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    1. The Madness of Denethor

      by , 05-17-2017 at 12:49 AM (New Dream Adventures of Raven Knight)
      2017, 05-16

      The Madness of Denethor

      I am walking on the streets of a city straight out of a fantasy game. The roads are long and curving, running between buildings of stone. There is a lot of commotion going on around me, and no one seems to be paying any attention to the fact I’m there. I walk along the road for a bit to try to find out what is going on here. I hear the sounds of a battle from the outside of the walls and I am thinking I should go there and do whatever I can to help out. I am about to go when someone comes up calling my name. It’s a hobbit, it’s Pippin! He says he’s looking for Gandalf, but maybe I can help… he says the Lord Denethor has taken leave of his senses and plans to burn himself and Faramir in the houses of the dead! I say I will help him, but as we go I ask what this is about Faramir, because last time I saw Faramir he was fine. Pippin says Faramir went out to battle but was brought back because he’d been struck down with a poison arrow, but he’s not dead yet and maybe can still be saved if Denethor would listen to reason. He says Denethor is somehow convinced Boromir has fallen in battle, and when Faramir was brought back wounded he seemed to lose it!

      As Pippin and I make our way to the top of Minas Tirith and to the houses of the dead I see a lot of people look like giving up. I focus on the song Not Gonna Die by Skillet to try to give them positive energy and hope. “No, not gonna die tonight! We're gonna stand and fight forever! Don’t close your eyes… No, not gonna die tonight! We're gonna fight for us together! No, we’re not gonna die tonight!” We get to the door to the Steward House and find Beregond holding the door against other soldiers who seek to pass with torches. Pippen looks disheartened. He says he should have gotten Gandalf, no offense to me, but they won’t listen to just anyone. I don’t heed that, I just go over to the group. One of the soldiers trying to get in says they must do Denethor’s bidding. I comment that I thought they were supposed to protect the Lord Denethor… he immediately says they are! I tell him now the Lord Denethor is sick, and he needs to be protected from himself most of all. But I have the cure, just let me pass. Beregond steps aside and lets me in.

      Inside I find Denethor and Faramir lying on a stone table with wood stacked around them. He looks up when he hears someone enter. I tell him this will stop now. He says no, Boromir is dead, he has seen it, Faramir is dying and already burning, all will burn… why wait? He stands and says he must do everything himself and walks towards the door. I block his path, using the song Not Gonna Die by Skillet. “Don’t you give up on me! You’re everything they need! This is how it feels when you take your life back, this is how it feels when you fight back!” A pillar of light energy erupts around Denethor, shining around and through him. “No, not gonna die tonight! We’re gonna stand and fight forever! Don’t close your eyes… No, not gonna die tonight! We're gonna fight for us together! No, we’re not gonna die tonight! Not gonna die! (Denethor: Not gonna die…) Not gonna die! (Denethor: Not gonna die!) Not gonna die tonight!” Shining with light energy Denethor says he’s not going to die, he’s going to fight! He tells the guards bringing torches that he now bids them follow him into battle and to victory! I go over to check on Faramir and find he is burning up with fever but definitely still alive. He should be in the Houses of Healing, not of the dead. I see Denethor is still there, he hasn’t gone off to battle just yet. He says he can’t leave his son… I tell him his son needs rest in the Houses of Healing, there’s nothing more Denethor can do for him right now. The men who had brought torches to Denethor now help carry the unconscious Faramir back to the Houses of Healing. Denethor is definitely ready to go fight now, he leads the others off to the battle. I think I should also go help, but everything fades to black and I wake up.
    2. Return to Minas Tirith

      by , 05-14-2017 at 05:06 AM (New Dream Adventures of Raven Knight)
      2017, 05-12

      Return to Minas Tirith

      I am in a place I don’t recognize, I look around and see a man, is demanding to know who I am and how I got up here. He says only his personal guards and those he has admitted are permitted here. I wonder who he is, then I see another man there is Gandalf from Lord of the Rings. Gandalf says he knows me, I have traveled with their company at a couple different times. More important now is that Denethor get a rescue force together or Faramir and his men have no chance of reaching the city alive. I ask what has happened. Gandalf goes to the edge of the outcropping that overlooks Minas Tirith and the surrounding lands and he points out at a rock formation that is surrounded by many orcs. He says Faramir and his men have taken refuge there, but they can’t hold off the attacks forever, which is why Denethor needs to send out a rescue sortie. Denethor says there is no way a sortie would be successful, he would just be sending more men out to die. Gandalf is frustrated and says Denethor’s son is out there as if Denethor wasn’t already aware that Faramir was out there and cornered. Denethor says it is the hardest decisions that fall to him, but there is no hope for success. I tell him to just stay up here and watch if he thinks the situation is impossible.

      Denethor is asking me what I think I can do about this but I ignore him and run right at the edge of the outcropping. I jump up and out into the open air much to both Denethor’s and Gandalf’s surprise. I fly out over the city and then out over the fields beyond. The enemies are filling the fields beyond, they are doing double takes at me flying but then they start firing arrows at me. I dodge them and dive down to a place among the enemies, about halfway between the rock formation and the gates of Minas Tirith. This is a good spot for Dark Power of Abyss by Rhapsody, it’s time to drop an Immortal Fire! “And suddenly the unreal silence is broken by a lament... a lament coming up from the deepest darkest abyss. And from the seven gates of the dark fortress, the dead come back to life to face them... this is hell!” As I do the next part a circle of light energy erupts around me. “Immortal fire, now rise, light my heart, light my way through the darkness, the guardian of space and time!” A circle of light energy explodes out from my position, blasting enemies out of the way all of the way from the rock formation where Faramir and his men are hiding to the gates of Minas Tirith.

      In the aftermath of that massive blast the fields are left bare, enemies that were on the edge of the affected area are all fleeing in terror of a force they have never witnessed the like of. The way to the rock formation where Faramir and his men are is clear, I go over there to see if everyone is able to move towards Minas Tirith. I see Faramir come around the edge of the formation, with another familiar person right behind him. Altaïr is there with Faramir, his sword is drawn and covered in the blood of orcs. Altaïr says the enemies won’t stay afraid to approach for long, they’re too dumb to know their own peril. I ask if anyone needs healing before they can be moved to the city. There are a couple that are on the edge of death with serious wounds, so I quickly heal them and then we start heading for the gates of the city. Most of the enemies are keeping their distance, but not the Nazgul, five of them are swooping in towards us as we are making for the gates. From the gates of Minas Tirith now comes a man on a white horse, they are blazing with light energy. It’s Gandalf, the White Rider charging out to meet us, shining a bright ray of light energy at the approaching Nazgul. The wraiths veer aside and break off their attack, retreating into the night. We reach the gates and get inside, Gandalf following us in as the gates are swung closed with a heavy clang. The people in the city are all cheering us and the return of Faramir and his men, happy to see their safe return. I now have the time to heal the rest of the wounded, whether their wounds be small or great. Shortly after I finish healing the last wound everything around me fades to black and I wake.
    3. The Battle at Osgiliath

      by , 05-13-2017 at 07:46 PM (New Dream Adventures of Raven Knight)
      2017, 05-12

      The Battle at Osgiliath

      I am in what appears to be a meeting hall, I am near the back of the room. I look around and see it is filled with warriors that appear to be of high rank. I hear someone talking at the front of the room, he is talking about not giving up the outer defenses. I hear mention of the outpost at Osgiliath, and that more soldiers need to go there to defend. A man says they will not be able to hold it long even with reinforcements. I get a bit closer and I recognize one of the men speaking as Faramir, captain of Gondor. I assume that the man he is talking with must be the steward of the lane, Denethor, Faramir’s father. Denethor says Boromir can’t do everything, he is away on an urgent errand, but if any captain remains who will do his lord’s bidding… Faramir says he will go to Osgiliath if Denethor orders it, and Denethor immediately says he does order it.

      Faramir leaves the hall and I follow him out, I don’t think Denethor even noticed me. Gandalf is out with Faramir now telling him not to throw his life away needlessly, he says Denethor loves Faramir and will remember that before the end. I go over to Faramir and ask if he could use a little extra help, I will offer my skills as a healer and a warrior. He seems hesitant, probably because I am a woman, but finally says he will take any who are willing to come, for they will need all the help they can get at Osgiliath. I follow Faramir out where he gets on a horse, and some other soldiers are also on horses. A Rapidash I recognize as my own Rapidash named Stardust trots over to me. The people around are staring in amazement at Stardust’s flaming mane and tail. I climb up on Stardust and we are ready to go. I tell Faramir that if I go ahead and use a healing spell on the attackers I am sure at least some will break off the attack. He asks if that’s why the company moving through Ithilien was so small, I say yes, many of them turned back. He says to go ahead, then. An enemy who turns away from the fight is worth two who have to be defeated in battle.

      I ride with Faramir and the others for the trip to Osgiliath because the enemy still hasn’t shown themselves. The waiting when we get to Osgiliath is the hardest, and I am afraid I will wake up before the action even starts. Soon there are armies approaching from the other side of the Anduin River. That’s my signal so I ride right towards the middle of the group while focusing on the song Full Moonlight from the Devil Hunter Yohko soundtrack. The song plays, I am surrounded by light energy that spreads out over the area as I am spinning around, forming into an orb in the sky that looks like a moon shining bright. Light energy is spreading out from that orb, bathing all of the attacking forces in its light. Indeed, some of the enemies start turning back the way they came, but they don’t get far. The Nazgul are following up the attack and immediately strike down anyone who is trying to retreat. This really pisses me off because they are killing all of the enemies I have managed to heal. I focus a blast of light energy from my moon orb right at the Nazgul who are attacking, and it creates an opening for at least some of those who have changed their minds to escape.

      There are still plenty of enemies attacking, however. And the Nazgul are attacking rather than following after the enemies who have decided to retreat. I leave the moon orb to cast light energy over the battle areas in hope that it might counter the fear effect of the Nazgul. I form my right arm into an Alex Mercer blade and start cutting up the enemies who I was not able to heal. The battle rages on for a while, I have killed many orcs and healed several injured soldiers of Gondor. But there are just so many enemies that before long they are slipping past and our group has to fall back towards Minas Tirith to keep from being surrounded. There are also more soldiers of Gondor injured than I can keep up with healing, so I break off and help escort some of the injured to a place sheltered by large rock formations where I can heal them without being attacked. I heal them but then I am feeling the dream slipping. Faramir has arrived with more injured men and I tell him I’m about to disappear, no time to explain, but I will come back as soon as I can. Everything around me fades to black and I wake up.
    4. Forbidden Pool

      by , 05-05-2017 at 03:52 AM (New Dream Adventures of Raven Knight)
      2017, 05-03

      Forbidden Pool

      I wake up in a bed that is not my own. It doesn’t feel right at all, so I roll over and look around to see if I can figure out where I am and what I’m doing here. It is dark in the room, but my eyes are well adjusted to the dark and I can make out a bit of the area. There are two other beds and I see a man standing over one of the beds, and I hear him whispering to the person in the bed. The person gets up and I see he is small, about hobbit sized. I get the idea that must be Frodo, and I am also thinking I should follow him. I get up at about the same time as the other hobbit, Sam, gets up, and we both follow the man and Frodo. They disappear from the room and we follow them down a path, up some stairs, and out onto a ledge overlooking a waterfall. Sam seems to want to stay back from the edge, but I am not afraid so I go out with them. Sam says something about it being too cold to be out here just to look at the moon. The man, Faramir, says Sam can go back to bed if he desires, the only one he meant to bring was Frodo, although he has no problem with Sam and me coming along as well.

      I go over beside Faramir and Frodo as Faramir is asking Frodo what exactly they are looking at. Could it be a black squirrel from Mirkwood? If it is, it is awfully large and it has no tail. Maybe it is a kingfisher? If it is, then it is a black one… A man that was already on the ledge says it is no bird, it dives and swims like a human and does quite well at it. Faramir asks Frodo if his archers should shoot it. I look down and I see Gollum climb out of the pool with a shiny fish in his hands. Even though he can’t see what we’re looking at, Sam must have figured it out, so he says, “Yes!” and I say, “No!” at the exact same time. Faramir looks at Sam, then at me, and says everyone who was not asked has answered, but he is still waiting for Frodo’s answer. Sam tells me if I knew more about Gollum then I wouldn’t say ‘no’ to shooting him. I tell Sam that I say ‘no’ BECAUSE I know a lot more about SMEAGOL than he does, but I am not angry at his saying ‘yes’ because I know he just wants to protect Frodo. Faramir asks Frodo again if his archers should shoot it. I tell Faramir that Smeagol really has no idea that this hidden place exists, he is only after fish, thus is not a threat because even if he took the information straight to the enemy, he could tell nothing more than, “There is a nice pool there with tasty fish,” which would not interest the enemy in the slightest. Faramir says that merely gazing upon the pool carries a penalty of death, then he turns back to Frodo, who has gotten a bit distracted. The idea of killing someone for just looking on a pool of water seems so absurd to me that it is making me angry, and I say, “You’ve got to be kidding…” a bit too loud.

      Faramir either doesn’t hear my comment or chooses not to respond as Frodo finally answers the question originally meant only for him. He says no, he does not want Faramir’s archers to shoot Smeagol. Sam looks disappointed, but not surprised. Faramir says he can’t just let that creature go free, but how are they to capture the slippery thing with anything other than a well-aimed arrow? Frodo says he will go down and bring Smeagol back. Frodo quietly follows one of the archers down to the level of the pool, then he starts talking to Smeagol and saying he needs Smeagol to go with him. I am thinking if this goes on it will look like a betrayal and make healing Smeagol harder, so I will just have to keep the people here from being a bunch of assholes. I focus on creating a shield around Smeagol so they can escort him back to the hideout but can’t actually touch or harm him. The archer that led Frodo down there looms up over Smeagle as if to grab him, but finds he can get no closer. He instead looks rather goofy as if he was just trying to intimidate Smeagol with his larger size. The man looks perplexed, and two other men who try to grab Smeagol have the same results. So Frodo just leads Smeagol the rest of the way back up to the ledge. A couple other men try to approach Smeagol and also can’t get close. Since all the men keep their distance, Smeagol seems to be beginning to believe that they mean him no harm.

      The man who led Frodo down to the pool goes over to Faramir and tells him of the strange thing that wouldn’t let him get close to the creature Frodo calls Smeagol. Faramir hesitates, then looks over at me. He says it would seem I am a sorceress after all then. He asks what I have done to his archers. I say I did nothing to them, just a shield of protection around Smeagol in case they were thinking to use excessive force on someone who is already coming along willingly. He gives me a dirty look but says no more, and we all go inside. Once inside, Faramir says that he has decided on his own doom, Frodo can go free along with whatever companions he chooses. He asks if Frodo takes Smeagol under his protection, and Frodo say he does. Faramir gives me a dirty look again and says they don’t think too highly of sorceresses around here. I blurt out that I don’t think too highly of people who would murder someone who is no threat to them simply for fishing in the wrong pool, so that makes us even there. I return his dirty look. Faramir looks at Sam, then at Smeagol. Smeagol has resumed eating his fish.

      After Faramir talks to Frodo for a bit more, counsels Frodo not to take the path Smeagol has planned but can’t offer a better idea. Faramir says he has added food to Sam’s and Frodo’s packs to help them out in spite of the company they choose to keep. I am thinking I can use the Penticon computer chip to replicate more food for them if they are in need. Frodo says they were also companions with Gandalf, he’s a wizard, so how am I so different? I tell Frodo, it’s ok if Faramir doesn’t like me, there will always be plenty of people who don’t. As long as he isn’t holding it against Frodo, I’m ok with it. Faramir says he and his people will have to be moving out, so Frodo and the rest of us also have to move out. We walk out of the hidden cave, and I again give no objection to being blindfolded. Faramir mutters that I can probably see anyways… We get to a place a ways away from the hidden cave and they take the blindfolds off. Then our paths part. Frodo thanks Faramir for his assistance, and Sam does as well, then we part ways. We haven’t gone far down our separate path before everything fades to black and I wake up.
    5. Faramir's Secret

      by , 05-05-2017 at 03:43 AM (New Dream Adventures of Raven Knight)
      2017, 05-03

      Faramir's Secret

      I am walking in a forest, and it is really quite beautiful. It is also a perfect day for taking a walk in the forest, the sun is shining, there is a gentle breeze blowing, and I hear the sound of a flowing stream nearby. The only thing odd is that I don’t hear any birds. I wonder why there wouldn’t be birds singing in the trees. I keep going and soon I hear voices. I follow the sound of the voices and peek through some trees to see a man and two hobbits walking together through the trees. I hear the man talking about Boromir, saying Boromir was his brother but he fears that his brother is dead. When one of the hobbits, Frodo, asks why he thinks that, the man, Faramir, says Boromir’s horn was found in the river, cloven in two pieces. He says there is only one way that would have happened. I remember that Boromir is not dead, I remember healing him, and I think it would be cruel to let Faramir go on thinking his brother is dead. So I step out into the open.

      When I step into the open, Faramir stops short and does a double take. He raises his bow with an arrow already fit to it and asks who I am and how I managed to appear out of nowhere like that. Frodo answers before I do, telling Faramir that he won’t need his bow, I am a friend who sometimes comes by to help on their quest. He says he doesn’t know how I manage to get around so. I tell Faramir my name is Raven Knight, and I give a bow of courtesy. I tell him I wasn’t meaning to spy, but I overheard that he believes his brother is dead. He asks what I know of Boromir. I tell him I hope to put his fears to rest, Boromir is alive and well, I know this because when Boromir was injured I was his healer. Boromir did indeed get injured when he was fighting valiantly against many orcs, and his horn was cloven, but Boromir was still alive when I reached him and he was not beyond saving. Frodo wants to know about the other people in their company. I tell him I don’t have details, but I can assure him that they were all alive when I last saw them. Faramir says he certainly hopes I speak true, but now I must accompany my companions and him back to their hidden place, he would decide what must be done then. I don’t bother mentioning that I could take out him and all of his people all by myself, instead I cooperate and say I will be glad to cooperate.

      I follow Faramir along with Frodo and Sam for a while, just enjoying the walk in the forest. Faramir and Frodo chat a bit more, Faramir asks if I have any more details on what happened to Boromir. I skip over the part about Boromir trying to steal the ring from Frodo, and go to the part where Boromir was bravely defending the other two hobbits from many orcs, and indeed he slew many orcs before it became too much. But the orcs believed Boromir was dead and they moved on, they were wrong. I’d been responding to the sound of Boromir’s horn and when I got there he was gravely wounded, but not lost, so I was able to heal him with the light energy. He asks if I’m some kind of sorceress. I tell him not exactly, I just channeled the healing light to restore Boromir to health. He says that if I speak true then he is in my debt for saving his brother. I say no, I just did what was right. He stops and says he will have to do all three of us a discourtesy right now, it is their law that anyone visiting be blindfolded when approaching the secret place. Frodo says it's no problem, even the elves do so when strangers need to enter Lothlorien. I tell him to go ahead, I will offer no objection. A couple more men come from the trees and tie scarves around Frodo’s, Sam’s, and my eyes. I find it strange, but I can still see where we’re going, as if I am seeing right through the blindfold. I say nothing about that, however, and I let one of the men who came lead me carefully through the trees. After several twists and turns that are no doubt meant to disorient us, they take the blindfolds off and we are now looking at a beautiful waterfall.

      We go inside some caves and Faramir says he will get us some food and drink and they decide what is to be done in the morning after we’re all rested. He gives us food and drink in the form of dried fruits and salted meats with some kind of wine. Soon the hobbits and Faramir are chatting away, and I’m not paying much attention. Frodo is telling about what has happened on their journey across Middle Earth, then they are talking about elves, then Sam is saying Boromir took his own peril into Lothlorien and it was then he knew Boromir wanted the enemy’s ring… Then there is a brief period of time where Sam and Frodo seem to think Faramir will try to take the ring by force, but I am sure he is not going to try anything, and he doesn’t. He says he wouldn’t take it if he found it by the side of the road. He then says we should all get some rest, then shows Frodo, Sam, and me to three beds. Frodo falls asleep almost instantly, Sam takes a bit longer. I sit down on the bed and everything fades to black as I wake up.
    6. Full Moonlight

      by , 04-30-2017 at 08:56 PM (New Dream Adventures of Raven Knight)
      2017, 04-28

      Full Moonlight

      I am in a place I don’t recognize. It’s a rather beautiful place, a forested area near a running stream. The sun is shining high in the sky and it is very pleasant now. I walk along the stream for a while, just enjoying the scenery. As I make my way up the river I see someone on the banks, it looks like he is washing something in the river. I get closer and he stands up, I see he is a hobbit. He looks over and sees me, and I clearly gave him a bit of a startle. He jumps back a bit and then stares at me for a bit longer before finally saying my name. “Raven? How did you get here?” He says he never thought anyone would find them way out here, have I been following them the whole time? I tell him no, I just show up when I’m needed. I look up from the stream and spot a stream of smoke rising. I remember from the book that the smoke was from Sam’s cooking fire, but I pretend I know nothing. I point at the smoke and tell Sam that some fool has started a fire out here, it’ll draw every orc in the vicinity if we don’t put it out. Sam looks at the smoke and drops an expletive before running up the hill towards the fire.

      I follow Sam up the hill but I stop when I hear a whistle from a different direction. It sounds like a person imitating a bird, but I can’t tell for sure. I go farther up the hill but I stop when I hear voices up ahead. I peek past some concealing trees and see several men standing around Frodo and Sam. Apparently, they have met up with Faramir. I watch them from a hidden place, my Assassin’s robes lend themselves to keeping me concealed. I watch them for a bit and then Faramir is telling Frodo and Sam that they have to intercept an army of humans that have come to join the ranks of the Dark Lord. I wonder if those people are truly evil or if maybe Sauron has done something to corrupt them, maybe I should try to heal them before the battle between them and Faramir’s people starts and then a lot of people will get killed perhaps needlessly. I want to reach the enemy forces before they engage in battle with Faramir’s people, so I quietly move away from my current location, continuing up until I come to the road that Frodo and Sam have been following. Since the enemies were coming from the south, that is where I need to head in order to intercept them, so I head along the road to the south.

      I haven’t gone far along the road before I see the enemy approaching me. They don’t seem to notice me until they are virtually on top of me. One of the men towards the front gives off a laugh and says I’m walking on the wrong road. He laughs more, but I ignore him completely and run directly into the middle of their ranks. Since that was the last thing they were expecting, no one stops me. I focus on the song Full Moonlight from the Devil Hunter Yohko anime soundtrack. (Link to YouTube song: ) The song plays through, an orb of light energy forms in the air over my head, it looks like a moon spinning around, throwing off waves of light energy. I am spinning and dancing underneath the orb, sending off more light energy, and all of the warriors around me are standing and staring in stunned silence, they don’t seem to know what to do. I see that some of the people in the enemy forces are on the backs of massive elephants. I continue the song, wanting to make sure and get some of the healing energy to the people on the elephants, and the elephants as well if they have also been corrupted. Soon the entire area is flowing with the golden energy coming out of the moon-like orb, and the people look rather disoriented. I am hearing people questioning what they’re doing here, and saying they don’t really want to go to war for someone who has never done anything for them or their families. One of them says they have to go on or there will be retribution. I tell one man who seems to be a leader that if they’re worried about Sauron attacking them to get revenge, there would be no need. Sauron will never get the chance to hurt anyone else. He seems to believe me, maybe the energy filling the area helped convince him.

      I see there are some people seeking to continue, but most are turning back now. I figure Faramir’s people can handle the few that continue. Except… a few of the people on elephants are continuing, but I don’t want the elephants to get hurt, so I form an Alex Mercer blade of my right arm and cut their riding howdahs right off the backs of the elephants by cutting through the straps holding them in place. The huge structures fall from the elephants and crash to the ground. Now riderless, the elephants also turn around and head back towards the south, towards their homes. I disappear into the trees again, not sure if anyone saw me go or not. I slowly make my way back to where I saw Frodo and Sam with Faramir and some of his people only to find they are gone. I wonder where they have gone off to. I wonder if they saw any part of my little light show, maybe they took off. I try to think of what happens next in the book but right now my mind is getting a bit fuzzy, it is hard to focus on any one idea for long. As I am still trying to make my mind focus on one thing everything around me starts fading. Everything around me fades to black and I wake up.