After a number of years, Frodo and Bilbo have finally grown tired of exchanging musical crackers in celebration of their shared birthdays.  Feeling that these items have grown somewhat stale and predictable, Frodo has cooked up a new idea that, naturally, still requires a helping hand from a visiting adventurer, such as your fine self.

 

When Bilbo disappeared from his birthday party in a bang and poof of smoke, stories immediately started.  Over time, these stories have changed from being mere rumor and speculation to something nearer to myth and legend.  They are still swapped and shared, told over drinks in front of fires and used to entertain and caution young hobbits.  Frodo knows that Bilbo would be absurdly pleased to hear a collection of the tales his adventures have inspired and is looking for a wandering adventurer to return to the Shire to collect stories and then relay them to his uncle. 

 

If you don’t mind taking some time from your usual travels, be sure to speak to Frodo in Rivendell.  He will give you the details regarding his request and send you off to Gaffer Gamgee to get a list of hobbits who are guaranteed to have stories to tell.  Collecting all of the stories will require some persistence as not every hobbit will have a story for you every time.  (Were I an adventurer, I’d check back on the hobbits every hour or so…) If you are successful in collecting all of the stories while the event is active, you will be rewarded with the title ‘Chronicler’, and Bilbo is sure to give you some small token of his appreciation for regaling him with the stories as well. 

 

Frodo and Bilbo’s Birthday has enormous significance both in and out of game, and we felt like the existing quest had worn out its welcome, and didn’t do enough to acknowledge the event.  We wanted to provide a new quest line that is, in a very small way, a tribute from us to the legacy of creativity, imagination, and story-telling that Tolkien leaves behind, and that we are so proud to be a part of.