Theme

We are fortunate to be one of the cultures in Middle Earth about which Tolkien gave some specifics within the text of the trilogy. Because the town and its people are described in some detail within the books, the local administration and +ruler of Bree are very confident in supporting the theme of Bree staunchly. We tend to bend a lot but break very rarely.

Combat

The word 'combat' is almost a misnomer of any activity involving weapons in Bree. We generally do not have anything which compares to combat in other cultures, but now and again there is a need for drawn weapons, and this file is to help you be prepared for when such times arise.

When there is combat, it is usually brief, more like a cowardly attack on someone than an ongoing fight. Also, we occasionally have the need for a fight with a beast. Combat in Bree is mild compared to other places. We don't cut off people's heads and show them to their mothers. We don't drink blood. We don't fry up intestines (well, you'll have to talk to Barliman about that). We attack; we win or lose; and we generally rue the fact that it had to come to blows. Even the baddies of Bree probably aren't too eager to fight - they are likely much more in favor of robbing someone's house while they are away at work, picking their pocket, or simply bullying their way into money. Blows -are- exchanged, but they aren't long-lived very often, and only in extreme cases do they ever reach the point of someone dying.

Weapons:

• The Bree Blacksmiths are able to forge axes, bows, clubs, dagger, short swords, and staffs.

• Weapons are available for anyone to purchase, though you must have a good reason for your character to have one to be able to purchase one.

• Weapons are not cheap - please see the pricelist in the Blacksmith Shop for specifics. If you wish to purchase a weapon, please +mail BAD stating that you wish to do so and giving your reasons.

• NOTE: Barehands is likely to be the most often-used choice here. Not many people at all need a sword, and precious few would use an axe for anything other than chopping wood. Bow would probably be used mostly for hunting. Bandits and constables, as well as the few hobbits who would carry a weapon, are the only people who would generally have daggers.

• Staffs are probably popular among old men and those who need physical support. Club might possibly be the most thematic (non-barehands) weapon for Bree, as many people, upon being forced to draw a weapon, would completely fail to find one on their person and would likely pick up the nearest medium-sized stick.

Armor:

• The Armour Smith of Bree can outfit both Hobbits and Humans in all kinds of leather armour. Metal armours haven't been needed for so long in this land that the Smiths have all but forgotten this aspect of the craft.

• It should be noted that the average Breefolk never ever needs armour. Purchasing it will require a very good IC reason.

• Armour is not cheap - please see the pricelist in the Blacksmith Shop for specifics. If you wish to purchase some armour, please +mail BAD stating that you wish to do so and giving your reasons.

Combat Registration

Being combat registered is not required, nor is it necessary to enjoy your RP in Bree. However, it is recommended, as there are things that you will not be able to do if you choose not to register. You will not be able use the CS system, though you can still RP combat. You cannot +learn any languages (This is not something that most Breefolk would ever do, though.) And you would not be able to be a +healer. No player who is combat registered is required to engage in combat. However, registering will set your stats and allow you to carry weapons and armour, if appropriate for your character.

1. A two-week period of activity in Bree is required before you can apply to combat-register. Once you've been around a few weeks and settled in to the culture, you should +mail BAD-BB and request a combat-quiz.
2. When you receive the quiz, use the files under help combat to answer the questions and submit the quiz to BAD-BB.
3. Assuming you passed, a member of BAD will need to run through a quick combat RP session with you, after which you will be approved for combat registration.
4. Go to the Registration Room, in the Combat Room, in the OOC Room, and follow the directions there.

Government

Bree Proper has a government of sorts. Everyone gets along for the most part, but now and then some sort of governing body has to settle disputes. The following outlines the government system of Bree.

• The figurehead and leader of Bree, ICly, is the Head of the Town Council. He is elected by the people and serves a specified period of time (OOCly, BAD calls for a new election whenever one is needed) as mediator and chairman of the governing body.
• The Town Council is made up of the Guild Masters, as well as Barliman Butterbur and the Head Breeguard. These are the people to speak with if you have any complaints involving Bree as a whole.
• The Council has a Town Meeting at intervals which they as a group decide. Citizens of Bree are welcome to attend these meetings.

Guilds

What They Are

Guilds are a loose association of people with similar skills or jobs. In Bree, there are four: the Merchants Guild, the Craftsmans Guild, the Farmers Guild, and the Healer's Guild; and they wield political force as well as economic.

The Merchants Guild includes shop owners and traders.

The Craftsmans Guild is, as suggested by its name, composed of those who make things.

The Farmers Guild applies to owners of farms either crops or animals, or both; as well as hunters, trappers and the like.

Healer's Guild is for healers.

If you feel that more than one guild might be appropriate for your character, choose the one that is your primary work. For instance, a carpenter might open a small shop to sell his own work: he would belong to the Craftsman Guild not the Merchants because his primary work is carpentry. He could be a carpenter without the shop.

There are an unlimited number of apprentices and journeymen allowed in the Guilds, but only one master in each. These four Masters, along with Barliman Butterbur (as owner of the only Inn in town), the elected Head of the Council and the head of the Breeguard, make up the Town Council. (There are still apprentices among the people who do not belong to a guild, but no journeymen.)

How They Work

• The guilds set the prices for their members' goods. These prices may be determined after much arguing in a Town Council meeting, or they may be set arbitrarily, but beware of rebellion. ;) They also set the level of quality that will be accepted for selling in their stores.
• The guilds assign masters of known quality to teach apprentices joining the guild.
• They choose which of their members will take on certain tasks; for instance: which merchant will be in charge of this year's trading caravan to the Shire.
• They collect fees for membership, in return guaranteeing guild-members a fair price for their goods, instruction from other, more advanced members, and some amount of assistance in the event of catastrophy. This pool of fees is also what is used in the event the Council decides some public work, such as repair of the Gates or upkeep of the Great Eastern Road, is necessary.

Named stores in Bree will be assumed to be owned by members of the Merchants Guild. Kiosks, or portable shops, such as the pipeweed wagon and Smokey Blackthorne; will be assumed to be freelance. Stores will have set prices, which are higher than wagon-shops; but may also be assumed to have a guaranteed quality. What you get at the shop will vary wildly. You may pay much less and get an excellent bargain, or you may go home with trash. Guilded stores can buy only from other guildmembers, and guildmembers can only sell to Guild-owned stores.)

General Pricing Guidelines As a baseline, non-guildmembers selling an item may RP receiving half the posted price for that item shown in a shop. Apprentices of the guild receive 60 that price. Journeymen receive 75. For guildmembers, half of the difference is given to the guild. Don't panic, you don't have to have a math degree to play this. ;) Something in the proper vicinity is just fine, we won't come hunt you down if you're off by a penny or two.

As an example: You are a farmer selling carrots. Apprentices and Journeymen of the Farmers Guild may sell to the General Store. Using the price currently on the menu (100 cp), an apprentice will receive 60 of that - or 60 cp. He will then pay 5 cp (half the difference between the 60 cp he got for being an apprentice, and the 50 cp a nonguildmember would presumably have received) to the guild and keep the rest. A Journeyman would receive 75, or 75 cp; and pay 8 cp to the guild. These prices can't be changed except by the guildmaster.

If, however, you have chosen not to belong to the guild, you must sell your carrots either to one of the non-guild shop owners, or directly to the customer. If you sell to a shop, you receive a base price of half the posted price (50 cp), plus whatever you can bargain for. :) If you sell directly to the public, you get whatever you can con them into paying. And, of course, you pay no membership fee. So you may end up with more money that a guildmember, you may end up with less, or you may end up not being able to sell your crop at all.

Should I Join One?
You do not need to belong to a guild. There are both advantages and disadvantages to doing so. Here are some of each to help you in making up your mind.

Advantage: Guildmembers are guaranteed a price for their goods.
Disadvantage: The guild sets this price and you cannot change it.

Advantage: The price guildmembers receive is generally higher than non-guildmembers.
Disadvantage: Some portion of this increase must be given to the guild as a membership fee.

Advantage: The guild offers free instruction from more experienced members. Hence, you will likely learn more and faster.
Disadvantage: Non-guildmembers are free to attempt to negotiate their price higher when selling.

Advantage: You are guaranteed that your crops, or crafts will be sold.
Disadvantage: You have to sell them only to stores which belong to the Merchants Guild.

Advantage: People may be more inclined to buy from a Guildmember, knowing that the Guilds guarantee the quality of all work sold under their name.
Disadvantage: You might be an apprentice for a long time, if you are a slow learner, or if someone in the Guild hates you and continually says your work isn't up to standard. Remember, this is political as well as economic. :)

Advantage: You are guaranteed someone to teach you whose work is also of a certain quality.
Disadvantage: You aren't allowed to choose your own master, and if you are assigned to someone whom you hate, you're stuck with them.

How Does This Apply to Me? If you want to join a guild, you may choose to be either an apprentice or a journeyman. This should be based on your character's age and skill. Generally, younger characters will be apprentices, and older ones will be journeymen. But this isn't set in stone. If you are older, but changing jobs, be an apprentice until you learn the ropes. Feel free to ask the LAs when you are submitting your history (or any other time) if you're not sure which to choose. You can either RP joining the guild, by RPing with any member who is a journeyman (or the master); or, if no one is available, you can simply +mail bad-bb asking to be titled appropriately. The titles look as follows: Jeweller, Apprentice Craftsman; or Baker, Journeyman Merchant, etc. If you join the guild as an apprentice, the guild will assign you a master who will teach you the trade you have chosen. And the guild will decide when your work is of appropriate quality to move up to journeyman.

If you decide not to join a guild, your title will simply be Jeweller's apprentice, or Baker, etc. Apprenticing is still the most common, indeed, almost only, way of learning a trade. Boys and girls apprentice themselves to someone more experienced. When they have learned all that their master can teach them, or their master feels they have reached a reasonable leve of skill, they are no longer an apprentice, and can either set up in business for themselves, or continue working for their old master, only for pay instead of knowledge. There is no particular test or standard that you must reach to end your apprenticeship, as there is in the Guilds.

Diplomacy

Or, How We Feel About Our Neighbors

"The men of Bree 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."

Bree stands at a crossroads and is a natural gathering place for travellers passing through, though there's fewer of those than there used to be. Here's how most of us view Outsiders: your character's opinions might differ very slightly, but you should try to stick fairly closely to these guidelines.

• Shirefolk - We're usually on good terms with our western neighbours, and trade with them for pipeweed, amongst other things. The Shirefolk, being peaceable hobbits, have never caused us any trouble (though they may not be able to say the same for us.) Bree hobbits regard Shirefolk as colonists - it's /our/ claim to be the oldest settlement of Hobbits in the world, after all, founded long before the Brandywine was crossed - still, some Bree hobbits have Shire relations.
• Dwarves - Parties of Dwarves can often be seen journeying on the Great East Road, going to and from the Mountains. Although they may be a bit gruff, Breefolk generally like them because they bring money and goods and once rebuilt the South Gate. They can be rowdy on occasion, though.
• Dunlendings - Our southern neighbours. We share some very distant heritage with the Dunlendings, having common ancestors who migrated north from the White Mountains. We occasionally receive their merchants, but otherwise regard these uncouth southerners neutrally. Their troubles are of no concern to us.
• Rangers - These mysterious wanderers loiter around Bree and say very little. We regard them with suspicion - aside from their silence and height, it's rumoured they have strange powers of sight and hearing, and can speak with bird and beast. Oh, they can tell fine tales when they've a mind, but we don't befriend them.
• Isendrim agents - We don't know that these folk are agents. To us, they're just other humans from around here or the lands down south, travelling merchants and the like. A suspicious-looking and rather ugly man has, however, sometimes been seen in the Pony...
• Yfelwydan humans - Although not really a group in particular, these humans sometimes cause trouble and things go missing while they're around. Some are outcasts from Bree or have a history here; others we don't know. May be mistaken for Rangers.
• Other humans - Occasionally we'll get a caravan or visitor from some strange place like Gondor or the other side of the Misties. Strange visitors are taken neutrally and judged by their own actions.
• Elves - Breefolk rarely travel east (the lands are empty and the roads dangerous), and the Fair Folk are seldom seen by us these days. For some, Elves are becoming the stuff of legend: fragments of old tales and half-forgotten stories. If Breefolk do encounter one of those elusive Elves, we'd be polite but distant - after all, the business of the four villages is our main concern. Events outside our borders don't mean much.
• Orcs - The Orcs of the Misty Mountains and foothills rarely make it to Bree, mostly due to the Rangers' control - but we don't realize this. To us, Orcs are the goblins of fairy stories, evil, twisted ... and far removed from everyday existence.
• Trolls - In 3026, there was a major troll attack on the Breelands. The culprit is now dead (RIP Lou) but he managed to cause a great deal of damage to our South Gate. There has also been a troll encounter in the fields outside the North Gate. Trolls are not fun, but dangerous, and they eat our livestock and sometimes our people.
• Wargs - Eat sheep. Not good. Rarely seen around Bree.