1.0 - The Marsh Bell

Robin looks nervously between the Elves and Gilly. With his arm concealed behind his sister, he takes hold of her cloak and gives it a subtle tug. In even his minimal experience outside the Shire, he has quickly learned that Elves tend to not like Dwarves, and Robin fears testing these particular Elves. "Gilly," he says quietly, with a cautionary tone.

A few crashing noises and what you can only assume are Dwarven curse words are followed shortly by an out of breath Inar "Don't run off like that, you could run into....oh.." he says, a bit lost for words before bowing to the elves respectfully "Inar Stoutfoot, at your service"

With Inar's arrival, it's like the last piece of a checker board falling into place for the elf before you. With a sigh that speaks volumes he says, "I am Galion. I am bid to watch the borders of Mirkwood for my liege. Not, however, for a rag-tag band of meddling Hobbits and Dwarves."

He scoffs, "I've known Hobbits were trouble since I first laid eyes on that one years back. Fancy talking but sneaky." He looks over to Inar and off to Fror, "And the faults of Dwarves are known to all -- and are many."

"Beggin' your pardon, Galion. Sir." Robin rubs his hands together a bit nervously and gives a quick bow, "We don't mean to intrude."

"As said, we're searching for some fellows." Robin neglects to refer to them as Dwarves a second time. "If you could point us in a proper direction, or know someone to ask, we would be terribly grateful for your assistance." Robin shifts his foot off of a nearby tree root, wary of any potential insult.

Galion seems distinctly unimpressed with those before him. "And what, do tell, is so important about these fellows? Surely they could get wherever they were headed without hinderance?"

Gilly recognizes the name, and tries to remember what Bilbo had said...was this one of the elves that captured the party of dwarves?

She decides to try for straightforward honesty, "They didn't arrive at their destination, so something hindered their way. I know it isn't your duty to find missing travelers, but if whatever waylaid them also threatens your woods, perhaps we actually have duty in common?"

Out of sight and from beyond the trees and bushes, near the bank of the river where the companions pulled ashore, Frór's voice bellows out after his fleet-footed friends, "Oy! Where're you off to? Bring back some firewood, eh! And some mushrooms too, if you see any! Don't mind me! I'll be fine! I'll just wait here with the gear and prepare our camp!" Then, after a momentary pause and some inaudible muttering, "...And don't go tradin' yer nice lilies to no Elves fer nothin'!"

Galion looks askance at Gilly Took. "We are quite capable at defending our Realm and as I recall the objects of your search were headed south -- well past what we consider our borders. There is a reason, after all, that our borders are where they are. The Mountains of Mirkwood and Dol Guldur still exert an influence here despite the relative peace we enjoy. It is a foolhardy Dwarf who believes the Old Road is the way forward even in these times."

He considers, "I suppose I could tell you what I know. But I must know what you know in order to proceed."

Gilly considers a moment, then relays what they know so far. She ends with, "And as we descended into these lands, I felt a dark presence. Nothing I can put my finger on, mind...just a feeling."

Robin looks to Gilly with some concern on his face as she speaks this last part. He does not interrupt however, not wanting to ruin what aid they may receive from Galion.

Inar glowers at Galion but swallows his pride and keeps quiet before he makes matters worse.

Galion absorbs Gilly's story with a thoughtful look. "Well, we know it was Balin and Oin -- we are familiar with them and no great love is lost between us. The invitation to the Eagles is an interesting twist -- I have no doubt that should any bauble have accompanied the invitation then Balin and Oin certainly would not have sought to traverse through the Woodland Realm. They have proven to prefer to hoard what they can rather than justly share it."

This is a refrain that each of you has heard one way or another -- either from Bilbo's stories or around the halls of Erebor.

"Still, you have told me what you know. I do not know a great deal, but I do know where we last saw them. Perhaps they have left something behind in their campsite that you would find to be a clue." Here, Galion proceeds to provide reasonable directions to find what he claims is the campsite for Balin and Oin before the Elves lost track of them, themselves. Having given the information, he and his cohort step back into the forest of Mirkwood and quickly disappear among the trees without even providing a "fare well". The three of you are left standing at the border of the forest and the marsh.

"Oy!" calls Frór impatiently from the distant campsite at the shore, "Found any firewood yet?"

Inar huff's a little but tries to put the Elves out of his mind "Right, well seems we have a possible lead"