The Wyld Hunt

Fredericka chided herself for her insatiable curiosity. It often lead her to the wrong places at the wrong times. Now, visiting Thorin’s Hall's dark chambers may have been the best idea. Maybe, associating with the Dwarves was not worth the effort, at all. Maybe, she shouldn’t even care about people suffering from Orc raids in North Downs?

Elufer's response to Svaroh was unusually speedy for an elf. Nonetheless, it was not surprising as Elufer had her own priorities and acted very methodically and adhering to her calendar. 

'Svaroh Steelword,

Lady Elufer Selme'urra, Gem of Imladris,

I hope that this letter finds you in good health, sparking a smile while you devote yourself to your studies,

The geodes are, indeed, most peculiar. Every day I devote to them brings half an answer and two more questions, if not more. Their nature is pure speculations. Their true origins can only be hypothesized. Everything we know was reverse-deducted by minds of three races... and that might be the key!

A neatly geared traveler from Bree pinned a short notice to the board at Thorin's Hall. The message was soliciting Longbeards for a journey with supposedly a noble cause.

There were many dwarves around, which gave Freddie confidence in finding the right candidates for their trip. Next stop for her would be the tavern - it was time to sample the local brews that Svaroh recommended! 

A letter delivered to Svaroh's residence at Thorin's Hall by the local Ered Luin messenger, supposedly arriving from Ered Luin's Wyld Hunt Den, but clearly originating from Rivendell.

Elufer studied the imperfections of translational symmetry of the shard, measured and calculated its geometry and compared it to its light refraction in attempts to uncover any hook or a secret key to opening the crystal's power for The Wyld Hunt. She ended up with a lot of factual information, but she had yet to find out the application of it in different environments. The most intriguing for her was the observation how light refraction bent when she applied charged ebony to it.

Fredericka walked on the streets of Trestlebridge town and toward its namesake bridge. It amazed her how the bridge did not burn down, while many of the houses in town were now smoldering coals. The orcs did considerable damage to this settlement, and it was even more worrisome that their threat was not entirely eliminated. Fredericka had a couple of days free in town as her company was healing and gathering strength and resources to pursue their journey North. She resolved to help the town’s recovery in any way she could. 

That was, certainly, a very intriguing day. As the sunset transcended into a memory and darkness came back to rule the sky, a few daring stars and the lamps of Othrikar remained the only sources of light.

Erasm remained outside, enjoying the sounds of night, relative solitude and his aromatic pipeweed. Fredericka was far superior at any negotiations and he, a scholar, wasn't the most skilled orator, by default.