The Secret of the Lonely Mountain

The land of the Lonely Mountain is barren; all of the greenery has been burnt away by Smaug. Bilbo and three dwarves are sent to investigate the main entrance on the south side. The entrance is too dangerous to use since Smaug uses that gate, so Bilbo and the group search for another opening on the west side of the mountain. Bilbo located a narrow passage along a cliff that leads to a flat, smooth, patch on the mountain side. A secret door on the west side of the mountain, the group can no open the gate. They grow discouraged since the door won't budge. Sitting there lost in thought, Bilbo remembers a riddle on a map, Bilbo quickly gathers the other dwarves by the door, as the sun slowly sets, the sun's light widdles down to its last beam that reveals the key and the keyhole. The door opens as they enter the depths of the mountain.

The Lonely Mountain and Lake Town

As the group flows down the river, they have made it through the Mirkwood forest. Lake Town is a human city that is located south of the Lonely Mountain. Thorin proudly goes up to the town hall and declares to the Master of Lake Town that he is a descendant of the King under the Mountain, here to claim his inheritance. The King under the Mountain used to live where Smaug now lives. The humans of Lake Town treat the dwarves and little Bilbo like kings. After a good night’s rest, the crew set off to the Lonely Mountain with their supplies, and strength regained.

The Save #2 by Bilbo Baggins

The dwarves are taken prisoner by the wood elves and are taken to the Elvenking's halls. Bilbo, with his ring follows the elves to the palace where they had taken the dwarves. Thorin remained trapped in the dungeon refusing to reveal his plan of regaining the treasure from Smaug while Bilbo and the dwarves plot an escape. The elves exchange goods with the men of Lake Town by putting barrels in the river that flows down to Lake Town. Bilbo catches a napping guard and takes the guardsman’s keys and releases the dwarves. He put each dwarf into an empty barrel before the elves shove the barrels into the river. Bilbo hops onto an empty barrel and the group escapes to Lake town.

The Save by Bilbo Baggins

The dark woods fall upon Bilbo and the dwarves as they journey into the forest of Mirkwood. Soon enough the group couldn't tell whether it was night or day. The woods seemed to never end as it went on and on. After a few days they come across a stream but does not drink from it due to Beorn's warning. They cross across the stream using a boat that has been placed at the bank. Bomber falls into the river and falls into a deep sleep making the group carry him until he wakes up. One night, they see a flicker of lights in the trees and stray from the path and move toward the light. They see elves sitting around a fire, feasting, and singing. Suddenly the lights are put out and Bilbo can hardly find each other. This same thing occurs twice until the last time, everyone is separated. Bilbo stops hearing voices and leans against a tree and falls asleep. When Bilbo woke up, his legs were bounded by a sticky thread and enormous spider moving toward him. Bilbo cuts himself free and kills the spider. In his victory, Bilbo names his sword, Sting. Bilbo goes and searches for the dwarves finding them hanging from a tree and rapped up in a cocoon of the sticky strings. Many spiders sit on top of the branches carefully keeping a keen eye on their prey. Suddenly, a Bilbo throws and rock at the spiders and the spiders are lost and confused the mocking and rock-throwing creature that deceives them. Bilbo had slipped the ring on making the spiders look for him by sound. Bilbo leads the spiders away and quietly slips back to the dwarves free but the spiders soon return and the dwarves and dizzy and weak and hardly fight them off. They were soon saved by wood elves and realize that Thorin is missing. Thorin was taken prisoner by the wood elves.

The Great Beorn

As the group travel on to the Mirkwoods their last obstacle before approaching the lonely mountain was the encounter the house of Beorn. Beorn is half human half bear, as is incredibly powerful. Gandalf carefully plans out on how to greet Beorn without overwhelming him with the dwarves. So two dwarves are invited in every time Gandalf calls. Gandalf and Bilbo are the first to enter and meet the great Beorn and impressed him with their stories and experiences with the goblins. Despite Beorn's hate for goblins is thrilled and invites them to dinner and a stay at his house. Beorn offers food, ponies, and most importantly advice on how to get through the Mirkwoods. Beorn repeatedly tells them to never stray from the path, eat any found food, and to head north so they won't encounter the goblins and wargs. Beorn tells them they would need to return the ponies and walk on foot when the reach the path to the Lonely Mountain. When they have reached the path, Gandalf departs from the group and wishing them the best and to never stray from the path. With their goodbyes still hanging on their lips, the hobbit and the dwarves move into the dark forest.

The Attack of the Goblins and Wargs

Bilbo realizes that he had made it to the other side of the misty mountains and realizes his friends might still be caught by the goblins. In Bilbo's temptation to go back into the horrible cave, runs everyone hiding behind a bush, thrilled to see Bilbo they travel on. Gandalf advised to keep a keen eye for goblin attacks. The sunlight keeps the goblins away from them as they travel as far as time ticks away. As they prepare for the last bit of light they hear howling wolves and scurry up into the trees before the wargs come running in and scratching at the trunks. Wargs are allies with the goblins and were notified by the goblins to attack them. When the goblins arrive then set fires under the trees where the crew was hiding. Gandalf prepares to kill as many goblins as he can when the Lord of the Eagles saves them from their miserable prison. They provided food and rest for the weary travelers that continue on their journey at dawn.

The Ring and Gollum

When Bilbo wakes up, he finds that he is alone in a dark and cold cave. Desperate, Bilbo scrambles around in the dark trying to find his way out when he stumbles upon The Ring. Not knowing that the ring was something more than a round piece of metal, Bilbo slips the ring into his pocket without hesitant. In his desperation to get out, Bilbo finds Gollum, a creature driven mad by the ring and referring to everything "my precious". Gollum lives on a slimy island and hunts for fish. But this time he's looking for something a bit meatier to eat and preys on poor Bilbo. The two plays a game and whoever wins has to do what the other wants it to do. Bilbo ends up winning with the question "what's in my pockets?" With Gollum upset his lost and gets ready to lead Bilbo to exit when he soon realizes that his precious ring is gone. There was no other explanation than Bilbo and Gollum races after him realizing Bilbo was on the run and chases him. Bilbo slips on the ring and falls on the floor as Gollum races ahead thinking Bilbo was still running. Bilbo quietly follows Gollum to the exit and jumps over Gollum into the Goblins lair and slips past the guards thanks to the ring into freedom.