Figure 1 - I feel like I'm several feet shorter at the Prancing Pony every time I tip one back these days.

I had been wanting to go to the flea market for awhile to get some Dremel bits, old video games, and whatever other treasures and deals I could unearth.  I planned on going one Saturday awhile back when my girlfriend approached me about going to a renaissance fair. I’ve been to a renaissance fair before, and decided I had gotten my fill.  She was already planning on going with one of her girlfriends anyway, so declining wasn’t that big a deal.

It’s not that I don’t like the idea of a renaissance fair, it’s the fact that people who will not break character when talking to me creep me out. There comes a point where the novelty wears off and you just start scaring me.  Plus, if you’re going to go all out, at least be as historically accurate as possible.  I mean, some witch burnings, beheadings, and plagued villagers would certainly add some credibility, but then nobody would want to come back, which means there wouldn’t be any renaissance fairs. Okay, sounds good.

I’m not completely against renaissance fairs, though, as they do have their definite positives. These festivals usually have an abundance of good food and beer, as well as a lot of cool stuff to buy.  How many other places do you know where you can buy swords, axes, and chain mail? I was also aware that they sold beer mugs at these events, but figured they were no better than anything you’d find at your local Oktoberfest.  What my girlfriend returned with proved me dead wrong.

Upon her return, my girlfriend greeted me with something I did not see at the flea market: the leather beer mug you see in Figure 1. On it, the creator has hand painted the Tengwar inscription in the black speech of Mordor that is present on the One Ring from The Lord Of the Rings.  I’ve compared it with the actual text (Figure 2), and it is verbatim save a brushstroke here or there. The mug is waxed on the inside to prevent leaks and the leather from absorbing flavor.  The bottom is wood.  It’s washed with a small amount of soap and warm water.  The creators of the mug also guarantee their products for life, and will even re-wax them.  Such craftsmanship is worthy of advertisement, so head on over to Ye Dragon & Unicorn and get one yourself.

Figure 2 - One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them, one ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.

Naturally, my first response upon receiving this was “[Gollum voice] My preccccccccciousssssssssssssss!!!”