Hobbits on the move in stormy weather

A lot has happened in the Shire since our last seasonal forecast. During the winter days, unsettling rumours started to circulate the Shire, and later, the Mayor himself confirmed them to be true: Andy Brockhouse had lost all his housing records all of a sudden. This meant that most hobbits would have to leave their old burrows behind and try to reclaim them again, once the Shire housing broker had his ledgers sorted out. Needless to say, many were upset to say farewell to their old homes and places full of memories. The Mayor assured everyone that once the move was over, everything would be much merrier – the roads would be less muddy, with plenty of space for everyone. Despite his reassuring words, the sudden situation stirred all kinds of emotions among the local hobbits. The feeling of uncertainty and loss left many people torn, sad, stressed and overwhelmed. However, hobbits are known for their resilience and community spirit, and so they provided support for one another, making sure that no one would be left alone in a time of big changes. Together, they bid a fond farewell to their old homes at gatherings with good food and drink, speeches, and songs that would provide them comfort on the road ahead.

The hobbits might have been well prepared for the move, but the roads were not. It became clear early on that traffic was more than the Shire roads could take. It also didn’t help that some were hauling all the Shire ore in their waggon (and mining more as they went on). In addition, the weather was not on the hobbits’ side either. Storms raged, sometimes quite suddenly, forcing some people to take shelter and delaying their journey by days. Some hobbits claimed that they had seen a wizard who was there to help people move to the new place, but many would not believe such a thing before they could see it with their own eyes. Numerous buttons were lost in the stormy weather, so we expect a lot of work for the tailors in the months to come. Some also lost their wallets to the strong winds, and the bounders are still busy searching for lost items all around the Shire. And as if this all wasn’t enough, some people have lost their names too – at least in Mayor’s records – and they have been forced to record new names. There are rumours that the Shirriffs are opening a new Lost and Found for all the misplaced possessions during the move.

It is not surprising that this ordeal has caused a lot of worry and stress among the Shirefolk, and at the time of this Forecast, it is still ongoing – hobbits are still waiting for their new homes to be opened for sale. Andy Brockhouse says that he will have the burrow sales open on Friday 4th April. Everyone is crossing their fingers that all will go well and that no storm is going to snatch his ledger away this time. One thing is sure though – once everyone has been able to settle in their new homes, we will have many burrow crawls in the homesteads to look forward to. Once people are finally finished with the big move, they might throw other special parties too – there are even rumours of a special Green Dragon theme party, schemed by a secret club of hobbits. Other rumours include talk of a new spring swayers’ dance. Even though many things are still up in the air, it seems that we will have brighter and warmer days ahead, with less muddy roads and fewer sudden rainstorms. If not, the Mayor might get his share of spoiled vegetables at the next Farmer’s Faire.

Opportunities for making new friends

Even though the journey has taken its toll, the hobbits have tried to make their best of it. Now when folks are still without a roof above their head, they have spent a lot of their time at the Shire inns. The Green Dragon Friday gatherings have been very lively, providing a place where hobbits can forget the messy move for a while and focus on getting the inn floor messy instead. Now that everyone is on the move, it has provided a good opportunity to make new friends. Folks from different parts of the Shire have come together and made new bonds. Some hobbits have developed their own particular dialect that sometimes makes conversations more challenging, but the universal common interests of hobbits, such as food, music, dancing and making merry are things that overcome these little language barriers.

In addition to the partying at the inns, the big move has brought hobbits together in other ways too. Just the other day, Miss Rhubarbra gathered a group of hobbits to look for lost letters in Yondershire. Being a wise hobbit, she called it a “picnic”, a word which draws hobbits like a magnet to any place at any time. Together, the hobbits wandered over fields and hills and retrieved numerous letters and even a box of biscuits which were soon quality tested by the May King himself. It is likely that the hobbits will go searching for more letters and parcels in future too, and have a grand picnic out in the beautiful landscape.

Old traditions carry over

Even though many things have been lost during the big move, some things will stay the same as before. Hobbits have many beloved spring traditions that they have celebrated for many years. The first one of these, Bullroarer Took Day, was already celebrated soon after the big move started. Again, the party in Brockenborings featured many cheerful tunes, songs and poetry worthy of the Bullroarer. Another music-themed tradition is the annual search for the mythical musical badgers. The band Brandy Badgers summons folk to seek these strange forest creatures to see if they are true. Usually, the search is unfruitful, so the band has a plan B – they perform a special one-time spring musical for everyone present. According to the rumours, we might see an old fierce oinker in it and hear some loud instruments blowing in the wind. Speaking of music, the OAKS concerts are still in the old Oldfurlong neighbourhood for the rest of the OAKS season, until the Forest of OAKS. So if you want to wander back a bit, there will be merry music and warm hugs greeting you there.

Other traditional revelries to look forward to include the Green Dragon Friday anniversary. This year, this weekly hobbit event turns 17 years old! It started as a gathering of a few good friends, and now, it has grown into an event where many come for some hobbit cheer and maybe new acquaintances and friends – even romancing. The anniversary is a special occasion with a special menu, Green Dragon related entertainment and some grand surprises. It’s the night when everyone dresses green (unless, for some reason, your clothing is permanently black – which is just another shade of green, though). 

In May, our current May Queen and King will remove their crowns and pass them on to new May royals. Traditionally, new candidates usually sign up themselves or get signed up by others. Then everyone can vote their favourite Queen and King from the list of nominees. The results of the vote are made public at a merry spring party. It is a lovely and exciting event for everyone involved. Each May Royal has their own way of ruling. Some throw parties, some apples, some spill all their drinks. Hopefully we can see this tradition happen this year as well. 

As this Forecast is being put into print, many things are still in motion – we are still waiting to move into our new homes, and some people are still on the road, wondering which path to take. During these uncertain times, it is best to hold on to the things that cannot be taken from you – the friends and community around you. Among the hobbits, there is always someone who can provide support and help, or at least some cheer when all efforts seem to go wasted and lost. We stick together, like the rug to the floor of the Green Dragon.

Merry spring days to everyone!

((OOC: This is the seasonal Shire forecast where we aim to provide common pointers and ideas for hobbit roleplay in LOTRO. If you have ideas for upcoming issues, please contact Pycella (pycellawoodberry[a]gmail.com).  ))