I am sure it would be safe for you to cross the Old Forest once Bombadil knows you are there, and that would put you right on the doorstep of Crickhollow by Bucklebury Ferry within shouting distance of Brandy Hall and on the broad high road to Tuckborough. Elfstan is included in the invitation, naturally, and I do hear the cellars of Brandy Hall are deep and well-stocked. Also the Maggots still farm mushrooms thereabouts.
Ghân will happily use paralysing poison (as per his blowpipe). The snake shapechange idea would be that the chosen snake would not kill, but KO (or even blind) an opponent to get him to surrender. Ghân could then use Neutralise Poison on the prisoner.
Ghân is excited about the shapechange, but also realises it’s difficult to combine with some of his items (e.g. wooden armour, scimitar). It does allow great choice of movement (fly, swim, climb, burrow) plus a ‘disguise’, but most animals forms will be unable to cast anything (except perhaps Faerie Fire!).
How do these animal choices sound?
(favourites)
Golden Eagle (bird) - can fly and scout
Chimpanzee (mammal) - can cast and climb
Snake (reptile) - can use paralysing poison and slither into holes
(alternatives)
Beaver (mammal) - swim (can it cast?)
Gecko (reptile) - climb (can it cast?)
Penguin (bird) - swim
Marine Iguana (reptile) - swim
Bat (Mammal) - Fly, ‘see’ at night
If Ghân gets the Wolfskin Cloak, he’d like to see if he can trade in his:
- Magnifying Glass (improves Detects and Identifies) OFFER TO DEOR
- Wooden Armour Jerkin (Barkskin benefit)
- (+2) Scimitar
- Ent Bark (Barkskin)
and somehow make a ‘shapeshifting’ item like the Cloak (or at least something an animal could carry, e.g. round its neck) out of:
- Taurgol
- Queen’s Comb
- Stone of Spell Storing
- Mallorn Leaf (if necessary, this could be traded in too)
You know, with this ring I might even have a chance of getting out with some mushrooms without being spotted.
So far:
Mulligan: Elven Ring of Invisibility, not too safe for humans but fine for a Hobbit. Remember to pass it on eventually though to another worthy Hobbit or Elf. (Full share and then some.)
The Ring is one of the lesser Rings and thus to some degree has a bit of Sauron’s ill-touch too it, though not his spirit. It works differently for different races but Curunauth son of Celebrimbor the Head Smith of Rivendell can tell you that it will never cause a Hobbit of your character ill. It will make you invisible to most, though don’t use it against the undead like wraiths and wights of course. It will probably heighten your hearing a bit when it is on. You do not turn visible when fighting but you do leave shadows if you are not careful.
As to the Maggot family, well dogs are not much baffled by Invisibility. You still might have a many toothed problem.
Gil-Gandel: What spell(s) would you like to specialize in? Give me a short list, remember Illusions are also possible. This is related to the new Harp. Would you like both swords to go up to +2 or one to +3?
Deor: The Brazier and Alchem Lab delivered to Edoras for storage. Meaning Deor should probably travel with it when it heads south. Time to call in that favor and start getting your Wizard’s tower designed. Remember, the King wants a Wizard of Rohan and will assist. Question: Elven Boots or more spells? Which do you value more?
Hraedsig: Elftstone: gives +4 saves vs. undead abilities and +2 to turn
And 1000 GP to tithe and about 100gp as pocket money. They can also replace your War Shield with a +3.
Glee
*Golden Eagle (bird) - can fly and scout (very fast) *You can choose to be up to a huge Golden Eagle (maybe up to 40# at double the size listed in Wiki. This would give an excellent carrying capacity. )
Chimpanzee (mammal) - can cast and climb. Where there any European Monkeys in the last 10,000 years? I know of no apes at all.
Snake (reptile) - can use paralysing poison and slither into holes
The shapes are fine except Chimps are not native to Middle-Earth (The North West at least) and thus you have no way to learn their shape that I can think of. As to Snakes, research a bit and pick a European snake that has the type of poison bite you are looking for. The Golden Eagle form would have a good carrying capacity, especial with a magic pouch that reduces weight. There are a few items in Rivendell that can transform with you, but not many and none made to order of course. However the large pouch or satchel is available.
More on critters, I think a Raccoon could learn to cast spells, they can climb and even pick simple locks or fit through smallish holes. What is the European/British Isles equivalent to a Raccoon? I would guess probably something in the Weasel Family again.
Trade the Magnifying glass to Gilraen as part of her share and to keep it in the party. The Ent Bark and Leaf Clasp can be carried easily in a satchel. The Jerkin also gives you most of your AC as it is a base 6G. The Comb, Stone and Taurgol just need to be carried. This leaves the Scimitar, I agree, also trade this in, it has been of no real use to you.
Back to the armor, you are taking the Wolf’s cloak, this would replace the Elven Cloak +1 so you also have that to trade off. For the scimitar, magnifier, Willow Bark armor and Elven Cloak, a pair of golden bracers that would expand and contract to any shape you take that has arms/legs. The bracers give a 5/F AC.
Thoroncir: The Dwarves would prefer to give items then coins and gems. Perhaps a magic Lance or Magical Chain Bard to protect Seafoam and some Horseshoes that won’t fall of and will help protect his hooves or a quiver full of magic arrows?
**Bitur, Gwaelur, Rorimac Brandybuck **I need you to make suggestions.
Rock of Gibraltar Barbary Macaques
There are still monkeys in Europe today.
Those are non-native, but I can live with the idea that a few have been brought up to Gondor by her Navies. Thoroncir could even be familar with them.
I cannot find a single native European Monkey though so far. They tend to be jungle creatures.
Actually wiki gives a good range map: Primate - Wikipedia
Ooo, magical chain barding for my trusty steed would be great, thanks! I’d almost forgotten that Seafoam was still (patiently, I hope) waiting for us to emerge from the caves.
The Gibraltar monkeys are a great idea, Cat. Smart and cute.
Raccoons are also a good idea, but it looks like they weren’t ever in Europe until their introduction in the 20th century: Procyon (genus) - Wikipedia
Also, the ring is more than fine and I’m sure I can put it to excellent use. Finding a worthy person after I give up adventuring could be trickier.
As for dogs, that’s what aniseed is for 
Correct, that is why I was asking about the European equivalent. I’m thinking Weasel or Civet family. The Badger comes to mind but there may be better choices.
There was never any apes and I want to leave them unknown for now.
As to the Chain Barding, we’ll go with +1 Dwarven Chain for a new AC of 3/F and the Horseshoes of Aglarond as described above if you like. Movement remains the same.
CatInASuit, Poor pups.
<sidetrack>
Actually no-one knows if they are non-native or introduced recently, but they have certainly been there for many centuries and may be the last remnants of monkeys that did exist in Europe several million years ago.
</sidetrack>
How about a Pine Marten or Otter?
OK, I’ll allow the Gibraltar Barbary Macaques as I said.
The Pine Marten is too cute,
They appear to be excellent all weather critters that climb great and should be able to handle somatic spells well. Oddly enough Golden Eagles are happy to eat them. They are small and thus might be able to also do what the snake does as far as getting down small holes. They have excellent night senses and so add that. This looks like a good substitute for the Chimps if Glee does not opt for the Macaques. It also might replace the snake at the same time allowing for a swimmer.
Otters of course are great swimmers but not tree climbers. They are fairly “handy” though like much of the weasel family.
I’ll happily swap the scimitar, magnifier (to Gilraen), Willow Bark armor and Elven Cloak for AC5 bracers that fit arms and legs. (I assume they will work with the +3 Cloak).
I’ll research the shapes to make sure they all have arms or legs.
Are you saying there is a large pouch or satchel that would transform with me?
Thanks for the ideas - I’m just off to our Biology department!
Sorry, the satchel idea is a fairly minor item that does not change shape but is easy to carry as a Wose, leave on a horse or fly with as a Large Golden Eagle. It would be enchanted to only weigh/mass 25% normal weight. This would allow the Eagle form to fly far without leaving belongings behind. However, it does leave Animal Friends and Horse behind anyway. But overall a handy way to move very fast with your belongings.
An otter could probably swim with it and drag it up onto a shoreline.
A largish monkey could wear it like a backpack.
This week on Middle-earth’s Next Top Model: What’s the perfect kicky handbag for your favorite shapeshifting Wose?
After careful consideration I have decided that I will go with the Elvin mail and new +4 warshield that we discussed.
That is trading in your current War Shield and Armor (effectively, though you can pick the Dwarf that gets it.) for Elf Chain +2 and War Shield +4.
I was a bit nervous about approaching my colleagues in Biology to ask roleplaying questions.
However one turned out to be married to a 1st Edition roleplayer 
and another one had Christopher Tolkien (JRRT’s son) as her school chaplain! 
Their answers:
-
the only North European ape types (apart from us, of course) are the Barbary Macaques, but they’re pretty recent (by Middle Earth standards)
-
there’s nothing in Europe closely related to US racoons (the nearest would be pine martins, weasels and stoats)
-
squirrels are agile and ‘might’ be considered to have ‘hands’ (for casting)
-
otters can use ‘tools’
- apparently they crack open things with stones.
So given that Ghân wants to ‘simplify’ things and use his animal forms to cast spells / disguise himself / gain new movement…
-
I’d like to put Taurgol, Queen’s Comb, Spell Stone, Leaf Clasp and Ent Bark in a magically light satchel and ask someone in the party* to pick it up for me when I change**.
-
I’d like to pick these shapes, which hopefully all allow me to wear the Bracers:
- (bird) Golden Eagle (can’t cast, but can fly and scout superbly)
- (mammal) Pine Marten (can cast, climb, swim, some night vision, cute!)
- (reptile) Gecko*** (can cast****, can swim, climb on ceilings)
*will Barkskin work with the Bracers and Cloak?
**presumably Fang, Anca or my warhorse could carry the satchel?
*** if allowed - there are Geckos in European countries bordering the Mediterranean (but not further North)
**** if Geckos have ‘hands’…
Y’know, if adventuring doesn’t work out for you in gecko form, you can always make some money doing insurance advertising.
Just to be a stickler, Macaques are Monkeys and not Apes to the best of my knowledge. Doesn’t matter much for the game though.
I’ll allow the Eagle immediately and Marten eventually talk, but the Gecko I can’t do. There structure also does seem useful for casting somaticly. I think we will keep it to the Marten eventually casting.
Barkskin works with the others. +1AC and more importantly the B pen.
Fang, Ance, The Warhorse or the Eagle can carry it.
Marten’s swim? Can you cite that anywhere, I was not aware that they could. But I don’t know much about them.
EH: I don’t think Glee has been bombarded by the Gecko commercials in the UK. 