Rav is first to agree, "I will help you, anything that upsets the balance of life needs to be stopped."

Tawl regards the dwarf's words, then says 'It seems you have indeed engaged my services, this is a worthy cause for my prowess. I'm in.'

Feral nods, "Aye, I will help. My fate would have it no other way"

Urthgar looks down towards the stone floor, perhaps THROUGH the stone floor

"Your fate perhaps - my fate would have me die under the stars, not in a hole"

He steps towards the Arkhand and reaches his hand out, almost touching it. He closes his eyes and seems to be listening, cricking his neck as if listening to the very air.

"So be it, we will accompany you"

From out of the shadows slinks a large war dog, scars on his flanks tell of many fights, and there is a glint of unlikely intelligence in his eye.

"Karl and I are at your service"

Tieger also agreed, "I am most at home on the ice flats of the far north, but that has not yet stopped me from accomplishing my goals. I will gladly do as you ask"

Ondoher replies too, "Of course I shall, you have the services of my sword."

As Khand looked at the remaining party members and saw each in turn nod their head, he smiled.

"I have other matters to address so cannot stay too long. Ask me any questions you may have now and let Dakhak know if you require any special equipment."

The High Dunadan Ondoher was first with his question, "Might I ask where we are going and what equipment we shall need? If it is deep into the earth then we shall doubtless need more equipment than we have."

Khand runs his stubby fingers through his greying beard as he ponders, "My trusted friend, Oxensplat, was on the east side of the mountains about 60 miles north of here, he was checking the plugs in the area we believe to be the Underlord's tomb. The last pigeon I received arrived here 6 days ago. His note had said he had found a damaged plug and heard noises in the rock below it. I believe you should start at the tomb.
There is a trail you can take that will take you directly there. Although seldom used it should be safe. I suppose that brings us onto equipment, I have no horses to give you but if you will ride ponies then you could cover the distance in two and half days or a little over three if on foot." He looked towards Dakhak who had emerged from the shadows once again, "Dakhak has already prepared two ponies with rope, climbing equipment, tunnelling gear, provisions and lighting. I do not know if any of it will be needed, in fact I do not know how any of you are needed but Mahal will show the way I'm sure!"

Feral looks at the others gathered.

"Do any of you have skill with healing herbs?" he asks "If so I suggest stocking up, we do not know how long or how far underground we shall need to go."

"I know the plants and how they heal" replies Urthgar

Tieger also heard the comments about healing supplies "I have some skill with healing herbs, and have a few with me and hopefully will be able to find more as we go. Though I'd recommend trying not to get hurt if I were you." With this tieger grins slightly as though he's told some kind of joke.

Khand nods his head, "I can give you what herbs will grow here but there is a friend of the Dwarves who is renowned for her herblore, we call her the Lady of the Grove. I will give you a necklace that you should present to her, I am sure she will give you all the help she can when she sees it. The forest she resides in is along the route you must follow. Look for the nature signs she leaves to indicate which one it is.

Feral continued, "If these places be dark, light would be needed. Torches or lanterns and oil."

Khand, again, nodded, "Dakhak will make sure you have ample instruments of light. Will you be travelling by foot or pony?"Khand hears his own question as if for the first time and begins a dry chuckle. He looks at the 7' Feral, to the 6'7" Ondoher clad in plate, next Tawl coming in at 6'5" and then to Rav and Urthgar an inch taller than the 6'1" Magos. "Forgive me, my friends! I am so used to dealing with dwarves I have forgotten how tall you surface dwellers are! The two ponies will be ready in an hour! Is there anything else before I go?"

Merlothrien was next to speak up, "Khand, yet again you have peaked my curiosity, may I ask what happened to Tardka he seemed like a good fellow, one moment he was here and the next dust ? I'm sure whatever you provide will be sufficent, yes I will help you just tell us what needs to be done."

Khand looked toward where Tardka had stood, "He was not worthy. Maybe his heart was black or his intentions dishonourable. In the presence of the Arkhand its power is strongest. No one can deceive it so he paid the price."

Elenugeth, quiet till now comes to the fore again. "I'm sure you'll be able to provide all that we need but I would be grateful if i could look over the equipment before we leave to ensure there is enough for us all."

Elenugeth makes a side long glance to the heavily armoured warriors at this point and shakes his head.

"Just one point, while Iremember. Will you or any other guide be joining us?"

Khand nodded approvingly at the Half-elf, "Indeed I will be joining you though in spirit rather than body. You will be given necklaces who's power is derived from the mountains. Above ground they are mere indicators of the Underlord's power but beneath the surface their potency increases. I will be able to speak to you then." He spotted a few puzzled looks, "You will need no guide to find him, Mahal will guide you. When you surface dwellers are underground I will try to help with any questions as I know that world to be unlike your own."

Elenugeth then asked, "You say that the Arkhand helped you to victory last time, but not how it did? You mention we must stop Belak but not how you did last time? You mention the place of his demise, but you are sure it is Belak again that threatens you again, was he killed or just imprisioned and if the latter, why not vanquished once and for all? Forgive my questioning for I intend no disrespect. Regardless of which Iwill help, but a scout is my profession, and I would rather seek a path with some knowlege of the ways of our enemy than stumble blindly into the darkness."

Again, Khand looks impressed with the scout. "You ask the very same questions I have asked of this item. The Underlord is our adversary, the Arkhand has confirmed this. As to your other questions if I had the answers I would gladly tell you now but I do not. It has been thousands of years since The Underlord's supposed demise, most records we have of that age were lost in the great upheavals that shattered our glorious halls at the end of the First Age. I do feel there may be an answer somewhere in our library so I have a scholar discreetly looking for anything relevant. He has found
old maps and we have guessed where the plugs and his tomb may now be." He sighed while turning something over in his head, "I should have been more studious and taken my duties more seriously. However, three weeks ago I was just Khand, son of Khand, one more Khand in a long line of keepers of the Arkhand, a powerful but inactive relic of glories and dangers long since passed. As everyday has passed I have grown more attuned to it, especially now that it is once again active but I have not mastered it as yet." Staring past Elenugeth, he fell silent for a moment.

Khand then addresses you all, "I must now go to attend other matters. As there are no more questions I will leave you in Dakhak's capable hands. He will be able to get any items for you before you go free of charge. Please stay in this room or the side room where your other possesions are stored, I don't want anyone following you or taking an interest. He will lead you out of Nogrod. You are the chosen of the Arkhand and you are our hope." He brings his palms around the sides of the gem, the moment it touches his hands there is a blinding white flash that momentarily blinds you all. When your vision returns again Khand is nowhere to be seen but a considerable smaller Arkhand remains, now in the middle of the table glowing faintly. Another necklace is beside it. Laying in front of you on a mithril chain is a light blue gem pendant, each a mini replica of the Arkhand.

Dakhak scurries out of the lengthened shadows to slip a blue velvet bag over the gem. The room is immediately plunged into total darkness. Those of you wearing your necklaces feel the small gem go warm followed by your vision returning even though the room is still dark. He is careful not to touch it as he gathers it up then pulls the drawstring tight. The red haired dwarf subsequently secrets this in a pouch on his belt. He repeats the process with the spare necklace.

"Please take a seat and I'll get your refreshments," He says simply as he walks quickly away to an open door that had been hidden by the shadows which no longer exist with your new augmented eyesight.

When everyone is seated he serves up a meal of cold meats, fruits, berries, very cold water, wine and ale. As you tuck in Dakhak promises to return as soon as he can then scuttles out the door. He closes it after him with the sound of two bars being drawn across are plainly heard shortly after.

He returns about an hour later with a small pouch, "Good, good, I hope it was to your satisfaction?" He gives the pouch to Urthgar with an apologetic look at Tieger, "Begging your pardon Sire but I had to be discreet and there was not much I could obtain, not much grows down here herbwise anyway. All I could get was some red fungus we call Zur and them pink speckled mushrooms. Gothar is sure gonna be mad when he realises I pocketed some of them! We call those Zulsendura but use them wisely as they got some kick in the tail!

He steps away and clears his throat, "Please follow me Sires. I have taken the liberty of packing all that is required onto two ponies and already sent them ahead with m'lad. I've also included a loaf of Cram each and some dried meat and bones for the hound. Oh, you may wish to take those necklaces with you."

He bid you follow him. He took you much the same way as you came. Again hurrying past the dark "plug". Anyone wearing a necklace had their's briefly flare up but then die as this room was exited. The replica Arkhands not worn did not exhibit this behaviour.

You travelled on towards the exit without much further incident. At last you came upon the door which Dakhak opened onto a sickenly bright afternoon with around 20% cloud cover, a north easterly chilly breeze and the ground slightly moist from recent rainfall. Outside the door on the small plateau beside it were two stout ponies with various supplies on it. A grumpy young gingered haired dwarf sees the party and immediately walks down the mountainside towards the main gate. Elenugeth gave the ponies a cursory inspection to reveal rations, rope, pulleys, chains, picks, shovels, a couple of hefty wooden planks, a few hatchetts, 40 square foot of canvas, 14 lanterns and two barrels of oil.

Dakhak closes the secret door and walks over to Ondoher, "Please take this from me and keep it safe. Give it to the Lady of the Grove, its rightful owner I'm told." He reaches in his pocket and gives Ondoher the necklace he had taken from the table earlier. Dakhak then walks over to Urthgar and gives him the larger bag. His subservient manner falls away as he seems to grow an inch or two and his voice deepens in resonance, "This, I entrust to you, to all of you. Do not let sunlight touch it and try to keep it underground as often as you can. Should the enemy gain possesion of this then all will be lost."

The mountain trail leads roughly northwards. Looking down the trail you can see it is cut into the rock. Each side of the trail has plenty of scrub. The mountain and its sheer slopes are on your left as you face north, the vales and its myriad streams on the right. The main gate lies to the south. In the distance south by east are the spires of the Grey Havens.

"It's been a while since I followed this path but I will tell you what I remember. This path splits in two around the first bend. Both follow the same direction but one we call the high road, the other the low. Line of sight ahead of you for both trails can vary from 10' to 600'. The low road at this point is at its widest, but that will vary from 50' to as little as 5'. The high road," He smirks, "or more accurately ledge can rise upwards of 300 feet above the low. It is much narrower, about 3' to 10', and can be dangerous for those not paying attention. The trail looks down upon the vales with the drop being anything from 0' to 300'. Every now and then there are small paths leading down into the vales or up onto the ridge above you. That's about it, the Lady's forest is about three days on foot. Remember to look for her nature signs and may Mahal look after you!"

Turning away, he ambles away in the direction of the young dwarf, puffing on a clay pipe as he goes. Apart from the noise of the wind, the mountain and any wildlife are deathly quiet.