1.0 - The Marsh Bell

After Inar leaves for the wilderness, Frór spends time with Laketown's Bowmen of the Guild—not joining the guild—but hanging out with them in order to learn to shoot a shortbow. Then he spends the summer going hunting with whoever will take him along. He lives off his game or sells it at the Butchers' Quay.He spends the long summer evenings sharing tales with his hobbit companions, if they're around, or with other dwarves who may be in town so as to keep apprised of any news from Erebor.

But on the hunt he grows secretly hopeful that instead of wild game, he comes across a goblin to shoot. "Baruk Khazâd! Khazâd ai-mênu!" He broods sometimes about the vengeance he has pledged. He looks forward to making a renewal of his Oath at the upcoming Anniversary Party and then wintering in Erebor.

As the summer days gradually shorten, and the evenings begin to get a little cooler, Frór begins to get more anxious for the Anniversary Party. Finally, he heads to Dale, although the party is still a few weeks away. He wants to help and participate in the preparations, and meet other dwarves who might come to do the same from the mountain.

When the day of the celebration at last comes Frór the Tall carefully dons his armour (which, ironically, he never wears for battle, but only saves it for formal occasions) and his fur-lined cloak and throws himself into the merrymaking with all his heart and soul! He sings all the old battle songs and joins with others in the impromptu singing of new verses in memory of the great deeds that were done, and when the time is right Frór climbs up on one of the bigger, central tables and renews his Oath, just as he imagined doing several months earlier:

"In witness to the might and fury of Beorn in his slaying of the orc chief, Bolg, I declare that it shall be a Dwarf that will repay the debt by slaying all the sons of Bolg from this day forth until his line is utterly failed and forgotten! And that Dwarf shall be me! This I swear as my Oath to all Dwarves and Men who hear it this day in battle!"

He raises his fist high with that last statement and bellows out a mighty cheer, along with any and all who will join him.

Gilly spends her days composing her version of their journey, trying to emulate Bilbo's gifted prose. She and her brother take walks and go fishing, and both tend to show up visiting at tea-time, though they bring home-made biscuits and jam with them, of course. Despite the return to a more normal life, she can't shake the deep longing to find more secrets and powerful artifacts...

Summer passes uneventfully for each of you. Inar puts in a helping hand here and there about the community and helps to ensure a lawful road out of Laketown up towards Dale, though as the summer winds down the amount of traffic increases, diminishing the need for his aid there. Robin and Gilly spend an idyllic summer on the lake. Robin makes solid inroads in his fishing style and occasionally Gilly catches rumor of dragon treasure sunk beneath the waters attached to Smaug's rotting carcass. Fror has been more industrious than his hobbit friends and the Bowmen enjoy his tales and do what they can to help him learn the way of the bow.

As fall comes -- all of you but Fror gather together and make your way up to Dale. It's an easy journey -- with plenty of opportunity for company as people from all over gather together. Fror has made his way up early and has managed to secure lodging of some repute for the four of you by being a couple weeks ahead of schedule. Dale prepares for the celebration by hanging colorful banners and stringing cloth flags across streets from building to building. Toymakers of Erebor are out in force with cunning devices for young hands to covet and Men, Dwarves and the occasional Elf and Hobbit are in attendance. The Elves of the Woodland kingdom remain, five years on, somewhat separate from Dale and Erebor but with less hostility than on that day years ago.

It is the last few days of November and the the festival furns into a great feast. As persons known to Gloin himself, you find yourselves in Dale's great hall, guests of Bard himself. You're well and away from the persons of High and Mighty Status, but nonetheless, you're in the warm hall and enjoying excellent food and drink with other people who are each, in their own way, fairly interesting...

In the comfotable confines of Dale Inar allows himself a rare opportunity to relax with his companions.

Gilly recounts several tales of increasing improbability of fish that she supposedly caught.

Frór loudly and drunkenly (and preferably standing on a chair or table or stairs, etc.) re-declares his oath, as previously described. 😜 Otherwise, he enjoys carousing in anyone’s company (except elves I should think), and he vehemently supports all Gilly’s fish tales.

The festival is a fun occasion -- and it seems that somehow a missive has been able to reach the Eagles given Balin and Oin's failed attempt to do so. Given your presence in the main hall, you see such persons as befits tales to be told to children and grandchildren. Not only is King Bard there, but so to are Dain Ironfoot II the king of Erebor and Thranduil the Woodland King. A mysterious visitor wearing nondescript grey robes and a slightly frumpy conical hat sits near these people. Gilly is well convinced that must be none other than Gandalf. Although the smoke rings he emits are magnificent, there seem to be hints of a deeper purpose to his presence with the local royalty. However none of you are important enough to be near to hear anything of repute.

Rumors, of course, abound.

All in all the festival lasts for a full week before it begins to wind down. Winter is coming and the peoples are interested in returning to their homes.

Robin convinces his sister that they should go home and visit their family, and she is only briefly reluctant. They journey home to the Shire full of stories and eager for the good food that awaits them.

Inar makes his goodbyes quietly and without fuss before heading back out in the direction of Laketown.

Frór spends the winter in Erebor. It is there that his hatred for the orcs is rekindled, making him an even fiercer enemy of all goblin-kind!

But before parting ways, he bids warm farewells to his friends with heartily expressed hopes for a reunion before too long!

You each find your way to your wintering spot. Robin and Gilly have a long, but uneventful trip home. Although the pass is choked with snow, the Beornings have made good sport of keeping things relatively clear, so there are a few hard days across the Misty Mountains for them, but soon they come back down the back of the mountains and into Eriador. From there, the journey onward towards Bree and the Shire is low key and borderline delightful. Once home, of course, Robin and Gilly are treated with a mixture of awe and disdain as they appear to be a little too focused on adventure for proper Hobbits.Laketown is a little on the grim side over the winter as what weather the Misty Mountains don't absorb seem to be thrown off by them in the direction of Erebor and the Lake as some sort of mischievous ploy to repay them for the events of five years ago. Still, Gloin finds his way into town from time to time, and Inar is occasionally asked by for a drink of ale and to discuss that which he's seen or heard between visits. Lastly, Fror has great fun all winter in Erebor practicing his martial arts and getting into a proper froth about his hatred of Orcs. He spends many a late night patrol around the mountain regaling anyone lucky enough to be assigned to join him with tales of precisely what he plans to do to any Orcs he happens to come across.

Inar takes some comfort from his meetings with Gloin but otherwise doesn’t find himself quite able to shake the feeling that something is going to go badly wrong soon. His fears however do not come to anything over the winter and soon the spring thaw is upon Laketown. Without realising it the thought that his companions will soon be back in town lifts Inars spirits as the summer approaches.