Arriving at the Unfamiliar Gates

[greyarea]

Oh my, exclaims Frodo, in horror. He races over to Sam to see if he's okay, but his eyes are fixed on the dead man!

[tkrexx]

The grizzled Half-Orc backs away just enough to allow Merry to notice the dying Bill Ferny. Hob, what've you done?? Now we have to... And in that instant he knows the Orc kin must also die, lest he warn others of his ilk. He bolts after the brute and strikes with all his might.

Init: [1d6] = 6
To hit: [1d20+2] = 4+2 = 6

Perhaps a mite too much might.

Pip, he can't be allowed to escape!

[Inferno]

Pippin froze. "Merry, I... I can't!"

He knew what his friend was asking him to do but the young little hobbit couldn't commit cold blooded murder. "I'm sorry."

His eyes blazed. This was crazy! The War was over. They saw Aragorn crowned King. What was happening to their beloved Shire?!?

[Pulpatoon]

Sam rubs the egg-sized lump on his head and winces "Stars an' garters!" Then he notices the shocked looks on Pippin and Frodo's faces. He follows their gaze to the gurgling Bill Ferny, and from there to Hob with his bow. "Oh dear oh dear, Mr. Frodo. We've made a right hash of it. haven't we?"

Noticing Merry chasing after the sprinting half-orc, Samwise hauls himself up and runs after his friend. "Can't let Merry run off alone in the dark!"

[coil23]

Time enough for finger pointing afterwards. Grimly he takes aim and fires at the fleeing half orc. This is bad enough without letting that fool twist the tale even more.

short bow +1 to hit [1d20+4] = 9+4 = 13, damage [1d6+1] = 2+1 = 3

[greyarea]

Frodo takes a moment, still shocked by the death, and follows Sam, his sword lighting the way.

[OGRE MAGE]

After only a little bit of suffering, Bill Ferny expires right there in the mud. The lesser sheriffs stand completely stunned at what their overseer has just done. They all gasp in unison when they see him raise his bow again.

Merry, Sam, and Frodo leap after the bullish halforc, fully prepared to cut him down. Just as they begin to gain on the brute, Hob Hayward drops him dead with another well placed arrow.

The two dead bodies lay in the muck as the rain finally begins to abate. One of the frightened hobbits finally speaks up to Hob.

Well, what the heck ja do that fer, Hob? Now we're really up the creak here! Once those other fellers tell the runners, why, the chief will have this place crawling with his long-shanked brutes in no time. Then what?

Another pipes in.

Ya, Hob. I'm ok with ya letting in folk that once lived here, even if it is after dark. But killing the chiefs big men is going too far! We're all gonna lose our positions cuz a this, ain't we?

The other 3 remaining sheriffs stay silent but can't stop staring at the dead bodies.

[Pulpatoon]

Sam, to the chorus of sheriffs: "What is going on? Since when are there gates and an' bully great brutes... and who is this "Chief?" How'd things change so much around here?"

[Inferno]

Pippin, stunned, nods mutely at Sam's words, wanting to hear the answers to all their questions.

[tkrexx]

Merry quickly looks around to see if the actions here have been noticed by others. Quickly! Get these bodies out of sight! We need get out of sight also, in the guard shack, so you can tell us what has happened here! He begins tugging at the hefty Half-Orc, trying to drag him from the bridge. Hob, retrieve your arrows. Quite nice shooting, by the way, very pretty.

[coil23]

Hob

Hob had known what this would mean when he fired but the full weight of it now caused his shoulders to sag as he looked at the two bodies. Softly, in a flat tone, they’ve been killing us, killing our spirits and our pride, killing the Shire every day. I became a sheriff to keep people safe, to protect the Shire. But we’re not doing that under the Chief. He shakes his head sadly then anger starts to rise.

Looking at the other sheriffs, I was not going to stand by while he killed these hobbits who have done nothing wrong. He points at Fenry, you know how they were, how they saw us, how they treated us. And we supported it! He stopped himself as his voice began to rise. And someone will run to tell the big folk what happened here thinking it will save their own skin. He looks at each of the others pointedly. But deep down you know better. Even the snitch with the finest tale is still just a hobbit to be abused, tormented. The snitch’s suffering will just last longer than the others’. I…I can’t stand by while our people are treated this way. Not anymore. I want the Shire we all loved. I will be a sheriff for that Shire…as of today.

[Inferno]

Pippin cried, "No, Merry! We need to get away from here as fast as we can. Into the Shire!"
In case more locked gates stood between them and home, Pippin searched the big, dead, mean, nasty Bill Ferny for a ring of keys (or whatever else he might find).

At Hob's brave words, Pippin's mouth fell open until he thought to shut it. Then he repeated, "Who... who's this Chief?"

[Pulpatoon]

Sam looks uncomfortable considering the brutal practicalities of their situation: "If we roll the bodies down into the river, it'll be a little longer 'til they're found.

"And we'd best use that time to push into the Shire as fast as we can. But we won't be settling in to Mr. Frodo's pantry, eating roast and fried taters. War ain't let us go, quite yet.

And you, Sheriff Hob, I reckon you'd do well to come with us."

[greyarea]

Frodo nods at Sam's wisdom and helps roll the bodies into the water. Then, If not Bag End, where should we go? Sting will help us avoid the orcs but we need to have a home base. Do you have a home in the Shire, Hob?

[OGRE MAGE]

Hob shakes his head in response to Frodo's question. He tries to explain his actions as best he can while a few of the hobbits help out with pushing the bodies into the Brandywine river. Pippin does find one set of keys and not much else on the halforc. The lesser sheriffs seem to agree with Hob's sentiments, but each one still seems very nervous and they all seem to look over their shoulders constantly. They fill you in on the fact that, even if the chief already knows something has happened, he still won't be able to send men for a day or two. It is almost three days travel to Bag End from here so, even if the news travels fast, the retribution won't. They tell you that the best thing that you can do beforehand is get some rest and then decide your next move.

You are finally brought to the guard shack where the others invite you in and answer your questions as best they can. It is a bare, cold building containing a small fireplace with a mean little grate. There are a total of six hobbit sheriffs that remained behind, including Hob. They go to the ration barrel and withdraw a very meager amount of food, especially for hobbits. They throw only one small piece of wood on the fire that barely gets hot enough to heat tea. It is impossible to get a good fire going anyway due to that wicked grate. A long list of rules is sloppily nailed up on each wall of the shack.

The chief you ask?

Well, that would be old pimple himself, begging your pardon of course mister Frodo. It seems that ol' Lotho Baggins developed a serious want and desire to own everything for himself, then order other folk about because of it. It soon came to be known that he already did own a lot more than was good for him, but he was always grabbing more, though where he got the money from is a mystery. Mills, malt-houses, inns, farms, and even leave plantations. Seems he had already bought the old flour mill before he ever came to Bag End.

Next thing you know men started showing up, a lot of men. They came in great wagons, some to carry the goods off to the south, but most of them just stayed in the Shire. More and more of them came and before we knew how many were here, they were planted all over the Shire. They've been felling trees and digging in, too. Building themselves sheds and houses wherever they like. You will see better what I mean come sunup.

As you look out the small windows, you start to notice buildings that you once remembered are now missing, the most important and obvious one is the Bridge Inn.

We had all heard that he had been selling off a lot of the best leaf and sending it away quietly for a year or two. Then at the end of last year he began sending away loads of stuff, not only leaf but, beer and other food stores as well. That's when the ration rules came about. Hobbits really turned sour once they were told how much they got to eat and drink. Soon there was no smoke to be had for anyone, beer neither! Lotho had all his thugs gathering up everything that they could get their greedy hands on. Their list of rules got longer while our rations grew shorter.

Now you can't even get near Bag End unless you have some business with the chief. That is what he demands to be called these days you see, chief. His men have caused so much damage already that we may never get the Shire back to the way it was. Anyone who tries to stand up for themselves gets a beatin and then they get thrown into the lock holes out Michel Delving way. Nobody tries to stand up to em anymore. Most good hobbits are afraid to leave their holes these days.

Rumor has it that someone else has come in to take over for the chief and that he is now little more than a pawn in this whole thing. The name Sharky has been bandied about recently, though I have no idea what it means or who that could be.

[greyarea]

Frodo wishes he could smoke. Dark days. Lotho always was a bit greedy. Eyes too big for his stomach. Sounds like we're all seeing the results of that.

He rubs the stub where the Ring was removed by Gollum and ponders, Perhaps we needn't defeat all the men to win back the Shire. Removing the head might do the trick. Does Sharky mean anything to anyone else?

[Inferno]

Pippin was astonished, anguished and outraged. "Rations on food, beer and leaf?!" the little hobbit cried.

Did Pippin find anything on Bill Ferny?

[tkrexx]

You smoke too much, Pip. Merry shakes his head solemnly. We'd be in a bad way if Goblins ever infested The Shire. Funny how I never thought of that before. We have no defenses... We've never need defenses before. I think we need to corner old Mr. Lotho Baggins myself, righty. If he's lost all the power he once had and is now a pawn, so to speak, he may be inclined to spell us a story.

[Pulpatoon]

Watching the sheriffs share their meager supplies and hearing about the rationing (horrors!), Sam pulls out a round of Lembas bread, and breaks it into pieces to pass around. "Try this on for size, lads. It's elf-bake, and you'll find it wholesome enough."

Listening to the dark problems plaguing the Shire, he adds, "We been t' war, and we all did our parts, but it wasn't down to us. It took whole great gangs of folks standing up fer what's right, didn't it? I mean, Mister Frodo was brave as can be, and so was Mister Aragon, and so were an awful lot of others. But they never would have had a chance to be brave if the folks of Gondor and Rohan and so on hadn't stood up with 'em.

"What I'm saying is, we got to rouse our folk! Hobbits like their peace and quiet, but we also know what's right! And letting Lotho Baggins and a buncha tall fellers bully through the Shire ain't right at all!"

[coil23]

Hob

The hobbit's spirits fall further at the mention of rousing the population. There hasn't been open anger, let alone hope in quite a while. I doubt we could talk others into joining at this point. Keeping your head down has been the best strategy for minimizing the misery and it will take some real doing to change that. Finding Lotho may be doable as a starting point though.

He feels silly for even thinking this in the face of the danger he has put everyone in but he can't help his instincts: I feel a poor host to have nothing to offer you after having been on the road so long. A feeble smile as he at least tries to ensure everyone has a chair or a spot to sit and some weak tea.