Bree

[Rich H]

... quiet, a little eerie (okay, Rivendell wasn't eerie ... but you know what I mean).

Subtle and atmospheric is how I look at them. Jon's work is heavily impressionistic in a lot of ways too; particularly his landscapes which wouldn't look out of place in a gallery with Monet and other artists of that period/movement.

[Terisonen]

William Turner?

[voronwe]

Great cover! Very evocative and attuned to the rest of TOR covers.

Now let's wait for some knews about its content...

(I'll try to keep cool and ask not again for Grey Havens' Elves... ups! There I go again...).

[Rue]

How exciting! Thanks for posting the cover, it's gorgeous.

[Wbweather]

Amazing cover, can't wait to see what lies inside.

[Otaku-sempai]

That 1796 William Turner painting ("Fishermen at Sea") is very evocative and could almost serve as a cover for a supplement on the Grey Havens or the Mariners of Gondor.

[lucacherstich]

We got magic items with Rivendell, horsemanship with Rohan and dragons with Erebor.
I'm curious about what mechanics we'll get here.
Having fun in taverns?
Regaining hope while drinking and telling stories?

[Otaku-sempai]

We got magic items with Rivendell, horsemanship with Rohan and dragons with Erebor.
I'm curious about what mechanics we'll get here.
Having fun in taverns?
Regaining hope while drinking and telling stories?

I'm not coming up with much for new rules, but some other possibilities occur. If I may speculate?

For Bree-land:

NOTABLE CHARACTERS

Bromdun Butterbur (possibly some other personal name)
Bromdun (often called Brom) is the proprietor of The Prancing Pony, an inn of Bree that has been owned by the same family for generations. The inn is managed by Bromdun and his wife Linsey; their large family of children help out as they are able. (Depending on the year of your game, Bromdun might be either the father or the grandfather of Barliman Butterbur.)

NOTABLE PLACES

The Prancing Pony
A comfortable inn of Bree, The Prancing Pony has been owned by the Butterbur family for many generations.  Locals and travelers gather in the common room nightly to exchange news and gossip and share drink and pipe-weed together.  Most of the inn’s guests are Men and Dwarves passing through Bree; however, there are several rooms on the first floor designed and furnished for the comfort of Hobbits.

The Forsaken Inn
An old inn located at the eastern border of Bree-land, about one day’s travel from Bree. The Forsaken Inn is presently abandoned and in a state of dilapidation, but the fortunes of the place have changed almost as many times as it has changed owners.  It is rumoured that Rangers sometimes use the inn as a rendezvous and they might keep secret caches of supplies and equipment in the area.

The Shire (if included):

THINGS TO DO WHILE IN THE SHIRE

Compete in a Shire-fair
All fairs regularly held in The Shire, but especially the Free Fair, feature games of skill.  Visiting Hobbits should be able to enter such contests with no problem.  Other visitors might need to pass a Persuade test at TN 16 to enter the lists.  Events might include any or all of the following (as well as other games of skill):
~ foot-racing
~ quoits (a formalized version of horseshoes)
~ dart-throwing
~ wreath shoot*
~ shooting at the wand*
~ bowls
~ ninepins

* See the Dragontide entry in the Lake-town Sourcebook.

New Fellowship Phase Undertaking: Opening a Sanctuary in the Shire
(the Shire)

Some possible sanctuaries include:
• Bag End. Bilbo Baggins considers the heroes to be friends and invites them to visit whenever they are passing by.
• Brandy Hall (Buckland). Heroes receive a +1 bonus to their Tolerance rating with Bucklanders.
• Great Smials (Tookland). Heroes receive a +1 bonus to their Tolerance rating with Tooklanders.
• Michel Delving. The Mayor of Michel Delving recognizes that the company has performed a great service to the Shire. Heroes receive a +1 bonus to their Tolerance rating with Shire-hobbits.

New Fellowship Phase Undertaking: Receive Title (Shirriff)
(Hobbits only)

The First Shirriff, the Mayor of Michel Delving, as made a hero an honourary Bounder of the Watch and charged him with the protection of the borders of the Shire when within those borders. The hero is expected to report to the Mayor at Michel Delving upon returning to the Shire and before departing again. A member of the Watch is identified by wearing a feather in his cap. The hero gains the standard benefits of receiving a title.

Inns of the Shire
The Shire might have more eating and drinking establishments per capita than any other region of Middle-earth. Most have few, if any, rooms to accommodate Big Folk, the best bet being the Bridge Inn on the Great East Road at the Brandywine Bridge. The Shire’s best-known Inns include:
• The Green Dragon, an inn on the Hobbiton side of Bywater.
• The Ivy Bush, a modest inn located on the Bywater road in Hobbiton.
• The Golden Perch, an inn in Stock, said to have the best beer in Eastfarthing.
• The Bridge Inn at the west end of the Brandywine Bridge.
• The Floating Log, a popular inn in Frogmorton.
• The All-welcome Inn on the Hobbiton side of Frogmorton (from the abandoned 1960 revision of The Hobbit).

In Western Eriador:

Hazard Suggestion: Dumbledors
(All Companions - Endurance)
The companions are plagued by blood-sucking Dumbledors. All heroes must make a Travel test. Anyone who fails loses one point of Endurance and must suffer any consequences from that loss.

New Fellowship Phase Undertaking: Visit Annúminas
(Rangers of the North only)

A Ranger of the North who spends a Fellowship phase to visit Annúminas on the shore of Lake Nenuial will find a degree of peace, allowing him to heal one point of permanent Shadow.

New Fellowship Phase Undertaking: Researching Lore in the Halls of Círdan
(Grey Havens)

Similar to Researching Lore in the House of Elrond. A hero gains a bonus Success die if he possesses an applicable Specialty, and another die if Círdan is a patron of the company. Possible subjects include (but are not limited to): Astronomy; Eriador-lore, Marine Navigation; Map-making; Sailing (Boating on the ocean); Shadow-lore; etc.

New Fellowship Phase Undertaking: Pilgrimage to the Tower Hills
(High Elves only)

Any High Elves spending a Fellowship phase in the Grey Havens or anywhere else in western Eriador may use it to visit the White Towers at Emyn Beraid and gaze into the palantír kept at Elostirion to look upon the Undying Lands. Any High Elf who does this recovers one point of Hope.

Note to Loremasters: The Seeing-stone of Elostirion was placed by Círdan aboard the white ship of the Last Riding of the Keepers of the Ring in TA 3012 and returned to Eldamar.

[Otaku-sempai]

Given how late in the week it is now, I don't think we can expect the roll-out of pre-orders for Bree before next week. However, I will be pleasantly surprised if I'm wrong.

[Glorelendil]

I know how much you have invested in western Eriador, O-S. I do hope you are pleased with the result.