In the Service of the Tower of Amon Sul In t.. service o. the To... .f Amon S.. by ....ahir TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. 28th of Thrimidge 1404 2. 16th of Afterlithe 1407 3. 18th of Forelithe 1408 4. 15th of Foreyule 1408 5. 11th of Afteryule 1409 6. 17th of Afteryule 1409 7. 4th of Solmath 1409 8. 17th of Solmath 1409 1. 28th of Thrimidge 1404 I just started my service with Captain Galadan today. He took one look at me and said that he was glad to have me as a lieutenant. He made me feel very welcome. Galadan is the very image of the warriors from Numenor that grandfather would tell us about around the fire in winter. The others almost worship him. I don't know how exciting this assignment will be. I went to the top of the tower today and looked around. There's nothing within sight. Only endless rolling plains for miles around. Even if there was someone approaching, we could see them in plenty of time. It should be an easy post. I should have plenty of time to write in this diary. Hmm.. maybe this will be the start of something Great! Yeah, a chronicle of Lord Galadan in his early days. Well, it's a nice thought to fill my mind as I stand duty. Speaking of which, I'd better go, it's almost my turn for watch duty on the roof. 2. 16th of Afterlithe 1407 Sigh. I just looked back at my first entry. It appears that I was right about how easy this post would be. It's so easy that I'm bored. There's not much to do here, well nothing that isn't related to duty. Somehow, Galadan makes it seem like it is the grandest of adventures, a true honour to be here. You almost want to believe him. Except he seems....never mind that, it wouldn't be right to say that about one's commanding officer, even in a personal diary. I miss my family. Too bad Fornost is so far, else I'd go and visit my brother. I miss going hunting with him. You know, I still owe him for that time that he hid in the bushes and made sounds like an Orc. I was young, how did I know that Orcs wouldn't dare come so far west? He laughed so hard, that I wanted to hit him. Sigh. I do miss him. Argh, dinner time and it is my turn to wash the pots. This is truly getting dreary, I wish we would get some excitement. 3. 18th of Forelithe 1408 I KNEW I was right! By the Stars it was UNBELIEVABLE! Galadan flew into such a fit today! This morning, when Galadan made his rounds before the midnight watch ended, he found Goldang asleep on the roof. You'd figure it would be a serious offense somewhere up north, but here, where we don't even see regular travellers on the road, you'd think that all he'd get was a month of scrubbing pots. Galadan wanted to send him to Fornost to be TRIED FOR TREASON! I couldn't believe it! I was getting dressed when all of a sudden, Goldang comes tumbling down the stairs from the roof! Bounding down the stairs after him is Galadan looking ready to draw his sword! After Galadan came Falen pleading with him that it was his fault. It was like a scene out of one of grandfather's stories! Then, Galadan started raging about how did we expect to bring glory to the North Kingdom by allowing the Dark One to slip through our borders. If I didn't know better, I'd think that he was taking Goldang's slip as a personal affront. I'm starting to have doubts about Galadan's "nobility". I've noticed lately that he's started to act like he regrets being here. Like it's a punishment and not the "honour" he once made it seem like. I don't know if the other men have noticed, he makes a good job of covering it up. I can't believe I just wrote this. What Goldang did might not have been treasonous, but I think what I just wrote sure is. Fortunately, though, we were able to get Galadan calmed down. I don't think we have to worry about scrubbing the pots as often for the next two months. Well, time to go on duty. 4. 15th of Foreyule 1408 Looks like winter has come early this year. This morning we had the first bit of snow for the season. It's not even winter yet. Grandfather used to tell stories in which an early winter was considered a bad omen. Hmm...I think I'll choose to disbelieve that superstition. An early snow isn't too bad. Maybe we'll be able to go sledding. My brother and I used to go sledding every winter in the hills back home. That wouldn't last long, though, as it would usually break down into a snowball fight. Which I would win, of course. Maybe I'll try dumping Goldang into a snowbank to raise his spirits a bit. No, better not. Galadan might take that the wrong way and give me a month of standing the night watch. He's continuing to act in that weird manner he's taken on. He certainly is one to look at this early snow as a bad omen. Have to go. Galadan's started us on double guard duty like he expects an attack or something. 5. 11th of Afteryule 1409 Only have time for a brief entry today. Galadan received word that there are movements from Angmar. I swear, I thought his eyes positively shone when he read the message. It's almost as if he's glad that this was happening. I must admit, I am glad of the excitement. I just wish it was from somewhere besides Angmar. I hear that the Witch-king can make the very shadows come to life and fight for his banner. I can't focus on that. I'm sure that Galadan will lead us well. I just hope that his desire for glory doesn't lead him astray. I've got to go. 6. 17th of Afteryule 1409 I can't believe it. Galadan is dead. He led us out to intercept a unit of Orcs and Trolls. It turned out to be a trap. I guess because of the closeness of the ones that we engaged, Mithvegil didn't detect the ones waiting in ambush. I must say, despite any reservations I may have had about him, Galadan died as a true warrior. Mithvegil gleamed with an almost firey radiance as Galadan struck down Orcs and Trolls, slicing through them like a forge-hot sword through ice. But his sword could not save him from Orkish archers and their hail of arrows. Once Galadan fell, it was all but over. We fell back to the tower. We're waiting for them to lay seige, but it hasn't happened yet. Some of us are going to try to sneak out to bury Galadan in a crypt we made near the tower. We dare not bring it to Fornost to be buried; the Witch-king's forces may try to steal his body for some foul purpose. I hope they don't find the cave we're using. I better go help guard the burial party. 7. 4th of Solmath 1409 I'm so tired. Ever since the nightmares started, I haven't been sleeping well. Neither have rest of the men. I keep having this horrible dream of Galadan, and he's...no I won't write so that I can always remember it. It's frightening enough just as a memory. That gloom that I talked about seems to deepening. I feel like a rabbit that has felt the shadow of a kestrel pass over and is waiting for it to strike. I feel an impending doom. I almost wish that whatever will happen would happen, just to get it over with. I think I'm going to try to sleep again. I hope I don't dream. 8. 17th of Solmath 1409 I'm worried. No, I'll admit it. I'm scared. Goldang is missing. So is Galadan's signet ring. The one we use______Damn, that noise made me jump so bad I dragged the pen. This is creepy. I____GA L A D A______