Arriving at the Unfamiliar Gates

[OGRE MAGE]

Awesome! Thank you Pulpatoon for this fantastically fitting header.

[OGRE MAGE]

The Scouring of the Shire

Battle of Bywater 1419

Despite the fall of Mordor, things were not well in the Shire when the hobbits returned to their homes. Sharky and his men had the place all tore up and the frightened shirelings needed help badly. The fellowship of four arrive at the Brandywine bridge on the borders of the Shire to find the place a lot less hospitable than they remember......

[OGRE MAGE]

Ok, let's get this thing rolling!


Frodo, Sam, Pippin, and Merry have just returned from saving Middle Earth. They obviously know everything that has happened to them over the last year, but they know nothing of the recent happenings in the Shire.

Likewise, Hob Hayward knows nothing of the heroes adventures, but knows almost everything about the current state of the rundown Shire.


Hob's eyes only:

Life has not been good in the Shire for a while now. Shortly after Frodo and company went out into the big world, things began to change in the Shire. You had heard that Lotho Baggins began to buy up property, lots of property. He bought the old mill in Bywater, just so he could tear it down. He took over Bag End and soon began running things how he wanted. He was bringing in human thugs and other bad folk to act as his muscle. This did not sit well with a lot of the local hobbits, but whenever someone complained, they got beaten down.

Rules were drawn up and curfews set, most unshirelike to say the least. Soon there was no more beer or pipeweed around for common folks. Lotho hired "gatherers" to go around the Shire, grabbing up everything they could and holing it away for themselves. Inns were closed and some of the taverns were burned to the ground. It got to the point where there were more shady men and halforcs roaming the Shire than actual Hobbits.

If a stout hobbit with enough nerve tried to put a stop to these dastardly activities in any way, they were arrested by one of the numerous sheriffs that now seemed to be popping up everywhere. Lotho kept appointing new rules and then appointing more sheriffs to make sure those rules were enforced.

Being a sheriff before all this started had its advantages, of course. Hob was given a superior position over the new lawmen and was put in charge of gate security at the Brandywine Bridge. He never really liked the job very much, and despite his position of power, still longed to have things returned to the way they once were in the Shire. He does as he is ordered by his superiors for the most part, but hates the fact that so many of his fellow hobbits seem to enjoy their powerful positions now. Pompous sheriffs picking on the lesser hobbits has become commonplace in the Shire lately and Hob is utterly disgusted that so many of his suffer because of it.


Once the characters all meet up, which will be almost immediately in the game, I will allow this knowledge to be shared freely throughout the group.

[OGRE MAGE]

This story begins much like in the books.....

The four brave hobbits had finally returned home after playing such a vital role in saving the big world from eternal darkness. They were all more than ready to get back home to their normal "small" life. They had already left Gandalf and their other friends from their former fellowship behind. Now who in the Shire is going to believe the things these four little friends had been through?

The group was finally approaching the borders of their homeland. It was already noticeable that a lot of changes had been made to the buildings in this area, and none of them were for the better. They notice far too many box shaped tar paper shacks propped up in random locations. A lot of the fields and gardens that they passed seemed ill kept as well. It is unsettling to the tired heroes, who want nothing more than a foaming mug and a full pipe at the closest empty table at the Brandywine Inn.

It was already late at night and the hobbits were soaked with rain by the time they arrived at the Brandywine bridge in Buckland. For some reason, each end of the bridge was now fortified by large, spiked, ugly iron gates that had never been there before. There is nobody around on the outside, but a few dim lights can be seen shining in the windows of the gloomy buildings beyond the gates.

[Inferno]

Pippin, fool of a Took:



"Well! I'm glad that's over!" said Pippin, blithely referring to the epic events of the War of the Ring.

"You know what I could use right now, Merry? A tankard of brown beer at the Green Dragon! And a pipe full of Old Toby!"

Then he saw the gates and his face fell.

"Hm. That's certainly unusual," he observed. The former vegetable thief used his vast repository of knowledge of farms across the countryside, and the holes in their fences that one might use to surreptitiously gain entry to the Shire.

[tkrexx]

I'll be having a pint, if it's all the same to you, my friend, yes, Merry is strutting happily even in the rain, such is his demeanor at being so close to home. The gates, however, cause him sudden concern. This is new, he monotones. This should not be here.

[OGRE MAGE]

This beautiful bridge is usually lit up at night, at least a little. Even in the rain there should be some light to see by. There is none. It is completely dark outside as the light rain continues to fall, making things even more miserable.

The gates are tall (10') and made of a strong iron. The hobbits see no way of slipping through or around. There is a smaller door built into the larger gate, but both are locked up tight. The iron spikes that adorn the tops look unpleasant, but if heeded, the gates could certainly be scaled.

There isn't a soul around and the only light you see comes from the window of what must be a makeshift guard shack on the other side of the bridge.

[Inferno]

Pippin, fool of a Took:

This should not be here.

"No. It most certainly should not be here at all," Pippin sagely concurs. This wasn't the heroes' welcome he was expecting. Peregrin Took was going to get to the bottom of this!

"YOO HOO! Hello?! Is anyone there?" he called to the makeshift guardshack.

[Pulpatoon]

Samwise Gamgee huffs and throws a hand towards the bridge. "And who'd put a fool thing like that?

"'Ere, take a rest, Mr. Frodo. We'll have a look about."

Gesturing to Pippin and Merry, Sam rattles the gate to see if it is securely fastened, and checks to see if it appears climbable. Then he looks down the banks to the river and says to the other hobbits, "I don't know. You reckon we could swim it?"

[OGRE MAGE]

After Sam's rattling and Pippin's helloing, a hobbit sized body is seen stirring off in the darkness. He was leaning up against the far side of one building but now steps out into the drizzle. He clears his throat roughly and shouts at you from the other side of the inner gate.

Aw right! Who's it then?
Piss off with you!
Ye can't enter.

No admittance between sundown and sunrise!

Can't ye idiots read?

Not allowing folks into the Shire is unheard of, nighttime or otherwise. Especially hobbits!

[greyarea]

Frodo looks at the dark form. This is our home, kind sir, for more generations than you can count. Bag End is calling us. Let us pass.

[Pulpatoon]

Sam: "What sort of nonsense is this? Since when does the Brandywine need locked gates and guards? Who'd think this was a good idea? Shoo, who'd pay for such a foolish notion? Ain't like hobbits to throw money away on contrivances."

[tkrexx]

Who is that? Merry hardens his eyes to see thru the darkness. Who are you? He demands.

[coil23]

Hob stirs from his comfortable chair at the ruckus outside. So this sheriff's idea of dealing with the noise is to make even more? Too damn officious, especially with me about to take a nap. He'll shake this like a terrier for the next hour if left to it. Shaking his head he rouses himself and puts on a face of authority. Not trying too hard, mind you, since no one will be able to see his boredom and rolling eyes in the darkness. He walks outside and speaks softly to the other sheriff. Why don't you go inside and get out of this rain for a bit. I'll handle this. There's some ale too- help yourself.

He walks to be able to see the far side of the bridge to see what is what but waits until the ructious little runt goes inside before he hails across the bridge. Good evening to you. No admittance at night by order of the Chief. Find someplace to get out of the rain and come back in the morning. Gates'll be open then.

[Inferno]

"Read?" repeated Pippin. Then, softly: "We can read!"
The hobbit lit a match and, protecting it from the rain, glanced around for a posted sign.

When the shirriff came out, Pippin asked in naked astonishment, "The Chief? Now who would that be? Look, we just want to go home. It's cold and wet and second supper is calling us!"

[Pulpatoon]

Samwise, turning his back on the bridge, "I don't care for this one bit. But it is getting late, and I don't know as we'd be going much further anyhow. Let's get Mr. Frodo tucked away somewhere dry and warm, and maybe have a chat with some o' th' locals about all this."

[greyarea]

Frodo pleads, The someplace we want to get to to get out of the rain is on that side of the gate. Look, we're Shire-folk like you. Wet and cold from this everlasting rain and we just want to get home. Please let us through. We can work out whatever with the Chief in the morning.

The Baggins are old and numerous here in the Shire. Don't you remember the Eleventy-first Birthday Party my uncle Bilbo threw? Surely it wasn't that long ago. Look at us. We are your kin. Please let us through so we can eat and get out of these wet things.

[OGRE MAGE]

The lone squinty eyed sheriff ignores the questioning party but does as he is told by Hob and heads inside. He scoffs at Hob's obvious bribe about the ale, knowing full well that it is a lie.

Ya Right! Like we've had ale here in the last month! As Hob exits the guard shack a few of the other sheriffs follow along. Hob gets to the first gate and sees the four hobbits on the other end of the bridge. He has definitely heard of Bilbo and Frodo, and he also knows master Merry from hanging around in all of the taverns of the East Farthing.

The squinty eyed sheriff exits the guard shack with a friend once Hob's attention is turned to the others. A horn is sounded through the still of the night and then another is heard blowing a few miles away.

Pippin brings up the Green Dragon, the most famous inn in all of Bywater. Unfortunately, it is still a good 2 days journey to get there from the Brandywine bridge. But, a hobbit can dream, right? A pipe and mug at one of the other fine establishments will have to do for now. He lights a match and does indeed notice that there is a sign on the gate that reads No admittance between sundown and sunrise! This is quite preposterous!

The wet hobbits continue to plead their case, becoming perturbed by all the nonsense about rules and locked gates. On of Hob's lesser sheriffs speaks up as Hob rustles around for his keys.

Ye aint jus gonna let em in, is ya Hob? Ye heard them horns! The big men will be coming now!

Hob:

You know that it is against the rules to let the party into the Shire at night, but you really don't care about all of these damn rules. You don't see any problem with letting them sleep in the guard shack till morning. (some of your men will disagree with that, but we can role play that bit out IC)

There are dangers around and you realize that you really only have limited power here. You take your orders from a pompous "2 feather" sheriff who runs the Frogmorton area. Like a lot of the new sheriffs, because of his position, he is a little guy with a "big guy" complex. He likes to show off his power and authority whenever he can. You didn't know him before and you don't like him much now that you do.

He is the one who communicates with the "big men". You lesser sheriffs don't get to associate with the humans and halforcs. It seems like there are always a few of them around, but you don't know of any system or hierarchy that they use.

You know that 1 human and 3 of the halforc enforcers live in the next building, always ready to snuff out any trouble that might start up at the gates. They taunt you and your men constantly and without mercy. You pretty much hate them but it is unwise to stand up to them.

[tkrexx]

Merry starts at the unfamiliar horns. "Big Men," he repeats quietly. Friends, we should definitely be out of sight when these "Big Men" arrive, they may accidentally tell us a story...

[coil23]

Hob sighs heavily as he sorts through the ring to find the correct gate key. Sure as snow one of these snitches will be reporting this, just aching to get him in trouble. These damn rules. Keeping people safe was the priority in my day. Over his shoulder he says to one of the sheriffs, it's not like these are unknown folk. I recognize 'em. We'll get 'em out of the rain.

Speaking just loud enough for the hobbits across the bridge to hear, I'll let you through and you can sleep in the guard house until morning. You'll be dry if not overly comfortable.

He unlocks the near gate and then walks over to unlock the far gate and let the four through.