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Timeline Event

Frodo's Departure from the Shire: Overview

Event Type: General

Age: 3rd Age - Ring War

Year: 3018

Description:

At Gandalf's behest, Frodo leaves the Shire for Rivendell carrying the One Ring, but is pursued closely by Nazgûl.

Table of Contents:
The Parties
The Timeline
The Prelude
The Departure
The Aftermath



The Parties
Frodo Baggins is accompanied by Pippin Took and Samwise Gamgee when he departs Bag End carrying the One Ring. Merry Brandybuck joins their party at Buckland, while Fatty Bolger stays behind as a decoy in Frodo's house at Crickhollow. Strider (Aragorn) becomes their guide at Bree, stepping in for the missing Gandalf. Glorfindel is sent by Elrond to aid the company; he joins them as they near Rivendell.

Gandalf, who planned to accompany Frodo, is imprisoned by Saruman. After his escape, and despite a desperate ride on Shadowfax, he never quite catches up with Frodo's party.

The Nazgûl's hunt for the One Ring brings them to the Shire just as Frodo leaves Bag End. They pursue Frodo closely all the way to Rivendell, and attack the party whenever possible. In one such attack, the Witch-king injures Frodo with a Morgul-knife.

The Timeline
April
12

Gandalf reaches Hobbiton.

[See: Gandalf arrives to visit Frodo at Bag End]

[13]
[See: Gandalf tells Frodo about Rings of Power]
[See: Gandalf proves Frodo has the One Ring]
[See: Frodo offers the One Ring to Gandalf]
[See: Frodo decides to leave the Shire with the One Ring]
[See: Gandalf catches Sam eavesdropping]

June
[1]
[See: Frodo sells Bag End to the Sackville-Bagginses]....

September....
22
The Black Riders reach Sarn Ford at evening; they drive off the guard of Rangers. Gandalf overtakes Shadowfax.

[See: Nazgûl cross Sarn Ford]

[See: Frodo hosts a farewell birthday party at Bag End]

23
Four Riders enter the Shire before dawn. The others pursue the Rangers eastward, and then return to watch the Greenway. A Black Rider comes to Hobbiton at nightfall. Frodo leaves Bag End. Gandalf having tamed Shadowfax rides from Rohan.

[See: Sackville-Bagginses show up to inspect Bag End]
[See: Frodo departs from Bag End]
[See: Hobbits camp in the Green Hills]

[See: Nazgûl enter the Shire]
[See: Khamûl arrives in Hobbiton and questions the Gaffer]

24
Gandalf crosses the Isen.

[See: Hobbits encounter a Nazgûl in the Green Hills]
[See: Hobbits encounter the Nazgûl again]
[See: Hobbits encounter Gildor and the Elves]
[See: Hobbits camp with Gildor's Elves in Woody End]

[25]
[See: Hobbits pursued by Nazgûl through the Marish]
[See: Hobbits stop at Farmer Maggot's]
[See: Hobbits take Bucklebury Ferry across the Brandywine]
[See: Hobbits arrive at Crickhollow]
[See: Frodo decides to leave the Shire immediately]

26
The Old Forest. Frodo comes to Bombadil.

[See: Hobbits depart Crickhollow]
[See: Hobbits enter the Old Forest]
[See: Old Man Willow ensnares the Hobbits]
[See: Tom Bombadil rescues the Hobbits from Old Man Willow]
[See: Hobbits stay in the house of Tom Bombadil]

[See: Nazgûl pass through Bree]

27
Gandalf crosses Greyflood. Second night with Bombadil.

28
The Hobbits captured by a Barrow-wight. Gandalf reaches Sarn Ford.

[See: Hobbits leave the house of Tom Bombadil]
[See: Hobbits become lost in fog on the Barrow-downs]
[See: Hobbits captured by a Barrow-wight]

29
Frodo reaches Bree at night. Gandalf visits the Gaffer.

[See: Tom Bombadil rescues the Hobbits from the Barrow-wight]
[See: Tom Bombadil finds swords of the Barrow-downs for the Hobbits]
[See: Hobbits reach Bree]
[See: Frodo meets Strider at the Prancing Pony]
[See: Frodo puts on the One Ring at the Prancing Pony]
[See: Strider offers his services as guide to Frodo]
[See: Barliman Butterbur delivers Gandalf's letter to Frodo]
[See: Frodo accepts Strider as guide]
[See: Merry attacked by a Nazgûl in Bree]

30
Crickhollow and the Inn at Bree are raided in the early hours. Frodo leaves Bree. Gandalf comes to Crickhollow, and reaches Bree at night.

[See: Nazgûl attack the house at Crickhollow at dawn]
[See: Fatty Bolger raises Crickhollow against the Nazgûl]

[See: Prancing Pony raided by Nazgûl at night]
[See: Travellers delayed by theft of their ponies]
[See: Travellers leave Bree for Weathertop]
[See: Travellers take an evasive route through the Chetwood]

October
1
Gandalf leaves Bree.

[2-4]
[See: Travellers cross the Midgewater Marshes]

3
He is attacked at night on Weathertop.

[See: Travellers see lightning over Weathertop]

[4]
[See: Gandalf flees from Weathertop pursued by Nazgûl]

[4-6]
[See: Travellers approach the Weather Hills]

6
The camp under Weathertop attacked at night. Frodo wounded.

[See: Travellers reach Weathertop]
[See: Strider finds signs of Gandalf on Weathertop]
[See: Travellers camp at Weathertop]
[See: Strider tells the tale of Lúthien at Weathertop]

[See: Attack on the Camp at Weathertop: Overview

[8-12]
[See: Travellers journey towards the Last Bridge]

9
Glorfindel leaves Rivendell.

[See: Glorfindel leaves Rivendell]

11
He drives the Riders off the Bridge of Mitheithel.

[See: Glorfindel drives the Nazgûl from the Last Bridge]

13
Frodo crosses the Bridge.

[See: Travellers cross the Last Bridge]

[13-18]
[See: Travellers pass through the Trollshaws]

[16]
[See: Glorfindel picks up the trail of the Travellers]

18
Glorfindel finds Frodo at dusk. Gandalf reaches Rivendell.

[See: Travellers see Bilbo's stone trolls in the Trollshaws]
[See: Travellers return to the Road]

[See: Glorfindel finds the Travellers on the Road]
[See: Glorfindel attempts to heal Frodo]

[18-20]
[See: Glorfindel and the Travellers approach the Ford of Bruinen]

20
Escape across the Ford of Bruinen.

[See: Ambush at the Ford of Bruinen: Overview]

[20-23]
[See: Elrond heals Frodo in Rivendell]

24
Frodo recovers and wakes. Boromir arrives in Rivendell at night.

[See: Frodo awakens in Rivendell]

25
Council of Elrond.

The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, The Tale of Years: The Third Age


The Prelude
[Frodo:] 'As far as I understand what you have said, I suppose I must keep the Ring and guard it, at least for the present, whatever it may do to me.'....

'But in the meanwhile it seems that I am a danger, a danger to all that live near me. I cannot keep the Ring and stay here. I ought to leave Bag End, leave the Shire, leave everything and go away.' He sighed.

The Fellowship of the Ring, LoTR Book 1, Ch 2, The Shadow of the Past

'You ought to go quietly, and you ought to go soon,' said Gandalf....

'What about the autumn, on or after Our Birthday?' asked Frodo. 'I think I could probably make some arrangements by then.'....

'But... what course am I to lake?'

'Towards danger; but not too rashly, nor too straight,' answered the wizard. 'If you want my advice, make for Rivendell. That journey should not prove too perilous, though the Road is less easy than it was, and it will grow worse as the year fails.'

'Rivendell!' said Frodo. 'Very good: I will go east, and I will make for Rivendell.'

The Fellowship of the Ring, LoTR Book 1, Ch 3, Three Is Company

One summer's evening an astonishing piece of news reached the Ivy Bush and Green Dragon...: Mr. Frodo was selling Bag End, indeed he had already sold it — to the Sackville-Bagginses!....

Just why Mr. Frodo was selling his beautiful hole was... debatable.... But... there was no doubt about the fact: Frodo Baggins was going back to Buckland.

'Yes, I shall be moving this autumn,' he said. 'Merry Brandybuck is looking out for a nice little hole for me....'

As a matter of fact with Merry's help he had already chosen and bought a little house at Crickhollow in the country beyond Bucklebury. To all but Sam he pretended he was going to settle down there permanently. The decision to set out eastwards had suggested the idea to him; for Buckland was on the eastern borders of the Shire....

The Fellowship of the Ring, LoTR Book 1, Ch 3, Three Is Company


The Departure
At Gandalf's recommendation, and to protect the Shire from the Nazgûl hunting the One Ring that Frodo possesses, Frodo makes plan to leave the Shire permanently.

In the short run, he departs Bag End to move to a house at Crickhollow in Buckland. There he plans to leave the Shire in secret with Gandalf and head for Rivendell. However, Gandalf is imprisoned by Saruman, so Frodo is left without the Wizard's guidance and accompaniment.

Furthermore, the Black Riders enter the Shire on the day Frodo departs Bag End. He, Pippin, and Sam are pursued by at least one of the Riders from Bag End through the Green Hills, where they meet Gildor Inglorion and a party of Elves, and through the Marish, where they are helped by Farmer Maggot.

When they reach Crickhollow, Frodo announces that he will depart immediately; Merry, Pippin, and Sam insist that they will accompany him forward. They go through the Old Forest and are ensnared by Old Man Willow and trapped by a Barrow-wight, but rescued by Tom Bombadil. They finally reach Bree, where Merry is nearly overcome by a Nazgûl.

Strider offers his services as a guide, and the party leaves Bree. However, they are attacked by the Nazgûl on Weathertop, where Frodo is seriously injured, and at the Fords of Bruinen before finally reaching Rivendell.

The Aftermath
Frodo woke and found himself lying in bed....

'Where am I, and what is the time?' he said aloud to the ceiling.

'In the House of Elrond, and it is ten o'clock in the morning.' said a voice....

'Gandalf!' cried Frodo, sitting up. There was the old wizard, sitting in a chair by the open window.

'Yes,' he said, 'I am here. And you are lucky to be here, too, after all the absurd things you have done since you left home.'

The Fellowship of the Ring, LoTR Book 2, Ch 1, Many Meetings

'How do the side and shoulder feel now?'

'I don't know.' Frodo answered. 'They don't feel at all: which is an improvement, but... I can move my arm again a little. Yes, it is coming back to life.'....

'Good!' said Gandalf. 'It is mending fast. You will soon be sound again. Elrond has cured you: he has tended you for days, ever since you were brought in.'

'Days?' said Frodo.

'Well, four nights and three days, to be exact.'

The Fellowship of the Ring, LoTR Book 2, Ch 1, Many Meetings

Next day Frodo woke early, feeling refreshed and well....

'Hullo! Good morning!' said Bilbo. 'Feel ready for the great council?'....

Suddenly as they were talking a single clear bell rang out. 'That is the warning bell for the Council of Elrond,' cried Gandalf. 'Come along now! Both you and Bilbo are wanted.'

The Fellowship of the Ring, LoTR Book 2, Ch 2, The Council of Elrond

Contributors:
Elena Tiriel 15Jan12

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