BREE

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Helpfiles

Theme

Combat

Travel

Theme

     First of all, the theme of this MUSH is that of Middle Earth, as outlined in the trilogy The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. If you are unfamiliar with these books, it's okay. You can still RP here. However, you are  strongly encouraged to read the chapters in Book I of  The Fellowship of the Ring that concern Bree, specifically: Chapter 9 "At the Sign of the Prancing Pony", Chapter 10 "Strider", and Chapter 11 "A Knife in the Dark". Also, if you are planning on being a Hobbit, it is recommended that you read The Hobbit in order to understand their nature. Finally, speaking with an Admin can also help you get a better grasp on theme.
        Bree is a peaceful community, by the standards of current Middle-Earth. Our timeframe is set before the events recorded in the Lord of the Rings, and after those recorded in The Hobbit. However, the future is a clean slate... the ring has been passed to Frodo, and the events of the future are still unknown to any. So we must pave our own way. 
        Bree is a town of men and hobbits, a multi-racial community like no other on Middle-Earth. Relations between the men, who are the majority of our people, and the hobbits are as good as they could be. Generations of man and hobbit families have lived together, and no tension exists.
        No other races live here. Dwarves are fairly common, often travelling through via the Great East Road. Men from the south and other areas pass through often, usually being treated well, yet with reservation. Hobbits occasionally come over from the Shire to enjoy talk and drink at the Prancing Pony, but this is not a daily occurance.
     The men known in Bree as the 'Rangers' can often be seen in town or at the Pony. They defend Bree (and the Shire) from dangers the townspeople never suspect exist, yet are not looked upon as local heroes. In general, most Bree-folk regard these shifty-looking warriors as scoundrels, and do not place trust in them.
        Trade is important to this town, sitting at the crossroads of two important roads, the North Road, known locally as The Greenway, and the East-West Road, known as the Great East Road. Charges for services tend to follow a barter-system when done between two Bree-landers, while those from away will find themselves charged in silver coins, with a hefty additional charge for being from out-of-town. Under no circumstances will services be granted to those such as Orcs or Trolls. Outsiders trying to buy weapons will generally be turned down, or charged outrageous prices.
        Bree is not land of  warrior-folk and is not a land used to war or invasion. Peaceful skills are much more prolific than those that lend themselves to bloodshed.
     In general, you should be playing someone with a rural-outlook, maybe even bumpkinish, and certainly naive about the outside world. Most Bree-landers doubt the existence of Elves, having never seen one, and think of Orcs as 'the goblins in children stories'. As far as events in far-off lands, or strange creatures, or Nazgul, or wizards, the Breefolk will likely have heard of them from Rangers and other travelers, but it is also likely that we would be doubtful about their existence. When Aragorn comes to visit, he is known as Strider. When Gandalf passes through, he is just Gandalf, that old and eccentric man who brings the fireworks. Please keep the spirit of Tolkien's descriptions of Bree in your mind while you play, and enhance the experience for everyone. 

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Combat

     First of all, this is almost an oxymoron. Combat does not even HAPPEN that much in Bree, and that which does happen is unlike combat RP elsewhere on the MUSH. When there is combat, it is usually brief, more like a cowardly attack on someone than an ongoing fight. Also, Breefolk occasionally have the need for a fight with a beast. Combat in Bree is mild compared to other places. Breefolk don't cut off people's heads and show them to their mothers. Breefolk don't drink blood, nor do they  fry intestines (well, you'll have to talk to Barliman about that). 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 they also almost never reach the point of someone dying. I have only witnessed one character death in Bree, and that was when a troll (you know, the big 14 foot guy whose weapon was a TREE?) attacked Bree's gate.
     Now, the weapons which can be used by Breefolk are: bare hands, club, dagger, shortsword, staff, bow, and axe. Using Barehands is the most often-used choice here. Few people need a sword, and precious few would use an axe for anything other than chopping wood. Bows are used mostly for hunting. Bandits and constables, as well as the few hobbits who would carry a weapon, are the only people who generally have daggers. Staffs are popular among old men and those who need physical support. Clubs are possibly the most thematic (non-barehands) weapons for Breefolk, 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. The point is that fighting is likely something you won't do very often, and when you do it will be raw and kinda clumsy, not like the smooth, sleek sword-swinging you have probably pictured when you read the battle on the Fields of Pelennor.

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Travel

     The travel policy of Bree is restrictive. It is the Admins belief that Tolkien created the Breefolk to be a community largely concerned with itself - not really worried about seeing or participating in events in the outside world. Some amount of travel is necessary to maintain relations with 'neighbors' of course, but 99% of all Breefolk would never leave their home. There are exceptions, however, now and again, and these include:
     1) All traveling must be approved by the Admins of Bree as well as the culture you are traveling to. Though you may love the thought of going to the Shire in May, the Shire may have a good reason not to have many visitors around just then.
     2) The only cultures which are available for Breefolk to travel to are The Shire, Dunland, and Ered Luin. The latter two will only happen under very special circumstances.
     3) All IC travel must fall in line with IC travel time restraints.
     4) Travel will only be permitted for characters for whom it is IC for them to travel.
     5) Admins can, once a player has proven they are responsible enough to handle it, give them an 'open' pass to travel, which will only require the other culture's permission and notification to the Admins. (This is assuming the travel is considered thematic by the Admins)

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