quickly while grasping the coins eagerly.

Eressa smiles under her cap and walks up the stair. The wooden construct cries under every step but she tries to make as less sound as possible. She thinks while walking along the corridor, listening closely on every door until she hears Tarmeon. She tries the door next to it, which opens without problems.

"Empty, good. lets stay here tonight and sees what the wizard has to tell"

[Tarmeon the Fading]

Tarmeon stood in the same position for hours, waiting for a specific person to enter the inn. He constant stream of meaningless muttering interrupted one once when he heard some footsteps at the hallway. Later on, more footsteps passed and his attention drawed away from them. Now it was past midnight but far from morning. Tarmeon turned around and walked to his bed. He halted halfway the room and a small tear slid over his cheek.

"She told me she would be here. Galadriël in person told it me. She, the one I seek, would enter the tavern before midnight."

Tarmeon's thoughts twisted as he tried to remember the evening. His pure chaotic mind reconstructed the evening before his eyes. Every detail returned and fitted smoothly in it's place.

"How can I find her? She betrayed the timeline she's unreachable for..."

"Silence! You know who I am so don't tell me things I already know. I saw your appearance long before you planned to come and ask me for aid."

"That fact doesn't matter. You don't know who I am and that's why you brought my name, Elf. No show me that mirror so I can leave this beautiful place."

"You speak strange words, master Tarmeon. Give me one good reason why my guards won't remove you from here and why I should let you look into the mirror."

"Give me a good reason why I shouldn't kill you and your miserable guards, misses Galadriël. I can burn down this whole forest with one sign. I can torture you till you surrender. I can even forefill your greatest wish if you might have one. Now give me one good reason that I won't do one of these things."

Galadriel's expression stayed calm and certain.

"Because I have secrets that are unfolded for you. Secrets which you can't understand and which you'll never learn."

Tarmeon's skin turned to a sickening pale color as Galadriël softly spoke her words

"And for now you may look into the mirror, do you know why?"

Tarmeon shaked his head and his muscles started to shiver heavily.

"You may look because you'll never get the answer to this question then."

Fear and pain flowed over Tarmeon. He only wanted to flee but he knew that this was his only chance to look into the mirror. Never in his whole life would he get a chance to peer into it. He struggled with his inner self and finally started moving into the mirror's direction. Torment and agony filled his mind. He would give anything to escape this cruel dream. He fought an inner war and he unexpected won.

Tarmeon looked around his tavern room. An hour seem to have passed since he left the window. He cursed himself for focusing on the confrontation and not the vision. That information was much more useful than this scaring vision. Tarmeon concentrated again but his mind refused to grant him another vision. Suddenly he remembered one thing. Tarmeon smacked his twisted wizard's staff against the wall and it started to pulse with a deep red light, he knew he had caught her hearth beat. He singed the staff around and noticed that the pulse was slightly stronger in the direction of the room on the east, which was the last room on this site of the hallway. Tarmeon left his room and walked to the next one. Just as foreseen did the pulse direction of the staff turn into the direction of the door.

Hah, now I caught you. This time you wouldn't escape me. Maybe we can even fight, and I would like that. Yeah, a fair duel in which the winner is destined to be me.

Tarmeon chuckled as he putted his staff against the door and knocked three times. Slowly and without any rhythm.

[runshak]

Eressa suddenly woke up from her slumber. She did not sleep, but her guard weakened her mind fora short duration. She had been hours and hours waiting for an action from the person in the room next to hers.

She heared nothing a short time, then Tarmeon had trewn something against the ground, an action born from both madness and stupidity. But Eressa knew Tarmeon wasnt stupid, not at all.

He was smart, and wise. But mostly too chaotic in his mind to use all these things aproppiatly. Now he had walked out his room and went to hers. tree knocks on the door. Tarmeon had arrived.

She knew she wouldnt be able to held her disquise in front of the Wizard, and had to take a disicission. Her sword, thats the best option, for her own safety.

She grabbed it from the corner it was standing, and slowly walked to the door, completly aware of any danger. She hided her sword under her grey robes and slowly opened the door.

Before her stood the Wizard, with his pulsing staff, his left eye swirling with chaos. She tried to speak with a sleepy tone, her hand readies to cut Tarmeons troath.

"What can i do for you sir? Its already past midnight."

how did he found me? how does he know i am here, and what are his plans? If he wishes to fight, agreed but im unsure of the power he posseses.

[Tarmeon the Fading]

It where twelve hearth-beats which passed since Tarmeon knocked one the door. Each one a little bit faster than the previous. Tarmeon looked amused at the increasing frequently as suddenly the door opened in front of him. He suppressed the thoughts about trying to rip out the hearth of his victim to compare it with the rhythm of his wizard's staff. Tarmeon chuckled and bow before gentle for the half-elf who opened the door.

What can i do for you sir? Its already past midnight

"Goodnight miss...? What was it again? Oh, my dear, I've forgotten the name of the one who must have stalked me for about a few weeks, how sad. Can I come in?"

Tarmeon entered the room without showing any sign of hostility. He walked to the bed and settled himself there.

"That's much better for my old bones."

Tarmeon chuckled again and looked at Eressa while he pointed at a chair on the other side of the room and then at the place on the bed besides him.

"You had foreseen my visit long before didn't you? Just as I had seen yours. I will explain my presence here if you listen to what I've to say and put away the weapons you're hiding. Look, you must have heard of the one ring of power, don't you? This one ring gives the owner some kind of unlimited powers, as you probably should know."

Tarmeon pauses for a moment and coughs loudly before he continues talking.

"This one ring passed here shortly and It's aiming for Mordor, and Sauron. I'm sure that you know the consequences if this ring falls in the hands of Sauron, we must prevent this at any cost. For now it seems that we've to work together, and that's why this meeting was destined. We must agree on a special pact in which we fight a shared enemy."

[runshak]

Eressa looks back over her shoulder when Tarmeon passes in her room without even an answer to his question. She says nothing for a short moment, in which she closes the door of her room.

She looks at him suspiciously settling on her bed. He surely knew who she was and he knew everything she was trying to hide for him.

"Tarmeon, i am Eressa as you would surely know. And i know indeed that the Ring of Power has past here recently. We do have common enemies, but i also know that you, in your maddness, have other plans for sure. Tell me these first for im sure you wont act in Goods name but only out of your own profit. Tell me!!"

She keeps her weapon ready to act and moves a few steps towards Tarmeon, treathening him if possible.

"Give me one reason to trust you Wizard, and let it be a very good one, for i dont trust people who dont see reality anymore due to their maddness. You think you know me, and so do i about you but im sure we have alot of secrets for eachother.

Who are your merchenaries and what is their task? I saw them."

Then Eressa looks at the wizards staff and realises that it is a powerfull weapon indeed in the right hands. She did not trust him, and he could even destroy her own will if he intended NOT to, that was the pain of Chaos.

"Tarmeon! put your staff against the wall or ill wil force you to do it, im not uneagerly to harm you wizard, so if i were you, i would just listen and put your staff against the wall over there" she says, pointing to the other side of her room.

[Tarmeon the Fading]

Tarmeon smiles as he carefully listens to the flood of words. He looks at his staff and from the staff to Eressa.

"Do you want to rob an old man of his walkingstick? Surely you will. It's too far for my old bones so would you please put it against the wall, miss Melwasúl?"

Tarmeon throws his wizards staff to Eressa and it immediately pulses fiercely red, then it extinguishes and looks like a normal wooden rod.

"I already expected you to wonder why I would act in the name of good. You got the distrust of an elf and surely the paranoia of a human. Never heard of people changing? I might be called a madman but it's only a trick to fool my enemies. Sauron and Saruman trait me as a blabbering fool and that the reason why I still walk Middle-Earth alive. In these times nothing is what it seems, Eressa. You've heard about Saruman? This good-willing wizard will choose Sauron's side in time. No one should expect this but it's true. For now, this pact does indeed has profit for me. If the world shall be destroyed, I'll e destroyed too. It's to us or to the hobbits to stop this happening, this destruction of the world. Do you understand where I'm taking about?"

Tarmeon sits back a bit and the mad spark in his left eye dims.

[runshak]

Eressa catches the stick with ease, and puts it against the wall, where i may be harmless, though she doesnt know the way of wizards very well.

"Well, i really dont trust you Tarmeon, and as you already said: i have the untrust of an elf, and the paranoia of a human, since i come from both races. I dont have much choice then agree with you, do i? Very well then, tell me your plan. but dont expect me to act as crazy as you. I will stay the good i am at the moment, or even more, and wont allow any evil actions Tarmeon.

Im not the one who tries to have a fair fight which she cannot win, i will cut people in the back when i really need to do so. even you, just remember that.

but what is your plan Wizard?"