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From: "Scotto the Unwise" <[e-mail]>
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.archives
Subject: STORY: Stryper's Log
Followup-To: rec.games.frp.misc
Date: 7 Sep 1995 09:40:55 -0400
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This story and the characters portrayed are the sole property of
Scott Stanek (c) 1993 while the setting is (c) of J.R.R. Tolkien's estate.
All rights for reproduction are allowed as long as they are not for
profit, or gain the correct permissions from the Tolkien estate *then*
speak with me ( [e-mail] ).
***************************************************************************
Note: This is the personal journal of Eponian Cirdanson from a campaign
set in Middle-Earth of the first age at the awakening of Elves. Poni is a
latecomer to the campaign and is therefore the first of the children of
Elves in play. While most of us were born and raised in Beleriand, some were
born on the trip across to Valinor on Ulmo's island. Poni himself was
different, as he was carried across to Valinor directly by Orome as one of
his chosen --the first shape-shifter-- and marked with striped fur so that
all animals of the wood would recognize him as Orome s and not harm
him...
***************************************************************************
    My name is Eponian.
    I am the child of Cirdan shipwright and a Maia of the wood. My
father may yet be unaware of my nature, for it was not long after he left my
mother that he found his true love in the sea and the works of Osse.
    While living in the forests of Beleriand, I found that like my mother,
I could shift form. I could take the form of a mink besides that of elf. I
spent much time wondering whether I was an Elf who could take the form of
Mink, or Mink who could be Elf. My life changed abrubtly when the Hunter
found me in his travels of Beleriand. He took a liking to me and placing me
across his steed before him, carried me to Aman (Valinore).
    He brought me to the Wild Wood of Aman which was his home, and
home to all the  creatures he brought to that land to hunt or keep. He gave
me stripes to mark me as his own and made this pronouncement:

    " Never harmed or hindered will thou be, by creatures
    of wood or servant of the Hunter  --unless thou first seek to
    bring them harm..."

    There in his wood, I first saw Yavannah and her maia and grew to
love their ways as much as Orome's. It was there that I met the one called
Callana, at first a horse and then an Elven maid. Obviously she has some
maia in her parentage as well.
    While I lived there before the Elves had come, I was ruled by the
cycles of the Two Trees. When Laurelin's light was dominant, I was Elf.
When Telperion was shining greater, I was Mink. It was during this time
that I came upon a lady weeping in the wood. I was in Mink form and
seeing her crying I wished to comfort her. I did not know or care if she was
maia, Vala or other, so I went to her and climbed upon her lap to nuzzle
her. I wished only to make her less sad. As her tears fell upon me I felt her
sorrow lighten for a moment as she stroked my fur. I felt and understood
all it was that she was sad about, knowing all that would happen  --all the
woes and tribulations of what would come. I knew and cried and cried. And
I awoke later without remembering what it was I was sad about, and the
lady was gone. I realized later it was Nienna and she had given me the
power to feel as others do, knowing their emotion and able to tell when they
lie. I also have flashes of understanding of what woe has come to pass
when it happens, but thankfully never before.
    In my travels I saw the works created by the smiths of Aule and felt
the itch in my own fingers to do the same. But when I came upon Aule's
workplaces I was assaulted by the smell of burning wood and destruction
of that which Yavannah held in high regard. I nearly went mad being torn
so by my desire to make, but unable to do so without unmaking that which I
too held dear. So at first I only made with bits and pieces thrown away by
smith or found in natural state, and my yearnings to do more grew even as
the pain in my heart weakened.

    It was in this time that others were known to me. There were Elves
brought to Valinore by Ulmo and Orome by Manwe's decree and others of
note as well. There was Vanarilde --a Noldo who taught the letters of runes
I use, Maridinere --the haughty Noldo, and Callana the Horse (Unicorn)
whom I first met in the Wild Wood.
    It was when I burned my hands on the vessel holding Laurelin's dew
that I first found that the Maia are inherently different from us, and I
learned the solution to my dilemma. I thought about only that for days. It
was during this time that the haughty Noldo requested a drop of Telperion's
dew, and was granted it. But she would have to hold it herself or lose it
forever. I searched through the castoffs from Aule's shops and found an
Emerald cup (with a broken stem) which I brought her to hold it in. I
offered to make her a container to hold the prescious liquid, and she --
being the suspicious Noldo-- declined going instead to the Noldorian
gemcrafter who wandered by at the time. Apparently he saw only the broken
cup she asked him to work upon, or perhaps he was jealous of her having
any part of the light of the trees, but he took the cup and smashed it to
smithereens. The haughty Noldo would have walked away leaving it all had
I not started to gather the bits. Then she ran up and claimed them as hers.
I just stepped back and ignored her Noldo-like curses of "thief" and waited
for her to finish. She gathered only the six largest pieces and left. I then
gathered up the remaining pieces and all the dust, using a magic to merge
them together.
    With this and the castoff metals from A|le's shops that I had
gathered together, I was ready to pursue my plan. I went to Yavannah and
made my plea, asking her for the boon only she could grant. I asked that I
be allowed to make a hammer by the heat of Laurelin alone, which
contained a bit of the heat and light of Laurelin, so that I could forge and
work metal without burning wood. She gave me my request, and blessed my
works that "made beauty but destroyed nature not. "
    I spent much time working before Laurelin's place, and by force of
will chose not to change when its light waned. By working continuously I
was able to finish and smooth the head and shaft very quickly. While
working, I sang songs learned from listening to Aule's maia working. I
wove spells of my own design to make the hammer hard and strong. I used
Vanarilde's runes to embed magic to link it to me in a way that would make
it able to seek me out from distance should I lose it. I forged it so that it
would be large, it was nearly weigthless the balance was so close. I used
up the materials I had garnered from Aule's castoffs and considered the
first forging done. I then spent a similar time working to smooth the metal,
and work upon it runes of power and strength of making and intelligence. I
sought not to entrap a spirit within it, but made a vessel in which a good
spirit would be welcome. I set the haft with diamond, and rubies and
saphires dotted the head in a pattern much like the leaf and flower of
Laurelin. I broke my first hammer in the forging and my anvil melted as
butter when first I lay the new hammer upon it.


    My first project was to make a small anvil of mithral, coated with the
dust left from the making of the hammer and therefore proof from its heat. I
made it hollow so that I could carry metals within it for the forging, and
tools as well. I made my tools of mithral and enchanted hardness and heat
resistance into all.
    It was then that I realized the true gift Yavannah had given me. I
knew not what to do save to use it to make. I therefore made her a gift, a
rose of half the dust of the emerald of Telperion and some dust from the
hammer which held part of Laurelin. This rose was crystal and showed light
from it in cycle to the cycle of the trees. But it did not truly store the
dews themselves. Then I gave my small gift to Yavannah and made her an oath
that this hammer would make in the name of good and unmake evil in turn.
That which is natural would never have to fear it.
    It was when we first encountered the Dark Unicorn that I found I
could be injured, and that I could heal as well. When we won free of the
battle and went to Este's place to ask for healing, one of her maia told me I
should heal myself but that they would show me how. My right ear was
severed, but slowly is growing back. My ribs also ache where the horn
glanced across them --so close I was to death. Death is new and strange to
me, a concept I have yet to grasp and yet I think I may learn more about it
as time moves on...
    It was around this time that I first tried to change form to something
other than Mink. I found I could become like the Hounds that Orome hunted
with. I could even become a shape like unto the Dark Unicorn or Orome's
steed. I thought it would surprise everyone, but they knew me anyway, for I
was striped in every form I took. Though in later times did I learn to
modify the stripes from black and white to more natural colors.    My forms now
include: Mink, Hound, Unicorn, Bear, Horse, Owl, Great Eagle, Stag, Raccoon,
and Tree.
    I also learned how to control the powers of the mind that I seem to
have. I could walk upon water. I could speak by mind to other creatures of
the forest. And I could move like Orome did over great distances by going
to the other place.

    I am learning to fend for myself and for others who cannot. I know
how to hunt for my food, but the other Elves do not eat meat as I do.
Therefore, to find them food, I followed the forest creatures who do not eat
meat. They taught me to find nuts and berries and roots that are good. They
showed me salt deposits and the herbs which heal when eaten, and when to
do so.
    I found 3 shells in the sea when we went to the shore. The first was
a Green Nautilus  (--emerald of life), the second a spiral horn of Salimar
(--clerical miracle, like a wish), and the third was a piece of reddish coral
which shattered at my touch. At its touch, I realized something which had
gnawed at my soul since I first met her, that I truly love Callana...
    Our group is wandering in distant northern places. We felt oppressed
by the growing tensions in the city of the Vala between the One whose
speech is like honey and the rest of the Vala and the Elves. Feanor is
making weapons now, to guard the jewels he made before. The Noldos don't
laugh or play, they only watch and guard and sullenly step aside on path.
So we left them to do as they want and we look north for other diversions.
It was because of this that we were not present to the pain of the death
of the Two Trees. It was because of this that we were unaware that while
the Noldos guarded their things, a great evil had stolen upon our unguarded
true treasures --the Two Trees-- and destroyed them. Then the demon and
the Liar had fallen upon the Noldos themselves, who stumbled in the dark
like fools and stole the Silmarils, the only hope of rekindling the Trees.
    But we felt the sorrow. We saw the light die. And some of us
remembered how it was before the trees, how to move only in the starlight.
We were far north when word passed along that the evil pair was heading
this way seeking escape. We moved to interpose ourselves and lay in wait
for them to pass. But in waiting we heard the slow trod of many footprints,
and then the call of many voices in sorrowful song. We went to them and
found that though the evil had escaped by other route, we were in the path
of those who followed out of Valinore. The songs we heard were those who
weeped for the two trees and for the lost treasures. Others were there who
sang and spoke not, but glowered in wrath holding tight to weapon and
untrusting even in other elves. These were Noldor all, and led by the
gemcrafter I know from so long ago, the one who trapped the light of two
trees in three jewels and lost them. Now, we realized the full import of
the march for a winged messenger appeared which called out for us to turn
back. Few did.
    Then the Doom of Mandos was spoken. Those who go without the
leave of Manwe may not return without that leave and to those who turn
away from the Vala a life of fearful wandering and broken hearts await.
As I made my own decision I turned to see my own party split in twain, and
Callana was already rehearsing her goodbyes. After they left I stood there
on the sand, my feet touching sea and my heart walking away back to
Valinore. I gave her a gift that should let her find me, should she ever
leave and seek me in lands outside. It may also give me something to return
to, someday. I turned to the cliffs and inscribed in the stone my own doom.

    " This day the Oath of Feanor hath broken its first heart,
    it will not be the last... "

    Then I turned and followed those who I had felt honor bound to guide
and care for. These folk who had left without plan or forethought, without
knowledge of the lands they marched through. They were so many sheep,
and many wolves were about.

    I cannot say many things about the times that followed. They were
horrible, not least because of the treacheries of Feanor's Noldor followers
upon my Teleri brethren. The blood of elves was all around me, in lost ice
packs, on tooth of beast and on weapon of minions of the enemy. We
marched on ice and across the northern wastes. I was broken by Balrog
and carried for some time, so broken that I still ache in the cold
unnaturally. But I learned to live in the harsh clime, and survived my fellow
elves who I helped to feed and protected.
    We marched in the light of the new light in the sky. This was the white
ship which carries some of Telperion's light, and the reason I went furred
for so much of the journey. When  at last the land of our new home was
sighted, it was by the other new light of the sky. The golden light playing
across the mountains ahead of us came from the ship of Laurelin's fire, a
vessel which came so close to us that it melted the ice behind us sealing off
the path back to the lands which were across an open sea. We wept for joy
at reaching this new land, but no few of our tears were for that which we had
lost.
 ************************************************************************
    In our new home, we found quickly that we were unwelcome with
those who thought they had stranded us behind and with those elves which
had never gone and knew us only as those who had partaken in kinslaying.
We had a society of sorts which split apart into wandering groups to fall
prey to bands of Orcs and other things.
    I married the maid which had traveled with us so far, her ability to
switch forms to my own second nature too much a temptation to avoid.
Though I felt guilt for my actions remembering Callana, the birth of my
children was more than enough to wash it away. I held the hammer as she
forged them, the creation of seven new lives to Eru's greater glory, and it
was good. My children grew as we moved, and I took some portion of
command to guide our path away from the coast and Eastward, where the
least of our enemies came from. The last of those enemies who followed
us, a demon of the air the others named it, came in the night and
struck my fair wife down in her sleep. In my horror and anger, I then
triggered every magic of unmaking within the hammer left and it was as
if day had come into the night. The light was seen for many miles,
calling forth every good heart to thrill at its passing and it is my
hope that the remaining host of evil trembled at its glow. Into the
distant East we faded, the only path which was not barred or barren.
And so we passed out of the histories of elves into our own stories alone.

        Eventually our path turned south, circling around as the ages did.
We met the dwarves and then the humans, passing without harm through their
lands as ghosts. We learned of money and trade and counting, and of the
benefit of speaking to a person in their own tongue to avoid mistake. We
became peddlers of my skill to gain things, though we lost as much. One of
my daughters left us and sought the path of evil, more from magical
influence I hope then any evil on her part. Odo, my son was lost to us, and
his capture led to my leaving and seeking for him with Ingwe who sought
for his lost wife. I left after sending my remaining children to join my
parents in the halls of Cirdan, who I had learned was a lord among the
seagoing elves.
    We fought together in a great war upon the backs of great eagles with
the host which lay assault upon Angband. Eventually the host broke apart
the stony hall and chased its owner to deeper lairs. I looked and looked
and found neither trace nor spoken word of my lost son or daughter.
    When I returned to my compatriots, they seemed uneasy in my
presence. I found out after much questioning that Callana had joined them,
but had left with a Noldor Elf not to be seen again. She had been told I was
lost and gone, and had given her heart to the next who had asked of it. I
was crestfallen, remmebering again the Doom of Mandos...
    Another time has Feanor caused me heartbreak. Another bit of anger
to lump on Noldorian Elves. And yet I could not wish her ill, wherever she
had gone. Sadness enveloped me, but I soon ovecame it and at least
appeared my old self.
    We me the Elves and half-elves of Numinor and passed through their
dominion. I liked them little, seeing too much of the Honey tongued one in
their actions. They were true children of Feanor s stamp, though not of his
line, and in every way tried to bring harm to us out of fear and envy. We
left as soon as I could convince Inwe they were unclean.
    Later, we fell in with a city of Artisans...

***************************************************************************
Scotto the Unwise