"RING OF DARKNESS" by Nick Perumov

A continuation of J.R.R.Tolkien’s "Lord of the Rings" – Middle-Earth 300 years later.

Book 1: "The Elven Blade"

Summary by Nadya Neklioudova. Version 1. Free translation; I tried as best as I could to keep up with the style but I apologize if it doesn't match or sound right... And please excuse all spelling mistakes, they will be corrected.

This is only a translation-summary of the book by a fan, for fans. It is written by Nick Perumov, as stated above. Published in Russian by "Severo-Zapad" ("North-West") in St-Petersburg, Russia in 1993. Please don’t sue me, I gave all the credits and I’m not copying the work, I’m only translating/summarizing it. But if anyone finds any copyright infringement on this and wants this offline immediately – please send email to kaoru-k@usa.net and I will take it off immediately unless some great disaster happens, but please don’t sue me. I AM NOT MAKING ANY MONEY OF ANY KIND OFF THIS. This is only a free translation/summary for fans, by a fan. And please don’t copy my work and say it’s yours either, or I’ll sue you. :)

Part 1

Chapter 5: "Rogwold"

An annoyed Thorin opens the door to find a tall, white-haired and rather old, but in good shape, man with young blue eyes. He apologizes for interrupting, and light metallic noes are heard in his voice. He asks if he can be of any help (which further annoys Thorin). The stranger notices Folco’s bruised back, digs out a few leaves of athelas, and comments that Thorin had the right plants for Folco’s back, but that athelas would be even better. Thorin wonders how this man knows their healing herbs, and the man answers that he’s been to the Moon Mountains (Translator’s Note: I know these are most likely Blue Mountains, but I’ll just use Moon Mountains until I can be absolutely sure these are Blue Mountains...). Thorin is baffled, and asks how the man knew he was from the Moon Mountains. The stranger explains that five-layered axes with a spike are only made in the Moon Mountains, whereas they are three-layered in the North, in Moria they have a wavy design, the ones from the Lonely Mountain have a Mountain symbol on them, and the blade of the axe is rounded...yada yada yada. The Sherlock Holmes of Middle-Earth smiles and introduces himself as Rogwold son of Mstar, called Rogwold Oak by the Bree-landers because he is very enduring and looks younger than he is.

Thorin and Folco introduce themselves. Rogwold fusses around poor Folco, asking questions from time to time. Thorin decides the newcomer isn’t that bad. Folco tells him about what just happened in the common-room of the inn, Rogwold recognizes the name of Sandello and says, amazed, that "that man could’ve killed the hobbit with his bare hands, never getting up from the table". Thorin and Folco are surprised, and Rogwold tells them that he knew Sandello from Annuminas, that despite his height he won prizes in sword-fighting competitions three times in a row, and seemed to live only to show people how much better he is at these competitions. The Steward didn’t like the hunchback, and didn’t accept him into his army for some reason. Rogwold wonders what happened to Sandello all these years (he is 20 years younger than Rogwold), and who he serves now is clear as day. He wonders whose voice it was that forbid the hunchback from his favorite hobby of fighting.

Thorin says that they will probably meet Sandello again. Rogwold remarks that Sandello is the kind of man who, when he chooses a side, sticks to his leader until death. By now the healing broth was done, and Rogwold made the hobbit drink it, while rubbing his back with athelas leaves. The pain let go of Folco and he listened as Rogwold told about himself. He said that he is an Arnorian, born and raised in Annuminas. He was accepted by the Steward into his cavalry. He commanded detachments of ten, then 100, went in the Last March to the North 30 years ago, when settlements of surviving Orcs were found there, and there got promoted to commanding an army of 500. Then when he got older, he left the army, and became a free hunter – he catches, tames and teaches falcons, then sells them to the Steward’s Hunters. "That’s pretty much it."

Thorin asks where Rogwold is going now, and finds that he is going to Annuminas, just like them. The dwarf inquires how they may get to talk to the Steward ASAP about their important business without jumping through hoops, and find out that either way it’ll take about a month. But Rogwold says that he knows the Steward, and he may get them an appointment earlier.

Thorin told Rogwold about his and the hobbit’s meeting, and their conversations. Rogwold says that King Elessar’s library had stories of the UnderWorld, deeper than the deepest mines of the Dwarves. It says that Morgoth’s Soldiers are still captured there, and wonders if that may have ay connection to the events in Moria. He admits that someone must go down into Moria, and if the Moon Mountains dwarves refused to go, they might find some willing dwarves in Annuminas. And he says that "It is decided – I am coming with you!"

Rogwold paces around the room, asking if the two had seen anything unusual on their trip to Bree. Thorin starts telling about the howl they heard, and that it reminded Folco of a voice in the Red Book, but they decided this is impossible. Rogwold remarks that "In these times, nothing is impossible" and says that he heard it too, twice while coming to Bree from the South, and that the second seemed much eviller. Folco jumps up confirming it, and saying that Thorin heard it three times. Then Thorin tells of the body Folco found, to which Rogwold mutters "They got here again!", not mentioning who. Then he says that this is explainable, and that there are two explanations. First, that he was simply killed by thugs. The second is that the people from Angmar (there are people in Angmar now - rebels against the King) who come down here to rob whole cart-strings, captured him and killed him when he proved useless. (see a pattern yet?)

After a pause, Rogwold says in a whisper that he saw something that he really didn’t want to believe, coming through the South Gates of Bree, which are very near the Barrow-Downs. Thorin and Folco shuddered, and Rogwold understood that "they saw that too". He says that other Rangers told him that the Barrow-Downs are coming to life again, but he only believed it when he saw the blazing Stones and heard the singing. Thorin retells their story of what they saw. Rogwold says that these people are obviously from the North, backing it up with hoofprints with Angmarian marks he saw in the forest – the hoofprints lead to the Barrow-Downs.

Now it is clear that they were coming from different directions – Thorin and Folco from the north-west, Rogwold from the south-east, yet they both saw people going into the Barrow-Downs, which now seem to be some kind of meeting-place. Thorin suggests they should inform the commander of the Arnorian army, but Rogwold says they won’t do anything without orders from Annuminas. Thorin says that he has to do it anyway, and starts packing up. Folco realizes that he can’t just chicken out on Thorin and Rogwold and go back to the Shire now, and also gets up to pack up.

They leave the inn, telling Butterbur to keep their room for them. They walk down the main street while a confident Rogwold explains that almost all main streets in such cities are named after the Great King Elessar, and he tells the hobbit about Bree.

They approach two long houses which are the Bree headquarters of the Arnorian Army. They tell the guard that they might know the hideout of the Angmarian people. The guard takes them to the Captain of the Bree army. The trio introduce themselves, and so does the Captain whose name is Erster son of Korst. They tell everything they saw to a concerned Erster. The Captain decides to act, and gets his army ready. Thorin offers to go with them, but the Captain politely says it’s not his business anymore.

The trio exit, saying they should go back to the inn and rest, then go to Annuminas. Rogwold inquires if there was any more important news to tell the Steward in Annuminas, and Thorin mutters yes. They decide to check the Barrow-Downs in the morning.

Rogwold leaves to visit his friends, and Folco and Thorin go to sleep back in the inn – they have a big day ahead...

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