S1E0: Introductions are in Order

Third Age 2951  is the year of the Sun of the Third Age of Middle-earth.

Notable events in this year include:

·    Sauron declares himself openly and gathers power in Mordor. He begins the rebuilding of Barad-dûr.

·    The remaining Gondorians of Ithilien start to flee.

·    Gollum turns towards Mordor.

·    Sauron sends Khamûl and other two of the Nazgûl to reoccupy Dol Guldur.

·    Birth of Heribald Bolger, second child and second son of Wilibald Bolger and Prisca Baggins.

·    Elrond reveals to Aragorn his true name and ancestry; Aragorn meets Arwen in Rivendell; and Aragorn goes into the Wild.

 

Otbert (Bill) Beorning Wanderer	Chieftain Beorn insisted he travel with the Woodsman Ricfried “to solidify allies. They protect our southern border.” Over the months Otbert found trust and confidence in the man.
Zim (Tony) Hobbit Treasure Hunter	Befriended Axel when the Rohan was kind enough not to sever his hand caught in the Rohan’s pocket.
Ricfried (Brian) Woodsman Warden	Had counseled with Radagast-the-Brown and thus introduced to the Beornings. Joined Otbert journeying across the Misty Mountains to Bree. They learned to work together exploring the Ettenmoors and beyond.
Lorig (Matt) Dwarven Scholar	Came upon the elf Mud being assaulted by a pack of wolves. After driving off the pack, Mud healed his wounds. They traveled together to Bree.
Mud (Duane) Wood Elf Wanderer	Happened upon the dwarf from the Lonely Mts attempting to cross thru Mirkwoods. Pack of wolves; could have been worse. MUCH worse in those woods! They’ve traveled together since.
Axel (Geoff) Rohanian Warrior	Traveled up the Greenway to Bree where he met Zim hunting treasure in pockets not his own. Took mercy and now regretting his kindness.

 

Prancing Pony Inn

Barnabas and Hilda

 

Otbert finished brushing the Rohan’s horse ‘Stedrick’ per his rooming arrangements (brush and muck to sleep in the stalls). Upon entering the Prancing Pony he noticed the Rohan Axel and Hobbit Zim already at his corner table. As he approached, he teased Axel, "Word to the wise…hold tight that bag of gems. I hear tell there is a little fella running around collecting anything loose. He calls it treasure hunting, I call it ‘get your damn hand out of my pocket!’" Zim remembered the incident from last month, "I found it.  He must have dropped it.  It looked really valuable and sentimental, like a gift from his father or something.  I was just trying to return it so that he wouldn't be embarrassed about misplacing it." As Otbert rounded the table to sit with his back against the wall, he noticed the hobbit cleaning his fingernails with a claw-handled dagger. He checked his empty belt sheath, “When did you…how did you…what are you doing with my dagger?!” Zim spoke the obvious, “Duh, I’m cleaning my hands before breakfasties.” Hilda the barmaid arrived with a platter of hotcakes chuckling, “I still say you’ve all escaped from a traveling circus. All you’re missing is the bearded lady.”

 

And that’s when the dwarf Lorig arrived, “Who you calling a lady? And where’s my ale? And where the hell is that long-eared elf Mud I’m supposed to meet?” This had become a morning ritual Hilda was well aware as she already had extra platters delivered. “If you weren’t so loud, you would have heard him enter behind you.” Mud was already seated and forking some cakes as Lorig looked over his shoulders when Mud spoke from the table, “You best sit and eat dwarf before the little one devours all the cakes.” And that’s when Ricfried the Woodsman finally stepped from the bar to take his seat at the table, “How kind of you to leave me the best seat in the house. Back to the door but closest to the action. Now if you’d only been quieter, I could have heard more of the town rumors. Tell me Rohan, should we be concerned about the increase of men from the south seen in and around Bree? The locals also gossip about Timeas Heatherton who died a week ago. His nephew Tomas did not attend the funeral and most shocking of all was found ransacking the deceased home. Guess he figured he’d better beat the hobbit to the treasure.”

 

CHARACTER INFO

 

Checkout the home-page link to ‘PC’ (left column or under Eriador map) to find images and backgrounds for each player.