Bear in-Laws 1.0

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• 1.0

The inspiration for this deck came from the budding love between young Faramir Took and Goldilocks Gardner of the Shire.

(Scroll to the bottom for deck notes)

One day as an aged Samwise was reading beneath a young Mallorn tree, the Thain of the Shire came strolling up to him. "Hallooo Master Samwise Gamgee, bravestest of hobbits produced in the Shire, care to join me?" Sam lowered the book to his lap and replied gruffly, "I suppose so... If you promise to run your mouth less than your feet this go around."

Pippin chastised, "Oi, is that any way to talk to your Thain? Much less your own brother!" Sam corrected, "BROTHER-IN-LAW. Had a daughter, your son married her, now I'm stuck here with youu"

Pippin laughed gaily with the same carefree mirth of his youth, and Sam couldn't help but smile back at the familiar sound of his old friend. Pippin interrupted his own merry-making to ask, "Well, shall we then?" Sam straightened up slowly, patting the rear of his trousers to loose the clinging soil. Then turning with a book under one arm and the other outstretched, he patted the trunk of the Mallorn with pride.

"Alright then, where to" Sam said as he made his way onto the path to meet Peregrin. "I thought we could explore the wood to the east. See how far our old legs can carry us, for old times sakes..."

After some fuss, and a long goodbye from Rosie, Sam joined Pippin on the road.

Now after a full days walking and conversing, just before evenings waning, the two found themselves deep inside an unfamiliar wood, for things had grown into new shapes since last they'd seen them... Sam interrupted Pippin's upteenth story since they departed, "Oi Pip, you know we're at?" Pippin paused, "...Where we are at right now? Not the foggiest, Master Samwise." At that moment, there was a stirring in the trees. Something large had alighted on the boughs above. "I can't believe it," Pippin said gaping, "Only two things I can think of that large and can fly; and I'm pretty sure that wasn't a dragon. Come on Sam I want to see them!"

"Oi, wait!" Sam called out as Pippin immediately began climbing the nearest tree, "It's going to be dark soon, and we don't know what that was. And we don't even know where we are."

"Heyyy listen to yourself, you'd think this was the furthest away from home, you've ever been. Come along!" Sam started to climb but continued his protest. At that moment, a violent rustling stirred the bushes below. The old hobbits looked at each other and froze. The overgrown underbrush cracked and swayed aggressively until a figure emerged. Dark and imposing, on all fours, a great bear stood. Pippin looked down at Sam hugging the tree tightly and whispered, "Eagles and bears and old friends, what fun!" After a short while, the bear lumbered off.

"I want to go home" Sam moaned. "We can't go back yet! We have to get to the bottom of this. Great Beasts this far into the Shire... something has gone amiss. Or rather, amuck! But either way, as Thain and the Shire's Bravest, we've got to get to the bottom of this!" "....." Sam replied with silence. "Oh come on," Pippin encouraged, "That bear seemed docile enough. If we make friends with him, maybe we can all be Bears in Law!"

Sam muttered, "Just when I think I can't bear my in-law, he seeks to pass a bear as my in-law."

* The End, for now **

Okay. The longest wind up for the lamest attempt at a pun ever. But if you made it this far, thank you for... bearing with me. (Yes I am here to make you suffer).

The Deck:

The theme of the deck involves beasts and those who love living things. Healers, hobbits, peculiar wizards, and creatures.

This deck is built around the idea I had to sneak attack Landroval in the game the phase that Beorn is about to die, to call him back from the grave for the price of 1 leadership resource. I also stacked my deck with healers and the The Houses of Healing event for more options to to call back Beorn for cheap. If many of these options find there way to my hand, I can abuse Beorn more aggressively. Also, every time he does expire, the hope is to have a Last Stand on hand to bring down the attacker along with him (5 direct damage). Radagast aids in buying creatures outright once the sneak attacks run dry. And Dagger of Westernesse with Foe-hammer give extra card draw, on top of Pippin's awesome trait. Son of Arnor are for boosting Sam on demand (However, I subbed them out for Song of Battle to ensure Last Stand triggers properly). Errand-rider provides some resource smoothing and chumping if needed. And lastly, fast-hitching hobbits with common cause can squeeze some extra swings out of Beorn. The hobbits are good at bossing Beorn around, because while in the Shire, he is their Bear in Law.

I have limited cards and made this deck with what I have. I'm sure it could be better. But I was lucky to have really great cards to work with, and regardless had a lot of fun making it. Theme > Power

Thank you fine hobbits for your time and have a splendid day,

Joto Baggins