Okay, so this chapter 4. It's not quite as long as chapter 3 was. I'll try to get chapter 5 out before the end of the month. Please review and enjoy!
The 13th of Ivanneth, 3261 S.A.
I think I will recap my mission here, just to remind any future readers what they forgot since I last described our adventure in my journal. We are going to sail to Vinyalondë, one of our oldest havens. From their, we are going to march overland, until we get to the valley that marks the end of the Hithaelgir. There, we are going to briefly aid in the construction of the tower being built there. I can't quite remember the name. Oh, I remember now. Its name is Angrenost.*
The actual construction of it began around 1700, before Vinyalondë was made. It was built by order of Tar-Minastir, who hoped it would serve as a fortress against the growing might of Sauron. However, the Navy could not continue to build it, seeing as they had to go back to Númenor, and the Quendi did not have the numbers to finish construction, it instead sat there for over a 1,500 years, steadily falling into disrepair. Only recently have efforts been made to fix it.
While the voyage is expected to delay us by several months, Ar-Pharazôn does not seem to mind the delay. Almost everyone else is against this mission, viewing it as a waste of time. I am indifferent, for I currently believe that there is no pressing urgency for us to return, and I would like to see more of Endor.
Recently, efforts have been made to find a way to better contain Sauron, should he seek to turn on us. Luckily, thinking ahead, Ar-Pharazôn had brought one of our few magika** with us. He had a rudimentary knowledge of how we could bind Sauron's power. The magika (who's name was Tarkûl), created some manacles that would leave Sauron unable to using his Sorcery or transform in any way. He cautioned that they were only a temporary measure, and that we would have to find a new way to bind him once we reached Númenor.
Sauron was also kept confined to his quarters, and surrounded by a watch of over 500 men. Tarkûl was also watching him, since he was the only one who could combat Sauron's magics. Ar-Pharazôn was having Sauron kept secure at all times.
Arnuzîr
The 18th of Ivanneth, 3261 S.A.
Today we arrived at Vinyalondë. 200,000 of the soldiers are to stay behind, guarding Sauron, while the remaining 180,000 are going to go with the King and I to Angrenost.
...
We were met by a troop of elves, numbering about 100 in total, who demanded that we give Sauron over to their custody. Ar-Pharazôn snapped back at them, saying that the only the Númenorians had the sufficient strength to keep Sauron captive. The elf responded by saying "I will report your failure to comply to my Lord, Erenion Gil-Galad. I hope you understand the consequences of what you have done."
As the elves rode away, the soldiers jeered and threw rocks at them. Most of the soldiers have never liked elves, and now that the King publicly agrees with their stance, things have only become worse. I'm surprised our soldiers didn't attack the elves.
We will continue on with our march, hoping to reach Angrenost within a week.
Arnuzîr
The 28th of Ivanneth, 3261 S.A.
We were not able to arrive quite as fast as we wanted, due to an unfortunate amount of rain. In fact we are still a few days away. Curse these Northern lands! The day starts out cold and chilly, with a strong westerly wind. Then, as the day warms, the temperatures draw near to those of Near Harad. Then, at night, the temperature plunges low enough to freeze drinking water. Their climate is far less stable than ours and is quite humid. I'm regretting my decision to come here.
I had another conversation with Ar-Pharazôn today. I attempted to convince him that the elves were not our enemies, but to no avail. "My liege, I do not understand your xenophobia toward the Quendi. What have they ever done to harm us?"
Ar-Pharazôn reacted with more vitriol than I would have expected. "The Quendi have done nothing to help us, they have only caused us hurt. They spread lies and falsehoods about a "blessed land" and sow dissension that our realm cannot afford to have. They live in squalor in these lands and grow rich off our hard work. It is not xenophobia I hold towards them, but hatred of their ways".
I decided not to correct Ar-Pharazôn, nor tell him what xenophobia meant, but instead retreated to my tent. I was mulling over Ar-Pharazôn's words in my head when I heard the sentries blowing their horns. I ran outside to see what was going on. There were black shapes swarming through the camp, lighting our tents on fire. The alarm began spreading. "Orcs, there are orcs attacking!".
The soldiers who were asleep sprang out of their tents, several of them wearing nothing but their swords. Quickly, the invaders were killed, and the fires they had started put out. Unfortunately, they had done some serious damage. We estimated that the orcs, over 15,000 of them (according to our count of their dead) had managed to kill almost 40,000 of our soldiers, and damages some of our supplies. We would have to restock before we reached Angrenost.
I was about to settle down to sleep for the night when a Courier called me over to one of the bodies. Standing next to it was Ar-Pharazôn. He had taken off the warrior's helmet and was peering at the face intently. He motioned me over.
"Look at this face and tell me what you see" he said quietly. I bent down, then leapt back up in shock. Instead of the fanged, green face I had been expecting, there was instead a beautiful handsome face. This was no orc, it was an elf!
"But how?" I said, "Are the orcs capturing elves to fight for them?".
Ar-Pharazôn looked at me, a strange light was in his eyes."No. This one is wearing an insignia stating she was a captain in Gil-Galad's army. The elves have decided to harm us."
I looked away, reminded of our argument earlier. Could he be right? Why would the elves attack us? We didn't even have Sauron with us.
"Go back to your tent," Ar-Pharazôn said coldly, "I have no need for you here".
I slink back to my tent, passing countless casualties caused by the elves, wondering why they had attacked.
Arnuzîr
The 20th of Ivanneth, 3261 S.A.
It turns out one elf was taken prisoner after all. We tortured him (a process in which I took no part) but he would only saw that both we and the elves had been tricked. In the end, we sent him back to the ship's, with a contingent of 1,000 men. Now, we have only 139,000 men with us.
Finally, at around noon, we arrived at Angrenost. The basic design of Angrenost is a tall, smooth, iron tower (eventually we hope it will become the second tallest tower ever, rivaled only by Barad-dûr), encircled by a small stone wall, with rooms built into it. The foreman in charge of the project was relived to have us there, explaining that he had been asking Vinyalondë to send extra men for months now.
He put our men to work right away. The foreman, Harnûnos, explained that what needed to be worked on would be making the stone wall, and rebuilding the foundations for the tower. So far, in the three years they had been working, they had managed to tear down the unusable bits of the old tower, but that was all. Now, with their workforce at 14000% it's usual size, Harnûnos hoped to accomplish some sizable amount of work.
I'm going to spend the week our army is staying here, exploring the surrounding forests. Legend says that there are sentient trees in the forest (called "Ents" by the locals) and I hope to make contact with them. I will not be bringing my journal, so there will not be any updates for the next week.
Arnuzîr
The 27th of Ivanneth, 3261 S.A.
I was unable to find any Ents though not through lack of trying. Ar-Pharazôn chided me for "wasting [my] time on something so silly" and I believe the men are laughing at me. Still, I believe that the legends are true. I wish I had time to visit Lothlórien, but alas, we leave Angrenost today.
The changes in the tower are amazing to see. The tower rises over 100 feet in the air already, and it will eventually become 450 feet tall. The stone ring around has been completed, though the rooms still need to be cut into the rock. The builders have been supplied with cots, food, and tools. Although most of the builders are natives, some of them are Númenorians and were glad to hear news about home.
Harnûnos thanked us excessively, promising that if any of us were to be stationed at Angrenost when it was finished, he would promote them. As we left the build site a group of elves approached us. Ar-Pharazôn called for them to stop, lest he shoot. The riders stopped immeadiately.
"Why do you speak to us with such hostility in your voice, your majesty". Their leader said.
"Have you not heard?" Ar-Pharazôn replied angrily, "several of your kind attacked my troops!"
"Ah, yes I have heard reports of such a band. They are not of the Noldor or Sindar, like the kingdoms of Gil-Galad or Galadriel, but rather they are Moriquendi. They believe that the land belongs only to the native groups, and attack all foreigners and colonists."
"But we found evidence linking them to Gil-Galad!" Ar-Pharazôn shouted.
"Insignias and arms can be stolen or forged, my friend" the elf said coldly.
"I will refuse to sit here and listen to your insults, elf." Ar-Pharazôn snarled, "Say what you have come to say, then leave".
"We came bearing advice and also to ask if Sauron has a golden ring in his possession." Said the elf.
"Lord Sauron has no such object on his person, and I care not for your advice. Be off with you, elf"
"So be it." The elf said, "You have chosen your own path." With those last words the elf and his companions turned around and headed back to the North.
Arnuzîr
The Fourth of Narbeleth, 3261 S.A.
We arrived at Vinyalondë today, and are about to set sail towards Númenor. Another twist has popped up regarding the Elven attackers. Apparently Tarkûl tensile tests on the prisoner we sent to him. He discovered that he was actually under a glamour and was really a human. Now we have three potential explanations. 1) The attack was done by the Noldor and their allies. 2) the attack was committed by a Moriquendi terrorist group, expressing principals of anti-colonialism. Or 3) a group of humans, possibly linked to the Moriquendi.
Whatever they were, I cannot wait to return to Númenor, for I fear how it has been doing with our extended absence.
Arnuzîr
The 17th of Hithui, 3261 S.A.
As I suspected, with the absence of the King and almost every other major Lord, Gimilzimir set himself up as a despot. The people were rioting, even in Armenelos. Luckily, Amandil was able to lead a group of men to take down Gimilzimir. The new Lord of Forostar was Tarkûl, chosen because of his great intellect, and because of his skill with magic.
I talked with Amandil briefly, exchanging information about what had happened. He explained that both he and Ar-Zimraphel were planning many things with the Faithful, when Gimilzimir took it upon himself to become the next King. Rather than pull of their plans, Amandil and Ar-Zimraphel decided to lead a revolt against him. Luckily it was successful.
Amandil listened intently to my tale. He paid especially close attention to the parts about Sauron and about the elves attackers.
"I fear for our kingdom with Sauron as a Lord," said Amandil.
I nodded. "Me too, my friend, me too."
Arnuzîr
*Editor's Note: While you might recognize Angrenost as the fortress built by the Exiles (which was also Isengard or Irengard), the Exiles in fact took the almost completed tower and finished it for themselves
**Editor's Note: Magika was a Númenorian term for someone possessing unnatural powers. It is my belief that magika were those who could wield strange energies and use them to cast spells, similar to the Orc Shamans and Dark Sorcerors (of the Fourth and Second Age, respectively).