Working on a Bree-lander kit

[Taurinor]

I'm posting my progress (such that it is...) on my kit write-up here, mostly to shame myself into actually working on it . If that's not acceptable, admins, please feel free to delete it!

Construction Area - Hard Hats Required

Persona

“The Men of Bree were brown-haired, broad, and rather short,”[1] which is a description that fits me better than that of any of the other Free Peoples of Middle-earth. That is one of the reasons I portray a Breelander, but another reason Bree interests me is the fact that it is a cultural crossroads of sorts (as well being located at a literal one!)[2] – Breelanders are “more friendly and familiar with Hobbits, Dwarves, Elves, and other inhabitants of the world about them than was (or is) usual with Big People”[1]. This allows my persona to have interactions with the personas of many other Middle-earth reenactors without going to great lengths to explain how that would have happened.

Ned Houndswood [3], Breelander, has always been fascinated by the travelers who pass through, especially the strange wandering folk from the East, despite the warnings of wiser Bree-folk [4]. He has spent many an evening at the Prancing Pony, listening eagerly to whatever tales a Ranger might care to spin.
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1. “The Men of Bree were brown-haired, broad, and rather short, cheerful and independent: they belonged to nobody but themselves; but they were more friendly and familiar with Hobbits, Dwarves, Elves, and other inhabitants of the world about them than was (or is) usual with Big People.” – FOTR, Book I, Chapter 9, “At the Sign of the Prancing Pony”
2. “And certainly it was from Bree that the art of smoking the genuine weed spread in the recent centuries among Dwarves and such other folk, Rangers, Wizards, or wanderers, as still passed to and fro through that ancient road-meeting.” – FOTR, Prologue, Chapter 2, “Concerning Pipe-weed”
3. “The Men of Bree seemed all to have rather botanical (and to the Shire-folk rather odd) names, like Rushlight, Goatleaf, Heathertoes, Appledore, Thistlewool and Ferny (not to mention Butterbur).” – FOTR, Book I, Chapter 9, “At the Sign of the Prancing Pony”
4. “But in the wild lands beyond Bree there were mysterious wanderers. The Bree-folk called them Rangers, and knew nothing of their origin. They were taller and darker than the Men of Bree and were believed to have strange powers of sight and hearing, and to understand the languages of beasts and birds. They roamed at will southwards, and eastwards even as far as the Misty Mountains; but they were now few and rarely seen. When they appeared they brought news from afar, and told strange forgotten tales which were eagerly listened to; but the Bree-folk did not make friends of them.” – FOTR, Book I, Chapter 9, “At the Sign of the Prancing Pony”
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As Elyon added more coals into the firepot, Ned took the opportunity to shake out his arms and roll his shoulders before taking hold of the bellows chain again. Angarth had laid down his hammer and was carefully studying the point he was forging, holding it up next to the broadhead he had removed from its shaft. The fur-trader had seemed surprised by the Ranger’s desire to acquire some of his arrows, but eagerly agreed after testing the edge on the knife that Angarth offered him.

A pull on the chain sent up a shower of sparks. Ned flinched, but Angarth appeared not to notice as he buried the point deep in the coals. It was unlike any arrowhead Ned had seen before. The discarded broadheads looked like fallen leaves, and the points replacing them were harsh and angular, with square bases drawn to a cruel point.

“What are those heads for?” Ned asked, stilling the bellows as Angarth pulled the point from the cools. The Ranger paused for a moment, the light from the glowing metal reflecting in his eyes, before picking up his hammer once more.

“Hunting.”

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(continued from “Ned’s Yule” by Ringulf)

Ned turned the package over in his hands. It had a surprising weight to it, for its small size. After finding and fumbling with a knot in the twine for what felt like an eternity, he was able to pull back the wrapping. The parcel contained a few items, but his eyes were drawn first to the knife.

“Knife” did not seem to do such a weapon justice, and weapon it was. The wide blade and thick spine would serve to cut rope or split wood, but even Ned could see that those mundane tasks were not what the smith had envisioned for it. The antler handle seemed to have been made with a dwarf’s wide hands in mind, but the heavy pommel made the large blade feel agile in the hand. As he prepared to return the knife to its sheath, Ned noticed that a series of runes had been scratched into the blade and wondered what they might say.

More runes decorated another item in the parcel, a pouch of green and brown leather that hung from a woven belt. Ned felt something move inside as he picked it up. Opening the pouch revealed a strange necklace. The chain was of woven wire, and a peculiar cut stone hung from it. He stared it for a moment, turning it over in his hand, then slowly fastened it around his neck under his hood. The wire felt cold against his neck as he smoothed his hood to better cover the pendant.

“Translate the runes on the pouch and you will understand,” Ned repeated under his breath, running a finger across the symbols on the pouch. “Maybe Butterbur can puzzle them out, or know someone what can.” After lingering a moment longer, he bundled the knife and pouch back up in their wrappings, then made his way to the inn.

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Soft kit

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My Breelander clothing is a mix of historically-informed garments from different eras. The bulk of it is based on 14th century clothing, largely because my more traditional reenacting efforts are focused on that period. The Professor stated in Letter 211 that he did not know the detail of Middle-earth clothing, but that males in northern parts such as the Shire would wear breeches, tunics, cloaks and/or mantles[1]. All of those terms can be applied to range of garment styles, so I wear a linen undertunic and drawers, wool breeches based on 17th century examples, and a green 14th century-style wool or linen tunic, depending on the weather. The tunics are buttoned up the front, which I do not believe is supported by the text, but the buttons add a sort of urban look to the garment (to my eye, at least), which I feel helps visually separate my Breelander impression from the strange folk that roam the wild lands beyond Bree. When the weather is too cool for linen alone but not cold enough for my wool tunic, I wear a light wool surcote over my linen tunic.

Because I am wearing breeches instead of hosen, I wear 18th century-style wool stockings to cover my lower legs. There is no mention of Breelanders wearing stocking, but at least two members of Thorin’s company wear stockings (in yellow and grey, respectively)[2], and since dwarves pass through Bree[3], it’s possible that Breelanders wear them as well. For footwear, I wear Bohemond’s Medieval high turnshoe. Most cultures in Middle-earth are described as wearing boots, from Aragorn’s “high boots of supple leather”[4] to the dwarf-boots worn by Eastfarthing hobbits in muddy weather[5], so it seems likely Breelanders would wear them, as well. I quite like them, but I may replace them with something with a taller shaft in the future.

If the weather is cool or cold, I wear a hood based on the one worn by the Bocksten Man, either in a lightweight brown wool or a heavier green wool. I find a separate hood more versatile than a hooded cloak, and it seems to be supported by the Professor’s clothing description of “a cloak or long mantle”[1] (emphasis mine), as well as the hood and cloak Bilbo borrows from Dwalin[6]. Rather than the purpose-built cloak of a professional traveler, I wear a wool half-blanket, either fastened at my shoulder with a forged cloak pin or rolled up and carried horseshoe-style across my chest. A leather belt holds my knife and a pouch[7] containing my fire-making supplies (see Hard Kit).

Because my vision is very poor and contacts can be difficult to manage outdoors, I wear eyeglasses in mid-to-late 18th century frames from Townsends. This is the single most expensive item in my kit, and I have found no evidence of anyone in Middle-earth wearing spectacles. Still, I need to see, and the 18th century-style frames look decidedly non-modern without being as distracting as medieval rivet spectacles would be.
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1. “I do not know the detail of clothing. I visualize with great clarity and detail scenery and ‘natural’ objects, but not artifacts. Pauline Baynes drew her inspiration for F. Giles largely from medieval MS drawings—except for the knights (who are a bit ‘King-Arthurish’)†—Sc. belong to our ‘mythological’ Middle-Ages which blends unhistorically styles and details ranging over 500 years, and most of which did not of course exist in the Dark Ages of c. 500 AD—the style seems to fit well enough. Except that males, especially in northern parts such as the Shire, would wear breeches, whether hidden by a cloak or long mantle, or merely accompanied by a tunic. I have no doubt that in the area envisioned by my story (which is large) the ‘dress’ of various peoples, Men and others, was much diversified in the Third Age, according to climate, and inherited custom.” – Letter 211
2. “’The one with the yellow stockings,’ said Bert. ‘Nonsense, the one with the grey stockings,’ said a voice like William’s.” – The Hobbit, Chapter 2, “Roast Mutton”
3. “The Inn of Bree was still there, however, and the innkeeper was an important person. His house was a meeting place for the idle, talkative, and inquisitive among the inhabitants, large and small, of the four villages; and a resort of Rangers and other wanderers, and for such travellers (mostly dwarves) as still journeyed on the East Road, to and from the Mountains.” – FOTR, Book I, Chapter 9, “At the Sign of the Prancing Pony”
4. “His legs were stretched out before him, showing high boots of supple leather that fitted him well, but had seen much wear and were now caked with mud.” – FOTR, Book I, Chapter 9, “At the Sign of the Prancing Pony”
5. “The Hobbits of that quarter, the Eastfarthing, were rather large and heavy-legged, and they wore dwarf-boots in muddy weather.” - FOTR, Prologue, Chapter 1, “Concerning Hobbits”
6. “Bilbo was wearing a dark-green hood (a little weather-stained) and a dark-green cloak borrowed from Dwalin.” - The Hobbit, Chapter 2, “Roast Mutton”
7. “From the pouch at his belt he drew out the long leaves of a plant.” - FOTR, Book I, Chapter 12, “Flight to the Ford”


Hard kit

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When out and about in kit, two pieces of gear stay on my belt and person at all times – a knife and a pouch containing a steel striker, flints, charred material, and dry tinder. Although neither of these pieces of kit are mentioned in Bree, Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin carry not one, but two tinder-boxes [1], and both the hobbits of the Shire and the Men occupying it when the four return are described with knives [2,3]. I also carry a small axe, as the four Hobbits did [1], for processing firewood, hammering stakes, and other camp tasks that are made easier by something a bit larger than a knife.

In my haversack, I carry a couple small bags containing items for hygiene and kit repairs. My hygiene kit contains a comb, soap, and a towel, which are most likely of lesser quality than the ones available at Crickhollow [4], but a little cleanliness can be a welcome luxury while out and about. My sewing kit contains needles, thread, scissors, and a few bits of cloth and leather with which to make repairs. I couldn’t find evidence of those sort of things being carried in the text, but perhaps Middle-earth has fewer briars than my neck of the woods! Not wanting make the same mistake as Sam [5], I also carry a length of rope and some pieces of leather and hemp cordage. And of course, no Breelander’s kit would be complete without a pipe [6]!
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1. “He ran to the ponies and before long came back with two tinder-boxes and a hatchet… As soon as Sam had struck a spark into the tinder, it kindled the dry grass and a flurry of flame and smoke went up.” – FOTR, Book I, Chapter 6, “The Old Forest”
2. “Already, apart from many younger lads, more than a hundred sturdy hobbits were assembled with axes, and heavy hammers, and long knives, and stout staves: and a few had hunting-bows.” – ROTK, Book VI, Chapter 8, “The Scouring of the Shire”
3. “With a long knife in his left hand and a club in the other he made a rush at the ring, trying to burst out back towards Hobbiton.” – ROTK, Book VI, Chapter 8, “The Scouring of the Shire”
4. “‘We can’t begin life at Crickhollow with a quarrel over baths. In that room there are three tubs, and a copper full of boiling water. There are also towels, mats and soap.’” – FOTR, Book I, Chapter 5, “A Conspiracy Unmasked”
5. “'Rope!' he muttered. `No rope! And only last night you said to yourself: "Sam, what about a bit of rope? You'll want it, if you haven't got it:" Well, I'll want it. I can't get it now.'” – FOTR, Book II, Chapter 3, “The Ring Goes South”
6. “And certainly it was from Bree that the art of smoking the genuine weed spread in the recent centuries among Dwarves and such other folk, Rangers, Wizards, or wanderers, as still passed to and fro through that ancient road-meeting. The home and centre of the art is thus to be found in the old inn of Bree, The Prancing Pony, that has been kept by the family of Butterbur from time beyond record.” – FOTR, Prologue, Chapter 2, “Concerning Pipe-weed”


Food and water

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My trail rations tend to be some combination of bread, apples, cheese, nuts, salt-cured (shelf-stable) bacon, lentils, oats, barley, dried mushrooms, and coffee. The bread[1], cheese[1], and apples[2] are some of the foodstuffs mentioned at the Prancing Pony, and can be eaten while on the move or with little preparation in camp. Nuts also fall into this category, and while they are not mentioned in Bree, they grow in the Anduin river valley[3] and Mirkwood[4], so may be present in other regions of Middle-earth. Mushrooms and bacon are cooked together in “mighty” Buckland dish at Farmer Maggot’s house[5], and Merry and Pippin find that salted pork had been traded to Isengard, as well[6]. Barley is grown in Northfarthing[7]. Given that there is evidence of some trade between Bree and the Shire[8], it is possible that Breelanders might also be familiar with these ingredients. Another foodstuff of the Shire, coffee, is familiar to the dwarves of Erebor[9], and so it is possible that coffee might also be recognized in Bree. Lentils and oats do not appear to be mentioned in the text, but both are easy to carry and easy to prepare over a fire, so I carry them knowing they might not be appropriate to Middle-earth. I carry foods that can be eaten on the move in my haversack, while the rest is carried in a portmanteau (made by Greg Lammers), along with some cookware and a salt horn.

To boil water for my lentils, oats, and (perhaps most importantly) coffee, I carry a copper bean boiler made by Backwoods Tin and Copper. While I can’t be completely sure that it is appropriate to Middle-earth or Bree, the hobbits carry a small camping kettle[10] and Butterbur provides cans of hot water[11] at the Pony. Both of those descriptions are quite vague, though. I also carry a small ceramic mug[12] for my coffee and a pewter spoon with which to eat my oats and lentils. If I can spare the weight, I sometimes carry a small steel pan, perhaps not unlike those carried by Sam[13], for cooking bacon after soaking it in water to decrease the salt level (otherwise I use it to provide seasoning to the lentils). If cooking for more than just myself, I carry a larger ceramic pipkin and a turned wooden bowl; otherwise, I eat straight from the boiler.

I carry my water in a large leather costrel that I made, which holds approximately 2 liters. Leather bottles have a long history of use in our own past, and are used by men living along the river near Dale[14]. The details of Frodo's water-bottle are not given in the text, but it was slashed by orcs in Minas Morgul[15], so there is a good chance that it may have also been made from leather. These examples suggest the use of leather bottles in two different cultures of Middle-earth, so it is possible that they were used in Breeland, as well.
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1. “There was hot soup, cold meats, a blackberry tart, new loaves, slabs of butter, and half a ripe cheese” – FOTR, Book I, Chapter 9, “At the Sign of the Prancing Pony”
2. “Sam was chewing an apple thoughtfully. He had a pocket full of them: a parting present from Nob and Bob.” – FOTR, Book I, Chapter 11, “A Knife in the Dark”
3. “…he would lade them with food to last them for weeks with care, and packed so as to be as easy as possible to carry—nuts, flour, sealed jars of dried fruits, and red earthenware pots of honey, and twice-baked cakes that would keep good a long time, and on a little of which they could march far.” - The Hobbit, Chapter 7, “Queer Lodgings”
4. “’The time is not yet come for nuts (though it may be past and gone indeed before you get to the other side), and nuts are about all that grows there fit for food…’” – The Hobbit, Chapter 7, “Queer Lodgings”
5. “There was beer in plenty, and a mighty dish of mushrooms and bacon, besides much other solid farmhouse fare.” – FOTR, Book I, Chapter 4, “A Shortcut to Mushrooms”
6. “’And this is first-rate salted pork. Or I can cut you some rashers of bacon and broil them, if you like.’” – TTT, Book III, Chapter 9, “Flotsam and Jetsam”
7. “…everywhere there was so much corn that at Harvest every barn was stuffed. ‘The Northfarthing barley was so fine that the beer of 1420 malt was long remembered and became a byword.” – ROTK, Book VI, Chapter 9, “The Grey Havens”
8. “‘Well, if you’d called for anything else, I’d have been happier,’ said Butterbur. ‘That’s just a thing that we’re short of, seeing how we’ve only got what we grow ourselves, and that’s not enough. There’s none to be had from the Shire these days. But I’ll do what I can.’” - ROTK, Book VI, Chapter 7, “Homeward Bound”
9. “Some called for ale, and some for porter, and one for coffee, and all of them for cakes; so the hobbit was kept very busy for a while.” – The Hobbit, Chapter 1, “An Unexpected Party”
10. “They filled their bottles and the small camping kettle at a little fall where the water fell a few feet over an outcrop of grey stone.” - FOTR, Book I, Chapter 3, “Three is Company”
11. “Mr. Butterbur had arrived with candles, and behind him was Nob with cans of hot water.” – FOTR, Book I, Chapter 10, “Strider”
12. “Much too vigorously; for he came down, bang, into a tray full of mugs, and slipped, and rolled off the table with a crash, clatter, and bump!” “…Butterbur, picking up the tray and gathering up the broken crockery.” – FOTR, Book I, Chapter 9, “At the Sign of the Prancing Pony”
13. “All hobbits, of course, can cook, for they begin to learn the art before their letters (which many never reach): but Sam was a good cook, even by hobbit reckoning, and he had done a good deal of the camp-cooking on their travels, when there was a chance. He still hopefully carried some of his gear in his pack: a small tinder box, two small shallow pans, the smaller fitting into the larger; inside them a wooden spoon, a short two-pronged fork, and some skewers were stowed; and hidden at the bottom of the pack in a flat wooden box a dwindling treasure, some salt." – TTT, Book IV, Chapter 4, “Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit”
14. “Very soon there was a fine commotion in the village by the riverside; but Bilbo escaped into the woods carrying a loaf and a leather bottle of wine and a pie that did not belong to him.” - The Hobbit, Chapter 9, "Barrels out of Bond"
15. “‘But they’ve taken Faramir’s food, and they’ve slashed up my water-bottle.’” - ROTK, Book VI, Chapter 1, “The Tower of Cirith Ungol”


Sleeping

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There is no mention of Breelanders sleeping rough in the text, and given their mistrust of the “wandering folk” [1], it seems unlikely that any of them do much wandering themselves. I enjoy going to camping events with other forum members, though, so I carry sleeping gear. While Frodo, Sam, and Pippin [2] and the three hunters [3] make do with just their cloaks and blankets, I carry an oilskin ground cloth and tarp in addition to my own. I use the ground cloth (made by Brett Holmes) over leaf litter or pine needle bedding, and the tarp (a commercially available 8’ x 8’ from Tentsmiths) keeps rain off and helps to trap heat from the fire. If I am expecting it to be very cold, or if I don’t have far to carry my gear, I carry a single-pelt sheepskin rug to further insulate my core from the ground.
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1. “'Well, you know your own business, maybe,' said Mr. Butterbur, looking suspiciously at Strider. 'But if I was in your plight, I wouldn't take up with a Ranger.'” – FOTR, Book I, Chapter 10, “Strider”
2. “Then, each in an angle of the great tree’s roots, they curled up in their cloaks and blankets, and were soon fast asleep.” – FOTR, Book I, Chapter 3, “Three is Company”
3. “Gimli shivered. They had brought only one blanket apiece.” – TTT, Book III, Chapter 2, “The Riders of Rohan”


Weapons

The only weapons Breelanders are described with are cudgels [1] and clubs [2], and Butterbur’s shock at the gear of war worn by the returning Hobbits [3] suggests that such things are not commonplace in Bree. As such, I carry a stout walking stick that could double a club at need.
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1. “When they had called many times, at last the Gate-keeper came out, and they saw that he carried a great cudgel.” - ROTK, Book VI, Chapter 7, “Homeward Bound”
2. “‘Oh have they? I’ll learn them,’ came Butterbur’s voice, and out he came with a rush, and he had a club in his hand.” - ROTK, Book VI, Chapter 7, “Homeward Bound”
3. “‘Ah, that you haven’t, Master, more’s the pity,’ said Butterbur. ‘But it’s no wonder they left you alone. They wouldn’t go for armed folk, with swords and helmets and shields and all. Make them think twice, that would. And I must say it put me aback a bit when I saw you.’ Then the hobbits suddenly realized that people had looked at them with amazement not out of surprise at their return so much as in wonder at their gear. They themselves had become so used to warfare and to riding in well-arrayed companies that they had quite forgotten that the bright mail peeping from under their cloaks, and the helms of Gondor and the Mark, and the fair devices on their shields, would seem outlandish in their own country.” - ROTK, Book VI, Chapter 7, “Homeward Bound”

[Elleth]

Nice writeup! That took some combing I'm sure!

You know, it still bugs me that the town guard had no better than clubs even in the middle of the War of the Ring. I'd have thought they'd at least have some spears and old rusty helmets laid by in some dusty storage room, but evidently not. I presume the Professor was intentionally building a pastoral, peaceful atmosphere, much as he no doubt knew in rural Edwardian England.

I wonder if there's some "implied space" there however. I like to imagine the town watch had seen so little danger in the centuries previous that it had degraded to a vestigal town office - a way to keep some beloved old man or two in bread and cheese on the town purse after his family passed on and he could plough no more.

[Ringulf]

Glad to see you back on the project! I have gotten a new wind and inspiration to jump back and start quantifying my kit. I have an assemblage of items that have been considered my kit. But I think I will go back to the persona during the time period of the War of the Rings when he was stationed in the Shire itself charged by the Rangers of the North to infiltrate observe and report upon the goings on there. As soon as I figure out how to replace my Photobucket pictures I will start putting up some of the continuations of projects and some of my newer endeavors. Many thanks to you and the rest of the forum for inspiration by example!

[Iodo]

Amazing, that's far more resurch than I have ever done the apparent lack of weapon in the shire and Bree area surprises me as well

[Peter Remling]

Nice writeup! That took some combing I'm sure!

You know, it still bugs me that the town guard had no better than clubs even in the middle of the War of the Ring. I'd have thought they'd at least have some spears and old rusty helmets laid by in some dusty storage room, but evidently not. I presume the Professor was intentionally building a pastoral, peaceful atmosphere, much as he no doubt knew in rural Edwardian England.

I wonder if there's some "implied space" there however. I like to imagine the town watch had seen so little danger in the centuries previous that it had degraded to a vestigal town office - a way to keep some beloved old man or two in bread and cheese on the town purse after his family passed on and he could plough no more.

More than likely the Town Guard was similar to the local city/town Police Depts of England. Constables didn't carry weapons other than billie clubs and any serious issue would have the Military called out. This would keep most weapons of the day out of the hands of the common people with exception for knives or daggers. Of course the elite would be exempt being nobility and all.

So they only weapons that might be kept would be heirlooms like Bullroarer's.

[Taurinor]

Thanks, guys! It's getting there - just got my Soft Kit described and put up there. I think Hard Kit will be the most difficult, since it's mostly everyday items that don't necessarily get explicitly mentioned. I'll see what I can find, though!

You know, it still bugs me that the town guard had no better than clubs even in the middle of the War of the Ring. I'd have thought they'd at least have some spears and old rusty helmets laid by in some dusty storage room, but evidently not. I presume the Professor was intentionally building a pastoral, peaceful atmosphere, much as he no doubt knew in rural Edwardian England.

the apparent lack of weapon in the shire and Bree area surprises me as well

I'm sure you're right about the Professor's inspiration, Elleth, and the Shire and Breeland had been kept in an artificial state of peace by the Rangers -
[quote="FOTR, Book II, Chapter 2: "The Council of Elrond""]"'Strider' I am to one fat man who lives within a day's march of foes that would freeze his heart or lay his little town in ruin, if he were not guarded ceaselessly. Yet we would not have it otherwise. If simple folk are free from care and fear, simple they will be, and we must be secret to keep them so. That has been the task of my kindred, while the years have lengthened and the grass has grown."[/quote]
Since they had been protecting Bree in secret, I suppose they couldn't really roll up and explain what had been going on and that the Bree-folk should probably work on arming themselves now that the Rangers had to ride to war. I don't know that the Bree-folk would listen even if they did, although they do realized the truth of the matter eventually -
[quote="ROTK, Book VI, Chapter 7: "Homeward Bound""]‘How long will that be?’ said Butterbur. ‘I’ll not deny we should be glad to have you about for a bit. You see, we’re not used to such troubles; and the Rangers have all gone away, folk tell me. I don’t think we’ve rightly understood till now what they did for us. For there’s been worse than robbers about. Wolves were howling round the fences last winter. And there’s dark shapes in the woods, dreadful things that it makes the blood run cold to think of.’[/quote]
The hobbits of the Shire are able to arm themselves more effectively than the men of Bree, if you can believe that!
[quote="ROTK, Book VI, Chapter 8: "The Scouring of the Shire""]Already, apart from many younger lads, more than a hundred sturdy hobbits were assembled with axes, and heavy hammers, and long knives, and stout staves: and a few had hunting-bows.[/quote]

[Ringulf]

Amazing, that's far more resurch than I have ever done the apparent lack of weapon in the shire and Bree area surprises me as well

Well he does have a Dwarven seax....

[Kortoso]

This is the result:

I notice the high angle of your camera; it gives the sense that you are (in this photo) perhaps shorter in stature than men.
Perhaps accidental, but thoroughly appropriate!

[Taurinor]

I notice the high angle of your camera; it gives the sense that you are (in this photo) perhaps shorter in stature than men.
Perhaps accidental, but thoroughly appropriate!

The "high angle" is just my wife taking the picture and being 6" taller than me, haha! I'm only 5'2", so no real camera tricks are needed

[Ringulf]

No worries Taurinor! I have always felt you were great in stature and of good bearing. You are the type of man that a Dwarf doesn't mind looking up to!

[Taurinor]

Hard kit, weapons, and sleeping gear are up - the "hard kit" write-up was probably the most difficult to document. Well, technically the "sleeping gear" section was, in that it really couldn't be documented for a Breelander. The "weapons" section was quite easy

I may include, in either the "Persona" section or a separate section, a series of short, fictionalized accounts of my interactions with other forum members to demonstrate how being part of a larger community has influenced my kit development. Assuming that is acceptable to the admins and that I have the writing chops for it, of course!

[Udwin]

Oh wow. I don't know why I'm just now seeing this, but WELL DONE, sir! Get your pictures together and you'll be right at home in the Complete Kits section of the merwiki. Excellent digging and justifications!

[Mithdir]

I love the two photos you posted, the clothing has that perfect “Bree” feel. Excellent job, can’t wait for more pictures of your kit.

[Taurinor]

Oh wow. I don't know why I'm just now seeing this, but WELL DONE, sir! Get your pictures together and you'll be right at home in the Complete Kits section of the merwiki. Excellent digging and justifications!

Thanks! I should be able to take pictures of my cooking gear/food and and my sleeping gear once the snow melts, but I'll have to get my wife's help for soft kit pictures and I need to actually buy a pipe before I get my hard kit pictures. I'm leaning towards a clay bowl with a reed stem, since there's evidence of the use of ceramics in Bree and a reed stem will be easier to replace when I eventually break it, but I haven't found one that feels right yet. I may end up getting one from Townsends to serve as a placeholder while I look for one I like better, but we'll see!

[Taurinor]

Got a picture up for my sleeping gear, and the barest strokes of the "Persona" section. Getting there! ... Slowly