Estelrien, Eoforn and Tulko were riding back to Bree from Weathertop, having recently aided the ranger Candaith on Weathertop against another assault from Angmar.
Weary from their battles, the three checked into the Forsaken Inn with hopes of getting some rest on their way back to Bree. The food and ale were not particularly good and there was little merriment to be had there, whether it be in the form of good music, stories or riddle games. After a short evening in the common room, they began turning in for the night when a strange sound could be heard coming from the basement. A vague and distant wailing and grinding could be heard faintly from the guest rooms.
Estelrien left her room and inquired with Anlaf about the noises. “Hmmm, just noticed those sounds lately. Lots of guests complaining about it but eventually they fall asleep, ” replied Anlaf. Estelrien returned to her room and tried to read a book in hopes of getting sleepy, but it failed to provide sufficient distraction from the noise. Finally she donned her equipment and commenced a search of the bottom floor of the Inn. After searching for a few minutes, she encountered Eoforn standing in front of a wall where the strange sounds were particularly noticeable. “ I think it’s coming from behind this wall, “ he said. Estelrien paused to listen more closely when the clink of metal boots came up unmistakably from behind her. It was Tulko lumbering along yawning looking very sleepy.
“I couldn’t sleep either,” he said. A dwarf emerged from his room at that moment and said, “ I think the sound is coming from behind a bookcase in my room.” The heroes proceeded to investigate the dwarf’s room and move the bookcase he spoke of. Behind it lay a passageway where the previously muffled sounds were now emanating loud and clear. Estelrien said, “ I won’t get any sleep until this racquet has been silenced.” She proceeded to head down the dark passage. Eoforn and Tulko looked at each other with a doubtful grin and proceeded to follow. They both knew that there would be no argument about what was to be done next and they were not about to allow their Captain to walk into danger alone.
The three continued down the passageway till they arrived at a door where a man stood seeming to be waiting for something. “Pardon me sir,” said Estelrien, “ but do you know where that infernal racquet is coming from?” The man turned to the group and said that the sounds were coming from behind the door. Tulko walked up to the door but could find no mechanism for opening it. “You won’t open it that way.” Said the man. “Could you help us open it?” asked Estelrien. “Certainly, just ask it…” laughed the stranger.
Looking at the door the inscription read,
“Hotter than dragon’s fire am I, yet colder than the winds of the north. The poor man has much of me, the rich man wants for me, and those who dine on me must die.”Tulko suggested the answer was fatigue which he was feeling keenly, but Eoforn stepped up to the door and said “Nothing”. The door proceeded to open to reveal a room full of holes in the floor. The man said, “ I am Umin and I would appreciate being allowed to accompany you into the cavern below. I am a scholar and I seek some ancient texts I believe are down here.” Estelrien agreed being a scholar herself and they proceeded into the next room.
The passage lay before them with an adjoining passage leading off to the right. In it was a scroll laying on a pedestal. Estelrien picked up the scroll and read it aloud. It was a Journal entry by a captain Rabghul dated from the 7th of April of the third age 1351. It detailed a story of how this captain and his crew explored the tunnels they were apparently entering now. As Estelrien finished reading the journal entry an unmistakable howling rose above the grinding noises. The adventurers looked at one another wide-eyed and full of dread. What 600 year old mystery were they walking into and would they walk away from it alive?
