Nilithion, The Rune-Hunter

My mind is a fog...

My vision is blurred...

My hand is unsteady, but still I must tell..

...Of the creature whose anger I've spurred...

Long has my kinship been in preparation for a journey into Moria. There is an evil that stirs below; one that has silenced the trees, and driven the animals mad with fear. We aim to stop it, though we know not what it is yet.. I know it is down there though, for I have felt it's malice each time I pass through the gates with my friend, Athrimn... It seeks him. 

...It lusts after his power.. The power he and Apostos share.. 

That ancient ability once used by Elven Smiths to craft the Rings Of Power: That of a Rune-Keeper.

But my kinship knows of this, for I have already told them. I write for other reasons; to alert them of a more present evil, lest I haven't the chance to speak of it to them myself.

**************

Dearest Friends, 

We have long known that something haunts the steps Athrimn has taken. It follows him wherever we travel, until we travel into Moria's depths, then it deviates and seeks the path trodden by Apostos instead. I can't pretend to be ignorant of the connection between this hunter and the evil that stirs below... I believe it sent her to capture the Rune-Keepers.

Recently, I have discovered the identity of this hunter, but through no easy means. 

I tried breaking from Athrimn's company and tracking her as she tracked him, but she was too illusive. Her steps have been light, and often she leaves the ground and goes on through the trees, or the river.. After speaking with Skalithor and all of you about it, I decided to try a different method-- To bait one's prey to you is a Hunter's last resort, because it is dangerous for all who are involved.. I know I have too often suggested it in previous ventures, when patience and wise planning from Skalithor made it unnecessary. This time, however, he was not there to caution me otherwise and I went ahead with it...

...Forgive me..

I left Athrimn in Moria, and beat his hunter back to Apostos' trail. I concealed hers and I set carefully a fraud path, then employed the boy Taivian to assist me. We were in Greenfields, near the road which leads to Evendim, and there Taivian replicated the energy a Rune-Keeper emits when they summon a rune.. The hunter was successfully fooled, and knowing Apostos is often alone, came into the open to retrieve her... I doubt either Taivian nor myself were truly prepared for what we saw, and we shall not soon forget it:

The beast is one of Ungoliant's dreaded offspring! 

A giant black spider, with blood red coloring on her legs and back! I could not believe something as horrifying as what we beheld had been roaming freely in the Shire, nimble enough as to have gone unnoticed for so long... Yet she was not as her predecessor, nor as her sister, Shelob. This spider was lithe, and moved as quickly as a regular sized arachnid.

She saw us while she was yet on the hill, but knew that if she turned, we would pursue her... It enraged her that she had been so easily deceived by an Elf and 14 year old boy. She cursed us our arrogance in interfering, and swore to devour us in a manner that was most unpleasant and does not bear repeating....

...In my defense should Tarvhos and Silverfeather ever find this, I had ordered Taivian home after he completed his spell. I could feel the monster's excitement, and knew she was coming quickly. If Taivian had listened to me, he would have been able to escape before she arrived... ...Yet it is to his credit, for though he refused, he was not frightened of her and stood with me, prepared to attack.

The details of this battle would take too long to write, and already the pen feels heavy in my hand. Let it suffice to say that between the two of us, we were able to drive her back, yet she did not leave without bestowing upon me a gift of parting. By then we had already wounded her badly, but before I could loose the arrow that would have finished it all, a sudden rage took her and renewed her strength. She tackled me to the ground and hissed her name into my face, swearing that in the final moments of my slow and painful death, I would remember it.. Then she struck me with her stinger.

I have no doubt that she was aiming for my heart, only thanks to Taivian, she penetrated my shoulder instead, and was forced to retreat with a lightning burn upon her back.. I tried to pursue her, but upon standing, my strength suddenly failed me. Quickly, and with yet more help from Taivian, I was able to clean and medicate the wound. Afterward, it healed surprisingly quickly, so we thought little more of it and sought to return to the Kinship House....

....I realize now that I have been poisoned, but the effects of that do not trouble me as greatly as the words the monster spoke during our battle:

She said she knew of us, and she had seen and watched us, all whom had ever spoken to the Rune-Keepers. She claimed she had followed a "drunken man" to where we live and reported it all to her back master. He knows the name of MountainZephyr and despises it.. Then, during her retreat, she swore her master had plans for our little kinship, and that she would yet see us destroyed....

...I know I have made a mistake, perhaps, in drawing this creature out. The time we have left is now slimmer than before, or will be when this vile monster returns again to Moria.. 

I am too weak to try and thwart her march, and have forbidden Taivian from doing so.. I discovered sometime later, during a battle in which I aided Orinmur and another in the defense of Gondamon, that the effects of the poison increase with my heart rate.. 

For now I am calm, and do not feel as ill, but I will not write anymore...

I say only this to my friends still travelling abroad in preparation of our journey:

Beware Nilithion, The Rune-Hunter... 

I do not know when she will choose to strike again.

P.S  Skalithor, I beg of you not to be angry with Taivian. I owe the boy my life..

..And as I know you are undoubtedly angry with me (and have every right to be)... Please do not lecture me until I am feeling better. I will not be able to hold my own against you the way I am feeling now.

Your (hopefully still) friend, and faithful idiot

~Hawkinz

The Mysterious Disappearance of Maeflower Tooke...

This record, had in the histories maintained by the Book-Keeper, whose duty it is to chronicle the times and events of the Mallorn Children, their comings and goings in the Fourth Age, and kept in his personal study for safekeeping, relates the recent occurrence of unexplained circumstances...

Miss Maeflower Tooke, with whom we have all been previously acquainted, who is known to come and go between the homes in the interest of upkeep and the caretaking of house, yard, and neighbor, was said to have left the homesteads in the company of two trusted guardians, Thannor and Ardonali, on the thirtieth day of the sixth month in the twenty-first* year of King Elessar.

The events prior to the sudden departure of our friend is recorded as the following:

Maeflower Tooke was met by Ardonali and Thannor of the Mallorn Guard in the yard of Miss Kimelly Bolger, where she was described as being "arms full" whilst transporting a large selection of necessities, (things, perhaps only a hobbit might have remembered to need.) At which time, the aforementioned Guardians offered to accompany Maeflower on whatever travels she was clearly setting out on, and were not declined.
The trio are reported to have set out on horseback in the late evening and to have ridden through the following locations; The Shire countryside, Breeland, the Lone-Land wilderness, and the upland woods of the Trollshaws. Coming to the Bruinen, the company then traveled south down the river and entered the land of Eregion, and began their trek to the land of Enedwaith.

Following an ambush by the unfriendly inhabitants of Eregion, the company took refuge in the ancient ruins of Mirobel, where they camped for a night. Setting out early the next day, they were once again attacked in the hills of Emyn Naer, and there, Miss Tooke was separated from her companions on the northern side of the river prior to coming over into Enedwaith.

In the land of Enedwaith, Thannor and Ardonali were also separated while searching for the lost hobbit. Thereafter, Skalithor MountainZephyr, who had some days been pursuing the company, met with Ardonali and began traveling north again in pursuit of the two lost companions.

Thannor was discovered in the northern regions of Eregion, but all signs to entail the whereabouts of Miss Tooke were, save for the passage of a pony near the river, absent in this part of the journey.

   'I will hereafter relate any details I recall of the events following: We arrived in the ancient ruins of the Noldor, called Gwingris, several days if not months* after the time this fateful journey began. Here, we took refuge to consider all that had transpired, and I bade Ardonali and Thannor to watch and rest, while I took my journey again in seeking what became of Miss Tooke.'
   'I was not, however, permitted to wander long, for near the Red Horn Pass of the western Eregion hills I discovered a set of tracks which I quickly identified as belonging to that of a heavy-laden pony. Hoping, perhaps, to find the creature and verify the fate of my friend, I followed these tracks. While thus engaged, I discovered them joined by two other sets that were unmistakably small horses.' 

  'What happened thereafter, I will not say, only that I was met by one of the three riders who knew of my coming, and had waited to inform me that Maeflower was both found and safe.'

'When I returned to Ardonali and Thannor, I do not doubt the heaviness of their hearts to learn that one of their companions, who they had last seen in peril, must now be left behind. And I fear it will be a great long while before we see that hobbit again, but we must suppose that Maeflower Tooke is now in the company of friends, and those who have undoubtedly never been far from her... '

Written for the archives of the Book-Keeper in the House of the Mellryn by
~Skalithor MountainZephyr.

Notes:
*The said year of this event is an estimated timeline, which may hereafter be subject to alteration as otherwise decided among the current participating individuals of the Mallorn Children of the Fourth Age.