Corvin and Vgi stood guard hidden to the south of the entrance to the orc camp, keeping a wary eye out for enemies. Theirs was a daring raid, deep into the territory owned by the Morgul Mages, and danger lay all around them, in guises most hideous and evil. Looking to the rolling hills to the south, you would never have known that you were this close to a Morgul outpost, but just over the hill to the north lay a well-established camp, hideously decorated with the war-banners and trophies of the orcs. Tents sprawled around campfires like hounds around the hearth, and the whole camp was shrouded in a dank mist that no light source seemed able to penetrate or burn off. Some where in the middle of this camp lay the tent of the Morgul commander, and it was in this tent that their comrade Tanthalis presumably was now, attempting to fulfil their mission.

Although the presence of the orc camp was a secret to most of the peaceful hobbits of the Shire, the Elders of the Shire were well aware of this place, and had sought help from the lands of Caliana, as the rangers had so far proven to be totally ineffectual. Help had arrived one day in the form of the small band known as Vgi's Dogs of War, and the mission had quickly been planned, late that night.

Tanthalis was taking far too long, thought Vgi. Perhaps the mission had been planned too quickly, or perhaps there were spies amongst the Elders? It shouldn't have taken too long to locate the commander, and assassination of a mage should have been no problem with the items that Tanthalis carried. Vgi did not voice his suspicions to Corvin, but the monk must have been aware that things were not proceeding smoothly, for he was shuffling agitatedly on the spot, going through a limbering up exercise common to the martial artists amongst the monks.

Vgi took a deep breath and leant against his giant black maul. "Don't worry, he'll be here soon," he assured Corvin, but the look in his eyes told a different story. Calians were fearsome warriors in teams, but by themselves they were no match for an equally skilled opponent. Without the element of surprise, Tanthalis could be in real trouble.

Corvin looked around, trying to spot any sign of trouble. He reached into his sack, and pulled out an earthen bottle. Uncorking the lid, he took a long pull of whisky, then returned the bottle to the sack. If there was going to be trouble, it was best to be fortified for it. He took his thanar helm off and wiped the sweat from his face. Corvin ran his fingers over his close-cropped skull, and pulled his helm back on, ready for action.

As they waited nervously, the crystalline medallion that Vgi wore around his neck flashed with an emerald green tint, and he felt Tanthalis' words projected into his head. "You had better be ready, we've been discovered! I'm on my way out!"

"Corvin, we're hot... Tanthalis is in trouble, and we can expect company soon," whispered Vgi tersely. Corvin nodded, and took up position next to Vgi. Just then, Tanthalis came running out, followed closely by a black-robed Morgul mage. Tanthalis pulled up panting next to his comrades, and gripped his fiery steel halberd tightly. The mage wasted no time, and attacked Tanthalis, swinging his spiked steel morning star in circles over his head.

Tanthalis moved behind Corvin, and the black-robed mage threw his head back and cackled with glee, bellowing "I'll rip Calia's colours off your dead body, Tanthalis. And yours too, Vgi!". The mage then beckoned endearingly towards Corvin, his morning star making an ominous sound as it swung through the air.

Vgi feinted at the mage with his giant maul, and the mage took a step back. The black-robed human's eyes narrowed as he concentrated, drawing power from the realm of the shadows. Quickly, Corvin rushed forward and struck the mage hard stunning him, before he was able to unleash his terrible spell on the raiding party. Corvin followed up with a vicious roundhouse, while Vgi and Tanthalis circled around, trying to find an opening for their polearms.

Tanthalis found a weakness in the mage's defences, and cut his arm deeply with his fiery steel halberd. The mage appeared startled, and quickly ran for the safety of the camp. Tanthalis gave chase, and Vgi and Corvin could clearly hear the harsh cry of a hidden orc shouting "Intruders in the camp! Intruders in the camp!"

Tanthalis quickly reappeared, this time with the Morgul mage in hot pursuit. As Vgi and Corvin ran to join the battle, they heard some low guttural sounds from behind them, and a snicker of amusement. Casting a glance over his shoulder, Vgi saw that two more black-robed figures had appeared, a male and a female human. Vgi glanced closer at the male mage and almost had a stroke, as he realised that he was facing the infamous King of Minas Morgul, the Nazgul Stern!

Tanthalis bravely faced Stern and said "Greetings, Stern". In a whisper, he added to Vgi "I think that we have big problems... please back me up." The black-robed human's burning red eyes narrowed coldly beneath his hood, and he hissed "Greetingss Tanthalis."

Vgi bowed respectfully in the direction of Stern, as Tanthalis whispered "Interesting how he knows my name, Vgi" in a low aside. Stern's eyes narrowed once more, and a hard edged, hollow sounding maniacal laughter rang out from beneath his hood as his preternaturally acute hearing caught Tanthalis' comment. "You think sso?" he hissed at Tanthalis. "You know mine, don't you?"

Tanthalis sighed deeply, and nodded his assent. "I do." The female mage rasped some low guttural sounds, and Stern leered creepily at Tanthalis with the unholy light of corruption in his eyes.

Tanthalis sneered unconvincingly, and cried out "Let's find the commander and finish him off... he doesn't deserve to live". Stern stopped wielding his double headed morning-star, and paused momentarily, drawing power from the realms of the shadows. Employing the powers of dark sorcery, he cast a spell, wielding a shimmering long-knife that had magically appeared in his claw-like hand.

Tanthalis turned and ran south, into the rocky canyon that lay between the orc camp and the hamlet of Greenfields. Corvin and Vgi kept pace with Tanthalis, stumbling on the rocks lying along the pathway. The mages followed after the trio in hot pursuit, and when Vgi tripped and fell over a particularly large rock, the mages were upon them once more.

One of the black-robed figures quaffed a powerful ash-grey potion, and then threw his head back cackling with glee as he faced the monk and the two calians who stood before the mages in battle-ready stances. The hooded female subserviently hissed low guttural words to Stern, before pausing in contemplation, seeking power from the forces of darkness.

Tanthalis moved into position behind the stout frame of the monk Corvin, as he and Vgi prepared to coordinate their attacks on the mages. Tanthalis' fiery steel halberd snaked out and around the mage's defences, narrowly missing him, as Vgi thrust his giant black maul deeply into the human's legs. Corvin sized up his opponent and powerfully hit him in the solar plexus, leaving the Morgul mage gasping for breath, momentarily stunned.

Stern gazed uncaringly over the battlefield, surveying his allies and foes alike with an unblinking stare. As the mage from the camp recovered his breath, he turned and fled for the safety of the camp. Stern noticed this seemingly without reaction, before stretching his arms wide, and making arcane passes in the air with his fingers. He inhaled deeply, and then spouted forth fierce white-hot flames, withering Tanthalis. Tanthalis screamed in agony, and fled south, in an attempt to avoid the scorching heat of the magical fire.

Vgi and Corvin raced after Tanthalis, with the two mages in hot pursuit. Tanthalis had collapsed against a boulder, his face cracked and scorched by the incredible fury of the demonic flames, his body already covered in oozing blisters. As Vgi and Corvin bent down to pick up Tanthalis, the mages attacked again, pressing their advantage with Tanthalis momentarily incapacitated.

Stern made another arcane gesture, and once more white-hot flames spouted from his mouth, burning Tanthalis even worse. By now, Tanthalis' hair was ablaze, his mouth stretched wide in a rictus of pain and terror, his piercing scream echoing through the rocky walls of the box canyon. Somehow, Tanthalis managed to get his feet moving, and he fled northwards, driven mad with the searing pain.

Like shadows, the two mages slipped after Tanthalis, and by the time Corvin and Vgi had recovered from the terror cast over them by the dark sorcery and had followed Tanthalis, Tanthalis lay dead at the feet of the mages, his corpse smouldering, eerie blue flames flickering over his armour.

From afar, Vgi and Corvin could hear the echoing strains of a mournful dirge. The sound grew closer, and they were able to recognise it as a choir of voices, singing together a song both powerful and sad. The sound of the choir continued to grow nearer, and although they could almost resolve individual voices, they were unable to discern a source of the almost heavenly choir. The music swelled, and reached a deafening crescendo, and suddenly a blast of sound seemed to coalesce on the very spot. Above the corpse of Tanthalis now stood a stern white figure, seemingly an embodiment of the choir's music!

The stern-looking female figure was clothed entirely in white, and had taken up a protective stance over the corpse of Tanthalis. She seemed surrounded somehow by the music, a mournful choir of voices that blended together into a seamless whole, a truly angelic harmony.

Through eyes brimming with tears at the death of his comrade, Vgi glared his hatred at the lord Nazgul. He rushed forward in attack, and Corvin quickly assisted him. The black-robed female leapt to the aid of her lord, and the four combatants resumed their deadly dance, fencing for openings and weaknesses in their opponents defences.

Corvin was the first to succeed, as with perfect timing he stunned the King of Minas Morgul with a well-placed blow. Taking advantage of Stern's disablement, Vgi brought his giant black maul down upon the black-robed hooded male's black platemail, with shattering force. The mighty armour, forged in the pits below Barad-Ur, dangled hopelessly from a broken strap, hindering the mage's actions.

Stunned and hindered by his broken armour, Stern turned and fled, his assistant with him. The two mages seemed to move with super human speed, and quickly outpaced their mortal opponents. Giving up the chase, Vgi and Corvin examined the corpse of their friend. As they approached it, the stern white avatar stared stonily at them, and they knew without being told that that the avatar would die before she let them near the body.

Vgi moved into position behind Corvin, and attacked the avatar of Thalia. Corvin sized up the translucent figure, feinting with his hands and feet, before landing a disabling blow on the angelic figure. Vgi's maul quickly followed, sneaking around the avatar's defences and leaving a gaping wound in her body. A thunderous blow with the giant black maul was all it took to finish off the translucent figure.

The avatar trembled with pain and anger, and flashed a dark look of wrath at Vgi. All around the canyon the sound gave evidence of her fury; peals of thunder echoed amongst cries of pain, and the very ground trembled before her. Vgi cried out in terror as the avatar's eyes met his, and peered deep into their depths. Suddenly the avatar was gone, as if she had never been there! Both Vgi and Corvin sighed in relief as the terrible music faded away, and the thunderous echoes died down.

Glancing around apprehensively in case the mages had returned, Corvin methodically looted the corpse of his friend, storing the items in his backpack for return to the Elders. As he stored the jagged black scimitar, the blue dragonscale armour and the fire-emblazoned wolfhelm away, he paused to wonder how it could be that even with the most potent weapons and armour, such as these, Tanthalis had fallen prey to the foul magic of the Nazgul.

After saying a final prayer wishing their friend's spirit a quick journey to the Halls of Resurrection, the two set off back towards the hamlet, to report their failure to the Elders. They had only just set out on their course when the mages caught up with them. The mage from the camp had returned, with Stern and the hooded female mage.

Realising that they would have to fight once more, Corvin bravely faced the mages, while Vgi quickly moved behind him, occasionally poking forward with his maul, forcing the mages to keep their distance. The two concentrated their attacks on the hooded female, trying to force her out of the battle and even up the odds somewhat.

Vgi was quickly successful, landing successive blows on her head, following them up with a shattering blow on her polished silver breastplate. Corvin was just as lucky, landing a telling blow to her abdomen that left her choking for air, helpless for the time being.

As before, when things were looking grim for the mages, Stern drew power from the realm of the shadows, and inhaled deeply, spouting forth fierce white-hot flames, which shrivelled Corvin. Corvin cried out in agony, and fled southeast, leaving Vgi to fend for himself against the three mages. The female fixed Vgi a mocking glance, seeming to say that he would be next, before the three mages raced after Corvin.

Vgi ran after the mages, looking for Corvin. Corvin had managed to make it all the way back to the now-deserted village of Greenfields, where he had decided to face the mages. The three mages were circling the crippled Kahedan monk like wolves around a crippled deer, the flickering light of corruption glowing evilly from beneath their hoods. Almost as if they were waiting for Vgi to witness the death of his comrade, they kept their distance until Vgi had reached Corvin's side.

Like a cat that has become bored with the mouse that it is playing with, the King of Minas Morgul seemed to grow bored of the feeble struggles of the priest Corvin. The flames that spouted forth from Stern's mouth this time were even hotter than the previous ones, seeming to consume Corvin almost completely. With a final rattling gasp, Corvin died, and a dark shape seemed to appear over his body, gathering some mist. The dark shape disappeared, leaving Vgi to wonder if he had just imagined it.

Faced by the three mages, and having just seen the corpses of his two friends, Vgi's spirit broke completely and he fled, madly trying to put as much distance as he could between the evil humans and himself. He ran along the twisting path that led through the village of Greenfields, out into the bushy fields that lay to the east. Behind him, he caught glimpses of the mages flitting along like wraiths, seeming to leave no trace of their presence except for a lingering feeling of horror and foulness.

Vgi had almost reached the trail that led towards the abandoned city of Annuminas when the mages materialised beside him. The black-robed hooded male human from the camp scoffed scornfully at Vgi, viewing him as no threat. The mage drew himself upright, and spoke in a cold sibilant voice: "Mortal, you have before you Mauhur, the Lord Wraith of Morgul!"

Vgi's only response was a thrust with his maul, which caught Mauhur off guard, spinning him around. The mage narrowed his eyes in annoyance, bellowing "I'll rip Calia's colours off your dead body, like I did to Tanthalis, Vgi!" His spiked steel morning star swung around in circles, then lashed out, grazing Vgi.

As if some unseen communication had passed between Mauhur and Stern, Mauhur abased himself before Stern, hissing "Hail Melkor!". He stepped back, leaving the King of Minas Morgul facing Vgi alone. What passed for a flicker of amusement raced across Stern's lips, as he surveyed the injured and terrified Calian. Almost teasingly, he reached out into nothingness, summoning power to add to his already bountiful stores.

He inhaled once more, and the now familiar flames spouted forth, withering Vgi. Vgi winced with pain at the magical onslaught, but lashed out, slamming his giant maul into the King's legs. Again the mage cast his spell of woe, shrivelling Vgi's flesh and filling the clear air with the smell of roasting skin and burning hair.

The pain was too much for Vgi, brave as he was, and his legs betrayed him, forcing him to flee. Almost blind, peering through swollen and bruised eyes, Vgi tripped and fell, and the mages were upon him instantly. For the final time, the black-robed hooded male inhaled deeply, spouting forth fierce flames which consumed Vgi.

As Vgi died, he had a strange feeling, as if he was seeing his dead body from above. He saw a dark hooded man standing beside his corpse, wiping the bloody blade of a wicked looking scythe with slow measured motions. As he wiped the blade, he looked at Stern, and nodded his head in acknowledgment. Suddenly, the hooded man stopped, and seemed to look straight at Vgi with his empty... no, not empty but... orbs...

The last thing that Vgi heard as his consciousness left his body was Death's voice, saying "COME WITH ME, MORTAL ONE!" Death reached for him, and suddenly Vgi found himself in another place...

Written by Deproelius.

Having read the ancient scroll, you can look around the library and ask for another manuscript to read, or you can consult your map of the strong hold to take you to some other area of the guild.