Greeting weary traveller, welcome to the village of Bree in the year 1407 since the downfall of Sauron.
Before you is that most auspicious of locals, a safe corner in the midst of all the turmoil of the world, where people, like you, can take time to sip a quenching flagon of Ale in the famous ‘Kings Rest Inn’, or maybe try a small glass of our famous mead made only with local honey. They say that the bees pick up all sorts of things in the Midgewater marshes that make their way into that potent brew.
So welcome, to all we have invited through the gates of our noble burg and the Kings Rest is that large building in front of you. If you cannot afford the rates, there is usually room to be found on the taproom floor of the ‘Oliphant Tavern’ after the bar closes, but watch your purse. And remember, not all is not always as it appears…
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Hello. This OCC and the accompanying thread ‘Prelude to the Storm; Bree 1407’ has been created as an introduction to RP. It was originally created on a ‘superficially similar board’ but has been moved over here as most if not all of its writers are here.
This OCC is to be used as a discussion forum for the story thread ‘Prelude to the Storm; Bree 1407’ and also where updated information can be found (within the first two posts).
Important note: due to the nature of this thread, the number of writers needs to remain relatively limited and by invite only. We are looking for people new to roleplay; that is they have not previously played a major role in an existing thread and are hoping to develop their skills.
We will also be writing short stories, not great epics that last for years. There will be back plot, but it is the story that will be important.
The characters’ statistics and short biographical details can be found in the second post on this thread. Map links etc. will also be there.
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Okay, down to the business of Guidelines
1. This thread was originally for new role players, not for experienced ones, specifically for those people who were adopted by The Players on TORC, however we welcome anyone with an interest, within the following guidelines. We have a cast limit of 14: 7 adopters and 7 newcomers. The seven original adopters were Alandriel, Dindraug, Leoba, Nin, Impenitent, Hunter (not over here yet) and Edain. So far we have had Willow, Lhaewin. Berhael and Laureanna showing interest or actually posting. As the stories progress, there will be opportunities for new players to bring in characters as people come and go.
2. If you are interested in joining at some point, please make certain that you read the first and second post in this OCC, and the whole story (as it exists) up to that point. Then please ASK TO JOIN, by posting your interest - here in this thread - it is checked regularly, or by PMing me with a basic idea for a character.
3. You will be asked to post a brief character biography and a physical description in this OCC thread. This is simply for the purpose of helping everyone (posters and readers alike) keep the various participants/characters straight and to introduce new members to the cast. Remember, you will be playing this person for at least the course of this story so you need to feel comfortable with them. You will also need to make sure that the character is compatible with the location of Bree in this dateline. We are being as tightly Tolkien purist as we can be on this and if you want to mull over a character idea to see if it would suit, before unveiling it please do
4. This Role Play is set in Middle Earth, so we will be trying to keep all action, characters and plot developments within Tolkien’s ‘principles’. This means we stay in character and try to keep things as plausible and realistic as possible in relation to Middle Earth. The time we are setting this is 1407 of the Third Age, a time of War in the North mentioned but not greatly expanded upon by Tolkien. However, we will be bringing in material and background that is based on MERP (Middle Earth role play) and sources from Tolkien’s notes now found in The History of Middle Earth series. All this material is based entirely on the works of Tolkien and fits like a glove. However, this does not mean we will be running an RPG – this is still a Pony RP and all Pony rules apply (see below). All we will do is incorporate that information into our tales to make them a fantastic adventure with depth as well as part of the continuing story of Bree before the wars of the North.
5. Depending on the history of a new character who joins our story, some information may be given that will not be generally available. This is so that the writers of those characters can better equip themselves, and help them with the stories and situations they find themselves in. A lot of the information will be about Bree in 1407, which has been quite carefully worked out as a proper working settlement based upon a medieval European town. Eventually, as the stories progress, this information will become available to all. However, this should not give you the impression that everything has been planned out. Far from it! We’re relying on each writer’s input and imagination.
6. NO NETSPEAK, please. In the spirit of Tolkien, this site and this site's creators, please take the time to write out your posts in full English. Punctuation, spelling and grammar mistakes happen to everyone, so do your best but don’t sweat it too much – there is always the edit button. If you have access to a dictionary or spell checker fine, otherwise, just do the best you can. We also have quite a number of non-native English speakers aboard. If you’re amongst that group do not be discouraged. Help is often only an email away.
And now the really important stuff…
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BREE in 1407
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In a fold in the land between the ancient burial mounds of Cardolan and the hilly fortified ridges of Arthedain, sits the great crossroads and the town of Bree. Long fought over, and long prized. When the North Kingdom splintered, it was decided that this crossroads was too important to be claimed by any one realm and so the town was given free status. The only condition was that a castle was built on the hill overlooking the settlement, to be garrisoned by troops from each of the three kingdoms. Now the garrison is limited to six men from each land, but the bunks of Rhudaur have been empty for many years or filled by the occasional mercenary or Free Lance who claims descent and wants to get free board and lodging.
The town is a haven for travellers, mendicants, traders and thieves. The proud Inn, the ‘Kings Rest’ has seen a variety of patrons who bring fortune to the town, and the tap room of the ‘Oliphant’ serves the rest. The new walls that will protect the town in war bring builders and masons to tented villages, mingling with the traders who use the chipping by the gate to trade wares from far off lands.
Breelanders watch these visitors pass with many a comment. Sometimes they stay and join in the story of Bree; sometimes their passing is best forgotten.
For the people of Bree are proud of their heritage and place in the world and will defend the village against any attack or heresy. There are two types of Breelander. Men of Bree are those who were born in the town itself; most can trace their families back through generations to link to everybody else. There are five distinct prominent families in the town (Broadleaf, Burnbramble, Mugwort, Rushlight and Underhill) and three more that live in Breeland (Goodpasture, Sorrel, Whitethorn). There is a tradition that the oldest Breelander families are named after local plants; the tale is that the founders of the village grew into the ground in the mist of time and have stayed put. The other group are called Breelanders, people who have moved to the town and buried their roots there, but who will always be outsiders. Their children will be Of Bree, but they will always be Breelanders.
The local militia are called the Raggers or Rangers. They are foresters and gamekeepers, men who keep the wolves from the sheep, chase the bandits from the wood in the name of the mayor and trap poachers. These days they mostly trap poachers. The soldiers in the keep are derisory about the abilities of the Raggers, but they know that they can rely on them. Recently, requests have come from both Arthedain and Cardolan for a larger militia to train in preparation for war and so they are led out to practice on the green every weekend to the hoots and giggles of the village girls. More sombre is the new dwarf smith, Mufti, who makes spears and helms for the militia, and the hobbits of Fletchers row who make bundles of arrows to send to the castles of the North.
Bree – Timeline
Pre First Age.
Bombadil settles and meets the River Daughter.
Elves passing on their way to Valinor stop for a time around Bree Hill. Some stay and join the Nandor who spend some time in what will become the Shire.
First Age.
Early First Age – A human people called the Beffraen settle in the area of hills west of the Midgewater marshes. They are shy of other human folk, somewhat stunted and have a strange Stone Age culture. They are part of the people who will one day be known as the Woses.
Mid First Age- The tribes of the people of Bucho settle in Tyrn Gothed and build the first barrows. They eventually move on and join their kin in Dor Lomin after about 200 years.
Late First Age- Evil men arrive and drive the Beffraen into hiding. They do not stay long, and join the betrayal falling under Morgoth’s sway.
Second Age.
Early Second Age- The Beffraen have reappeared, but gradually drift away from the area heading south and east. Bree land is abandoned.
400- About this time, the Eriadorians, driven north by wars in what will become Gondor, settle and name their village Bree, meaning hill.
600- The first Numenorian explorers find Bree and build the first inn in the village. The land becomes more civilised under the tutelage of the visitors.
750 – Elves found Hollin by the gates of Khazad Dûm. The Road from Lindon to Greenwood and Lórien which passes Bree becomes well travelled. The Dwarves build a road south via Bree to Khazad Dûm and Hollin.
1590- Forging of the Rings of power.
1699/1700- War of Elves and Sauron washes over Tyrn Gorthad. Bree almost destroyed but Numenorians landing at Mithlond drive Sauron’s forces out, destroying an army in the Midgewater marshes. Evil spirits called Mewlips remain in the marshes from then on feeding on lonely travellers.
2000- Numenorian colony built at Annúminas.
2500-2600- A brutal war between the native Eriadorians and Númenorians, over wood and mining in what will become Cardolan, deforests the region south and east of Bree. The settlers who call Annúminas home keep out of the war except to protect Bree.
3319- The Faithful fleeing Númenόrë arrive and settle Anor A watch tower is built on Bree hill. Elendil agrees that Bree should remain forever free within Anor and plans to improve the roads of Eriador
3430- War of the Last Alliance. Bree sends a hundred men to the war, less than thirty return.
Third Age.
4- Many immigrants from the south arrive to settle Cardolan, some settle in Bree. They are a Dunnish people called the Dean Coentis, who fled an oath-breaking to Isildur. They swore allegiance to Valandil, King of Anor and married into Bree land. The curse of the oath-breakers will often appear in children of Bree who break their word. It is claimed that if they do, they will go and serve the King of the Dead in a lonely mountain cave in Gondor. Mothers use it to scare children, but it may be true.
164 – The Hillmen of Rhudaur take over an old Petty Dwarf hall at the Twisted Hill, Camith Brin, and rebel against the Dúnedain. The rebellion fails, and a great tower is built. This will be the future capital of Rhudaur.
861- Death of King Eärendur, Anor divides into three kingdoms. The great East road is the border between Arthedain and Cardolan. Both kingdoms start to fortify it. Several families of Breefolk move away from the road and found Coombe and Archet.
949- Alderion of Rhudaur tries to reunite the kingdoms. It fails, and starts the first Dúnedain kin slaying.
1084-1092- The twelve year war over the ownership of Amon Sûl and its seeing stone end in the treaty of Bree. Part of the resolution is the building of Tir Arthad and manning it with an equal garrison of all three kingdoms. At this time the office of sheriff is also created; the role is outside the control of any of the three Kingdoms. Effectively Bree is a neutral state.
1100- The first Halfling, the Harfoot family Mozftz arrive in Bree. They eventually settle in Archet and change their name to Mossfoot. The village of Straddle is founded by woodsmen and sheep farmers. They instigate the position of Wolfwatcher, a guard who is paid directly from the coffers of the Mayor of Bree.
1150- Rhudaur falls under the influence of Hillmen. The garrison troops they send are less in number than before. Some refuse to return and settle in the village once their service is up. The Kings in Camith Brin complain and by 1175 refuse to pay for troops to be sent.
1300- The Witch King and an army of Easterlings found Angmar. In the east, Arthedain and Rhudaur start to build border forts.
1332- Death of Tarostar, last of the line of Isildur in Cardolan. The new king Minalcar agrees that the King of Arthedain, Argeleb, is high king of Arnor. The Hoerkal, the Angmarian spy service stir up trouble.
1352- 1359- First Northern war, Rhudaur falls to Angmar. Camith Brin is taken over by the Hillmen, killing the last King of Rhudaur; Elagost. Argeleb dies in battle by Camith Brin in 1356. Arveleg takes the throne, but Minalcar refuses to recognise him, causing tension and skirmishing between Arthedain and Cardolan.
1381- Minalcar of Cardolan dies. He is replaced by Ostoher who forms a strong alliance with Arveleg and brings in laws that all able bodied men must train for war. The Weather Hills are strongly fortified.
1389- Malborn the Seer, the greatest of the Arthedain Seers pronounces that no man will ever slay the Witch King, causing fear in the Northern kingdoms. The story gets around the taproom of Bree, and starts a riot, burning down the old Guardhouse.
1391- A company of cavalry supplied by Ostoher of Cardolan begins regular patrol of Tyrn Gothed. They are based at the small castle of Minas Molloch some ten miles south of Bree.
1399/1400- The Great Winter. Freezing snows and fogs bring chaos to Arthedain and Breeland. White wolves prowl the woods and six farmers are dragged off by the beasts. Two families freeze in the village one particularly bad night, and men who looked out of the window swear they saw a black rider, hooded and cloaked, ride through the streets.
As the winter worsens, raiding Goblins and wargs raid up and down the East road. The cavalry from Minas Molloch destroy a particularly strong group in the Battle of Combe Downs. Rumours say that not all the goblins were killed and a troll who was with them now lives in the Midgewater marshes.
1403- The dwarf Mufti sets up his smithy in the village, sponsored by the Court of Arthedain to supply the region with arms and some armour for the militia. It is good quality, but rough. Dwarves travelling through shun Mufti, who is bad tempered and scrawny looking. They call him a petty dwarf, but do not explain what this means. He undercuts the village’s smith Theobald but the quality of his work is so poor that many stick with the old smith.
1404- The loggers of Cardolan stop logging in the Old Forest, talking about the trees moving. The forest will stay about that size until hobbits settle Buckland later in the age.
1405- A plague of Neekerbreekers means that nobody harvests herbs in the marsh for almost a year. They vanish as soon as they appeared.
1406- Death of the old Sheriff, Paterick Stonehalft of Metraith in central Cardolan. He was found dead one morning in the Gatehouse, all the cells were empty. Nobody was ever caught. A new Sheriff arrives from Arthedain.
1407- RP setting starts.
1409 – Army of Angmar raises Bree and Tir Athrad to the ground. The population hide in the Old Forest and across the Brandywine with Bombadil’s help. The elves of Lindon drive out the Angmarians.
1410- The rebuilding begins with the new Inn. The seed that will become Old Man Willow germinates.
Have fun