Known in the Elvish language as Tyrn Gorthad (“Hills of Tombs”), the Barrow-downs, located east of the Old Forest in the Bree-land region of Eriador, is a place of mystery best avoided by unwary adventurers. By day, the area seems harmless enough – a quiet region of gently rolling plains and grassy mounds topped by ancient standing stones, marking the final resting place of great warriors from ages past. But the spells which lay across the Barrow-downs are deceiving, and the mists that roll in as the day wanes can disorient and entrap even the bravest souls, turning the once-pleasant hills into dark shapes crowned with sharp teeth of stone. In the dreadful gloom, evil spirits from Angmar dwell amongst the standing stones and within the burial mounds, inhabiting the bodies of the long-dead warriors and raising them as terrifying Wights driven to collect the living and bring them forever into this land of the dead.

In The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, the Barrow-downs are a place of great adventure, and great peril. The barrows, for which the area is named, are ancient burial mounds found throughout the area. They contain hidden chambers, delved by ancient hands, that conceal finely crafted treasures. However, these dark, mysterious places also contain evil spirits that have haunted this region for over a thousand years – spirits that jealously protect the treasures of this land, and also seek to waylay adventurers and take them from the living world into their own dark realm.

In The Fellowship of the Ring, Tom Bombadil tells of the history of the Barrow-downs to the Hobbits:

‘They heard of the Great Barrows, and the green mounds, and the stone-rings upon the hills and in the hollows among the hills. Sheep were bleating in flocks. Green walls and white walls rose. There were fortresses on the heights. Kings of little kingdoms fought together, and the young Sun shone like fire on the red metal of their new and greedy swords. There was victory and defeat; and towers fell, fortresses were burned, and flames went up into the sky. Gold was piled on the biers of dead kings and queens; and mounds covered them, and the stone doors were shut; and the grass grew over all. Sheep walked for a while biting the grass, but soon the hills were empty again. A shadow came out of dark places far away, and the bones were stirred in the mounds. Barrow-wights walked in the hollow places with a clink of rings on cold fingers, and gold chains in the wind. Stone rings grinned out of the ground like broken teeth in the moonlight.

‘The hobbits shuddered. Even in the Shire the rumour of the Barrow-wights of the Barrow-downs beyond the Forest had been heard. But it was not a tale that any hobbit liked to listen to, even by a comfortable fireside far away.’

Archet is a small hamlet in Bree-land lying to the northeast of Bree-town, nestled at the edge of the Chetwood. The town and its outlying lands are inhabited by farmers and other rustic folk, who have little use for the bustle of big town life. A few hobbits dwell here, but the inhabitants are predominantly Big Folk.

The lack of any real authority and the peaceful nature of Archet’s people have recently drawn the attentions of a band of brigands known as the Blackwolds, though rumour has it that the Blackwolds have much darker goals than terrifying common folk and farmers. To counter this threat, a retired sellsword by the name of Captain Brackenbrook has begun organizing the townsfolk into a makeshift garrison to repel the advances of the brigands.

Little is said of Archet in The Lord of the Rings, other than a brief description of its locations, allowing the developers at Turbine some room to expand on its personality. Building upon Professor Tolkien’s allusion to troubles with ‘robbers’ in the region, Archet became the starting location for Men and the threshold from which both Men and Hobbits begin their journey in The Lord of the Rings Onlineâ„¢: Shadows of Angmarâ„¢.

Located in the Eastfarthing of the Shire, the village of Stock can be found in a region of swampy, yet fertile, farmland known as the Marish near the convergence of the Stockbrook and Brandywine rivers. Relatively large for a Hobbit village, dwellings in Stock are a bit unusual; many of those who dwell in this region prefer above-ground houses to the traditional Hobbit-holes. There are exceptions, of course, and adventurers here will find a pleasant mixture of Hobbit-holes, as well. Two main roads that meet in Stock, one heading west to Tuckborough through the Hill Country of the Shire and the other heading north to the Brandywine Bridge (the Bridge of Stonebows) or south through the Marish, bring a unique mix of travelers and locals to the village’s taverns.

The village of Stock does not figure prominently into the tales of Frodo and the quest to destroy the One Ring, which opens up an interesting challenge to the LOTRO team. When re-creating the entirety of Middle-earth, it is important to design many locations in the game beyond those familiar to the readers, to give the game world the feeling of breadth and endless possibilities. Even though some regions are only casually discussed in the The Lord of Rings, often this is enough to allow the designers at Turbine to get a glimpse of Professor Tolkien’s vision of an area and begin to breathe life into these corners of Middle-earth not yet explored. This is an excellent starting point from which to create a rich and bustling village true to the books from which the entire game draws its inspiration. Understanding that many of LOTRO’s players will themselves be life-long fans of Professor Tolkien’s work, there is little doubt that these regions and villages, which went largely unexplored in the books, will be amongst the first places visited by the seasoned fans of Middle-earth.

The village of Stock does not figure prominently into the tales of Frodo and the quest to destroy the One Ring, which opens up an interesting challenge to the LOTRO team. When re-creating the entirety of Middle-earth, it is important to design many locations in the game beyond those familiar to the readers, to give the game world the feeling of breadth and endless possibilities. Even though some regions are only casually discussed in the The Lord of Rings, often this is enough to allow the designers at Turbine to get a glimpse of Professor Tolkien’s vision of an area and begin to breathe life into these corners of Middle-earth not yet explored. This is an excellent starting point from which to create a rich and bustling village true to the books from which the entire game draws its inspiration. Understanding that many of LOTRO’s players will themselves be life-long fans of Professor Tolkien’s work, there is little doubt that these regions and villages, which went largely unexplored in the books, will be amongst the first places visited by the seasoned fans of Middle-earth.

It cannot be said that Mr. Sandyman, the old and always opinionated miller, is the most liked Hobbit in all the Shire, but the mill in Hobbiton run by generations of the Sandyman family, including Sandyman’s son Ted, is nonetheless an important part of the tightly-knit community. Located on the north banks of the Water, the meandering river running its way through Hobbiton, “the Mill” as it is commonly (and simply) known, provides ground corn for the local Hobbits, as well as a pleasant place to sit along the gentle banks to enjoy a relaxing hour or three at the Water’s edge.

It is commonly known that Professor Tolkien based much of the tranquil Shire on his childhood memories of the Birmingham countryside of his youth. Old Sandyman’s Mill in Hobbiton was no doubt inspired by the Sarehole Mill in this region of England, a simple brick and wood structure, still located to this day on the banks of a tranquil pool. While the Mill found in the Shire is much more centrally located in Hobbiton than the country mill that inspired it, Professor Tolkien’s reverence for the place, along with its sense of peace and tranquility, was a feeling the Turbine team felt compelled to capture when creating the Mill for The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar. The gently turning wheel is, naturally, its most prominent feature, and the Mill also includes an ample yard for players to meet and converse, as described in the pages of The Fellowship of the Ring.

In a broad, open field in Hobbiton, not far from Bag End, there stands a majestic tree, taller than any within sight for miles. The Party Tree, as it is called by the Hobbits, is a gathering place for merriment, eating, and storytelling, where all Shire-folk are warmly welcomed. It was here that Bilbo Baggins celebrated his magnificent birthday (his eleventy-first), and it was from this location that some say he simply vanished from sight forever. Few are certain of the Tree’s origins, and even fewer actually give its history a second thought. The Party Tree is decorated year-round with bright lanterns and yards of colourful woven streamers, for it seems logical to all Hobbits that a decorated tree is reason enough for a celebration — why risk missing the opportunity for a feast by bringing down the festive arrangements? Besides, it’s far too tall these days for Hobbits to reach the limbs, even if one had a mind to.

The Party Tree, as readers of The Lord of the Rings well know, is one of the first locations described in The Fellowship of the Ring and one of the best known landmarks in the Shire. Towering over the surrounding field and offering a nice shady place to meet friends, exchange stories, and trade goods, The Party Tree is a landmark that players are able to see from great distances and is designed to be an important social center for the Shire.

While on the surface, Michel Delving seems little different than any other village in the Westfarthing, it is in truth the urban center of the Shire. Farming and agriculture give way to skilled trades, politics, and the latest gossip from the furthest corners of the Four Farthings. Whether a hobbit is looking for a new ploughshare or the rumor of the day, Michel Delving is the center of activity.

Michel Delving is home to Town Hole, the mayoral seat of Will “Flourdumpling” Whitfoot, the topic of most of the political talk, local gossip, and jeers and jibes of the village. The chief Shirriff-house and offices of the Bounders are also located here, as well as the central offices of the Shire’s postal service. One of the most popular attractions in Michel Delving is the Mathom-house, where relics of Shire-history, including the legendary club of Bandobras “Bullroarer” Took, hero of the Battle of Greenfields, reside.

While Michel Delving is only briefly seen in Professor Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, specifically the old storage tunnels converted to the Lockholes by Sharkey’s Men, it is a familiar location from the book. Town Hole plays a prominent role in the tale of how Will Whitfoot gained his nickname, and the Mathom-house is mentioned as the place where Bilbo Baggins’ old Elf-knife Sting and his mithril shirt had long been on display. In The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, players will be able to interact with characters from the book, like Mayor Whitfoot, and visit many prominent landmarks, such as the Mathom-house.

Weary adventurers in the Shire looking for a bit of rest and a tale or two amongst friends would do well to make their way to The Green Dragon Inn in Bywater. This local favorite is well-known for its friendly atmosphere, not to mention the tales of events both far and near, some of which are as large as the great room of The Dragon itself, if the truth of it be told. Located near the tranquil Bywater Pool in the village that proudly shares the Bywater name, The Green Dragon Inn welcomes all, so long as they come with a story to tell.

The Green Dragon Inn stands near the center of the Shire, just to the south and east of Hobbiton, and near to the Great East Road. Despite the growing shadows in Angmar to the north and Mordor in the east, The Green Dragon Inn remains one of the Shire’s most pleasant places to rest and learn of the goings-on in and around the Shire. Constructed with a broad great room to accommodate a large number of travellers, adventurers and storytellers, The Green Dragon is as the place to go for the latest news (and gossip, of course), as well as a destination to meet with potential allies and strike out on quests into the wild areas beyond the relative safety of the Shire, as Bilbo Baggins did with the company of Dwarves from this very inn so long ago. 

The Great Smials, or the Great Place of the Tooks, were excavated in Tuckborough by Isengrim II, the tenth Thain of the Shire and grandfather of the famous Bandobras “Bullroarer” Took. A great family hole akin to the Brandybucks’ Brandy Hall, the Great Smials are deep and many-tunnelled. They were not only designed to provide a home for many generations of Tooks, but also to defend against incursion in dark times.

Though the Shire has existed in peace and harmony for many long years, trouble stirs upon its borders, ever so slowly encroaching on the rustic lives of the hobbits who dwell there. Black Riders seeking a hobbit named Baggins have swept through the land, and ruffians in the employ of the mysterious brigand leader “Sharkey” begin to appear. Even some hobbits rally to Sharkey’s cause in the name of bettering the Shire. The Great Smials may soon be forced to become a fortress; a bastion of war as the Shadow draws across Middle-earth.

While the Shire is only beginning to be touched by the turmoil beyond its borders, the Tooks of the Great Smials are among the staunchest and most adventurous of hobbits and stand against the threat of Sharkey’s Men.

The Great Smials are only one of many prominent landmarks from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings that will play an important part in The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar.

In Buckland, not far to the north of Brandy Hall in the hills rising away from the path of the Brandywine, travelers will come upon Crickhollow, an often-visited retreat for those Hobbits who wish to spend a few days away from their daily routine, or simply rest and eat more peacefully than they are used to resting and eating at home. Those who live near Crickhollow are pleasant enough folk, though generally they like to be left alone to their peace and quiet.

Many of the old-timers in the area tell stories of travelers who have ventured beyond the High Hay and into the Old Forest beyond, many of whom never returned to tell the conclusion of their tales. In these days of the growing darkness in the north, many indeed have been the strangers who have ridden into the region to ask questions, though none can, or will, say what specifically these dark figures pursue.

Crickhollow plays a significant role early in the journey of Frodo Baggins and his companions in The Lord of the Rings. It is here that Frodo buys his house after leaving Bag End, not with the intention to stay in Crickhollow, but with the goal of diverting would-be pursuers from his trail. Adventurers familiar with the tale will no doubt want to seek out Frodo’s home, though the locals may tell the travelers that, although the home of Mr. Baggins is filled with his many possessions, he has not been seen in these parts since the day he first arrived. Most doubt he has closed himself in his new residence and believe he has gone off on some personal quest, perhaps to locate his old uncle Bilbo who disappeared so many years ago.

The village of Bywater is located In the Westfarthing of the Shire. As its name suggests, it lies along the banks of the Bywater Pool, a widening of the river Water. This river runs from the North Moors, through nearby Hobbiton to the northwest, and on through Bywater to eventually join the Brandywine to the east. A tranquil village, Bywater is perhaps best known for The Green Dragon Inn, a friendly place renowned for great drink, local gossip, and lively conversations with folks from around the Shire. Bywater’s post office is one of the busiest in the region, Hobbits being quite fond of sending presents to one another for birthdays, holidays, or just about any other time that seems fit for gift-giving or celebration – which is most days on the calendar.

Bywater is mentioned in the pages of both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Working from these brief descriptions, the Turbine development team set out to bring life to this lesser-known region of the Shire by creating dwellings and social areas in a style similar to that found in Hobbiton and other nearby areas, while adding elements unique to a region so close to the water’s edge. The land of Bywater has been designed with a great deal of greenery, including gardens, trees, finely tended lawns, and other areas of natural beauty and color. Surely this will be a pleasant place to explore and spend time with friends, before heading off into the dangers that await in regions just beyond the boundaries of the Shire.