Hobbits

Hobbits

Other Names:
Halflings, Shire-folk, Holbytla (Rohirric for hole-builder)

Origins:
Unknown, initially come across by other races in the Valley of the Anduin

Location:
The Shire - Arthedain.

Language:
Hobbitish - A very informal sub-dialect of Westron.

History:
Little is known about where exactly Hobbits came from, only that they were first discovered by other races in the Valley of the Anduin, between Mirkwood (at that time known as Greenwood the Great) and the Misty Mountains. Any possible genealogical ties to the race of Men had been long forgotten by now. Here they lived close by the Eotheod (the ancestors of the Rohirrim) and as such many names and words in Hobbitish bear a resemblance to Rohirric. At this time Hobbits were separated into three distinct types; the Harfoots, the Stoors and the Fallohides.

Around TA1050 the majority of the Hobbit race suddenly left their homes in the Valley of the Anduin and migrated across the Misty Mountains. All three types of Hobbit took different routes across the mountains settling in Breeland and along the banks of the Loudwater, south of the Trollshaws, on the borders of Dunland. There is no documented reason for the trek, although it coincides with Sauron’s power growing and a shadow falling over the Greenwood.

There were distinct differences between each type of Hobbit before their trek. The Harfoots lived on the lowest slopes of the Misty Mountains in hobbit holes dug into the hillsides. They were the smallest of the Hobbit-types and with the darkest skin, and it is rumoured that they had contact with the dwarves of the mountains from time to time. They were the first to begin the trek over the Misty Mountains, settling in the area around Weathertop.  

The Stoors lived on the marshy Gladden Fields where the Gladden River met the Anduin; Smeagol, later Gollum, was a Stoor. The Stoors preferred flat land and water to the hills and hobbit-holes of the Harfoots, and were of a broader, heavier build than the other Hobbits. They were most reluctant to leave when their kin crossed the Misty Mountains, and many stayed in the Gladden Fields, though those settlements are long gone now. Those that did follow their kin, chose to follow the Loudwater south, first settling along it’s banks near the border of Dunland.

The Fallohides were the least populous of their kin, and preferred to settle in trees and woodland, and had more contact with elves than the rest of their kin. They were also taller and slimmer, with fairer hair and paler skin. When they followed the Harfoots across the Misty Mountains they crossed North of Rivendell and chose to follow the River Hoarwell through the Ettenmoors.

It took many years but eventually all three types of Hobbit arrived in Breeland, the land between the Weather Hills and the Brandywine (formally known as Baranduin). The distinctions between the types of Hobbit began to blur at this time as the three varieties intermingled more. The hobbits created many settlements in this land, usually with a Fallohide as their leader; it is sometimes thought that it was the Fallohides who encouraged the Harfoots to continue west into Breeland proper after settling near Weathertop.

In TA1601 Two Fallohide brothers, Marcho and Blanco were granted permission, by the King of Arnor, to cross the Brandywine and settle the land beyond. This event, known as the Crossing of the Brandywine marked the beginning of the Shire Reckoning. The majority of hobbits followed the brothers, abandoning most of the settlements they had made in Breeland aside from Bree itself and some small surrounding villages for their new home, The Shire.

The Hobbits of The Shire swore allegiance to the kings of Arnor but were only required to keep the roads and bridges in repair and aid their messengers while acknowledging their lordship. All hobbits maintain that they sent a company of archers to aid in the fight against Angmar at the Battle of Fornost but there are no records to backup this claim. The kingdom of Arnor was destroyed and in the absence of any king the Hobbits elected their first Thain, Bucca of the Marish.

Bucca founded the Oldbuck family who later crossed back across the Brandywine to found Buckland and changed their name to Brandybuck and their patriarch became the Master of Buckland. The title of Thain was instead given to the Took family. While the Thain was in charge of the Shire Moot and Muster and the Hobbitry-in-Arms this was a mostly ceremonial position due to the uneventful life of the Shire. The real power lay with the Mayor of Michael Delving, who was in charge of the post and the Shirrifs.

The only time The Shire was ever attacked was in TA2747 when Orcs from Mount Gram, led by Golfimbul, were met by Bandobras ‘Bullroarer’ Took on the field of battle in the Northfarthing. Historically, the Bullroarer charged the ranks of the the orcs and knocked Golfimbul’s head clean off with a wooden club. It sailed straight down a rabbit hole and simultaneously the battle was won and the game of golf invented.

Culture and Daily Life
Hobbits leave peaceful lives, and are by nature neither cruel or vindictive. While they were wandering, before settling in the Shire, they adapted easily to different customs and languages of those they came into contact with, but they have now settled into a comfortable lifestyle. They enjoy the non-adventurous life of farming, smoking, eating and drinking.

Socialising, especially in the local inn, is a favoured pastime and a Hobbit will eat seven meals a day if possible. The seven meals are as follows: Breakfast, Second Breakfast, Elevenses, Lunch, Afternoon Tea, Dinner, Supper. Hobbits tend to celebrate occasions with feasts and the giving and receiving presents; usually mathoms, which are objects of some age and little use which are gifted and re-gifted over many generations.

While Hobbits were once far more adventurous, they are now shy of the Big Folk and suspicious of those who are not from the Shire, referring to all people not of The Shire as Outsiders. They are, as a whole, content in their home, far from danger, ignorant of the goings on of the world.

They typically reside in burrows, otherwise known as smials, and while some are small and simple, and others large and luxurious (like the Great Smials of the Took family), they all share the similarity of having round doors and windows and being above all things, comfortable.

The Shire itself is split into Four Farthings: the Northfarthing, the least populated area of the Shire and the site of the Battle of the Greenfields, Westfarthing, the most populated part of the Shire, home to Michael Delving (the chief town in the Shire) Tookborough, Hobbiton, and Bywater, home of the Green Dragon. The Southfarthing is the most rural and fertile part of The Shire and home to Longbottom, the premier site of pipeweed production. The Eastfarthing borders the Brandywine, and Buckland. The original home of the Oldbuck family, the Hobbits of the Eastfarthing tend to answer to the Brandybucks rather than the Thain or Mayor. Buckland itself is on the East side of the Brandywine, bordering the Old Forest. The Hobbits of Buckland grew a high hedge named the High Hay to protect them from the forest. The most important town in Buckland is Bucklebury, home to Brandy Hall (the home of the Brandybucks) and the Bucklebury ferry, a small unmanned raft used for crossing the Brandywine. The only other crossing point is the Brandywine Bridge. The hobbits of Buckland are less naive than those of The Shire. Buckland is not technically part of The Shire

The Hobbits have very little in the way of a militia, their only form of organised defence being the Shirrifs. There are 12 Shirrifs, 3 for each Farthing. They are recognised by the feather in their hats and carried a sturdy walking stick to deter ‘strange folks’. They answered to the First Shirrif, stationed in Michael Delving and were a voluntary force. They also deputised additional hobbits who were known as the Bounders.

The Shire had an advanced agricultural system but never progressed to industrialisation. They also has an efficient postal system, with the Mayor of Michel Delving being Postmaster. The Shire also has an unmentioned line of defence, the Dunedain of the North who helped prevent those with evil intentions enter The Shire, keeping travellers mostly limited to small groups of elves travelling to the Grey Havens and dwarves travelling to and from their mines in the Blue Mountains.

Crafts and Warfare
Hobbits are skilled in the arts of farming, cooking, growing (and smoking) pipeweed. They also enjoy recounting their own genealogies (although have long forgotten any relation to the ‘Big Folk’.

Hobbits are not particularly skilled in the art of warfare, however they can move silently when they wish and are naturally gifted with projectile weaponry such as bows and slings.

Appearance

Hobbits are usually between 3 and 4ft tall, have large hairy feet with thick, leathery soles, and pointed, slightly elf-like ears. Their hair is usually thick and curly and their faces round and jovial. Their clothes tend to be of bright colours and fairly simple design, predominantly made from fabrics such as linen, cotton or wool, although the wealthier hobbits may have patterned and more expensive fabrics such as velvet or silk.

Male hobbits usually wear clothing suitable for working in the fields such as loose white shirts and either shorts or ¾ length trousers (often with suspenders), adding a waistcoat or tweed vest when not. Hobbit women tend to wear dresses with floral print for special occasions and more simple dresses of plain bold colours for every day, or possibly an overskirt with a chemise and possibly a lace-up bodice.

Hobbits may live around 100 years, although the Bullroarer lived until 130.

Relations
The Hobbits are reclusive and suspicious of strangers although they had former connections to the Dunedain of the North.

Notable Members
Past
Marcho
Blanco
Bucca of the Marish
Bullroarer Took
Present
Bilbo Baggins
Smeagol