Bingo Boffin

Bingo Boffin
Title Hobbit Adventurer Gender Male Race Hobbit Region The Shire Area The Delving Fields Settlement Michel Delving Map Ref [33.0S, 75.1W]

Description

Bingo Boffin is mostly-ordinary hobbit of the Shire who lives in his hobbit-hole in the northern district of Michel Delving.

Bingo is also visiting the Yondershire and can be met at Tighfield.

The following text is about the "The Ballad of Bingo Boffin"

He is the protagonist of the Ballad of Bingo Boffin, a series of quests related to Episodic Content. Every Wednesday during the original questline release, a new quest involving Bingo was unlocked and sees him start an adventure of his own. Today, all of the quests can be played without a weekly delay, although there are still mentions of "every Wednesday" in the quest text.

•  Request for Assistance! starts the adventure, but can also be started by visiting Bingo
• Bingo's Hobbit Hole - Boffin Manor - is found in Michel Delving, just north of the Town Hall
• During the adventure Bingo will appear at the location of each quest, but only until it has been completed
• Bert Bartleby will provide information about Bingo's current location. Bert also barters a variety of items for Bingo Badges
• Inside Boffin Manor are "Bingo's Notes" which allow replay of all the quest instances of the adventure

Quest Involvement

Bingo Boffin in the Yondershire

Bingo Boffin in Wildermore

• [...] A Little Spooky Research - Harvest
• [...] A Night for Ghost Stories → Instance - Harvest
• [...] An Autumnal Mystery - Harvest
• [...] Frightened Beyond Disbelief - Harvest
• [...] Frightful Tales to Curl the Hair On Your Toes - Harvest
• [...] None But One → Instance - Harvest
• [...] The Curse of Eerie Acres - Harvest
• [...] The Haunting of Wistmead - Harvest
• [...] The Parting Fog - Harvest
• [20] 9 Honeymead Lane
• [20] A Very Boffin Housewarming → Instance
• [20] A Visit to Yondershire
• [20] Boffins on the Loose

The Ballad of Bingo Boffin quests:

 Request for Assistance!

1. [8] The Call to Adventure
2. [9] Training for the Journey
3. [10] Sink or Swim
   • [10] Instance: Sink or Swim
4. [11] Disapproving Boggs
5. [12] Leaving Is Not Easy
6. [16] A Brood of Boffins
7. [18] Marigold
8. [19] Defying Description
9. [22] Synonyms for Spooky
10. [24] The Two Taverns
11. [26] The Last Treasure
12. [28] Goose and Gander
13. [32] The End Now?
14. [34] A Restful Night
    • [34] Instance: A Restful Night
15. [35] A New Friend
16. [39] A Hospitable Home
17. [40] Notes by the Author
18. [42] A Snowy Climb
19. [43] A Dangerous Detour
    • [43] Instance: A Dangerous Detour
20. [45] A Daring Plan
21. [46] An Author Absent
22. [48] A New Hunt
23. [49] Dour Faces
    • [49] Instance: Dour Faces
24. [50] A Change of Name
25. [51] Into the Long Dark
26. [53] Willem Takes the Lead
27. [56] Bingo's Scattered Thoughts
28. [58] A Farewell
29. [60] A Chapter About Elves
    • [60] Instance: A Chapter About Elves
30. [63] A Taste of War
31. [66] First, Breakfast!
32. [68] Second Breakfast
33. [70] The Banks of the Great River
34. [72] Unusual Friends
35. [75] Enter the Easterlings
    • [75] Instance: Enter the Easterlings
36. [78] Bingo's Burden
    • [78] Instance: Bingo's Burden
37. [80] Yea or Neigh?
38. [82] The Tracker
39. [85] A Cold Trail
40. [88] Bert has a Word
41. [90] Mistaken Identity
    • [90] Instance: Mistaken Identity
42. [92] A Horse in a Haystack
43. [93] Thoughts of Home
44. [93] Willem Whisker and the Wide World
45. [93] A String of Ill Fortune
46. [93] Treasure Lost, Treasure Found
    • [93] Instance: Treasure Lost, Treasure Found
47. [93] Full Course, Of Course!
48. [93] Homesick and Just Sick
49. [93] Through the Blockade
    • [93] Instance: Through the Blockade
50. [93] Bingo Returns Home
51. [93] Hand-written, Hand-delivered
52. [93] The Perfect Recipe
    • [93] Instance: The Perfect Recipe

Thank you for playing through The Ballad of Bingo Boffin!

See The Ballad of Bingo Boffin Quests for dates of appearance, as well as Episodic Content for background.

Spoiler Alert

Previously on The Ballad of Bingo Boffin: In the first quest, Bingo is planning a party because he is bored. He sends players out to fetch food and check the Great Smials library for a good cookbook. In said book, he finds a map of Eriador which awakens his adventurous spirit and he decides he wants to see the places the map depicts with his own eyes. In the second quest, Bingo wants to prepare for his journey and train his mind and body. He sends players to ask Gaffer Gamgee for adventuring advice, but gets only some apples in return. Bingo cannot stand apples, so he wants players to drop them at the Bird and Baby Inn, which leads to the local gossip finding out that he is planning on leaving. Afterwards, he tries (and fails) to climb the Stocktower, then goes to catch his breath (and some fine ale) in the nearby the Golden Perch. In the third quest, Bingo attempts to learn how to swim, on the western shore of the Brandywine. He ends up splashing around in shallow water for some time, claiming success afterwards. In the fourth quest, Bingo wants to return several items he borrowed from his neighbors before he leaves the Shire. One of them, Myrtle Boggs, has written a petition in order to keep Bingo from leaving (in fact, she wants him locked up so he can't go). His response is to give her some flowers which makes her blush. In the fifth quest, Bingo officially starts his journey, but along the road to Budgeford, he realizes that he forgot two important items back at his hobbit-hole: his walking-stick as well as one of his satchels which contains his writing utensils. Bingo declares he wants to keep a record of his adventure as it unfolds, and sends his companion to run back to Boffin Manor to fetch the two items he left behind. In the sixth quest, Bingo travels to Buckland to visit his cousin, Prisca Boffin. Her seven children are spread out all over Buckland and players are sent out to find them to gather at their mother's house to see their cousin from Michel Delving. In the seventh quest, Bingo sets out to find the last of Prisca's children, Marigold, who has gone adventuring in the Old Forest. After meeting up with her, they journey to the house of her new friend, Tom Bombadil. In the eight quest, Bingo has problems with his written report about his adventure because he cannot aptly describe Tom Bombadil. He asks players to find out more about Tom, which leads to some amusing interactions with the yellow-booted fellow. In the ninth quest, Bingo has to go to the Barrow-downs in order to find lost pages of his manuscript that were dropped by absent-minded Tom Bombadil. Afterwards, he and Marigold return to Newbury. In the tenth quest, Bingo sets out from Buckland towards Bree, travelling along the Great East Road. Upon reaching the West Gate of the town, he makes a new friend - Milo Goodbody - who invites him to the Prancing Pony. Afterwards, Bingo leaves Bree, fearing he won't get far if he continues with the tavern revelries, and makes his way to the Forsaken Inn. In the eleventh quest, Bingo makes the acquaintance of Theodore Gorse, a self-proclaimed Master Treasure Hunter, and wants to become his apprentice. After solving a riddle for Theodore (which leads to another riddle), he agrees to teach Bingo some of his skills. In the twelfth quest, Bingo sends players out to solve the second riddle, leading to yet another cryptic message consisting of just three words: 'The End Now'. Bingo is not happy about this. In the thirteenth quest, Bingo uncovers the meaning of the second crypting message, which had hidden letters on it, and after travelling to Ost Guruth, it is revealed that Haley Meadowsweet is the true Master Treasure Seeker who has been leaving behind the clues and riddles found in the strongboxes. In the fourteenth quest, Bingo moves onwards across the Last Bridge, into the Trollshaws, where he stops for the night just north of the road. While he sleeps, his companion stands guard, fending off rats, crawlers, wights, and even trolls. In the fifteenth quest, Bingo makes the acquaintance of Willem Whisker, a lynx he encounters and frees from a trap at the Stone-trolls' Glade. Along with his new companion, he travels to the Gates of Imladris, the entrance to the hidden valley of Rivendell. In the sixteenth quest, Bingo meets Bilbo Baggins, the famed adventurer in the Hall of Fire who invites him to a sight-seeing tour of Rivendell. Afterwards, Bingo finds out that the map that started his journey was drawn and left behind by Bilbo for adventurous hobbits to find. In the seventeenth quest, Bingo gives Bilbo his manuscript to read, which contains the record of his adventures. When Bilbo remarks that he likes the description of the Shire the most, Bingo is shocked and deduces, that his journal might be too boring, prompting him to send players to defeat creatures in the Trollshaws to give him inspiration for some more exciting descriptions. In the eighteenth quest, Bingo travels north into the Misty Mountains in a further attempt to experience tales of adventure and excitement to keep his future readers from being bored. In the Bruinen Source West area, the company finds an injured dwarf and treats his wounds with herbs discovered by the lynx Willem Whisker. In the nineteenth quest, Bingo learns from Spalvi, the dwarf he helped, that he was ambushed by the Corcur nomads from Helegrod. Willing to lend his aid, he follows Spalvi there, only to be captured by the dwarf's brethren: the treacherous Dourhands. In the twentieth quest, Spalvi Dourhand frees Bingo from captivity at Gabilazan, the Dourhand stronghold in the Misty Mountains, but shortly after escaping the castle, Bingo falls down a deep, dark hole in the side of the mountain. In the twenty-first quest, Spalvi is desperate to find out about Bingo's whereabouts. With the help of Willem Whisker , clues leading through Goblin-town and Erforgh Cleft reveal a map of an underground river, that has apparently swept the hobbit away, towards the mysterious Mines of Moria. In the twenty-second quest, Spalvi follows clues from Glóin into Eregion, setting up camp at Gwingris, where he runs into Haley Meadowsweet. Together, they decide to get in touch with the Iron Garrison in order to gain access to Khâzad-dûm. In the twenty-third quest, Spalvi is confronted by the Dourhands he left behind at Gabilazan who have tracked him to Eregion because he stole one of their most precious treasures - a gemstone of Skorgrím Dourhand. Fighting off his pursues, Spalvi finally renounces his clan name. In the twenty-fourth quest, Spalvi is looking for a new surname, seeing himself no longer as a Dourhand. With the help of Haley, he resorts to calling himself 'Spalvi Stoutheart' forthwith. In the twenty-fifth quest, Spalvi moves into Moria and sets up camp at the Dolven-view, where he meets Ketill Map-maker, a resourceful dwarf who he enlists to help him locate the still lost hobbit. In the twenty-sixth quest, Willem Whisker has picked up Bingo's scent and rushes through Durin's Way all the way into the Fanged Pit where Bingo is finally discovered sitting next to the pool of Khulturg, having lost his memories during the fall. In the twenty-seventh quest, Spalvi sets out to recover the pages of Bingo's manuscript in order to help Bingo regain his memories. After a trip through the deeper levels of Moria, the manuscript is shown to Bingo and his memory is restored. In the twenty-eight quest, Bingo finally leaves Moria and passes into Nanduhirion. At the eastern gate to Khâzad-dûm, Spalvi bids his farewell, desiring to stay behind and help the Iron Garrison. In the twenty-nine quest, Bingo strolls through Nanduhirion, eventually meeting with the elves and is granted passage to Lothlórien. In the thirtieth quest, Bingo strives to impress the elves with his battle-skills and through some subtle subterfuge gains passage to Mirkwood. In the thirty-first quest, Bingo gets hungry for some delicious breakfast. A recipe book provided by Adolinda, a former inhabitant of the town of Audaghaim has players search all over Mirkwood for the ingredients. In the thirty-second quest, Bingo wonders where Willem Whisker has gone and tasks his friends with finding the lynx, who later turns up at the very gates of Dol Guldur. Afterwards, Bingo returns to Caras Galadhon to taste Lembas. In the thirty-third quest, Bingo travels south to the elven outpost of Haldirith, where he learns from Maervadhor, a Galadhrim sentinel, how to make ink from ingredients found at the banks of the Anduin. In the thirty-forth quest, Bingo seeks to gain entrance to the rohirric outpost of Stangard, but is turned away by the guards. Moving onwards to Frithstan's Camp, he encounters Langhár, a Beorning, who is fighting the Orcs in the Wailing Hills, and later the Great Eagles Landroval and Meneldor. In the thiry-fifth quest, Bingo aids Sabert, gate-ward of Stangard, fend off an Easterling attack on the rohirric outpost and receives help from the friends he made earlier. In the thirty-sixth quest, Bingo crosses into the Wold, making a short stop at the town of Langhold before moving onwards to Harwick, where he finally realizes that he will require a steed for travelling around Rohan. In the thirty-seventh quest, Bingo, who is generally scared of horses, attempts to purchase a mount from Cuthbald, a friendly horse trader based in Harwick. In the end, Cuthbald is able to introduce Bingo to a new friend: the pony Tanglemane. In the thirty-eight quest, Bingo travels to Cliving where he encounters Egwylf, a female Rohirrim who is hunting a mysterious cult named the "Blood-eye". Bingo is eager to help uncover the identity of the cultists that Egwylf is hunting, but for now all that is found is one of the signature brooches used by the Blood-eye. In the thirty-ninth quest, the hunt for the agents of the Blood-eye continues into the snowy heights of Wildermore, where Bingo discovers the dead body of one of Egwylf's targets. The other cultist leaves no trace though. In the fourtieth quest, Bingo is approached by Bert Bartleby, who has turned up at almost every stop of the hobbit's journey. Bert asks him to find an old acquaintance of his: the lore-master Humfrey Rumming. In the fourty-first quest, Bingo and Egwylf travel from Wildermore across the Entwash Vale and the Broadacres, where they come under attack by one of the Nazgûl. While Egwylf fights off the Ringwraith with fire, Tanglemane carries Bingo to safety, and out of sight. In the fourty-second quest, Egwylf is following Bingo's tracks from Woodhurst to the town of Gapholt, where Tanglemane has brought him. On the way, there is another short run-in with Humfrey Rumming near Brockbridge. In the fourty-third quest Bingo and Egwylf come to the walls of Helm's Deep, where the tracker finally says her goodbyes to Bingo. Moving onwards, Bingo discovers the fate of Marton and has an encounter with Mercy, a mysterious woman, whom he wants to bring to safety in Grimslade. In the fourty-fourth quest, Willem Whisker is behaving unusally, and runs off to the west when Bingo tries to find out more about it. Following the lynx through the Gap of Rohan and into the Dunbog, Bingo discovers the reason why Willem was acting strange: He has a family and is finally reunited with them. Deciding to stay in the Dunbog, Willem now parts with Bingo, who then comes to the town of Avardin in the Starkmoor. In the fourty-fifth quest, Bingo travels to Galtrev where runs into Humfrey Rumming... again. The Lore-master tells him he met Haley Meadowsweet and Theodore Gorse, but will not simply give away their location. He provides a riddle instead, which, after some confusion, leads right back to Avardin where Bingo is reunited with the Treasure Seekers. In the fourty-sixth quest, Bingo accompanies his friends back to Galtrev where they notice that Theodore is missing. Investigations lead the group to Draigoch's Lair, where Theodore wants to return the Rothstone to. With a large portion of luck, they escape the dragon's fire and make their next stop at Lhanuch in Enedwaith. In the fourty-seventh quest, Bingo discovers the stoor village of Maur Tulhau where he is greeted by a welcoming feast. In the fourty-eigth quest, Bingo must deal with his overfilled stomach because he ate too much at the welcoming feast. Iola Isbrun, a resident of Maur Tulhau, aides him. In the fourty-ninth quest, Bingo, Haley and Theodore continue their journey northwards through the brigand blockade at the King's Way Gate, passing into the Andrath in southern Bree-land. In the fiftieth quest, Bingo finally returns to Michel Delving where he is confronted by an angry Myrtle Boggs and a large overdue fee from the Tuckborough library. In the fity-first quest, Bingo writes invitations to a dinner party to the friends he made on his journey and asks for them to delivered in person. In the fifty-second (and final) quest, Bingo's party is a great success with many suprise guests showing up and Bingo finding the perfect recipe for a happy life: the very best friends a hobbit could wish for.

Quotes

"Do you remember the beginning of our journey? It all began with a cookbook!"

"Every now and then I remember our time in Wildermore, and it gives me the shivers!"

"I wonder if I could climb the Stocktower without any trouble now?"

"I am glad I eventually learned to swim... but no need to use that skill for now."

"I have not been the subject of a Myrtle Boggs petition lately. I hope she is well!"

"It was not easy leaving the Shire, but I am glad I had the experience!"

"Prisca asked me to host more dinner parties. I think she really enjoyed it!"

"Has Marigold been asking you about dragons? She seems very interested in them."

"I wonder what Tom Bombadil and Goldberry are up to these days?"

"Do you ever get the feeling that we might not have been talking to the same Bert Bartleby?"

"Do you remember our walk into the Barrow-downs? That was a spooky day!"

"I was most frightened on my journey when we encountered that wraith in Rohan."

"It was good of Tanglemane to carry me away from that frightful wraith in Rohan. He is a smart pony!"

"I hope the Rohirrim are able to rebuild their homes. Seeing that land in war makes me sad."

"During the party, I gave Willem and his family the finest of meat pies so they would want to return often!"

"Do you think the Rothstone was really cursed? Theodore definitely thought so!"

"I still can't believe we went into a dragon's lair, my friend. And we did it on purpose!"

"The Welcoming Feasts of Maur Tulhau should come with a warning, especially for hobbits like me!"

"Our friends from Maur Tulhau told me that they enjoyed the dinner party very much. I am so glad!"

"I hope that Bloody Graham has good luck as a farmer. Maybe he should change his name, though."

"Donnamira Took told me that my spelling and grammar are not very good. Very well? Oh, I don't know!"

"Did you really deliver all those invitations by hand, my friend? You can be honest with me!"

"I am so grateful to have met you, and to have shared in this delightful adventure!"

"I was thinking about the Prancing Pony the other day when I drank a little too much ale."

"I remember meeting Theodore and Haley for the first time. I liked them at once!"

"One day we should ask Haley to write some more riddles. I could use the challenge!"

"I wonder what Haley and Theodore are up to these days?"

"You do not truly appreciate sleeping in a feather bed until you have slept outside!"

"I am so glad we helped Willem Whisker out of that trap in the Trollshaws!"

"It was a real pleasure to meet Bilbo in Rivendell. I hope he likes my book!"

"I hope my book will be exciting enough for Bilbo. I think it will be!"

"I know now that Spalvi was a Dourhand, but I would have wanted to heal his injuries anyway!"

"When the Dourhands captured me, Spalvi was very kind and freed me quickly. He is a good dwarf!"

"I meant to ask. How did you know dropping supplies down the hole would be safe?"

"You really dropped things down the hole on top of me? That was not just a joke?"

"Spalvi told me that you and W.W. spent a long time looking for me when I was lost. Thank you!"

"I think Spalvi is much more a Stout-heart than a Dourhand now."

"Spalvi told me about the Rothstone afterwards. I did not know he had it when he freed me."

"Theodore told me about his adventures in Eregion. I am sad I missed that land!"

"I still can't believe I forgot everything when I fell beneath the mountains. Most peculiar!"

"I was always a very slow and methodical reader, but I have been getting faster!"

"Ketill showed me some of his maps, but I did not recognize them. It was embarrassing."

"I never did read all those Elvish books in Lothlórien. I hope Galadriel was not offended."

"Even today I shiver when I remember our stay in the Haunted Inn."

"I know Adolinda says she deserved her curse, but still I feel bad for her."

"Do you remember when it seemed everyone wanted me to eat spider legs? That was not funny!"

"It was nice of Maervadhor to come all this way for my party. He brought me a gift of ink!"

"Langhár told me that she is still being courted by Sabert. She seemed unsure what to think about it."

"Do you remember when we drove the Easterlings from Stangard? I played a pivotal role, as I remember!"

"I still think we could have walked across Rohan, but I am glad to have met Tanglemane."

"I remember meeting Tanglemane for the first time. What a good boy he was, and is!"

"Egwylf told me that the Blood Eye Cult seems to have been dealt with. That is a relief!"

Gallery

Earning  Bingo Badges from his quests allows bartering with Bert Bartleby for the following cosmetic pets:

• 
  Brown Rabbit
• 
  Tan Sheep
• 
  Sleek Fox
• 
  Brown Squirrel
• 
  Light Brown Goat
• 
  Umber Goat
• 
  Red Beetle
• 
  Blue Beetle
• 
  White Squirrel
• 
  Brown Snake
• 
  Red Eagle
• 
  Tanglemane
• 
  Ice Salamander
• 
  Skittish Black Horse
• 
  Willem's Cub
• 
  Miniature Grodbog Warrior
• 
  Distant Cousin
• 
  Willem Whisker
• 
  Old Rattlepacks

Trivia

Bingo Boffin's look is based on Made of Lions one of the Developers on the LOTRO Team.

"I have been turned into an NPC! Bingo Boffin was based on old photos of me, before I had the beard I grew for Rohan (and subsequently kept). I think there’s more than a little of me in Bingo, which probably isn’t that surprising." — Made of Lions (Source A Retrospective Look at the Last 15 Years)