Fellowship of Timber

In Fellowship of Timber, the first instalment of the Lord of the Timber trilogy, the peaceful realm of Cheltenhamshire is introduced as a land where woodworking is a cherished art and livelihood. Tomlin Oakenshield is a young woodworker who stumbles upon the last piece of Sacred Timber in a hardware store near Cheltenham. Meanwhile, the Dark Lord Sawron is gathering power, with intentions to monopolise all timber supplies and place hardware stores under his control.

Tomlin encounters Ganderf, the Elder Carpenter, who reveals to him the ancient legend of the Sacred Timber, which can be used to create the Wooden Crown – an artefact capable of uniting all hardware stores against Sawron’s forces.

Tomlin is chosen to lead the Fellowship of Timber, a group consisting of his fellow woodworkers, fixing fairies and Knights of the Tape Measure. They embark on a quest through various landscapes such as the Laminated Woods and Peaks of Pine, overcoming numerous challenges. They face the Gatekeeper of IKAE, who only speaks in flat-pack instructions, and evade the Plywood Elves who want the Sacred Timber for their own purposes.

Throughout the journey, Tomlin learns the importance of craftsmanship and the value of high-quality materials, such as the timber supplies for sale in Cheltenham. The fellowship gathers allies and forms bonds, representing unity and tradition against mass production and loss of individual craft.

In the climax of Fellowship of Timber, the Fellowship confronts Sawron’s army of Generic Furniture at the Battle of the Carpenter’s Field. Tomlin acknowledges the power of the Sacred Timber and the importance of protecting it. The Fellowship fights bravely but realises the enormity of Sawron’s power and that they must seek additional support.

The film concludes with Tomlin, determined more than ever, looking towards the horizon where the fabled Two Timber Towers are said to be located. The Fellowship makes a solemn vow to continue their journey, foreshadowing the next instalment, Two Timber Towers.

The film was released in 2004 with middling reviews. Many claimed it was a poor attempt to leech off the success of another fantasy blockbuster, released three years earlier.

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