Gondor Gambolling 65: in which Gryfflet's herding skills are once more in demand
0Gryfflet has been spending time with the intimidating Lady Glánhar and her hapless shepherd so he is understandably keen to get on with retrieving the latter's errant sheep, allowing us some conversation in the meantime. This accomplished he decides to go in search of the herbs requested by the Beacon-keeper which requires visiting the swampy Mouths of Entwash where the foliage is several times Gryfflet's height. He discovers a secret Cairn which sparks a Discovery Deed, irresistible to such an adventurous Hobbit, which he shelves pending his visit to the Falls of Rauros. Emerging from the swamp he sets off to rescue Sithgar's missing horse, discovering on the way a road-arch topped with an enormous statue. To his surprise the horse transports us direct to Sithgar, who now reveals he needs a saddle and some horseshoes, the materials for which Gryfflet is naturally recruited to gather. Recycling abandoned tools from the nearby quarry will suffice for the latter; for the former we will need fresh hides from a particular type of deer. Luckily they live near where we want to go anyway so we set off apace and discuss some more Lore on the way. We meet up with the ever-glum Gondrad who wants us to sneak into an enemy camp and filch the missing brooch as required by the kidnapper. Gryfflet confidently sets off in what turns out to be the wrong direction but happily this means that he can fulfil the rest of his errands on the way. He is bemused but not unhappy when the deer prove tougher than the enormous bears, and then gleeful to leap into the camp from a nearby cliff. Sadly his attempts to sneak through the camp fail dismally so he proceeds to slaughter his way through the enemy, not without taking some serious harm on the way. Luckily once he finds the brooch his attempts to sneak out work much better than the Professor's webcam which freezes up, so we carry on our discussion with a "voice from beyond" while Gryfflet finishes off his hunting. We take a shortcut back to Ost Rimmon since our time is running short, where Sithgar is grateful for the gear which will allow him to rejoin his fellows. There is just enough time to seek out Gondrad in preparation to confront the kidnapper next session.
"It's fine, we'll get there!"
"Not saying I couldn't, just saying I never have!"
"I might rubber-band myself right off the cliff!"
"They vanished, but they vanished safely!"
"What happens if I ignore the heck out of him and keep running?"
"Here it all is, I should have started up here!"
"OK, thank you for moving on!"
"I am a terror to myself and others!"
"They will never expect this!"
"Oh seriously? I'm going to throw a knife at you!"
Lore discussed this week covered JRRT's development of Boromir's character and his approach to the sticky subject of displaced people, with particular reference to the Dunlendings and Rohirrim; the Professor also announced the opening of Signum University's annual Fall Fundraising campaign.
The campaign drawing link for Gryfflet: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSczVDoA4nnXDnMfd9W-dxA9a2yWyh8DQ-8SDOSgHRzj8uGzxg/viewform?usp=sf_link