The Diary of Bellin Curlytoes

I got back to the elves this afternoon and they gave me some very nice presents for running all those errands for them.  I have a very nice new jacket to wear.  If only there was something I could do to help them with the trolls.

As I was getting some food ready for a spot of dinner I found the little acorn whistle that Eleangil had give me for calling Krispli.  Maybe he can help me with the trolls?

I wonder how I use this whistle?

I did so much riding around yesterday, even with all the shortcuts I know it’s still a very long way to ride and I didn’t want to go looking for the stone trolls in the dark.

I was about lunchtime when I found the stone trolls so I had a bit of a picnic and afterwards I had a look around and found a lump of stone which, if you look at it right, looks like a troll’s ear.  Spud will be really impressed.

Looks like they weren't all tall stories!

I think I shall head back to the elves tomorrow, there’s a lot of mining to do around here.

I didn’t manage to get to the forge last night as I was settling my pony into the stable I got chatting to Pippin mostly about the shire and our favourite tavens and the ales.  I think he was getting a little homesick, well at least in need of a visit to a tavern so I had a rummage around in my backpack and dug out some pipeweed that I had found.  Pippin was really happy and it just goes to show that you should always keep hold of things that look like they could be useful.

It was rather late by the time I got to bed but I had a good laugh with Pippin though and he’s told me the names of some good ales to try.  I’m not sure that he had any of the pipeweed left to share with the others.

So it was fairly late this morning by the time I went to fetch my pony.  Just as I was about to leave though Pippin came running over, he remembered this moring that they had seen the stone trolls on their journey and was able to give me some rough directions for where I might find them.

None of the elves knew about the stone trolls but a lot of them had heard the story.  I think I might head back to Rivendell to ask him about it, it would be funny to send Spud a piece of troll in the post; he’d be disappointed if I didn’t try to find them at least.  I’ve got lots of other message to deliver as well and it’ll be a nice day to take the pony out for a ride.  If I practice riding enough I might be able to take part in the next Stout n Sturdy derby but he might need to lose a bit of weight first.

It’s a nice ride up to Rivendell once you get past the lynx, bears and buzzing things that like to sting.  There are some really good ore deposits on the route if you know where to look and the last time I followed Krispli to Rivendell I made sure that I took special notice of the route he took me.  I knew it would be the route with the most mining spots.

Bilbo likes to tell a good story

I spoke to Mr Bilbo and he told me the story of the trolls but he couldn’t remember exactly where they were or if they would even still be there.  Because of all the mining it’s a bit late to be setting out anywhere so I’m going to stable the pony for the night and turn some of this ore into ingots.

Well they agreed that the road needing clearing and then asked if I’d mind helping them out as they’re having problems with trolls as well which is keeping them busy.  I don’t mind helping out though it will give me a good excuse to have a look around the area.  From the top of the hill here I can see a lot of places that look good to explore.  I need to earn some more coin anyway after buying my pony and hopefully one day I’ll be able to find a nice new vase for mam.  Luckily there’s plenty of errands to be run here.  It’s probably all this talk of trolls that has got everyone nervous but it’s these elks I don’t like, they look at you in a funny way; I think they’re like the ones in Evendim that like to chase you for miles.  The good thing is that the little river near here looks a good spot for fishing this afternoon.

who's stealing the fishes?

Clearing roads is a lot more tiring than it looks but that might be because it hasn’t been done for ages; most of the rocks had things living under them.  That said I did still get time to do a little fishing but without much luck, I got talking to a local fisherman who thinks that someone is pinching the fishes from his nets, he thinks it might be the trolls his family has had some trouble with trolls in the past.  All of this talking about trolls reminded me of a tale that Mr Bilbo used to tell, but his got turned to stone in the sun.  I wonder if any of the elves nearby have seen anything of them, I’m sure Mr Bilbo and the dwarves must have passed through the Trollshaws on their journey.

I think I shall spend the night in Tal Bruinnen again I don’t fancy being out with these trolls around especially if there’s something else unsavoury about.

Headed out to Tal Bruinen today (the elves told me what it was called).  I’m getting used to riding my pony now but I have to keep getting off to do mining but it does save my feet from hurting from all the running I have to keep doing.  I was very lucky though because on the road I saw this creepy crawler thing and it had a big lump in it’s middle; it attacked my pony who then trod on it and squashed it, I checked his hoof after and found a shard of beryl stuck in it he must have picked it up from the crawler.  It looks rather pretty so I’ve kept it for now but I had to clean it up a bit before I put it in my bag.

Biting toads of the Trollshaws

The roads around here are rather dangerous though and not just because they’re so overgrown.  There’s worms (the dragon-kind not the fishing-sort) and those horrid longhorn deer things like those in Evendim that like chasing hobbits.  I even got chased by a gang of toads, something is just not right around here.

I finally found the ruins and I’ve decided to take a break from being chased to find out more about the area from the elves here.  There’s a lot that they need to get around to doing, including clearing the road.