Shirelings

When Professor Tolkien first delved into Middle Earth, it was through a bedtime story told to his son, a story that became The Hobbit. There were no eerie grave spirits, evil eyes, or great wars in this story (there was the Battle of the Five Armies, but Bilbo was asleep for the whole thing). Instead, there were talking animals, singing goblins, and a wizard throwing pinecones from up in a tree. The One Ring did not house the soul of Malice and Evil in The Hobbit, it was just a silly old ring that turned Bilbo invisible! It is this spirit of harmless fun and grand adventure that Shirelings aims to deliver for its players, in a world free from blood, guts, and evil.

In Shirelings, you and your friends will picture yourselves as a gang of imaginative young Hobbits from the Shire. These young Hobbits, which you and your friends will make up fun backgrounds for, will be imagining themselves as Heroes who roam all over Middle Earth looting treasure, saving helpless citizens, and fighting dragons. You also get to make up these Heroes!

While your Hobbits are perfectly safe, roaming through farmer’s fields, backyards, and local woodlands as they play pretend, their Heroes will be partaking in perilous adventures and thrilling quests!

These imagined adventures and quests are all set up by an older Hobbit, a Game Leader, who has gone out through the Shire to plant riddles, set up obstacles, and coerce locals to assume roles in the make believe narrative. This Game Leader then accompanies their gang of imaginative Hobbits on the crafted adventure in order to set scenes, give their players incredible powers, and provide voices and effects for all the monsters and allies their gang will encounter. 

Basically, you are playing a Hobbit who is playing a Hero on a make believe adventure set up by a friend or parent, who will play the role of the Game Leader, conjuring stories and adventures and playing all the enemies and friends your Hero encounters along the way!

New manual 17/08/24, updated for clarity, accessibility, visual appeal, and to work for a Print & Fold edition! Set your printer to flip on the short side and you will have a cute 4-sheet booklet!