The Green Dragon Inn #11 - The Last Chapter

[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.

[piosenniel]

It is now just after noon in the Shire.

The sun is shining brightly. It looks to be a fair day.

[piosenniel]

~*~ * * EVIL CREATURES NEEDED FOR RPG * * ~*~

Calling all Orcs and Goblins!

~*~

CaptainofDespair invites you to take a look at his RPG:

The Siege of Gundabad

~*~

The Discussion Thread is now open.

Put together a descriptive character bio for an evil critter, and craft a well written First Post to submit along with it.

Should be a fun game.

See you there!

[Nurumaiel]

Posco and Lily entered the Inn together, hand in hand, though the former seemed uneasy about the arrangement. He hoped that anyone who might look at them would think they were merely good friends, and not that they had a deeper fondness for one another. It seemed foolish to be so worried. Anyone in the Inn would have to know that they had never previously met to think it improper for them to love each other within the duration of a few days, and nobody in the Inn knew that. Besides, Lily was happy with her hand in his, and that was enough for him.

She tripped laughingly to the window, and he followed her with a happy heart. Her hair bounced upon her shoulders, and her feet skipped lightly over the wooden floor. She pressed her little nose on the window-pane, and then made a gesture. "See, Posco?" she said. "What a fine day it is for a ride!"

"Fine indeed," said Posco, "and I am looking forward to it as much as a hobbit can."

She turned to him with shining eyes. "Will we go riding at your home, Posco? Through the wildflowers and by the river, and under the moon and stars when evening has fallen?"

"Whenever you like," he said, with all the simplicity of a lad in love, who would do anything for his dear one. She gave him a loving, grateful smile, and then they went to a table.

[starkat]

Pushing a strand of hair out of her eyes, Gwenneth looked over at her companion. "Ginger, what kind of flower is this?" The young elf pointed at a small white flower. "I do not remeber seeing it before."

At that moment, Gwenneth's necklace came loose and fell into the dirt. She picked it up and asked the Hobbit to help fasten it. Ginger made certain that the catch of the necklace would not come open. Their attention retuned to the flower.

[Umwë]

Umwë pulled back his hood and looked up at the sun. It was shining brightly and warmed up his body. He closed his eyes and just enjoyed the calm moment of peace. He took a deep breathe and the fresh cleared out his lungs. His glittering eyes looked like diamonds and he slowly began to walk again and headed towards The Green Dragon Inn.

It had been a long time since last and wasn't sure that anyone would remember him. He had been away visiting the Grey Havens and took a last farwell of his brother that now sailed to the West. The memories came back to him as he stood on the peer, watching how the white sails of the ship slowly disappeared by the horizon.

He sighed and shook his head. I will also leave all this, but not yet. His brother was the last of his relatives that left Middle-Earth, so now, he was alone. He got closer to the Inn and as he stood just outside he could here the laughter and joy coming from the inside. He opened the door carefully, as he didn't want to make a scene. A nice aroma of warm tea overwhelmed him and he got reminded how long it was since he last had a nice warm cup of tea.

He looked around himself and saw many faces that he couldn't recognize from his last visit. He walked over to the counter where a young hobbit maid stood serving the refreshments for the guests. He bowed and gave her a warm smile. She smiled back to him and said "Can I help you, master elf?"

"Greetings miz. The name is Umwë. I was just wondering if I could have a cup of tea?" said softly.

"Welcome to the Green Dragon Umwë." she said and bowed. "Of course! Just hold on a moment."

"Thank you miz!" Umwë responded as she served him a cup of tea. As Umwë waited he let his gaze wander around in the room. "Hrm!" Umwë woke up from his day dreaming and turned around. "Here's is your tea, master Umwë." She said and giggled. Umwë blushed and thanked her for the tea and sat down by an empty table.

He sipped the warm tea slowly and he almost burned his tounge. "Ouch!" he said for himself and pinched his eyes. He sat by the window looking at the flowers outside that was beautiful. The sweet smell from the flowers came tickling his nose from an open window. It reminded him of the times he had been wandering in the Golden Wood in his younger days. But the Golden Wood was now abandonded and the elves were all generally leaving Middle-Earth.

Umwë thought about maybe going to the Common Room. Maybe he could have a nice talk to someone there. I needed to talk to someone, as nowadays he felt so lonely. He glanced around in the room, and looked for someone that he could join.

It had been long since he last visited the Shire, and the Green Dragon Inn. Too long, he thought and slowed down his white horse as he came closer. A local farmer waved to him as he passed with a great smile. "Always welcoming every stranger with joy, no thought of what the person brings to them." He said to himself smiling politely back to farmer and nodding.

He had been riding all day, and was for the time being quite tired after the long trip. Isilmë passed the old stables, where of course merry old Meriadoc stood feeding the other steeds in the stables. "Isilmë, is it?" Meriadoc said, with a quite susprised tone in his voice. Apparently not expecting Isilmë to return. Isilmë confirmed the question with a nod. "Take good care of him, he is meaning a lot to me." Isilmë said smiling, then handing over the reins to Meriadoc. He nodded and took the white steed to an empty stall. Isilmë nodded and thanked Meriadoc and then went out and over to the Inn building.

The door creaked friendly when he opened the wooden door to the Inn, the creaking sound drawed a lot of gazes over at him and Isilmë nodded to them. He slowly made his way over to the counter. He leaned casually against it, clearing his throat.
"Miz?" He asked carefully. The hobbit lass swiftly turned smiling at him.

"Yes, Master Elf?" She said so politely, that Isilmë almost blushed.

"I wish to have an ale, thank you." Isilmë said smiling back, glad to meet so many warm greeters after his long abscene.

The hobbit lass nodded and took up a pint and poured up some ale in it from a barrel. "Here you go Master Elf." She said and handed the mug of ale over to him, and the pointed over to another counter. "Go over there if you plan to stay for the night, dont be too late, or there will be no rooms left."

Isilmë nodded and decided to first drink his ale before consulting regarding a room for the night. He glanced around him slightly, while sipping his ale standing a corner. I guess none of them recognizes me, and I have to admit, that I dont recognize them either, he thought and then sighing.

[Amanaduial the archer]

Having finished the dishes and escaped from under Cook's watchful eye, Aman emerged into the Common Room in a cloud of delicious smelling steam, whistling quietly as she wiped her hands on a rag cloth, looking around the room. Catching the eye of an elf at the bar, she smiled politely, nodding amiably at him. The elf looked slightly surprised and smiled back before retreating bashfully behind the pint that Ruby had handed him. Aman grinned and passed an eye quickly over the patrons of the Inn, many of them hobbits gathered for a quiet evening drink, although the Inn's usual, more travelled customers remained, as usual. Her gaze brushed over them and, not to her surprise, she noted that Snaveling had slipped away once more. But her sigh and frown only lasted for an instant: the things he had told her...it was alot to take in, she supposed. There would be ample time to muse on all of that later - for now, she had spent enough business time on Snaveling.

But despite the notable absence of one man, the appearance of another caught Aman's attention, but for no real reason that she could determine: a man of fairly average build, seated with her back to her, but with light, blonde streaked hair that spoke of Rohan, one of Aman's own land. Something about the way he was speaking, the tilt of his head as he inclined it to the dwarf seated opposite him, seemed oddly familiar to Aman, but she couldn't quite place why. Still, the evening was young: she ws sure to be able to wangle some excuse to check over his face before the night was out. For now, there were other matters to deal with: business as usual.

Striding over to the bar, Aman smiled warmly at the elf who she had exchanged a smile with a moment earlier and slipped behind the bar, stowing her rag behind it. Taking the man's now redundant and empty glass, she re-filled it and slid it across the bar back to him. "Good evening, sir, how can I help you?"

The elf gave a quick, slightly nervous laugh, raising his glass. "You already did - thank you. Could I get a room for the night, please?"

"Of course." The Innkeeper took the logbook from underneath the bar and pointed out where the man should sign for the night, firstly in whichever language he preferred and secondly in the Common Tongue - although Aman was a dapper hand at Quenya and fairly proficient at Silvan, it was easier to keep a common denominator in which all names were signed: it became somewhat wearing trying to decipher dwarvish runes when a customer tried to duck payment.

Aman's eyes flickered once more to the blond man, biting her lip as the familiarity of his mannerisms tugged at the edge of her mind. Why was he so familiar?! The new customer cleared his throat quietly and, startled, Aman looked back down to his face, then at the logbook, trying to decipher the angular, upside down elvish runes. Isilmë. As the elf signed off his name in the Common Tongue, Aman turned the logbook back around and signed her name in the space, then grinned at Isilmë, handing him a chunky wooden key in the shape of a dragon. "Welcome to the Green Dragon, Isilmë. May I get you anything else?"

While leaning against the counter, staring out in the crowd of people sitting eating, drinking, talking someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned and noticed that Aman stood there, smiling gently towards him. He got his mug refilled with more ale and he smiled to her.

"Do you wish to have a room for the night?" Aman asked, smiling politely to him.

Isilmë nodded and thought that it would be best to have it overwith now, so it was done and he didnt have to bother anymore. He signed the logbook and was given a beautiful key, in the shape of a dragon.

Isilmë smiled back at Aman and examined the key he had been given. Interesting key indeed, he thought and put it safely away in his pocket. "Thank you, miz." He said and half-bowed, as much as he could actually, before he would hit his head in the counter. "And no thank you, I am just fine for now." Isilmë added while nodding, catching Amans gaze that slightly looked away in another direction. He looked where she did and noticed that she was staring at a man with blonde hair, standing with the back against her.

"Is everything allright, miz?" Isilmë said after a quite long time of silence between them.

"I'm fine, just fine." Aman replied quickly and looked back at Isilmë again.

Isilmë smiled and took another sip of his newly refilled ale. "So, do you have any news to tell?" Isilmë said again after a while, now finished his ale and handed Aman the mug. She put it away with a few other mugs that required dishing and then turned back to Isilmë.

"News you say?" Aman looked like she was thinking of something, and Isilmë awaited her reply. As it had been long since he last was here, he was very curious to know what had happened while he was away.

[Tevildo]

Camille stood in the kitchen of the Inn energetically scrubbing a stack of dishes in a large tub of soapy water that Ruby had provided for her. When Camille had returned to the Dragon late that afternoon, Cook had given her a list of chores for the evening and said that she could ask Ruby or Buttercup for help if she encountered any special difficulties.

So far there had been no difficulties. Camille sang softly to herself as she did her chores, all the while reflecting on the events that had happened earlier that day. She had thanked Mithalwen for her offer of help and said that she would be most grateful if the Elf could assist in bringing her brother Rory up to the Dragon later that evening. Camille was actually delighted with this idea. If Mithalwen carried Rory, not only would this make it easier for Falco, but it would give her mother and Falco additional time to talk by themselves, which is just what Camille had hoped would happen. Perhaps Falco would even take her mother gently by the arm and guide her down the muddy path to be certain that she did not slip.

With everything settled so nicely, Camille had scurried off to her mother's burrow and explained what was happening, leaving out the parts about the dress in the bag or how she hoped that her Ma would get along nicely with Mister Falco. Hearing what was to happen, her mother had done some quick stitching and cutting so that her own spare dress would fit Camille. "Can't have you starting work at the Inn looking like a hooligan, can we now?" Her mother had listened with interest when Camille told her what was to happen later that evening and had laughed with approval, "Such a resourceful young lass! Doing a bit of laundry for a guest at the Inn is a good idea. Yes, if one of your friends can help Rory, we'll wait for them to come here and then walk together to the Inn for a little dinner. An evening out would be a rare treat." With the assurance that Rory and her mother would be joining her at the Dragon, Camille had trotted back to the Inn and reported to Cook for work.

Just as she finished scrubbing and rinsing the last of the dishes and platters, Buttercup hurried in and handed Camille a large sack of carrots and onions and another of mushrooms with instructions to clean and pare them. "Cook already has a stew simmering," Buttercup explained, "but it looks as if we're in for a big crowd tonight. We'll need an extra mushroom pie or two, and a pot of carrots cooked in butter. Just work on these vegetables and give them to Cook as soon as you finish." Camille immediately set to work with the cleaning and chopping, while keeping one eye on the Common Room to see when her mother and brother would arrive.

[piosenniel]

Sharya finds herself helping out . . .

‘Ms Bunce, I was wondering, if you had anything that I could help with, for perhaps a meal or two . . .’

The words had come out of the woman’s mouth in such a rush and tumble that Cook almost asked her to repeat herself. Instead, she just said, ‘Slow down, Miss! These old ears can’t listen as quickly as your tongue can wag!’ Cook looked the woman up and down, and decided she looked able enough. She directed her over to where Camille was just starting to clean off the carrots and mushrooms that Buttercup had brought in.

‘You can help Camille, here, get the carrots chopped in nice thick rounds and put into this big pot to be set to boil.’ Cook took down one of the mid sized kettles and put it on the table. ‘Now mind you don’t boil them to mush. They need to have some gumption left in them when we serve them with butter.’ Next, she showed them the seven big pie plates she had lined with pastry. ‘I’ll be wanting the mushrooms and onions sliced thin and layered in the pie pans . . . heaped up just a bit above the rims. Once you’re done, I’ll dot them with butter, put the top crust on and pop them in the oven.’

She got out some large cutting boards and knives for Camille and Sharya and giving Sharya an apron to put on, bade them hop to it.

[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?"

[Maeggaladiel]

Eleniel laughed as Arrow wagged his tail.

"Oh no," she said. "I don't think he'd mind that at all."

She looked at Alameth for a moment, considering something.

"I suppose I COULD use some extra help," she mused to herself. She paused a moment to consider what this could mean. It would be nice to have someone to talk to who could actually answer. Alameth had already proven that she was capable of traveling long distances on her own, so Eleniel didn't need to worry about anything like that.

"Do you have a horse in the stables?" Eleniel asked. Since Alameth was from Rohan, Eleniel could assume that she had some experience with horses. That could be useful. "If not, do you know how to ride or saddle one?"

[elronds_daughter]

“Yes,” Alameth said. “I have a horse. He’s in the stables.”

She thought about what travelling with Eleniel might be like. She would have someone to talk to; she would certainly learn new things, see new places. Who knew? This would probably be a good experience for her. Being only nineteen had its limitations. It would be good to get to know someone older and wiser.

When she had left Rohan, Alameth had not been entirely sure of herself. This time she was. She would learn everything she possibly could while travelling with Eleniel, and try to be a help to her.

[Maeggaladiel]

"Well then," said Eleniel, rubbing her palms together. "I don't see any reason why you couldn't join us when we leave the Green Dragon. I warn you, however, that I don't intend to leave right away; I have some business to take care of here. Does that bother you?"

She rose from her chair and walked over to the bar, refilling her mug.

"Are you hungry, Alameth?" she asked. "I happen to know that the Green Dragon has an excellent cook."

On her return to the table, Eleniel cast a questioning glance at her elven companions, who had remained uncharacteristically silent during her exchange with Alameth.

[elronds_daughter]

"Yes," Alameth said to Eleniel. "I am a little hungry." Her stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn't had anything to eat since that morning.

"I don’t mind if you don’t move on right away," she continued. "I hadn’t considered staying, but I don’t mind." She saw Eleniel give a pointed look to the Elves at the table. They had been rather quiet. She wondered if that was normal for them.

Alameth looked at them too. "Now," she said, "that I’ve told you as much about myself as I can briefly, won’t you tell me about yourselves?"

[Maeggaladiel]

Eleniel brought Alameth some lunch and sat down beside her.

"How rude of me," she said. "I've barely introduced myself. Well, as I've told you before, I own a shop in Laketown called The Raven's Nest. It belongs... well, it BELONGED to my father, and he left it to me when he passed away.

"I grew up in Laketown, not far from the docks where the elves of Eryn Lasgalen come to trade. All the children used to spy on the elves, hiding behind stacks of barrels as the elves bartered with the humans for wine and other goods. We thought they were magical. I suppose those days sparked my desire to travel, to see the realms where elves lived in their forest palaces and the plains where the Rohirrim rode on their mighty horses.

"When my father bought the shop, he would go out searching for merchandise while my mother and I ran the storefront, along with a young man my father hired. That was many years ago, when I was very young and my mother was still alive. She taught me how to sell things and how to do math for inventory and sales.

"She died a few winters later of sickness. Her last gift to me was Arrow here." She paused, looking fondly down at the silver dog searching for crumbs under the table. She sombered. "He was a birthday present. Somehow I think she knew she was going to die. She told me that he was to be my dearest friend and would watch over me when she could not." She scratched his pointed ears.

"Then it was just me and father. He would go searching for goods, leaving me alone with the shop. It hurt to be there by myself; I was constantly turning around, expecting my mother to be standing at the counter with a smile on her face. Finaly, after much begging and pleading, father let me come with him on his travels. After that, I just knew that I was meant to be on the road. I loved it; there was always something new to see or learn, every day was an adventure. From that year forward, father let me come with him, teaching me how to aquire merchandise and survive on the road. I've been travelling ever since."

She smiled.

"Is there anything else you'd like to know?" she asked. It felt good to be talking to someone who could respond. Arrow was her dearest friend, but 'woof' isn't much of a conversation.