The Golden Perch Inn - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Folwren · 02-24-2011, 10:09 AM

Seredic busied himself behind the counter, listening in on the two ranger’s discussion about distant lands. All in all, none of them sounded as nice as the Shire, and he marveled that anyone could ever want to leave. But Aeron seemed quite enthralled and Dick didn’t have the discourtesy to interrupt and tell them his honest opinion of traveling.

Once or twice, his attention was drawn over to where Al sat with the man with the book as Al’s voice raised on occasion with anger, but he saw that Rowan was keeping a sharp eye on them as well, and until things got very out of hand, he wouldn’t interrupt. Everyone else in the Common Room seemed to be content. That trouble-making Ibin sat sulking at his table, with both hands resting on the board and looking about. He had not ordered anything. Dick wished he would, and if he was not going to, he wished he would leave.

Dick caught sight of Tolly almost as soon as he had come out of the kitchen. “Ah, I guess he’s just brought the fish,” Dick said to himself. “Tolly!” he hailed the hobbit. “If you’ve finished your work, would you like to join me for a mug of ale and we can discuss what’s been going on?”

Envinyatar · 02-24-2011, 04:41 PM

‘Well, I’ve finished my work, that’s for sure. One crate of smoked trout, one of perch stowed away in the kitchen.’ Tolly reached for the half-pint Seredic had drawn for him and took a good swig. ‘Good as ever!!’ he said with an affable nod toward the Innkeeper.

Tolly set his mug down on the bar and glanced toward the door to the kitchen. ‘More than just my fish tucked away in there,’ he said, motioning with his chin. ‘A Mistress Puddifoot is in there, too. Tsk-tsking over the state of your kitchen, I think, as well as the garden patch just outside it.’ He grinned at Seredic. ‘If you’re not fast enough, seems like the kind of lady be straightening up and rearranging things more to her liking.’ His eyes sparkled with laughter as he nodded his head. ‘I do believe I just got out of there before she recruited me to start some weeding.’

He lifted the mug again and drained it. ‘Wouldn’t say no to another, if you’re offering, Master Boffin,’ he said with a hopeful eye on the ale cask. ‘How’s the Missus, by the way? And the wee ones?’

xMellrynxMaidenx · 02-24-2011, 09:43 PM

The chattering between the man and the haughty hobbit captured the attention of the young female more than once, though she did not glance away from the older Ranger. "I have been somewhat untruthful in my description of Ithilien for while most of the land is free from shadow there is one place that is now totaly consumed by it, Minas Morgul." A shiver ran up her spine as the name slipped from his lips. "And I would prefer not to hear of it, Master Ranger."

Aeron glanced over her shoulder at the chattering table again, frowning slightly. The Inn had definitely become busier since she first arrived, that was for certain. "And you've traveled across these lands in solitude, haven't you?" The young ranger had caught some of Arandon's previous conversation with Dick when he first arrived at the Inn.

Bom Tombadillo · 02-25-2011, 12:27 PM

Hamwill noticed the Hobbit's smile and felt relieved that his rapid comment had not been taken too hardly. He thought that the last part of the saying the Hobbit had quoted sounded rather queer, but perked up when he asked what he wanted to know.

"Well, what about Brandy Hall itself; its history, say. Starting with its founding, of course - I got an earful about who, but nothing too sure about when. I've got a bit of a timeline assembled for the history of the Shire, and I'd like to expand on it."

Galadriel55 · 02-25-2011, 02:57 PM

Al noticed that some people in the room were eyeing him queerly. The closest one was a hobbit lady, about his age, who appeared to be the server: she was collecting dirty plates. Before leaving, she took one last glance at him and muttered something that sounded like mean rim. Al gave her a curious look, but right away he turned back to the man across from him, because he began to speak.

"Well, what about Brandy Hall itself; its history, say. Starting with its founding, of course - I got an earful about who, but nothing too sure about when. I've got a bit of a timeline assembled for the history of the Shire, and I'd like to expand on it."

Al didn’t understand all of what the man told him. He decided not to make an issue of it, though.

“Well, as for who, that’s easy – old Gorbadoc Brandybuck, but you say you’ve heard enough about him. When... – who cares? What does it matter? It’s built, isn’t it? So why worry about these things? It’s the bestest place in the whole world, and that’s all you really need to know.” Al paused for a moment, and then added, “Could you please tell me, Master Hamwill, what is a timeline?”

piosenniel · 02-25-2011, 04:03 PM

Iris

‘May I help you?’ the lass said, stowing her pile of dirty dishes on the counter. ‘I’m Rowan,’ she went on, ‘Rowan Muddifoot. One of the servers here at the Perch. Is there something I can do or get for you?’

Iris gave Rowan a measuring look. Was there a general air of tiredness about the younger Hobbit? Where were the rest of the servers and maids and kitchen help and the cook, herself, she wondered.

‘Maybe I can help you,’ Iris replied, looking again about the kitchen. ‘My niece and I will be staying in the area for a bit, I think. And . . . well, I don’t mean to be forward, or anything, but it looks as if you could stand a little help in the kitchen.’ She nodded toward the door to the outside. ‘And, my stars, that poor garden out there is in need of some weeding and spading and de-slugging!’

‘Is your cook about, Mistress Rowan? Could I have a word with her?’

Undómë · 02-25-2011, 08:32 PM

Rowan could feel a rather hysterical wave of laughter bubbling up inside her at the lady’s question. She tried to fight it down . . . without success. She started giggling and hiccuping as she tried to answer Miz Puddifoot.

‘My stars, indeed,’ she gasped, pulling out one of the heavy oak chairs at the kitchen’s table. Rowan plopped herself down rather ungracefully and gulped in a few deep breaths. ‘Oh how I wish I could just call for cook and you could speak with her, Mistress Puddifoot.’

With a corner of her apron she dabbed at her teary eyes. ‘You can’t speak with her . . . you see . . . she’s gone missing. And for a long time now.’ Rowan glanced woefully around the kitchen. ‘It’s just me and Prim, now, to do the cooking and the serving and the cleaning up and see to the wants of the guests, too.’ She heaved a long sigh. ‘We do our best . . . we do . . . but it’s just getting to be too much . . .’

02-24-2011, 10:09 AM	#1
Folwren Messenger of Hope Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a tiny, insignificant little town in one of the many States. Posts: 5,076	Seredic busied himself behind the counter, listening in on the two ranger’s discussion about distant lands. All in all, none of them sounded as nice as the Shire, and he marveled that anyone could ever want to leave. But Aeron seemed quite enthralled and Dick didn’t have the discourtesy to interrupt and tell them his honest opinion of traveling. Once or twice, his attention was drawn over to where Al sat with the man with the book as Al’s voice raised on occasion with anger, but he saw that Rowan was keeping a sharp eye on them as well, and until things got very out of hand, he wouldn’t interrupt. Everyone else in the Common Room seemed to be content. That trouble-making Ibin sat sulking at his table, with both hands resting on the board and looking about. He had not ordered anything. Dick wished he would, and if he was not going to, he wished he would leave. Dick caught sight of Tolly almost as soon as he had come out of the kitchen. “Ah, I guess he’s just brought the fish,” Dick said to himself. “Tolly!” he hailed the hobbit. “If you’ve finished your work, would you like to join me for a mug of ale and we can discuss what’s been going on?”

02-24-2011, 04:41 PM	#2
Envinyatar Quill Revenant Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Wandering through the Downs..... Posts: 849	‘Well, I’ve finished my work, that’s for sure. One crate of smoked trout, one of perch stowed away in the kitchen.’ Tolly reached for the half-pint Seredic had drawn for him and took a good swig. ‘Good as ever!!’ he said with an affable nod toward the Innkeeper. Tolly set his mug down on the bar and glanced toward the door to the kitchen. ‘More than just my fish tucked away in there,’ he said, motioning with his chin. ‘A Mistress Puddifoot is in there, too. Tsk-tsking over the state of your kitchen, I think, as well as the garden patch just outside it.’ He grinned at Seredic. ‘If you’re not fast enough, seems like the kind of lady be straightening up and rearranging things more to her liking.’ His eyes sparkled with laughter as he nodded his head. ‘I do believe I just got out of there before she recruited me to start some weeding.’ He lifted the mug again and drained it. ‘Wouldn’t say no to another, if you’re offering, Master Boffin,’ he said with a hopeful eye on the ale cask. ‘How’s the Missus, by the way? And the wee ones?’

02-24-2011, 09:43 PM	#3
xMellrynxMaidenx Wight Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Riding with the Grey Company Posts: 120	The chattering between the man and the haughty hobbit captured the attention of the young female more than once, though she did not glance away from the older Ranger. "I have been somewhat untruthful in my description of Ithilien for while most of the land is free from shadow there is one place that is now totaly consumed by it, Minas Morgul." A shiver ran up her spine as the name slipped from his lips. "And I would prefer not to hear of it, Master Ranger." Aeron glanced over her shoulder at the chattering table again, frowning slightly. The Inn had definitely become busier since she first arrived, that was for certain. "And you've traveled across these lands in solitude, haven't you?" The young ranger had caught some of Arandon's previous conversation with Dick when he first arrived at the Inn.

02-25-2011, 12:27 PM	#4
Bom Tombadillo Wight Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Behind you . . . . BOO! Posts: 222	Hamwill noticed the Hobbit's smile and felt relieved that his rapid comment had not been taken too hardly. He thought that the last part of the saying the Hobbit had quoted sounded rather queer, but perked up when he asked what he wanted to know. "Well, what about Brandy Hall itself; its history, say. Starting with its founding, of course - I got an earful about who, but nothing too sure about when. I've got a bit of a timeline assembled for the history of the Shire, and I'd like to expand on it."

02-25-2011, 02:57 PM	#5
Galadriel55 Blossom of Dwimordene Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: The realm of forgotten words Posts: 10,525	Al noticed that some people in the room were eyeing him queerly. The closest one was a hobbit lady, about his age, who appeared to be the server: she was collecting dirty plates. Before leaving, she took one last glance at him and muttered something that sounded like mean rim. Al gave her a curious look, but right away he turned back to the man across from him, because he began to speak. "Well, what about Brandy Hall itself; its history, say. Starting with its founding, of course - I got an earful about who, but nothing too sure about when. I've got a bit of a timeline assembled for the history of the Shire, and I'd like to expand on it." Al didn’t understand all of what the man told him. He decided not to make an issue of it, though. “Well, as for who, that’s easy – old Gorbadoc Brandybuck, but you say you’ve heard enough about him. When... – who cares? What does it matter? It’s built, isn’t it? So why worry about these things? It’s the bestest place in the whole world, and that’s all you really need to know.” Al paused for a moment, and then added, “Could you please tell me, Master Hamwill, what is a timeline?”

02-25-2011, 04:03 PM	#6
piosenniel Desultory Dwimmerlaik Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Pickin' flowers with Bill the Cat..... Posts: 7,779	Iris ‘May I help you?’ the lass said, stowing her pile of dirty dishes on the counter. ‘I’m Rowan,’ she went on, ‘Rowan Muddifoot. One of the servers here at the Perch. Is there something I can do or get for you?’ Iris gave Rowan a measuring look. Was there a general air of tiredness about the younger Hobbit? Where were the rest of the servers and maids and kitchen help and the cook, herself, she wondered. ‘Maybe I can help you,’ Iris replied, looking again about the kitchen. ‘My niece and I will be staying in the area for a bit, I think. And . . . well, I don’t mean to be forward, or anything, but it looks as if you could stand a little help in the kitchen.’ She nodded toward the door to the outside. ‘And, my stars, that poor garden out there is in need of some weeding and spading and de-slugging!’ ‘Is your cook about, Mistress Rowan? Could I have a word with her?’

02-25-2011, 08:32 PM	#7
Undómë Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 400	Rowan could feel a rather hysterical wave of laughter bubbling up inside her at the lady’s question. She tried to fight it down . . . without success. She started giggling and hiccuping as she tried to answer Miz Puddifoot. ‘My stars, indeed,’ she gasped, pulling out one of the heavy oak chairs at the kitchen’s table. Rowan plopped herself down rather ungracefully and gulped in a few deep breaths. ‘Oh how I wish I could just call for cook and you could speak with her, Mistress Puddifoot.’ With a corner of her apron she dabbed at her teary eyes. ‘You can’t speak with her . . . you see . . . she’s gone missing. And for a long time now.’ Rowan glanced woefully around the kitchen. ‘It’s just me and Prim, now, to do the cooking and the serving and the cleaning up and see to the wants of the guests, too.’ She heaved a long sigh. ‘We do our best . . . we do . . . but it’s just getting to be too much . . .’