Ezra

Taurin Oakenshield-Baggins (T.A. 2942 – Fo.A. 112)

Taurin Oakenshield-Baggins was the only child of Bilbo Baggins and Thorin II Oakenshield. His birth, only a few months after the Battle of the Five Armies, remains one of the quieter marvels recorded in the Red Book of Westmarch.

Birth and Early Years

In the spring of 2942, while the Lonely Mountain was still being cleared of the scars of war and Dale was rising anew, Bilbo Baggins—then still residing in Erebor at Thorin’s insistence—gave birth to a small but remarkably sturdy son. The event astonished even the learned among the dwarves and elves who attended. Gandalf the Grey, present for the occasion, is said to have remarked with a twinkle, “There are more things in Middle-earth than are dreamt of even in the Elder Days.” The child was named Taurin, combining elements of Thorin’s lineage with a respectful nod to the heroic tales Bilbo loved, and he bore the combined surname Oakenshield-Baggins by the joint decree of his fathers.

Taurin inherited the best of both worlds: the sturdy build, dark hair, and keen eye of Durin’s Folk, tempered by the curly hair (on his feet and head), cheerful disposition, and love of comfort of the Bagginses. Though he stood somewhat shorter than most dwarves—closer to hobbit stature—he possessed a dwarf’s strength and endurance, allowing him to wear both mail and comfortable waistcoats with equal dignity.

He spent his first years divided between Erebor and Bag End. Thorin, who survived his wounds and eventually passed the crown to Dáin Ironfoot to live more quietly with Bilbo, delighted in teaching his son the art of smithing, the history of Durin’s line, and the proper way to swing an axe. Bilbo, meanwhile, instilled in him a love of maps, poetry, good food, and the comforts of home. Many stories tell of young Taurin marching about Bag End in a miniature coat of mail with a wooden sword, only to sit down for second breakfast with crumbs in his beard.

Marriage and Family

In his seventy-second year (a young age for one of mixed blood), Taurin traveled through Bree on one of his frequent journeys between the Shire and the Mountain. There he met Sydney Longfoot, a sensible and lively Bree-lady known for her excellent pies and sharper wit. Their courtship was swift but proper; Sydney appreciated Taurin’s blend of dwarf-gruffness and hobbit-politeness, while he admired her ability to manage both a garden and a spirited debate.

They wed in a grand yet comfortable ceremony held at Bag End in T.A. 3014, with guests from the Shire, Bree, and a delegation from Erebor. Thorin himself (then quite elderly but still imposing) gave the blessing, and Bilbo composed a lengthy poem that, by all accounts, was mercifully shortened on the night.

Together, Taurin and Sydney had five children, who became known as some of the most adventurous and well-traveled hobbit-dwarves of the Fourth Age:

- Azalea Oakenshield-Baggins (eldest daughter) – a gardener and herbalist of great skill who maintained correspondence with the elves of Lothlórien.

- Khoki Oakenshield-Baggins – the adventurous second child, who made several journeys eastward and was said to have visited the courts of the renewed Kingdom of Dale.

- Belladonna Oakenshield-Baggins – named for Bilbo’s mother, a storyteller and singer whose ballads blended dwarvish epic with hobbit cheer.

- Lotus and Thrain Oakenshield-Baggins – the youngest. Lotus became a renowned weaver and scholar of old lore, while Thrain followed the smithing trade and eventually helped forge new gates for the Shire’s growing trade posts.

The family divided their time between a comfortable smial-and-hall hybrid home near Bree (half dug into a hill, half built of good stone) and regular visits to both Bag End and Erebor.

Character and Later Life

Taurin was known for his even temper, dry humor, and remarkable ability to negotiate between dwarves, hobbits, men, and the occasional elf. He served as an informal ambassador between the Shire and the Lonely Mountain for many decades, ensuring that trade in pipe-weed, toys, and metal goods flowed smoothly. He kept a fine collection of maps, a well-stocked pantry, and a small but masterfully crafted forge where he made jewelry and useful tools rather than weapons.

In his later years he compiled “The Oakenshield-Baggins Travelogues,” a series of practical guides for gentlefolk wishing to journey long distances without undue discomfort—widely considered the spiritual successor to his father Bilbo’s writings.

Taurin Oakenshield-Baggins passed peacefully in Fo.A. 112 at the respectable age of 170, surrounded by children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He was laid to rest in a tomb near Bag End that combined dwarvish stonework with hobbitish flowers. His epitaph, composed by himself years earlier, reads:

“Here lies Taurin, son of Oakenshield and Baggins,

Who loved good ale, good friends, and second breakfasts.

May his beard grow long and his feet stay hairy.”