Breelanders (Bree, Archet, Combe, Staddle)

"The Men of Bree were brown-haired, broad, and rather short, cheerful, and independent: they beonged to nobody but themselves; but they were more friendly and familar with Hobbits, Dwarves, Elves, and other inhabitants of the world about them than was (or is) usual with Big People. According to their own tales they were the original inhabitants and were the descendants of the first Men that ever wandered into the West of the middle-world."

- J.R.R. Tolkien. FotR. "At the Sign of the Prancing Pony"

From the Middle of the Third Age, Bree was inhabited by a mixture of both Humans and Hobbits, lovingly, who lovingly named each other the 'Big and the Little Folk'. The origin of the human Breelanders is obscured in the mists of time, but it is believed that their forefathers migrated from an ancient human people that originally dwelled near the White Mountains in the Dark Years during the Second Age and later moved to what is now called Dunland. Some adventurous settlers still went on further, finally reaching a tall wooded hill near to the ancient burial sites now called the 'Barrow-downs'.

The human Breelanders were short, broad and had an affinity for 'floral names' (cf. Butterbur - the old and established family who run the renowned Prancing Pony Inn, Ferny, Thistlewool). They settled on and in the adjoining area around the hill (which in their old tongue they named 'Brú') founding the township of Bree and the smaller villages of Archet and Coombe.

Around TA 1300 Hobbits began to settle in and around Bree and founding the village of Staddle. Bree is the only place in Middle-earth where Hobbits and Humans live beside each other in harmony.

Geographical Location

Bree was located at the crossing of the Great East Road that passed from Rivendell to the Grey Havens and the Greenway (formerly called the North-South Road that linked Arnor and Gondor via the Gap of Rohan). Politically it belonged to the Realm of Arnor.

With the demise of Arnor in TA 1974 the North-South Road fell into disrepair. The war between the remnants of Arnor and the evil realm of Angmar depleted Eriador of its inhabitants and so Bree fell more and more into isolation. Only Dwarves would travel from time to time over the East Road and stop by the Prancing Pony Inn, but Bree was definitely past its prime.

Capital: Bree
Other Places of Importance: Archet, Staddle, Coombe, Chetwood
Population: Humans and Hobbits

Historical Overview

Founded probably during the first half of the Third Age - no precise date is given - by settlers hailing from Dunland. Around TA 1300 Hobbit settlers started to arrive from the east seeking refuge from the growing darkness in Mirkwood.

In TA 1601, Hobbit settlers left Bree to found the Shire by decree of King Argeleb II of Arthedain.

With the fall of Arthedain in TA 1974, Bree felt a growing isolation. The northern Dunedain became a dwindling people and their old dwellings to the north of Bree were deserted.

After the end of the Watchful Peace and Sauron's return to Dol Guldur in TA 2460, the Orcs in the Misty Mountains started to multiply and grew bolder and more daring. Travelers from the East became very scarce.

In TA 2745 the Orcs from the Misty Mountains launched attacks on Eriador, which were countered by the Dunedain of the North. Three years later in TA 2748 the worst battles with the Orcs come to an end.

The floods that follow the Fell Winter of TA 2911 caused the destruction of the remnants of Tharbad, thus making traveling south even more dangerous.

From approximately TA 3000 onward, refugees from the south start arriving in Bree, fleeing the rumors and the threat of Mordor. Among them were travel spies - both from Sauron and Saruman.

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