The Green Dragon ((free RPG))

[Alameth of the Iron Fist]

The Green Dragon
Facts: it is Shire year 1420. The Inkeeper is Alameth, a young woman from Rohan.

Rules: No fighting, no going farther than a mile from the inn, and do follow forum rules! (i.e., no bad language, nothing explicit, etc.) No "saves" in the Inn. Only the Inkeeper (in this case, Alameth) is allowed to advance time.







As Alameth opened up the inn for the first time since Sharkey's men had closed it, she wondered what the day would be like. She didn't know quite where she'd get enough employees to serve the crowds that would inevitably surface. For now, she'd just have to do it all herself. She didn't expect this day to be very busy. She hoped she was wrong.

[jack]

A lone man trudged up the path to the inn. He hesitated at the door, wondering whether to go in or not. There didn't seem to be anyone there.

Well, empty or no, I'll venture it, he thought. He stepped inside, and shouted out, "Hello?"

He was surprised when, almost immediately, a woman emerged out of a back room. He had expected a hobbit, this being the Shire. The woman was young, no older than his twenty-nine years. She was slender, tall, and fair of face. Her golden hair hung down her back in a single braid. He wondered what she was doing here, of all places.

“Hello,” she said. “What can I get for you?”<br>
“Nothing right now, thanks,” he said, and took a seat at one of the tables. “Who are you? You’re not a hobbit.”<br>
She smiled. “My name is Alameth. I’m the innkeeper, though right now, there’s not much of an inn for me to keep. I just opened up, you see. Not an hour ago. And no, I’m not a hobbit. I’m from Rohan. If I may ask, where do you come from? You’re obviously no more of a hobbit than I.”<br>
He laughed. “Not a hobbit, but I do love the Shire. In answer to your question, I come from Gondor. My name is Faramir.” He stood and bowed.

“Faramir?” she asked, somewhat taken aback. “Not the Steward of Gondor?” She busied herself cleaning an already spotless table.

He shook his head. “No,” he said. “My parents thought if they named me after the Steward (though he wasn't Steward then), I’d be like him. I don’t think it worked as well as they might have liked.”<br>

[steel_lily]

Just at that moment, another visitor burst into the inn. This one was a lone and worn-looking traveler. She, too, had a lone braid running down her back; but it was difficult to tell what color her hair was. It changed with the light. Sometimes pale, sometimes gold, sometimes russet, sometimes you would swear that it was of copper.

She wore simple clothes, and was nothing much to look at. Her face was hidden under the hood of her cloak. Her only apparent weapon was her sword, but you got the feeling that she had more to her than that. She carried a traveler's satchel and a bedroll, which she unceremoniously dumped on a chair by the fire. Without a word, she sat on the floor before the fire and began to warm her hands.

After a bit, the woman at the table came to her. "Hello, I am Alameth the inkeep. How may I serve?" The strange traveler ignored the query, bringing out a flask filled with a foreign liquid. "Can I help you?" Alameth asked again, putting her hand on the traveler's shoulder. No sooner did her hand touch than it was held in an iron grip. The traveler was on her feet, and looking almost surprised herself, though she was the one in control.

After a moment, the traveler regained her composure, "My apologies, madam. I am not used to gentle living. Where I come from, a mere touch can be lethal. I need a room for the night, and some food. Nothing extravagent, but not moldy bread and moth-ridden sheets either."
"Of course!"

[Alameth of the Iron Fist]

"Of course!"

As she said the words, Alameth wondered what she was getting herself into. First day open, and not a hobbit to be seen! she thought. And look who's come instead! She didn't know quite what to think of the travel-worn visitor who had just burst in. As she busied herself getting food for the woman, she wondered where she had come from that one must be on guard nearly all the time.

Faramir called out, startling her from her thoughts. "I think I'd like something now, too! Not sure what, just bring soemthing that looks good!"

"Certainly!" she replied. Well, she thought, I'm not exactly busy yet, but I'm certainly being kept on my toes.

[jack]

Faramir sat down in his chair again, and pondered this new arrival. The woman had obviously been traveling for a long time. He watched, alert and observant, as Alameth took the woman her meal. As Alameth passed by him on her way to the kitchen, he touched her arm to get her attention.

“Yes?” she said. “I'll have your food for you in a moment.”<br>
“It’s not that,” he said. “What do you think of her?” He nodded toward the woman in front of the fire.

Alameth paused, appearing hesitant to say anything. “I think,” she started, but Faramir interrupted.

“There’s more to her than meets the eye,” he said. “I advise you to be careful around her.”

[Alameth of the Iron Fist]

“I thank you for the warning, sir,” Alameth said a bit coldly, “but I think there is more to her than the rough exterior. I have met with many of a similar type, in my family’s inn back in Rohan.” And it sometimes doesn’t take much to crack through the shell and get at the person inside, she thought. She hurried to get Faramir’s food, and reflected that her opinion of him had lessened somewhat. I suppose he's only trying to be helpful, she thought.

As soon as she had delivered Faramir’s meal to him, she went over to the woman, who had sat back down in front of the fire. Alameth plunked herself down next to her and said, “Might I ask your name?”<br>

[middleearthmouse]

A tall elf was riding down the road to Bywater. He couldn't believe that it had been 20YEARS since Sauron had been overthrone. He had fought orcs from southern Mirkwood for years, then the atacks stoped and word came that Sauron had been overthrone and The Ring destroyed. Time went to quickly for his people, it seemed a very recent occurence to take out his bow and be ready defend himself against orcs. He had lived for almost an Age in mirkwood, then he had journeyed to the northern marches of Fangorn's forest with two hundred others because of the suggestion of Legolas . Now he was on a journey to the Havens to say farwel to his sister who was leaving this world forever. He was now at the inn that his sister was to meet him at tomorrow. He put his horse in the stable and rubbed him down and went into the inn. He saw a man at one of the tables and sat down next to him.

"Were are you from?" asked the man.
"Fangorn Forest,"answered the elf,"What's your name and where are you from?"
"My name is Faramir, and I'm from Gondor.May I ask your name now that you know mine?"
"I'm called Telpin"

After that, the two carried on a lenghthy conversation. Telpin found out a lot about the child hood and life of Faramir, Faramir for his part found out almost more than he would have expected, even from an elf. He learned about Fangorn and ents, Mirkwood, and got a rather long history lesson befor he was finally asked if he would like any thing to eat.

[steel_lily]

"You may ask..." The traveler said evasively, as she sopped up some stew with her bread. Alameth sat, uncomfortable with the silence, until she could bear it no longer. "Well...What is your name, then?" she prompted.

The stranger put her bread down irritatedly, pausing a moment before answering, "You may call me what you wish. There are many who call me Paladin."

A voice came from a nearby table. He sounded irritated, almost disgusted. "And what have you done to earn such a name?" The traveler sat for a moment, looking suspiciously at the voice. Then she answered.
"They call me Paladin because I wander this earth meting out justice wherever it is due. I find the last few pockets of evil and crush them, acting as an army of one. Many dispise me for this, but some are grateful. In my travels, I have seen things that you cannot even comprehend. I have walked into the Golden Hall many a time, and conversed with the King of Rohan. I have seen the Argonath in all their glory and been down to the depths of Moria and Khazad-Dum. I have been all through the streets of the White City, and have clearance at all its levels. I have stood in the Court of the King and conversed with the Steward there. I have fought side-by-side with elves, and have visited their realms. I even once served as Lady Galadriel's aide. Do not be so quick to judge, young one. You shall see things in your life that will make you appear as rugged as I do now." As she spoke, her voiced had changed. It took on a sound that was old and powerful as the very winds and had a regal bearing. Her physical bearing changed as well; for she sat even taller, and could have easily passed for a Queen of elder days.

After she finished speaking, the entire inn was silent, as if even the building reconized her significance...


Author's note: This all happened before the elf wandered in. I attempted to send it out yesterday, but my computer crashed. Alas...

[jack]

As he sat conversing, Faramir wondered how the elf had managed to get his entire life story from him. Not that his life story was very interesting.

He told the elf how he had lived in Minas Tirith all his life until he was twenty-three; then he started traveling. His mother and sisters had left Minas Tirith during the War of the Ring. (Had it really been twenty years?) He had refused to leave, so he stayed and ran errands and did small tasks that the men of the city were too busy to do.

[Alameth of the Iron Fist]

Alameth sat a bit stunned by Paladin’s story. She heard the door bang and looked up. An elf walked in, and began a conversation with Faramir. She rose, and walked over to the table where they were sitting.

“Can I get you anything?” she asked the elf.

“Yes,” he said. “A mug of hot cider would do. It’s a bit chilly out there.”<br>
Faramir added, “Make that two.”<br>
“Coming right up,” Alameth said genially, and went to get them their drinks. They were still talking when she delivered the steaming mugs, so she busied herself in the kitchen, hoping more customers would arrive.

[middleearthmouse]

"How long are you going to stay?" asked the elf. This seemed like an interesting person to get to know better.

"Several nights. How long will you be staying?"

"Tonight, maybe tomorrow. Until my sister gets here."

After the two got their cider, he wondered if the wine was as good."Could I possibly have a room for tonight?" he asked the innkeeper. "Preferably one with windows looking east."

"Yes sir," said Alameth. "It'll be ready for you soon,"and with that she walked off.

Telpin then noticed a woman by the fire. She looked familiar. He walked over to her. "Have I seen you before in Mirkwood?"





((Edit: Spelling, grammar and punctuation))

[Mr. M. Mister]

Just as Alameth left the room, a young hobbit (probably in his early twentys) walked in and, seeing a man sitting at at a table alone, fearfuly walked over to talk to him.

"Hello," he said. "Who's the new innkeeper?"
"Her name is Alameth. She is from Rohan," said Faramir.
"Rohan...?" thought the young hobbit. "Yes, I think I've heard of it, though I have no idea of were it is. Didn't a Hobbit go there once?"
"Yes, Meriadoc Brandybuck. He was in the service of King Theoden before he returned to the Shire."
"Oh, yes, he's my cousin on my mother's cousin's brother's wife's sister's husband's side."

[steel_lily]

The traveler looked up to see an elf standing above her. He was dark, like most of the people of Mirkwood. There was a vaguely familiar air about him, though she couldn't figure out what it was.
"Mae Govannen, mellon. I have been to Mirkwood many times," she replied, "It is possible."
He seemed a bit surprised, possibly because she spoke his toungue. Sindarin was becoming less and less common these days. A pity, for the language of men was far less pleasing to the ear.

[middleearthmouse]

"Then maybe I have seen you before. Wasn't it you who helped us to drive back the spiders when they atacked us?" The spiders had attacked two years after Sauron was overthrone. They had been driven back only with the help of a strange woman who had suddenly appeared and then disappeared. Before she left, ~~~~ had gotten her story and she had trained him to use his mind to disguise himself and be practically invisible.

<<Edit: spelling>>

[steel_lily]

"Yes, I helped to drive back the spider invasion. You wouldn't be ~~~~, would you? I remember you, I think. You were just a boy then. How does you sister fare these days?"
For the first time since she arrived, the traveler seemed human. At the moment, she had the air of an old campaigner; retelling stories of glory and trying to catch up with old friends.
She noted that there was now a hobbit in the inn. Nice-looking fellow. But then, most hobbits are amiable enough. He was, however, conversing with that man. The suspicious one. The traveler wondered what he was doing here anyway. He didn't seem the questing type. In fact, he didn't seem to be much more than a common Gondorian citizen. She thought he had identified himself as Faramir, but that name was often reserved for nobles.

This elf...she remembered that she had tought the fellow to use his head. To diguise himself when the need arose. T'would be interesting to see how well he could do it now...

[middleearthmouse]

'I am. You do remember,' answered the elf. 'My sister is fine, except she is weary: "I am tired," she said, "I have not lived a long time, but I need to leave." I am here to see her off at the havens.'


(note to steel_lily: Telpin had lived in Mirkwood for an age before the spiders had attacked just before he had moved to Fangorn in the Fourth Age)



((Edit: Spelling, grammar, etc.))

[steel_lily]

"Ah, your numbers dwindle, friend. I am sorry to see that your sister is leaving. Although she was not a warrior, she was wise and good. I fear the Elves will be completely gone before too long. They all sail to Valinor."


(MiddleEarthMouse, that is quite young for an elf. Catch up on your Tolkien lore.)

[middleearthmouse]

"Yes, that may be. but I will not leave for a long time yet. I still love the woods and the rivers of Middle Earth."




(note to steel_lily: Numenorians: When they turn fifty they are at the command of the King. Elves: something like fivehundred or there about.)

[jack]

"Rohan is a long way south of here, friend," Faramir said to the curious hobbit. "A journey of many days and weeks."

[Alameth of the Iron Fist]

Alameth finished with the room, and headed back to the common room. Upon her entrance, she saw a hobbit talking to Faramir.

“Toby Proudfoot!” she exclaimed. “What brings you here? I was hoping you’d come. I need a stable boy, and I hear you need a job. Care to?”

[Mr. M. Mister]

The young Hobbit looked up in suprise. He had met Alameth a few days ago in the market when he had been sent out to buy some mushrooms, but he never thought he would meet her again, at least not here.

"Sure," Toby said. "Dad's job isn't paying as well as we thought it would, so I guess I could do it for you."
"Great!" Alameth said. "We'll work out your payment tomorrow.

"All right. Anyway, it's getting late and I'd better get home for dinner." he said. For, as you know, Hobbits are never, NEVER, late for dinner.


[Author's note: Yes, Alameth aproved the time.]


((Edit: Spelling, grammar, punctuation, unnecessary imbelishments.))

[steel_lily]

The traveler finished her meal and tried to signal the innkeeper over. Alas, she was having an animated conversation with a young hobbit.

The traveler sat motionless, once again staring into the depths of the fire. This fiery young Gondorian lad, who was he? Why did he have such a vehement distrust of her? These thoughts and more the traveler slowly mulled over...

[middleearthmouse]

Telpin went to his room after having his supper and pulled a chair up to the fire and lit his pipe. He hoped that his sister would come soon after breakfast the next day. But he knew that if an elf went to Elrond's house that,if they came at all, it would be a while before they came.

<<Edit: spelling>>

[Alameth of the Iron Fist]

Note: It is now early evening in Bywater. The sun is nearly set.

.............................................................

As she sent Toby on his way, Alameth noticed the woman called Paladin motioning to her. She walked over to where the woman sat, and again sat down beside her.

"Do you want to talk?" Alameth asked.

[jack]

Faramir gulped down the last of his cider, and left two coins on the table. He decided it was time for him to move on, and left....

[steel_lily]

The traveler regarded Alameth for a moment. Yes, perhaps this kind woman could be helpful.
"'Tis better than brooding alone in silence when no answers will come. Tell me, who is that young Gondorian lad? What cause has he to be so suspicious?"

[steel_lily]

Blast! That young lad had left! The traveler really didn't want him to go stirring up trouble. To leave, or not to leave? Got to leave.
"Alameth, pardon me for a moment. I'll be right back."

The traveler set off in pursuit. She caught up easily and attached her iron grip on the lad's right bicep. "Lad...Faramir, I believe? Where do you think you're going young sir?"

[Alameth of the Iron Fist]

Alameth watched the woman exit the inn, and walked over to the table where Faramir had been sitting. She picked up the coins he had left. "At least he tips well," she muttered, flipping one of the coins in the air.

[jack]

Faramir felt a strong hand clamp on his shoulder and heard a voice say, “Where do you think you’re going young man?” He glanced back to see the woman from the inn. The one he had hoped to leave behind. She must know, he thought. Why else would she have followed me? He decided a direct approach would be best.

“I don’t think that’s any of your business,” he said, and immediately regretted the ‘direct approach.’ He just seemed to have a knack for getting himself into the worst scrapes. How was he going to get himself out of this one?

[steel_lily]

"I don't think that's any of your buisness" the traveler lifted the lad off the ground by his bicep easily, tightening her already painful grip just...enough. "Look, child, I have likely saved your life before. I am part of the reason Gondor still exists. Everything is my buisiness!" the traveler bit out through gritted teeth.