Pippin Took

BIOGRAPHY:

Pippin was born to Paladin II Took and Eglantine Banks on the spring of TA 2990 (SR 1390). He was the youngest of four children and had three older sisters, Pearl, Pimpernel, and Pervinca. His father's sister, Esmeralda Took, was the mother of Meriadoc Brandybuck, thus making Pippin and Merry first cousins.Through his father, Pippin was the second-cousin once-removed of Frodo Baggins, and the first-cousin twice-removed of Bilbo.

While on their way to Buckland, Frodo Baggins, Samwise Gamgee, and Peregrin Took encountered a Black Rider, who was warded off by the presence of a company of Elves, led by Gildor Inglorion. Meriadoc Brandybuck later joined them once they reached Buckland. They were waylaid by Old Man Willow in the Old Forest, and Tom Bombadil rescued them and took them into his house. On the way to Bree, Pippin was caught up with the Barrow-wights on the Barrow-downs. After the encounter, Pippin acquired a Dagger of Westernesse. In The Prancing Pony, Frodo accidentally slipped the One Ring upon his finger, drawing the attention of the Black Riders. Their group met a Ranger of the North, Strider. The inn was attacked by the Nazgûl at night, and the four hobbits were successfully led away by Strider, whose real name was Aragorn. Aragorn led them to Weathertop, where the group was once again attacked by the Black Riders. In haste to get an injured Frodo to Rivendell, the Elf-lord Glorfindel arrived and guided them. After the Council of Elrond, Pippin and Merry were allowed by Elrond to join the Fellowship of the Ring. In Moria, Pippin thoughtlessly dropped a stone down a well, which roused goblins in various caverns and revealed the Fellowship's presence to them. It incurred Gandalf's wrath, and he called Pippin a "fool of a Took". The battle of the Chamber of Mazarbul followed.

In the Skirmish at Amon Hen, Pippin and Merry were protected by Boromir, who was killed in the process. The two hobbits were taken away by the Uruk-hai, mistaking them to be the Ring-bearer. On their way to Isengard, Pippin dropped the Elven-brooch he received from Lothlórien, as a sign for Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli, who were in pursuit. When a company of the Rohirrim ambushed the Uruk-hai, Pippin and Merry were able to escape into Fangorn Forest, where they meet the Ent Treebeard. They both drank Ent-draughts during their time in Fangorn, which increased their heights substantially. Pippin and Merry eventually befriended Treebeard and told him what had happened to them. After the Entmoot, the Ents decided to march against Isengard. Pippin and Merry were reunited with Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and Gandalf after Isengard's destruction.

In Orthanc, Pippin picked up Saruman's palantír, which Gríma Wormtongue threw. As he looked into the stone, Pippin had a first-hand encounter with Sauron himself, leading the Dark Lord to assume Pippin was the Ring-bearer. Gandalf and Pippin then rode on Shadowfax to Gondor, for the latter's protection from Sauron's forces. Pippin met Denethor II, the Ruling Steward of Gondor and Boromir's father. In recompense for Boromir's death, Pippin pledged his allegiance to Denethor and became a Guard of the Citadel. While in Minas Tirith, Pippin befriended Beregond, a fellow Guard of the Citadel, his son Bergil and Faramir, Boromir's younger brother. During the Siege of Gondor, Pippin witnessed Denethor preparing a pyre in the Hallows for himself and an unconscious Faramir. Pippin quickly went out in search for Gandalf, with whom he was able to save Faramir from being burned to death. Denethor, however, burned to death in the pyre he had made.

Pippin was among the army of the West, which was led by Aragorn. They assaulted the Black Gate to divert the attention of Sauron and give Frodo enough time to destroy the Ring. In the Battle of the Black Gate, Pippin managed to kill one of the Olog-hai, a troll-race bred by Sauron, the first hobbit ever to do so. He was knocked unconscious when the troll fell on him. Gimli later recognized the Hobbit feet under the Troll and brought him to the healers, saving hi