The Green Dragon Inn #11 - The Last Chapter

[Fordim Hedgethistle]

What has the old fool gone and got himself into this time? Snaveling’s mind hurried through this and any number of other pressing questions like it as he rushed across the yard to the stables. Stupid old hobbit! he thought angrily, how could you have let it get to this point? Why didn’t you tell me your troubles last night when we could have done something about it?

He burst into the stables causing a general uproar amongst the horses and cast about hissing Toby’s name between his teeth. He was muttering now as well. “Ridiculous, foolish, gad-headed, numbskull” and on with more epithets than he had even thought he knew. So furious was he that he did not stop to think of the effects of his litany on his friend. The first few stalls he looked in were bare of the hobbit, and Snaveling began to fear that with no empty spaces Toby might have done something truly ridiculous and attempted to hide somewhere just outside the Inn or, worse, that he had made off entirely. Startled by the idea, he swung about and made to run to the gate to call up the road when Aman’s new horse snickered at him and bit the sleeve of his tunic. “Not now,” he began but the look the horse gave him was so clear that without another word he vaulted over the low gate of the stall and pushed past the creature to see a pair of dirty breeches protruding from between the rails into the next stall. Grabbing at the patched socks about an elderly pair of ankles, he hauled the fugitive Tobias Hornblower back into the hay demanding as he did so, now really furious, “Just where in the name of the King do you think you are going Tobias?”

The poor hobbit slumped to the ground and stared at the tall Man with quivering eyes. His nose twitched like a rat’s scenting danger on the wind, and for a terrible moment it looked as though he really might cry for the shame of his circumstances. Snaveling was immediately overcome with regret and smoothing out his countenance he kneeled down before his friend and placed his hand upon his shoulder. “I am sorry to have yelled at you Toby, but I am very concerned. I am sure you know what Aman and I have just learned from the officers, but you must know too that we don’t believe a word of it. Aman is in there right now keeping them busy with food and drink, and I am to bring you to her study where we can all talk and decide what to do next.” Toby’s mouth opened and closed, twice, as he tried to take this in. Snaveling smiled in what he hoped was a comforting manner. “Come,” he said standing and holding out his hand to help up the elderly hobbit.

But Toby just shook his head violently from side to side. “No no no,” he said quickly, “I cannot; I cannot face Aman, not now, not after what I’ve done. And you, when you know the truth you won’t be so happy to know me. You think you can trust me, that I’ve innocent of all the charges, but you don’t know, you can’t. Why don’t you just go on back and let me be. I’ll be fine. I can lay low until dark and then just slip away.”

“Absolutely not!” Snaveling said firmly. “And that’s settled. I am going to help you, my old friend, as you once helped me. Do you not remember my crimes? Nothing you have done could surpass them, and yet I was shown forgiveness and justice. You shall have the same – I swear it, by all the power that is mine to wield. Though it is not much, I have yet some potency. And as for money, if it is a matter that can be settled with gold or silver, I am well enough supplied with both.” He took Toby by the hand and hauled him upright. “Now you old rogue, let us get to Aman’s study, and let us hope that your countrymen will be too distracted by the delights of the Dragon to notice us!”

[Witch_Queen]

Cree's thoughts suddenly dissapeared. " Fáinu, I'm actually glad your back. It does me good to have you here with me. I don't think I could make it without Avalon if I didn't have you to rely on. I can rely on you right?" She could remember all the fun she had with Avalon. Yet now she knew she had to do what she did. Avalon was there for her all the time, even through her terrible spells. Now they seemed to be deminishing, just like her heart. She couldn't control Avalon and she couldn't control her feelings anymore.

"Fáinu, in our past we have been through so much. I have a feeling that the times ahead will be worse than what we have face."

[Hookbill the Goomba]

"Fáinu, in our past we have been through so much. I have a feeling that the times ahead will be worse than what we have faced."

Cree's words echoed in Fáinu's mind. Ever since the day his old life ended, he knew he would never be able to be at peace. Always his mind was fixated on some how, getting revenge. All thought him dead, and so, he considered them dead. Cree's appearance had prompted new thinking.

"I know this," said Fáinu, "Always my future seems black and filled with shadow. Nothing but a black veil over an already dark horizon." He looked up and saw that Cree seemed to be disturbed by what he had said.

Fáinu looked Cree in the eyes. He saw that she had suffered much, but her will was far from broken. She had held her will against foes beyond her physical strength, and lived still to tell the tale.

"Forgive me," said Fáinu, "I know that this is not what you wish to hear. This is on my heart. But if I keep what is dear to me, then it shall not seem so dark."

Cree smiled and leant forward. Fáinu glanced over at some Hobbits who were having a drinking competition. There were no winners in this game; the one who drank the most was awarded with a hang over to end all hangovers.

[Angel_Queen]

Cree glanced over at the hobbits. She always thought hobbits were the creators way of making the world seem better than it actually was. Life was better in the Shire. After all the world had been through so much and to finally end up in such a happy place. "Fáinu, its amazing that no matter how much trouble Middle Earth is going through, we can find happiness and merriment in the Shire."

Her words remained on her mind. She didn't want to leave the world and go to where her kind was. The world still needed her and she wasn't going to abandon hope now.

[Gorothlammothiel]

Soronume smiled at the maiden's comments of the 'newcomer', and they both seemed to be occupied by other going's on.

Soronume took a sip of his drink, and began to answer Eleniel's earlier questions, "adventurous I am indeed, although that was not my adventure. I was asked along on that journey, with many others. I can't say the Cirith Ungol was a place that I would visit without good reason, however, my company did have reason enough, and I was happy to offer my help to their cause". Soronume hesitated slightly and took up his drink in the hope it would not be apparent to Eleniel.

His dark hair fell about his face as Soronume put down the now empty cup, and he continued. "It was a dark place, very dark. The journey there was quite enjoyable, we made the best of the situation once we crossed into land which had not seen light in so long. It was all so quiet, almost peaceful but you cannot let that though reside long in your mind for you know what goes on behind high walls and closed doors in that land, so to speak". He let in a quick smile here, his dark travels hadn't darkened Soronume's spirit. He was the same as he had been before. However, the darkness had taken part of him, and it became more apparent as Soronume continued into his story, but Eleniel seemed engrossed entirely in his tales. Even Arrow seemed to be listening rather than begging for more food.

"It was a very dark place indeed, and it cost us all dearly. Though we achieved what we had set out to do, we were not the same, we couldn't be. Some of us more than others felt the pain of the losses that were made, unintentionally but unavoidable I now realise. It couldn't be helped..."

Soronume trailed off at this point. His voice was much softer and his mood grew into a state of melancholy that he had not wanted the maiden to see. One such as Eleniel shouldn't be told of such tales of sadness and sorrow, and these tales should certainly not be the usual ones which echo through the Shire from the Green Dragon Inn. It wasn't known for that, many more tales would be told with far happier endings than his own, and Soronume knew it wouldn't be long before a story came about to lift his own mood back to where it was before...

[Kransha]

PLEASE DO NOT DELETE THIS SPACE

LEAVE IT AS A PLACE HOLDER

~*~Pio, Shire Moderator

[piosenniel]

GREEN DRAGON INN FACTS:

It is the 4th Age, year 12. By the Shire Calendar it is year 1433 S.R. (Shire Reckoning).

King Elessar is on the throne of the Reunited Kingdom of Arnor and Gondor.

Mirkwood has been reclaimed by the Elves and is now called Eryn Lasgalen.

Paladdin Took, Pippin’s father, is Thain of the Shire. (Thain is an honorary title for the military leader of the Shire. The title has been held in the Took Family since the position was first established in 3rd Age 1979 with Bucca of the Marish as First Thain.) Paladdin Took dies in year 13, and will be succeeded by his son, Peregrin, ‘Pippin’, Took.

Samwise Gamgee is Mayor of the Shire, having succeeded Will Whitfoot in 1427 S.R.

The Innkeeper, in the Green Dragon Inn of this forum, is: Aman – a young woman from Rohan.

Before her, the Innkeeper was Piosenniel, and before her it was Dwarin, the Dwarf.

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Other ongoing characters in the Inn:

Ruby Brown, Hobbit – not married – server and maid

Buttercup Brownlock, Hobbit – not married – kitchen assistant and maid

Vinca Bunce, widowed, Inn Cook (character played by Piosenniel)

Derufin, General handyman/jack-of-all-trades round the Inn (played by Envinyatar)

Meriadoc - Stablemaster

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Ongoing characters from outside the Inn:

Halfred Whitfoot – local Shiriff from Bywater and Postmaster for this area of the Shire; his pony’s name is Dumpling.

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Please Note:

No 'SAVES' are allowed in the Inn (except for modifications needed to be made by the Moderators or Innkeeper).

With the exception of the Innkeeper and the Moderators, no OOC (Out Of Character) comments are allowed in the Inn.

Only the Innkeeper, Amanaduial, or the Moderators move the timeline for the Inn forward.

Visitors to the Inn will need to read the posts that come before theirs to get an idea of what time it is in the Shire, what the weather is like, and what is happening.

No violence is allowed in the Inn or on Inn grounds.

Please be familiar with the rules for the Inn and Games in The Red Book of Westmarch, the first topic in the Shire.

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About Elves in Shire RPG's:

Please use this description from Tolkien when crafting an Elf:

Return of the King – Appendix F: Tolkien’s description for the Quendi (The Speakers) – the name given to the Elves by themselves after they first awoke in Middle-earth.

“They were a race high and beautiful, the older Children of the world, and among them the Eldar were as Kings, who now are gone: the People of the Great Journey, the People of the Stars. They were tall, fair of skin and grey-eyed, though their locks were dark, save in the golden house of Finrod; and their voices had more melodies than any mortal voice that is now heard . . .”

Please use this as a guideline for describing your Elven character’s appearance.

[Hookbill the Goomba]

"What can we do?" said Fáinu to himself, "cursed and weekend. Never shall my eyes see aman. For I can but see a future of backend skies and mists that cloud all." He seemed to have killed the mood quite nicely. he had taken to muttering to himself in many of his previous misadventures. mostly dark forebodings, getting his thoughts in line and in order.

Cree had heard his words and did not seem to be pleased. he had so far done very little to suggest that he was even going to try to find happiness. She was almost giving up on him when he lifted his head. she saw all the sorrow and regret, and all his bitterness deeply embedded within his eyes.

"Dose any know what will happen?" he sighed, "will we all perish? or find bliss in Valinor? Who can tell? only Manwe and Varda. But I think we two have a part to play. and I believe that this part shall be played side by side. do you not agree?"