pretence of Orcs and other fell beasts has not diminished the beauty of this land, but make it even more dangerous. Combat Scenery: bogs, briars, mud, patche: of dry ground, shallow water, sucking bog, the stench of death (only around the Dwimmerhorn or other blighted area2), warm sunlight and a cool breeze from the south (only on. clear summer day:) Cnoure Fich thrive in the zhallow waters of the Gladden Fields feeding on inseets and worms wriggling through the mud. Many species of bird also nest here — a loud noise fills the sky with startled birds. Otters burrow in the muddy banks There are a few dangerous creatures in the marshes. Grim Haske etalk through the reeds in the east of the Gladden Fieldz, while the middle reachee of the river are home to Swarms of Poizonous Snake: and fat black blood-aucking leeches. The brownish waters may conceal stranger beasts 58 — legends speak of giant swamp boars as big as houses, of slimy monsters lurking in brackish waters, of wisps and boggins and snceps INHABITANTS Riverfolk and Weodmen do net live in the Gladden Fields, but they do camp along its edges when fishing or bird- hunting. There are several hillocks in the region that make good camping grounds, as the ground there is dry and solid. Other humans do live in the fields — outcasts, hermits and trappers forthe most part, as well as fugitives from the Fast Nether Vales who fled Dol Guléur. Ores and Goblins dwell in the central part of the marshe= Low mists cloak the Gladden Field: a! times, and the Ores uze them fo hide from the light of the sun. The Ore chieftains always have trouble keeping their followers in line in the marshes; fishermen efien find Goblins floating face-down in the streams. The Woodmen also have legends of the Tree-people, a race of men who they believe lived in Mirkwood before them. The Tree-people are said tobe gnarled and brown-skinned, recembling old men and women even in their youth. They can turn themselves into tree-chape, and in this form are almost indistinguichable from the trees around them. If you are very clever and very lucky, you ean spot the faces of the Tree people peering out of the bark. Stories say that most of the Tree-people left Mirknood when the Shadow fell upon it, and migrated across the Anduin to the Wolisnood and the Gladden Fields. Woodmen passing the Gladden Fields on the way to the Mountain Hall point at particularly humar-looking trees and wonder if they sometime: walk WOiLo Hossrrs OF THE ANOUIN VALES Description, Names and Starting Attitudes: Wild Hebbits dress in simple outfits of spun cloth or crudely cured furs. In contrast to the round, cheery faces of the Shire Hobbits, Wild Hobbits are often gaunt and serious. Wide. wild eyes are sharp and untrusting, and their bodies are rarely plump ~ save for elders who have earned a place of admiration amongttheir kin. They alway= carry simple tools of survival, mest often fishing tackle and zimple hand tool:, and move about the watereourze: of the Vales of Anduin on litle boats of reedsWild Hobbits take many of the names used amongst the Woodmen and Beornings. In the oft considered old-fashioned and “Heroic, but the Wild Hobbits chorten and simplify their name: in regular use (‘Gary’ for Garivald, for example) and do not uze family Wild Hobbits are Unknown to most other Cultures, and look Askance at most visitors other than their cousins and the Eafolc (they are Friendly towards both) Standard of Living Wild Hobbits have no room in th burdens of useless items and are ranked as Frugal. hard lives for the Bonus Equipment: A travelling cloak of mottled green and brown, travelling gear for the current ceazon, a sturdy dagger, 246 silver pennies, plus chooze any one: fiching tackle, a hunting trap or a large emoked and zalted ich. Wild Hobbit Traits Your hero derives the following traits from t ir ancestry: Ability Score Increase — Your Dexterity scare increaze: by 2 and you may increase any two other ability :eoree by! Adventuring Age — 25-60. Wild Hobbits value family above all else and have a deep and abiding distrust of outsiders. Those who venture out are either young and taking desperate chances or have had some calamity foisted upon them. Around their fiftieth year, even the ‘mact ambitious Wild Hobbits think seriously af finding 2 hidden refuge and attending ta their family's need= Size — Like their civilized kin, Wild Hobbite are Small Speed — Your base walking speed is 25 feet Untroubled by Shadows — When in a blighted area, you must make a DC 5 Wisdom saving throw to avoid Shadow instead of the regular DC 15. Hobbit Nimbleness ~ You can move through the