"This stone comes from the mushroom-farm of the Shire. We were there to investigate a mysterious disease. it was a disease which had all symptoms together for being impossible to guess what kind of illness it may be. From Michel Delving, we were pointed to Hobbiton. From there, we followed to track to Bamfurlong, the marvelous place where a lot of delicous mushrooms come from. These may be inside the pies which could have spread this disease. But there, we found this stone!" Theogorn ended his speech. To be precisely, a meeting was organized to discuss what this stone might be, and how they have to deal with it. All where gathered around the map table. A lot of members responded the mail which urged to get to The Red Company's home as soon as possible, and even more attended: Adilyr, Meriya, Ancthan, Nateana, Cembur, Ordgaric, Lithanviel, Herutha, Diringul, Thorinwald, Emerond, Tokilek and Arstelle. yes, many have come, that's for sure...
And while all were already informed, one always love to do like they didn't know. "A strange stone?" Arstelle replied after Theogorn explained the matter. "yes, a stone as I said. Ancthan must have the object. "Show me please.", she ordered. And so Ancthan pulled out a bundle of rags from his bag. he placed it one the table, hesitated, but finally shove the bundle over the table towards Arstelle. The commandant of The Red Company, took some time to investigate the object. She looked closely to the stuff there lied before her. She didn't touch. She thought a long time too about the explanation of Theogorn. After a while, she asked: "Is here anyone who recognize this stone?" In the while, Adilyr, leader of The Red Company joined and studied the stone as well. It wasn't familiar to anyone of the 13 other persons around her.
"No? not even anyone?! Have you ever been to a place called The Dark Delvings, any of you?!" no one did. The way she said got everyone to shiver. "And...what do you make of it Arstelle?" asked Adilyr. He looked to the stone with skepticism. But Arstelle plled out another piece of a stone at that moment, similar to Ancthan's but more finely cut. self assured she informed: "I found this in Dark Delvings myself. A piece of runestone, you know. I thought I could have it made into one for myself." "You...you meant to craft it?" Adilyr stuttered. Not many of the race of men know about these matters and men are used to be afraid of everything they do not know. But the Arstelle sighed. "I did. Power should never be sniffed at, and undoubtedly it would have been an intensely powerful runestone. Unfortunately, it didn't work. Let me show you why." She picked up the stone. Then she smashed it on the ground. "Ancthan, hand me the rags please!". He quickly did. Arstelle took the rags from Ancthan and used it to pick up the stone. She carefully did, as she wanted to avoid touching it. She placed the orb, which has appeared, on the table.
"Do you know the disease that plagues the denizens of Moria? Globsnaga? This orb is an unfortunate side effect. Did anyone touch it?" Ancthan did indeed. "Let me look to your hand." Ancthan raised his hand, but did not say anything. we was afraid and feared for what Arstelle would say now, as his hand didn't fare too well last week. When everyone saw the pale hand, they gasped. Likely nobody wanted to touch this stone anymore. The hand of the marksman revealed an annatural look to his figure...
"I'm not sure what to make of it...it doesn't look like the Globsnaga...Lady Meriya?". "I can't say I've seen anything like this before. but we should certainly find a healer." Meriya replied, one officer to another. Little hobbit Nanteana was terrible afraid now: "I ate a piece of the pie. Do I not have a ny side effect?!" "I'm sure you'll be fine, Nanteana. I believe it's only direct contact!" the elf said. "Ancthan, how do you feel?" The infected hunted worried for his hand. "My head feels light and my nights have been pretty much sleepless for the passed few days."
Tokilek, one of the new recruits: "Em...I've heard that elves can cure all diseases! We have to find an elf!". But Arstelle had to shrug now. "I do posses a lot of knowledge, but I haven't ever seen this before. It's certainly beyond me. Herutha, beornings are renowned for their prowess at healing...Can you make anything of it?" But neither she could say anything about the infection: "I'm afraid, I have no knowledge of this...This is bad." Being in charge to lead the discuss here, Arstelle went on. "There's certainly not a healer in Bree who can do anything about it. The disease sprouts from the halls of the dwarves, they might have some notion."
In that time, Herutha tried to touch Ancthan's arm lightly, but the marksman pulled it away from her and attempted to wrap it up again. The beorning forcefully tried to grab Ancthan's arm again....and the touch wasn't soft. The hunter got angry now and pushed Herutha back. After realising what he just did, he calmed himself and took some few deep breaths. "Please, leave it Herutha!" But this deed unleashed Herutha's anger and she looked like she would almost explode. "Do want want help?!...or not?!" After trying to calm down, it miserably failed for Ancthan and he got angry again. "You said you didn't know what you were doing with it, the freak show is overo! Just leave it before it get worse than it already is!" "Herutha, please wait!" Meriya gasped. the beorning nearly changed into a bear of utter rage. Ancthan turned to Herutha and his voice got deeper and angrier as he spoke, "And...I...told you...to STOP!" She nearly grabbed the hunter by his throat and roared "DO YOU THINK THIS IS A GAME?!" the marksman gasped for air. Meriya made an end to this: "Herutha, leave him! Go back to the other side of the table! Suddenly she calmed down by the words of Meriya. and when one listens to his betters, then these are doing their jobs well. "Good...Now may I have a look at your arm? Ancthan got quiet too and sighed: "why must that bear-people be so persistant?!]] and as quick she responded: "why must someone like you be so foolish..." After that, she investigated the arm.
In that time, Arstelle went on: "Anyway, after the events of last week...I suspect goblins at any rate. They're my prime suspects. They wouldn't exactly be out of place in the Shire. Luckily, there's a remarkably large goblin ruin to the east of here, just inside the Lone-Lands." She sighed again. "I hope to find the answers there. We will follow the road to the east. we will meet each other again at the entrance of Minas Eriol!"
And with that, all left the company's home and they mounted their horse. and they rode to there...where the sun rises...and the answers.
