OOC - Author's Note:
Written in respect of Thrimidgeday: a community run event by the Roleplayers of LOTRO discord, held on May 25th 2025, that Vratni attended as a participating merchant. See below for various screenshots of the live event; attended by over 40 unique roleplayers!
Additionally: This piece was shaped with a little help from AI. It provided assistance on things like the structuring, some names, shortening some verbose language/ideas as I'd written, and gave me the odd turn of phrase here and there. The heart and shape of the story are my own (as adapted from live-play with others naturally), but I realise it is important to be transparent about my use of AI support in producing it ultimately.
“A Fluttering Fortune at Thrimidgeday”
A merchant’s greatest tool, aside from a silver tongue, is knowing when to cut losses and turn them into profits. Vratni Copperhand had, as all seasoned traders did from time to time, a ‘surplus’ problem.
Too many butterfly baubles, too many firefly lanterns, one too many jars of 'butterfly teardrops'….things that were charming, aye, but not exactly flying off the stall at the market any more. Folk in Bree had taken a liking to them, sure, but not enough to justify buying them over and over again. Yes, Vratni had a problem….
Then, quite by chance, he saw a notice posted by the Boar Fountain…
“Happy Thrimidgeday!” it proclaimed… intrigued, he read on. The notice described a grand gathering in Buckland in a few days’ time, where folk of all sorts were encouraged to attend…. where wares were not sold, but ‘given away’…. traded for songs, riddles, and tales. All in celebration of the ‘season’s bounty’… whatever that was…. but also in recognition of some other Hobbit folly involving the ‘refurbishment’ of some dusty old archives or whatnot.
At first, the concept offended his merchant’s sensibilities. Give things away? What kind of business model was that? But then, something far more interesting caught his eye… a fine purse promised to merchants simply for their attendance.
A scheme quickly formed in his mind.
Whatever it was being put on for, a slow grin spread across Vratni’s face as he saw opportunity knocking. He would set out for Buckland with his surplus stock immediately!
Arriving a few days ahead of the festivities, the idea really struck its true genius when Vratni visited a certain hobbit he had made the acquaintance of in Brandy Hall some weeks back…. a fellow with deep pockets and a love for grand festivities, who was terribly keen to ensure a good showing of merchants would turn up at the faire.
The hobbit in question? None other than Master Wilibald Brandybuck, an ever-cheerful hobbit and proud member of this year’s Thrimidgeday organising committee. He carried the air of a hobbit flush with coin and eager to spend it, so long as it resulted in a grand and memorable occasion.
Vratni arrived just past luncheon, the most dangerous time for negotiations, when a hobbit’s belly was too satisfied to be sharp, but not so full as to be miserly.
Wilibald was thrilled to see the dwarf.
"Ah, Master Copperhand! A merchant of great renown!" Wilibald beamed, clapping his hands. "We are so pleased that you shall grace our faire with your presence and fine wares!"
Vratni gave a slow, calculated nod, stroking his beard as if weighing the matter. "Aye, aye… 'tis a festival of grand tradition, no doubt! A place for merchants of stature, the finest traders, the most generous of folk."
"Indeed!" Wilibald nodded enthusiastically. "Our attending merchants shall provide gifts in the spirit of the occasion! Their generosity is celebrated far and wide!"
Vratni squinted slightly. "Gifts, aye? Not sales?"
"Ah, well," Wilibald waved a hand, "barter, songs, riddles! The faire is a grand affair!"
Vratni rubbed his beard thoughtfully. "A grand affair indeed!.... one that surely demands a merchant of great skill, great talent, and a properly compensated presence, aye?"
Wilibald hesitated. "Well… er… compensated?"
"Aye," Vratni continued smoothly, adopting his finest bargaining voice. "See, bringing wares to Buckland isn't so simple. There's the travel, the handling fees, the cost of securing my stock in proper crates… one can't let delicate things be crushed beneath a careless cartwheel, now can they?"
"Ah, well, that…."
"And then there's the matter of presentation!" Vratni gestured broadly. "A fine merchant doesn’t simply toss his wares onto a table! Nay, they must be displayed, their value enhanced, their provenance woven into fine storytelling! All to the enrichment of the festival I assure you… And that, my dear Wilibald, requires a skilled hand, a sharp tongue, and a purse sturdy enough to support such efforts! You understand…"
A very long pause.
"...You wish to be paid to give things away?" Wilibald asked, eyes narrowing.
Vratni leaned forward slightly, adopting a conspiratorial grin. "Master Brandybuck, what do all great festivities have in common?"
"...Food?"
"Aye, but also a sense of legend, wonder, mystique!" Vratni straightened. “A merchant like meself doesn’t simply attend a festival, nay, I elevate it! I shall bring tales of fluttering fortune, of fireflies kissed by moonlight, of butterfly wings touched by elven enchantments! And more! And that, dear Wilibald, is worth a purse of coin… even if the wares do end up in the hands of eager festival-goers without their paying a coppper!"
Wilibald frowned.
Then Wilibald sighed.
Then Wilibald, with the unmistakable reluctance of a man who had been thoroughly out-bantered muttered something about "event budget negotiations", but importantly, nodded his head and said how he’d arrange for a respectable sum to be paid from Brandy Hall’s coffers to Vratni for his grand attendance. Vratni was sure to press for a 50% up front release of funds ‘naturally’.
A purse secured. A trade won. A dwarf’s cunning proven once more; regardless of whether or not there would be any takers for his surplus stock on the day itself…
Vratni Copperhand had never been one to turn down comfort, and Buckland offered plenty of it, particularly when one’s purse had been handsomely lined before the work even began.
With the matter of Wilibald’s sponsorship settled and coin secured, Vratni set about preparing his stock, ensuring that each trinket, bauble, and fluttering marvel was perfectly displayed, thoroughly exaggerated, and imbued with just the right amount of mystery.
That meant a lot of careful handling, or, more truthfully, a lot of sitting on a hobbit-sized stool with a mug of ale, watching others shift his crates for him.
The days leading up to Thrimidgeday were filled with festive bustle, and Vratni, ever the opportunist, leaned into the good hobbit lifestyle with ease.
The folk of Buckland were cheerful, generous, and, most importantly, terribly keen on ensuring their guests were well-fed.
And so, Vratni found himself reclining under the shade of an apple tree, enjoying a breakfast of buttered scones and honey, watching as Brandy Hall’s finest scurried about with festival decorations, hanging colourful banners and arranging tables for grand feasts to come.
"Aye," he murmured between bites, "a proper bit o’ planning. A merchant could learn a thing or two from how these hobbits set up a festival."
A passing hobbit, one of the many event assistants, paused. "You’d think so, Master Copperhand! But we plan these things for joy, not profit, mind!"
Vratni raised a brow, considering the statement for half a second, then waved a hand dismissively. "Aye, aye. Joy’s fine and all, but let’s not pretend it can’t be profitable!"
The hobbit laughed, shook his head, and carried on.
By noon, festival tents had begun appearing, stalls were being assembled, and musicians had begun practicing lively tunes, filling the air with the sort of melodies that loosen purses and encourage a touch of reckless merriment.
Vratni took a leisurely stroll through the grounds, nodding respectfully at the local craftsmen, eyeing the wares others had brought for barter… fine Shire blankets, handmade pipes, even rare cheeses carefully wrapped and displayed. And the vast array of pipeweed!!
"Aye, these folk know their craft," he murmured. "Best make sure me own wares stand apart."
His butterfly displays were packed carefully, the firefly lanterns polished until they shimmered, and the Phials of Starlit Essence were given a fresh dusting and new ‘origin’ notes were written for each one, because nothing sells best like a well-crafted story.
By evening, the ale was flowing, the streets were filled with warm laughter, and Vratni, comfortably seated at a hobbit-sized table, found himself indulging in one last night of fine dining before the event began.
A Brandybuck cousin leaned over, peering at his cart. "And ye truly mean to give these treasures away, Master Copperhand?"
Vratni took a slow sip of ale, watching the twinkling lanterns overhead. "Aye, aye, in the spirit of the thing. But let’s not mistake giving for losing, lad! A trade made in tales is still a fine trade! Although I shall not give ‘em away for less than the right answer to a good riddle!"
And, most importantly, the coin had already been paid so Vratni didn’t much care either way.
What was a few baubles, if one could enjoy hobbit feasts and festival riches without spending a single coin of one’s own?
With a smirk, Vratni raised his mug.
"Aye, Buckland’s a fine place."
And come tomorrow, he would offload his stock, leave a trail of fine stories, and perhaps even walk away with new wares to sell elsewhere.
A merchant’s game, played to perfection he thought to himself. And the festival hadn’t even begun yet…
Vratni’s Catalogue of Surplus Curios: One curio per customer! While stocks last!!
- Skyborne Butterfly Baubles – Captured mid-flight, preserved in artisan-crafted displays, their delicate wings said to bring good fortune… also doubles as a paperweight((OCC, in-game items: Butterfly, Black-winged Butterfly, Brightly-coloured Butterfly)).
- Veil of Midnight Wings – A ceiling-hung fluttering marvel, promising peaceful slumber and vivid dreams to those beneath its delicate spread… warning: is highly flammable((OCC, in-game item: Cluster of Black-winged Butterflies)).
- Wispfire Lanterns – Containers housing flickering fireflies, their glow soft, warm, and timeless, perfect for a rleaxing garden or a noble’s study – note, if released from phial, may not go back in ((OCC, in-game item: Fireflies, Fireflies – Red)).
- Butterfly Teardrops – A mysterious shimmering item, collected under moonlit glades, possibly enchanted, or possibly just expensive-looking and well-marketed ((OCC, in-game item: Glistening Essence)).
((After answering a riddle, each item will be paired with a tale, a mostly genuine certificate of provenance, and just enough ‘fluttering’ to convince folk that they are acquiring something ‘truly special’ No Returns!))
((OOC: It was a great event - with thanks to the organisers and the other attendees!))
