text: [Themes: fan fiction, fantasy, RPG]
  
  Thousands of years before the events of The Lord Of The Rings, the lands of Beleriand existed to the far west of Middle Earth. They were under the control of the Dark Lord Morgoth; the Master of Sauron. Together, they released armies of corrupted abominations to dominate Middle Earth, such as the Orcs; monstrous, humanoid creatures that live in constant fear of their masters.
  
  You are a human,born in a small, unremarkable village in the Northwestern Lands known as Hithlum. It is peaceful here, next to a river, and small enough to be ignored by Morgoth's armies...
  
  You awaken from your bed. You rise from your uncomfortable pillow and mattress, hearing a constant dripping sound. The rain from last night has caused water to start dripping through the flimsy, wooden corner of the ceiling...again. Thankfully, it's just started, so you put your old, rusted bucket there to catch the water before the damp became too out of control.
  
  After a breakfast of cold mushroom soup, you leave your one-room shack to go to meet your mentor. The air is cool, and the sun has barely just come up. You look out to see the grasslands of Hithlum, and the mountain ranges in the distance. You feel a strange connection to them, something that makes your heart get caught in your throat for a moment.
  
  It is not exactly the most luxurious place to live, but it's been your home, and the people here are as close as family.
  
  You decide to pay an early visit to your mentor. Your training is practically finished; this final visit is more of a formality, to get you officially named as a novice in your field. So, who is your mentor? What path did you choose all those years ago?
  
  > Lindwen, Mentor of Bards and Scholars
  You are a student of Lindwen. She specialises in the power of song and ancient Lore.
  
  You travel across the cobblestone roads to her house. It is a little larger than many others, and it even has real glass window panes, as opposed to blinders like yours and everyone else's.
  
  You knock, and hear her say, "Come in!". The inside of her house is uniquely clean, and there is even a whole shelf of books behind her chair. Everyone else in the village own two or three books at most.
  
  "I see you're early," says Lindwen. You explain how you couldn't sleep as your house is too damp. She looks sympathetically at you.
  
  "Would you like me to explain anything to you, before I help you learn the final lessons of becoming a bard?" She asks
  
  > ask her to explain how religion works
  "The beings who helped create the world are known as the Valar," explains Lindwen, "Each Valar helped create a different part of the world, and it is said that the Valar will aid those who show true devotion to these Valar. There are many different Valar, though I can teach you about the ones we know the most about now."
  
  "Ulmo is the Valar of water. His spirit can be found in the vast lakes, the clear rivers, the burbling streams and the great rolling tides of the Ocean itself. He is the most sympathetic to mortals out of all the Valar, and may even appear to them in dire times.
  
  Aule is the Smith. He forges great tools, and it is said he was responsible for the creation of the Dwarves. There are few things Aule hates more than those who use his works for evil purposes.
  
  Nessa is the Valar of beautiful animals, such as the deer. She is also known as the "Dancer". She is said to look favourably upon those who protect natural animals, though many animals that have been corrupted by Morgoth have been taken beyond her sight. Bards like us would do well to earn her respect.
  
  Finally, we have Nienna, Lady of Mercy. She is seen as the kindest of the Valar, and will weep even for those who are put to death, even if they deserved to be killed."
  
  > ask her what you can do as a bard
  "The powers of the bard and the scholar are very unique," She explains, "It is certainly harder to travel this path than the more violent warrior, or the more stealthy scout, but there are many ancient and wonderous secrets the bards can discover. It is said by the Elves that the world was formed from music, and true bards can tap into this music, allowing us to be capable of things that others would deem impossible. Many creatures can be soothed by the right song, and anyone who has heard the beautiful warbling of the nightingale will know the profound effect it can have on. In order to find the right song, you must listen to the sky, to the birds, to the rivers and oceans, and even to the forest itself."
  
  > finish you training, and leave the building
  "It is time to learn the final lesson," Says Lindwen, "All bards have their own music, and must find their own way. Now, which form of music do you want to specialise in?"
  
  > The Music of the Sea
  "You will learn the very oldest music; the music of the ocean. It is said that this is the final place where the Music of The Ainur can be heard."
  
  And she tells you the final pieces of knoweldge required to become a fully fledged bard. You listen for hours, and the world around you seems to fade away. Mortal desires, such as hunger and thirst, once forefront in your mind, are utterly forgotten as you hear the music of the sea.
  
  Finally, you are ready. Linwen hands your very own instrument; a fiddle.
  
  "There is no more I can teach you," says Linwen, "Make sure you use my lessons well."
  
  You thank her, and leave. The sky is early evening now...you've been here the whole day, and didn't even notice. As the music fades from your mind, you realise how hungry and thirsty you are. You think about going to the tavern to get something to eat, but then you look out at the grasslands and mountains and stop. You feel something stirring inside of you. Perhaps it was an after effect of the music you listened to, but part of you now wants more than anything to see the world, outside your village. You turn to the tavern, to get something to eat.
  
  > go to the tavern and stay in the village for a little while longer
  You decide to go to the tavern. You're going to leave this place eventually but that doesn't mean that you have to charge off now. Besides, you are really hungry.
  
  You enter the inn. There is a selection of items to order,"Mushroom soup", "Turnip Pie", "Mashed Taters"
  
  You order your favourite one, with a semi-clean glass of water, from the innkeeper, but as you're about to pay, the innkeeper stops you.
  
  "Heard you just became a proper novice today, eh?" he says, "No need to pay this time; consider it a gift."
  
  He insists that payment isn't needed and after thanking him, you sit down.
  
  Just before you begin eating, you hear a whining noise. The innkeeper's small, brown dog is looking up at you, licking his lips. This dog is always hungry; the innkeeper tries his best to keep him fed, but the poor creature needs more than the occasional chicken leg.
  
  What do you do?
  
  > share some food with the dog
  You take some of the scraps from your food and give them to the dog, who eats it up gratefully. You begin eating your share of the food.
  
  Above the murmuring chatter, you think you can hear something else, coming from outside the inn. You strain yourself...there it is again! It sounds like...a human scream.
  
  You look out the window, and see hundreds of bright torches. Everyone else has noticed it too. You take a closer look, and realise what is going on...Orcs! A huge mob of Orcs is charging towards your village, armed with crude weapons, many of their mouths covered in fresh, crimson blood.
  
  "Out!" Shouts the innkeeper, "Everyone, get out!"
  
  The entire inn bolts for the door. Your village is a small one, so although there is some pushing and shoving, everyone manages to hurry through the inn door without too much violence.
  
  You run out the door, with your fiddle strapped to your back. The Orcs have reached the village, and they're destroying everything. Houses are burning. You hope that those you care about have somehow made it to safety.
  
  As you run, an Orc notices you and he roars, running towards you. What do you do?
  
  > try to use your fiddle to calm the Orc
  You remember that music can be used to tame even the most savage beast. You take out your violin and desperately start trying to play the tune your mentor taught you. The Orc stops in its tracks. You keep on playing, but it is painfully obvious that you don't have a clue what it is you're doing. The notes slip, the harmony is off and the tempo is far too quick.
  
  The Orc begins making a noise. You realise quickly that he's laughing.
  
  "Ha!" He chuckles, "You humans, right funny creatures, ain't you?" He advances on you, and you prepare for the sword...
  
  Suddenly, you hear a "bark!" and the Orc screams. The dog from the inn has latched himself onto the Orc's foot. As the Orc desperately tries to shake him off, you make a run for it. Out of the corner of your eye, you see the Orc about to kill the dog, but the dog jumps aside before the sword strikes. The dog runs off, into the wilderness.
  
  Your impromptu performance has had an effect on the Orcs however...they were too busy laughing at your horrible skills to notice that the majority of the village had run away into the night.
  
  Your heart pounding, you run through the grasslands until the village is just a tiny, bright dot on the horizon, burning away. You begin to panic. What can you do? Everyone's gone...
  
  Suddenly, you hear something. It sounds like a singing bird, but the tune is famliar...it is the same tune you heard your mentor teach you!
  
  Linwin, your mentor, is hidden behind a nearby rock. She clearly can't stand. You rush to check if she's alright.
  
  "I'm fine, my friend," she says weakley, "The Orcs...when they knocked down my house, one of the beams fell on my foot. I managed to limp here...but I can't go on any further. I'll have to wait for someone else to come and rescue me, give me medical attention."
  
  You offer to help her, but she declines.
  
  "Don't worry about me," she says, "Other survivors will find me, it's only a matter of time. But there's a chance the Orcs will come here, first. So you must leave me."
  
  You protest, but she silences you.
  
  "If we both die, everything I taught you will be lost forever!" She pleads, "Please, leave! Run into the wilderness!"
  
  You look back to the village again, and see a small group of Orcs walking towards your boulder. They've heard you and your mentor arguing.
  
  If you run now, there is a chance they will follow you and not discover Linwen. However, if you stay here, they certainly will find both you and Linwen. What do you do?
  
  > run southwest, toward Lake Mithrim..you think you see a bonfire there
  You run and run, until you get to the edge of Lake Mithrim.
  
  It is a truly beautiful sight to see. The full moon reflects perfectly in its clear, unsullied waters.
  
  Bullrushes grow by the water, and the winds cause them to rustle faintly. You look into the waters, and see your own face staring back at you. Just a few minutes ago, you thought you had everything, a home, a family. Now you have nothing, aside from the instrument gifted to you.
  
  As you look around, your eyes are drawn to a disturbance on the other side of the lake. Someone, or something, is tossing things in. You look closer, and realise that the things being thrown into the lake are corpses. Rather than being given the dignitiy of burial, their blood spills out into the water, polluting it. If this keeps up, the lake could be irreversibly polluted. What do you do?
  
  > investigate further
  You get closer to the source of the disturbance. As you reach it, you realise what is throwing these corpses into the water; a very large troll, surrounded by two smaller orcs. There is a large bonfire burning, as well as some oil to keep the fire going. The troll picks up another body, and flings it into the center of the pond. The Orcs begin to cheer.
  
  "You chucked that fella further than any of the others!" One of the Orcs laughs, and the Troll grunts happily. You see the corpse fall face down into the lake.
  
  So this is just a game to them. They're defiling these corpses and polluting the Lake...for fun.
  
  "Come on, we don't have all night!" says the other Orc.
  
  "Why not?" retorts the first orc, "We finished burning down that man village, didn't we?"
  
  "We didn't come here just for the village! The Master wants us to find the hidden Elvish City to the South of these 'ere mountains! Did you 'ave sand in your ears when they told us that or summin'?"
  
  How do you approach this?
  
  > trick the Orcs and troll into arguing among themselves
  [You gained 1 EXP]
  
  As you sneak up to the camp, you manage to change your voice into a passable imitation of an Orc.
  
  "That's nothing!" You shout, "You can throw a scrawny human, but I bet you couldn't throw an Orc even half that far!"
  
  The troll heard you, but the Orcs are too focused on the game. The troll looks down at the Orcs, roars in anger, and picks up one.
  
  "'Ere, what're you doing!" Yelps the Orc, but the troll still picks him up and throws him into the lake. The orc flies so far he nearly reaches the other side, and you see him splashing about and swimming to the shore. The second Orc screams in anger, and picks up his blades to attack the troll. He is not fast enough; the troll picks him up too.
  
  As the fight continues, you sneak up to the campsite. There is a mound of human corpses which the troll is using to pollute the water. Quickly, you take the pot of oil, dump it on the corpses, then use the bonfire to set them alight. You have given them a makeshift funeral pyre, and the troll will no longer be able to pollute the water with their bodies.
  
  You take some of the rations that haven't been defiled, escape into the darkness before you are found. You have done a good thing this day.
  
  > travel South through the mountains
  You continue on South, until you reach some mountains. The mountains rise up into the sky, like sleeping giants. They fill you with dread; you've never seen the other side, and now you're not sure that you want to.
  
  You decide to follow a path cut into the mountains. This path was probably kept here by goats, though you can't shake the feeling that goblins may patrol them too, or even fouler, creeping things...
  
  As you climb the path, your mind goes back to what you heard before. An Elven Land, likely hidden South of these Mountains? It sounds impossible, like something out of folklore or mytholoy. But it's the only hope you've got of ever saving your village.
  
  You walk and walk. The stress of what has happened makes it impossible for you to feel tired or sleepy though. You take some of the rations you found and begin to eat. They're mostly just stale biscuits, with a bit of hard cheese.
  
  The path leads to a cave, but the river diverts away from it. You happen to know from stories that both these ways will lead you through the mountains. The river should lead you to the South of the Mountains. However, the way is treacherous, as the path does not go that way. On the other hand, you could try going through the cave. The path is fairly reliable and will lead you South-East through the Mountains, but you don't know what else you will find along the way...
  
  > travel through the cave
  You look to the river, then to the cave. The river looks extremely treacherous; one wrong move, and you could very easily slip to your death.
  
  You steel yourself, and head through the cave, into the mountain.
  
  It's exceptionally dark in here.Soon, you aren't able to see a thing. You have to use your hands to feel the walls on both sides. The path is going down, and becoming quite steep. At some point, it becomes so steep that you aren't able to climb back up it. You're starting to think that maybe you should have followed the river, but it's too late to turn back now.
  
  You can feel the cave has come to a fork in the road; a left and a right way. The stories weren't clear on this point-you hope that both sides will lead to the exit, and that one way won't doom you to becoming lost in here. Where do you go?
  
  > The left fork
  It's dark in here. The tunnel seems to be going on for a long time. You hear your footsteps begin to echo. Hopefully, they won't attract any attention to you.
  
  Another fork...
  
  > Left fork
  You're still going, and it doesn't feel like you're getting any closer to escaping. Your heart rate begins to speed up. What if you're trapped here forever? Your food and water won't last much longer. You begin to walk faster. You need to get out of here.
  
  A sound. You pause. You can still hear it. There is something ahead of you, in the darkness. You can't see it, but you can hear its rattling breathing. The tunnel is starting to get warm, even hot, but there is no fire that could be causing this. The rattling breathing is getting closer, and you can hear what sounds like quick, human footsteps. But there are too many of them to be human. And they're coming from the ceiling.
  
  > duck, and stay silent
  You duck your head and stay as quiet as possible. As it gets closer, you hold your breath, but realise that your heart is still pounding. The thing is coming closer, and as it comes closer, the air gets hotter and hotter, and the rasping voice fills up your thoughts.
  
  Whatever lives here must have an excellent sense of hearing...excellent enough to hear your very loud and rapid heartbeat. The sound of its many footsteps on the ceiling have stopped. It is burning hot now, and the rasping is coming from above you. What do you do?
  
  > Panic, scream and cry
  This has gone too far for you. You can't control yourself anymore...you begin to scream and scream and scream The sounds are magnified by the chamber and begin to echo loudly.
  
  The creature shrieks, adding to the din. Its hearing is highly sensitive...and you just overloaded it. The rattling thing scurries off, putting as much distance between you and it as is possible.
  
  What was that? The feet sounded far too human, but there were too many of them...the rasping breath...the heat...nothing in any kind of story or mythology resembles this. You cannot think of any plausible explanation, other than it being some kind of Nameless Thing, something so ancient and so foul that it has no name in any language.
  
  You continue down the path, still not being able to see anything. After hours of travel, you think you see something in the distance. At first, you dismiss it as some trick of your mind; one of the strange things your eyes conjoure up to cope with the darkness. But you look closely at it, and realise it isn't going away. As you get closer, you realise what it is: moonlight! It's a way out into the world!
  
  You run to the exit, and practically throw yourself through. You land on a patch of ferns, under the light of a full moon. The feeling of plants, of another truly living thing,fills you with utter joy. You look around, at the beauty of the lands, and you laugh. If you never see another cave in your life, it will still be too soon.
  
  The landscape is shown before you; a huge river, and in the centre, an island. As you look upon the island, a sense of fear slowly creeps into you. You could investigate it further, but you have a very strong feeling that the area is very dangerous indeed. You should certainly think about getting more experience first. Having some favour with the Valar first would also be a great idea.
  
  There is a large forest to the South, and a tall hill in the centre of the woods. It seems quite peaceful there, perhaps there will be a clue as to where to find the Elven forest?
  
  > go towards the forest
  You travel down the mountainside, and make it to the forest. The path through the woods seems worn, as if people come through it often.
  
  The forest is mostly quiet, with the odd rustle of a red squirrel here and there, or the sound of a woodpecker echoing through the forest.
  
  As you get deeper into the woods, you realise there is something in there, watching you. You take surreptitious glances, and realise that there is a short man spying on you. He keeps ducking his head when he thinks you've spotted him, and you get the impression that he is scared of you.
  
  There is a figure behind you. You turn, and see he is holding a drawn bow. His robes are darr, mottled green, indicating that they're used for camoflague.
  
  "Halt!" He says, "Who are you, and why do you trespass in these woods?"
  
  > explain that you are a refugee who wants to find the Elves
  The man listens to your explanation.
  
  "We don't have much to do with the elves," he says, gruffly, "You don't seem to be servant of the enemy; you'd be a lot more stealthy and competent if you were, for one."
  
  You're starting to see why these people are so isolated.
  
  "Of course, I could use the help of a stranger with a certain local problem. Or, if your buisness is urgent, I can take you to the borders of the Elven realm; Doriath, I believe it's called."
  
  You can choose to help, or go to Doriath. Alternatively, you could try going west towards the Marshes of Nevrast, or south towards a hill. The hill look forboding, and you feel that you would need to be somewhat experienced before going there.
  
  [Warning: If the guide takes you to Doriath, you won't be able to access any more sidequests outside Doriath. It is advised that you only go with him when you are sure you want to access the end of the game]
  
  > head straight on to Doriath
  "That's fine," says the man, "I'll be happy to escort you there."
  
  He takes you through the woods. You've noticed that the short men in the forest don't seem to be spying on you. There must be some trust between them and the man in the green robes.
  
  You continue on through the forest, until at last you come to a river. There is a wooden bridge that leads over the river.
  
  "This should lead you to Doriath," says the man as he departs, "But be warned. Few who get this far manage to enter those woods. Fewer still come out again."
  
  You continue towards the woods of Doriath. The woods there have a peaceful, shimmering quality about them, and you can already feel your fears and doubts lose themselves between the dark, ancient trees. There is an old, gnarled oak tree at the start of the path.
  
  But as you continue on, you feel your perceptions being altered. Did you choose that path, or another? That oak tree looks familiar...it's the one at the start of the path! No matter how much you try, you can't get past whatever enchantment lies upon these woods.
  
  In order to get through, you will either have to attract the attention of the Elves that live in here to lift it and let you in. The enchantment is strong enough to stop the forces of Morgoth, and perhaps even the Dark Lord himself. You find the idea that you will be able to break this enchantment extremely unlikely indeed.
  
  > try to use your fiddle to play a tune that will interest the elves [Needs 5 EXP]
  You take out your fiddle and falteringly play a tune. You only know one song, and your tempo has improved, but try as you might, you still can't get the notes correct. It's frustrating beyond belief. You simply can't do it.
  
  > return to the forest of Brethil
  You return to the forest of Brethil.
  
  "What do you wish to do now?" Asks the ranger.
  
  > Agree to help the man with his problem
  You agree to help with the local issue.
  
  The ranger nods, and takes you to the river.
  
  By the river, a group of small men woth beards sit, watching something through the trees. They look a lot like the scout you saw earlier.
  
  "These are the Woses," explains the ranger, "They are a peaceful, fishing tribe, but the servants of Morgoth have created a contraption that threatens to starve them." The Ranger points to a huge machine in the water. It has many cogs and gears, and what appears to be a wooden gutter pumping a toxic sludge into the water. The sludge is killing all the fish, allowing a man at the end of the stream to catch them, clean them and cook them.
  
  "We are undecided as to what to do," explains the Ranger, "We have all voted on it, but there is a tie, so we need someone to break the tie. What is your decision?"
  
  You return to the forest of Brethil.
  
  "What do you wish to do now?" Asks the ranger.
  
  > head South, towards the hill
  You decide to head South towards the hill. This hill is called Amon Rudh, according to the Ranger, and it has a dark reputation. There are stories of a great betrayal happening there, where the "Master Of Fate" was captured by Morgoth's forces.
  
  You reach the hill. It is a very sad and dreary place, with short grass and strange stone monuments.
  
  Suddenly, you see something out of the corner of your eye. It is an Orc, but bigger and more dangerous than any other Orc you have ever seen! He is charging towards you, weapons drawn! What do you do?
  
  > accept your fate
  There is nothing you can do. The Orc attacks you, and kills you.