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elentari3018
Rohan
Apr 4, 2:32am
Post #26 of 50
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All of Silmarilion is written with such great detail that you really love hearing
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about the creation of lands and how all our characters came to be. The backstory of Gandalf is so interesting!
but Mithrandir refused the office, since he would have no ties and no allegiance, save to those who sent him, and he would abide in no place nor be subject to any summons. But Saruman now began to study the lore of the Rings of Power, their making and their history." That is what makes Gandalf special and fighting Sauron was his his laser point focus.
"By Elbereth and Luthien the fair, you shall have neither the Ring nor me!" ~Frodo
"And then Gandalf arose and bid all men rise, and they rose, and he said: 'Here is a last hail ere the feast endeth. Last but not least. For I name now those who shall not be forgotten and without whose valour nought else that was done would have availed; and I name before you all Frodo of the Shire and Samwise his servant. And the bards and the minstrels should give them new names: Bronwe athan Harthad and Harthad Uluithiad , Endurance beyond Hope and Hope Unquenchable.." ~Gandalf, The End of the Third Age , from The History of Middle Earth series
"He knew now why Beregond spoke his name with love. He was a captain that men would follow, that he would follow, even under the shadow of the black wings."- Siege of Gondor, RotK
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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Apr 4, 12:21pm
Post #27 of 50
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Here's pt 2 of a 3 pt Book Spoiler where we see how Gandalf followed his instincts about Sauron... for a moment of Tolkien-zen.
From Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age: The Silmarillion ... "Now the Shadow grew ever greater, and the hearts of Elrond and Mithrandir darkened. Therefore on a time Mithrandir at great peril went again to Dol Guldur and the pits of the Sorcerer, and he discovered the truth of his fears, and escaped. And returning to Elrond he said:
... 'True, alas, is our guess. This is not one of the Úlairi, as many have long supposed. It is Sauron himself who has taken shape again and now grows apace; and he is gathering again all the Rings to his hand; and he seeks ever for news of the One, and of the Heirs of Isildur, if they live still on earth....'
... ...Elrond answered: 'In the hour that Isildur took the Ring and would not surrender it, this doom was wrought, that Sauron should return.'
... 'Yet the One was lost,' said Mithrandir, 'and while it still lies hid, we can master the Enemy, if we gather our strength and tarry not too long.'
... Then the White Council was summoned; and Mithrandir urged them to swift deeds, but Curunír spoke against him, and counselled them to wait yet and to watch.
... 'For I believe not... ...that the One will ever be found again in Middle-earth. Into Anduin it fell, and long ago, I deem, it was rolled to the Sea...
... ...Therefore naught was done at that time, though Elrond's heart misgave him, and he said to Mithrandir:
... 'Nonetheless I forbode that the One will yet be found, and then war will arise again, and in that war this Age will be ended. Indeed in a second darkness it will end, unless some strange chance deliver us that my eyes cannot see.'
... 'Many are the strange chances of the world,' said Mithrandir, 'and help oft shall come from the hands of the weak when the Wise falter.'
... Thus the Wise were troubled, but none as yet perceived that Curunír had turned to dark thoughts and was already a traitor in heart: for he desired that he and no other should find the Great Ring, so that he might wield it himself and order all the world to his will...
... ...ever the shadow in Mirkwood grew deeper, and to Dol Guldur evil things repaired out of all the dark places of the world; and they were united again under one will, and their malice was directed against the Elves and the survivors of Númenor. Therefore at last the Council was again summoned and the lore of the Rings was much debated; but Mithrandir spoke to the Council, saying:
... 'It is not needed that the Ring should be found, for while it abides on earth and is not unmade, still the power that it holds will live, and Sauron will grow and have hope. The might of the Elves and the Elf-friends is less now than of old. Soon he will be too strong for you, even without the Great Ring; for he rules the Nine, and of the Seven he has recovered three. We must strike.'
... To this Curunír now assented, desiring that Sauron should be thrust from Dol Guldur, which was nigh to the River, and… …have leisure to search there no longer. Therefore, for the last time, he aided the Council, and they put forth their strength; and they assailed Dol Guldur, and drove Sauron from his hold, and Mirkwood for a brief while was made wholesome again.
... But their stroke was too late. For the Dark Lord had foreseen it, and… …long prepared all his movements; and the Úlairi, his Nine Servants, had gone before him to make ready for his coming. Therefore his flight was but a feint, and he soon returned, and ere the Wise could prevent him he re-entered his kingdom in Mordor and reared once again the dark towers of Barad-dûr. And in that year the White Council met for the last time, and Curunír withdrew to Isengard, and took counsel with none save himself."
We have been there and back again.
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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Apr 5, 1:15pm
Post #28 of 50
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Here's the last part of a series of Book Spoilers that looks at Gandalf's achievements and a wonderful tale of the Ring's journey and how Cirdan changed everything... for a moment of Tolkien-zen.
From Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age: The Silmarillion ... "Orcs were mustering, and far to the east and the south the wild peoples were arming. Then in the midst of gathering fear and the rumour of war the foreboding of Elrond was proved true, and the One Ring was indeed found again, by a chance more strange than even Mithrandir had foreseen; and it was hidden from Curunír and from Sauron. For it had been taken from Anduin long ere they sought for it… …found by one of the small fisher-folk that dwelt by the River, ere the Kings failed in Gondor; and by its finder it was brought beyond search into dark hiding under the roots of the mountains. There it dwelt, until even in the year of the assault upon Dol Guldur it was found again, by a wayfarer, fleeing into the depths of the earth from the pursuit of the Orcs, and passed into a far distant country, even to the land of the Periannath, the Little People, the Halflings, who dwelt in the west of Eriador... ...and neither Sauron nor any of the Wise save Mithrandir had in all their counsels given thought to them.
... Now by fortune and his vigilance Mithrandir first learned of the Ring, ere Sauron had news of it; yet he was dismayed and in doubt. For too great was the evil power of this thing for any of the Wise to wield, unless like Curunír he wished himself to become a tyrant and a dark lord in his turn; but neither could it be concealed from Sauron for ever, nor could it be unmade by the craft of the Elves. Therefore with the help of the Dúnedain of the North Mithrandir set a watch upon the land of the Periannath and bided his time. But Sauron had many ears, and soon he heard rumour of the One Ring… …and he sent forth the Nazgûl to take it. Then war was kindled, and in battle with Sauron the Third Age ended even as it had begun....
... ...But those who saw the things that were done in that time, deeds of valour and wonder, have elsewhere told the tale of the War of the Ring, and how it ended both in victory unlooked for and in sorrow long foreseen....
......In that last battle were Mithrandir, and the sons of Elrond, and the King of Rohan, and lords of Gondor, and the Heir of Isildur with the Dúnedain of the North. There at the last they looked upon death and defeat, and all their valour was in vain; for Sauron was too strong. Yet in that hour was put to the proof that which Mithrandir had spoken, and help came from the hands of the weak when the Wise faltered. For, as many songs have since sung, it was the Periannath, the Little People, dwellers in hillsides and meadows, that brought them deliverance...
... ...Now all these things were achieved for the most part by the counsel and vigilance of Mithrandir, and in the last few days he was revealed as a lord of great reverence… …clad in white he rode into battle; but not until the time came for him to depart was it known that he had long guarded the Red Ring of Fire [Narya]. At the first that Ring had been entrusted to Círdan, Lord of the Havens; but he had surrendered it to Mithrandir, for he knew whence he came and whither at last he would return.
... 'Take now this Ring,' he said; 'for thy labours and thy cares will be heavy, but in all it will support thee and defend thee from weariness. For this is the Ring of Fire, and... ...maybe, thou shalt rekindle hearts to the valour of old in a world that grows chill. But as for me, my heart is with the Sea, and I will dwell by the grey shores, guarding the Havens until the last ship sails. Then I shall await thee.'"
We have been there and back again.
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dernwyn
Forum Admin
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Apr 5, 4:07pm
Post #29 of 50
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Shire-folk tend to make light of things,
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but they have their anxieties as well! Thank you for more of Merry's viewpoint!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
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elentari3018
Rohan
Apr 6, 2:13am
Post #30 of 50
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Thanks so much for your drabble!
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It indeed started something longer than intended. I think there will be more so hope you do not mind. :)
"By Elbereth and Luthien the fair, you shall have neither the Ring nor me!" ~Frodo
"And then Gandalf arose and bid all men rise, and they rose, and he said: 'Here is a last hail ere the feast endeth. Last but not least. For I name now those who shall not be forgotten and without whose valour nought else that was done would have availed; and I name before you all Frodo of the Shire and Samwise his servant. And the bards and the minstrels should give them new names: Bronwe athan Harthad and Harthad Uluithiad , Endurance beyond Hope and Hope Unquenchable.." ~Gandalf, The End of the Third Age , from The History of Middle Earth series
"He knew now why Beregond spoke his name with love. He was a captain that men would follow, that he would follow, even under the shadow of the black wings."- Siege of Gondor, RotK
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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Apr 6, 1:54pm
Post #31 of 50
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April 6, 1YT (VY 3500) Yestarë
1. The Elves' New Year.
(from QUENTA SILMARILLION: The History of the Silmarils: Of the Beginning of Days)
..."...at the sixth hour of the First Day [Yestarë], and of all the joyful days thereafter... ...Telperion ceased his time of flower; and at the twelfth hour Laurelin her blossoming. And each day of the Valar... ...ended with the second mingling of the lights, in which Laurelin was waning but Telperion was waxing. But the light that was spilled from the trees endured long, ere it was taken up into the airs or sank down into the earth... ...the dews of Telperion and the rain that fell from Laurelin Varda hoarded in great vats like shining lakes, that were to all the land of the Valar as wells of water and of light. Thus began the Days of the Bliss of Valinor; and thus began also the Count of Time."
[YT=Year of the Trees (Telperion/Laurelin) & VY=Valian Years (Years the Valar came to the world)]
April 6, 2980 (S.R. 1380)
1. Birth of Samwise Gamgee.
(from APPENDIX B: THE TALE OF YEARS (CHRONOLOGY OF THE WESTLANDS): Third Age)
...It is told that the fifth child, a son, is born to gardener Hamfast Gamgee (the gaffer) and Bell Goodchild of the Shire on this Spring day.
April 6, 3019 (S.R. 1419)
1. Healing in Minas Tirith.
(not from the appendices)
..."Then Faramir came and sought her, and once more they stood on the walls together; and he said to her: 'Éowyn, why do you tarry here, and do not go to the rejoicing in Cormallen beyond Cair Andros, where your brother awaits you?'
...And she said: 'Do you not know?'
...'...Two reasons there may be, but which is true, I do not know....'
...'...I do not wish to play at riddles. Speak plainer!'
...'Then if you will have it so, lady... ...you do not go, because only your brother called for you, and to look on the Lord Aragorn, Elendil's heir, in his triumph would now bring you no joy. Or because I do not go, and you desire still to be near me. And maybe for both these reasons, and you yourself cannot choose between them. Éowyn, do you not love me, or will you not?'
...'I wished to be loved by another... ...But I desire no man's pity.'
...'That I know,' he said. 'You desired to have the love of the Lord Aragorn. Because he was high and puissant, and you wished to have renown and glory and to be lifted far above the mean things that crawl on the earth. And as a great captain may to a young soldier he seemed to you admirable... ...a lord among men, the greatest that now is. But when he gave you only understanding and pity, then you desired to have nothing, unless a brave death in battle. Look at me, Éowyn!'
...And Éowyn looked at Faramir long and steadily; and Faramir said: 'Do not scorn pity that is the gift of a gentle heart, Éowyn! But I do not offer you my pity. For you are a lady high and valiant and have yourself won renown that shall not be forgotten; and you are a lady beautiful... ...beyond even the words of the Elven-tongue to tell. And I love you. Once I pitied your sorrow. But now, were you sorrowless, without fear or any lack, were you the blissful Queen of Gondor, still I would love you. Éowyn, do you not love me?'
...Then the heart of Éowyn changed, or else at last she understood it. And suddenly her winter passed, and the sun shone on her.
...'I stand in Minas Anor, the Tower of the Sun... ...and behold! the Shadow has departed! I will be a shieldmaiden no longer, nor vie with the great Riders, nor take joy only in the songs of slaying. I will be a healer, and love all things that grow and are not barren. And again she looked at Faramir. 'No longer do I desire to be a queen,' she said.
...Then Faramir laughed merrily. 'That is well... ...for I am not a king. Yet I will wed with the White Lady of Rohan, if it be her will. And if she will, then let us cross the River and in happier days let us dwell in fair Ithilien and there make a garden. All things will grow with joy there, if the White Lady comes.'"
2. Healing in Ithilien.
(not from the appendices - no text - a drabble)
...Since coming to Ithilien, Merry sat with Gandalf as they watched and waited for some sign of Frodo and Sam waking. Under the care of King Elessar, they seemed to be wrapped in a safe, healing sleep. It was disturbing for Merry to see them as if they were drifting in a far away place; but being with Pippin now heartened him while his friend's strength grew daily. Merry's loneliness faded as they chattered about all they had done… making light of the grim shadows that lingered. They were already conspiring of how to sneak in their pipes and weed.
3. Meeting of Celeborn and Thranduil.
(from the appendices)
..."And on the day of the New Year of the Elves, Celeborn and Thranduil met in the midst of the forest; and they renamed Mirkwood Eryn Lasgalen, The Wood of Greenleaves. Thranduil took all the northern region as far as the mountains that rise in the forest of his realm; and Celeborn took the southern wood below the Narrows, and named it East Lórien; but all the wide forest between was given to the Beornings and the Woodmen."
April 6, 3020 (S.R. 1420)
1. The mallorn flowers in the Party Field.
(from the appendices)
..."The little silver nut [Sam] planted in the Party Field where the tree had once been... ...a beautiful young sapling leaped up: it had silver bark and long leaves and burst into golden flowers in April. It was indeed a mallorn, and it was the wonder of the neighbourhood... ...as it grew in grace and beauty, it was known far and wide and people would come long journeys to see it: the only mallorn west of the Mountains and east of the Sea; and one of the finest in the world."
2. Holiday in the Westfarthing.
(from APPENDIX D: THE CALENDARS)
..."...in the Westfarthing, especially in the country round Hobbiton Hill, there grew a custom of making holiday and dancing in the Party Field, when weather permitted, on April 6. Some said that it was old Sam Gardner's birthday, some that it was the day on which the Golden Tree first flowered in 1420."
We have been there and back again.
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dernwyn
Forum Admin
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Apr 7, 12:59am
Post #32 of 50
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that IS what Tolkien wanted - for others to "fill in the holes" in his Legendarium! And as long as the personalities, locations, timings, etc. are consistent, I should think he'd approve of the fan-fic.
Although sometimes I've written stuff that might not get his approval...
Parth Galen
"He awoke suddenly, startled by unearthly whoops and yells. Cautiously peering from beneath the low-hung branches which gave cover from the searching eyes of his enemies, he wondered: were they being attacked?
Silently he immersed himself into the chill water. His hand grasped a floating log, and he steadied it in front of himself, peering between the branch stumps. Paddling around a rock, he came upon the scene, and froze in terror - as the future King of Gondor, naked as a babe, cannonballed off a boulder onto the shrieking, swimming forms below.
Gollum cringed, and retreated to his hideout."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Apr 7, 11:42am
Post #33 of 50
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Today in Middle-earth
April 7, 2942 (S.R. 1342)
1. The time comes to leave for home.
(determined from text)
..."It was spring, and a fair one with mild weathers and a bright sun, before Bilbo and Gandalf took their leave at last of Beorn, and though he longed for home, Bilbo left with regret, for the flowers of the gardens of Beorn were in springtime no less marvellous than a high summer."
April 7, 3019 (S.R. 1419)
1. Pippin rises from his sickbed.
(not from the appendices)
...[Gimli speaks his peace] "I love you, if only because of the pains you have cost me, which I shall never forget. Nor shall I forget finding you on the hill of the last battle… …when I heaved that great carcase off you, I made sure you were dead. I could have torn out my beard.'"
April 7, 3020 (S.R. 1420)
1. The Shire slowly begins to look as it once did by the tireless work of the Hobbits.
(not from the appendices)
..."In addition to all his other labours [Sam] was busy directing the cleaning up and restoring of Bag End..."
We have been there and back again.
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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Apr 8, 11:33am
Post #34 of 50
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Today in Middle-earth
April 8, 3019 (S.R. 1419)
1. The Ring-bearers are honoured on the Field of Cormallen.
(from the appendices)
..."When Sam awoke, he found that he was lying on some soft bed, but over him gently swayed wide beechen boughs... ...All the air was full of a sweet mingled scent.
...He remembered that smell: the fragrance of Ithilien. 'Bless me!' he mused. 'How long have I been asleep?' For the scent had borne him back to the day when he had lit his little fire under the sunny bank; and for the moment all else between was out of waking memory. He stretched and drew a deep breath. 'Why, what a dream I've had!' he muttered... ...then he saw that Frodo was lying beside him, and slept peacefully, one hand behind his head, and the other resting upon the coverlet. It was the right hand, and the third finger was missing.
...Full memory flooded back, and Sam cried aloud: 'It wasn't a dream! Then where are we?'
...And a voice spoke softly behind him: 'In the land of Ithilien, and in the keeping of the King; and he awaits you.' With that Gandalf stood before him, robed in white, his beard now gleaming like pure snow... '...Well, Master Samwise, how do you feel?'
...But Sam lay back, and stared with open mouth... ...between bewilderment and great joy, he could not answer. At last he gasped: 'Gandalf! I thought you were dead! But then I thought I was dead myself. Is everything sad going to come untrue? What's happened to the world?'
...'A great Shadow has departed,' said Gandalf, and then he laughed, and the sound was like music... ...and as he listened the thought came to Sam that he had not heard laughter, the pure sound of merriment, for days upon days without count. It fell upon his ears like the echo of all the joys he had ever known. But he himself burst into tears. Then... ...his tears ceased, and his laughter welled up, and laughing he sprang from his bed.
...'How do I feel? ...Well, I don't know how to say it. I feel, I feel'—he waved his arms in the air—'I feel like spring after winter, and sun on the leaves; and like trumpets and harps and all the songs I have ever heard!' He stopped and he turned towards his master. 'But how's Mr. Frodo ? ...Isn't it a shame about his poor hand? But I hope he's all right otherwise. He's had a cruel time.'
...'Yes, I am all right otherwise,' said Frodo, sitting up and laughing in his turn. 'I fell asleep again waiting for you, Sam... ...I was awake early this morning, and now it must be nearly noon.'
...'Noon!' said Sam, trying to calculate. 'Noon of what day?'
...'The fourteenth of the New Year,' said Gandalf; 'or... ...the eighth day of April in the Shire reckoning. But in Gondor the New Year will always now begin upon the twenty-fifth of March when Sauron fell, and when you were brought out of the fire to the King. He has tended you, and now he awaits you. You shall eat and drink with him. When you are ready I will lead you to him.'
...'The King?' said Sam. 'What king, and who is he?'
...'The King of Gondor and the Lord of the Western Lands... ...and he has taken back all his ancient realm. He will ride soon to his crowning, but he waits for you.'
...'What shall we wear?' said Sam; for all he could see was the old and tattered clothes that they had journeyed in....
...'The clothes that you wore on your way to Mordor,' said Gandalf. 'Even the orc-rags that you bore in the black land, Frodo, shall be preserved. No silks or linens, nor any armour or heraldry could be more honourable....'
......Then he held out his hands to them, and they saw that one shone with Light. 'What have you got there?' Frodo cried. 'Can it be-----?'
...'Yes, I have brought your two treasures. They were found on Sam when you were rescued. The Lady Galadriel's gifts; your glass, Frodo and your box, Sam. You will be glad to have them safe again.'
...When they were washed and clad, and had eaten a light meal, the Hobbits followed Gandalf...
......As they came to the opening in the wood, they were surprised to see knights in bright mail and tall guards in silver and black standing there, who greeted them with honour and bowed before them...
......Frodo and Sam went forward and saw that amidst the clamourous host were set three high-seats built of green turves... ...but behind the highest throne in the midst of all a great standard was spread in the breeze, and there a white tree flowered upon a sable field beneath a shining crown and seven glittering stars. On the throne sat a mail-clad man, a great sword was laid across his knees, but he wore no helm. As they drew near he rose. And then they knew him, changed as he was, so high and glad of face, kingly, lord of Men, dark-haired with eyes of grey.
...Frodo ran to meet him, and Sam followed close... '...Well, if it this isn't the crown of all!' he said. 'Strider, or I'm still asleep!'
...'Yes, Sam, Strider,' said Aragorn. 'It is a long way, is it not, from Bree, where you did not like the look of me?'
......And then to Sam's surprise and utter confusion he bowed his knee before them; and taking them by the hand... ...he led them to the throne, and setting them upon it, he turned to the men and captains who stood by and spoke, so that his voice rang over all the host, crying: 'Praise them with great praise!'
...And when the glad shout had swelled up and died away again, to Sam's final and complete satisfaction and pure joy, a minstrel of Gondor stood forth, and knelt, and begged leave to sing... ...of Frodo of the Nine Fingers and the Ring of Doom.'
...And when Sam heard that he laughed aloud for shear delight, and he stood up and cried: 'O great glory and splendour! And all my wishes have come true!' And then he wept.
...And all the host laughed and wept, and in the midst of their merriment and tears the clear voice of the minstrel rose like silver and gold.... ...he sang to them, now in the Elven-tongue, now in the speech of the West, until their hearts, wounded with sweet words, overflowed, and their joy was like swords, and they passed in thought out to regions where pain and delight flow together and tears are the very wine of blessedness....
......there came two esquires to serve the kings... ...one was clad in the silver and sable of the Guards of Minas Tirith, and the other in white and green. But Sam wondered what such young boys were doing in an army of mighty men. Then suddenly as they drew near and he could see them plainly, he exclaimed:
...'Why, look Mr. Frodo! Look here! Well, if it isn't Pippin. Mr. Peregrin Took I should say, and Mr. Merry! How they have grown... ...I can see there's more tales to tell than ours.'
...'There are indeed,' said Pippin turning towards him. 'And we'll begin telling them, as soon as this feast is ended. In the meantime you can try Gandalf. He's not so close as he used to be, though he laughs now more than he talks.'"
2. The Ring-bearers in Ithilien.
(not from the appendices)
..."Orcs, and talking trees, and leagues of grass, and galloping riders, and glittering caves, and white towers and golden halls, and battles, and tall ships sailing, all these passed before Sam's mind until he felt bewildered... ...amidst all these wonders he returned always to his astonishment at the size of Merry and Pippin; and he made them stand back to back with Frodo and himself.... '...Can't understand it at your age!' he said. 'But there it is: you're three inches taller than you ought to be, or I'm a dwarf.'
...'That you certainly are not,' said Gimli. 'But what did I say? Mortals cannot go drinking ent-draughts and expect no more to come of them than a pot of beer.'
...'Ent-draughts?' said Sam. 'There you go about Ents again; but what they are beats me. Why, it will take weeks before we get all these things sized up...!'
... At length Gandalf rose. 'The hands of the King are hands of healing, dear friends... ...But you were to the very brink of death ere he recalled you, putting forth all his power, and sent you into the sweet forgetfulness of sleep. And though you have indeed slept long and blessedly, still it is now time to sleep again.'"
[league = 3 miles]
We have been there and back again.
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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Apr 8, 12:08pm
Post #35 of 50
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Today in Middle-earth
April 9, 3019 (S.R. 1419)
1. The Ring-bearers revisit fair Ithilien.
(not from the appendices)
..."In the morning Sam and Frodo rose again in hope and peace; and they spent many days in Ithilien... ...The hobbits wandered here and there visiting again the places that they had passed before; and Sam hoped always in some shadow of the woods or secret glade to catch... ...a glimpse of the great Oliphaunt. And when he learned that at the siege of Gondor there had been a great number of these beasts but that they were all destroyed, he thought it a sad loss.
...'Well, one can't be everywhere at once, I suppose... ...But I missed a lot, seemingly.'
...In the meanwhile the host made ready for the return to Minas Tirith. The weary rested and the hurt were healed."
We have been there and back again.
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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Apr 8, 12:18pm
Post #36 of 50
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Today in Middle-earth
April 10, 3019 (S.R. 1419)
1. Ithilien becomes a land of rebirth.
(not from the appendices-no text)
...The hobbits recover in Ithilien among the Great Men of the West, the Elves, a Dwarf and a light-hearted Wizard while Minas Tirith prepares for the Return of the King.
...The resilience of the hobbits amazes those who have witnessed their healing since their rescue little more than three weeks before, but especially since their waking only four days ago. Together again, the hobbits thrive in this fair land.
April 10, 3020 (S.R. 1420)
1. Spring in the Shire.
(not from the appendices-no text)
...Spring in the Shire has always been one of Sam's favourite times of the year, but this year's especially grand as he watches the young trees grow, the flowers bloom and Hobbiton steadily healing from its hurts.
April 10, 1999
1. TheOneRing.net posts its first News Article!
(determined from Homepage Archives)
...While TORn will soon be officially registered… on this day, TORn split open the internet with its first Homepage News Article, "Hobbiton is Being Built" found in TORn's Homepage Archive (scroll down to the last article).
...TORn also changed the way a ground-breaking filmmaker embraced fans and gave us a voice. Peter Jackson saw the intelligence of collaborating with our TORn founders to give rise to a whole new level of creativity and synergy.
"...and their coming was like the falling of small stones that starts an avalanche in the mountains."
April 10, 2019
1. The Ghost of the One Ring is sighted.
...The first ever picture of a black hole: It's surrounded by a halo of bright gas. Katie Bouman of MIT created an algorithm making it possible. The supermassive black hole at the center of M87, a giant galaxy 53 million light years away weighs 6 billion solar masses. The black hole at the center of our own galaxy is just 4 million solar masses.
["It's full of stars!" Dr. Dave Bowman, 2001: A Space Odyssey] (The names are waaaay too coincidental ;)
We have been there and back again.
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grammaboodawg
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Apr 8, 12:22pm
Post #37 of 50
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Hobbiton Is Being Built
4/10/99, 12:00 am EST - Xoanon
MATAMATA - A secret start has been made on the mega-budget film Lord of the Rings in the central Waikato.
The New Zealand Herald has discovered that soldiers, earth-movers and builders have been working for two weeks amid the rolling hills and trees of a private farm between Matamata and Karapiro.
All involved have been sworn to secrecy about the $260 million trilogy, and movie staff yesterday pleaded that the site be kept secret.
A spokeswoman for the film firm Three Foot Six, Sian Clement, said she was worried that movie zealots would flock to the farm if they found out about the work. "You just have to look on the Internet to see the fanatic interest."
The start of a movie set can now be seen from nearby hills. Tracks, graders, heavy machinery, Army vehicles and tents stretch up to 1km into farm paddocks.
The farm's owner, Ian Alexander, said he had been involved since October. "They just arrived out of the blue," he said. "There's been a bit of activity, a bit of action, but they've only just started doing things for real. "Mr Alexander said the set was being built on a few hectares in the corner of one of his three blocks, but he refused to give more detail. "It's all being kept very quiet," he said. "I'm just a common old cocky with a few bloody sheep running around."
The movie trilogy is based on a series of fantasy books by JRR Tolkien. They will be shot by Wellington film-maker Peter Jackson with 15,000 actors, and a bigger budget than any other movie project in the Southern Hemisphere.
It is understood that the set will include a mock-up of the village Hobbiton, central to the story. Sets will also be built at other sites. A worker for Okoroire Excavators said he visited the farm more than a week ago, but had been asked to say nothing about it. "I'm not even sure who we're working for," he said. Army and Defence Ministry staff were more secretive than a bevy of bashful hobbits. They passed all calls to a press officer, Wing Commander John Seward, who did not return the calls. The Minister of Defence, Max Bradford, earlier said that soldiers would work for two or three days as extras, and would be paid normal movie rates by producers. Fourteen soldiers staying at the Okoroire Hot Springs Hotel have been visiting the movie set for more than a week, and are expected to stay up to three weeks longer. A staff member at the hotel said: "It's very hush-hush. I don't know what the hell they're doing, and as long as they pay their bills I don't care."
[[Link to the first news item indexed in TORn's Main News Archives – April 10, 1999-April 17, 1999. Scroll down to the last article on the page. TheOneRing.net is officially registered soon after on April 26, 1999]]
We have been there and back again.
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(This post was edited by grammaboodawg on Apr 8, 12:22pm)
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grammaboodawg
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Apr 8, 12:24pm
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Today in Middle-earth
April 11, 3018 (S.R. 1418) The Great Years
1. An evening at the Green Dragon.
(not from the appendices)
..."The conversation in the Green Dragon at Bywater, one evening in the spring of Frodo's fiftieth year, showed that even in the comfortable heart of the Shire rumours had been heard, though most hobbits still laughed at them.
...Sam Gamgee was sitting in one corner near the fire, and opposite him was Ted Sandyman, the miller's son; and... ...other rustic hobbits listening to their talk.
...'Queer things you do hear these days, to be sure,' said Sam.
...'Ah,' said Ted, 'you do, if you listen. But I can hear fireside-tales and children's stories at home...'
...'...No doubt you can,' retorted Sam, 'and I daresay there's more truth in some of them than you reckon. Who invented the stories anyway? Take dragons now.'
...'No thank 'ee,' said Ted, 'I won't. I heard tell of them when I was a youngster, but there's no call to believe in them now. There's only one Dragon in Bywater, and that's Green,' he said, getting a general laugh.
...'All right,' said Sam, laughing... '...But what about these Tree-men, these giants, as you might call them? They do say that one bigger than a tree was seen up away beyond the North Moors not long back.'
...'Who's they?'
...'My cousin Hal for one... ...He saw one.'
...'Says he did, perhaps. Your Hal's always saying that he's seen things; and maybe he sees things that ain't there.'
...'But this one was as big as an elm tree, and walking... ...seven yards to a stride, if it was an inch.'
...'Then I bet it wasn't an inch. What he saw was an elm tree, as like as not.'
...'But this one was walking, I tell you; and there ain't no elm tree on the North Moors.
...'Then Hal can't have seen one,' said Ted. There was some laughing and clapping: the audience seemed to think that Ted had scored a point.
...'All the same,' said Sam, 'you can't deny that others besides our Halfast have seen queer folk crossing the Shire... ...there are more that are turned back at the borders. The Bounders have never been so busy before.
...'And I've heard tell that Elves are moving west. They do say they are going to the harbours, out away beyond the White Towers.' Sam waved his arm vaguely... ...it was an old tradition that away over there stood the Grey Havens, from which at times elven-ships set sail, never to return....
...'...Well, that isn't anything new, if you believe the old tales. And I don't see what it matters to me or you. Let them sail! But I warrant you haven't seen them doing it; nor any one else in the Shire.'
...'Well, I don't know,' said Sam thoughtfully. He believed he had once seen an Elf in the woods, and still hoped to see more one day. Of all the legends that he had heard in his early years such fragments of tales and half-remembered stories about the Elves as the hobbits knew had always moved him most deeply. 'There are some even in these parts, as know the Fair Folk and get news of them,' he said. 'There's Mr. Baggins now... ...He told me that they were sailing, and he knows a bit about Elves. And old Mr. Bilbo knew more: many's the talk I had with him when I was a little lad.'
...'Oh, they're both cracked,' said Ted. 'Leastways old Bilbo was cracked, and Frodo's cracking. If that's where you get you news from, you'll never want for moonshine.... ...He drained his mug and went out noisily.
...Sam sat silent and said no more. He had a good deal to think about. For one thing, there was a lot to do up in the Bag End garden, and he would have a busy day tomorrow… …The grass was growing fast. But Sam had more on his mind than gardening. After a while he sighed, and got up and went out.
... It was early April and the sky was now clearing after heavy rain. The sun was down, and a cool pale evening was quietly fading into night. He walked home under the early stars through Hobbiton and up the Hill, whistling softly and thoughtfully.
...It was just at this time that Gandalf reappeared after his long absence… …It was over nine years since Frodo had seen or heard of him, and he had begun to think that the wizard would never return and had given up all interest in hobbits. But that evening, as Sam was walking home and twilight was fading, there came the once familiar tap on the study window.
...Frodo welcomed his old friend with surprise and great delight. They looked hard at one another.
...'All well, eh?' said Gandalf. 'You look the same as ever, Frodo!'
...'So do you,' Frodo replied; but secretly he thought that Gandalf looked older and more careworn. He pressed him for news of himself and of the wide world, and soon they were deep in talk, and they stayed up far into the night."
We have been there and back again.
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grammaboodawg
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Apr 12, 12:53pm
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Today in Middle-earth
April 12, 3018 (S.R. 1418) The Great Years (pt. 1 of 5)
1. Gandalf reaches Hobbiton.
(from the appendices)
..."...after a late breakfast, the wizard was sitting with Frodo by the open window of the study. A bright fire was on the hearth, but the sun was warm...
...Gandalf was thinking of a Spring, nearly eighty years before, when Bilbo had run out of Bag End without a handkerchief.... ...He was smoking now in silence, for Frodo was sitting still, deep in thought. Even in the light of morning he felt the dark shadow of the tidings that Gandalf had brought. At last he broke the silence.
...'Last night you began to tell me strange things about my ring, Gandalf,' he said. 'And then you stopped, because you said that such matters were best left until daylight. Don't you think you had better finish now? You say the ring is dangerous, far more dangerous than I guess. In what way?'
...'In many ways... ...It is far more powerful than I ever dared to think at first, so powerful that in the end it would utterly overcome anyone of mortal race who possessed it. It would possess him....
...'...A mortal, Frodo, who keeps one of the Great Rings, does not die, but he does not grow or obtain more life, he merely continues, until at last every minute is a weariness. And if he often uses the Ring to make himself invisible, he fades: he becomes in the end invisible permanently, and walks in the twilight under the eye of the dark power that rules the Rings... ...neither strength nor good purpose will last—sooner or later the dark power will devour him.'
...'How terrifying!' said Frodo. There was another long silence. The sound of Sam Gamgee cutting the lawn came in from the garden....
...'...You do not know the real peril yet,' said Gandalf; 'but you shall. I was not sure of it myself when I was last here; but the time has come to speak. Give me the ring for a moment.'
...Frodo took it from his breeches-pocket, where it was clasped to a chain... ...and handed it slowly to the wizard. It felt suddenly very heavy, as if either it or Frodo himself was in some way reluctant for Gandalf to touch it.
...Gandalf held it up. It looked to be made of pure and solid gold. 'Can you see any markings on it...?'
...'...No,' said Frodo. 'There are none. It is quite plain, and it never shows a scratch or sign of wear.'
...'Well then, look!' To Frodo's astonishment and distress the wizard threw it suddenly into the middle of the glowing corner of the fire....
......No apparent change came over the ring. After a while, Gandalf got up, closed the shutters outside the window, and drew the curtains. The room became dark and silent though the clack of Sam's shears... ...could still be heard faintly from the garden. For a moment the wizard stood looking at the fire; then he stooped and removed the ring to the hearth with the tongs and at once picked it up. Frodo gasped.
...'It is quite cool,' said Gandalf. 'Take it!' Frodo received it on his shrinking palm: it seemed to have become thicker and heavier than ever.
...'Hold it up!' said Gandalf. 'And look closely!' As Frodo did so, he now saw fine lines, finer than the finest penstrokes, running along the ring, outside and inside: lines of fire that seemed to form the letters of a flowing script....
...'...I cannot read the fiery letters,' said Frodo in a quavering voice.
...'No,' said Gandalf,' but I can. The letters are Elvish, of an ancient mode, but the language is that of Mordor, which I will not utter here. But this in the Common Tongue is what is said, close enough:
......One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
......One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them....
.........Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,
......Seven for the dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,
......Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,
......... One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
......In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
......... One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
......... One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them,
......In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
...'...This is the Master-ring, the One Ring to rule them all. This is the One Ring that he lost many ages ago, to the great weakening of his power. He greatly desires it—-but he must not get it.'
...Frodo sat silent and motionless. Fear seemed to stretch out a vast hand, like a dark cloud rising in the East and looming up to engulf him. 'This ring!' he stammered. 'How, how on earth did it come to me?'"
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grammaboodawg
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Apr 13, 12:06pm
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BS for April 13 – Yep... still stuck on the discussion in Bag End as the Book Spoilers continue... for a moment of Tolkien-zen.
April 12, 3018 (S.R. 1418) (continued pt. 2 of 5)
1. Gandalf and Frodo at Bag End.
(from the appendices)
..."'A Ring of Power looks after itself, Frodo. It may slip off treacherously, but its keeper never abandons it. At most he plays with the idea of handing it on to some one else's care—and that only at an early stage, when it first begins to grip... ...Bilbo alone in history has ever gone beyond playing, and really done it. He needed all my help, too. And even so he would never have just forsaken it, or cast it aside. It was not Gollum, Frodo, but the Ring itself that decided things. The Ring left him.'
...'What, just in time to meet Bilbo?' said Frodo....
...' ...It is no laughing matter,' said Gandalf. 'Not for you. It was the strangest event in the whole history of the Ring so far: Bilbo's arrival just at that time, and putting his hand on it, blindly, in the dark.
...'There was more than one power at work... ...The Ring was trying to get back to its master. It had slipped from Isildur's hand and betrayed him; then when a chance came it caught poor Déagol, and he was murdered; and after that Gollum, and it had devoured him. It could make no further use of him... ...as long as it stayed with him he would never leave his deep pool again. So now, when its master was awake once more and sending out his dark thought from Mirkwood, it abandoned Gollum. Only to be picked up by the most unlikely person imaginable: Bilbo from the Shire!
...'...there was something else at work, beyond any design of the Ring-maker. I can put it no plainer than by saying that Bilbo was meant to find the Ring... ...you also were meant to have it. And that may be an encouraging thought.'
...'It is not,' said Frodo. 'Though I am not sure that I understand you. But how have you learned all this about the Ring, and about Gollum? Do you really know it all, or are you just guessing still?'
...Gandalf looked at Frodo, and his eyes glinted. 'I knew much and I have learned much,' he answered. 'But I am not going to give an account of all my doings to you. The history of Elendil and Isildur and the One Ring is known to all the Wise. Your ring is shown to be that One Ring by the fire-writing alone, apart from any other evidence... ...I expected to find it. I have come back from dark journeys and long search to make that final test. It is the last proof, and all is now only too clear...'
......A heavy silence fell in the room. Frodo could hear his heart beating. Even outside everything seemed still. No sound of Sam's shears could now be heard.
...'Yes, to Mordor,' said Gandalf. 'Alas! Mordor draws all wicked things, and the Dark Power was bending all its will to gather them there...'
...'...Wretched fool! In that land [Gollum] would learn much, too much for his comfort. And sooner or later as he lurked and pried on the borders he would be caught, and taken—for examination.... ...When he was found he had already been there long, and was on his way back. On some errand of mischief. But that does not matter much now. His worst mischief was done.
...'Yes, alas! through him the Enemy has learned that the One has been found again. He knows where Isildur fell. He knows where Gollum found his ring. He knows that it is a Great Ring... ...He knows that it is not one of the Three, for they have never been lost, and they endure no evil. He knows that it is not one of the Seven or the Nine, for they are accounted for. He knows that it is the One. And he has at last heard... ...of hobbits and the Shire.
...'The Shire—he may be seeking for it now... ...Indeed, Frodo, I fear that he may even think that the long-unnoticed name of Baggins has become important.'
...'But this is terrible!' cried Frodo. 'Far worse than the worst that I imagined, from your hints and warnings. O Gandalf, best of friends, what am I to do...? ...What a pity that Bilbo did not stab that vile creature, when he had a chance!'
...'Pity? It was Pity that stayed his hand. Pity, and Mercy not to strike without need. And he has been well rewarded Frodo. Be sure that he took so little hurt from the evil, and escaped in the end, because he began his ownership of the Ring so. With Pity.'
...'I am sorry,' said Frodo. 'But I am frightened; and I do not feel any pity for Gollum... ...He deserves death.'
...'Deserves it! I daresay he does. Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very wise cannot see all ends. I have not much hope that Gollum can be cured before he dies, but there is a chance... ...he is bound up with the fate of the Ring. My heart tells me that he has some part to play yet, for good or ill... ...and when that comes, the pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many....'"
We have been there and back again.
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grammaboodawg
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Apr 14, 1:36pm
Post #41 of 50
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BS for April 14 – Here's a continuation on the Book Spoiler of Gandalf and Frodo's discussion... for a moment of Tolkien-zen.
April 12, 3018 (S.R. 1418) (continued pt. 3 of 5)
1. Gandalf and Frodo at Bag End.
(from the appendices)
..."Frodo drew the Ring out of his pocket again and looked at it. It now appeared plain and smooth, without mark or device that he could see. The gold looked very fair and pure, and Frodo thought how rich and beautiful was its colour, how perfect was its roundness... ...When he took it out he had intended to fling it from him into the very hottest part of the fire. But he found now that he could not do so, not without a great struggle... ...hesitating, and forcing himself to remember all that Gandalf had told him... ...with an effort of will he made a movement, as if to cast it away---but he found that he had put it back in his pocket.
...Gandalf laughed grimly. 'You see? Already you too, Frodo, cannot easily let it go, nor will to damage it. And I could not "make" you---except by force, which would break your mind.'
...'Your small fire... ...would not melt even ordinary gold. This Ring has already passed through it unscathed, and even unheated.... ...It has been said that dragon-fire could melt and consume the Rings of Power, but there is not now any dragon left on earth in which the old fire is hot enough... ...who could have harmed the One Ring, the Ruling Ring, for that was made by Sauron himself.
...'There is only one way: to find the Cracks of Doom in the depths of Orodruin... ...and cast the Ring in there, if you really wish to destroy it, to put it beyond the grasp of the Enemy for ever.'
...'I do really wish to destroy it!' cried Frodo. 'Or, well, to have it destroyed. I am not made for perilous quests. I wish I had never seen the Ring! Why did it come to me? Why was I chosen...?'
...'...You may be sure that it was not for any merit that others do not possess: not for power or wisdom, at any rate. But you have been chosen, and you must therefore use such strength and heart and wits as you have.'
...'But I have so little of any of these things! You are wise and powerful. Will you not take the Ring?'
...'No!' cried Gandalf, springing to his feet. 'With that power I should have power too great and terrible. And over me the Ring would gain a power still greater and more deadly... ...Do not tempt me! For I do not wish to become like the Dark Lord himself. Yet the way of the Ring to my heart is by pity, pity for weakness and the desire of strength to do good... ...I dare not take it, not even to keep it safe, unused. The wish to wield it would be too great for my strength. I shall have such need of it. Great perils lie before me.'
...He went to the window and drew aside the curtains and the shutters. Sunlight streamed back again into the room. Sam passed along the path outside whistling. 'And now,' said the wizard... ...'the decision lies with you. But I will always help you.' He laid his hand on Frodo's shoulder. 'I will help you bear this burden, as long as it is yours to bear. But we must do something, soon. The Enemy is moving.'"
.
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grammaboodawg
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Apr 15, 12:18pm
Post #42 of 50
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BS for April 15 – Here's more Book Spoiler of that iconic meeting in Bag End with one more installment to follow... for a moment of Tolkien-zen.
April 12, 3018 (S.R. 1418) (continued pt. 4 of 5)
1. Gandalf reaches Hobbiton.
(from the appendices)
..."'Well!' said Gandalf at last. 'What are you thinking about? Have you decided what to do?'
...'No!' answered Frodo, coming back to himself... '...Or perhaps, yes. As far as I understand what you have said, I suppose I must keep the Ring and guard it... ...whatever it may do to me.'
...'Whatever it may do, it will be slow, slow to evil, if you keep it with that purpose,' said Gandalf.
...'I hope so,' said Frodo. 'But I hope that you may find some other better keeper soon. But in the meanwhile it seems that I am a danger... ...to all that live near me. I cannot keep the Ring and stay here. I ought to leave Bag End, leave the Shire, leave everything and go away.' He sighed.
...'I should like to save the Shire... ...though there have been times when I thought the inhabitants too stupid and dull for words, and have felt that an earthquake or an invasion of dragons might be good for them. But I don't feel like that now. I feel that as long as the Shire lies behind, safe and comfortable, I shall find wandering more bearable: I shall know that somewhere there is a firm foothold, even if my feet cannot stand there again.
...'Of course, I have sometimes thought of going away, but I imagined... ...a series of adventures like Bilbo's or better, ending in peace. But this would mean exile, a flight from danger into danger, drawing it after me. And I suppose I must go alone... ...But I feel very small, and very uprooted, and well---desperate. The Enemy is so strong and terrible.'
...He did not tell Gandalf, but as he was speaking a great desire to follow Bilbo flamed up in his heart---to follow Bilbo, and even perhaps to find him again... ...he could almost have run out there and then down the road without his hat, as Bilbo had done on a similar morning long ago.
...'My dear Frodo!' exclaimed Gandalf. 'Hobbits really are amazing creatures... ...You can learn all that there is to know about their ways in a month, and yet after a hundred years they can still surprise you at a pinch. I hardly expected to get such an answer, not even from you. But Bilbo made no mistake in choosing his heir, though he little thought how important it would prove. I am afraid you are right. The Ring will not be able to stay hidden in the Shire much longer... ...you will have to go, and leave the name of Baggins behind you. That name will not be safe to have, outside the Shire or in the Wild."
We have been there and back again.
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grammaboodawg
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Apr 16, 11:07am
Post #43 of 50
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BS for April 16 – Well... this is the last of our special series of Book Spoilers. We've had a fresh look at the quality of Frodo Baggins (and Sam)... for our moment of Tolkien-zen.
April 12, 3018 (S.R. 1418) (pt. 5 of 5)
1. Gandalf reaches Hobbiton.
(from the appendices)
..."Suddenly he stopped as if listening. Frodo became aware that all was very quiet, inside and outside. Gandalf crept to one side of the window. Then with a dart he sprang to the sill, and thrust a long arm out and downwards. There was a squawk, and up came Sam Gamgee's curly head hauled by one ear.
...'Well, well, bless my beard!' said Gandalf. 'Sam Gamgee is it? Now what may you be doing?'
...'Lor bless you, Mr. Gandalf, sir!' said Sam. 'Nothing! ...I was just trimming the grass-border under the window, if you follow me.' He picked up the shears and exhibited them as evidence.
...'I don't,' said Gandalf grimly. 'It is some time since I last heard the sound of your shears. How long have you been eavesdropping?'
...'Eavesdropping, sir? ...begging your pardon. There ain't no eaves at Bag End, and that's a fact.'
...'Don't be a fool! What have you heard, and why did you listen?' Gandalf's eyes flashed and his brows stuck out like bristles.
...'Mr. Frodo, sir!' cried Sam quaking. 'Don't let him hurt me, sir! Don't let him turn me into anything unnatural! My old dad would take on so. I meant no harm, on my honour, sir!'
...'He won't hurt you,' said Frodo, hardly able to keep from laughing, although he was himself startled and rather puzzled. 'He knows... ...that you mean no harm. But just you up and answer his questions straight away!'
...'Well, sir,' said Sam, dithering a little. 'I heard a deal that I didn't rightly understand, about an enemy, and rings, and Mr. Bilbo… …and dragons, and a fiery mountain, and—and Elves, sir. I listened because I couldn't help myself, if you know what I mean. Lor bless me, sir, but I do love tales of that sort. And I believe them too, whatever Ted may say. Elves, sir! I would dearly love to see them. Couldn't you take me to see Elves, sir, when you go?'
...Suddenly Gandalf laughed. 'Come inside!' he shouted, and... ...he lifted the astonished Sam, shears, grass-clippings and all, right through the window and stood him on the floor. 'Take you to see Elves, eh?' he said, eyeing Sam closely, but with a smile flickering on his face. 'So you heard that Mr. Frodo is going away?'
...'I did, sir. And that's why I choked: which you heard seemingly. I tried not to… …but it burst out of me: I was so upset.'
...'It can't be helped Sam,' said Frodo sadly. He had suddenly realized that flying from the Shire would mean more painful partings than merely saying farewell to the familiar comforts of Bag End. 'I shall have to go. But'---and here he looked hard at Sam---'if you really care about me, you will keep that dead secret… ...if you even breathe a word of what you've heard here, then I hope Gandalf will turn you into a spotted toad and fill the garden full of grass-snakes.'
...Sam fell on his knees, trembling. 'Get up, Sam!' said Gandalf. 'I have thought of something better than that. Something to shut your mouth, and punish you properly… …You shall go away with Mr. Frodo!'
...'Me, sir!' cried Sam, springing up like a dog invited for a walk. 'Me go and see Elves and all! Hooray!' he shouted, and then burst into tears."
We have been there and back again.
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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Apr 17, 12:34pm
Post #44 of 50
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Today in Middle-earth
April 17, 2942 (S.R. 1342)
1. Bilbo and Gandalf reach the old goblin stronghold that led Bilbo to the Ring.
(determined from text-TH: Return Journey)
..."At last they came up the long road, and reached the very pass where the goblins had captured them before… …and looking backward they saw a white sun shining over the outstretched lands. There behind lay Mirkwood, blue in the distance, and darkly green at the nearer edge even in the spring. There… …was the Lonely Mountain on the edge of eyesight. On its highest peak snow yet unmelted was gleaming pale.
..."So comes snow after fire, and even dragons have their ending!" said Bilbo, and he turned his back on his adventure. The Tookish part was getting very tired, and the Baggins was daily getting stronger. "I wish now only to be in my own arm-chair!"”
April 17, 2980 (S.R. 1380)
1. Aragorn comes to Lórien.
(Appendix A & B – determined from text)
..."'It came to pass that when Aragorn was nine and forty years of age he returned from perils in the dark confines of Mordor, where Sauron now dwelt again and was busy with evil. He was weary and he wished to go back to Rivendell and rest there... ...ere he journeyed into the far countries; and on his way he came to the borders of Lórien and was admitted to the hidden land by the Lady Galadriel.
...'He did not know it, but Arwen Undómiel was also there, dwelling again for a time with the kin of her mother. She was little changed... ...yet her face was more grave, and her laughter now seldom was heard. But Aragorn was grown to full stature of body and mind, and Galadriel bade him cast aside his wayworn raiment, and she clothed him in silver and white, with a cloak of elven-grey and a bright gem on his brow. Then more than any kind of Men he appeared, and seemed rather an Elf-lord from the Isles of the West... ...thus it was that Arwen first beheld him again after their long parting; and as he came walking towards her under the trees of Caras Galadon laden with flowers of gold, her choice was made and her doom appointed.'"
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dernwyn
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Apr 17, 3:46pm
Post #45 of 50
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...Matchmaker Granny! Galadriel knew full well what she was doing! 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Apr 18, 12:44pm
Post #46 of 50
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Yeah... I was thinking the same thing. Living on the edge of a knife can have its highlights, too ;)
We have been there and back again.
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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Apr 18, 12:46pm
Post #47 of 50
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Today in Middle-earth
April 18, 2942 (S.R. 1342)
1. The Master of Lake-town falls to dragon-sickness.
(determined from text)
... "The old Master had come to a bad end. Bard had given him much gold for the help of the Lake-people, but being of the kind that easily catches such disease he fell under the dragon-sickness, and took most of the gold and fled with it, and died of starvation in the Waste, deserted by his companions...."
We have been there and back again.
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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Apr 19, 1:00pm
Post #48 of 50
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Today in Middle-earth
April 19, 3018 (S.R. 1418)
1. The Conspirators at work.
(determined from text)
...[Pippin tells about how the Conspirators organized and watched over Frodo] ”'…you have obviously been planning to go and saying farewell to all your haunts all this year since April. We have constantly heard you muttering: "Shall I ever look down into that valley again, I wonder", and things like that… …And all those close talks with Gandalf….'
...'…We have been terrified that you might give us the slip, and go off suddenly, all on your own like he did. Ever since this spring we have kept our eyes open, and done a good deal of planning on our own account. You are not going to escape so easily!' [said Merry]… …I have known about the existence of the Ring for years—before Bilbo went away… …I kept my knowledge to myself, till this Spring when things got serious. Then we formed our conspiracy; and as we were serious, too, and meant business, we have not been too scrupulous. You are not a very easy nut to crack, and Gandalf is worse...
......[Sam was] our chief investigator... ...our collector of information! And he collected a lot, I can tell you, before he was finally caught. After which, I may say, he seemed to regard himself as on parole, and dried up.'”
We have been there and back again.
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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Apr 20, 12:58pm
Post #49 of 50
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Today in Middle-earth
April 20, 3018 (S.R. 1418)
1. Gandalf and Frodo enjoy the comforts of Bag End.
(not from the appendices-no text)
...Now that the decision had been made to take the Ring out of the Shire, Frodo felt strangely displaced as he considered all the changes in his life by leaving Hobbiton, Bag End, and his friends. His greatest comfort was knowing that Sam was in on the plan and would be his companion into exile.
...Gandalf watched his friend closely as Frodo busied himself with his daily routine. While the wizard always felt renewed from his visits, he knew they were about to come to an end. The impact the Quest was already having on Frodo saddened him. Life for the Bagginses at Bag End would never be the same. Yet he held onto the hope that Rivendell could hold some new counsel that would spare Frodo. So these exceptional friends enjoyed each day and avoided the subject of the Ring for as long as they could.
We have been there and back again.
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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Apr 21, 2:00pm
Post #50 of 50
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Today in Middle-earth
gramma note: I'm not assuming Gandalf found Thrain on this date, but I'm acknowledging that Gandalf was telling the story of Thráin leaving on this date. I chose today in order to post the TIME events together because of the 100-year reference of April 21 in 2841… which I coupled to the same 100-year reference in the 2850 event. Both were Gandalf relating to Thorin [and others] the story of Thráin leaving.
April 21, 2841 (S.R. 1241)
1. Thráin leaves to reclaim the Lonely Mountain.
(determined from text)
[Gandalf explains to Thorin]""...Thráin your father went away on the twenty-first of April, a hundred years ago last Thursday, and has never been seen by you since--"
April 21, 2850 (S.R. 1250)
1. Gandalf returns to Dol Guldur and learns that the evil presence is Sauron. Gandalf finds Thráin in the dungeon and receives the map and key of the Lonely Mountain from him.
(determined from text)
...""I did not 'get hold of it, I was given it," said the wizard. "Your grandfather Thror was killed, you remember, in the mines of Moria by Azog the Goblin..."
..."...And Thráin your father went away… …a hundred years ago…”
..."…True, true," said Thorin.
..."…your father gave me this to give to you… …if I have chosen my own time and way of handing it over, you can hardly blame me, considering the trouble I had to find you. Your father could not remember his own name… …and he never told me yours; so on the whole I think I ought to be praised and thanked. Here it is," said he handing the map to Thorin.
..."I don't understand," said Thorin…
..."…Your grandfather," said the wizard slowly and grimly, "gave the map to his son for safety before he went to the mines of Moria. Your father went away to try his luck with the map after your grandfather was killed… …but he never got near the Mountain. How he got there I don't know, but I found him a prisoner in the dungeons of the Necromancer.""
We have been there and back again.
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It's time for ome more BS!
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