The smell of pipeweed and the sound of merry laughter drifts from the open door of the Inn of the Prancing Pony. It is a Highday, and like every Highday, Barliman Butterbur has opened his  common room to guests from lands near and far to sample his beer in exchange for coin, conversation, and a promise 'not to go up into thin air, thank you very much!'

This week's (April 4, 2025) hook:

‘NO MUR BUKS AN LETURS.’

…reads a sign nailed to the door of the Inn of the Prancing Pony.

‘PLEES AN THUNK YOO. TAILS ONLEE.’– NOB’

…reads yet another sign below it.

It seems Nob, who has recently begun learning his letters from Barliman Butterbur, is tired of reading. ‘He’s all in on writing now!’ Barliman can be heard chattering to some patrons, blushing with not a little pride. ‘You see the sign out front? All him! I almost didn’t believe it. “You wrote that, Nob?” I told him. “In all those good letters? You’re a scholar, or my mother’s a cow!” Anyhow, the little master’s done with books, thank you, please—he’ll only hear tales! Wants to set them down in writing in that little book of his. Can’t say I’m not proud of him for it!’

Yes, Nob wants tales—and so he and Mr. Butterbur have asked the patrons of the Pony to share as many tales as they know, no matter how good, poor, long, or short. Thus, on this Highday, the common room of the Prancing Pony is crowded with voices babbling this story or that myth, while little Nob, as ever, races to and fro, recording each and every one in his journal. A wonder what tales he may hear….

Please note that this week's hook responds to Roleplayers of LOTRO's 'Refurbishing the Brandy Hall Archives' special event prompt, which prompts RPers to supply Merry Brandybuck with lore in his quest to restore the ancestral library at Brandy Hall. Once 150 pieces of lore have been collected, a story-based celebration in LOTRO's Buckland will be triggered, as well as the reveal of a brand new project we have been working on for the roleplay community, codenamed Project Kalimac. Reactions to this post on ROL's LFRP Board will count towards the special event's Lore Count.