Disease of the Shire

The Red company is a alliance of volunteers of courageous and sometimes even mighty people. If you wants to join, then you only have to swear their oaths and you need to be one of the free peoples. For a long time, the company has patrolled in the surroundings of Bree, in order to fulfill their never ending  task 'bringing fire and war upon those who threatens Middle-Earth.' Though it might be forgotten that there is  also a little quote 'Bring all aid to travelers and inhabitants of the area of Eriador.'  It did not take long anymore before also this part got fulfilled...

Theogorn Heolfing, young warden and eager for his company, decided to visit and investigate the Shire. First he patrolled for a while east of Bree, for brigands threatened the area, but with the aid of the company it is a quiet area at the moment. Everyone would agree that this would only be for a short time, but anyway, the volunteers who have sworn to protect the north have time for other businesses now. And so Theogorn decided to go to the Shire.

Well, he stayed some weeks in the Shire, but finally he noticed that not everything was going right there with exception of the already-existing threats on the borders. He noticed that several hobbits, scattered in all parts of the once peaceful land, where stinky, dizzy, they had convulsions, rotten spots on their skin, they had to cough...a lot of symptoms which could perhaps have determined a certain illness, but not all symptoms by each other. They were with way too much and it was unlikely scaled over all of the Shire.

And the illness is one thing, another thing to worry about was the Cause! such infestation couldn't suddenly come up so quickly and it would at least be known by anyone. so who could have done such vile deed?! Yes, he was pretty sure of it: it was 'who'.

So Theogorn was concerned and he made a report. He sent it to all locations of the members of the red company whom he knew it about. It they came rather fast: understanding the symptoms he described would have concerned them too. And not a week later, with the fastest methods as possible, some members dashed to Michel Delving, where the young Eorling asked to come to, ask quick as possible.

Among these members was Meriya, watcher of the wilds and eager about nature. Though Theogorn called the members, Meriya is higher in rank and would need to supervise the acts of the company. Also the other most respected members of the red company were there: Ancthan, a great marksman, Cembur, hailing from Rohan, a person whose impact of the sword should never be underestimated, Nanteana, a small hobbit whose happiness might be equal to all other hobbits of the Shire together, and finally Thorinwald, a man with few words. and what he doesn't say, his swords will catch up.

So there they stood in the rain: 6 members of the red company! Rain was soaking them.  it wasn't a good welcome in the shire, but it could not keep them from doing their duties. "This is rainy!" Theogorn said. he broke a long silence. The others could only agree. All shivered. "Aye, it's quiet wet, that's for sure!" Thorinwald replied. Then it was silent again.

somewhat later, silence was broken again: it was time to get action. Ancthan opened the conversation and spoke to Theogorn: "So...what was the exact reason we were called for?" And yes, obviously, Theogorn could only repeat what he wrote in his reports. infestation, disease..."here is an infestation of a strange disease. we, as the red company are not only set up with the task to bring fire and war to those who threatens middle-eart, but it's our duty to give all help as possible to the people of Eriador. the source we do not know. that's why we are here. we need to find out and to stop the infestation. in the first case, i am not worrying for the hobbits. i am rather concerned about who wanted to do that...."  Cembur frowned a little bit. "hmmm... some sort of poison out of Ruckshock Bog or something? I never liked the idea of a river running through shire that goes through a slug infested bog." It was a nice gamble, but in that case, it would have been unlikely that also the settlements not lying by the river would be infected too. Nanteana came up with a more satisfying idea: To first go to the mayor of Michel Delving to get a better idea of the actual spreading, source...he would know more...He must!

As the company and both the mayor were in Michel delving, it didn't take long before they reached them. It would be the best that Nanteana, as she is a hobbit, would talk with the mayor. of course, the others would listen.  "It is good to see you this day Major and it has been a while." there wasn't a need to wait and to turn around the facts: " Well, do you have any idea how the infestation of the mysterious disease has came up?" Mayor Wil whitfoot looked first anxious, he didn't expect so many of 'the big folk'. Surely 5 members were of the race of man and only the presence of a single hobbit could prevent him from running deathly scared into his townhole.

He quickly restored himself. then he had to reveal that the disease first appeared in Hobbiton. "I, mr Withfoot, Mayor of the shire, will give you permission to solve this problem!" In a certain way, he just meant he was incapable of solving the problem himself. "pooh..." Whispered Ancthan. "Typical hobbits...Permission to solve the problem...". Now, other members began to involve too. Meriya, for example, asked: "How does it spread so quickly?" in sequence, Cembur wondered what area would be hit the hardest. Nanteana followed with: "Do you know in how many other areas the disease is now Major?" But every time that a member asked one of these questions, the answer was the same: "Sorry, excuse me my gentlemen! I do not know!" He even needed to call out on the end that he just wanted his money to refurbish the townhole. Truly, never had the red company met such greedy hobbit! (With exception of the sackville-baginses)

Luckily, as Theogorn already stayed in the Shire for a while, it could be confirmed that the disease has been spread in all settlements. It surprised  Nanteana that the mayor knew so little as she knew him as someone who was always aware of everything going on. The red company did not know a lot and the only clue they had was that the infestation appeared in Hobbiton, as said before. So Nanteana spoke to the mayor again. "Is there anyone we could talk to in hobbiton to give us some more information Mr Mayor?"

in a certain way, the mayor was bothered now and refused to talk. it could be said about dwarves that they are greedy and stubborn, but the mayor could easily show that hobbits are beating them in these rumours.

The red company already wanted to leave, but Theogorn, who has been looking to the conversations until now, slowly stepped to the mayor now. Mayor began to shiver now, while Theogorn looked very carefully to the mayor from a short distance. Suddenly, before the mayor could even notice, the blonde man slapped him on the cheek! he didn't say anything, but he was obviously quiet upset of the stubborn mayor. also the other members were heavily shocked by this deed and Meriya and Cembur called loud out at the same time: "Theogorn!" How rude, something like that you don't!

Now, the mayor realized suddenly after a few seconds later what happened. First, he was amazed, then the amazement took space for ferociousness. "BOUNDERS!!!" he called out loud as if all the Shire could hear him, from Needlehole to Stock! The Mayor wanted to arrest the members of the red company, and the sound of feet behind the corner could already be heard. The red company quickly mounted up and they fled out of Michel Delving towards Hobbitton before the bounders could catch them up. it would be better that they stayed out of Michel Delving for a while...

The company decided to inform in the local inn once they arrived. There they asked the opinion of the inn-keeper. There would be a great chance if information is circulating, that the inn-keeper would know! The inn-keeper was a lot wiser as the mayor and gave a good suggestion: "A disease?! oh yes, indeed, last weeks here turned up a disease...Where it could come from?! Well, i really don't know! I'm not sure, but all the pies of Holy Hornblower, just here behind my inn, are spread over all of the Shire. I am assuming that if a disease would come to here to all other places, it could only be transported in such short time. Hobbits don't travel a lot you know..." eyebrows were raised: Pies?

Behind the inn, they met Holy Hornblower, that very well known piebaker. they opened with the usual politesses (unlike short ago) and the members judged the Pies. They smelled, they tasted...Some really wanted, but if you know this would be the cause, it would be very unwise to tast! "Hail!", opened Theogorn we are of the red company and we wonder what's inside your pies. do you admit that not all stuff is able to trust?" But Holy Hornblower would not know of any spoil.

"hmmm, this doesn't look...or smell, for that matter...much different than most hobbitfood..." Ancthan said about these pies. "Perhaps I should try a piece, just to see if it is diseased..." "I do not think that would be a good idea!" Meriya responded very quickly. 

"Ingredients of my lovely pies are: Berries, honey, meat, mushrooms, milk, sugar..." After these words, suddenly a piece had disappeared from the pie. everyone was confused, turned their heads and there lied Nanteana upon the ground. but she quickly raised again, a bit dizzy but she looked alright. "what was that?! Mushrooms..."

Theogorn looked in confusion. "what about mushrooms?" "Fungus should probably not be eaten..." added Cembur. Ancthan added his own opinion to the matter: " It seems to be either the mushrooms or the meat that would go rotten that quickly." Thorinwald  involved in the matter too: "Mushrooms needs water to grow, so we can't rule that part out yet!"

The company discusses some time yet. they proposed to taste each ingredient each after each other to get to know which ingredient the cause might be, but finally they all agreed about the suspiciousness of the mushrooms. Holy told that the mushrooms are coming from Bamfurlong, farmer Maggots farm. the poor old fellow is a respected lad and normally, his stuff is of high quality, but today the company was going to pay him a visit.

There they talked with the farmer, but as expected the farmer didn't know of anything. be it either because he really didn't know, or be it because he did not want to damage his own economy. but the negation could not give the company the prove to not investigate the farm. Some inspected the water, which was awful. others inspected the tents were a lot of mushrooms were, and it was stinky there. when you would walk into it, the damps are so heavily that one has to cough. Also the field was inspected, and it wasn't better!

It appeared that undependable of the state of the mushrooms, the water itself  had a bad quality. You did not need to taste it to know that it might be the cause, and that the mushrooms ARE the cause is confirmed, but further investigation still had to be done...