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Sam looks queasy, despite the victory. Fire and screaming in the pass below echoed memories of Mount Doom, and the plummeting Gollum. He distracts himself from gloomy thoughts by busying himself with the prisoners. He double checks the knots, and makes sure that they are all thoroughly disarmed. If any of the orcs are inclined to talk, he will engage them. "We're decent folk, an' you kin expect to be treated a fair sight better than if you'd dish out. Once all this bother is settled, we'll see you to the border, and set you on your way."

Seeing the White Hand, and remembering the tales he heard from Merry and Pippin, he prods, "Yer wizard's dead, ain't he? Sold his power t' Mordor? Fell t' Gandalf the White?"

Saruman's not dead, Merry speaks softly with some dread, Gandalf said he was powerless.

Emotions swell as memories of the last year of events plays out in the heroes minds and hearts, far too soon after their rousing victory over this new enemy. Pippin and Merry recall the horrors they witnessed at Isengard, the white hand of Saruman was ever present there. Merry remembers Gandalfs warning as they parted ways. The once wise white wizard did harbor hatred and revenge in his thoughts when he was banished and cast out of Orthanc.

Pip and Sam try questioning the halforc prisoners but get only laughs when asked about serving Saruman. Powerless? Ha!!! Shire rat essence is doing him wonders! Thoroughly embarrassed about their current situation, they don't seem very willing to converse with their much smaller captives. Sam's comments only bring out more laughter so he tightens their knots a little more. Hob stashes a few of the dangerous grenades on his person and thinks of ways to use the prisoners as one giant meat shield.

Frodo looks upon all of the devastation in his usual somber silence as Cotton continues to rally and inspire, now prompting the groups next move, a march on Bag End.

"...Saruman..." Pippin says in fear and disbelief.

Farmer Cotton's impassioned rallying cry snaps him out of it. He nods in agreement and looks to Merry and the others to see if they agree as well.

Farmer Cotton Picken Tom

Pokes Pippin in the side and whispers. "What are you waiting for? Blow that damn horn and lets get this march started right; like a good proper army on the move!" He winks a bit and steps away.

Pippin, fool of a Took:

"We might stand a better chance approaching Bag End holding pails of black goo and pretending to be their hobbit thralls," replies the young hobbit. "Walk right inside their defenses and take them by surprise!"


Fyi, the horn increases morale in battle. Everyone's morale is pretty high right now.

It's my horn you'll be wanting to hear, Cotton, Merry smiles, And I agree. All Shire folk should be included in this march. He boldly pulls his Horn of the Roherim and blows heartily. On the horn, not Pippin.

Did I REALLY say that???

Samwise calls out to some of the locals to run and spread the word: and army of hobbits has sacked the mill, killed an ogre, and taken a company of orcs hostage.

"Folks'll be a lot more eager to come out and back a winning team. Tell them grab their pitchforks, pack a picnic, and join us on the road to Bag's End. There'll be fireworks aplenty when we get there!"

To Pippin, he says, "I like the idea of trying to pass through all sneaky-like, but I'd rather have numbers on our side."

"We can have both, Sam!" replied Pippin.
"There's a line of hobbit thralls carrying pails of black goo to Bag End. If our army replaces them, bearing pails and blank stares, we'll all march in unnoticed!
"It also prevents a disruption in the goop line that may alert... Saruman...," his voice trailed off with a shudder.

No longer confined by the tall walls of the roadway, Merry blows a long, hard note on his Horn of the Rohirrum. The sound is extremely powerful and lifts up the spirits of those around him even further. The horn blast rings out across the Shire, perking up the heads of hobbits all around the Bywater area. Soon even more people come to see what the fuss is about, gladly joining up with the ranks of the hobbit army. Pitchforks and hoes are raised and clanked together as more folk keep wandering in from the outlying farms and villages.

Sam joins in with Farmer Cotton, trying to rouse even more ire out of the tormented shirelings. A large group eventually begins to form, all of them shouting out about joining in with the march on Bag End. The army soon nears 100 angry hobbits bent on revenge. Frodo gets concerned that this many upset hobbits might be too hard to keep from going on a killing spree so he reminds everyone that no killing of fellow hobbits will be permitted.

Pippin continues to suggest that everyone grab pails of the black oil and pretend that they are like the mindless hobbits that the group saw earlier. 200 pails might be a hard order to come by but the young captain’s enthusiasm is not to be denied. More plans are devised as the group prepares to head off to the hill on Bag Shot Row.

Hob considers the bucket supply. What if just the first few ranks carried them? We'd have enough buckets for that and it would still likely get the job done enough to get us inside.

Sam: "Right, then. Here we go! To Bag's End! To beard a wizard in his den!"

He hefts a bucket in each hand and gets ready to march, adding, "Well, in Mister Frodo's den."

Farmer Cotton

Chuckles at Bradybuck. "Alright then!" Looking over to Pippin. "Fair enough. Let's carry what we can up front and see if it comes in handy. Best be careful though, we dont want to burn down the shire in the process of saving it!" That said he thumps his pitchfork on the ground and starts forward.

whisper soft: Or do we?

Pippin gathers up goop pails and begins to shamble down the road to Bag End again with a vacant expression on his face, not unlike the one he often wears.

Merry does likewise, eyes as vacant as possible, with but a hint of orneriness. Im-Ho-Tep, Im-Ho-Tep... He begins chanting in a low tone before breaking into giggles.

The group sets out straight away for Bag End. The heroes and about a dozen other stout hobbits take up the lead, carrying pails of the black oil just as they saw the mindless hobbits doing earlier. Once again they find no resistance whatsoever on the road there. In fact, they don't even see another soul along the trail. It is almost as if this part of the shire has been evacuated or abandoned.

Upon nearing their final destination, the returning hobbits are once again completely devastated by what they see. This whole area was once as beautiful as any part of the Shire could be. Now it is in total ruin. The trees that once lined the road have all been chopped down and left to rot where they fell. The buildings and houses have all been razed to the ground or burnt down. The whole place reeks of smoke and soot. Smoke rises from every direction and small fires can be seen still burning in several areas.

Finally reaching Bag Shot Row, the silent Frodo and his buddy Samwise are nearly in tears. Most of the sandy hill that the row was situated on has been flattened and destroyed. Now the only hobbit hole still intact is Bag End. Frodo is saddened at the sight of all of his old neighbors holes, including Sam's old Gaffer's, that have been completely wiped away.

Small fires are burning everywhere in the fields around the area and every now and then a mindless hobbit can be seen dumping a pail of goo or a bail of pipeweed into two large holes in the ground. The army of hobbits that has followed you this far rushes forward out into the open fields. They run around stomping out the small fires, trying to save what little green still remains in this area.

The only visible door that is still intact leads into Frodo's former home. Your leader remains speechless as he looks at you all with tears in his eyes.

Pippin drops his pails in astonishment. He stares at the dreadful sight; wide-eyed, slack-jawed and stunned.

Sam chokes up as he remembers better days, trimming shrubs and planting trees around Bag's End: Wiping tears from his face, he pulls himself together and confers with the others. "I don't see guards 'r sentries or any such a thing. I reckon whoever's in there ain't worried about being interrupted. That gives us time to figure out how we're going to approach this."

Are the two dump-holes on the Hill? Do they lead into Bag's End?
Are there other entrances into the Baggins residence? If the doors are not intact, what sort of shape are they in? Windows?
How many mindless hobbits are about the place?
Is exhaust smoke coming out of anywhere from Bag's End?

Frodo stands silently and shakes his head to try to clear it. Its as if he can't believe his eyes.