Tolkien said the War of the Ring was about six thousand years ago, IIRC, so virtually any departure in our D&D campaign from the Professor’s writings could easily be explained away as the result of a transcription error in the Red Book of Westmarch. Think of all the ink spilled in parsing the Bible’s inconsistencies over the years, after all - or even Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories (just where was Dr. Watson’s wound, anyway?).
FWIW, I’ve noticed no significant departures from canon yet. Keep up the good work!
Thank you, but one got introduced that is a little tougher. The other party gave both Hobbits longevity potions. I was very surprised by this as the character that did this is a Beorning and not known to be particularly long lived and I made it clear that these are exceptionally rare. It was quite the gesture. This will happen shortly in your future and allow Merry to adventure again and not just a short trip to the Stonewaith Valley.
Additionally all the spellcraft is of course a violation of canon but then we could hardly play D&D without that exception.
I am actually working diligently to keep as much to canon or at least the “letters” as possible.
There you go, RPing above and beyond the call of duty - a King invites you to name your own reward for performing to him, and you disavow any material gains but trip over yourself to be allowed a read of his copy of The Hobbit. It’s not how we played D&D when I was a lad.
No seriously. The role playing by all has been excellent so far. As I said before, if these threads are readable by someone not playing, I think we are doing a great job with this medium we are in. I think we are overall succeeding.
If anything I am the one rushing these parts along.
I love the exchange here between RogueRacer & CatInASuit too.
My favorite recent moment was on Friday ( I think). Players (or characters) were offered a choice between staying at Deor’s Family Home or progressing on. Thoroncir offered to set up camp, Renee spoke of a desire to contine on, and I wondered how long it would take Thoroncir to change his mind. Then I went to work.
When I returned, Thoroncir had offered to accompany his beloved, and further discussion (mostly out of character) had discussed how thoroughly wrapped around her finger the poor sea-knight is.
While I’m uncharacteristically posting to this thread, I have to admit that I was less than thrilled by the unexpected unveiling of Angelica Took–mostly because I was suspicious that this had not been planned all along. glee’s comment suggesting that Woses could keep secrets didn’t help. Until further discussion reminded me that the Wose was also a Healer, and thus might have had reason to get close to the Hobbit. (Also, I spent more time than it was probably worth rereading the beginnings and endings of more than one adventure, which also showed that there had been a few subtle hints along the way. Hm, subtle hints may be misleading, but it’s interesting re-reading things like the original character description of Thoroncir or Deor).
Thank you for the feedback. It is good to know that there are some readers. I wasn’t sure.
As to the unveiling, it was planned, but I rushed the delivery a bit. **CatInASuit **could have used more time for the setup. Actually I just rushed **appleciders **with Deor a bit too but at least I gave the players a heads up on Edoras to give them prep time.
Eureka, on behalf of my alter ego Thoroncir, I thank you. It’s been a lot of fun so far, and I’m glad at least one non-player is also enjoying it. Pass the word!
Since I think I am the only pipe smoker in the game:
Pipe smoking.
Modern pipes and tobacco are typically sold in sizes of 2oz 4oz or 1 pound. (Unless you are buying in europe where it is 50g 100g or again, a pound. I don’t know why it doesn’t go to a kg it just doesn’t.)
2 oz will typically hold, in a modern pipe, about 12 pipefulls give or take. Older pipes like the one What Exit linked to will hold a little more than half of a typical modern pipe. So you get about 18 or so pipes our of a 2 oz tin with that type of pipe. It would probably take between 15 and 30 minutes to smoke a pipe that size, and a modern size pipe between 30 and an hour. Really skilled pipe smokers can make a normal modern pipe last for 90 minutes or so, and then there are larger pipes, but we won’t get into that.
I don’t know more than a handfull of people who would smoke more than 3 pipes in a single day. If someone wants to extrapolate from there how many pipes would be smoked per person per day on this journey, you are better people than I am. But I don’t think 5 lbs for 2-4 people would be too much for a few months, particularly if there was a bit of leather around to wrap the tobacco in to help keep it fresh.
As for size. A pound of bulk tobacco comes in a bag the size of a medium sized potato chip bag (not a single serving bag, but not a giant party sized bag either)that is stuffed full. 5 of those bags should be easy to transport. I am not sure what kind of container it would come in though in our world. Ceramic pots of some sort would be my guess.
That fits about what I thought except I thought each pound would come in a waxed canvas pouch and that metal tins would be readily available at Aglarond.
How long does pipe tobacco keep if well packed? Why leather?
BTW: Where you used Medium Potato Chip bag, I was thinking a small loaf of bread.
God, I love the Dope. Adventuring through Middle-earth, killing orcs, wooing a princess and learning about pipe tobacco (thanks, NAF1138). What a life!
Thanks for the information! Consider my ignorance fought!
So, if a typical Middle Earth pipe is more like the ones What Exit? linked, we’re looking at around 144 pipes full per pound. I won’t even try to guess if a Hobbit’s pipe holds less than normal. I would think that Elfstan would smoke one pipe a day if it’s available. This would be sitting around a campfire after an evening meal, relaxing with his companions. He wouldn’t smoke on watch due to the glow giving away his position. In the morning he’s busy with breakfast. I suppose it’s a possibility during a day’s journey, but for arguments sake, we’ll say that he would rather smoke with friends than alone in the saddle. That means a pound should easily last him to Rivendell. Shared, even two pounds should last Gwaelur, Elfstan, and Mulligan (if she wants to smoke) for this journey.
As mentioned, the cost is negligible. I just didn’t want to create a situation where we needed a Bag of Holding for it.
If well packed in an air tight container, indeffinately. In a container that isnt’ air tight but has a good seal, upwards of a month before it drys to a crisp and even the you can rehydrate it at least once before it is unsmokable. If the party threw a potato or apple slice in with the tobacco it would last a lot longer. (personally I wouldn’t do this as there is a risk of mold, but back in the day this was a common practice.)
Leather is the carrying pouch of choice these days, I don’t really know why. I suppose because it is water tight and holds onto the mostire well. A cheep pouch like this(scroll down to oil skin roll up) will keep tobacco fresh for a week easily and has been used for decades as a cheep and easy tobacco transport method. This isn’t what the tobacco would be sold in, but is something the purchaser would have.
Bulk tobacco (any lose amount from 1/2 oz to 1lb) is sold in heavy duty zip top plastic bags that have been vacuum sealed these days, but has been tinned going back as far as the late 1800s at least. I am not certain how bulk tobacco was sold before plastic though. I can ask around on my pipe smoker message board and get a deffinitive answer if you would like.
And of course, I should do what I normally do and consult the Professor.
I think the bolded part answers the packaging. Leather pouches it is and small barrels for the shipping.
Here is what I was actually looking for in the Two Towers, The Road to Isengard.
There is a lot more in the PROLOGUE in section 2. Concerning Pipe-weed. More than I can quote in terms of fair use. There is of course much more tuckborough.net and wiki.
Thank you for the answers NAF1138, I will happily bow to your experience and the Professor you was considered a bit of an expert himself.
I would bow to the Professor myself. It’s his world, and he knew as much about pipe smoking as anybody in our world. It sounds from the quote like he is using something equivalent to our modern pipe bowl size with wooden briar pipes, so I would go back to the 8 or so pipes to the oz or 128 pipes to the pound math.
Barrels of tobacco is an interesting idea. I kind of like it.
Not quite, but it’s been many years and I doubt I’ll be starting again now. Maybe if I live to be an old widower like my Dad.
I had a churchwarden or two - a rather smaller version of the item Bilbo is smoking in the opening scene of The Hobbit - but the tenon was too easy to break. Also one of those little curly briars, and a corncob once upon a time. Mostly smoked Gold Block, a mild honey-coloured baccy - Dad prefers St Bruno, but that was too thick and rich for me.
