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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Paka" data-source="post: 1307837" data-attributes="member: 100">Riddle of Midnight - Karhoun Keep - Post #7All that is gold does not glitter,  Not all those who wander are lost;The old that is strong does not wither,  Deep roots are not reached by the frost.-    The Fellowship of the Ring – Strider – J.R.R. Tolkien (known in the appendix as the Riddle of Strider)When Karhoun came out of Baldrin's tomb* he appeared to have renewed something long lost in him.  He looked at the keep and felt its warm breath on his face.  Before anyone could ask what he saw within the mound, he began running towards the keep’s broken gates.*DM's Note - I am hazy on the details of that meeting in the tomb and want to discuss what was said with a player before writing it out here.  I will write what happened within the tomb as a flashback in a later scene.We all followed him, all by Vorden Qell and Moonfur, who watched with his tail between his legs, sure that he would see more folk he cared for die.  By the time he got to the gates his sword was out.  He clanged he blade against the metal of the gate and began to scream.****DM's Note - JJ asked me what an old Dornish greeting would be and I just told him, "Heroes of old would announce their great deeds of heroism."  Then he rocked da house.“I am Karhoun Esben, and it was I who hunted the Manticore, alongside my brother Northmen.  I put Bastion to the torch and kill the Oruk who took my steel and sought to keep it.  I am a proud Esben, fostered at Theros Obsidia, taught to hunt alongside Goblins and Orc.“I have sworn powerful oaths to see the world freed from Shadow.I am Karhoun Esben son of Vildar!”The ground rumbled and when the voice spoke, it was as if the words came from the stones of the keep itself.  “I too am Karhoun Esben son of Vildar and held the name before you ever did.”The Elves all looked at each other puzzled.“Allow me to tell you my tale, brother:“The Third Age saw the last great stand against the Shadow.  They poured out of the north in uncountable hordes, screaming their god’s name.  I was stationed here by our father, Vildar Esben, highfather of the Esben Clan.  Little did I know that father sent all of the sons he knew would resist his oaths to Shadow here.  He sent us here to die and die we did.I was driven into the armory and when they realized I would never give up they merely fetched masons and bricked me in, saving me for later.  I died for a time too.“Eventually I came out of my mortal shell like butterfly from a cocoon.  My hoarding of weapons, my will to kill those who had entered my lair, my hatred of Shadow all perhaps played a role in turning me into what I am.”“What are you?” Karhoun asked.“I am a Dragon.“I had heard legends of a Dwarf who hoarded his jewels with hands too tight and became a dragon due to his greed.  I too held on to my jewels with too tight a grip.  But my jewels are weapons and armor.  My jewels are this defendable keep.  I would not let them go, wouldn’t die like father wanted.  So, here I am, no longer a man but a creature.  Father thought I was dead and so he named another Karhoun, an old family name to honor the founder of this very keep, in the Second Age.“You are all welcome in my keep, the Shadow has lost track of this place and so I have kept it for a time.  You should be safe here during your stay.“Come in and allow me to offer you what hospitality I can.”They all entered, all but the Elf, clad in Scarlet.  He sat on the mound, thinking.  At dusk I called to him and bid him enter, despite the brand of Shadow on his forehead.  He discussed with me his theft of a stone from a nearby burial mound and I assured him that while making that right will be difficult it is still possible.With my personal invitation he entered but Moonfur had left, unsure of our fates, having seen enough death already.  They broke bread with me and drank of the beer that I had.  They were my guests and they were all bound by powerful oaths to destroy the Shadow.  Despite these oaths, personal passions, loves, drives and dreams were pulling them apart.  It is within my keep their future deeds would be planned and I was honored to be a part of harrying the Shadow once again.I have hid in my keep, afraid of the Shadow's Wrath for too long.</blockquote>

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