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 small but thriving settlement under the gloomy eaves of Mirkwood, about 100 miles South of The Old Forest Road and 50 miles South of Woodland Hall on the Dusky River. It is home to the oldest of the Woodmen families and inside its ancient great house, the Hall of Balthi , is the Fabled Lamp of Balthi, a great healing artifact.

The hall is surrounded by the Market Green and a smattering of houses and shops. The village strives to live in harmony with nature in accordance with their laws. They live a simple existence in the frozen north of Solstheim, subsisting on hunting and minor agriculture, but are also familiar with the secrets of forging stalhrim.

On the Market Green the occasional travelling merchant lays out their goods, pig and sheep-herders drive their animals into pens, tradesmen meet to buy materials and sell their wares, and the local gossips gather to trade tales. The palisade has a mixture of very ancient, moss covered sections, and much newer freshly cut and erected logs.

A Dusky River that runs to the east of the town flowing down from the mountains of Mirkwood. On the couple of jetties that poke out into the river, fisher-folk mend their nets, carve out new log boats, and tar their coracles in readiness for the fishing season. The walls of Woodmen-town are built from a palisade of stout logs, sharpened at the top. Bunches of fragrant herbs can be seen hanging from the walls to ward off evil influences.

The houses in Woodmen-town are all rectangular long houses, with sloping shingled roofs. An inner palisade runs around the waist of the hill which is home to the Great Hall and elder council’s halls. Only those with business on the hill are allowed into this inner palisade. Well-trained working dogs can be seen all around Woodmen town, the Woodmen being masters of hounds that are kennelled at the north of the settlement and watch for any threat from the forest. Occasional excited barks can be heard. The sound of timber being chopped is a constant refrain in Woodman-town.

Woodmen-town is governed by a Council of Elders consisting of a body of five elders. All council meetings are held within the richly decorated Great Hall located atop the central hill of Woodmen-town. Inside this great hall, the legendary Lamp of Balthi is kept safe, the greatest treasure of the Woodmen.

The settlement has a standing population of around 125-150. They are distantly related to the Edain who inhabit the western portion of Mirkwood forest along with a mysterious race of men called the Beornings, who are said to be skin-changers. This settlement was partially built upon great platforms amongst the trees in the Elvish manner, for the Woodmen are on friendly terms with the Elves of the Forest. Woodmen-town mostly consists of locals but does have a few that are not native to the region. The Woodmen and the Beornings have close ties since, they lived near to one another amid many dangers of the region.

The woodsmen of the region consist of a hearty folk with many strong warriors. The settlements community is made up of friendly folk but they always seem to have theie guard up during these troubling times. These people understand the Shadow is once again moving and they might be forced to defend themselves or others whom they are allied with but regardless, life goes on and even though they stand ready to fight, these people still live a normal life.

The climate tends to be cool during the summer but winters are usually very cold with much snowfall in this region . . . typical northmen weather, just how they like it. Fishing and hunting are the common trades of the region, along with trade coming into Woodmen-town. Exports mostly consist of furs and pelts along with fish and meat from hunting within the surrounding area.

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

Notable People
• Odo
• Amalina
• Old Ingund
• Barald