The Stonecrop Herald Issue 3: Another Interview

Hullo, my respectable readers! It’s that time of the month again that I am keeping you company for a little while. It’s almost April and Spring is here. Do you see the flowers bloom and the grass turn green again, do you feel the sun become warmer and warmer and each get day longer? This month I have an interview with mister Barkgrim from The Blue Mountains Regiment. You read that miss Lina Willowwood suggested that I interview him and here it is! I stumbled upon him at the Green Dragon Inn some weeks after talk to Miss Lina and here is his interview. We can learn a lot about Dwarves and the Regiment that he is part of from it. Here it is for your eyes only!

 

R: Let’s start by telling our readers what you occupy yourself with.

B: I'm the founder of The Blue Mountains Regiment, King Dáin II Ironfoot sent Dwalin to drive out the Dourhands from Blue Mountains. When Thorin's Hall was reclaimed, Governor Dwalin was ordered to form a Regiment to protect the area from enemy threats. So, I was appointed by Dwalin to be the first general of The Blue Mountains Regiment.

 

R: Most fascinating. Would you want to share some stories with me so that I write about it on the Herald?

B: Of course!

 

R: Let's start by you telling me about yourself then. Where you were born, how did you came to be who you are.

B: I'm Barkgrim Flameturg, I'm hail from Erebor. I'm around 114 years old and no I don’t dye my beard! Yet. (I hope he won’t mind putting yet here!) I'm part Firebeard and part Longbeard. My mother side is Firebeard, my mother Krina, she has died because of an orc ambush in Thakalgund. So, I decided to leave the Grey Mountains and even Erebor and I came here, to The Blue Mountains. I had a talent for smithing, I made a good reputation.

 

R: What were you making?

B: Shields, The best shields in all of the West!

 

R: Interesting. How did you end up being a warrior?

B: I wouldn’t call myself a ''warrior'', but as all dwarves, I know how to swing an axe or weapon of my choice… I'm ready to defend my people and family.

 

R: Most honourable and admirable!

B: Speaking of the regiment I've met with many loyal Dwarrows (That’s another word of Dwarves!) and I'm so lucky to have them, they would follow me anywhere.

R: You proved yourself to them then.

 

R: But, let's backtrack a little. Tell me about your journey from Erebor to the Blue Mountains. You were an accomplished smithy. Why did you venture away?

B: I was happy and doing well in Erebor. But, I wanted to make a name for myself and I was just young dwarf who knows nothing about the world, I wanted to see the world and I met with many sinister people on my way until I got here! I met Lina, Tibba, Nimelia and many other precious Hobbits here. They were having Green Dragon Friday here and their hospitality was way too good for me beard. At first I didn’t want to settle in any place, but thanks to them, I stayed in The Blue Mountains so I could visit the Green Dragon Friday more often.

R: Yes, beautiful inn, warm nights. Good company! What more can one ask for!

B: Exactly! It’s one of the main reasons I stayed in the Blue Mountains.

R: To have access to the inn on Friday?

B: More than an Inn. The Hobbit market. Miss Lina's grand rehearsals. They also did welcomed me here greatly. They did tolerate my fireworks accidents too!

 

R: Firework accidents, do tell!

B: Nothing serious but I think they are dwarf-made ones, and we are not the best when it comes to fireworks. As Lina always says ''It happens''.

 

R: I see, I see. How long were you travelling for on your way here from Erebor?

B: I've travelled for around 15 years.

R: Fifteen years, a long time to be on the road, if you don't mind me saying so. What places did you visit?

B: Oh my! I almost travelled all regions of middle-earth, except for the Far-East and the elven-territories. yYer know I’m not very fond of elves.

R: I heard such tales. Dwarves not being fond of Elves and Elves not being fond of Dwarves.

B: I think its more of a cultural thing…

R: Would you care to shine some light to the matter?

B: The Hobbits and the dwarves, we can have fun together and get along pretty well, but elves or tall-folk... I cannot say the same.

R: Why is that do you think?

B: i think its because, we do not have business with them Elves. We are mostly in trade with Hobbits and that helps us to bond with each other.

R: Yes, but we all live in the same world. Don't you meet them accidentally on your travels?

B: I sure did!

R: And?

B: Lord Tindir of Vanimar, I consider him and his folk as allies of The Regiment.

R: Lord Tindir of Vanimar. Am I allowed to publish this?

B: Of course!

R: Thank you.

 

B: Yer know, we live in the Blue Mountains and we only visit the Shire. We don’t go further unless there is a good reason and we don’t see much of elves here.

R: I understand, much like us Hobbits.

 

R: How did you come to be the leader of the Regiment? What did Lord Dwalin see in you you think?

B: Oh, let me tell you about it. I was part of another Dwarven organization, I served there for years, but yer know...sometimes we need to leave the home we love and create a new with our own visions and dreams! So, Master Alhvar and many other Dwarrows supported my idea and I asked for Lord Dwalin's blessings. And so he gave me the permission to form a regiment within the ranks of Ered Luin. But, I passed leadership to Lord Alhvar after 8 months.

R: Why?

B: Master Alhvar is my most loyal friend. Alhvar and I served the Dwarven community for years before we formed the regiment. He was the first Warlord of Durin's Folk and he is more of a soldier than I am. In the regiment, we also have crafters, scholars, merchants, cooks, woodcarvers and more… civilian Dwarrows as well.

R: So, it's more than a military organisation that the name suggests. Interesting.

B: So, Lord Alhvar is taking care of the military side of the regiment serving it as its Commander and I 'I'm serving the regiment as its Civil-lord.

R: I see. So, one part of the Regiment is the soldiers and the other the civilians?

B: Aye, the idea of the regiment is, home for all Dwarrows.

 

R: And what is the purpose of the Regiment? Is it just a home or something more?

B: 'The Regiments duty is to protect the Blue Mountains and keeping it safe for civilians. If i would describe what regiment to me I would say ''Where pride is no disgrace''

R: Pride for what?

B: Pride of being a true dwarf, true servant of the dwarves. We are not here to rule or lead, but serve the community.

 

R: I admire that cause and your view, Master Barkgrim.

B: And I’m still hoping for a day that all the dwarves would be united as one because there is no win or lose, when a dwarf turns his back to another, we all lose, the Dwarven community loses.

B: Also I would like to tell your about our duties if yer like.

R: Of course, there are so many things I want to ask that I don't know how to start. Do tell our readers about your duties, please.

B: Actually most of our events are civilian type. We only grab our axes in the time of war and The Blue Mountains are safer than ever, thank Mahal! One of our most respected officers, Lady Omali, she is like a mother-figure to all dwarves of the regiment. She has her special evening on every Monday, she calls it ''Dwarves' Night Out''. It’s really good for our community as well, because we have lots of traveller bards that day, they come to Thorin's Gates and play, we serve foods and drinks for visitors enjoyment.

R: So the members of the community come together. Are only Dwarves alowed in it?

B: No, its open to all visitors of Thorin's Gates Hobbits, Men and even Elves! I hope yer visit one day!

R: I do hope to venture out of the Shire one day. Find Master Tindir for an interview and see your lands and his.

B: Aye, Lord Tindir and his folk, they are noble people.And its me, a dwarf, telling you that.

R: That's why I believe it all the more!

 

B: And moving on from Mondays on Tuesday evenings, we have our weekly military drill led by Lord Alhvar. We patrol the roads of Ered Luin, making sure that its safe for traders and travellers. Every week, we do celebrate on Mondays yes but we do not abandon our duties on Tuesdays. It’s the only time of the week you can see Barkgrim with his axe and armour.

R: Of course, that's the honourable thing to do. Observe your duties. Be consistent. Is this your travellers garb, then? (I pointed at his clothes.)

B: Aye, I had a meeting in Bree with some visitors from Erebor. I'm on my way to Thorin's Halls again, good thing that we met!

 

R: Indeed! Do you also trade with men? What do your merchants trade and what do they buy?

B: Oh, getting there, Master Runderic! You will have answers for all you questions!

R: I'm sorry, I'm sorry!

 

B: Where was I- Oh, Wednesday. We do have our weekly tavern night on Wednesday evenings.

R: That's a lot of celebrations if you don't mind me saying… Night out on Monday, weekly Tavern Night on Wednesday...

B: Aye, the name is ''The Regiment'' yes but we are more of a civil folk. We only grab the axes for times of war. We have The Anvil and Hammer Tavern in our homestead, and every Wednesday, we have our weekly Khuzdul lessons there. Khuzdul is our sacred language.

R: Do you teach your language to other folk?

B: No. It’s forbidden to teach or speak Khuzdul when non-Dwarves are nearby.

R: Why is that?

B: Well, we are different folk and it’s even another secret I cannot reveal but, you should know that even some of our members don’t even tell their true names to strangers.

R: I will not ask about yours then.

B: My name is Barkgrim, no worries there. Anyway. on Wednesday, we do teach Khuzdul lessons to dwarves, yes, but it takes only 1 hour for every session.

 

R: Do you want to tell our readers where the tavern is, should they want to visit?

B: One hour for teaching Khuzdul, then it's open to all. The Hammer and Anvil Inn, 5 Roaring Road , Vendom Homestead. Our tavern is open to all races after 3.30 bell (3.30pm/st).

 

R: Is the tavern guarded? If I appear with a fake beard will anyone question me?

B: It’s in our homestead, so it is well guarded. The beard is your own risk…

 

R: Has the Regiment ever went to fight away from your borders?

B: Ah! Yes and i will tell you about it! When our weekly calendar is done, you will have all the questions answered.

R: Then let's stick to it! I will run out of parchments! (For a moment I thought I would!)

 

B: Also, let me remind you, on Wednesday tavern evenings, it’s the best place to play Dwarrow dice. Some consider it as gambling but its our tradition so… (Nothing wrong with a gambling tradition if you ask me!)

 

B: Every other Thursday, we have the Dwarven market in Frerin’s Court. It’s like the Hobbit market if yer been there before, ots of merchants, smiths, jewellers and more. Its the best place to buy Dwarf-made items and goods. Also traditional foods, pipe-weeds. We sell shields, armours, weapons, foods, pipe-weeds, trophies, home furnishers, you name it. You can find very precious mathoms for your burrow as well. Every other Thursday, at 3rd Bell(3pm/st), we have the Dwarven market open!

 

R: Name three traditional Dwarven foods.

B: Oh, hard question… Let me pick my favourite traditional ones! 

 

B: Bat-wings!

R: Bat-wings…

B: Aye, it’s very common food, our lady Dwarrows make them.

 

R: I see… Do you have a lady, Master Barkgrim?

B: No, I'm way too busy to have a family, the Regiment is my family and only commitment.

 

R: 'Your second favourite food, then?

B: Ale,ale ale and more ale for sure! If you consider it as food! (I will let you, my dear readers decide if we can consider it as food or not, ale ale ale!) And my second traditional food would be 'baked beans and beetroot soup with Lonely Mountain thyme. Yes, fried bat-wings, baked beans and beetroot soup with Lonely Mountain thyme.

 

R: Shall we move to Friday?

B: Friday is the only day we don’t have anything planned. You know why?

R: Why?

B: Because we have Green Dragon Friday! We cannot miss that! Friday is the only day-off for regiment and we attend Green Dragon Friday. We make sure to get up early and travel to Shire. It’s a long road yes, but worth it!

 

R: That's an honour for us Hobbit folk, I will make sure to write it. How long does it take you to get here?

B: It depends, if we don’t visit any Dwarven settlements on the way or questioned by Elves of Celondim (And here I thought that Elves don’t care about what the other Races are doing!) it takes around 5 to 6 hours. If we just ride our goats, its like 2-3 hours.

 

R: That's not too long. You only stay overnight?

B: Some of us stay overnight.

 

R: What do you do on Saturday?

B: Saturdays is the time that the Regiment shines! It’s the time we go to fight away from our borders.

 

R: Every Saturday? What do you fight?

B: Aye, every saturday. Not all of us, but Lord Alhvar and his stout-warriors go on a mission, they usually keep the missions in secret since Lord Dwalin sent them a raven every week. (It’s like our traditional raid-night, end-game, but we do RP in raids too)

 

R: Are they hard? Do they return on the same day?

B: No, they don’t, its mostly a long journey, they return with lots of trophies and riches and they keep Middle-Earth safe.

 

R: Do you have a trophy room?

B: Oh yes! We do have 4 big houses in our homestead! We do have Halls of Khiluz Dum! (I suppose that means trophy room? I didn’t ask!) We put all the trophies there and its open for a visit any time, but it’s good to ask for a guide.

 

R: That's a lot of Houses!

B: Our craft-master Glormyr and Captain Brumming are in charge of the halls, so they are your dwarves if yer like to visit our trophy halls!

 

R: What about Sundays?

B: Sundays are for weekly meeting day for the Regiment. We talk about weekly events and upcoming events, promotion ceremonies and some other sacred ceremonies as well.

 

R: Thank you Master Barkgrim. You have given me a lot of information. 

B: I hope you would visit our halls one day. (I sure hope so too!)

 

And this was our interview for this month. Stay safe my dear readers! Enjoy the Spring and the warmth, cherish the rains for they will come less and less often and don’t forget to enjoy a mug of tea every day at 4!