QUEST OF THE MAP: PREPARATIONS
APPROVAL
One does not simply take on a queste and leave the save boundaries of his Halls. Before I could start preparing my journey I needed approval from Thorin III Stonehelm, King under the Mountain. During an audience with the King, I wanted to tell him all about my interest in Cartography and Illustrations and the queste my mother had planned for me, but to my surprise he already knew about it. He had already been informed about my mother's intentions of sending me on a journey to visit Master Bilbo and eventually reconstruct the Map of Thrór and he greatly approved the undertaking. The audience was merely meant so he could meet me in person and to wish me luck and safe travels. His advisors even used their contacts with the Elves of Mirkwood to arrange a guide for save passage through the forest which would save me from having to travel all around it. They also arranged a Dale pony. However there was one restriction to his approval....and he made me pledge to keep my word...upon return I needed to tell him all about the queste, including every detail. I guess even the King appreciates a good story!
PLANNING THE JOURNEY
Now the quest had been approved I could start with the preparations. The Quest of the Map would start with...a Map! The first thing I did was to create a travelmap and roughly pinpoint all the routes to follow. I took one of the old Middle Earth maps from the Erebor Library and with quill and ink I sketched the area I needed onto a piece of the famed Oakenbraid's blue parchment. Offcourse I had no idea if the stages where realistic, I had never been on a journey this long before! The King's advisors told me about the areas to avoid on the eastside of the Misty Mountains and advised me to use Barazinbar (pass of Caradhras) to cross them. The remainder of the journey I planned to stick to the route Thorin Oakenshield and Master Bilbo took on their undertaking to reclaim Erebor. However, despite my curiousity, I decided not to visit Rivendell to safe time.
SUPPLIES
Having a pony as a companion provided me a way to travel in comfort and to take a decent amount of supplies, well atleast enough for the first stage of the journey that is. Father gave me a sack with a fair amount of gold coins to be able to buy anything I needed during the quest. He also provided me with two saddlebags, two medium chests, a tankard and a blanket. All could be easily strapped onto the saddle of my pony. My supply of parchment, inks, quills, a small bottle of blue Tanzanite powder (used to give the parchment its blue colour) and my pipe where placed in my backpack. Here's the list of supplies:
- A flask of ale and four skins of water;
- A decent stock of salted pork and dried lamb;
- Elvish waybread (just in case);
- A pouch of Pipeweed;
- A flintstone;
- A blanket;
- A knife;
- Some clothes;
- Last but certainly not least: my jewelcrafting tools
