Ringulf's Photo story 2012

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Ringulf
Naugothrain
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Ringulf's Photo story 2012

Post by Ringulf »

Greetings my fellow Rangers!

You all know me as Ringulf "Naugothrain" of Erebor

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As we gather around the fire this evening and tell our stories, I would like to tell you a story about my Halfbrother Aribjorn, and about some of his experiences in a small frontier village he was sent to guard called Calantir.

My Father Haakon is now quite old.

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But as a younger Dwarf He married well within our people to a fetching and well to do Dwarf from the house of Uri, the house of his own fathers.

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He had two sons, the eldest being Aribjorn, who was a studious and talented Dwarf, excelling in his craft of smithing,

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But he ever wished to be a fighter, and though he showed promise in this area he could not be compared to his younger brother Heathbjorn.

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Oh and of course there was me, Ringulf, who came along after a long trade expedition to the Sea of Rhune, were my father, Haakon, had a dalliance with a daughter of the Dwarves of the House of Sindri.

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But that is another story, and not for this evening!

When it was evident that my two Halfbrothers were rather diffeerent, Haakon, seeing their divergent paths, sent Ari off to be fostered with his Brother, my Uncle Smidja.

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Smidja was a renown Weaponsmith and Armorer and Ari faithfully studied under him as long as he could bear it but in the end ran off to join the Guard.

My Father chose to keep Heath with him and train him in the ways of war until he too was sent to the Guard.

Haakon's first wife had passed in childbirth with Heathbjorn and Haakon had brought home a governess to tend his unruly beardlings. She was a Hobbit by the Name of Goldie and became like a mother to my brothers and eventually (though not formally) a wife to Haakon.

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When Haakon sent his boys off to serve Our King Dain of Erabor they were both sent to neighboring villages to the North west of the Mountain very near to the Heath.

When Aribjorn got to his post he met his comanding officer, a tall strong Daleman by the name of Gyr.

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Captain Gyr was a good man and a great leader and fighter, but he saw Ari's lack of experience as a detriment to him being in the feild so they found something that better suited his tallents...

Smithing!

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And more smithing!

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and sometimes even smithing under duress!

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But his work was in demand by all and he earned a very good reputation for being very skilled at his craft.

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However he longed for combat, longed to show the town and it's people and his comander that he was more than a smith. Even the elves of the Northern Mirkwood, Thranduin's people, got to see more action than he, and would scoff and mock him when he told them of his desire to defend the town.

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But there was one person he wanted to impress most of all. He had seen her one day when she came to Calantir, a very odd figure among the many men and elves and dwarves, as she was a Hobbit and very, very far from home.

What made her so special and so unique, was that this one must have been a direct decendent of the Old Took himself or at least have a bit of Baggins in her, as this young female Hobbit was not only adventurous, but as Ari found out later on, was a quick and devastating fighter. Her name was.....Rosey Bramble! .....and to Ari she was fair beyond description!

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It was not too hard to reason this attraction as Ari had been raised for most of the time he was a beardling by a loving Hobbit "mother", and Rosey was not only beautiful, she was also a fighter!

They got along quite well and though he adored her, it was plain to him that she longed to be in the thick of things and considered him a dear freind, but no more.

One day while working on mending an axe he looked beyond his anvil to see a pair of delicately booted feet standing quietly before him. He looked up to see a dark but strikingly beautiful, Tatooed Elf maiden. As their eyes met, he felt himself blush in her radiant beauty.

"Please Master Dwarf," she said, " I am Olondwyn of Imladris, I am new in the village and I am afraid I know nothing of the Martial Way to defend myself here in the wild, I see that you are an accomplisjed smith, but no doubt you are also a doughty warrior as well. Would you not teach me?"

"Of course my lady." he said with a bit of a nervous stammer and he proceeded to show her the Mysteries of the Axe.

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But there were another set of eyes watching that practice.

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Rosey watched the two as they practiced and it seemed for the first time, that she felt and anger and a jealousy as she watched her friend, she realized then that she had feelings for the Dwarf, feelings she had never had before for anyone else. But as she watched she saw that this elven "Lady" knew much more than she let on and was beguiling her friend with her ravishing beauty and feigned helplessness.

Not able to watch any longer, Rosey tore herself away from the sight and tried to put her mind to other tasks. She headed for the other side of the village and the rest of the warriors.

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Unbenounced to our heroine, there were other more treacherous beings now becoming active in the woods. As she marched along, she started to detect the scent of wet dog and knew immediately what that meant...Gnolls!

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Gnolls are savage and dangerous creatures that hunt in small packs on the outskirts of villages and settlements. Though they rarely attack a large or well armed party, they will attack a lone traveller or fighter if the think they can overpower them. Rosey seamed to be such a target, but they did not know this Hobbit!

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She set upon the leader brandishing her short sword and skillet (a uniquely Hobbit weapon that is both a weapon and a tool. Rosey could bring home the bacon and fry it up in...ahh never mind, let's just say she could use it as a mace or a targ and yet turn out breakfast for the whole crew.)
She intentionally set upon the leader and made short work of him releasing some of her pent up aggression by visualising the face of the elf girl superimposed over the ugly snout of the Gnoll!

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Seeing how ruthlessly efficient the small enemy was at dispatching their leader, the other three beat a hasty retreat into the woods.

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Watching them for a moment as they left Rosey realized that if the Gnolls were out and about, that there would not be orcs far behind, as they sometimes used the Gnolls as scouts when the could not get wargs. Surely if Orcs were about there could even be worse things with them! She needed to catch up with the others and warn them.
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Meanwhile there were creatures stirring and Ari was about to find out that there is no saftey on the frontier even in a village when it comes to Orcs!

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As Aribjorn was finishing up with the flirtatious Elf,

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He was summened by a guard commander an old Dwarven Longbeard whom he had not seen before.
"Private Haakonson! Get your weapons and come with me there are Orcs on the outskirts of town, we must defend our village, most of the warriors are on the other side facing another threat!"

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Ari grabbed his axe and kite shield and followed not stopping for his armor and joined an elf named Celdain as he got a view of some of the orcs as they rushed up the road he gave his shield to the Longbeard.

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These were some of the same who had attacked the tavern and were now searching for more blood to shed.

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Ari and Celdain engaged several orcs finishing them off one after another till they cornered one in a thicket.

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When the last Orc fell before his axe, Ari heard a wheezing snicker. He looked at his fallen foe and saw that it was smiling amidst it's death throws and was trying to spit out one final sneering jibe.

You may have killed us, but you are to late to kill our troll! He has ripped your tavern apart by now and killed...alll...your...peop.....uuuuuugh!

As the two deffenders looked up they saw the remaining orcs dissapear back into the woods.

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"Leave them!" cried Aribjorn "We must get to the Tavern, she says there is a troll headed that way, and I think she is thier shamen look at those shoes!

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Aribjorn ran back to the forge and grabbed his helmet and round shield. He ran as fast as his short dwarven legs could go (which is suprisingly fast over short distances mind you!) And he arrived at the Tavern field just as Captain Gyr did.

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He made his way over to his captain and gave his report. "Well done Aribjorn, I see you truly do have a fighting spirit! If that troll shows up, you may yet get a chance to impress me!"

Enter one troll!

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Now don't be decieved by my description my friends, yes he is smaller, but the Olog Hai is crafty and clever beyond al ken, and despite it's terrible troll stregnth, they carry large fist-like maces and they know how to use them!

"Ok "Corporal" Haakonson, lets see what you can do! I am right behind you!"

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On came the troll and Ari Taunted him and engaged him, he was relentless with his foe and dogged him tirelessly.

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They battled and just as the Troll was just about finished he turned toward Captain Gyr.

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With a final snicker snack from his mighty blade the captain sent him to the next world.

"Hey that was MY TROLL!" cried Aribjorn.

"Sorry back to the forge for you hah hah! but only long enough to get your armor!
I think we have one final battle this day...BUGS!"

Ari ran to get his armor but as he did, Rosie had been having troubles of her own

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Rosey had caught up with the others but already a path of dead and dying townsfolk lay before her.

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A healer and a warrior both lay dead on the ground looking as though as;eep as they had no wounds that were visable to her.

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She wasted no time and waded into the thick of battle against what looked to her to be some form of large human like insects! What devilry was this? one of the Necromancer's experiments gone wrong?

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And then in the midst of the fray, a bulbous white forleg flicked out and around the defences of the dauntless hobbit, and made contact with her unprotected neck. Unctuous, white, waxy poison, rubbed off on her fair skin and all turned to a grey haze before her eyes. And Rosey fell....

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When Aribjorn got to the site of the battle the townspeople would not let him through, they feared what he would do if he saw Rosey, cold upon the ground. for they were not blind to love, though the two of them could not see it themselves.
He tried to get a look, he even got up on a box to be at eye level, and then he saw her...

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Tears of anger sadness and rage formed in his eyes and through the hot salty liquid, He looked to his armor, the armor his father had made for him, the armor that he had not yet dared to wear until he could truly call himself a warrior.

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He quickly donned it and made a vow by axe or sword to avenge his love!

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He thrust himself into the battle a dwarven cyclone given great power by his hate and the feeling of invulnerable he had in his armor.

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Try though they might, the bugs got no purchase through the dwarven armor and though they gushed and spewed their ichor upon him, he slew them all before he dropped to one knee amidst his foes. He passed out from the cloud of poison that he had waded through and the town carried him to the river to wash him and revive him.

No one saw the darkly clad figure who stood over the fallen Hobbit.

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When Aribjorn regained consciousness, Gyr was above him, he said he was proud of him and that he had saved the town, but he still had terrible tidings, "She is gone," He said, "Rosey is gone. We got back and her body was not were we left her nor were any of the others."

Now in the evening they remain vigilent and though they have won one battle at a horrible cost, they do not fully relax, for the enemy is relentless and even now, this late in the third age, the shadow grows long.

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The End?

We hope you enjoyed our little tale..what?...What happened to Rosie?
Heh, heh! That is a tale for another time!

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"Fare thee well werever you fare till your aries recieve you at the journeys end!"

:mrgreen:
Last edited by Ringulf on Sun Jul 01, 2012 3:59 am, edited 5 times in total.
I am Ringulf the Dwarven Woodsman, I craft leather, wood, metal, and clay,
I throw axes, seaxes, and pointy sticks, And I fire my bow through the day.
Come be my ally, lift up your mead! We'll search out our foes and the Eagles we'll feed! :mrgreen:
kaelln

Re: Ringulf's Photo story 2012 (Read only)

Post by kaelln »

That was fun! But no fair to leave us hanging! :x :wink:
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Ringulf
Naugothrain
Posts: 2413
Joined: Sat Jul 09, 2011 1:50 pm
Location: Central Florida
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Re: Ringulf's Photo story 2012 (Read only)

Post by Ringulf »

OK folks I just finished cleaning it up it is now an official entry. I had been sitting here the duration of this contest saying to myself crap I wish I had some good ranger pictures and then it dawned on me, I could have fantasy story pictures told as a tale by Ringulf. so of course all of the not quite realistic arms and armour are just the fantastical envisionment of the story teller and the listeners creative minds!

Yeah, yeah that's the ticket! :wink:
I am Ringulf the Dwarven Woodsman, I craft leather, wood, metal, and clay,
I throw axes, seaxes, and pointy sticks, And I fire my bow through the day.
Come be my ally, lift up your mead! We'll search out our foes and the Eagles we'll feed! :mrgreen:
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Mirimaran
Thangailhir
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Re: Ringulf's Photo story 2012

Post by Mirimaran »

Great job, friend Ringulf!

Ken
"Well, what are you waiting for? I am an old man, and have no time for your falter! Come at me, if you will, for I do not sing songs of dastards!"
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Neume
Wayfarer
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Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2012 1:48 am

Re: Ringulf's Photo story 2012

Post by Neume »

Well done. It looks like you all have such a good time together. I wish I had more rangers to have adventures with like that.
"The women of this country learned long ago, those without swords can still die upon them. I fear neither death nor pain. "
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Brandwyn
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Re: Ringulf's Photo story 2012

Post by Brandwyn »

I loved it Ringulf!

So what did happen to 'Rosey' me??? (snicker)

Neume, that was from a few different LARP's (Live Action Role Play) that we attended and took pictures of.

If you want more info on them send a PM to me or Ringulf. They are lots of fun if you like to act and either kill or run away from mean ole nasty monsters all weekend. LOL (Being a hobbit, I did a lot more running than what Ringulf is portraying here, though I did get in several good wacks with my frying pan. It makes a great shield, weapon and cooking accesory! heh heh)
Brandwyn
"They are dangerous at both ends, and - crafty - in the middle." Sherlock Holmes, A Game of Shadows (Robert Downey Jr. in character on the subject of Horses)
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