LOTRO NPC Edition: Glorfindel

Oh where to begin with someone who may actually be one of the oldest elves in the story....

Might be?  Yes might be.  Tolkien wrote about 2 Glorfindel characters and in his notes (not considered cannon by some) he linked the two.  I will give you the best summary I can for several thousand years of history.

Glorfindel from LOTRO Lorebook

As far as his role in Lord of the Rings Glorfindel is the elf that is sent out of Rivendell to find the Aragorn and the Hobbits.  The elves of Rivendell know that the Black Riders are in search of them.  And Glorfindel takes to the road, arguably the most dangerous task.  He is the one who leaves a Beryl on the Last Bridge to signal to Aragorn that the elves are looking for them and scouting the area.

At this time Frodo has already been wounded by the Morgul blade and is slowly turning into a wraith himself.  If it wasn't for Glorfindel finding the group and slowing the wound's progress even more then Aragorn was able with the athelas. If it was not for Glorfindel's horse Asfaloth Frodo would never have outridden the Black Riders.  Frodo would never have gotten across the ford in time for Elrond to have caused the river to swell and swallow the nine.

Yes sorry to break the news movie goers but Liv Tyler did not speak any breathy elvish and take out the nine.  It was Elrond and its one of the crappier changed in the movies that I can think of because they completely cut out Glorfindel.

Glorfindel would be present at the Council of Elrond to decide the course of action about the One Ring. 

But why is Glorfindel so important?  Early in the 3rd age Glorfindel lead the elven forces from Rivendell to battle Angmar when first the Witch King marched on Fornost.  And it was Glorfindel that spoke the words

"Far off yet is his doom, and not by the hand of man will he fall.”

And we know that this is fulfilled at the battle of Pelennor fields when the Witch King is destroyed by Eowyn and Merry. One being a woman and the other being a Hobbit armed with a blade of westernesse.

So....who was the other Glorfindel?  I have to refer back to my post on The War of Wrath back when Morgoth (sauron's master of ages past) overwhelmed the free peoples and hunted and destroyed the great elven cities.  Specifically Gondolin the hidden elven city.  

It was besieged by Balrogs leading orcs into battle.   (sound familiar?)  Few elves were able to escape the fall of Gondolin and those that did were attacked by a Balrog.  That Balrog was destroyed by an elf named Glorfindel who, along with the Balrog, fell from the mountain top and perished. 

It was Tolkien who addressed this double use of the name Glorfindel in his notes claiming that the Glorfindel that fell at Gondolin protecting the elven escape from Morgoth's army was the same Glorfindel that saves Frodo.

How can this be?  Much the same way that Gandalf comes back from death so does Glorfindel.  He is sent back.  His spirit upon death goes to the Halls of Awaiting on Valinor.  The Valar send him back.

Well it seems that Tolkien's notes are not considered cannon.  Well if i can drink the koolaid with Gandalf being reincarnated for a similar reason I surely can accept Glorfindel is as well. 

LOTRO NPC Edition: Bill Ferny

So we did a good guy yesterday today....someone bad!

Bill Ferny, well there is no nice way to say this.  Bill Ferny is the worst kind of man there is.  He is disliked in Bree by other men and not well trusted by anyone that knows him according to Strider (Aragorn).

Bill Ferny from LOTRO Lorebook

In game he looks like this but I have to tell you the book paints a far less neutral image of the man in my brain.
"Swarthy Bree-lander, who stood looking at them with a knowing and half-mocking expression that made them feel very uncomfortable." - JRR Tolkien
Aragorn describes him as a swarthy sneering fellow.  It is Bill Ferny and his "southern" friend who suspect the hobbits in The Prancing Pony of being the ones that the Black Riders are looking for. 

Merry that night spots a Black Rider in the shadows. He follows it to Bill Ferny's house and there falls victim to the Black Breath as Aragorn calls it. It is at this point that it is clear Bill Ferny is in league with the Black Riders and now they know everything.  Of course that night the Black Riders come to kill the hobbits but they are staying in Strider's room.

In the morning it is found that the hobbits horses are missing and it is the southerner that has taken them.  Conveniently the only person willing to sell a horse the next day so they can escape is Bill Ferny.  They buy the horse from him at a greatly inflated price. It is this horse they call Bill the Pony and if you have quested in Eregion you may have found the wandering Bill and saved him.

When Aragorn and the Hobbits set out from Bree that morning they are watched by many folks.  But only one makes an appearance.  Bill Ferny spits some foul language at Strider that morning and tells the hobbits that they cannot trust Strider.  He also makes a wisecrack to Sam about taking care of his pony.

To Sam's credit he whips an apple at Ferny and hits him square in the nose. Although Sam admits that it was a waste of a good apple.

Bill Ferny is seen once more in lore...when the hobbits return to the shire.  They find the Brandywine Bridge is barred and they are not given admittance.  If you didn't know the shire is in the control of ruffians and the first ruffian they find is Bill Ferny.  Who is threatened by Merry who is clearly at max level now and Bill is the same as ever.   Bill Ferny is run off and is never heard from again.  However there is much work left to do in the shire but I won't spoil that if you didn't know the story already.

LOTRO NPC Edition: Farmer Maggot

Perhaps you remember him from your time questing in the Shire.  He had the dogs and sent you to find Violet Underhill who had been taken by the ruffians.

Farmer Maggot is one of those NPCs that you don't think much of when you meet him.  But he is one of the smaller group of NPCs that has a solid place in Tolkien Lore.

( Photo from LOTRO Lorebook)

The actual lore differs quite a bit from the movies and the movies left out Farmer Maggot completely.  You see Frodo was trying to keep leaving the shire a secret as directed by Gandalf.  And so he sold Bag End to the Sackville-Bagginses specifically Lobelia and purchased a place in Buckland (that part of the shire across the Brandywine).  He told everyone he was moving to Buckland where Frodo originally grew up.

Well as it turns out Frodo wasn't always a law abiding youth.  When he was young Frodo used to sneak into Old Farmer Maggot's farm and steal mushrooms from his patch.  And Farmer Maggot would send his dogs after Frodo and so Frodo always feared Farmer Maggot.

Years later as Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin were walking across the shire with some of Frodo's belongings they encountered the Black Riders on the roads and hid from them.  One thing led to another and it was decided they would cut through the forest.  Staying off the roads also got them a bit lost and they ended up coming out on Farmer Maggot's property. 

The whole group was pretty scared and worried about attracting attention but for good reason Frodo was additionally worried about the dogs.  Having remembered them from his childhood. 

Turns out Farmer Maggot had been visited that very night by one of the Black Riders and in a way only an old hobbit can....he told that Ring Wraith to go bugger off.  I can only imagine how close to getting killed Farmer Maggot was that day.  Understanding that Frodo was in trouble he offered the hobbits food and drink and a ride to the ferry in his wagon.  Which kept them out of sight. He also offered to lie for Frodo to the Black Riders.

Now if you have only played the game you might think....from Farmer Maggot's to the Ferry is like.....2 minutes in a wagon.  As it turns out in reality that trip is about 5 miles in the book. And it was nightime and there was a heavy fog.   I can tell you personally the idea of making that dash with Black Riders on that very road scares me every time I read it.

Anyway Farmer Maggot does just as he says and gets the boys to the Ferry safe and sound and confronts a Dark Rider who turns out to be Mr Merry.  The Hobbits all set on the Ferry with their stuff and head across. But not before Farmer Maggot passes a basket to Frodo from Mrs Maggot and it turns out to be Mushrooms much to Frodo's delight.

What is interesting in LOTRO is that Violet Underhill is captured by the Brigands.  Underhill is the name Frodo uses as a cover name later because it is known that the Black Riders all know the name Baggins. Is it a coincidence that an Underhill is captured?  I dunno only the Devs could answer that but it seems to be a solid connection.

Next time you level or cross the Brandywine Bridge go give Farmer Maggot a big thank you for doing his part to save Middle Earth.  Its too bad there isn't an area of harvest-able mushrooms on his property.  It would be a nice touch.