Waving his empty mug left and right in hopes of a free refill, old Mugwort is voicing out loud what all mutter about: the scandal of the Heathertons.
"Aye, Timeas Heatherton was a fine fellow in his old age; always ready to stand his round in the Pony"--
Mugwort waves his mug around, hinting... hinting... hinting...
--"always with a smile on his face and a kind word to passers-by.
Only the older souls in Bree, such as I, remember a time when Timeas was not so upstanding a citizen of the town!"

Other chime in, saying that while it is true that Timeas was once an odd sort who went off, they say, travelling away East, he put all that behind him when he came home to Bree, and lived a proper unexciting life from the day he came home until last month, when he died.

Mugwort has to agree.
But that does not get him his free pint.
So he changes targets:
"The scandal of the hour is Timeas’ youngest nephew Tomas!
The young man missed his own uncle’s funeral; when he should have been helping carry his uncle’s body to the graveyard outside Bree, he was nowhere to be seen!"

On this, all agree: it IS without doubt a matter of great scandal.
Have you ever heard a more shameful thing, for a nephew to miss his own uncle’s burial?

Some in the room hint darkly that there is even more to the tale, deeds so foul and terrible they can only be spoken of--
--"Over another pint of beer!", yells Mugwort.

Although old Mugwort is a bit strange looking he is a Hobbit after all.
Mip waves to the good inn-keeper and signals for another round of beer, one for himself and one for Mugwort.
"Please, go on, my humble friend, I think there is more to the tale and I am eager to hear it. Moisturize your throat, take a zip."

Butterbur nods to Mip, and fills up Mugwort's tankard--
--and, before Butterbur can get moving over to Mip's table to fill all the fine Hobbitses mugs-- Mugwort has emptied his beer down his throat!

Moving over behind the innkeeper, and trying to stick his tankard under the ale that is poured, he nods to Mip, and leans in close-- reminding Mip of some late-nights in the Shire, at local pub, where people's breath did smell off!
Trying to whisper, but somehow really speaking louder, Mugwort confides in Mip:
"In his day, old Timeas wasn’t merely travelling – it’s said he was adventuring. With strange and unwholesome fellows at that. From his adventures, he brought back a fair amount of coin, enough to keep him in comfort for many years, and he shared little enough of it with his family. Nor did he ever moisturize people's throats!"

At the counter, Orodil hears people talking, managing to gather that Timeas died a week ago, and was buried two days ago.

Orodil leans forward, interested, and adresses the Bree-hobbit. "What about his son, Tomas? What happened to him?"

This is the Bree-hobbit Orodil is speaking to, correct?

The man is starting to smile a bit now, after the extra beer, and hoping to get another refill.
He seems to not really know who he is speaking to, and thus does not even really look at Orodil:
"Tomas? Yes, that iz hiz... that's iz... that is his son, yes.
Oh? Did I tell you they found young Tomas after the funeral searching his late uncle’s house?
Yes, yes, indeed! He’d torn the place apart, no doubt looking for buried treasure. Tomas’ father threw the boy out onto the street, and he hasn’t been seen all day!
He probably would like a drink.
I know I would."

"Where would you look after young Tomas if you want to have a little chat with the young fellow?"

As Mip asks old Mugwort about finding young Tomas, the answers are not very clear.
A combination of age, and drunkenness-- this demands patience to listen to, with a smile on one's face, to extract anything useful from the ramblings.
May I have a Courtesy roll from Mip, please?

While old Mugwort rambles on, Mip's mother stands up, telling Mip:
"I will go leave some coin with the innkeeper. He must know we are good for our rooms and dinners!"
Mip gets 2 TP (Treasure Points)

A hand on his shoulder, and a whisper in his ear--
"Orodil!"
--Orodil sees Theorondil has entered the tavern and come up to him.
"I believe the one we seek, Mallor, has gone West, to the Shire. I shall depart, and track him down there. I will send news to you here when I find him."
Simply removing Theorondil from the party
Theorondil hands innkeeper Butterbur a pouch, with silver pennies, to cover expenses and such by Orodil.
Orodil gains 2 TP (Treasure Points)
Then Theorondil pulls his cloak tight, and sets out for the Shire...

Orodil was distracted by his comrade Ranger's arrival-- but he still did try to hear what was being said around him.
Orodil can make a Riddle, Awareness, or Insight check if you wish, to see if he managed to catch some useful information.

Aredhel, his leg hurt and wounded, comes to the inn of the Prancing Pony to take the weight off his knee.
Asking for some hot water and clean linen, he checks the wound-- and sees that no real lasting damage was inflicted. In a few hours he will recover fully.
Note - the 'Woe' here was over the top, I simply put a Wound to give some info' on the mechanics: when you are Wounded, you have no penalties other than recovering Endurance at a slower rate, but you must check the Wounded box and roll for Wound Severity.
Here, I simply gave Aredhel a Gandalf for severity-- there is no real damage, and the Wound will fade in a few hours.
Otherwise, it gives you how many days you remain wounded (you can reduce this with First Aid).
The problem arises when you are Wounded a second time-- for you then drop, and are Dying.

Aredhel is happy to take a short rest after the Torch Race, and maybe some food and drink. He soon feels better.
To recover lost Endurance (Aredhel had lost 2 points) you can normally take one Short Rest per day, and one Prolonged Rest per day (given the circumstances etc.).
The Short Rest has you recover your Strength value in Endurance (nothing if you are Wounded) ; the Prolonged Rest gives all Endurance back (or Strength value in Endurance if Wounded).

Revigorated, and nursing his hurt knee, Aredhel will be well soon, and starts to listen to what is going around him-- the Hobbits talking with the drunken old Bree-hobbit, the Ranger looking Man at the counter...
Removed Endurance loss & Wound

Galar makes small talk with hobbits, commenting on the fierce competition in the Ancient Game this year and nursing his cider in fellowship.  Always interested in news or largely gossip that is passed for news in Bree, the young man listens in as Mugwort goes on.  However, the Bree-landers eyes practically shine in the firelight as Mugwort mentions Timeas' possible adventurous past.

No doubt young Tomas' greed had gotten him into some foolishness Galar thought as he intently listened in on the exchange between Mip and Mugwort.

Galar listens intently--
Galar can make a roll for Riddle, if he wishes.
And can Galar make a roll for Awareness for me, please?

OOC

12:17, Today: Galar rolled a total of 11 (10 if weary): a failure using the The One Ring with a target of 15 with rolls of 4 (Feat Die), 6, 1.  riddle.

12:17, Today: Galar rolled a total of 7 (7 if weary): a failure using the The One Ring with a target of 15 with rolls of 1 (Feat Die), 6.  awareness.

20:12, Today: Mip Tanglefoot rolled a total of 13 (9 if weary): a failure using the The One Ring with a target of 14 with rolls of 9 (Feat Die), 3, 1.  courtesy roll.

As Mugwort rambles on about this and that, happily drinking the beers he is given, it is a bit hard to make sense of what he is talking about, as he mixes things up-- "I am entitled to be Prince of the Lonely Mountain, since it is thanks to me Bilbo met... err... whomever he met! So, I do want my niece to let me use the donkey. I need a donkey, because there may be Wights lurking outside Timeas’ house. I saw them a few days ago, after Timeas was murdereded, and that the murderer was not human..."

Mip is indeed a bit lost, and Galar focuses too much on Mugwort to really hear anything else being said by others, yet he too is at a loss as to what Mugwort is getting at...

Just FYI (not pushing towards this): yes "taking badstuff for success" is always an option (Success with Woe) for normal Skill rolls (unless the Loremaster says the Risk level is too high).
This message was last updated by the player at 05:35, Sat 25 Dec 2021.

Orodil, usually quite astute, is thrown off guard by his ranger companions sudden departure and misses whatever old Mugwort might have said.


21:29, Today: Orodil rolled 2 using 1d12 with rolls of 2.  Favoured roll for Awareness.
21:28, Today: Orodil rolled a total of 7 (4 if weary): a failure with the Eye of Sauron (complications) using the The One Ring with a target of 12 with rolls of 11 (Feat Die), 3, 4.  Awareness.

@Orodil: even when failing, Favoured rolls are nice for not raising the Eye Awareness!

As Mugwort rambles on, mixing up stories of cabbages, his aunt, buried men and how to best choose an oak plank...
As the crowd talks of the Fair, the Heatherton scandal, and if the Reeve will ever do anything...
As the sullen-faced Dwarf sitting in a corner focuses on the stein of beer in front of him...

Mip, Galar, Orodil and Aredhel are actually startled by a BANG!

That was the door of The Pony, hitting the wall is suddenly burst open!

Before even Buttlebur can frown about "careful now!'--

--in rushes a young Bree-lander.

The mutterings of the common room make it clear that this young man is--
--the infamous Tomas Heatherton!

Tomas is white as a sheet, and starts jabbering:
"G... ghosts! Mon... Monsters... in the-- graveyard!"

From his babbling, it is clear that he witnessed something horrible.

Orodil looks up as the young Bree-lander bursts into the common room, instinctively pushing away from the counter and reaching for the sword on his back. As he realises there is no imminent threat he instead reaches up and grabs a torch from one of the wall sconces. Ghosts? In Bree? I'll need one of these".

"Lead the way, boy, show me these ghosts," he says, grim determination on his face.

Galar's attention snaps to the tall ranger as he sees the man respond immediately.  He's not sure what to think about a 'ghost' sighting from Tomas on a day when other spirits flow freely, but there was no way he was going to miss the excitement.  Quickly gulping what remains of his cider, Galar pushes up, "Wait for me!"
This message was lightly edited by the player at 00:33, Tue 28 Dec 2021.

Orodil looks up to see a young Bree-lander.

Very tall, though still young, not out of his teens yet, barely becoming a man.

As Galar's attention snaps to Tomas, whom Galar has seen around town, but does not know, he realizes that the young Heatherton is a strapping youth, with a mop of dark hair and the start of what might be a beard one day.

Butterbur sees Orodil grab a torch-- and sighs.

Tomas hears the tall man with a sword call out to lead the way, while another man jumps up wishing to come along as well--
--some color returns to his pale face, and he spins around, rushing back out the Pony.

Mip and Aredhel, still seated at their places in the main-room, suddenly see people jump to their feet, and move to follow the commotion.

Butterbur sighs even louder as--
--half the patrons of the inn race on out after Tomas and the two men who went after him.

With New Year looming, we will slow down a bit here, to leave Mip & Aredhel time to react (Galar and Orodil can of course post, exit the inn, call out to Tomas, but I will wait for the others before getting the group to where Tomas is headed).
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:05, Tue 28 Dec 2021.

Mip leans over to his Mum, whispering"Ghosts, in Bree, I can't believe it. These men seem determined to look into the matter. What do you think, Mum? I mean, is it worth to go with them, going out on an adventure? I could have another whole half instead ...."

MIp's mum thinks that Mip should have another two halves, that her son should get it all!
She also thinks that all this is quite unbecoming but totally expected-- foreigners, odd Bree-folk... and actually quite exciting.
When it is not happening on her doorstep.

She looks at her son:
"You can go if you want. Young folk like their excitement."

"I... I.. don't know Mum, I ... I .. mean. it sounds dangerous, doesn't it, ghosts, graveyard and all."
The young hobbit hesitates.
"Would you like to come with me, Mum?"

Mip's mum nearly chokes--
"Me? Go with..."
--before smiling agaim:
"I would love to, but then you would not have anyone to come home to and tell your story.
No, no, thank you for thinking of me, but you go on and have some fun."

"Okay," Mip replies very carefully, then sighs. "I guess this is it but please wait for me, I'll be right back."
He moves quickly now"Gentlemen, please wait for me, I am coming with you."