A Meeting for Durin's Secret Society has been called. Meet Beneath the Mountains, next to Balin's Tomb. Don't forget the refreshments!So the sign posted in
the shire countryside had said.
Sam, Son of Hamfast, wondered why they even bothered to attend
this time. It is not as if anything actually got accomplished, and it was a ridiculous way to walk... Sigh. Frodo had insisted, and who was he to argue with Frodo, Mr. High-and-Mighty
Master of the Precious? Sometimes he felt like all of the talk about this silly ring was getting to Frodo's head.
Earlier...
Council: You must throw the ring into the crack of Mount Doom!
Frodo: You can pry it from my cold, dead fingers! Hssssss.....
Sam: Let's go back to the Shire, Mr. Frodo.
Frodo: My.... precious.... I wants it, I wants it!Sheesh. What a bunch of rubbish. And Frodo and Sam had only
just made it back before having to set off again. Merry and Pippin, unfortunately, had to be given over to the Nazgul to ensure the safety of The Precious. They were annoying anyway.
Sam: Are you there, Master Frodo?
Invisible Voice: Yesssssss....
Sam: OK, just checkin'.
Many long days later, in Balin's Tomb...Voice One: We're here!
Voice Two: Took you long enough. Where have you been?!
Voice One: It's a long way for us to come, you know. And about time for supper, too. Nothing for us to eat but
Bill the Pony, and he wasn't even that tasty.
Voice Three: Yuck.
Voice Two: Well, any idea on when this meeting is going to start?
Voice One: I suppose when more people arrive.
Voice Four: We've been waiting here for weeks! There's only so much to do here in the dark.
Voice Three: Yeah, Balin's bones are entertaining, but only for so long.
Voice Four: Plus, we're all out of Orc flesh and getting hungry!
Voice One: Yuck.
(blinding flash of light)
All: Ooooooh!
Gandalf, Greyhame: I have arrived, on time as usual. Let the meeting begin! Who's here?
(All survey the room. There are a variety of people present.)
Gandalf: Legolas, did you bring the food?
Legolas: Here's what I've got (hands Gandalf some
lembas, wrapped in a
greenleaf).
Gimli: Ugh,
lembas again?! Really, Legolas, you've got to do better than that bland stuff.
Legolas: There's
no help for it -- it's all the food I have!
Gimli: Yes, but it tastes like--
Gandalf:
Dear friends, let us not argue over such trifles. Who brought the drinks?
Gimli: Errrr...
Sam: Ummm...
Voice: Hisss...
Gandalf: Hmm.
Never mind then. Well, first order of business (surveying the small crowd).
The Council of Elrond decided that
the One Ring, Answer to All Riddles can be left with Frodo so as not to inconvenience him in any manner. This decision guarantees that certain doom will befall all of Middle Earth. All in favor, say "Aye."
(chorus of "Aye's!")
(start of a "Noo..." followed by a thump).
Gimli (looking at the unconscious body of
Filibert Bolger): Ahem.
Gandalf: Durin, please record the Society's decision in the minutes. Wait a second -- where IS Durin?
Legolas: That fat old codger is always late!
Gimli: Ssssh, don't say that! If he comes in and hears you, he will whip all of our
hides!
Legolas: Ha! That windbag is
constantly threatening, but never follows through.
Meanwhile...Dunlending Renegade: Tell us where you hid yerr gold, stupid dwarf, or I'll break your kneecaps with this
war club!
Durin III, Dwarven Lord (tied to a tree): You just try it! My kneecaps are made out of mithril and the shock wave from trying to break them would give you a heart attack!
Dunlending Rampager (brandishing an
iron axe): Now look 'ere,
fatty. If you don't tell us where the joowels are, I'll--
Durin: I'LL shove that axe right up your--
Strange Voice:
Wild Men of the Hills!
Dunlending Men: Eh? Who's that?
Mumak Chieftain (coming out into the open): I have a plan that will be sure to make this dwarf talk. We'll tie his arms and legs to two
mumakil, stretch him out, and then...
Dunlending Renegade: Rip him in half?
Mumak Chieftain: No... THEN we bring out the SPIDERS!
(The Southron motions to a horde of giant spiders led by none other than
Shelob, Last Child of Ungoliant).
Durin (gibbering): Wait, wait, let's be reasonable here.
Dunlending Rampager: Awww, is the poor liddle dwarfie afraid?
Durin: NO, of course not! I am a
FEARED AXEMAN! But at least you could give me a last request?
Mumak Chieftain: Granted.
Durin: Don't let me die without a fight. Give me back my
Book of Mazarbul.
Mumak Chieftain: You want a... book?
Durin: It greatly encourages me. Also, my belt... my
belt of erebor?
Dunlending Renegade: Fine, you can have your belt. Now die, dwarf scum!
Durin: But wait! Also, if you would pass me my
dwarven armor, those
dwarven bracers, a
hand axe, a...
Back in Balin's Tomb...Gandalf: Has anyone seen Aragorn?
Gimli: No, just
Aragorn's Bow sitting over there in the corner.
Legolas: I wish I had brought my
Aiglos.
Sam: You wear MAKEUP?!
*BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM*
All: What's that?
*BOOM* BADA*BOOOOM* *BOOM*
(Drums continue in a crescendo until they sound like a constant
roll of thunder)
*BOOOMBOOMBOOMBOOOMBOOMBOOMBOOOOOOM!*
*BOOM*(silence)
(Then... a solitary goblin steps out of the shadows bearing a crude goblet, filled with a steaming liquid)
Legolas: Ah, at last, something to drink! No thanks to YOU, Gimli.
Gandalf: Legolas, I'd be careful... it may be a trap.
Legolas: You worry too much, old man. Ah, it smells just like the tea my mum used to make out of
evil-smelling fens. Smelled terrible, tasted wonderful! Out of my way!
(Legolas steps up to the goblin and seizes the goblet, downing the liquid)
Legolas: It's so... so... (eyes rolling up into his head)
(Legolas crumples on the ground).
Sam: That vile,
plotting deceiver!
Gandalf (looking at Legolas):
Poor creature. Well, at least he had it coming to him. Harrrrumph!
Lembas, indeed. I suppose there's nothing more to do than to find someone to take his place in the Society! Frodo, could you please toss the body down that shaft over there?
Voice: Yessssss.
Gandalf: What's your name, goblin?
Goblin: Dorf.
Gandalf: All in favor of making Dorf a new member of the Society, say "Aye."
(chorus of "Aye's!")
(start of a "Noo..." followed by a thump).
Gandalf (looking at the unconscious body of Sam): Ahem.
Gimli: Well, at least he's better than that blasted elf...
Meanwhile...Durin: ...and
Arod, and my
trusted weapon, and an
elven cloak, and my
ring of artifice, and an
elven brooch, and...
Mumak Chieftain: Zzzzzzzzzzz....
Durin: ...oh, and perhaps we could do this at the
Fords of Isen? I've always liked the--
Voice: Duuuuuuuurin!
Chieftain and Dunlending Men: Wha-?
Voice: I'm here to saaaaaave you!
Aragorn, Ranger of the North (Appears from nowhere and runs to Durin's side. After having
severed his bonds, he shouts): Save yourself! Yaaaaaaaaaah!
(Aragorn runs headlong into the spider and
Mumakil horde).
Durin: Hmm. He had so much to live for. Kids these days... And now how am I going to get back to the mountains without a
Pathfinder?
Back in Balin's Tomb...Hobbit party guest: I suggest that we decide how to deal with the threat of the ring.
Gandalf: What do you propose?
Hobbit party guest: Why not just give the ring back to Sauron? Perhaps the
old villain has had a change of heart and is really a nice guy after all!
Gandalf (
deep in thought): Hmmm... how about... NO.
Hobbit (suddenly with
a light in his mind): I think that YOU are
captured by the ring... under its spell. You want it for yourself!
Gandalf: You are
not the first halfling who has said that. Look what happened to the other one! (pointing at Sam) You'd best watch yourself.
Hobbit: I'll be careful.
Gandalf: You'll be DEAD! Arrr!
(Suddenly, a vile wind blows everyone off their feet).
Sauron, The Lord of the Rings: Sorry I'm late, boys. What did I miss?
Hobbit: Gandalf was just about to attack Frodo to--oww! (rubbing his head)
Gandalf: Not much old friend. We planned this whole meeting as a farce to get Frodo to come with the Ring.
Gimli: Just so long as you can find him. Oh Frodo, where are you hiding?
Sauron: No trouble at all (lunges into a corner of the room and grabs something).
Voice: Ack, help help!
Sauron: Surrender the ring and face a painful death!
Voice: Don't you mean, "or" face a painful death?
Sauron: Gaah, don't bother me with trivialities (strangles Frodo).
Gandalf: Phew, I'm glad THAT mess is over. And allow me to wish you a happy birthday, Sauron. Please accept the Ring as a belated
birthday present. How old are you anyway?
Sauron: *cough* I'd rather not say.
Gandalf: Fair enough.
(some footsteps are heard in the hallway.
Eowyn, Lady of Ithilien enters the tomb bringing a tray with fresh muffins and spiced cider).
Eowyn: I've slaved all day and night for
weeks making
preparations for this meeting. Figured that nobody would remember to bring good food.
Crowd: Foooooood! (rushing at Eowyn)
Sauron:
Let her deal with them. Come Gandy, let's get out of here.
Gandy: I heartily agree. But... OH! What in the world could THAT be?!
Sauron (spinning around): What? Where? I don't see anything...
Gandy (slyly removing the ring from Sauron's outstretched hand): Huh... I could have sworn I saw something. Well, no matter. Let's be off.
And so Gandalf and Sauron left while the rest of the crowd ate their fill of muffins and
slaked thirsts on cider. It was a bit tricky in the dark, but they managed to have a good time and declared it a successful meeting. See you all next time!
Sam (waking up in the darkness): Uhhhh...
THE END
(
Deck link)