Board Thread:Custom Lore Development/@comment-26295802-20160531021534

See what you think! A major WIP, but I've gotten quite a bit fleshed out.





-The Prologue-





Far away and long ago,

A kingdom stretched from sand to snow,

Numenor stood with its walls so bright,

A beacon of hope, of truth, of light,

It's armies marched against evil and fear,

It's towers stood so tall and sheer.



In this kingdom so large and blessed,

There lived the son of one from The West,

His sword had never been withstood,

<p class="MsoNormal">He was as kind and noble as he could,

<p class="MsoNormal">Before him all his enemies fell,

<p class="MsoNormal">The good and kind prince Herendil.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">He sailed a ship from North to South,

<p class="MsoNormal">From Forodwaith to Anduin's mouth.

<p class="MsoNormal">At his name no orc could stand,

<p class="MsoNormal">It was clear he was more then mortal man,

<p class="MsoNormal">He slew a demon from the pits of Hell,

<p class="MsoNormal">The mighty warrior Herendil.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">-Herendil Meets Itallie-

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">A beautiful sunset on a fine day in June,

<p class="MsoNormal">The light fled away to make way for the moon,

<p class="MsoNormal">Herendil was on a Lindon trip,

<p class="MsoNormal">He came to the port and moored his ship,

<p class="MsoNormal">And standing in the moonlight fair,

<p class="MsoNormal">For the first time he saw her there.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">An elven maid from the far West,

<p class="MsoNormal">Wearing a beautiful blue dress,

<p class="MsoNormal">Herendil had never seen something so fair,

<p class="MsoNormal">He gazed at her eyes, her face, her hair,

<p class="MsoNormal">When she started to speak his confidence shed,

<p class="MsoNormal">He barely even made out what she said,

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">She was Itallie from Valinor,

<p class="MsoNormal">And she needed a ship to yonder shore,

<p class="MsoNormal">Her business was with the Valar themselves,

<p class="MsoNormal">Far more important then even the elves,

<p class="MsoNormal">A cargo more valuable then elven lands,

<p class="MsoNormal">Had fallen into pirate hands,

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Herendil, without thought, agreed,

<p class="MsoNormal">And nigh one day the ship was readied,

<p class="MsoNormal">It set sail at the end of June,

<p class="MsoNormal">As the sun shed light on the sea at noon,

<p class="MsoNormal">The crew was good and noble and kind,

<p class="MsoNormal">Like a star, the ship's great beauty shined.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">-The Starlight Night-

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Warm day gave way to chill night,

<p class="MsoNormal">The warmth fled away along with the light,

<p class="MsoNormal">And Herendil stepped onto the deck,

<p class="MsoNormal">Around his ship he made a trek,

<p class="MsoNormal">It was a beautiful night with shining stars,

<p class="MsoNormal">Galaxies, moon, so bright and so far,

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">And standing on the balcony,

<p class="MsoNormal">Was beautiful princess Itallie,

<p class="MsoNormal">Herendil called out to her in elven speech,

<p class="MsoNormal">To ask if she might accompany,

<p class="MsoNormal">On his rounds around the ship,

<p class="MsoNormal">A midnight walk, a nightly trip,

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">They turned and found themselves face-to-face,

<p class="MsoNormal">And without word the two embraced,

<p class="MsoNormal">An understanding that needed no words,

<p class="MsoNormal">There was not a single sentence heard,

<p class="MsoNormal">And in shimmering moonlight and nighttime bliss,

<p class="MsoNormal">Herendil and Itallie shared a kiss.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">And for a single moment all was fair,

<p class="MsoNormal">As both felt warm despite chilled air,

<p class="MsoNormal">And for a single moment froze in time,

<p class="MsoNormal">The Valar smiled and fate was kind,

<p class="MsoNormal">And all was perfect and noble and good,

<p class="MsoNormal">And he held the kiss as long as he could.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">-The Attack-

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">But then came the sudden warning bell,

<p class="MsoNormal">As if awake from a dream was Herendil,

<p class="MsoNormal">And when seven tolls it made,

<p class="MsoNormal">He knew there was a corisair raid,

<p class="MsoNormal">And late upon that cursed eve,

<p class="MsoNormal">To prepare the ship he was forced to leave,

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">But the night was cold and filled with smoke,

<p class="MsoNormal">So as he left he gave her his cloak,

<p class="MsoNormal">It was soft and blue and warm,

<p class="MsoNormal">From a winter uniform,

<p class="MsoNormal">And clasped with golden button bright,

<p class="MsoNormal">A golden swan that shined in light,

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">For long, she waited for him to return,

<p class="MsoNormal">But from afar she saw fires burn,

<p class="MsoNormal">Smoke rising from the ship's bow,

<p class="MsoNormal">She knew that her time had come now,

<p class="MsoNormal">And a squire took her to a small boat,

<p class="MsoNormal">And she clasped so tightly to Herendil's coat.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">But she new now there was no hope,

<p class="MsoNormal">And that now she must simply cope,

<p class="MsoNormal">And find a way to escape to the shore,

<p class="MsoNormal">So that she could still get to Valinor,

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">But as she arrived on Middle Earth's coast,

<p class="MsoNormal">She saw arriving a great black host,

<p class="MsoNormal">A force of corsairs hunting her down,

<p class="MsoNormal">That would destroy and pillage towns,

<p class="MsoNormal">So trying to protect the lands,

<p class="MsoNormal">She surrendered into Corisair hands.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0level1lfo1; tab-stops:list.5in">-<span style="font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:'TimesNewRoman';">  The Rescue –

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">An evil world of fear and dread,

<p class="MsoNormal">Bizarre nightmares filled her head,

<p class="MsoNormal">Like a dream where she'd never awake,

<p class="MsoNormal">One that corisair tortures make,

<p class="MsoNormal">For three long years she was disgraced,

<p class="MsoNormal">And longed to see her prince's face,

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">But on third year in prison isle,

<p class="MsoNormal">She saw a ship of elven style,

<p class="MsoNormal">It's bow shaped like a golden swan,

<p class="MsoNormal">It's metal glowing in the light of dawn,

<p class="MsoNormal">And standing tall at swan ship's helm,

<p class="MsoNormal">Was the brave prince Herendil,

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">He slew the pirates and drove them to shore,

<p class="MsoNormal">He stormed the castle and threw open the door,

<p class="MsoNormal">And to the denial of Itallie,

<p class="MsoNormal">He was alive and well for all to see,

<p class="MsoNormal">He had escaped that wreck so long ago,

<p class="MsoNormal">And had been since fighting pirate foes,

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Trying his best to again regain,

<p class="MsoNormal">His love's life and save her pain,

<p class="MsoNormal">And the unrelenting prince,

<p class="MsoNormal">Had planned escapes every moment since,

<p class="MsoNormal">For he had sworn an oath to free,

<p class="MsoNormal">His fair love, kind Itallie

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">-The Denial-

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">But it had been too many years,

<p class="MsoNormal">Too much time to clasp her fears,

<p class="MsoNormal">And she thought it was just a dream,

<p class="MsoNormal">Though so incredibly real it seemed,

<p class="MsoNormal">For how could good things happen in wake,

<p class="MsoNormal">Surely these moments must all be fake,

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">A trick by her mind to make things bearable,

<p class="MsoNormal">But one that would make awake more terrible,

<p class="MsoNormal">She curled in a corner wishing to die,

<p class="MsoNormal">And tears streamed down her face as she started to cry,

<p class="MsoNormal">And let out an unearthly scream,

<p class="MsoNormal">To shout to torturers that were unseen.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Herendil with gentle embrace,

<p class="MsoNormal">Gently kissed upon her face,

<p class="MsoNormal">And spoke in a voice kind and low,

<p class="MsoNormal">That the time had come to go,

<p class="MsoNormal">And down on one knee he started to kneel,

<p class="MsoNormal">He kissed her and said "Was that not real?"

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">She burst out in tears anew,

<p class="MsoNormal">But not of one sad, of one confused,

<p class="MsoNormal">Her senses told her what her heart did not,

<p class="MsoNormal">Could he have lived, had not been caught?

<p class="MsoNormal">Could he truly only be,

<p class="MsoNormal">Inches before her, like she could see?

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Slowly Herendil led her away,

<p class="MsoNormal">Singing gently his own lay,

<p class="MsoNormal">He had composed it through many years,

<p class="MsoNormal">Of thinking of her and wishing she was near,

<p class="MsoNormal">He sang in melody as sweet as bliss,

<p class="MsoNormal">He sang a song that went something like this,

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">-Herendil's song to Itallie-

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">With eyes like silver and hair like gold,

<p class="MsoNormal">There is no one fairer to behold,

<p class="MsoNormal">For Beauty there is beyond compare,

<p class="MsoNormal">In the elven maiden who is so fair,

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Itallie! Itallie!

<p class="MsoNormal">Most beautiful of all,

<p class="MsoNormal">Itallie! Itallie!

<p class="MsoNormal">Who came from Western halls,

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Many mountains I have seen,

<p class="MsoNormal">And many cities grand,

<p class="MsoNormal">But nothing quite like her,

<p class="MsoNormal">More beautiful then any land,

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Itallie! Itallie!

<p class="MsoNormal">Most beautiful of all,

<p class="MsoNormal">Itallie! Itallie!

<p class="MsoNormal">Who came from Western halls

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">From the towns of snowy north,

<p class="MsoNormal">To the sands afar,

<p class="MsoNormal">There is nothing quite like her,

<p class="MsoNormal">Radiant as a star,

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Itallie! Itallie!

<p class="MsoNormal">Most beautiful of all,

<p class="MsoNormal">Itallie! Itallie!

<p class="MsoNormal">Who came from Western halls

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">From the mountains red as blood,

<p class="MsoNormal">To the elven West,

<p class="MsoNormal">Of all the maidens in the world,

<p class="MsoNormal">one is by far the best.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Itallie! Itallie!

<p class="MsoNormal">Most beautiful of all,

<p class="MsoNormal">Itallie! Itallie!

<p class="MsoNormal">Who came from Western halls

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">-The Recovery-

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">And she listened to the last note,

<p class="MsoNormal">As he led her into the boat,

<p class="MsoNormal">And she realized she was no longer in Hell,

<p class="MsoNormal">As she was led aboard by Herendil,

<p class="MsoNormal">And standing in the doorway there,

<p class="MsoNormal">Was Herendil's sister Firiel fair,

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">And she helped Itallie take a bath,

<p class="MsoNormal">And Itallie displayed no wrath,

<p class="MsoNormal">And as she slipped into a gown of blue,

<p class="MsoNormal">Her mind began to cleanse itself too,

<p class="MsoNormal">And the voices had finally stopped in her head,

<p class="MsoNormal">For the first time in years as she lay in the bed,

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">How long she slept she wasn't sure,

<p class="MsoNormal">But she awoke on Numenor,

<p class="MsoNormal">A room of marble, as if from rock hewn

<p class="MsoNormal">Beautifully crafted, as an elf would do,

<p class="MsoNormal">And sleeping softly at her feet,

<p class="MsoNormal">Was Herendil lying on the sheets,

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">He awoke with sudden start,

<p class="MsoNormal">And apologized that he did not depart,

<p class="MsoNormal">But explained that she screamed in her sleep,

<p class="MsoNormal">And not quite quiet, could she keep,

<p class="MsoNormal">Thus Herendil slept by her side,

<p class="MsoNormal">A task from which he didn't shy,

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">And with embarrassed and hurried talk,

<p class="MsoNormal">He asked if she would like to go for a walk,

<p class="MsoNormal">And she was feeling well and agreed,

<p class="MsoNormal">For her fresh air was a definite need,

<p class="MsoNormal">And munching on some elven bread,

<p class="MsoNormal">Into the garden, Herendil led

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">-The Departure-

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Through many elven flowers fair,

<p class="MsoNormal">He led her to a fountain where,

<p class="MsoNormal">A small white bench lay in the shade,

<p class="MsoNormal">Under several trees that moved and swayed

<p class="MsoNormal">And there he knelt upon the grass,

<p class="MsoNormal">And at length, he spoke at last,

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">He said he only had one love

<p class="MsoNormal">From earth below to the heavens above,

<p class="MsoNormal">And he would swear to protect and defend,

<p class="MsoNormal">And he would go wherever she would send,

<p class="MsoNormal">He would do anything to marry,

<p class="MsoNormal">The fair princess Itallie.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">And as he knelt in dewy grass,

<p class="MsoNormal">She made no effort to reply fast,

<p class="MsoNormal">And several seconds went by,

<p class="MsoNormal">As a tear appeared in her eye,

<p class="MsoNormal">And she took his hand with both of hers,

<p class="MsoNormal">And began a speech long rehearsed,

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">She said that she could not stay,

<p class="MsoNormal">But she might return someday,

<p class="MsoNormal">If Valar and fate agreed,

<p class="MsoNormal">She'd come back and then she'd see,

<p class="MsoNormal">Whether or not it was right for the time,

<p class="MsoNormal">If fate and the Valar were kind,

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Herendil with everything crushing his heart,

<p class="MsoNormal">Said that she should soon depart,

<p class="MsoNormal">For the longer she stayed the harder it grew

<p class="MsoNormal">To be near her with all that he knew,

<p class="MsoNormal">For he could not stand to see,

<p class="MsoNormal">The departure of fair Itallie.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Yet from his high towering courts,

<p class="MsoNormal">He watched her ship leave Numenor's ports,

<p class="MsoNormal">The white ship with its sails unfurled,

<p class="MsoNormal">Leaving Numenor and leaving the world,

<p class="MsoNormal">Sailing away in the light of coming dawn,

<p class="MsoNormal">He watched the elf-ship until it was gone,

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Yet for hours he sat unmoved,

<p class="MsoNormal">Watching the ocean's flat surface smooth,

<p class="MsoNormal">Though the ship had long gone away,

<p class="MsoNormal">He looked out the window and into the bay,

<p class="MsoNormal">As if the ship was still moored there,

<p class="MsoNormal">As if he could still see his elf maid fair,

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">The many Months dragged into years,

<p class="MsoNormal">Yet he still stood in his tower sheer,

<p class="MsoNormal">And without fail, every morn',

<p class="MsoNormal">He climbed to his window and scanned the shore,

<p class="MsoNormal">To hope against hope he slowly learned,

<p class="MsoNormal">That someday his love would return,

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">And many years later, new servants came in,

<p class="MsoNormal">They whispered about what bothered him,

<p class="MsoNormal">Why he arose early and watched the bay every morn',

<p class="MsoNormal">As if waiting for something, then stepped down forlorn,

<p class="MsoNormal">As if he was waiting for something more,

<p class="MsoNormal">But after all these years, what could he still be waiting for? <ac_metadata title="The Lay of Herendil and Itallie" notify_everyone="1464660934"> </ac_metadata>