Though the Fair officially opens only on the morrow, there are already many if not all the people here, and throngs of customers.

Having cleaned up, and left his gear in the Dwarf-house dormitory he is using, Homnir walks around town, to the Green, and does see some folk he knows-- greeting them, and exchanging news.

Kelda freshened up, settled in the room she is sharing - the Inn is packed to the roof! - and is out on the Green too.
She passes Homnnir, going to see the couples dancing, taking in this music that is a little different to what she is used to.
Maybe a bit more rustic, older too?
But, soon, her foot is tapping and... does she feel like joining the dance?

Vidar too had settled at the Dwarf-house, where he was staying, that is very full, and made his way to the Green. There he met the Men from Dale he had traveled with, and got money for these finely crafted toys, that would surely sell, for the pleasure of Bree or Shire children.
[Private to Vidar son of Flar: Very nice, re. the toys & the couple from Dale! Can you note that down somewhere in your background? I still have things to do getting this going, but will soon makes notes of your backgrond, to use things.]
Then Vidar looked around-- a drink and some pork here, out on the Green, or at that inn, the Prancing Pony?
Vidar saw his travel commpanion, Kelda, on the Green.
But also, over there, another travel companion, Áski, heading for the inn.

For Áski had settled down in the Dwarf-house too. So full that he had opted for being in what amounted to a small storage room! Well, at least he was alone.
[Private to Aski Adisson: Keeping some things secret!]
All cleaned up and dressed afresh, he was off to the inn.

I am ruling all have arrived on the evening before the official opening of the Fair.

Homnir mainly hears about the Fair and the Festival and the vendors at the Fair and... so on.

But, there is one rumour going round, which tells of the scandal of the Heathertons. As anyone, and therefore everyone, in Bree knows, Timeas Heatherton was a fine fellow. But he just died, missing this year's Spring Festival.
And, the wise-cracking ones add, he will also miss next year's!
The scandal is not that he died, but that Timeas’ youngest nephew Tomas missed his own uncle’s funeral. Have you ever heard a more shameful thing, for a nephew to miss his own uncle’s burial?

   Vidar walks to the inn of the Prancing Pony.  His armor she'd, and stored carefully in his room with his mattock, only his broad bladed short sword and hunting knife accompany his pouch, well made stone tankard, and fine metal plate on his belt.  He is in noood for the finer points of festivals tonight, too many ghosts hang in the shadows of his broad shoulders.

Vidar moves to the Prancing Pony, hoping to lighten the weight upon his shoulders.
Moving you to the other thread.

Homnir passes through the stalls, looking to see if he can find an interesting trinket to buy. It might well be that some dwarven-made object might have been brought here by some slick-fingered human, or found off the corpse of an orc.

He was looking for a clue, for while he had memories of the dwarven halls beneath the Grey Mountains, he could not remember a crucial piece of info, the location of the entrance.

The Breelander had stolen glances in her direction more times than Kelda cared to count yet seemed planted in place.  When the tune changed to The Old Thrush Calls, she laughed and ran and pulled him out among the dancers.  The Bree version of the song was a bit faster than she was used to but she soon found the rhythm. Then came Hot Summer Sun but when Cobbler, Cobbler began a portly Hobbit cut in.  In a merry jig she and the fellow circled one another, stepping smartly to the tune of the pipe and drum.  When the last note sounded he favored her with a generous bow and turned to another lass nearby.

After so many weeks of travel this was a welcome reward, and here only the first day of the celebration.  When the players finally  paused to rest, Kelda chatted with several of those she had met.

20:46, Today: Kelda rolled a total of 17: a success (same result if weary) using the The One Ring with a target of 15 ((10 (Feat Die), 2, 5)).
- success

20:46, Today: Kelda rolled a total of 17: a success (same result if weary) using the The One Ring with a target of 15 ((10 (Feat Die), 2, 5)). - success
Our first In Game roll(?)!-- is a success! Off to a good start.

When the portly Hobbit bowed deep before Kelda, he nearly cracked his skull on her knee-- not used to Mannish ladies being that tall, taller than most Bree-born ones!

That moment which made people laugh joyously, and the fine dancing Kelda demonstrated, has the people she chats with open up to her:
- "If you are a-looking for a companion, your fine dancing around the Maypole will surely attract many an admirer!"
- "Where are you from? I did not see you at a Fair before?"

With still much to do before the fair's start in the morn many of those gathered upon the Green began to return to their chores.   With no immediate tasks herself, Kelda returned to the Prancing Pony where she was to share a room with another of her Barding travel companions.

Off to that thread with everyone else :)

As Homnir passes through the stalls, that are still being set up as the Fair has not yet officially started, he thinks that now is a good time to do so, before most other customers have a time to see what is for sale... more chances of finding something good.

The Grey Mountains, the Ered Mithrin, under the shadow of which he had just recently traveled, after leaving Erebor and moving West, in between Mirkwood and the Mountains--
--Homnir's wandering mind was suddenly snapped away as his eye actually caught sight of what appears to be an old Dwarven-made object.
A young Man of Bree is setting old second-hand objects out, for sale. A cheap stall, an impoverished family, selling old tools and such... to poor folk.

Amongst the used goods, a small round piece of metal, with Dwarf-runes on it.

"Oh, you like it? It's an Elvish-coin!" says the young vendor.

But Homnir sees that it is of course not Elvish.
No, looking it over, he recognizes it: bearing the mark of King Thráin II, this is a royal messenger-chit, to indicate the bearer carries official royal orders.
And the year... TA2790-- that is... yes, that is some two centuries ago, when Thráin II lost his father, Thrór, slaughtered by Azog the Orc in Moria. That is when Thráin II sent Thráin sent messengers to all Dwarven Clans and Houses. Leading to the great War of the Dwarves and Orcs, and the Battle of Azanulbizar.
Could this be a messenger-chit that once belonged an envoy of King Thráin II? To one carrying news of the great call to arms?

The young vendor sees how interested Homnir is in the "coin":
"And a fine Elvish-coin it is! You can... err... buy nice Elvish-things in Elvish-lands with it! Yes, many Elvish-goods! I think..."

Homnir looks closely at the 'Elvish-coin', before looking up at the young man. "How much do you want for this trinket, young man?" He asks in his rough voice. "And may I ask, where did you find it? It's rare to find them looking this new."

OOC: Would love to get some information from him on where he'd gotten it, maybe there's more such treasure there.

"Oh, this is worth at least two... err... three. Four? Copper... Or silver? One... two silver? Three copper... A lot, it is worth a lot!"
The young Bree-lander is obviously quite flustered.
Trying to establish how much he can get out of a Dwarf, those mysterious people who live in a mountain of gold, for this old scrap of useless metal... he gives up and calls out:
"DAD! DAD!"

And so Homnir ends up in discussion with the lad's father. A tired man, trying to earn a living selling scrap and repaired discarded items.
Homnir soon sees how much the man dreams of selling it for, which is actually easy to pay for a Dwarf of Erebor.
However, the provenance is another matter.
"Hmm... yes, where, where did it come from?"

How does Homnir try to get the information (can you choose a fitting skill, then describe your interaction and roll for it?).

Homnir leans in to speak to the man, but still loud enough for his son to hear "Yes, I want to pay not just for this coin, but I want to pay for the information where it came from. After all, I wouldn't ask a trader to give that information for nothing, an honest trader needs to earn a good living, and one can tell that you're an honest one. I can double the price of the coin if you tell me where you got it." Homnir leans in a bit "You know, if I find things there that I can't make use of, I would be happy to share some of them with you, as extra payment, for your good service."

OOC: Using Persuade to convince him.

10:55, Today: Homnir rolled a total of 12 (11 if weary): a failure using the The One Ring with a target of 14 ((5 (Feat Die), 1, 6)).
This message was last edited by the player at 10:31, Sat 11 Dec 2021.

Rules break!
10:55, Today: Homnir rolled a total of 12 (11 if weary): a failure using the The One Ring with a target of 14 ((5 (Feat Die), 1, 6)).
So, normally your roll is done and it is over.
For all to get used to the rules I will let people change things as we learn the mechanics.
If you feel you really want to succeed, and that you are maybe a bit short, you can spend Hope.
I put info' on that in the new Rules section.
In this case, Homnir could have decided to spend 1 Hope to get an extra 1d (Skill die to roll), and if he called upon a Distinctive Feature and RPed how it applies in this case-- and I, the Loremaster, am okay with that, then he gets 2d.

So, I will let Homnir decide if he wanted to do that.
I will be very open with this and other things we come across, all through the first Adventure Phase in Bree at the Fair, to learn how things work.

Two IMPORTANT notes:
• in TOR (2E) you regain an amount of Hope points equal to your HEART score during each Fellowship Phase (specific rules override that, like Rangers only getting 50%). A Fellowship Phase being the downtime after an adventure.
And you recover ALL your Hope points during the Yule Fellowship Phase (that is normally the winter-break, where there are several months of downtime).
So, you can have a rough estimate of how much you'll get back, maybe about when, and thus choose to spend more or less.
• I will probably be rather open (lenient) as to invoking Distinctive Features if you RP a reason-- my feeling being that you are spending a resource of yours, so I'll try to let you make it work.

Am not sure any of the Distinctive Features apply here, but I will spend Hope on this.

11:55, Today: Homnir rolled a total of 17: a success with the Gandalf Rune using the The One Ring with a target of 14 ((12 (Feat Die), 5)).

I assume only the d6 applies here, so an extra 5, which should be enough.

Question: What do we do for Favored Skills for now? Persuade is a Favored Skill for Homnir.

10:55, Today: Homnir rolled a total of 12 ((5 (Feat Die), 1, 6))
+
11:55, Today: Homnir rolled ((12 (Feat Die), 5))
So, yes, the second Feat die does not count, you are 'just' rolling an extra d6 from having spent Hope.
So you get ((5 (Feat Die), 1, 6, 5)) = 17, w. a 6, so a Great Success.
+
Am not sure any of the Distinctive Features apply here
I would say Stern does not work for Persuade (that would be Awe, maybe?), but Lordly could (you impress and use fine words to show the merchant he would be helping an important person?). As I said, I am in general more open to people RPing something than trying to be restrictive.
For next time (now you have enough of a Success).

Also--
Question: What do we do for Favored Skills for now? Persuade is a Favored Skill for Homnir.
Favoured means you roll 2 x Feat Dice (2 x d12s) and choose the better of two.
You actually did this, so, back comes:
11:55, Today: Homnir rolled ((12 (Feat Die), 5))
Using your second roll, you got a 5 and 12, so you take the Gandalf (12).
Meaning you get ((12 (Feat Die), 1, 6, 5)) = 24, w. a 6, so a Great Success.
And the 12 would have been a success even if you did not hit your TN.
Gandalfs are auto-successes (so, if you have the 12 and a 6, still a Great Success even if under your TN).

Note that you spent 1 Hope.

And you can maybe give a little line of RP as to how you use the favoured Persuade, and the spending of the Hope (putting your heart into this?).
This message was last updated by the GM at 10:52, Sat 11 Dec 2021.

Orodil entered Bree from the West Gate, the signs of bustle from the fair apparent even before he entered the Green proper. He noticed a few of the Bree-wardens, looking even more nervous than usual, but also more unusual visitors, like dwarves. From the blue mountains, or the east? he thought distractedly. He had been wondering where to find Tarry-Mack but then he noticed the sign of The Prancing Pony past the carts and stalls of the Green and smiled to himself. Of course.

Homnir manages to find the correct amount to pay for this coin, and doubles it. This comes cheap to the Dwarf, but makes the man very happy - and his son is actually beaming, so proud that his dad just made a great deal with this poor Dwarf who does not he could have gotten all for much less.
Homnir sees that there are Men of Bree who are not well off, not at all. They seem to be as poor as most Dwarves were until Erebor was recaptured and gold started coming in again...
The man tells Homnir that he found this in some ruins, South of Bree, down the Greenway, just past the South Downs, and then East, along the South flank of the South Downs.
He takes time to explain in great detail.
Around where the first "S" of 'South Downs' is on the main game map.
"It was around some ancient tower. Careful though, there are many a ruin out in the Downs, and all around there."

As Homnir leans in and makes his offer of further payment, the man smiles:
"Oh?! That would be grand. But, be extra careful. Some ruins are filled with Evil-folk, brigands... and I am sure those ruins are haunted. Ghosts, ghosts...
Ah, and, come to think of it-- I actually did catch a glimpse of a short long-bearded fellow... thought it was a lepreuchan. Seeing you, makes me think it could've been a-- Dwarf?"

The guards at the West Gate, look at Orodil and Theorondil, eye-ing them up-- "Rangers..." says one.
The other shrugs--
" 'Tis called the Rangers' Gate, ain't it?"
--and bows his head to the two Rangers.

The guards have a small flat helmet perched on the top of their head.
Light leather vests, and are leaning on their spears, just gawking at all the people coming into Bree.

Entering the town, Orodil does notice all the bustle and unusual visitors.

Then, yes, of course... off to the Prancing Pony he goes, just a short ways into town, on the main square, it stands, close to the Green where the Fair is to be held.
Moving you there.
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:56, Sun 12 Dec 2021.

Homnir gives a slight smile, and a nod "Thanks for the heads up, good merchant, but I will not be going there alone, and we are pretty good with our weapons, that I am sure what brigands are there wouldn't want to mess with a few dwarves."

"Oh, no, no they would not. You are too scary. Err... I mean, well: in a kind way!"
The man is a bit flustered, and bows to Homnir, slipping away happily with his son, looking at the few coins they earned.
"Bless the Elves and their coins!"

And all retired for the night.
The Dwarves in the Dwarf-house, where a simple yet hearty meal was served before all went to their shared rooms - or small private corner for Áski.
Kelda in the communal room rented by the merchants from Dale, after her supper at the Pony.
A supper at the Pony was served also to Mip, and to Orodil and Theorondil.
The Hobbit found there was a small room on the ground floor of the inn that ensured Halfling-like comfort, that Mip and his entire party happily shared.
The Rangers were given clean blankets, and were not charged for the night, but allowed to sleep on the stone slab in front of the chimney. A bit hard, but totally dry and very warm. A bit of a treat, actually!
As for Galar... to home he went, eventually.

So, after a good night's sleep--
Which is our first, very short, Fellowship Phase - where you receive some Experience, and all of the few Hope points that were spent are restored.
--you wake up.
Today is the Spring Equinox. The entire city of Bree is bustling: the Fair has opened, the Festival has started, and you can hear it as the town is abuzz, as Aredhel sees upon his arrival to Bree.

Out on the Green, the big grassy area just South of the town square (the Pony look out onto the square), a whole crowd has gathered and is shopping, talking, having fun, eating... compelling you to join the festivities.

And so starts out first Adventuring Phase.

Amidst all the tents, stalls, carnival-circus wagons, there are open areas for partaking in challenges and such.
You all sadly missed the Reeve's opening speach on the main center stage. Some say it was so tedious the Reeve himself fell asleep!
Anyhow, the Feast & Festival are officially open.
And there is so much to do.
Where to go?

Throughout the few days, the main center stage will host special events.

There will be the Nobles' Court, where people go up and try to imitate the Kings of Old, sprucing up their speech as best they can, using over elaborate euphemisms.
Courtesy Skill

You have the Ancient Game, for whato fair or festival would be complete without a chance to play the old and venerated Riddle Game! The game is played on the main center stage and a presenter asks the riddles out loud, but the answers must be whispered.
Riddle Skill

Every day, at noon, on the main center stage one can take part in the
The Uplifting Lay. You go on stage and sing or play music or recite some poem-- and the one who cheers the crowd up the most, as Springtime is supposed to enliven folks after Winter... wins.
Enhearten Skill

Some events are held on the outskirts of the Green, in specially arranged places.

The Torch Race. Every evening, after nightfall, a curious race is held. Each runner is given a lit torch to carry as they run three laps around a series of obstacles. First they navigate a muddy causeway, next climb up a steep earthen berm and the finally they jump or duck a series of hurdles. lf the torch goes out (if an Eye is rolled) they immediately lose the race, otherwise the first to finish the third lap is the winner.
Athletics Skill

The Seeking Field. This contest is held shortly after dawn, every day, in a fallow field. The festival organizers have hidden many small prizes (copper coins and other baubles) throughout the field, but the most important prize are those without any value at all, small rocks engraved with 'SPRING' on their flat sides. Whoever finds the most of these, wins.
Scan Skill

Many things go on far from the official events.

Be careful to not lose your shirt, but you can always play a game of Thimblerig. This Hobbit game is played on a flat table, with a variety of different sized thimbles. ln each round, a dried pea is put underneath a thimble and then the thimbles are moved, stacked and other distractions are employed so that only the most careful observer will know where the pea ended its journey. Choosing wrong removes you from the competition and eventually only one winner is left.
Awareness Skill

Many things-- if you wish to come up with some event using another skill, please find whatever might be going on that suits you.

Each of these events will follow the same structure: three Skill rolls. You can of course use Hope, Distinctive Features-- but not aid one another (that would be cheating!). Each roll after the 1st will have a cumulative +2 to the TN as things get harder with less contestants remaining, but those are the best ones!

Finally, there are two other famous events going on, in the afternoon, that gather great crowds.
First there is the Shepherd's Pie.
Young rams are let out in a makeshift corral built for the occasion, with small minced-meat pies tied to their wool. People taking part must manage to collect as many pies, avoiding being rammed or trodden upon. Wrangling the sheep to the ground is the most efficient way of getting many pies!
Brawling Skill (more on this if people are interested)

Then you have the three day long Great Hunter.
This is an archery contest, with one event every day: the Wreath shoot, the Wand shoot, and the Ring shoot.
Bows Skill (more on this if people are interested)

Ah, so many things to do!

Please choose what you wish to start doing-- if anything.
Looking around for something, meeting people, and all types of ideas you have are of course welcome, on top of these activities, or instead of them.
Enjoy the Fair!

Homnir will join the Ancient Game of riddles, and will offer the merchant's son to work together on the Seeking Field. Even if you can't work together, he'd offer to give him any of the 'valuable' stuff he might find.

Mip is simply overwhelmed by all that is happening.
So many people from all over Middle-Earth.
The chatter about lands far away that he will probably never visit.
He stays close to his mother and other hobbits but carefully observing everything.

At last he decides take part in the game of Seeking in the Field.
It seems to be very hobbit-ish...


But then on second thought, a riddle game, a game full of riddles, riddles to be solved. Mip feels a light tickle in his feet. Yes, a game of riddle it is.
Excuse me, here I come.
"Mother, I'll be right back, off to solve some riddles!"
This message was last edited by the player at 09:59, Mon 13 Dec 2021.