#rhadrog

Lord of the Rings Online is a Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game about Lord of the Rings and when you get to Mordor it rewards you with the best fucking found family in the history of media.

9: Mincham & overheated from wearing his thick northern winter cloak at midsummer

VERY true. I love the Agarnaith crew with my whole entire heart <3 especially Faeron

You notice how he's referred to as "the grumpy one" by Viznak, but when you meet him earlier on in the Angle, before the Grey Company and everything, he's characterized as a very carefree and fun-loving young Ranger, always testing his kinsmen's patience with his antics? and now he just. Isn't anymore. His name means Spirited-One, but his spirit is so much dimmer now.

Like, the change in demeanor never has particular attention drawn to it (probably bc the Angle came out after Mordor), but I'm SOOOOO normal about it guys. The war took this silly little guy and turned him into something just so scarred and tired and probably even angry (but still deeply caring). He's the archetypal Grim Ranger™ now. And idk there's just something sooo *gestures* about it y'know? About how this is a change pretty much all of them end up going through, just by necessity of the kind of lives they lead, and that's quietly sad in its own right, but it just happened to poor Faeron SO fast! It's like he's a whole 'nother person in a matter of months!

I like to think he was childhood friends with Tossdir, and was initially taken aback by how little he recognized Toss after he returned from Cardolan, only to end up going through a similar change mere months later without even recognizing it. sobbing and crying I just want the babyrangers to be HAPPY gosh darn it!!

Rhadrog: A good idea?

47. Sickfic/caretaking

"So you're just going to stand out here? Until what? Until I get back?"

That admonishment had been the last straw. Of course he wouldn't. How could he? But he couldn't just sit there, and--

He'd go hunt orcs. That would be helpful. The goblin could watch Rhadrog for a bit. But his feet wouldn't move. He did the very thing he'd so scoffed at before. He stood out there. Until what.

Faeron had to work up the nerve first. It wasn't about contagion. He grit his teeth and didn't count the steps into the goblin's hideout to make sure they weren't five deep or two across or four with one extra-long over a fallen--

Rhadrog was dying. They all were, out here, but Rhadrog was dying faster. They had a reasonable smattering of herblore between them and strong stomachs- hence the Agarnatih posting- but this made Faeron's insides flip. Sweating, fevered fading.

"He doesn't look so good, grumpy guy." The goblin was back, and it was only threat of a broken oath that kept him from turning. Snarling. Of course Rhadrog looked poorly. He was dying. Quickly, but not quickly in the way that would be a comfort more than a fear. There was no comfort here.

"I know." Faeron snapped. He stood over the bunch of leaves where Rhadrog rested. Tossed fitfully. "Don't you have something useful to do?"

"Sure do!" The goblin was unfazed. "Give him a wet cloth, help him stay cool. Always helps, even if the water is not so nice. Not the worst water out here, oh no. But not nice like--" His eyes drifted to the canteen and Faeron wavered.

"Do as you like. Have some yourself, for your efforts I suppose." He sat and watched the goblin drink. Squinted and made a noise when it seemed too greedily.

"He's gonna get worse before he gets better." The goblin pointed out. Ever so helpfully.

Faeron whirled on him then, eyes blazing. "I know, goblin." He snarled, the rein on his temper taut. "I know he will wither. Before my eyes, just out of reach. It's happened before. I can't reach him. I can't save him."

This time, the goblin did look taken aback. Faeron saw something in those big, odd eyes he hadn't before, but he couldn't name it.

"He's right there. You can reach him fine till your friend comes back. The helpful one. A real fixer, fixes everything."

Viznak turned and left. Faeron supposed he'd earned solitude. Caused it, maybe a better way to put it. But, there was truth in the admonishment all the same. Rhadrog wasn't behind bars, across an expanse of stone and dirt. He was right there. Faeron took the damp cloth and laid it over Rhadrog's forehead. It actually soothed him, a little, and he could swear the Gondorian's face was less pinched in agony.

Maybe- he hated to admit- Viznak was right. It might get worse before it got better. But his friend was right too, and he'd do no good standing outside as if he didn't care. Even if he'd been there because he'd cared too much before.

worried? who’s worried? there are orcs to slay!