Barrow-Downs South 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 Southern Barrow-downs are a specific section of a larger, eerie, rolling hill country located in a fictional realm, characterized by open grass- and turf-covered landscapes devoid of trees. The defining features of the area are the numerous ancient burial mounds that cap the hills. This region was once home to an ancient kingdom whose people interred their leaders in elaborate tombs for centuries. Despite the potential for discovering ancient artifacts within these graves, the area is widely feared and avoided by local inhabitants due to its pervasive, foreboding atmosphere and reputation for being heavily haunted.

The foreboding nature of the Southern Barrow-downs stems from the malevolent, incorporeal entities that infest the ancient burial sites. Following a historical cataclysm that wiped out the region's original populace, powerful dark forces infused the deserted mounds with these evil spirits, ensuring the land could never be safely resettled. These spectral threats exhibit icy, chilling effects on the living, capable of ensnaring intruders with powerful enchantments and dragging them into the dark chambers of the tombs. A notable incident in the lore involves a group of travelers who were captured by one of these entities in the southern region before being miraculously rescued by a mysterious, nature-bound figure. The area in various adaptations is known for presenting significant challenges to adventurers.