Breeland

**Breeland** was a land in Eriador, west of the Shire, centered around Bree-hill and the town of Bree. It was inhabited by Gwathuirim people known as Bree-folk, as well as by Hobbits, and prospered off of the traffic in the intersection of the Great East Road and the North Road.

## Description

Bree-land was a lowland area with a hill and a small forested area in its northeastern part. The climate was moderate with warm and moist prevailing winds from the Sea. The prevailing language of the land, as far as is known, was Westron.

Bree-land was about twenty-five miles in diameter. Normally it could be approached via the Great East Road coming out of the Shire in the west, and from the Greenway from north or south. The township of Bree lay within this land. Other villages were Combe, Staddle, and Archet, home to a mixed population of both Men and Hobbits.

## Geography

Breeland was cented around Bree-hill and nestled into the Breeland forestlands known as Chetwood, and contained four main settlements:

* **Bree** was on the south-western side of Bree-hill, the major township of the area with the famous *Prancing Pony* inn.

* **Staddle** was populated primarily by hobbits who made a living from light agriculture, of pipeweed, which the hobbits were especially fond of smoking. Staddle was on the south-eastern side of Breehill, sitting south of Combe and Archet. It was the only of the villages (other than Bree itself) visible from the East Road.

* **Combe** was populated primarily by Men, with some hobbits, all of whom made a living from agriculture. Combe was situated on the borders of the **Chetwood** and on the edge of Breehill, between the villages of Archet and Staddle.

* **Archet** was the settlement furthest north. Located in the Chetwood, it was populated primarily by Men.

## History

The origins of its inhabitants are obscure, but apparently they were descended from the Gwathuirim, the indiginous people of Eriador and Enedhwaith, and were therefore akin to the Dunlendings. The Breefolk moved far to the North during the Dark Years, seeking shelter around Bree-hill, and so managed to survive through the violent history of Middle-earth until they were absorbed into Arnor.

With the construction of the North road connecting Arnor with Gondor, they prospered off of the traffic across both that road and the Great East Road, which intersected along Breeland. It was also the only place of Middle-earth where Men lived with Hobbits on a daily basis: the population of the Bree-land had become a mix of Men and Hobbits, who had migrated away from Angmar's threat around TA 1300. The ratio varied between each of the four townships of the Bree-land. In any case, they were still thriving in Bree long after Arnor had collapsed and the memory of fallen kings faded into the grass. The now independent land enjoyed the (unknowing) protection of the Rangers of the North.

In TA 2940, Thorin passed by Bree on his way back from Dunland where he looked in vain for his father Thrain. There he encountered Gandalf the Wizard who learned of a plot to assassinate Thorin, which roused his suspicion of rising darkness. This meeting hatched the Quest of Erebor which was begun the next year.

In TA 3001, Frodo Baggins and his Hobbit companions likewise passed through Bree, where they met Strider and narrowly evaded a Nazgul attack on the town. They left the next day into Chetwood and out to Midgewater Marshes, heading towards the Weather-hills. The town was mildly harassed during the War of the Ring, and later became part of the Reunited Kingdom.