Wight Fright: "Fog on the Barrow-Downs" RPG

[Bêthberry]

Stooped and favouring her left leg, the old woman wrapped pulled her shawl tighter around her narrow, boney shoulders as she dragged a small cart behind her. She snuffled as she limped along, as if the autumn wind had chilled her breath and stiffened her legs and hips despite the shining sun. Her hands bore traces of her endeavour, her nails filled with dirt, for Meg Rushlight was harvesting peat. There was a good market for it if she could find the richest patches and if it didn't rain and dampen the peat.

And the best peat was found near the old barrows, so there she was headed, even though she'd never tell anyone where she found her peat as she would never then get a pretty price for it.

Startled, she heard voices and turned around. "Who would be coming out ta th'barrows?" she thought. Then she saw them, a rag tag group of childerns with that Edwin in the lead. She didn't fancy meeting them, not at all, so she searched for a hill or stone to cover her presence.

[Mithalwen]

Jessamy Woodseaves was one of those who joined Edwin's party. She hadn't exactly been invited but having four elder brothers made a girl adept at finding ways of joining in with things that hadn't been intended to include her. Tall for her age (which was ten) even by the standards of the Big Folk, her long legs meant she could easily keep up with the older children and there was absolutely no point in telling her she couldn't or shouldn't do things because she was a girl.

That was a battle that her mother fought with her on a regular basis. Jessamy had been born a full fifteen years after her eldest brother and perhaps no child could fulfil the hopes of so long a wait, certainly not one whose from her earliest years had preferred trailing after her brothers around the family's farm near Staddle, to playing with dolls and wearing the pretty dresses her mother lovingly made her.

It wasn't that Jessamy wanted to deceive her parents but it was the only way to get any freedom. And so it was that Mrs Woodseaves waved her daughter off from the kitchen door in the belief that Jess would complete her errands in Bree and then spend the rest of the day with her friend Calendula Boffin. She never suspected that Jessamy knew full well that the Boffins had gone to spend the Dame school's Autumn break with family in the Shire and that though she would pass the South Gate wearing a new blue wool dress and her hair in beribboned bunches of ringlets, she would leave by the West Gate in some of her brother's cast offs and her hair in a messy and truth be told somewhat gingery plait. She had managed to slip enough food from the larder for a decent picnic and this she carried in a little oil cloth knapsack along with her cloak.

She wasn't expected back for hours and so really there would be no harm done...

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Ouch! Oh dear, she’s trying to pull my laces tighter. Looks like she had too many birthday parties, afternoon teas and second breakfasts in the past year. Even here, away from the Shire, there are enough Hobbits to provide an active social life, and for them, that means meals.

I always know it’s autumn when she pulls me out of the drawer. I guess a Hobbit doesn’t have opportunities to wear a black bodice for the rest of the year. That’s why I spend most of my existence crushed under bright yellows, cheerful greens, and earthy browns – ugh! That’s more depressing than the colour of my fabric.

Ouch again! I don’t know which will tear first, my laces or the eyelets. Something’s gotta give when she attempts to press her ample shape into my svelte form.

Sigh... I suppose that means she’s off to do something adventurous on this day of deathly hallows. You’d think she would have outgrown such pranks by now, almost at the end of her tweens. We could have had a comfortable evening at the Green Dragon, checking out the “Biggest Pumpkin” contest to see if a Great Pumpkin shows up. But no, that would have meant food and drink; the strain would have been too much for me.

I can only hope she’s not going out to collect treats!

On the other hand, if she lets herself get scared like she did last year, the sudden intake of breath could wreak havoc with my seams.

It seems I am doomed no matter what happens today – or tonight. This could well be the last day of my existence. Now that’s scary!

[Durelin]

As soon as he was convinced that his feet had stepped over whatever border there was between the quiet hills of western Bree-land and the even quieter hills of the Barrow-downs, Edwin felt a chill come over him and hoped dearly that no one would see the goosebumps on his arms. He thought about unrolling his sleeves, but that would be too obvious. They passed the first barrow a little ways off to their right, as Edwin could not quite bring his feet to veer in that direction. He stared up at the stone, which looked like it was being swallowed up by the barrow, as it was half grown over with green. It really was a bit chilly... No, no fidgeting, he told himself. Too awkward.

He turned around to walk backwards pretend-casually. As he turned, though, he thought he caught a glimpse of movement behind the barrow, but when he turned his head to look directly at the barrow again, there was nothing there. His stomach tied itself into a knot, and for a moment all of his being was focused on that barrow.

Edwin found himself tripping backward, barely catching himself from falling, as someone bumped straight into him. Apparently he had stopped walking, as well. barrows and wights all but forgotten, Edwin did his best to recover. "Watch where you're going! Is this just an afternoon stroll, or do you actually want to check out one of these barrows?" He was still looking at the barrow they had just passed, not sure if he wanted to know if he really did see anything or not.

[Mithalwen]

Jessamy who had found her clothing a little too warm on the walk was now grateful for the hairy wool sweater. It's mustardy coulour was not the best complement to rusty hair but its hem fell near to her knees and having forgotten to bring gloves she allowed the too long sleeves to slip over her hands. Even so she too shivered a little but would not think of getting her cloak from her bag while there were boys still in shirtsleeves.

The Downs did not seem such an enticing place now. She had seen them before but only from the road - her father had taken her along on a short trip to the Shire a few years ago when he had been looking in to growing pipeweed, and in the early light of a clear midsummer morning they had seemed ripe for exploration and quite unthreatening. But now she was not safely tucked in the back of the little farm waggon with the reassuring presence of her father and eldest brother on the boxseat. She only had the company of some other children scarce older or larger than herself and suddenly she felt a little scared. she had never been so far without adults or at least one of the big brothers, who, much as they had grumbled at times at having their pesky little sister tag along, had succesfully protected her from any peril of the world greater than bramble scratches or grazed knees.

But they were all grown now or nearly - the eldest Silas was married and living in Archet where he worked with his father-in-law, a woodman, Seth worked with his father on the farm and the younger two, Bryn and Filbert apprentices in Bree-town and so not free to join the expedition even if they knew about it.

Her nerves made her answer to Edwin more scornful than she really intended.

"Of course we do! You aren't scared are you". The sun seemed to have faded from the sky and she silently chanted to herself "I am not scared, I am not scared"...

[Durelin]

Edwin turned his attention from the oaf of a boy who had bumped into him toward the girl. She wasn't that much shorter than him, he realized, which made him feel even more self-conscious. Where did she come from? He didn't remember seeing her join the group. He had seen her before, though, always hanging around, pestering the older kids rather than spending time with those closer to her age and in the sight of her parents.

"That's what I want to know of you all! Are you too scared?" he spoke half to the hobbit girl, and half to the rest of the party, hoping he would not have to go near that barrow by himself. "It's alright if you are - it's brave enough that you came all the way out here without your mother."

Edwin turned his back to the others a bit dramatically, and began strolling toward the barrow as casually as he could manage, listening for following footsteps. His eyes were again locked on the barrow. He tried to tell himself that he had not seen anything, but he could picture in his mind the glimpse he had of the figure all too easily.

[Mithalwen]

Jessamy bristled. Her blue eyes flashed with anger, "I go lots of places without my mother!" she pronounced. She did not elaborate, having the wit to realise that School, her brother's place and other routine errands round Breeland, where just about everyone knew everyone else and watched out for each others' children, weren't in the same league as wandering the downs amongst these strange stones and mounds. She remembered that her father had said that they were tombs of the ancient kings, that they were many strange tales about them and the old forest beyond but though Jessamy was a great one for stories of the old days she pushed them to the back of her mind now.

She squared her shoulders, and marched determinedly towards the barrow's entrance, her pace enough to overtake Edwin, hissing "I am not scared" defiantly as she did so. Yet she too saw a flicker of something as she reached the stone portal. Just a shadow she told herself knowing full well that the sun was still too high to cast a shadow so long and too pale for one so strong. She could not flinch in front of Edwin now. It would be as bad as showing fear in front of Filbert. The youngest of her brothers, for so long the youngest child, felt less responsibility for her than his elders and bore perhaps a lingering slight resentment towards his usurper which meant he would lead her wilfully into mischief at times.

Jessamy walked on, only pausing under the stone lintel to turn and enquire of Edwin with deliberate insouciance - "I don't suppose you thought to bring a lamp?"