An installment of my hexmap for Middle-earth project. Follow the "Middle-earth Hexmap" tag for all entries in this series.
In the east of the Shire, north of the Water, are three communities built in and around the Hills of Scary. Although all hobbits (outside of the Marish) are habitual tunnellers, these towns are especially underground. What will intrepid burglars find there?
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| Art by the inimitable Goran Gligovic |
44.59
FARMLANDS. Poor but pretty and well-kept farms spread across the rolling hills of the region. Friendly farmers toil in fields of oat, wheat, barley, and rye.
(1) - RIDERLESS PONY: A draft pony, hitched to a wagon piled with tanned hides, munches sour apples from underneath a nearby tree. His owner is nowhere to be seen.
(6) - HARVEST DANCE: Several farms have come together for a dance in a cleared field to celebrate a recent heavy effort. They dance rustic dances and wish to see any special dances the company knows. Malty beer flows freely.
45.59
BROCKENBORINGS. A mining Hobbit village in the Hills of Scary. Hobbits in many parts of the Shire (landscape willing) make tunnelings and live in smials; in Brockenborings, very few above-ground houses and outbuildings are used whatsoever. Copper and tin are the predominant resources produced here. The local tavern is the Tipsy Tramp.
✦ - OFTEN HERE: 1. Basso Hornblower (hobbit - sniffly and red nosed, eccentric, furrier) sells mole-skin (literally!) gloves, shaws, and hats, 2. Diamond Tunneler (hobbit - freckled, no nonsense, cook at the 'Tramp) is always in the market for mushrooms to use in her cooking, 3. Milo Goodenough (hobbit - sooty, rough spoken, mining forehobbit) is looking for someone to go to Pincup (49.58) and catch some pet sparrows for the miners.
! - BADGER INCURSION. Mr. Uggo Underhill's sitting room has collapsed as a badger family has tunneled into it. He begs for help with the ornery, obstinate, and sometimes frightening badgers.
The badgers understand Common (but speak their own language). The head of the badger family is called Badger Buffo in his own tongue. Buffo believes he and his family have every right to the earth as hobbits; in fact, Hugo was the first to cross the territorial line, having recently expanded his garden.
46.59
APPLE-BRIGHT MEADERY. On the "garth" between the split in the Water is a meadery and farm run by the Methier family. The meadery sells bottles out of the Floating Log in Frogmorton (47.59) and also abroad.
! - RARE INGREDIENT: Rose Methier (hobbit - apple-cheeked, sweet, mead-maker) looks to hire burglars to procure dumbledor honey from the east bank of the Brandywine River (45.62). She warns that dumbledor stings can be deadly.
43.60
BUTTERFLIES. Fields of wildflowers in the southeastern Green Fields attract a dazzlement of butterflies in all seasons except winter.
THE PALE KNIGHT: A ghost in shining, translucent Arnorian armor rides overgrown roads looking for evil to fight. He can only be encountered on nights of the full moon. He often jousts in jest with ghosts and beasts, and can provide quite a bit of out-of-date history to anyone with nerve enough to talk to him.
[Credit: MERP - Realms - The Shire]
44.60
THE TROLL'S TABLE. A local landmark, a dolmen called the Troll's Table because of its size and appearance. In truth, it marks the burial site of a forgotten race of Men.
A TROLL'S TABLE INDEED. At night, a lonesome troll named Oslo comes down from the northern hills and lingers near the dolmen in hopes that someone will set a table for him. If anyone ever does this, he thanks them with six magic acorns that turn whatever they're thrown at to stone.
(6) - PICNIC: A couple from Dwaling, Mr. and Mrs. Tunneler, along with their three children, are having a pleasant picnic atop the table.
45.60
ROAD. A track that runs between Brockenborings (45.59) and Dwaling (44.61). The Hills of Scary are to the south and wild country to the northwest. There's an inn along this route called the Rushlight (Mr. Adalbert Bolger, proprietor).
(1) - FOOTBRIDGE OUT: A footbridge over this section of road is currently broken. Farmer Boffer is trying to figure out how to get his dog, his chicken, and his sack of grain over the water, without the whole thing turning into a debacle.
(6) - DICE GAMES: A mixed group of hobbit laborers playing simple dice games atop a barrel invite the company to play. They know threes, liar's dice, or ship, captain, crew. Bet for pennies.
46.60
SCARY. A Hobbit mining town, operating the Quarry (45.61). (The region's name is derived from the "scar" on the land.) Its people are stout and somber by Shire standards. They breed a race of ponies, much loved by the locals, specifically suited to deal with the hilly region. Several alewives operate spring-up taverns, but the oldest continuously operating tavern is The Knocker, named after a mining bogey of legend.
✦ - OFTEN HERE: 1. Poncho Underhill (hobbit - wheezy, mild, miner) doesn't mind telling you that whenever a miner dies underground, the Knockers will drum to let his wife know, 2. Farmer Stout (hobbit - one-eyed, offensively boring, sheep farmer) will confide that a sure-fire cure for a pony whose hips are weak from foaling is to put a freshly killed sheep's skin on her back, 3. Teitur (dwarf - ruddy nose, fair to a fault, labor consultant) is negotiating for hired miners to be provided tunneling tools by members of the joint-stock arrangement that operates the Quarry; the stock-owners argue he's trying to sell dwarven tools.
! - LEECHCRAFT: Nora Noakes the apothecary needs a collection of living leeches from either Rushock Bog (XX.XX) or the region of the Overbourne Marshes (51.60).
41.61
THE SWARD. An uninhabited region of grassy fields called the Sward between a hilly country to the west and River Brandywine to the east. Flocks of dolorous quail nest here; one can hear them chirping at night. If hunted, the rest of the flock follow the hunters, accusing them with loud calls. Stealth is all but impossible. The birds will follow them, unceasingly, for 1d4+2 weeks or until they, too, are slain. Those with Beast Lore know of these animals' habits.
42.61
THE SWARD. An uninhabited region of grassy fields called the Sward between a hilly country to the west and River Brandywine to the east. A ruined aqueduct is visible as a landmark.
(3-6) - WILD PONIES: A herd of ponies, obviously descended from some escaped hobbit stock, live wild on the Sward. If encountered, enterprising burglars may try to catch them with a Skill Δ8 check. Taming them requires Beast Lore and time.
43.61
PETRIFYING WELL. Point of interest. In a cleft in a hillside is a pool that gathers its waters trickling down from the wet cleft face. Objects placed in this well are covered in a stone shell over the course of a day. Hobbits treat it as a tourist attraction, tying small objects—bells, dolls, carvings—under the water to be pulled out and taken away as trinkets.
44.61
DWALING. A Hobbit town, prosperous but somewhat remote. The center of the Hobbit linen industry is grown in the flax fields north of town, and many work in the Quarry to the south. The public house is called the Plough and Stars. On the eastern edge of this region, the Brandywine is impassable.
✦ - OFTEN HERE: 1. Gerda Brown (hobbit - halo of frizzy hair, impressionable, doll-house maker) gives each burglar who speaks to her a small and simply-carved wooden doll in their likeness as a present, 2. Frerin (dwarf - shining bald head, overly formal, doctor) refuses to admit he's going deaf, misunderstands 50% of what's said to him, 3. Holly Fern (hobbit - fair, shy, orphan living with her aunt) is frustrated by slug damage in her garden, 4. Laura and Lily Bunce (hobbits - one tall and lean, one short and fat, charitable, spinsters) wonder if you mind picking up their bottle of "the cordial" from the Plough and Stars; it's already paid for.
! - MYSTERIOUS DOOR. Wilcome Tunnelly, landlord of the Plough and Stars, has a mysterious door in his cellar that's been there as long as anybody can remember. It's never been opened. He's willing to commission burglars to have it opened just out of curiosity.
The door is of arched stone: it is 10' tall at its highest mark. There's no sign of keyhole or handle. The antechamber before the door is used as a root cellar, containing sacks of potatoes, carrots, turnips, spare tables and stools, and several small casks of beer.
A Understanding Δ12 test will suggest that certain magic doors have hidden runes on them revealed only by magic or by the light of the stars and moon. Singing either the Song of Freedom, Song of the Trees, or Song of Stars will reveal secreted rune-letters on the door.
The runes are in the Angerthas Moria, or "Moria runes." A Longbeard dwarf can read them. Others should test Understanding, using the normal procedure.
When transliterated, the dwarf/lore-master will find an antique form of Westron. It reads:
What the lords of Arthedain asked of Dúrnir, Dúrnir gives. While my payment languishes in their vaults, let it languish herein as well, until the earth cracks and sun falls upon the doors.
The door will open only if the doors are bathed in the light of the sun. Wilcome will not agree to an excavation on a "suspicion." (Perhaps mirrors might be employed.)
If opened, a small chamber lies beyond. In a locked and trapped chest are two artifacts:
Axe of Memory
Engraved on the axehead are the names of valiant fallen warriors of Andor.
- +1 axe. If wounded in battle, adds +2 against that foe on your next turn.
Dwarf Mask of the Dwarrowdelf
A large ornate helm with curving horns. Wearing it makes the bearer fight on, no matter the circumstances.
- +2 defense. Adds +1 Strength and Valour when at 50% Endurance.
- Take half damage from fire while wearing the mask.
45.61
QUARRY. Many Hobbit towns have small quarries (except in the Marish), but The Quarry is in the hills of Scary. Much stone is excavated here for different uses throughout the Shire. The river is impassable on the eastern border of this region.
(1) - SCARED BY KNOCKERS: A team of subsurface miners seem shaky and legitimately terrified. Today, they heard a cacophony of knocking in the deep, then an uncleared passage collapsed. Everyone is blaming the Knockers, the folk of the mines. Nobody was hurt, but everyone is shaken up.
(If investigated and excavated, the company can find evidence of goblins in the deeps. Were they the source of the knocking? Or did the Knockers collapse the cavern on the goblins?)
(6) - LAD'S LUNCH: An adorable hobbit child of about six (Sammy Tunnelly) is holding a basket with lunch for his da. He's having trouble locating him among all the miners. If you help him, the company gains Morale because it's so dang cute.
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| Map credit: Idraluna Archive. Click for the full map. |
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