(March 18th, 2015)

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This is related to the following event:
Maidens of Vanimor Rock Celondim
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Captain's Quick Report: Maidens of Vanimor Rock Celondim

By chance, as I continued my travels through the Shire on the way back to the Bree-land borders, following a successful Bullroarer Took Day among the halfing-folk, a letter reached me by swift messenger, and while I shall not go into detail here too much, needless to say that it was a letter from a Lady Belawenn, informing me of the occurrence concerning a concert happening in Celondim the next day.  (Which became today, as I'm writing this!)  I was quite pleased of the news, and I suspected Master Silon must have had a hand in having such fate that a member of the Maidens of Vanimor themselves would contact me to let me know about their musical concert!

But enough prelude!  This is another swift report that I must make after the wonderful concert has now ended, for the backdrop of these Maidens' chosen location for their musical skill, was a most wondrous sight to behold -- I had never seen this part of Celondim before, despite having visited oft a time or two in the past, on previous business as a representative of the Bree Captain's Guild.  The concert itself, and the audience, with the Maidens of Vanimor themselves (and the Vanimettes before them), was truly a stunning experience to behold for this ol' Bree Captain. 

Though the music may yet seem odd from any of the usual melodies and song we might know of the common traditions from Man, Elf, Dwarf, or Hobbit, it was nevertheless something that touched our hearts many times, inspiring what must have been genuine dance and joy that ranks close to those of many popular Hobbit and Dwarf bands well-regarded throughout our known land.

And yet, rumours tell that these 'Maidens of Vanimor' are travelling visitors from afar, so distant that they thus have been said to visit our parts of Middle-Earth only a few times each month, twice if lucky, so I'm led to believe. 

I think my mind has settled enough now, here upon Celondim's docks, to briefly sketch out a few drawings with rudimentary colors and detail concerning the... magical experience... that has ended tonight.

Towards the end, one of the band musicians, Lady Maegolos I think, reminded the audience that if they wish to be informed well in advance of their next performance, including the details such as time and exact day, they have a mailing list which we could add our names and address, to whom they send forth notices concerning their next musical concerts.  I committed my name at once, on behalf of the Bree Captain's Guild, and soon look forward to the welcome news of when they shall appear again. 

I'm also looking forward to receiving a dye from either Missus Toadflax, or Missus Ramsons, to which the former I was able to speak with early on before the concert truly began, for she and Master Silon, along with several other of the Little Folk, also attended in fair numbers tonight.  My hat you see, after yesterday's proceedings at the Brockenborings, took a turn for the worse after I tried to restore its original colors from its celebratory green state of Bullroarer Took Day... and now Missus Toadflax's daughter, Missus Ramsons, might hopefully fulfill my new purchase order for an orange dye.  But that's another story for another report!  Back to the concert; what dancing and coordination once again did they show, those dear hobbits, amongst the other half of us audience comprised of Men and Elves.  A few dwarves were also present, including whom I believe, the dwarf himself, Master Grymrock, whom I was made first aware of through he and his kin's hosting of 'Music through the ages - Symphonies Fantastic' many months ago at the venue of the Bree Town Hall.  Truly, if one of the principles of the Bree Captain's Guild is that the lands of Middle-Earth be in harmony, and brought together in cheer and good spirits upon a common cause, the Maidens of Vanimor, without a doubt, make the pass, by my Captain's badge of the Bree Captain's Guild!

I was only saddened that such word of their music and activity seems to not be posted on the common bulletin boards and well-known papers that bring news to many parts of Middle-Earth.  The popular Grey Repository for example, from my understanding, has no such official notice of the Maidens' events in the past, and thus explains why I could not find such news when I visited the nearest bulletin boards for the Grey Repository in Bree-town all these years (I did however, through some searching of the Grey Repository Archives, find some snippets of what seems to be a recorded story from one named Everbrock, concerning his own encounter with the Maidens of Vanimor, titled 'Play me my song')   And though I still struggle to get hold of the Bramblebury Gazette regularly, a paper only commonly available in the Shire thus far, and not yet well-known in Bree-town; even there, I could not find too much mention of the Maidens.  Then again, the halfling-folk do like to keep things for hobbits, by hobbits, hohoho!

I was able to pass a mention and recommendation privately to Lady Maegolos that contacting the Grey Repository to inquire and establish a regular event posting regarding their own future, upcoming concerts, might go leaps and bounds to raising the numbers of attendees to future performances, when they once again visit our parts of the land in Middle-Earth.

But blast it, by spilled inks and quill, I have prattled on far enough once again for a Captain of Bree, and written far too much for a supposedly Captain's Quick Report that this is to be for the Archives!  I shall end here and hope I have not exhausted all that deserves to be written for a future, more full and lengthly report on this outstanding concert tonight in Celondim.

Hopefully the select colored sketches, and drawings I have attached with this report, makes it safely to the Archive of the Grey Repository; so that you, Master Reader, can try to gain a glimpse into what, surely, has been something magical tonight, of song and music.   

Signed,

Captain Naismithea Willarc

Watcher of Roads
Representative of the Bree Captain's Guild
Officer of the Sworn Wanderers