Ch. 15 Claims to the Treasure

[Sparrow]

What do you think of the various claims to the treasure? What do you think of Bard's proposal and Thorin's response? What do you think would be a fair arrangement?

[Desi Baggins]

I thought all the claims seemed fair. I was shocked by Thorin's response and how greedy he had become! Bard deserved something for killing Smaug. I am not sure the Elves deserved anything much, but if the dwarves wanted to keep good trading going they should have given a little something.

[Stormrider]

I think Bard had every right to want the things that had been taken by Smaug from Dale. Thorin should have had some compassion regarding that since HE (Thorin) wanted the things Smaug had that belonged to the Dwarves.

Thorin agreed to make payment to the men of LakeTown for their earlier stay in that town. However, Thorin should have agreed to a settlement on the damages done to LakeTown when Bard's arrow found Smaug causing the worm to crash onto the town. Bard did a huge favor for Thorin by killing the dragon. Thorin's small group could not have done such a fine job of dispatching Smaug themselves. Bard should have been rewarded generously and LakeTown compensated for having to rebuild and its people housed and fed and taken care of in the interim.

The elves did have a few damages to their cave but I really don't thing they should have been given much if anything since the Dwarves had been accused and jailed.

I believe Thorin would have been more reasonable in repaying all those who made claims to part of Smaug's hoard if Thorin had found the Arkenstone. I believe he wanted the Arkenstone and was focused on finding it first. He was not about to allow anyone else into The Mountain until he had it. He would not want someone finding it and pocketing it for themselves on the sly. Thorin knew the power of the lust of the treasure (he was probably under it himself), and I think he was not going to gamble on letting anyone in until the hoard was sorted out and inventoried properly. Why Thorin did not tell those at his door this, I don't know. It would have made sense to me and would have calmed everyone down.

[Stormrider]

My last paragraph above sounds like it would have been a reasonable plan. But Thorin should have said so if that was what he was thinking. But gold and treasure lust is a strong thing to reckon with and the years of wanting revenge can bend anyone's reasoning abilities. It will be interesting to see Richard Armitage convey all of this in the movie.