Berredan at 00:58, 5 June 2010

2010-06-05T00:58:00Z

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{{CharacterBox
|image=http://eriadainstories.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/berredan.jpg
|name=Berredan "Red" Took
|title=Mr.
|player=#22742
|occupation=Opportunist
|gender=Male
|race=Holbytla
|culture=Shire
|home=Great Smials, Tuckborough, The Shire
|age=Upper Middle
|weight=125 lbs
|height=2'8
|caption="I'm a Took, and have always been one. Those who would claim otherwise, spend too much time gossiping in the pub!"
}}
[[Category:Characters]][[Category:Shire Characters]]

== Description ==

Berredan Took, who was probably born in the 1380s or 1390s, Shire Reckoning, became something of a celebrity several years ago. He was known as a scoundrel when rumors about him were whispered around the Shire, and as a sensible gentlehobbit when spoken to face-to-face. There are old rumors that he was born into a tiny hobbit clan in the North-farthing, called the Bushets, and switched his name to Took after the entire family died one night, under mysterious circumstances. It was generally agreed that the culprit was mushroom poisoning, and eventually forgotten almost altogether.

Berredan was very eccentric and energetic. He got himself into all sorts of adventures and agreements, becoming quite known through the Shire Chronicle and word-of-mouth. He moved away somewhere quiet and sank into the background after the Scary Scandal threatened his good name in the social circles of the Shire.

He was good friends with Thilo Bracegirdle, and later, Boldibad Bolger, among others. Thilo gives him credit for helping him with his ale problem, and Berredan took Boldibad, when he was young, on all sorts of travels around the Shire, in search of historic items.

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== History ==

Autobiography of Berredan "Red" Took. As a child I lived a relatively normal life. My mother--mum as I've always called her--gave me the money for everything I ever wanted. Once I wanted to buy an island in the Brandywine after looking through the Old Took's collection of maps. Another time I told her I wanted to buy a basket of eggs from Fluffy Dunder to throw at the Brandybuck girl that was in town. Those sort of things she didn't give me money for. But, eventually, I learned to tell her the truth that she wanted to hear. Instead of buying eggs to throw at the Brandybuck, I probably would have told her that I wanted to buy a basket of eggs to give to Mirabella, the cook at the Great Smials. I laugh when I think of those days. I was so mischeivous as a child.

Despite what many believe, it is a rare occasion that a Took gets so curious that he goes off on a journey. Such a gentlehobbit is one of my great-great uncles, Hildifons TOOK, who said he was going to find his father's lost pipe "and there was no two ways about!" Apparantly he was a bit mad. But, we still remember and miss him--he never returned. I'm afraid several other Tooks have followed their instincts and disappeared on adventures. I, too, have had my adventuring urges, and when I did, my father would beat me until I cried. He was a Took with hobbit sense, and he was very strict. I'm sure it was usually due to his fondness of the cheap drink of the East-Farthingers, rum. I've never journeyed so far to be considered unrespectable--the furthest I've been was a town named Bree, which is full of humans and hobbits more queer than Bucklanders. Those days are quite over with.

I've had many lady-friends in my day--I suppose it's my superior wit and charm. Burmellia BUNCE was the most beautiful and favorable. She was fond of helping the poor, especially those of the town called Scary. That is where I became interested in helping such people. I picked up a little something from every lady I've courted. From Maura POTT I developed a love for seedcakes--oh, I love seedcakes. She had the best recipe. Rosie BOLGER convinced me to seek out a tutor in the town of Oatbarton for which I am incredibly grateful. Posie BOLGER, Rosie's sister, gave me the annoying habit of scribbling my name on the menus of inns and taverns, and Citronella BRANDYBUCK molded me into the superstitious hobbit that I am today--though I am good at hiding this trait. I thank the ladyfolk for a number of things, and I am very fond of the sex.

I consider myself an intelligent holbytlan being. It is probably true. At the age of ten I began my studies with an uncle of mine. His name was Grouchobrus Took. I hated him so, but if it weren't for him, I would not be the educated gentlehobbit that I am today. He taught me my letters, taught me the names of the stars, taught me how to smoke a pipe (and also to blow smoke rings), and many other things that a gentlehobbit should know. Of course, many others in the 'Smials had a hand in my education. For example, Mirabella TOOK taught me manners. Groucho was just that--a grouch. Whenever I'd ask him a question, he'd complain about its stupidity. When I had a complaint, he complained about my endless complaining. When I had an itch, he complained about my excessive scratching. I often egged him with my brother Ferdibrand from atop the roof of the Took Stables. At the age of twenty, my beloved Rosie BOLGER told me that I could be a great leader of the Shirefolk. Bullchips, I always said to her. But now that I think of it, I probably could be a great leader. So, I went out to Oatbarton in search of a tutor of higher learning. From him I learned all about the nature of law and how everything in Michel Delving's government worked. Rosie always wanted me to be a lawyer,
and, because she did, so did I. That is, until I met Frammo--his surname escapes my memory these days, and I curse myself for that. He taught me about my most beloved love--music. Frammo and I spent hours upon hours writing music (and eating seedcakes).

And then Four Times the Charm came along. Burgo TOOK, Ralto HEADSTRONG, Blue TOOK and I started a musical foursome. We became rather famous among the tweenagers, though the older generation (especially the Overhill Ladies Club) despised us. Our music was different... much different than that of the Mended Drum, a struggling band that pops up from time to time. We played an upbeat version of My Fair Lady's Feet, and a song called Just Want To Get Home was especially hated--loved by the tweens. It was because of the vast number of elders that disliked us that we disbanded. Many think it was due to our brief experimentation with Old Forest Gold. But it wasn't. We don't do such things these days.

After the Charm days, I decided to put music aside and concentrate on my future. I was a year past my latest tweenaged year, and foolish things such as music were for fools. I hitched a wagon-ride to Scary and held a fund-raiser. This was the best part of my life and it was the worst part of my life. I had planned to raise money to buy clothing and food for the poor folks of this terrible town, and I succeeded--I raised four thousand copper pennies, or four silver dimes. I wanted more... I wanted Scary to receive even more than planned. They deserved it, after all. So, I snuck away with the money with plans to buy a shipment of pipe-weed to sell for a profit. It didn't work out that way. A marrow-eater I angered in my Oatbarton days, Humpo BRACEGIRDLE, who eventually became a reporter for the Shire Chronicle, quickly put the story in the paper saying that I stole the money. I had no choice but to run away. I had never been to the Lock Holes, and I didn't wish there to be a first time. I followed the road in hopes that a town I learned of, through a tale, existed. It did. It was called Bree. I wasn't there long before I decided to turn myself in with the money... I was welcomed by a search party, with Humpo leading them. I sat in the lockholes for a long while.

When I look back on my life I wonder if it could have been different. What could I have done differently for the benefit of myself and others? This question haunts me day and night. I can only stick to my hopes and dreams for the future. Among them is my vision of a healthy Shire with far less poor folk than there are today. I think that to find happiness, I must first create happiness. That I hope to do. And I thank the reader for delighting in my tale, as I must be on my way to the kitchen for a tray of seedcakes.
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Berredan Took - Revision history

Berredan at 00:58, 5 June 2010