The light from the torch danced along the surface of the old musty tomes and aged piles of scrolls clumped up in the dank corners of the room. “Sort these and catalog them,” said the old man. The lad nodded as he reached for the candle stick. The old man reached out and grabbed the boys arm glaring at him. “Be wary,” nodding towards the candle, “Even these scraps of parchment have more value in my eyes than you.” With that the old man took the candle, lit it and exited the room. The boy listened as the old man struggled up the ancient stairs and into another room a few levels up. He then eyed the small flask of water nervously while silently hoping he would not have to use it. Of all the places he thought he would end up, this was not the one he would have expected….

Suddenly a familiar voice is heard. “Azz!? You alright? Azzera?” Azzera slowly opens his eyes and feels a throbbing pain at the back of his head. His vision is a bit blurry and slowly the faces come into focus. “Yes, yes I believe so” he says slowly. Just then a tumult of laughter erupts in the room. Kuzar offers him his hand and helps him to his feet. Azzera tries to catch his wits and wipes the ale and food from his soiled robes. Gorandir glides over and checks the bump on the back of Azzera’s head, which is now very visible. “It’s only a bump, you will be fine,” he says.
“What happened?” Azzera asks. Abruptly the laughter begins anew.

Azzera forces a smirk though it is obvious he is a bit annoyed at the situation. “Cheer up old man,” says Kelmric as he comes over and slaps him across the cheek and holds out a replacement for his now broken mug. Azzera unsure how to respond to Kelmric, takes the mug and promptly returns the favor by slapping him across the face. “Thank you!” exclaims Azzera. Feeling a bit more relaxed he proceeds over to the barrel of ale to refill his mug. Azzera glances down at the barrel inquisitively. There is writing on the barrel. It seems to be a brand of ale that he is not familiar with. He reads the writing out loud, “ Inn League.” As he reads this Moondog rushes up. “Azz you may want to try one of the other barrels, this stuff I think is beyond most here.” “Nonsense, I think I’ll try a little, if nothing else I am curious. I have never heard of this brew before, and it may help take the edge off the throbbing in my head.” says Azzera. Moondog shrugs and chuckles, “Well do what you want, though I tried to warn you.” Azzera watches Moondog as he tiptoes off like a hunter on the prowl in search of sonething, or someone. Azzera mutters under his breath, “ Warn me?.. bah, what can a little ale do?” after saying that, he fills his mug and downs it in one long draught.


“Azzera? Have you found anything?” says a familiar voice. “I think so,” he says. The familiar voice continues, “ Well hurry up you’re not supposed to be in here, I will get in trouble if you get caught in here.” “Ok, got it,” says Azzera as he quickly scratches some notes down on a scrap of parchment and jams it into his robes. “Lets go.”

The street was fairly busy, in the distance three distinct blares from the citadel could be heard signaling that it was three hours since sunrise. Azzera and a younger looking man enter the street from what looks to be a guard tower. Azzera is in his robes with his hood pulled up. The younger man is dressed in a hauberk of black and silver with the emblem of a white tree on the chest. “Thank you Halamon, this at least gives me a direction to start from,” says Azzera. Halamon smiles, “Anything to help old friend, just remember, be careful. Not many travel far into the North these days.” “I will,” replies Azzera, “I hope to be back soon.” With that the two embrace and Azzera heads to make preparation for his journey north.

A rooster can be heard crowing in the distance. A blinding pain is in his head. An unpleasant smell begins to take notice. As if still in a dream he slowing begins to become aware. After a few minutes Azzera sits up. He seems to recall a strange dream where he was running across the Shire and into Bree. He remembers a feeling of anxiety, like he was being pursued by something, a wolf perhaps. He recalls how he met a rather delightful cow who was stuck on the roof of a house in what looked like Buckland on the eastern edge of the Shire. He recalls the cow asking what a chicken was doing all the way up here on a house too. Confused Azzera shakes his head slightly and speaks aloud. “Boy, what was in that ale?....And, where are my pants!?”