Approaching his 111th birthday, the Hobbit Bilbo Baggins starts to write down his memoirs, based primarily around a fantastic adventure he was a part of sixty years before. 50-year-old Bilbo is sitting outside his home, the Shire, one day and is met by the wizard Gandalf the Gray. Gandalf tricks Bilbo into hosting a party that evening for a company of dwarves; Balin, Dwalin, Fíli, Kíli, Dori, Nori, Ori, Óin, Glóin, Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur, led by Thorin Oakenshield. The dwarves explain to the dumbfounded Bilbo that the Lonely Mountain, once a place of great prosperity for dwarves, has been taken over by greedy dragon Smaug. The dwarves are preparing to set out on a quest to liberate the Lonely Mountain. Gandalf proposes that Bilbo serve as the expedition's burgular. Indignant, Bilbo agree