Woodmen-town Battle of Five Armies & The Third Age of Middle-Earth The current year for our Middle-Earth campaign is set during the year of 2946 of the Third Age. Inspired By J.R.R. Tolkien

Woodmen-town is a thriving settlement nestled beneath the dark eaves of Mirkwood, standing along the banks of the Dusky River south of the Old Forest Road. Home to some of the oldest Woodmen families, the village is centered upon the Hall of Balthi, an ancient great hall that safeguards the legendary Lamp of Balthi, a revered artifact renowned for its healing powers.

Surrounding the hall are the Market Green, workshops, homes, and trading stalls, all enclosed within sturdy palisade walls composed of both ancient moss-covered timbers and freshly cut logs. The Woodmen strive to live in harmony with the natural world, preserving traditions passed down through countless generations. Life in Woodmen-town revolves around the Market Green, where merchants occasionally arrive with goods from distant settlements, herders bring sheep and pigs to market, and local craftsmen barter materials and finished wares.

Along the nearby riverbanks, fishermen mend nets, carve sturdy log boats, and prepare coracles for the coming season. The sounds of chopping timber, barking hounds, and busy tradesmen fill the air throughout the day. Bunches of fragrant herbs hang from the palisade walls to ward off evil influences, a reminder that the people of the region remain wary of the darkness lingering within Mirkwood. The settlement's homes are well-built wooden structures with steep shingled roofs designed to withstand harsh northern winters.

An inner palisade encircles the central hill where the Great Hall and council chambers stand, restricting entry to those with official business. Woodmen-town is governed by a Council of Five Elders who meet within the richly decorated hall beneath the watchful glow of the Lamp of Balthi. Well-trained hounds patrol the settlement and its outskirts, for the Woodmen are renowned masters of dogs and rely upon them to warn of danger approaching from the forest. With a population of roughly one hundred and fifty souls, Woodmen-town consists primarily of hardy Woodmen related to the ancient Edain, though a handful of outsiders and traders also reside within its walls.

The settlement maintains strong ties with the Beornings and enjoys friendly relations with the Elves of the Woodland Realm, reflected in several elevated platforms built among the trees in the Elvish fashion. Though the people are welcoming and industrious, they remain vigilant in these troubled times, sensing that the Shadow is once again stirring in Mirkwood. Nevertheless, life continues much as it always has, with hunting, fishing, trapping, and trade providing sustenance through the cool summers and long, snowy winters of the North.

Points of Interest
• Great Hall
• Market Green
• Nightgate Inn
• Blacksmith Shop
• Oakroot Woodworks
• Chissa's Patisserie Shoppe
• Baliver's House of Horses
• General Store

Notable People
• Odo
• Amalina
• Old Ingund
• Barald