An Adventure of Hobbit Proportions RPG

[Thinlómien]

It was a dark night. It was all black and rainy outside, but it was pleasantly warm and light inside the kitchen. Two hobbit women were in the room, the older one stirring a stew in a small pot, the younger one chopping vegetables. She sat at the small kitchen table, head bent. It was difficult to see in the candlelight, especially with her shortsighted eyes, and if you asked Tansy Bogswort, there was only one proper way of chopping carrots and it was a precise one.

Maylily Bogsworth yawned. "Mum, you need not stay up any longer. I'm sure Bella is coming soon, but I can look after the stew and you can go to sleep. I'm sure she won't think any worse of you if you go to sleep and are not here to welcome her", Tansy said, "besides, Dad, Grandma Daphne and Fred are all already asleep."

"Are you sure you can manage?" the old woman asked, her brow furrowing so that it looked even more creased. "Of course, Mum", Tansy said, suppressing a sigh.

Maylily looked at her daughter. "Don't ruin my mushroom stew", she warned, "making a mushroom stew is a delicate art. Good night."

"Good night, Mum", Tansy said. She watched her mother walk slowly away and realised her steps were stiffer than they had been. There was hardly no brown left in Maylily's once chestnut hair. Tansy shook her head. It was no good.

Tansy chopped rest of the vegetables. She wondered if Bunny had something special in her mind. Her letter had sounded even more enthusiastic than usual and also somewhat... mysterious. Tansy was aware of a small smile creeping to her face. She was glad to see her young friend again.

She put the chopped vegetables in a bowl and started frying bacon. She hoped Bunny would come soon, for otherwise she wouldn't know what to do with the bacon. As soon as the thought had entered her head, she heard a loud squeal from the door. She recognised the voice instantly and hurried to open the door.

"Well 'Ello Miss Tansy! I've made it at last. No worse for the wear I should say. Are those mushrooms I smell?" Bunny said, a wide grin on her face and her clothes all wet and muddy.

"They are", Tansy replied, laughing, "but do come in, it's no use standing in the rain." She did need to say it twice, for Bunny was in before she had even finished the sentence. Tansy closed the door after her friend. "Now how on earth did you manage to get yourself look like that?" she asked with a grin.

[Valier]

Valier's post

Bunny stood trying not to drip mud on the floor, while attempting to pull her soaked cloak from her back. "Well I think I should save my story till I'm a little more dry" Bunny stated with a small giggle. "Do you have extra clothing I could borrow?" Bunny placed her sack and wet belongings by the front door while Tansy scurried off to find her some clothing and draw a bath. Bunny wiped her face on her sleeve and looked around. The small dwelling was quiet and warm. Everyone had gone to bed, just like Bunny hoped. She wanted to have a few minutes to talk with Tansy with no one around.

After washing, (with minimal splashing) and putting on Tansy's dry night clothes, Bunny came into the kitchen, where Tansy was making tea and ladling out a bowl of delicious smelling stew. "Tansy that smells just delicious!! I'm just starved! And you've made tea!! you read my mind, I swear it!! If I had not taken my little tumble, I would have arrived a little earlier and a lot more presentable. Sorry to keep you waiting, I hope you didn't worry too much." Bunny gobbled down her bowl, barely looking up and plunged into another before she slowed to ask Tansy the most important question.

"Tansy dear you do still want to come with me.....don't you? I really think we can do it, I know it may seem like a fools journey, but what else do we have to do? I long to see what my eyes have never seen, I long to do something!!..... To be known far and wide, as the brave traveller Bella Took who found the lost Entwives....Please say you feel the same? I ...well, I want you to come so badly... please say you'll come." Bunny stated in one last lame attempt to convince Tansy to come and to even convince herself a little, that she was doing the right thing and was not acting like a foolhardy Hobbit Lass. Bunny slurped some stew from her spoon and shyly gazed at Tansy, fearing the worst.. a trip to glory on her own.


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Thinlómien's post

"Tansy dear you do still want to come with me.....don't you? I really think we can do it, I know it may seem like a fools journey, but what else do we have to do? I long to see what my eyes have never seen, I long to do something!!..... To be known far and wide, as the brave traveller Bella Took who found the lost Entwives....Please say you feel the same? I ...well, I want you to come so badly... please say you'll come."

Tansy had been dreading for this question. She had first promised to come, not giving much thought to anything. Just as if I still was on my tweens, she thought dryly. The truth was, she was not sure if she could leave her family for a long time. Both Grandma Daphne and Fred needed help in order to manage with their daily life. Tansy's mother and father were both quite old and neither of them worked at home. True, they didn't work as long hours as they once had, but they still spent hours at the inn they workes as waiters. Tansy's sister Daisy could not come to help the family, as she had little children to look after. There's only me... and if I leave for a long time with no idea when I'm coming back... Tansy suppressed a sigh. Waiters didn't earn that much and the income of the family had long depended on Tansy's needlework. Tansy knew her parents had savings, but it hurt her to even think about that they'd use them to cover for the hole in their economy caused by Tansy's selfish absence.

"Tansy?" Bunny asked nervously. Tansy looked at her. Her eyes were full of hope but there was some fear deep behind. Sometimes Bunny reminded her so much of a little, innocent child. She could not break Bunny's trust, nor her own promise.

"Of course I'm coming", she said and hoped Bunny did not notice that her smile was a bit forced. Tansy took a sip from her teacup. She had chosen an old flavour she seldom used: a rich, black tea with the flavour of blackcurrant and cardamom. The taste reminded her of her and Daisy's visit to the Southfarthing so long time ago. They had eaten Mrs Bolger's blackcurrants and got the angry old widow chasing them around her garden with a broom in her hands. She couldn't help smiling... How they had been young and carefree back then, and how they had traveled in the woods and fields, avoiding settlement, because they had thought everybody would know that they had stolen the blackcurrants and beat them with broomsticks.

"What are you smiling at?" Bunny asked, sounding curious.
"Recalling an old adventure", Tansy replied. She took another sip of tea and then told her friend the history of the balckcurrant thievery. Bunny seemed to find the idea of an angry old woman chasing Tansy and trying to hit her with a broomstick incredibly funny.

When they had finished the dinner, Tansy showed Bunny to Daisy's old room that nowadays served as a guestroom. They wished each other good night and Tansy lumbered to her own room.

It took a long time for her to fall asleep. She wondered what her parents would say of her adventure and how would they manage without her. She wondered if she had to refuse Bunny's invitation after all. She worried how Bunny would take the news. She would not want to disappoint her. Nor herself, for wasn't she really expecting this adventure? Possible, but she was definitely not expecting leaving her family all alone for days, weeks, possibly months.

But when Tansy finally fell asleep, she didn't dream of Grandma Daphne and Fred at home alone, trying to manage, nor about her parents working day and night in order to get money for food. She dreamed of a long, untrodden road before her feet, of unknown woods and fields, of good company and of new challenges - of an adventure.

[Gwathagor]

Brown woke with dew on his face and the sun in his eyes.

He had slept that night at the base of a gnarled pine tree. The tree's wide, spreading branches had sheltered him from the drizzling rain that had continued to fall periodically during the night; only his feet had stuck out from beneath his blanket and from beneath the pine tree's branches, and they were now wet. Brown half-heartedly cursed the rain, the tree, and his wet feet, then sat up. For a moment he sat blinking and rubbing his eyes. He shook his head.

The fragrant pine woods in which he had spent his night were on the western shore of the Brandywine River, which he hoped to cross that day. But not before breakfast, he thought, and reached for his knapsack. Within an hour, he was sitting on a pile of pine needles before a small, hot fire underneath the canopy of the tall pine trees. The pine needles he had carefully cleared away from his fire pit, and as he sat and his feet dried, he chopped a tomato, a potato, a sausage, and a clove of garlic into a small pan. He threw in an enormous piece of butter and set the pan atop three rocks he had positioned in the center of the fire. While the simple, sturdy meal sizzled, Brown packed up his various possessions and prepared to move along. He had packed very light (for a hobbit). Other than the clothes he was wearing, he had his knapsack (which contained food, a spare shirt, and basic cooking gear), a walking stick made of hard maple wood, and his leather sling, which he carried at his belt.

In addition to this, he had with him a very old knife of curious workmanship. He had come upon the old thing while hiking in the North Farthing, where he had found it rusting in a field. Hours of polishing had removed the dirt and rust, revealing a broad, shiny, leaf-shaped blade which was pock-marked, but as sharp as the day it had been forged. Set in the hilt was a very small gem of the deepest blue he had ever seen. This had surprised him, but it had proved a useful tool or weapon in countless situations since, and had saved his life more than once. In dark forests, or on ancient hill-tops, the beautiful, ancient knife seemed to Brown to reflect a light that was deeper and older than the trees and the hills. When he drew the blade, he could feel himself join the ranks of mysterious warriors and wanderers and princes who had drawn the blade before him.

That is an extremely unhobbitlike idea, he thought to himself as he carefully strapped the knife to his knapsack, and sat down to eat. It's only a knife, and I am only a hobbit.

When he had finished his breakfast, he threw dirt on his fire and shouldered his pack. He would wash his pan in the river, so he carried that in his left hand, while he took his staff in his right, and then trotted down towards the Brandywine, leaving the piney hill behind him. A quarter mile downstream he found a fallen tree, which he ran across to the other side. He did not love water (particularly deep rivers, like this one), but it did not bother him as much as it did most hobbits. He had fallen in enough rivers during his countless rambles through the wildest parts of the Shire that it no longer held particular fear for him. On the eastern bank he paused to wash his frying pan and collect stones for his sling. If he was quiet, he might be able to bring a few quail to Fred, Tansy, and their family. The fat Shire quail made good eating, and that way he would not be completely imposing on their hospitality. He was, after all, unexpected.

When he had gathered ten good stones, he climbed to the top of the high river bank and then checked the sun. He was not sure of his exact position, but he had a good head for directions, and had wandered through these woods plenty of times while visiting extended family as a young hobbit-lad. If he made good time, he would be at Fred and Tansy's home by tea at the latest. Feeling well-fed and content, he climbed a stile over the hedgerow which marked the boundary of a farm, and headed towards a distant patch of forest, skirting around a newly planted field as he did so. The field was still soft from previous day's rain, but the sun shone warm over the tree tops. In the distance, smoke rose straight up from the farmer's cottage.

"No wind," he remarked. "It looks to be a good day. For walking, at any rate."

[littlemanpoet]

Gaffer Hugo was a happy hobbit in the main. He liked having enough coin - which he did - to be able to do what he wished. He liked having a nice little cart and old Mosy, his pony, to pull it, as often as not wherever Mosy's nose chose to take it. When he retired, he had sold his big drover's cart for something more manageable, and was quite pleased with his new one. He had it painted bright green. It was still big enough to do an odd job now and then for a grocer or butcher who needed something taken to one of the inns.

Gaffer Hugo liked it, too, that Snatch sat right next to him on the cart's big bench most of the time. Snatch was three years old, a true bred North Farthing Tunnel Dog, which meant he was small as dogs go; it also meant that his body was strong and he could jump very high for his size. His fur was short and bristly, his snout strong, his ears short and pendant, his eyes bright as sunshine in a pond. His bark was loud and brisk and high pitched, and he used it often whether in greeting or chasing game. True to his breed, Snatch chased game into their burrows, and had a nack for snatching them when they thought they was safe; and so his name.

Gaffer Hugo was not in his cart, but in the home of his grandson Rudy. It was a fine house Rudy owned, for house it was instead of a hole - these Bucklanders were strange, even when they were Hugo's own kin. It felt a little odd to sleep above ground, Hugo thought, but it was all right. Hugo had just got up from a good night's sleep. After stretching and cracking and rubbing his old achy knees and toes and fingers, he let Snatch out for a morning romp; he checked in on Mosy, who was doing fine, for Rudy kept a fine stable too. Hugo went back inside where he could smell the rashers of bacon and the eggs and cakes on the griddle. He sighed with delight and patted his tummy in anticipation. Mira could cook a fine breakfast.

"Good morning, Mira! It smells wunnerful in here!"

[Finduilas]

The rain of yesterday and last night had left the field wet and bright green. As Mira got ready for the day, she kept looking out through her round window into the garden that bordered the hobbit dwelling. The air was fresh, and Mira was happy.

As Mira started to the kitchen to prepare breakfast, she whistled, but stopped abruptly when she remember father didn’t like whistling. “Oh well,” she thought, “I’ll just get out sometime today, and whistle as much as I like.”

Mira was wanted to talk to somebody, but neither Gaffer Hugo, nor Rudy were around, though Mira knew they were both up.

“I want to see someone today. Maybe... I haven't seen Tansy in several months. I wonder if Gaffer Hugo would mind taking me.” She thought, deciding to ask him when she saw him. By this time Mira had gotten griddle cakes frying, the bacon beginning to crisp, and was starting to cook the eggs.

Mira wasn't too surprised when she saw Hugo at the door, who greeted her with a, “Good morning, Mira! It smells wunnerful in here.”

She turned around smiling, “Why thank you. And good morning to you. Did you sleep well?” When he answered in the affirmative, she continued, “Oh, can you take me to Brandy Hall to visit Tansy? I haven't seen her for so long!”

[Boromir88]

Rudy liked the rain. He never understood why everyone else seemed to hate it. Rain was refreshing, the drip-drip-drip on the rooftop was quite relaxing, and it was cooling. In fact, as long as it wasn't ice cold rain, Rudy could not think of a reason to dislike rain.

Rudy woke up to the fine smell of bacon cooking. He loved bacon too; it was his favorite. His younger sister, Mira, always was a great cook. That was a good thing, because Rudy never was much of a cook. He knew how to cook eggs, but that was about it. Before Rudy found out there was another cook in the family (his mother, Rosemary, was another good one) he was forced to make his own meals. Eggs are tasty, but when you have to eat them two or three times a day, they lose their appeal. Rudy tried to make bacon once, but that didn't turn out so great. Two of the pieces were still raw and had a rubbery texture. The other two pieces were charred and tasted like ear wax.

Mira made great bacon; she really made great everything, but bacon was Rudy's favorite. It has been a while since Rudy has had any. The last time Mira made bacon she ended up asking Rudy if she could cross the Brandywine and go all the way out to Woodhall to see some friends. That was a little over three months ago. At times Rudy felt bad for Mira, how she is couped up at their house in Crickhollow. She has to get out, and be on her own, eventually...right? No, she's still far too young. What really made Rudy say yes was the bacon. By now Mira definitely knew how to get a "yes" out of Rudy. There really is no harm in travelling through The Shire...is there? As long as she never asks to go parading though the Old Forest; no amount of bacon will get him to say "yes" to that.

Then it suddenly hit Rudy: 'Oh no...the bacon...what does she want this time?' Rudy didn't bother changing out of the clothes he slept in. He went racing out of his room, but stopped when he saw Gaffer Hugo in the kitchen with Mira.

“Oh, can you take me to Brandy Hall to visit Tansy? I haven't seen her for so long!”

"What's this!" Rudy exclaimed. "Brandy Hall? Visiting Tansy? How can you ask such a thing from the Gaffer? Mira you should know better. You will have to excuse her, Gaffer, sometimes she forgets her manners."

[littlemanpoet]

"Manners?" Hugo retorted. "I've seen worse manners in a Sackville Baggins!" He patted his vest pockets. "Now what have I done with my right off the plant corn cob pipe?" He looked from side to side in the kitchen as if his pipe would somehow be seen other than where he had placed it (which was beside his bed).

"Anyways, I'd like to see Brandy Hall myself. I'll take you, Mira! And Rudy, why don't you come too? We can make a holiday out of it! ... soon as I find my pipe. Mmm! Smell that bacon!"

With that, Hugo seemed to forget all about his pipe and pulled a chair from the table, took a big hand towel and tucked it under his chin, and picked up fork and knife in eager anticipation.