Nestled on the great East Road of the fallen Kingdom of Arnor lies the Shire, home of the Hobbits. This rich and kindly farmland stretches a hundred and twenty miles from the Far Downs in the west to the Brandywine River in the east, and one hundred and fifty from the northern moors to the marshes in the south. The chief township of this peaceful, prosperous community is Michel Delving, on the chalk-rich White Downs of the Westfarthing, home of the Tooks. There has not been war in the Shire since the Battle of the Greenfields long ago, and Northfarthing is now better known for its hunting and beer than Goblins and Wolves. The Southfarthing is renowned for the quality of pipe-weed, or Leaf, grown there. The Eastfarthing, home to the Brandybucks, is prized for its mushrooms. It