Saturday, August 27, 2022
Friday, August 26, 2022
In the year 3011 of the Third Age, Middle-earth stands upon a precipice, though few living beneath the shadow of the great mountains truly grasp the depth of the coming twilight. For generations, the lands have known a fragile, weary peace. The shadow that fell with the defeat of the Dark Lord Sauron long ago has been a mere memory, a whisper in old tales.
The world the Free Peoples have inherited is one of fading light and lengthening nights, a time imperiled by a rising darkness that few can yet name. The great powers are distracted: the Elves are dwindling, looking ever westward; the Dwarves are secure within their mountains but few in number; and the Men of the West are a diminished race whose kingdom of Gondor holds a long, lonely vigil.
Though his influence is subtle at first, it bleeds outward, corrupting the minds of men in the South and East and gathering fell creatures to his banner. The Nazgûl, his most terrible servants, ride forth in secret, searching for a lost object of power that holds the key to his final victory. This resurgent threat is the true context of the age, the storm on the horizon that will soon break over all the lands.
The signs of the turning tide are everywhere, if one knows where to look. The roads are becoming unsafe, haunted by desperate men and darker things. Whispers of a "Shadow" in Mirkwood are growing louder, a malign influence deep within the forest that drives all light from the canopy.
Your path, should you choose to walk it, will lead you out of the quiet security of the North Downs and across the vast, untamed expanses of Wilderland. Fate may push you through the shadowed paths of Mirkwood, over the Misty Mountains, and into the sun-drenched vales of the River Running. You will find yourselves drawn inexorably towards Dale and the Lonely Mountain, a beacon of Dwarf and Man resilience in the East. There, the forces of Sauron, having subdued the East, will march to conquer the only free kingdoms left in the region. While the armies of Gondor and Rohan fight for the fate of Men in the South, the North will fight a desperate battle against a powerful Eastern army of Sauron's allies. This is a campaign about the twilight of an age, where hope is a small but persistent flame in the darkness.
It's a story of ordinary people caught in extraordinary times, called to defend their homes and the memory of a free Middle-earth. The road is long, the dangers are great, but the need for heroes has never been more dire. Welcome to the Third Age, adventurers. May your swords stay sharp, and your hearts stay true.
Thursday, August 25, 2022
| Interested in Being a Player? |
| Our Middle-earth Campaign |
| Our Core Game Rules |
| Playable Races & Classes |
| Region Map: Bree-land |
| Bree-land |
| Bree |
| The Fellowship |
| Adventure Introduction |
| Session One: Suspicious Beginnings |
Wednesday, August 24, 2022
Tuesday, August 23, 2022
Monday, August 22, 2022
Sunday, August 21, 2022
Saturday, August 20, 2022
Friday, August 19, 2022
Thursday, August 18, 2022
This small building is the Mayor's residence in Bree, the center of government in the settlement which is where one might find Mayor Zakarias Ormond during the day time hours when he is not out and about the settlement. This location is also the public meeting place for any important meeting that requires the mayor's attention. The mayor's office is located in the center of Bree.
The office is used for multiple purposes but is mainly used for meetings and such with a sturdy oak table with chairs seated around it. A large hearth warms the entire office during the colder months of the year. The mayor will meet here monthly with most of the prominent business owners in town to discuss matters of importance. A large designer rug lay across most of the center of the room with well-made furniture and such spread across the room.
All rewards for completed jobs from the job board located just outside the entrance are paid out of the mayor's office by the mayor himself. Outsiders will never gain access without first getting permission. The second floor is mainly used as the lord mayor's home. A small hearth is in the back of the room which is independent from the one downstairs. The upstairs room is a simple room, with only the basic necessities. Zakarias Ormond spends very little time here except for getting needed sleep.
Tuesday, August 16, 2022
One day he heard news that Thorin Oakenshield and a company of Dwarves had retaken the mountain - he also heard word that a force of Elves was camped in the City of Dale ready to take the mountain from Thorin. Dáin II Ironfoot formed a force of Dwarven warriors to march on the Lonely Mountain and assist King Thorin in fighting off the Elves. Hordus eagerly joined this force of Dwarves.
He proudly stood by his brothers and fought till then end, oddly enough side by side with the Elves against the horde of Orcs that attacked shortly after . . . now currently known as the "Battle of Five Armies". In the end, Erebor was reclaimed, but it lost it's king. Dáin II Ironfoot, now King Under the Mountain, has rebuilt Erebor to it's former glory and made Durin's Folk strong again. It has been five years since the battle for Erebor took place and Hordus still holds resentment towards the Mirkwood Elves "somewhat", he is trying to accept the world as it is now - some wounds take a little longer to heal than others.
His family is rather rich "with his father "Farin" being an ancestor in the line of Durin", he is considered a noble of Erebor, but he does not want that, he has have never wanted that. Now that his former King as passed on to the afterlife, his heart simply has not felt like this place was his home any longer. Maybe his large inheritance would tempt others, but he only wants adventure . . . he needs the outdoors, he wants to see the world and what is has to offer . . . this time on his own terms, not like before when he had the world forced upon him. So he has given up his fortune and left home in search of it. Having fortune handed to him is not the same as earning ones fortune himself. He feels like Middle-Earth has much to offer him, he also feels he is destined to do great deeds.
He takes pride in who and what he is. He has have never backed down from a fight and he has never hid from anything. Knowing the world is full of dangers and knowing in his heart that Middle-Earth has not seen the last of evil intent, he has set out in search of anything that would threaten Erebor. Recently joining with an Elf Maiden from King Thranduil's Woodland Realm, (he is not completely sold on her yet but she seems to be trying hard to win his friendship over), together, they begin their new life of adventure.
This perception, however, is far from the truth. Everything she possesses was earned; nothing was simply handed to her. For much of her long adult life, she served as the commander of the elite Northern Mirkwood Border Guard.
Her command was no mere ceremonial post. She and her troop maintained a vigilant, vital watch along the northern frontiers of Mirkwood, tracking movement along the dangerous Forest River and the wild lands beyond. This service involved leading tactical patrols, intercepting spies, and coordinating defense strategies with the rebuilt Dale and the Dwarves of the Iron Hills, a duty particularly crucial in the five years since the Battle of Five Armies.
The cessation of the most intense, relentless patrolling along the northern borders has granted her a respite she intends to leverage fully. After years of selfless duty in the North, she has simply earned a break and the right to choose her own path for a time.
Being a Silvan Elf "commonly known as Wood Elves", raised wanting for nothing, she possesses a clarity of purpose that transcends basic survival instincts. She understands her potential is limitless and is driven to utilize her healing talents. She is cheerful, highly perceptive, outspoken, easy to talk with, and views herself as a person of action. She dislikes idly waiting for others to determine her fate.
Adventure is the surest, if cruelest, method of refining her skills, as adversity traditionally yields the greatest benefits. She leaves those of limited scope to pore over worn tomes from the safety of a library. She craves the forgotten healing knowledge of past eons and the means to achieve renown across Middle-Earth for her mastery of the healing arts. Recently, her quest for knowledge led her to the town of Bree. Traveling with new companions, she passed through the bustling, diverse settlement—a stark contrast to the ancient quiet of Mirkwood.
The experience of navigating the lively, crowded common rooms of locations such as the Prancing Pony and the Hobbit's Hearth, interacting with the varied peoples of the world, has only strengthened her resolve to make her mark on Middle-earth. She continues her journey, her path set firmly before her.
Monday, August 15, 2022
Hark, listen closely, for trouble has come to the quiet Shire, a shadow darker than the coming winter. The very air in Bywater has a bite not found in the weather, and its source is a stout-hearted hobbit named Tolman Greenthumb, a tracker of no small renown.
Tolman is long overdue from a venture into the busy lands of Bree, where he went to investigate the disappearance of sheep. His faithful wife, Lily, waits now with a heavy heart for word. Tolman, a hobbit with more courage than most, felt it his duty to aid the farmers whose livelihoods were ravaged by what they believed were mere wolves.
The lies took root. Shirriff Bunce, a man of simple mind and few options, took the easiest path: the accused is guilty until proven innocent, especially when the accusers are locals. Tolman was cast into the lock-up at the Shirriff’s office, where he has languished for two days. The Shirriff, overwhelmed by matters he cannot comprehend, dismisses Lily’s pleas, demanding concrete proof that his witnesses are lying, refusing to believe an esteemed hobbit could be innocent.
The true threat, the 'monster' Tolman spoke of, still roams the nearby woods. The disappearances have not ceased with Tolman's arrest; indeed, the local farmers grow more fearful by the hour. Whatever dark creature moves in the shadows of the Chetwood cares little for the petty squabbles of Man or the laws of Bree, and its hunger is great. The longer Tolman is imprisoned, the more the danger grows, threatening not just the livestock but perhaps the very folk of Bree-land themselves. A simple case of theft has become a matter of life and death, hidden beneath layers of bureaucratic folly and local prejudice.
You stand now before the door of the Hobbit's Hearth, a warm inn nestled in the heart of Bree. This very establishment, you have learned, is owned by Tolman and Lily, though managed by others. You are about to step inside to meet with Lily about her missing husband.
The wind howls around the corner, carrying the merry sounds of revelry from the common room, and perhaps, the eerie call of something large and predatory from the nearby Chetwood. The comfortable life of the Shire seems a distant dream, replaced by the immediate danger and rank injustice of the road.
As you reach for the handle and push the door open, the warm light and the smell of hearty food spills out into the dark street. You are about to meet Lily Greenthumb, her eyes red-rimmed and hopeful, waiting behind the counter for capable hands to help clear her husband's name and bring the real villains to justice.
Sunday, August 14, 2022
Saturday, August 13, 2022
Encumbrance is a measure of both the weight and bulk a character is carrying.
• Carrying Coins: Our games will use a common sense ruling for most things dealing with encumbrance. I personally do not want to get bogged down by trying to keep track of each characters total encumbrance so here is what we will do. From what I've seen online it pretty much says fifty coins weigh a pound. That means a single coin weighs 0.02 pounds, or 9.1 grams.
• Carrying Capacity: A characters carrying capacity is the characters Strength score multiplied by 15. This is the weight (in pounds) that the character can carry. To makes things easier we will use this chart, to keep track of encumbrance and movement speeds.
| Backpack 400gp |
| Large Belt Pouch 200gp |
| Small Belt Pouch 75gp |
| Large Box 200gp |
| Small Box 50gp |
| Wooden Chest 15gp/gp of Encumberence |
| Iron Chest 3gp/gp of Encumberence |
| Large Sack 400gp |
| Small Sack 100gp |
| Large Saddlebag 1000gp |
| Small Saddlebag 250gp |
Friday, August 12, 2022
In the quiet, rustic village of Bree—where the lands of the Shire-folk meet the lands of Men—the notion of a formal jail or "Lockhouse" is a practical necessity for any functioning settlement. Imagine a structure that fits the simple, self-governing style of this isolated community, a place where locals handle their own affairs.
Bree operates as a pragmatic, self-sufficient place, having maintained its peace for centuries through the common sense of its residents and the quiet watch of external protectors. This communal governance suggests that any holding facility wouldn't be a grand institution.
The name "Lockhouse" itself speaks to the plain, functional language of the common folk of Bree. It’s a term that fits the rugged, self-reliant nature of a community that handles its own problems. This imaginary lockhouse is a vital, albeit humble, part of the infrastructure of Bree, a place for practical people who believe in simple justice and security behind locked gates.
Thursday, August 11, 2022
The founding of Staddle predates the mass migration of Hobbits across the Brandywine River. Long before the Shire was a cohesive political entity, small, adventurous bands of Stoors had settled the eastern dales of the region known as Eriador. They found the eastern slopes of the isolated Bree-hill appealing. The existing Men of Bree, accustomed to having quiet neighbors, allowed the little folk to dig their burrows into the soft, sun-drenched hillsides, establishing a peaceful co-existence that would endure for centuries. Staddle was thus a community of two peoples from its very beginning.
Life in Staddle was dictated by the land itself. The men built sturdy stone cottages along the lanes, while the hobbits carved out comfortable smials that dotted the southern face of the hill. Unlike the bustling, central crossroads of Bree town, where travelers from across Middle-earth mingled, Staddle remained a quieter, more agriculturally inclined place. Its people were farmers who preferred to stay close to home, focusing their efforts on the fertile fields that stretched out towards the brooding Midgewater Marshes to the east.
The settlement maintained a strong sense of independence from its larger neighbor, Bree. While all the settlements of the Bree-land looked to the town for matters of defense and trade organization, the people of Staddle cherished their village identity. They were not "Bree-folk" in the same way the townsfolk were; they were "Staddlers." As the centuries rolled on and the world outside grew darker and wilder with the waxing of the Shadow, Staddle hunkered down. Trade routes became dangerous, and the communities of Bree-land became increasingly isolated islands of civilization.
Staddle remained fundamentally unchanged right up to the defining events of the War of the Ring. Its history was not written in the deeds of kings, but in the soil it tilled and the simple peace its inhabitants maintained. It stands in the lore of Middle-earth as a symbol of the enduring power of community and the quiet importance of home, a small, warm light in the vast wilderness of Eriador that persisted long after the great kingdoms of Men had fallen to ruin.
Monday, August 8, 2022
The settlement of Combe nestled in the shelter of the Bree-hill, hidden away from the main thoroughfares that carved across Middle-earth. Unlike its bustling neighbor, Bree, which straddled the crossroads of the North-South and East Roads, Combe was a quieter, more secluded place. Its origins were lost to common memory, rooted deep in the early history of the Second Age when the Men of Bree first began to clear the thick, ancient forest that choked the land. These early settlers were a hardy folk who eschewed the grandiose kingdoms of Númenor and Gondor, preferring instead to till the land and live simple, self-sufficient lives. They built their homes not of grand stone, but of sturdy timber and wattle-and-daub, carving out a peaceful existence in the shadow of the great northern ranges.
The initial settlement was a arduous task. The land around Combe was wild and unforgiving, requiring constant vigilance against the lingering shadow of the North and the natural predations of the untamed wilderness. The first families worked together, felling mighty oaks and birches not only for timber but to push back the forest that seemed determined to reclaim the soil. They were a community built on cooperation, where the prosperity of one farm was intrinsically linked to the defense of the village. The geographical isolation that made Combe peaceful also made it vulnerable; there were no grand armies to call upon. Their protection came from their own strong arms and the unity of their small village council.
Combe's population remained small and close-knit. Family names like Ferny and Rushlight became synonymous with the area, their lineages tied to the very foundations of the original settlement. These families weathered the great plagues, the shifting tides of war in the North, and the gradual abandonment of the North Kingdom of Arnor around them. As the wider world grew more dangerous and empty, the Bree-land became a small, stubborn island of civilization. Combe's people relied heavily on their own traditions and the wisdom passed down from elders, who remembered the stories of a time when kings still walked the North Downs.
Ultimately, the settlement of Combe endured because of its quiet simplicity and the resilience of its people. It was never a place of great heroes or epic battles, but a place where ordinary folk simply lived on, generation after generation. It represented the enduring strength of Middle-earth’s common peoples, who, despite the looming shadow of Sauron and the decline of the great races, clung steadfastly to their homes and their way of life. The story of Combe is the story of quiet perseverance, a small, humble village nestled in the protective curve of a hill, surviving the ages through sheer, quiet refusal to be forgotten.
Sunday, August 7, 2022
The village of Archet was the most remote and isolated of the four settlements that comprised the Bree-land region. Nestled deep within the Chetwood, it lay on the eastern fringes of the cultivated lands, tucked away on the lower slopes of the Bree-hill. Its very location implied a difference in character from the rest of the land; while the other villages were close to roads or open country, Archet was perpetually bordered by thick, wild forest. The inhabitants were primarily Men, a hardy and watchful folk who relied more heavily on woodcraft and hunting than their neighbors in Bree or Combe. Their isolation made them insular, a community tied closely to the rhythms of the woods surrounding them, and less concerned with the constant flow of news that passed through the Prancing Pony in Bree-town.
Life in Archet was one of constant vigilance. The proximity to the Chetwood, which in turn bordered the much larger and more perilous Old Forest and the empty expanses of the former kingdom of Cardolan, meant that the wilderness was always at their doorstep. There were no great stone walls here, only the close-knit proximity of homes built primarily of wood. The villagers developed a keen awareness of their surroundings, becoming skilled trackers, rangers, and charcoal burners. They knew the forest paths better than anyone else in the region, using this knowledge to sustainably harvest timber while also defending their homes from various threats, whether they were wolves, occasional wayward creatures from the Trollshaws, or lurking unsavory characters who preferred the cover of trees to the open roads.
The relationship between Archet and its neighboring villages was a practical one. While distinct in character, they formed a loose confederation for mutual defense and trade. Archet supplied significant amounts of firewood, charcoal, and game to Bree, which was a bustling trade hub. However, a slight social divide persisted; the Men of Archet were seen by some in Bree as a little rougher around the edges, perhaps less civilized due to their constant battle with the wilderness. This dynamic provided a subtle tension that underpinned the social fabric of the Bree-land area, a common theme in Tolkien’s intricate world-building where geography dictates culture.
In enduring the long centuries of the Third Age, Archet represents the enduring resilience of the Free Peoples in the face of dwindling populations and rising darkness. It was never a rich or powerful place, but a stubborn outpost of humanity clinging to the edge of the known, safe world. Its history is not one of kings and battles, but of quiet survival and grit. Archet remained a small, vital beacon of normal life, a testament to the fact that even in the most dangerous corners of Middle-earth, life, community, and the simple desire for peace persisted, protected by watchful eyes from within the shadows of the Chetwood.
Notable Regions
• Archet Dale
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