board77

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

The writers so far....this will be updated

Alandriel

Meltara & Bill, the local wise-woman/healer and her 'assistant'

Meltara appears as an old woman, walking with a slight stoop and often with the help of a cane blackened with age. Her weathered face beneath almost white hair (long and usually tied up in a plait reaching to her mid-back) shows countless lines as much from sorrow as joy. Her deep blue-grey eyes sparkle with mirth and wisdom.

As the local wise-woman (healer, soothsayer etc.) she deals with all the daily quibbles and complaints the inhabitants of Bree and travellers might lay at her doorstep with equanimity although the results of her potions and cures sometimes don't turn out as the enquirer initially expected.

She lives with a young assistant and pupil, Bill, a lad of now fifteen years at the north end of town in a modest yet quite spacious cottage complete with a small garden and a shed for a mule which they use on forays into the woods to replenish her stocks.


Bill came to stay with Meltara since the death of his mother (childbed fever during a subsequent pregnancy) hoping that one day his father, a soldier in the service of King Arveleg, would collect him. He never came and some years later they learnt he had perished during one of the skirmishes around Weathertop. Not being particularly strong bodied and having developed a what to other people of the town must seem a rather odd fascination with herb lore and the intricacies of making concoctions, he became Meltara's apprentice. Bill is a dark haired lad with unusual light blue eyes and rather tall and lanky for his age. Rather shy yet bright he is terribly tongue tied around pretty girls. There is especially one he admires and that's perhaps the reason why on any excuse, he likes to partake of the King's Arms fine ales on occasion.


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Dindraug

Ohtari Thomas du Foros

A male human originally form Arthedain. He is age 53 but looks early thirties. The local sheriff, he was given the position recently when the old sheriff was killed under mysterious circumstances on the Barrow downs. He also acts as the local militia captain and liaison to the castle Garrison and sits on the village council.
He is tall and good looking, dark brown hair and grey eyes. He is 6’ 2” tall and well built with soldiers muscles. He wears fine fitting clothing. A good doublet and hose of the latest Arthedain fashion with high brown boots, and a tall hat with a proud spray of feathers. In the cold, he has a fine northern cloak of double layered wool, held by a pin showing the three northern seeing stones. He carries set of fine duelling swords, and a main gauche for parrying. He owns a good quality Arthedain ash Longbow and arrows with red dyed goose feathers.
He is new to the village, having taken over form old Paterick Stonehalft of Metraith who died last year. The new sheriff is fair, and quite enlightened to the plight of lower men and has a great sense of honour. He does not like capital punishment, apart from the stocks and several of the village troublemakers has fallen foul to them. He does however like to hunt, and has a riding horse called Ladros after the highlands of Dorthanion of legend. He is also a skilled hawker, and has a peregrine called Tûk who he tries to exercise at least once a day. He is well educated; he can read and write and has a good grasp of history.
Thomas was born in a Northern Canton of Arthedain called Foros. He is the third son of a Knight who commands one of the Garrisons that watch across the En Udanoriath towards Angmar. During the fell winter of 1399/1400 Thomas and his family were cut off and almost overwhelmed by Angmarian soldiers before they were driven back by the cold. His father decided that he did not want to see the family wiped out so sent Thomas and his sister Ingrith to Fornost and later to Gondor to study. Ingrith married, and Thomas returned to be sent to Bree as its Sheriff at his fathers wish. He has since lost an elder brother in raids.

He is also the victim of unrequited Love, a secret love that he can never discuss. When he was travelling to Gondor with his sister, he journeyed with the daughter of the Captain of Fornost, Isolda. They became close friends, and fell in love. But she was already set to marry Eardil who commanded the Kings guard in Annúminas, after her studies in Osgiliath were over. Realising that this love could never be, Thomas returned to the North early and joined the Sheriffs. Isolda is due to return to be married in the summer of 1408. Thomas is not sure what he will do, he still writes to her as often as he can, and is always overjoyed to receive her letters.


William AKA Bill 'Taletall'

William was born in the the year 1471 to a moderately well off family in Tharbad. He is the Third son, and had to join the army to make his way in the. He was wounded fighting in the wars with Angmar, and claims that he still has an Orc arrow head in his leg which is why he limps. He now lives on money from telling tales in the inn or market, and his 'ample' knowledge of the countryside and map making skills; selling maps of the area and his adventures to greedy treasure seekers
He has long brown hair, graying at the temple. Weathered face, pock-marked. His rangy body is muscular but with the start of an ample midriff. He has let himself go recently, but he is always clean and bathes regularly. He sweetens his breath with mint leaves and willow bark, as his teeth are not good.
His clothes are old and battered like they have seen too many summers and not enough care. They comprise an old short tunic covering old linen brays & hose, an old jerkin in the colors of Cardolan but with no household badge, and a long battered military cloak of dark wool. He has good leather boots, a strong belt with a number of pouches and a long knife. He is not well off, something that is well known, but he does have an expensive looking scribe’s kit which he carries in a leather shoulder bag.
He has traveled extensively from his stories, but has been in the village for several years now. He earns a crust from telling tales and. He has no home of his own, but has hired the same room at the inn for as long as people can remember. He drinks ale, enjoys meat when he can afford it but would prefer to spend spare cash on honey cakes.

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Edain

Ferdus the Forester/Huntsman

Ferdus is a man who appears to be in his early thirties, of middling height and build. His eyes are blue-grey, with a ruddy complexion that is gained from living the outdoor life and copper streaked hair which falls to his shoulders. Occasionally clean shaven, he wears comfortable and well made clothes, but favouring the muted hues, greys, browns and greens, that suit his trade. Ferdus is trained as a forester, managing the woodlands around Bree, encouraging valuable species to propagate. Being a popular vocation he unable to maintain his lifestyle this way so he is often reduced to seasonal labour (coppicing, reed cutting, charcoal production amongst others) and helping Benac with his jobs. Having loved sneaking and hiding in the forests ever since he was a boy (watching plants grow is so much fun), he often brings back the odd buzzard, (ahem) to supplement the root vegetables, pulses and fruit that are the usual fare for the lower classes. Sometimes he helps out at the inn “peeling vegetables and mopping the floor”. Somewhere along the path Ferdus has “found” a sturdy Talbot, or hunting dog whom he calls Sic. Sic is an efficient creature. A keen hunter and jam-jar fisherman has found him handy with a bow, various spears and knives, (not to mention dangerous when in the vicinity of a clean jam-jar). Following such a fluid career path has put Ferdus in contact with lots of interesting and even useful people, and around friends he is often jocular and generous. He does not seem to have any close family, so his friends appear even more important. To a stranger he would appear cautious or even ignorant, though his quick eyes watch carefully. Ferdus lives in the poorer quarter of Bree, though he will often stay at a woodsman’s croft when working. Being somewhat of a wanderer he also is not averse to staying in one of his “hides” out in the woods from time to time.


Benac the Journeyman/member of the Trained Band or Militia

Benac is a large, broad man with dark hair and a greying beard. He has the looks of a man in his late thirties – early forties, with a steady, easy-going personality. A man of great strength he is nevertheless fairly light on his feet. Not blessed with the fastest of wits he finds his skills lie in his limbs and hands, he is one of those men who can manage to find an answer to almost any practical problem, as long as it does not involve numbers to a great extent. His wife is better at that kind of thing, well at least she was. His open, willing nature finds him plenty to do around the village, and at the surrounding farms, which is fortunate because he has a growing family to support: Wife (Nethelth) two kids (Benicir, and Bethelth) with another on the way. Settled in his way of life, and living in a sound house in Bree he has taken up arms with the militia to help protect his settlement and what they stand for. As the clouds gather over the three kingdoms of Arnor, any military service is welcomed and under the beady pedantic eye of the hardbitten Sarjeant, he seems to be mastering the shield and spear, and can stand in the line quite well. When he gets chance he practices with the sword, though for some reason the Sarjeant gets sniffy about this. Such minor quibbles aside Benac is a stalwart in the Bree community and loves to “cagmag” (gossip) with the best of them, and shares a pint and a “spot out of the pot” with Ferdus from time to time.

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Hunter

Ben Ferny, a peddler and odd jobs man and Cassie his daughter.

Ben Ferny is a Man of Bree in his 50’s, is of average height with a slender, wiry build and has dark brown hair streaked with gray that is thin and lank. Although his family has lived in Bree for many years, his swarthy complexion denotes a Dunlending heritage. With thin lips that rarely crack a smile and small beady dark eyes set on either side of a large, hawkish nose, he cannot be called handsome. Ferny walks with a distinct limp, an accident of nature, for he was born with one leg slightly shorter than the other. Because of this he was teased as a child and since then, has kept to himself, leading for the most part, a solitary life. Ben lives in a small house on the south side of Bree, just out of the town proper, and makes a living selling odds and ends from the back of a small, two wheeled cart that he drives through the surrounding countryside making regular rounds in Staddle, Coomb and Archet. On occasion he will make longer trips north in search of different wares to sell. When he has run low on goods to sell, he does odd jobs around town.

It was a surprise to many of the folks of Bree when Ben Ferny came home from an extended trip one spring with a pretty young woman, and they were even more surprised when it became known they were married and she was with child. Not much is known about her, for she died giving birth to a daughter and Ben is tight lipped about the whole matter. That was more than twenty years ago. Cassie, now grown and looking nothing like her father, lives with him and keeps his house. She is a pretty lass, with strawberry blonde hair, sparkling green eyes and freckles sprinkled across a pert face. She has few friends, for her father frowns upon her becoming close to anyone.

There is plenty of fodder here for me to play with: for example Cassie could work part-time at the King’s rest Inn, cleaning rooms and doing laundry or maybe even waiting tables, but only when her father is out of town. Ben is more complicated and I haven’t quite worked out which way I will go with him; he may turn out to be someone whom the sheriff would want to keep an eye on.

Impenitent

Briar-rose Feverfew

24 year old woman; dark brown brows; dark brown wavy hair with a tendency to wisp and curl about her face when it escapes her braid. Warm grey eyes beneath expressive brows, she is pale complexioned.

About 5ft 6inches, her step is quick and springy, light. She is buxom, healthy, athletic in the manner of a country girl, not that willowy nothingness affected by city maidens. Sweet faced – soft complexioned, mild-featured, apparently calm, quick to laugh and affable, she turns her hand to whatever task is required. An outsider would have to wonder why, at her age, such a comely girl has not been snapped up by a likely lad – but that gentle exterior is not to be believed.

She is named Briar for short rather than Rose, because this lass is prickly and very feisty if crossed in even the smallest thing. She has a quick and intuitive mind, a penetrating eye for fools as many of the local lads have discovered, for her tongue has a wicked way with it. She’s mercurial but not easily unsettled or frightened. Inquisitive and easily bored, keeping an Inn, with the constant parade of interesting strangers and plentiful news, is the perfect life for her. The debate that takes place in her common room feeds her curiosity about the world.

Both Briar and Brockle have a wanderlust - hers has taken her as far as the libraries of Cardolan to read what historical tomes could be found there, brought to ME by those who came from Numenor with Elendil – and she harbours a secret, foolish, unatainable dream to see Minas Anor in the far south though the roads are increasingly dangerous and uncertain. She takes charge of front-of-house at the King’s Rest, overseeing the general housekeeping and dealing with all the staff.


Brockle Feverfew

28 year old man, dark brown brows and wavy hair; warm grey eyes, pale complexioned; about 5 ft 10 inches. Shares his sister’s general looks and built – sweet faced, mild featured, he has an athletic rather than a strong build, light on his feet, though hardened with country work.

Brock is bashful, a man of few and quiet words, a little awkward and terribly self-conscious in social situations. Brock has solitary interests – he hunts with bow and arrow in the woods around Bree, on occasion going far afield to camp alone in the wilds, returning with larger game for the Inn’s kitchens. He’s terribly romantic though he tries to hide it, especially from his sister. He composes poetry and reads romantic tracts – on some of his solitary journeys he has even come across the rare bands of elves, out hunting or doing reconnaisance, and learned from them some of the old tales and songs. His only contribution in the common room is coaxed from him when the tale of Beren and Luthien is asked for – he tells it in the original verse, to the deep surprise of many.

He does the back-of-house work at the King’s Rest – maintenance, the stables, the grunt work and the finances. Brock and Briar inherited the Inn from their father when they were 22 and 18 respectively – Their father (yet to be named) died of a fever, as did many Breelanders that particular winter. Their mother (also unnamed at this stage) died in childbirth when Briar was 5 – the baby girl was still born. Their mother claimed her line descended from the house of Elendil, though in these days of unrest their ancestry means little to her children. They are Bree-folk and grateful for their relative prosperity and comfort.

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Leoba

Walter Miller, commonly known as Wat, is about 46 years old in so far as he can ascertain. He stems from the Breelander Whitethorn family, although the surname went out of use in his branch so far back as though it may as well not have been.

Wat's height and girth draw the eye to him; at 5'11" and with a build like the proverbial outhouse he'd be hard to miss even on a moonless night. His jaw was split in a fight as a youth and the scar has not healed tidily; it rucks his face up into a slightly lopsided scowl. He wears his thick mouse-brown hair cropped about his ears. His lavender-blue eyes are possibly his only redeeming physical feature. He has a sword and buckler (rather unfashionably styled and mostly for posing with), although some may also class his bagpipes as a weapon. Loud and slightly bumptious when in his cups, he's a champion wrestler. But ordinarily a pretty cool customer; he thinks he’s got life under his thumb and some might argue he has the townsfolk there too, given their obligation to provide him with a tithe of the grain he grinds for them.

His wife, Poppy, is half his age. She's pretty in a homely way, sturdy and hard working. They have a ten-month old son Jocelyn, a big fat blonde baby. Wat is utterly enamoured of Poppy and much to the amazement of the townsfolk Poppy seems to reciprocate those feelings.

Wat also has a 17 year old son, Arthur, from his first marriage. Surly and given to grunting as only a teenage lad can be, he has an unvoiced but devastating crush on his new stepmother and resents his father every step of the way as a result. Wat considers him lazy and good-for-nothing.

The mill is also home to a family of tabby-cats, two mastiffs, a cart-horse, chickens and a goat. And he has pigs up in the Chetwood. He breeds fish in the millpond. The building itself will be being sketched properly when I have the time, but is a stone-built rectangular structure and tile-roofed. There is the necessary granary alongside and a family hall house nestled completes the picture.

This photo may give a bit of an idea. And I've found this link pretty fabulous for getting my head around the mechanics:


===============================================



Nin

Here's some info about Sioban, who at the start of the RP works in the Inn as a help-out. But she would be the perfect person to enter every kind of trouble possible. Maybe somewhere a ranger is looking for her. Or an uncle...

A picture of the lady: http://www.thorgal.idk.com.pl/img/_wywi ... ban_02.JPG

Bio: Sioban
Age: 16 and a few months (when asked, she will say almost twenty)
Race: Human
Look: tall and skinny, with short hair, often mistaken for a boy.
Character: Sioban is terribly stubborn, with the certainty of youth to be right about everything and to understand life better than all of them. She can seem very arrogant, because she does not easily admit her faults. She is quickly angry and has a vivid intelligence, but in fact very little knowledge about the world ? she might have almost never seen an elf. In fact her anger is directed towards the entire world for the loss of her parents, even against the King. Once she is convinced you're not her enemy, she is a highly faithful friend, not afraid to take inconsiderate risks (which she might even enjoy).

Biography: Born and raised in her early childhood in Minas Tirith, Sioban is the elder sister of four brothers: twin brothers who are about a year and a half younger than her, another brother who is four years younger and a last who was a few months old, when her mother died .

Her father Belarod was a member of the Guard of the White Tower under King Eldacar, and her mother Aytha a healing woman in the houses of healing. The first inner conflicts that would later lead to the Kinstrife and the destitution of the king (in1437) divided the White Guard, and Sioban's father did not come back from a purely routine expedition which was led by a man known to support Castamir. The circumstances of his death remain unknown, even if an orc-arrow was planted in his chest. Her mother died only very soon after her father, apparently she had made a wrong potion and poisoned herself. Needless to say, that Sioban is convinced that both of her parents were killed.

Sioban was seven when she her younger brothers were sent to the grand-parents, living at the border of Calenardhon. Her grand-father caught a cold when he came to pick up the five children in the mid of a cold winter, and died shortly after coming home from a fever.

So together with her grandmother, whose life-forces seemed to be drawn away by so much losses, Sioban took care of her brothers and grew up and a seeming indifference and often left to herself, almost like a girl living in wilderness. It gave her a mixture between early responsibilities and complete freedom that forged her character. Her childhood was also marked by a real poverty, her grandmother being too old to take care of the farm alone, all the children being too young and the pension for war-orphans not enough to feed five hungry mouths. Sioban hates to be poor. She is envious of the rich and the powerful and would like to be one of them.

When she turned 16, her grandmother tried to take back some influence on her education and to make her behave more like a girl, wearing skirts not swearing in public and not betting on cards. She was supposed to work in the local inn as a waitress, but quickly got mingled into several fights, because of her bad temper. Sioban did not like this turn of events and after a huge argument with her grandmother, ran off, longing to keep the freedom she was used to, not willing to become a lady in any ways. Her plan was to find ancient comrades of her father - why not in Bree - and to find a place where more options of making her life would exist, even for a peasant girl.

She was well decided never to come back to the countryside, or if in a way that would make her grandmother and her brothers proud of her - and that would prove her right in her choice of life.

The road proved to be more difficult than she had expected, especially for a young girl, travelling alone - one of the reasons why she cut her hair short. Some episodes of her travelling, she won't tell easily, but Sioban does not really care a lot about questions of legality (she has stolen several times on her road) or good manners, as long as it fits her interest. She knows, how hard life can be and enjoys comfort. Recently, she has become very aware of the fact that she is a woman and wants to considered as such - although it does not mean she will wear skirts or serve a man. But she would like to be looked at by someone with eyes of love - sometimes she does feel lonely, even if she would never admit it, as long as this someone is a good-looking young man, like a certain inn-keeper

Sioban has of course no specific fighting skill or weapon (if you don't regard the knife that she says she has 'found' - but who would loose a sharp weapon with a silver grip?), but in doubt, she will swear, spit, bite, tear hair out, hit with pans, glasses or anything?

But she likes the thrill and takes pleasure in being the centre of interest, sure that a great fate and an exciting life is waiting for her out there and that she only has to pick it up. Some reverses of life have not yet convinced her of the contrary.


===============================================

lhaewin


Lily Mossfoot is a quickwitted woman in her late thirties and quite short, even for a hobbit. She has light brown, long and curly hair, which she usually braids. Her blue eyes are standing a bit apart. She has freckles all over her nose and cheeks and looks always slightly annoyed because of her pouty lips. The other women are a bit envious because she has no problems keeping her figure, although she has a normal appetite, which means that she appreciates good and plentiful food like all hobbits. Her voice is quite low and she doesn´t speak much, and to strangers in particular she appears extremely reserved.

Lily was among the first Hobbits to settle in Bree. She married Heremon Mossfoot and moved to Bree together with the whole family. Three years later her husband and her newborn daughter died of scarlet fever, which spread quickly and caused many deaths in the community.

As Lily didn´t get along very well with her husband´s family, she moved to a house of her own and earned her living as a nursemaid. Bit by bit she learnt to heal minor diseases and developed some knowledge of plants and herbs. Due to her losses Lily is very mature for her age. Women in particular soon came to appreciate her counselling and discretion not only in questions of health, but with various problems like education and relatives. Lily loves to help other people and refuses to take money, but often gets gifts or is paid in kind.

Living alone for a long time has left its traces on Lily. When her husband was alive, she loved dancing and singing, but since his death she has become shy towards men, never goes out and has only a few close friends. She has never really got over her husband´s death and turns down any advance, although she often feels lonely and depressed.

She likes to stroll through the forests on her own to collect the herbs which don´t grow in her garden, and even the Old Forest doesn´t scare her. She always carries a dagger with her and knows how to use it, although she is a very peaceable person and tries to avoid arguments, but if she feels offended, she can´t forget about it and will only talk to that person again, if absolutely necessary.

In winter she likes to do needlework for other families and teaches handicrafts to the older children of the village. She has three cats and loves all kind of pets.


===============================================


Spirit_of_the_Willow

An eighteen year old journeyman artist/carpenter/woodcarver. She’s not a beauty, but her kindness makes her seem pretty enough to those who know her.

Her mother was half elven and her father mortal, though she never knew either. Her mother left her with an old carpenter named Gwaddyn, with whom she currently lives. Her elvish blood is not really apparent in her appearance. Her ears are slightly pointed, but not much more than may sometimes be found in pure humans. Medium height, slender through hard work, and a disposition towards skipping in meadows and wandering through the woods. Her honey blonde hair, worn in a long braid, is covered with a head scarf to hold back stray tendrils when she is working. Her hands are callused and rough from working with them her whole life.

Elvea is the name her mother gave her, but she does not know that. Tasar Carme-Coacolina is the name her foster father, Gwaddyn, gave her. Tasar means willow, Carme means art or creation, and Coacolina means spirit or soul. Her second name he gave to her when he began to notice she posessed an inate artist’s eye, as well as a craftmaster’s soul.

Gwaddyn is a Breelander, one of those who moved into the area long ago, and has quite permanently settled there, establishing himself as the town carpenter, but will always be considered an outsider. His origins are somewhat of a mystery, though people have given up mistrusting him. He is a craftmaster in the truest meaning of the word, but he is not very forthcoming about where he learned his craft. He posesses a strange knife, forged not for fighting, or even hunting, but purely for carving wood. This in itself is not strange, but those who know of such things can tell that the knife is of elven make.

Tasar is very kind and friendly, so much so that she is sometimes overly naive and trusting. She doesn’t have any really close friends, although she is generally liked by everyone. She has spent so much time devoted to Gwaddyn that she did not develop any of the ordinary relationships that young girls do. But since she never had it, and she is very good natured, she does not miss it. There are some who gossip about her mysterious origins, since she just appeared one day, and Gwaddyn, in typical taciturn manner did not explain anything. And while her skills are generally admired, there are some who have serious reservations about her ability to take over when Gwaddyn eventually dies.

She can be absent minded when focused on a project, one of her favorite things to do is sit in a corner in either the Oliphant or the King’s Rest and sketch the patrons. She is very welcomed in the Oliphant, and so long as she doesn’t disturb the patrons she is allowed into the King’s Rest.
Her artist’s training has made her a keen observer, though she has had little education, merely a little informal reading and writing from Gwaddyn.

The Villagers and visitors.

These fine folks are NPC's, to be used as background in the village at need. It will be updated as new people appear and will include the originator. If you do want to use them feel free, but remember to ask permission of the originator if you want to change anything major (like killing them off, or burning their house down, or turning them into Angmarian spies).

Townsfolk

Brice Halshatz.
Halfling barfly and drinking buddy of Tobius and recent incomer to Bree. He mistrusts humans, hates Cardolan warriors; his family was killed three summers ago by Cardolan troops chasing goblins. He blames the lack of respect human’s show to Halflings for everything, but likes to keep his head down.

Farmer Giles
Farms lands between Bree and Hope-in-Dinmore to the north west. He is an old yokel, has a large family, all very stereotypical peasantry. He farms cereals and cattle, and also keeps geese. A brawny farmer, aged 40. He lives near to the mill, has a wife and three children. Stocky build, balding with ginger hair and beard, dresses in simple smock and trousers. Member of the militia.
He dislikes Halflings, sees them as the trouble bringers to the town, will blame them for everything.

Faulk Fernfoot
Sixty year old pollard, who looks after the remaining hedges about the village, just like his father and grandfather before him. He has no family, his only love married somebody else and he just didn’t get around to finding anybody else.
He is a sad, bitter old man. A veteran of the Great North War, as a boy.

The Highwayman
Allegedly, he or she rides a black horse....watch this space.

Imelda Beechberry
A very pretty young woman, about 18, still not married. She has a fiancé, Harold Ferny. He is in the army of Arthedain now, serving someplace in the North. Imelda has not seen him for almost a year, she is not sure when he is due to return. She has, recently, started to fiux her attention on Thomas du Furos, the Sheriff.

Moxie Lillywhite
Thirty something village gossip. She sells herbs which she picks from her garden or the woods, her husband is a forester. Somewhat plain to look at, she always has very clean clothing, and is well known for her cleaning tips…which she can talk about for hours.

Mufti
Petty dwarf smith, paid by Arthedain to provide Breeland with arms and weapons for the militia. He is a petty dwarf, and his family are shunned by other dwarfs travelling through. He is a competent smith, better with iron, copper and bronze than steel and gold but he has outfitted the troops with spangenhelms, spears, long single edged fighting knives and arrow heads. He has also made mail shirts for a few of the villagers but this is shoddy at best.
Petty dwarf, whose people have irked a living in the coal mines and metal industry for generations. He lives in his own smithy near the centre of the village, with his wife Culfic (you can’t really tell she is female by looking) and two sons Mafit and Muffet.
They are all about 4’ tall, and thinner and more gnarled than ordinary dwarves, their heads look too big, their eyes bulge and they have wispy beards and metal singes on their hands.
He is a very skilled, but very rough smith, and will work for anyone who pays. His wife and sons only speak their own language (a corruption of Kazdul), but he speaks Westron and the language of the Dúnedain of the North (and possibly others).

Mungbungus
Usually called old Mungbungus. Human Breelander and professional bar room bum, in his late sixties, has drunk there for years and picks up all the gossip.

Patrick Stonehaft
Old sheriff of Bree, now dead. A hero of the 1399 raid, he killed three goblins who had entered the village. He was popular, but drank too much and did not take his job seriously. He left a family in the village, his wife Mildred makes bread and beer. His death is still a mystery. He died of no wounds, one night and everybody in his cells was let out and have never been seen again.

The Honerable Porkin Beechleaf
Mayor of Bree. Master weaver. He is from the Village, but travelled to the North to learn his trade in Annuminas. He is known as a fair man, and proud of his roots in the region. He is fifty two, has three sons, two daughters and six grandchildren, and is a fine upstanding member of the community.
He is famous amongst the townsfolk for his fine doublet and capes, edged in ermine.

Revon of Fornost
Lawyer with links throughout Anor to Gondor, and beyond. He is about fifty years old, dresses down, in black, with starched white collars on his shirts and a large rimmed black hat. He is very smart, and speaks or writes several languages. Generally he keeps to himself, in his well appointed house. His wife is from Southern Gondor, and they have no children in the town. She is called Micca, and is of indeterminate age, but probably in her forties. She speaks westron with a thick accent.

Squire Fennel Broadleaf
Fallowhide Halfling, and community leader of the Halflings of Bree. His family have been here for five generations now, and he is well respected. He is 3’ 6” tall, and wears a tall hat to further increase his stature. He is 47 years old, a widower with two daughters (Coriander and Cumin) and a married son, Basil who is married to Tabitha and has a new born baby girl they have called Rosehip.

Tobias Micklehouse Fletcher
Halfling, poacher and forester. He has been in Bree for many years now, and knows Chetwood extremely well as far at Archet. He is one of the few Halflings genuinely liked by many humans, and will be happy to drink with them. He supplies the Kings Head and Oliphant with game from the woods. For a price.


Malitia

Caleb Bushberry (billman), Hough Beekeeper

Towngirls

Jillian Thistledown (Jilly, about 15), Iris (her friend), Elsbeth Hawthorn (Bess, about 17), Cassie (Ben Ferny’s daughter),

Barflys

Hough Beekeeper, Percy of Fornost, Bill the Thatch.

Garrison

Commander-
Artherdain Garrison-
Cardolan Garrison-
Rhudaur Garrison-



Transients


Malwort Intropicant Lagris & Bengaria Aluria Du Paux Lagris
Cardolan merchants, dealers in fine spices and deeds of land.
They have been robbed by the highwayman.

Nice to see this here

Frankly though, as much as part of me simply needs to write RP and would like nothing better, I won't have the time to attend to this until, well, the governance issues of B77 are pretty much finalized. And then I'll need a holiday and just fool around in Turf for awhile. Maybe try and resurrect the RP muse by dipping into the silly hijack thread.

What I'm trying to say is please don't wait for me at this point in time. I'll be reading up but since my character has not even started yet I'll most probably bow out until an opportune moment presents itself.

Good luck! I know you'll weave a wonderous tale

Well I've read the OOC and the Main thread. I have to commend you all on your attention to detail. I'm afraid I wouldn't be a great addition. I don't have the level of background knowledge required and I would not like to diminish the thread for anyone else. Also, it looks like a lot of time is required and I can't really commit.

I think I'll just sit this one out and read along. Maybe I'll be more comfortable about joiining the next one.

Alatar

I can't comment on the time issue . . . but the background knowledge . . . well at least two of us writing in this are beginning RPers . . . I can't speak for Lhaewin's background knowledge, but I certainly don't know much about this time. I haven't done much but read the Sil once. However there are lots of resources, and some very brilliant people to help with questions.

Alatar, if you've read LOTR and aren't scared to obsessively refer to the Appendices, your level of knowledge would be fine. I'm reliant on the bits Din has spoon-fed me as I'm nowhere near as much of a Tolkien geek as he is. The main thing we wanted to do in setting this in a different time period was to encourage people to explore the back history and most importantly to get away from the films.

There's as much hand holding or as little on offer as you feel you need. But if you're more content to just lurk for now, rest assured that there will be openings as we go on.



Talking of going on.... I owe RP posts to here and Seekers. I'm a busy bunny but a stubborn one, so look for something from my keyboard in the next couple of weeks. *crosses fingers tight*

Alatar wrote:

Well I've read the OOC and the Main thread. I have to commend you all on your attention to detail. I'm afraid I wouldn't be a great addition. I don't have the level of background knowledge required and I would not like to diminish the thread for anyone else. Also, it looks like a lot of time is required and I can't really commit.

I think I'll just sit this one out and read along. Maybe I'll be more comfortable about joiining the next one.

Alatar

Alatar *shakes virtual finger*. You would not diminish this thread at all. The idea of Bree is to play, and experiment and see where things go and for people with little or no experience to try things out.

what I would sugest you do though, if you really can't commit at the moment, is go along to Guru's bar and Grill, which may do for B77 what the Lucky Fortune Inn used to do. Go in, get a burger, chat up the waitress.and above all, just have fun and spread those writing wings (? dodgy anallogy )

http://www.phpbber.com/phpbb/viewtopic. ... um=board77

Oh, and that could be a good place for rampent muses to play

~

Greetings everyone. I thought it only right and fitting that the first post that I make on this new borad be here in the RP forum in a setting I feel comfortable with.

Now that I have posted Din, will you add my characters short bio's to the ooc? Thanks.

~

Thank you Hunter, that was fab *huggggge welcoming hug*

Good to see you here, and interesting post indeed

Is Impenitent going to join in? I'm trying to figure out what to do now that the Sherrif has left the Inn.

I don't think Impy has said yes yet, so for the moment, just pretend they are none written characters.

If you are not sure Willow, write what you want to write, mail me with it, and I can give you feedback

Oh and Impy, if you are reading, and have decided if your going to carry on, can you let me know babe

Ta.
x

Oh is this live now?

Cool.

Better get reading.

Oh and a big welcome to Hunter.

An' hear is to a post with less brevity soon. :cheers

~

Thanks for the welcome!

I'll need to use Mufti in my next post (he was mentioned in the timeline).

Does he 'belong' to anyone or is he one of those characters that anyone can use freely?

~

He is a freebee, but I do have some plans in the future.

Remember he is a petty dwarf, like Mim and his sons from 'Turins' saga in the Silmarillion. But yes, pleae feel free to use him.

As an aside, do we need a basic bios for the NPC's like Mufti? If so, I can put something in the second post if you like.

~

A short (no pun intended ), physical description would be helpful if you already have something in mind for Mufti and of course any information that you intend to use (that may be of use to me), would also be great. I don't want to mess up any plans you have.

For any other NPC's, my guess is that if anyone wants to inquire about them, they can always ask here if anyone has plans to make use of them.

There have been a number already introduced. These are some of them, but I may have missed others.

Steedore and wife (Posey?)- Benac's neighbor
Cherry- kitchen girl
Meg- Lilly Mossfoot's neighbor
Mr. & Mrs. Langris- travelers waylaid by highwayman
Squire Broadleaf

There have been a few times where I have taken an NPC introduced (by name only) by someone else in an incidental post and brought that character into more prominent play for a short time. It has just depended on the circumstances at the time and any schemes hatching in my mind. All of my NPC's are generally up for grabs unless I state that I have plans for them.

A general list might be helpful for reference purposes.


What does everyone else think?


~

First a maybe a bit silly question: I understand what NPC´s are, but what does the abbreviation mean?

I think it would be confusing to have more bios and a description is only necessary when the character gets important for the story.

Hello Hunter!

NPC = non player character


I personally find it helpful to have a list somewhere of all the characters that have been introduced, along with a basic description. I know it make more to read, Lhaewin, but it does save time flipping through pages of story (which we will have eventually!) and it helps maintain consistency.

Leoba, I forgot that there might be more than this one day.

In that case a list would make sense, of course.

That's ok Lhaewin, it can get confusing keeping names in play. I am working on something that will help .

What I a have done so far is to amend the third post. At tyhe moment it has brief descriptions of my NPC's to date, but it needs more. Sooooo, if any of you have put any in to your tales, can you send me a brief description and I will amend the list.

Thanks