Middle Earth PbP (In Character)

[glimmerrat]

Chapter 1: All Tales Have a Beginning…

Late one windy night in the autumn of the year 2999, you find yourselves enjoying a drink in the Ivy Bush, a small but reputable inn on the Bywater road just south of Hobbiton.

Brannadan, passing through East Farthing on his travels has decided to stop off at an inn for the night. The innkeeper has agreed to let you stay for free, since you kindly helped to dig up a bothersome tree stump out back earlier on. The beer here is good, but it tastes a little watered down, and it isn’t a patch on the Prancing Pony. You’ll have to tell Barliman Butterbur the next time you visit.

Erkenwulf, one of the Rohirrim, has been here for a few months now, gathering his strength while recovering from his injuries. You find the Hobbits to be a simple, but generous people. Your horse, Adalhard, has been well looked after, and your wounds are almost fully healed. A young Hobbit in her tweens, one Bella Cotton, has insisted that her family look after you. She’s a mischievous thing, but you’re glad for the help all the same.

Dren has been hiding in Hobbiton for a number of weeks now. It was all going well, and you thought you’d escaped the notice of Denethor’s cronies – then you heard that someone, a human, had been seen in the village asking questions about you, mentioning you by name. Naturally being rather insular people, the locals told him nothing, but you know when a situation is getting too hot, so you made plans to leave. You find yourself sharing a last drink with friends in the Ivy Bush, the night before you leave the Shire.

Kyan, an adventuresome young Dwarf, was yesterday priveliged to meet a Mr Bilbo Baggins. After a brief chat in the front garden with periodic interruptions by Sam Gamgee (Mr. Bilbo’s gardener), you were invited inside where young Frodo Baggins prepared you and Bilbo a hearty meal. You spent hours discussing Bilbo’s book ‘There and Back Again’, and his time spent with Thorin Oakenshield. He insisted in making sure that you made it back to the main road safely, and as such Frodo gave you a lift in his cart and dropped you off at the Ivy Bush a few hours ago. You’re planning to move on in the morning.

Gorbo and Bella being locals, naturally gravitate toward the local drinking hole at this time of night. Tonight promises to be good as old Gaffer Gamgee has had a few drinks and is in a mood for telling tall tales. With any luck this will mean a little excitement for Bella, and a few more stories about old Bilbo Baggins for Gorbo to marvel at.

After a little while, thanks to the efforts of Gorbo and old Gaffer, the conversation turns around to pipe weed. Gaffer reminisces about the old times, explaining:

“Oh yes, o’ course Longbottom pipe weed is the best in the whole of Eriador. Everyone knows that.”

He pauses, sucking on his clay pipe with a nostalgic look on his face.

“But yer should smoke it while yer ‘ave the chance… as it may not be around much longer. Fact is, end of the season will prob’ly see the end of Longbottom leaf fer good.”

[Girlfriday]

Bella looks engrossed… until she hears about the weed.

“I cor’t live wiv owt me weed!”

She rests her head on her hands.

“Well har dun we get owt of this heer fine mess wim in?”

Bella elbows Gorbo in the ribs.

“Wat we gonna do ‘bout it?”

[foproy]

Dren sits quietly listening to the conversation unfolding, his eyes the only thing to show his scan of the tavern, making note of the other humans, scanning them to see whitch one may have been the one asking.

[Antilles]

Brannadan has been listening to the old Hobbit's tales and found them enjoyable. When the talk turns to pipeweed, he takes out the old pipe he's always carrying, and becomes lost in memories of his childhood, watching his father lighting that very pipe in the evenings, after a day's work in the fields. He's not really paying attention to the hobbits' conversation any more; pipeweed not growing is a problem for farmers, and it has been many years since he was one.

[ahzad]

Kyan sits near the fire having tankard of beer. As he sits he listens to the various conversations, listening for anything that sounds of trouble that he can investigate. As the hobbits talk turns to pipeweed, he unpacks his pipe and leans back thinking on the fine dinner and talk with the Baggins, and sort of daydreams one day of being a renowned hero as well.

[Bill Whitmore]

Gorbo sits puffing his pipe with his feet propped up on a table, a habit learned from the humans.  Gorbo only smiles and glances at the humans as Gaffer Gamgee speaks of the doom of the Longbottom leaf.  After almost tipping over in his chair when Bella elbows him he starts chuckling.

"Don't be telling me you actually believe Mr. Gamgee, Bella.  'e's just telling ghost stories to scare our out of town guests.  It ain't like the land is disappearing and ol' Longbottom has too good a thing goin' with his pipe-weed to ever stop growin' it.  Nah, I suspect I'll be smokin' Longbottom Weed for a good while yet."

[Wolverine]

Erkenwulf sits somewhat uncomfortably on the small hobbit chair, the wound on his leg still aching after being sliced by a hillman's blade. It doesn't help that the holbytla don't seem to understand the concept of a full pint, but at least the ale is good, and freely flowing.

As the conversation turns to pipe-weed, Erkenwulf's ears prick up. Not because of the mention of weed, but because of the location. He had passed through Longbottom on his journey north to Bywater, but didn't recall seeing anything particularly amiss.

"What do you mean by 'for good'? There were great fields of Longbottom leaf down there just recently, enough to keep you all puffing away for years to come."

[glimmerrat]

 Dren scans the room, eyeing up Brannadan and Erkenwulf. One is from Breeland, and the other is one of the Rohirrim – they seem to be honourable enough.

Kyan sups his ale. It’s hardly Dwarfish brew, but then, what is? At least this Hobbit brew tastes about right, even if there’s hardly any… ‘poke’ to it. Bella and Gorbo’s comments elicit a response from old Gaffer.

“Ah, well it’s down to old Lotho Hornblower. Rumour is that ‘e owes quite a debt to the Sackville-Bagginses after those bad ‘arvests o’ the last few years. Last month ‘e sent ‘is son, Saradoc, to personally deliver a shipment o’ Longbottom leaf to the wizard Saruman, all the way down there at Isengard, past the Gap o’ Rohan.”

“The journey there and back should’ve taken no more than three or four weeks, meaning that Master Hornblower is a week overdue. Rumour is that bandits…”

He enunciates the word and looks pointedly at the big folk in the room.

“…‘ave ‘ad ‘im. If anythin’ ‘as happened to ‘im and that leaf shipment…”

He lets that last statement hang in the air for a moment.

“Hornblower owns the ‘ole of Longbottom, and the valley it’s in too. If ‘ee goes under then the the Sackville-Bagginses will end up ownin’ everythin’ in the area, and they’re none too keen on Longbottom leaf, preferrin’ other brands as they do. O’ course, I ‘ears that old Hornblower is looking to ‘ire adventurous souls to go lookin’ for the young ‘un. Probably suit folks such as yerselves down to the ground.”

He sits back in his seat puffing his pipe, looking very pleased with himself.

[Antilles]

Brannadan is dragged out of his daydreaming when the old hobbit mentions bandits. He wonders for a moment why the bounders didn't tell him of these bandits, but if they've recently started operating in the area they might not have known about it yet.

"Bandits are a weak and cowardly lot, preying on merchants and farmers. I shall travel to the Hornblower farm at first light and offer Master Hornblower any help I can give. I will see to it that the bandits are brought to justice, and if he still lives, I'll free the captured hobbit and his cargo. Excuse me, I must go prepare for tomorrow."

[ahzad]

The merest mention of bandits sounds like an opportunity for adventure Kyan can't pass up, and when he sees the human stand up and offer his help he to rises and moves to intercept him before he leaves the common room.

"Hail and well met!" Kyan says to Brannadan as he moves towards him. "The name is Kyan Addisheg, and I heard you say that you were off to the Hornblower farm to help with the possible bandit problem. I would like to lend my axes to the cause if you would have me." Kyan stretches forth his hand in greeting.

[Wolverine]

Erkenwulf is a little taken aback that he, one of the Horse Lords of Rohan, might be compared to a common bandit.

"There are far worse things than bandits to the south of the Shire, mark my words. If the bandits didn't get him, then the Hillmen might have taken him captive. Worse still, he could have ended up as supper for the wargs, though I dare say he wouldn't keep them satisfied for very long."

He pauses for a moment as he mentions the wargs, as if reliving a memory, before looking over to Brannadan.

"I shall join you in the morning. It would help to have someone who knows the lay of the land between here and Isengard, and I believe that I have passed that way more recently than any of you."

[Girlfriday]

"'Ey up, big 'uns!"

With a clattering of cups, Bella vaults up onto the table and strikes a dramatic pose...

"Yow lot'll never find Longbottom wi'out 'elp - i'll tek yer tomorra mornin'!"

She looks at Gorbo.

"C'mon yow! Gerrup ya lazy sod!"

[Bill Whitmore]

As people begin preparation to leave in the morning, Gorbo continues to sit with his feet on the table and puffing his pipe.

Looking up at Bella standing on the table.

"I'll be along shortly. I've spent many a year traipsin' across the countryside.  We go lookin' for young Saradoc, soon I'll be craving a fire, warm bed, a table to rest my feet on and a good pipe, an' I can only take one of those wit' me.  Besides, I'm ready to go, the only thing I really need to pack is this 'ere pipe."

Despite Gorbo's words, the mention of leaving in the morning leaves a gleam in his eyes and the amused expression he has worn much of the night has given way to a more pronounced grin.

[Antilles]

Brannadan stops in surprise when first the dwarf and then the rest of them volunteer to help with the bandits. Although a little concerned when the hobbits pipe up that they want to join as well, he is still happy that more have volunteered to see that justice is done.

"Greetings, master Addisheg." He shakes the dwarf's hand. "Only a fool would turn down the offer of help from a dwarf, you are welcome indeed to join me in rooting out these bandits." He then turns and gives a friendly nod to each of the other volunteers. "And the same goes to all of you, of course. Common bandits rarely pose much of a challenge, but there is strength and safety in numbers."

[foproy]

seeing the opportunity to leave town without the notice of prying eyes," i too shall lend my blade to your efforts", the bald man in the corner says finally speaking up