It certainly isn’t a surprise thatTales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Gamewould have someLord of the Ringsreferences mixed into its cozy life sim story. The depth that some of the lore and Easter eggs in the game take on is impressive, however. Whether someone only has enough basic understanding ofLotRto recognize Gandalf, or you are a scholar of J.R.R. Tolkien and know the history of Bywater and Hobbits well, there are plenty of tidbits to pick up on while playing.
ScreenRantrecently reviewedTales of the Shire, which is set between the events ofThe HobbitandThe Lord of the Ringsin a cozy little place called Bywater. As players enjoy cooking meals for their neighbors and running around helping solve riddles and forming clubs,there are quite a few snippets ofLotRtrivia and characters slipped in. In fact, there are far too many to be covered in a list of ten items, so players are encouraged to keep their eyes out while chatting with fellow Hobbits at The Green Dragon.
10Gandalf The Grey Is A Recurring Stranger
First Character You Meet, But He Doesn’t Stick Around
This is a pretty obvious one, but the first character that players are introduced to inTales of the Shireis none other than Gandalf the Grey, as he offers the player’s character a ride to Bywater. Gandalf comes and goes during the game, as is fitting given his otherobligations and roles in Middle-Earth during that time. As he says early on,he tends to show up when least expected.
Every occasion to see Gandalf inTales of the Shirefeels a bit exciting, like an old friend is visiting. He never overstays his welcome enough to take away from the game, and his appearances generally bring a dose of lore, introspection, and whimsy, just as one would expect from this wizard.
9Sandyman’s Mill, And His Nefarious Little Son, Ted
The Mill Looks Quite Similar To Its Fellowship Of The Ring Counterpart
The Sandyman family is not one of the most well-liked in Tolkien’s works, but The Mill is always described with a bit of reverence. The Mill is a prominent place in the Shire, and is the furthest building to the north, closest to Hobbiton. This is likely why, inTales of the Shire,Sandyman claims his mill is a Hobbiton Milland wants nothing to do with Bywater.
Sandyman has a young son inTales of the Shirenamed Ted.Little Ted is a bit of a handful, frequently breaking thingsand even requesting his dad purchase a catapult for him so he can see things break. Of course, later inLord of the Ringstimes, Ted Sandyman is known to be involved with ruffians and is not quite as respectable as his father was.
8Bywater Was Originally Founded By Men
A Brief Look At The Location’s History
Much ofLotRdiscussion of Hobbits revolves around Bilbo and Frodo’s hometown of Hobbiton.Tales of the Shiretakes place nearby, in the soon-to-bevillage of Bywater, an area which is also rich with lore from both before and after the time this game takes place. Bywater was a land that was originally home to men. In the game, there are small bits of this history provided, but only if players know where to look.
The best example of this isthe run-down tower located on the western side of the map. Though there is nothing at the top of the crumbling tower, climbing its steps will provide a small cutscene of the player’s character remembering the stories of battles from that time.
7Nefi The Dwarf Wanted To Go With Balin But Was Too Young
Spared From A Horrible Fate, But Not Happily
There is only one resident of Bywater who is not a Hobbit, and that is Nefi the dwarven blacksmith. Despite being a unique character to the game, Nefi’s backstory has a familiar ring to it forLotRfans. Nefi comes from the Blue Mountains and is from the lineage of Moria dwarves.She was eager to accompany the ill-fated expedition to retake Moriaalongside Balin, but was too young to be allowed to join.
Nefi’s pride for her ancestry and hope for the successful return to Moria can be taken as an optimistic look at what the future could hold. Sadly, based on the knowledge revealed inThe Fellowship of the Ring,we know that Balin’s expedition met a sad end.
6Bywater Hobbits Don’t Like Using Boats Because Frodo’s Parents Died In One
Leaving Little Frodo As An Orphan
Frodo Baggins, the iconic hero ofThe Lord of the Ringstrilogy, was the only son of Drogo Baggins and Primula Brandybuck, and was orphaned at the age of eleven. Frodo was passed around a bit and eventually adopted by his uncle, Bilbo Baggins.Frodo’s parents unfortunately drownedin a boating accident, which then led to some rumors and gossip that inevitably spread through both Hobbiton and Bywater.
InTales of the Shire, this accident would have just recently taken place. As a subtle nod to the situation, it is revealed that the Hobbits are now fearful of using boats and will only fish from land or piers.
5Mathoms Turn Up A Lot, And Are Always Being Hunted
The Hobbit Word For Trinkets They Wouldn’t Part With
A “mathom” is a word in the Hobbit language that describes a trinket or objectthat doesn’t necessarily hold any value but is something that the Hobbits will never get rid of, whether for sentimental value or collecting. In Michel Delving there is a Mathom-house where many of these types of items are displayed, essentially becoming what we would consider a museum.
Mathoms are mentioned quite frequently inTales of the Shire, though always said in quick asides that could be easily overlooked if one didn’t know the word.Nora Burrows is particularly fond of collecting mathoms, as is Daisy Took. While playing the game, players will also come to find some Mathoms which can be displayed in their home.
4Daisy Took’s Oliphaunt, Mooma, Came From Sam
And Bilbo Taught Daisy About Oliphaunts
Daisy Took, seemingly the only child that is allowed to be outside in Bywater, has a stuffed Oliphaunt toy which she takes with her everywhere and describes as her best friend. When introducing us to her beloved stuffed friend, Mooma,Daisy explains that this toy used to belong to Samwise Gamgee, but now that he is a tween he no longer needs it.
In another quest,Daisy shares that Bilbo Baggins has taught her about Oliphaunts, including telling her that they need to take baths. Likely, this was a gentle push to get the rambunctious young girl to take a bath, but it’s a charming interaction nonetheless.
3Foreshadowed As The Site Of The Battle Of Bywater
Where The War Of The Ring Comes To An End
The use of Bywater as the location forTales of the Shirebrings with it a bit of prophetical sorrowto those of us who recognize what Bywater will become in the not-so-distant future. In the game, Bywater is a beautiful and idyllic spot, free from any threat of danger or war. The Hobbits here have little to distress them beyond the bickering between Sandyman and Farmer Cotton and perhaps a cow wandering off.
This won’t always be the case, though, with the Battle of Bywater looming on the horizon. InThe Lord of the Rings,the Battle of Bywater is the last battle for the War of the Ring. As Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin return to the Shire, they see that Saruman’s forces have taken it over, and lead the Hobbits to fight to reclaim the Shire. Bywater became the center of rebellion, and many lives were lost and buildings burned.
2The Cotton Family, Particularly Farmer Cotton, Are Important Figures In LoTR History
Tom Cotton Is Much More Than Just A Farmer
The Cotton Family plays a large role inTales of the Shire, with Farmer Cotton leading the charge to get Bywater to earn its status as a village. Farmer Cotton, his wife Lily, son Young Tom Cotton, and daughter Rosie Cotton aresome of the most important NPCs that players will interact with. Yet, they are actually more than just characters for this cozy game.
Tolman (Tom) Cotton may be a prominent farmer, but he also played a significant role in the Battle of Bywater, rallying many hobbits to fight.Interestingly,Tales of the Shiredoes take some liberties by giving Lily the role of running The Green Dragon Inn, a crucial spot in the Shire for manyLotRevents. Though the movies portray Rosie Cotton working at The Green Dragon, it is never specifically stated that the Cotton Family is otherwise connected with it.
1Rosie Cotton Is Sam’s Future Wife
They Are Only Tweens, But Already Like Each Other
Rosie Cotton is the young daughter of Farmer Cotton, and becomes the head of the gardening club inTales of the Shire. She is smart and spunky and proves to be an incredibly fun NPC to get to know. This makes sense, asshe is also the future wife of Sam Gamgee fromTheLord of the Rings. Both Rosie and Sam are young tweens during the game, but the dialogue in the game makes it clear that they are both already quite smitten with each other.
Perhaps Rosie’s future prospects of marrying Sam Gamgee are part of whyTales of the Shirechose not to have romance in the game, as we certainly couldn’t take her away from the loyal member of the Fellowship of the Ring.
