The Middle-Earth Campaign 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

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.

The North remains a sparsely populated, wild expanse where ancient evils and forgotten ruins lie dormant. The Shire remains blissful in its isolation, and the quiet folk of Bree go about their business with little thought for the world beyond their borders. The Northmen, the Beornings, and the scattered Rangers are the thin line of defense that keeps the remnants of civilization safe. It is into this world that a new age of heroes must emerge, for the established orders are weary, and the old alliances are strained. The map of Middle-earth is vast, a patchwork of kingdoms and wildernesses where destiny awaits those brave enough to step away from the firelight of their homes. Far to the south and east, in the land of Mordor, the enemy is stirring again. The Dark Lord Sauron has been quietly gathering his strength, recovering lost power, and breeding armies in the shadows. He has rebuilt his tower, Barad-dûr, and the air around Mount Doom is thick with ash and evil purpose.

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.

These are not isolated incidents but symptoms of a singular, growing cancer upon the world. The time for peaceful ignorance is ending, and the time for action is fast approaching. The great War of the Ring, though yet unnamed, is an inevitability. It will be a series of conflicts across the entire continent, from Minas Tirith in the West to the distant realms of the North.

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.

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.

Giving the Middle Finger to WotC/Hasbro 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

Recently I watched this video from "Diversity & Dragons" and I never realized WotC was "this" bad. He might be a smaller content creator but he spits pure facts in this video.

He touched on things he pulled from Twitter and all of these people I am about to highlight are affiliated with Hasbro/WotC in one form or another . . . some are editors, writers, executives and content creators. They publically say stuff that is pure racist and WotC/Hasbro lets them get away with it, and as a matter of fact Hasbro/WotC does its best to go along with these people and what they say.

These are just a few of the tweets that were found on Twitter. Dominique Dickey posted a couple of tweets here and here. How much of a racist can someone be?

Then you have Sadie Lowrie who assisted as a writer for Call of the Netherdeep making tweets like this. I send her a tweet asking her about her tweet and this is the reply I got from her. Instead of explaining herself, she blocks me. Typical racist hiding from what she has done. The exact same thing happened with Sarah Madsen . . . when I sent her a tweet about these tweets that she made and I got another reply just like I got from Sadie Lowry.

Lets look at Makenzie De Armas with her tweet or how the one and only Christopher Perkins tweeted this and to think, it pretty much all started with this from Kyle Brinks. It seems whenever I get on Youtube, a video pops up on my home screen where Hasbro/WotC has done something stupid and made the news again?

With that being said, I want to make one thing perfectly clear, I'll never buy another product from Hasbro/WotC, I can't get behind racism & WOKE DEI Politics in any form. I simply cannot be a part of everything that is going on with the current state of Dungeons & Dragons right now.

Ready, Set, Go! 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

I have some things that I would like to touch on with those of you that are first time readers of this blog. The first thing that I kind of want to get into is what many call the "Matt Mercer Effect". I think one thing we all can agree on is Matthew Mercer is ranked in the top level of Dungeon Masters.

The man knows his stuff, but it isn't just about Matthew, his players bring a huge part of what makes Critical Role special to the table. To quote an old saying ... "it takes two to tango", or in this case, it takes both a DM and players to make a game special.

One thing I very much want to emphasize on is "I am not Matthew Mercer" and if you expect me as a Dungeon Master to be like Matthew Mercer then I would say "go find you another campaign to follow" because I am not on his level, nor will I even try to be and to be perfectly honest I am not sure if the world has a Dungeon Master that even comes close to his level of story telling "well maybe but I have yet to see one". I try to run a good game where my players have a good time (plain and simple) and in the past my players have all had a great time so I guess I am doing something right.

Critical Role is a staged game, with some scripting involved - Matthew and his players are all voice actors. When you watch his campaigns, this is not what Dungeon & Dragon games are really like. His campaigns are strictly constructed to bring entertainment to his viewers.

What we try to do here is get together as friends (this is important) and enjoy our time playing TTRPG's like it was played 35-40 years ago. We don't bring anything from the real world to our table, we simply get together as friends and enjoy this beautiful setting of Middle-earth in all its glory.

Bree-land 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

In the year 3011 of the Third Age, the land of Bree was a unique and largely self-contained "island of civilization" amidst the growing wilderness of Eriador, about forty miles east of the Shire. It was the only place in Middle-earth where Men and Hobbits lived side-by-side in peaceful coexistence, a tradition that had endured for centuries.

The area was roughly twenty-five miles in diameter, centered around the prominent, bare-topped Bree-hill, which gave the region its name (from the Celtic word for "hill"). The land was a mix of undulating lowlands, fields, and the small Chetwood forest to the north. The climate was temperate, with enough rainfall to support the famous pipe-weed crops grown on the hill's southern slopes.

Four main villages comprised Bree-land, each with its own character. The chief village, Bree itself, was located on the western slopes of the hill where the Great East Road and the Greenway (North Road) intersected. It was a bustling hub and home to both Men and Hobbits, its strategic location making it the most well-known settlement.

Staddle was situated on the south-eastern slopes, primarily inhabited by Hobbits who lived in hobbit-holes and focused on agriculture and gardening. Combe was nestled on the borders of the Chetwood, mainly a settlement of Men living in simple houses. Archet, the northernmost and most secluded village, was deep within the Chetwood and largely populated by Men who valued privacy and quiet living. The people of Bree were generally a cheerful, brown-haired, broad, and somewhat short folk, known for their independence. They were more worldly than the Shire-folk, though their knowledge of external lore and history was limited, and they used unique family names often derived from plants (like "Goatleaf" or "Butterbur").

Their specific dialect of Westron and local proverbs were distinguishing features of their culture. Life revolved around farming, local trade, and the traffic passing through the crossroads, which made Bree surprisingly cosmopolitan. The center of this activity was the famous inn, The Prancing Pony, in the village of Bree. It was a major gathering spot for locals and a variety of travelers, including Dwarves, wandering Men (Rangers), and the occasional Elf or Wizard, serving as the main source of news from the outside world.

The origins of the Bree-men are ancient, tracing back to some of the first Men who wandered west into Eriador during the Elder Days and chose to remain in the region. They were distant relations of the Dunlendings and managed to survive the tumultuous history of the region for millennia, establishing a durable presence around the hill.

In the Second Age, the Númenóreans found them already established around the hill. Later, Bree-land became a prosperous part of the North Kingdom of Arnor, benefiting from its strategic position at the intersection of two major roads connecting distant parts of Middle-earth, linking the north and south, east and west.

Around T.A. 1300, Hobbits, fleeing the gathering darkness in the east, migrated to the area and settled alongside the Men, particularly in Staddle and Bree. The two "Big Folk" and "Little Folk" coexisted harmoniously for centuries, forming a unique mixed society unmatched elsewhere in Middle-earth.

After the fall of the North Kingdom of Arnor, while the rest of Eriador became a desolate wilderness, Bree-land survived as an isolated, self-governing community. Its continued existence was largely due to the unacknowledged protection of the Rangers of the North, the descendants of the Dúnedain kings, who guarded the borders from the shadows, keeping the roads safe for travelers in secret.

Notable Settlements
• Bree
• Staddle
• Combe
• Archet

Geographical Locations
• Chetwood
• Midgewater Marshes
• South Downs
• Weather Hills
• River Brandywine
• Brandywine Bridge
• The Outlands
• Greenway
• East Road
• Old Forest
• Barrow Downs
• River Witchywindle
• Lone-lands
• Girdley Island

Bree 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

The air in Bree is different from the sweet, quiet breezes of the Shire. It carries the scent of pipe-weed smoke, coal fires, and the hustle of folk going about their business. As you approach the village, the land rolls into the sizable, rounded Bree Hill, at the western foot of which the village is nestled. The land around it is open and well-tended, but the wild is never far off. The village itself is surrounded by a deep ditch and a thick, thorny hedge known as the Bree-hedge, with gates that are closed and guarded at nightfall.

Bree is perhaps most renowned for the curious mix of inhabitants who call it home. Here, you find Hobbits—known locally as 'Breelanders,' distinct from their rustic cousins in the Shire—living alongside 'Big Folk,' or Men. This mingling of races is a rare sight in Middle-earth, and it gives the place a vibrant, if sometimes wary, atmosphere. The Men of Bree are a sturdy, rustic people, with a long history of living in these parts, proud of their ancient ways and their small, stable community amidst a darkening world.

The layout of the village is practical and compact. Sturdy stone and timber houses cluster along winding, often muddy, lanes. You can find essential services here: a smithy where the ring of the hammer is a constant sound, a general store stocking everything from rope to dried salted fish, and a pony stable, crucial for anyone looking to travel the roads. The architecture speaks of resilience—built for comfort and defence alike. The heart of the village is the common ground where the main roads meet.

The true pulse of Bree, however, beats loudest at The Prancing Pony Inn. It is a large, rambling, and famous establishment, well-known to all travelers on the East-West road and the Greenway. The inn is a haven for wanderers, offering warm firesides, good beer, and sturdy fare. Its landlord, a stout and reliable fellow named Barliman Butterbur, runs a tight ship, though he is often flustered and prone to forgetting things. The common room is where news and rumors from all corners of Middle-earth are traded freely amongst Dwarves, Men, and the occasional wandering Elf. Life here is steeped in tradition and routine, a small beacon of civilization that has persisted for centuries while greater kingdoms have fallen to ruin. The Breelanders take pride in their self-sufficiency. They farm the fields of the Bree-land, raise a sturdy breed of pony famed throughout the region, and trade with travelers. Their culture is a unique blend of Hobbit practicality and Manish hardiness, resulting in a people who are cautious of outsiders but hospitable to those who mean them no harm.

Yet, despite its outward cheer and domesticity, Bree exists as a small island in an increasingly dangerous world. The roads leading in and out are often shadowed by uncertainty. Rangers of the North pass through occasionally, offering quiet protection from the darker things that now roam the lands beyond the hedgerows, a service the folk of Bree half-appreciate, half-ignore. The presence of these watchful, weather-beaten men is a silent reminder that safety is not guaranteed here, merely purchased through constant vigilance and the sturdy gates of the village.

For your company of adventurers, Bree represents a crucial crossroads—a place to resupply, gather information, and rest their weary bones before continuing their journey into the unknown. It offers the last true taste of warm civilization before the wilder, darker realms of the East or the desolate, forgotten paths of the South.

As evening falls and the gates close with a heavy thud and scrape of bolts, the true nature of Bree settles in: a tiny bastion of light and community, huddled against the encroaching night of Middle-earth, where the fires of the Prancing Pony burn bright with stories of lands both near and far.

Notable Locations
• Hobbit's Hearth
• Prancing Pony
• The Bree Library
• Town Hall
• Lalia's Market
• Scholar Stair Archives
• Smithy
• Market Square
• Sherriff's Office
• Lockhouse
• Woodworker Shop
• Chissa's Patisserie Shoppe
• Moneychanger's Shop
• General Store

Notable People
• Chissa Underhill

Current Campaigns 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

Our Middle-earth Campaign Listings

Campaign One

Dawn Comes Early

Exhaustion 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

Exhaustion plays a big part in Middle-earth—more so than in the core rules. It is something to be carefully monitored by the players, but also by the Loremaster. Don’t forget it is possible to kill a character with exhaustion. Such a fate should be an ever-present threat, but one that rarely comes to pass. Characters should certainly seek to avoid higher levels of exhaustion and be wary of it, but actual death by exhaustion can be a deeply unsatisfying end for a hero. In an ideal world, it is a constant, fearful threat that is never realised.

That said, a foolhardy company who rush out into the wild in the wrong roles, without help, and who are terribly unlucky may find some of their number suffer a terrible end to their adventuring careers. It is important as the Loremaster to call attention when quieter members of the company are reaching the higher levels of exhaustion—it is possible they could die, and the company should consider breaking a journey or finding a place to properly rest during an Adventuring phase.

Exhaustion is measured in six levels.
Level 1: Disadvantage on ability checks
Level 2: Speed halved
Level 3: Disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws
Level 4: Hit point maximum halved
Level 5: Speed reduced to 0
Level 6: Death

A level of exhaustion can be removed with a long rest, various Player-hero or NPC abilities, and some forms of wondrous healing. The reward of the removal of a level of exhaustion by thematic means is a valuable tool in the Loremaster’s armoury.