Matthew Mugwort
There is wisdom and lore such that Wizards and Elves might possess through long years of study. And there’s the knowing of Bree, which Matthew Mugwort, a Hobbit, possesses in spades. Put any question to him – preferably, over a pint in The Pony – and he’ll answer it for you with complete and utter certainty. Matthew Mugwort knows right from wrong, and sensible business from the foolishness of foreign lands. He may not be counted among the Wise, but in Bree his opinion counts for a great deal indeed. From his barstool, Matthew Mugwort has pronounced judgements upon many topics, like the Rangers (“troublesome outlaws, the lot of them”), Orcs (“they live far away in t’ mountains, they do, and it’s always them Dwerrves who’re stirring ’em up”), Outsiders (“all right so long as they don’t outstay their welcome”), Barrow-wights (“nonsense about ghosts – it’s just fog and broken stones that look like men”), and the future (“pay it no mind and it’ll attend to itself”). As long as the beer’s flowing, Mugwort will argue about anything with the placid impenetrability of a man who is absolutely certain that there’s nothing of any worth outside Bree-land. If he’s present in the bar when adventurers arrive, he’ll argue with them and undermine anything they say: “you came from Rivendell? Ha! That’s out of fairy stories, man! Did you fly here on a magic boat, too?” .
Comments