It did not take long to clean up the bowls and pack things up. Lotharn offered to carry one of the Hobbits behind him, and Flagdon took the other one. There was plenty of room for one of them with the dwarf. Both were short and didn't take up much room on it. He then lead the way, feeling as if his spirits were lifted with the Hobbits along. Good Luck he had said. Well he hoped that indeed they would bring them luck. They continued to ride and they were now far into the forest and far enough away from Greendale for the elves there to be safe. They would continue on now at a good pace. For two more days they traveled. Lotharn helped supplement their supplies by bringing down some small animals, to cook. They stopped for the second night and the two Hobbits moved about to streach, Merry stumbled and fell against what seemed to be a large rock. The rock slowly sunk into the earth to reveal a large opening and a set of Stairs leading down.<br/><br/>"What is this?" Merry asked.<br/><br/>"Stairs." Pippen said, with a mischevious grin.<br/><br/>"Oh no you don't." Thorgan said and grabbed both by their vests and pulled them back. He looked down into the dark and could see nothing. Going to the fire that was just started he made a torch from a nice size piece of wood by wrapping some cloth around it and tying it off and putting it into the fire to light it. He went back to the hole and stairs and took a couple steps down pushing to torch down to give some light. Something like a stone that moved and stairs, in the middle of a forest was not normal. Either an escape tunnel, or perhaps even a place to hide for thieves. But there was no structure around for and escape tunnel so possibly a place for thieves to hide. Timberlane followed him and the two Hobbits not wanting to be left out followed behind him.<br/><br/>Timberlane whispered a few words and the top of his staff began to glow with light. Behind the two Hobbits came Flagdon. A Dwarf loved being underground. If there was stairs, there was stone walls, and that meant something built. They loved building in grand scale and looking at things that were built of stone. Down they went with Lotharn bringing up the rear. The stairs descended some distance, then opened up into a very large room. As Thorgan entered it small globes of light around the circular room lit up. In the center of the room was a throne like chair studded with jewels and with inlaid gold and silver. On the throne was a mummified figure, but it was not human, dwarf or even elf. It was humanoid, with two arms and legs and torso, but its head though somewhat normal had what looked to be small horns protruding from about where the ears would be up the side of the head on both sides. It wore the tattered remains of what would have been considered a dress perhaps or robes. On each hip was what looked to either be slim and long daggers or perhaps short swords, in leather sheaths. In its hands that rested on the arms of the throne lay an elegant and slim sword.<br/><br/>Lotharn moved forward and looked closer at the figure, "It looks as if it may have been one of those in the paintings we saw." One of those that had populated the land before the arrival of the Elves, and the rise of man. Whose ruined structures dotted the land.<br/><br/>Merry and Pippen moved closer as well and stood on either side of Lotharn. Suddenly the two blades at the mummified remains sides seemed to slide off the throne and land at their feet. All three jumped back from the throne at that, Lotharn's hand going to the hilt of his sword. Thorgan moved up to Lotharn as did Flagdon, both grabbing their weapons.