At the intersection of the Great East Road and the North Road, the town of Bree has long stood as a gathering place for Men, Hobbits, and other travelers from the far-off lands of Middle-earth. Long ago, Bree was a thriving town, set against a large, sloping hill within the vibrant lands of Arnor. Although Arnor has long-since faded into distant memories, the remains of those glorious days can still be found throughout the town’s varied streets and winding ways. Travelers along the Great East Road, which joins the Shire to the west with Rivendell and the Misty Mountains to the east, still stop at The Prancing Pony Inn to share tales of adventure or news of distant lands. Bree is home to both Men and Hobbits, though adventurers must now be wary of the motivations of many of Bree’s residents. As the shadow of evil creeps across the lands and the corruptible spirits of Men weaken, many of Bree’s citizens, who were once open and friendly to travelers, may now have been lured into service by agents of darkness.

Bree-town contains a wide variety of neighborhoods, some purely residential, some catering to the needs of trade guilds and village government. At the eastern edge of Bree can be found the marketplace, where proud and venerable merchants clash with an older, prouder class of farmers. South from the West-gate, blacksmiths ply their trade, though resentful of their reliance upon trade with Dwarves for the raw materials they need. At the south end of town is the Stone Quarter, a small community of Dwarf-merchants trying to earn a living trading in imports from the Blue Mountains, North Downs, and the Lonely Mountain. In the southwest, the grey and mournful abodes of the towns poor lay, a slum where little hope dwells. Just within the South-gate, the woodworkers of Bree are busy about their trade. At the center of all lies the Upper Way, where the few who have obtained a modicum of wealth and lore dwell, putting themselves above all others.

For the players in LOTRO, Bree is an excellent travelers’ destination just east of the Shire, and is a center for news, commerce, and social interaction within the game. In designing the town of Bree, which is itself likely over 3,000 years old, the artistic decisions made by the Turbine design team had to incorporate varied architectural styles and period influences. Bree buildings are a mix of large dwellings for Men, smaller holes for Hobbits, the familiar Prancing Pony, and a wide variety of shops and buildings one would expect to see in an area settled by such varied peoples. Bree is designed to feel like a living town, albeit a town in its declining years. It is an important social center of the game, as well, so there are a number of common areas throughout which players of many different races and skill levels can spend time sharing tales, trading goods, crafting objects, and preparing for adventure into the barren Lone-lands or the mysterious North Downs not far from the gates and the protective hedge which surrounds the town.

For nearly 700 years, the warm light from the many windows of Brandy Hall has welcomed visitors crossing the Brandywine River from the west into Buckland. Originally delved and built by Gorhendad Oldbuck, the first Master of the Hall (as the head of the Brandybuck family is called), and greatly expanded over generations, the ancestral home of the Brandybuck family is now formed of many tunnels and rooms occupying the entirety of Buck Hill on the eastern banks of the Brandywine. Brandy Hall has no less than three main entrance doors and over a hundred windows, making it one of the grandest mansions in the entire Shire. Long before the forming of the Fellowship of the Ring, Frodo Baggins, orphaned as a young Hobbit, called Brandy Hall home for many years, before he went to live with Old Bilbo Baggins at Bag End in Hobbiton. Merry Brandybuck, Frodo’s cousin and also one of the Nine who set off with the One Ring toward Mordor, also once called this great mansion his home.

But not only is Brandy Hall the home of many generations of Brandybucks, along with cousins, and indeed hundreds of relatives, the halls also house a significant number of books recording the history of the Shire. This library would expand significantly after Merry Brandybuck returned to Brandy Hall and became Master of the Buckland himself… but these are tales for another telling.

Although the majority of Brandy Hall is built underground, a significant amount of building in and around Buck Hill is visible from a great distance. Indeed, the entirety of the village of Bucklebury has been built along the hills and banks surrounding the hall. At Brandy Hall in the village center, many generations of expansion have converted the large, low hill into an impressive dwelling and important social center for Buckland. Travelers to the region will no doubt want to take a moment to share a tale and trade wares with the good Hobbits of Buckland before venturing into the mysterious darkness of the Old Forest, just beyond the village’s protective hedge, the High Hay, to the east.

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.