[Kath]

Astilwen entered warily through the front door of the inn. She had heard a commotion as she approached and though it did not sound serious she didn't want to walk into the middle of a fight.

Though you would not guess it from her name Astilwen was a hobbit. Her parents had tended to look outside of the Shire for names for their children and she counted herself lucky that she had not ended up being called something a lot worse. Apart from her name she was as typical looking a hobbit lass as they come with curly brown hair falling down around her shoulders. She was quite a young hobbit, not yet come of age at 29, but she was free of spirit and with seven siblings at home she had not felt guilty when she left to explore the wider world.

Seeing that all seemed calm inside she walked up to the bar, unsure of what to do or who to talk to. She wanted news of "the outside" as her parents called the lands beyond the Shire and so chose to order a drink and wait in the hope that someone would take pity and welcome her.