The Revived Tolkien Trivia

[farntfar]

Also, Boaz, you weren't far off, chronologically speaking.

 

[Boaz]

I was thinking about this at work today... I considered Sam's meeting with the Cottons and Frodo's reunions with Bilbo... then I thought about Aragorn's administrations in the Houses of Healing... you could say they all joyfully awoke (Eowyn and Merry were both sad for Theoden) after Aragorn put his thoughts on them... but the clue you gave in the last post led me to the answer, I think.

The Lord of the Rings, Book Three, Chapter Five, The White Rider:

After Gandalf explained his reappearance to Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas, Legolas figures out why Arod and Hasufel (their loaned horses) disappeared.

..."Whether they fled at first in fear, or not, our horses met Shadowfax, their chieftain, and greeted him with joy. Did you know that he was at hand, Gandalf?"
"Yes, I knew," said the wizard. "I bent my thought upon him...."

 

[farntfar]

That's what I was after, Boaz.

So I offer you the other twin bell, to go with the first one. It's a dead ringer for the other one.
And of course the chance to set the next question.

 

[Boaz]

Okay...

In The Lord of the Rings, from the day that Frodo moved out of Bag End until he set sail at the Grey Havens (about three years), there were seven people who claimed by hereditary title, by election, by substitution, or exercised by force the leadership/governance of The Shire or regions of The Shire. I would like you to name all seven and give at least one title (relating to their relationship to The Shire, whether it is official or not) for each of them. You do not need to provide quotes. All information is available straight from the narrative, but is probably also found in the appendices. I hope you enjoy thinking about it.

For example, in the same period, Gondor had...
Denethor, Steward
Imrahil, Prince of Dol Amroth
Forlong, Lord of Lossarnach
Angbor, Lord of Lamedon
Faramir, Steward
Elessar, King
Faramir, Prince of Ithilien
...there may be one or two lords that escape my memory...

 

[Hugh]

Interesting question...

And ever so well done @Boaz getting the answer to the last one. I was way off track as I was working on the assumption that the most likely answer involved a hobbit.

 

[farntfar]

So watch out for things like Lead Shirehorse in this new one, Hugh. ;-)

Hmm! This one could take a while.

 

[Pyan]

Hmm...

The King Elessar : Hereditary: Ruler of the North and South Kingdoms, including Eriador, which contains the Shire.
Thain Paladin II : Hereditary: Leader of Tookland, part of the Shire.
Saradoc Brandybuck : Hereditary: Master of Buckland, part of the Shire.
Will Whitfoot : Elected: Mayor of the Shire
Frodo Baggins: Elected: Mayor of the Shire
Lotho Sackville-Baggins: Usurper. Took power in the Shire. Called himself Chief Shirriff, or just 'The Chief'.
Saruman: 'Sharkey', 'The bigger Boss': Usurper. Took over from Lotho, and probably had him murdered. De facto ruler until the Scouring of the Shire.

 

[farntfar]

That's pretty much what I was thinking, Py. Although I was going to substitute Sam for Frodo, as Frodo was only Deputy Mayor.

However I think you're right, because Sam was only predicted to be mayor, by Frodo in the Rosie-lass wil come ...speech.

 

[Pyan]

Yes, Sam didn't actually become Mayor until SR1427, six years after Frodo sailed from the Grey Havens.

 

[Pyan]

Try this:

What kind of prospects were no worse than usual, and for whom?

 

[farntfar]

Has Boaz accepted your answer yet, Py?

I know it's unthinkable, but he might say your wrong.

 

[Boaz]

I've been sleeping...

Okay... after seeing some of the responses, in Extollager's thread, about how many times people have reread Tolkien's books, I figured I could ask a seven part question. And I did not even get to sleep eight hours before it was answered.

@pyan gets the win.... though I will say that Frodo was not elected to the office of Mayor. Book Six, Chapter Nine, The Grey Havens states, "...so Frodo agreed to act as his Deputy, until Mr. Whitfoot was in shape again." I would also accept Boss as a title for Lotho (and Saruman too, in a stretch).

 

[Pyan]

My apologies, Boaz - for some reason, I thought that farntfar had set the question, and took his post #2951 as an acceptance. Duh...

 

[Boaz]

No prob!

 

[Boaz]

What kind of prospects were no worse than usual, and for whom?

I don't have a copy of The Hobbit, but this seems like Bilbo trying to steal something...

 

[Hugh]

Hmmm... frustrating.... I feel I know this one (my capacity for self-deception is endless) but have not had time to focus so far. However I did have a quick fruitless look at a section of The Hobbit (before seeing Boaz's post).

 

[Pyan]

It's not in The Hobbit...

 

[Hugh]

Hmmm...

 

[HareBrain]

Ooh, I feel I almost know this one.

Before I go trying to track it down, can the source be any Tolkien book, such as Tree and Leaf, or only the Middle Earth ones?

 

[Boaz]

@HareBrain The very first post has the rules... I don't know if any others have been added...

Rightyo then! Here follows a list of which sources thou canst use:

The Hobbit
The Lord of the Rings
The Silmarillion
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien

That's it for now. Maybe in the future more sources will be added, but no one knows when and why and how and who and how many and whence (for now).

EDIT: And, as it's been formally requested (by Pyan): adding The Children of Hurin to the list of sources....

EDIT (II) Unfinished Tales also added to the permitted list.

YOU ARE ON YOUR HONOUR NOT TO USE GOOGLE!!