The Tale of Durin’s Drain
“What do you think the problem might be, Gandalf?” asked Bilbo.
“I hope to goodness that I am mistaken, but I fear that I am not. Long ago, under the leadership of Durin the Breathless, the Dwarves opened a brand new racing track in the depths of Moria. The circuit of Khazad-Zoom, it was called. Yet, in their eagerness to fashion the perfect racing line, they delved too deeply and awakened a dreadful creature: a thing of smoke and fire, which sustained itself through the consumption of mechanical items. On the circuit’s inaugural race, the beast attacked. Cars, pit garages, grandstands and hospitality suites: all succumbed to its insatiable appetite. Only two teams escaped the carnage, and they lost most of their cars and spare parts. Of the terrible fate of the race organisers, nothing is known. The affair dealt a perilous blow to Dwarven racing ambitions and the sport took years to recover. The loss to the Dwarven economy was incalculable, and so the creature ever after was known as Durin’s Drain. The circuit of Khazad-Doom itself was abandoned and fell into ruin. In recent years, however, a party of Dwarves, led by Nascarlin son of Formallawundin, attempted to re-establish and refurbish the facilities there. I fear that they may once again have awakened Durin’s Drain.”
“But what does that have to do with us?” ventured Frodo.
“There has been no contact with Nascarlin and his company for some years. I suspect that all there is now lost and that, hearing of the Mount Zoom Challenge, the creature has emerged from Moria in search of further mechanical parts to satisfy its terrible appetite.”
“Y-y-you m-mean …?” stuttered a terrified Bilbo.
“Yes! The creature is feasting within engine room of Bag-Endless-Fuel right now.”
“Ai!” all wailed.
“Come, now that the exposition is done with, there is not a moment to lose,” commanded Gandalf. “To the engine room!”