The Shire
The Shire is a region found within the land of Eriador.
The country of the Shire is a land of peace and pastoral beauty, where hobbits dwell in seclusion from the world at large.
In former times, Men were seldom seen there, though Dwarves often passed through the Shire as they travelled to the Blue Mountains from their lands in the East. More rarely still, Elves could sometimes be seen in the woods as they journeyed to Mithlond, the Grey Havens beyond the borders of the Shire, where they cross the Sea into the Utter West.
Dark things seldom threatened the hills and meadows of the Shire. Largely this has been because hobbits are very good at keeping to their own business and not being noticed by others. But Little Folk would be aghast and unbelieving if they only knew the lengths to which Gandalf the Grey and the Rangers of the North have gone to ensure the country's peace. Now, though, even the Shire cannot escape the notice of the Shadow in the East.
- Level: 1 - 13
- Factions: The Mathom Society, The Inn League and The Yonder-watch
- Crafting: T1 (Apprentice), T2 (Journeyman)
- Neighbouring: Bree-land, Ered Luin, Evendim, Cardolan
- Introduced: The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, April 2007
Locations
Areas
(Ordered by main quest-level)
The Delving Fields
- Capital of the Shire: Michel Delving
- Stable-master, Milestone, Auction House, Barber, Clerk of Kinships, Notary, Vault, Hobby Master, Outfitter, Reflecting Pool, vendors
- Michel Delving's Craft-fair: Forge, Oven, Workbench, Farmlands nearby
- Crafting guilds: Cook's Guild Hall
- Factions: The Mathom Society and The Inn League
- Villages:
- Events: The Shire Race-track
- Quests: mainly 1 - 10
- Town: Bywater
- Mailbox, Grocer, Provisioner, Tavern Keep, vendors
- Crafting: Forge, Oven, Workbench, Supplier, trainers
- Events: Farmers Faire
- Villages:
- Crafting: Farmlands, Workbench, trainers
- Quests: mainly 7 - 10
- Village: Tuckborough: Mailbox, Grocer
- Extraordinary landmarks: Great Smials, Methel-stage
- Events: See Methel-stage for details
- Quests: mainly 8 - 12
- Village: Needlehole: Stable-master, Mailbox, Supplier
- Quests: mainly 9 - 10
- Village: Overhill
- Mailbox, Grocer
- Crafting: Campfire, Workbench, Expert Woodworker
- Quests: mainly 9 - 10
- Camp Site Fire
- Extraordinary landmarks: Bag End, The Party Tree
- Events: See the Party Tree for details
- Quests: mainly 9 - 11
- Village: Stock: Stable-master, Mailbox Outfitter, Tavern Keep
- Extraordinary landmarks: Bamfurlong, Bucklebury Ferry
- Quests: mainly 9 - 11
- Town: Budgeford
- Quests: mainly 10 - 11
- Creatures: mainly 10 - 12
- Town: Brockenborings
- Stable-master, Milestone, Skirmish Camp, Tavern Keep, vendors
- Crafting: Forge, Oven, Workbench, Supplier, trainers
- Village: Scary: Mailbox, Grocer
- Events: Spring Festival Games
- Quests: mainly 11 - 13
- Main village: Nobottle: Milestone, Stable-master, Mailbox, Quartermaster, vendors
- Villages: Gamwich, Long Cleeve, Tighfield: Stable-master, Quartermaster, vendors
- Crafting: Farmlands
- Factions: The Yonder-watch
- Quests: mainly 20 - 23
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Instances |
Player Housing |
| The Shire Homesteads [36.5S, 73.2W] |
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For more detail, see The Shire Deeds |
For more detail, see The Shire Titles |
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Creatures
For rare, signature, unique and named creatures, see the Shire Quest Creatures.
Crafting
Crafting Tier(s):
- Apprentice and Journeyman
Resource Locations:
- Apprentice: All areas except the two for Journeyman
- Journeyman: Greenfields and North Bridgefields
- Primarily: Michel Delving's Craft-fair
- Farmland - Hobbiton-Bywater, South Fields (near the craft fair)
- Forge - Brockenborings, Budgeford, Bywater, Michel Delving's Craft-fair
- Oven - Brockenborings, Budgeford, Bywater, Michel Delving's Craft-fair, The Party Tree
- Workbench - Brockenborings, Budgeford, Bywater, Hobbiton-Bywater, Michel Delving's Craft-fair, Overhill
- Study - The Mathom House (requires Acquaintance with the Mathom Society)
Lore
In the year 1601 of the Third Age, the Fallohide brothers Marcho and Blanco led a group of Hobbits west from Bree and crossed the Bridge of Stonebows (later known as the Brandywine Bridge) and settled in the empty land they found. This became year 1 of the Shire-reckoning. King Argeleb II, the tenth King of Arthedain and a direct ancestor of Aragorn, granted the Hobbits this unused land and thus it became The Shire.
In III 2340 Hobbits expanded the Shire to include also Buckland, and Brandy Hall was founded, though Buckland was never considered part of "the four farthings of the Shire". Little is told about the history of the Shire, except for genealogical details about families, such as the Baggins, Brandybucks, Tooks, and many more. However...
On 22 September TA2890 Bilbo Baggins was born, and a few decades later his adventures would bring focus on the Shire. A fateful morning in TA2941 an old bearded man with a blue pointed hat approached Bilbo and soon the Quest of Erebor began, chiefly taking place in the East. Eventually Bilbo brought back to Bag End treasures that greatly enriched hobbits all of the Shire, but one of the smaller items, a modest ring, would also prove extremely hazardous, though not at once. In TA3001 Bilbo leaves the Shire and settles down in Rivendell, after giving the One Ring to Frodo.
In TA3017 Gollum (the former bearer of the One Ring) was released from Mordor, probably shortly after he had revealed "Baggins" and "Shire" to Sauron. The Shire was still innocently unaware that the Dark Lord soon would begin the War of the Ring and their farthings were at stake. In middle April TA3018 Gandalf tells Frodo about the One Ring and its powers and hazards, urging him to leave the Shire promptly, though Frodo hesitated, he was slow and it took him more than five months to set out. On September 23, the day after his fiftieth birthday, Frodo set out from Bag End with Sam and Pippin towards Crickhollow in Buckland (where Merry would join them on the quest). Already that night they found themselves pursued by the Black Riders, and in LOTRO that is the night a new hobbit character sets foot upon the Shire.
Maps
The Shire maps
The Shire Detailed maps
Regional maps
Gallery
| Regions within the Land of Eriador
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Angmar • Bree-land • Cardolan • Dunland • Enedwaith • Ered Luin • Eregion • Ettenmoors • Evendim • Forochel • Gap of Rohan • Lone-lands • Misty Mountains • Nan Curunír • North Downs • Swanfleet • The Shire • Trollshaws |