Gold Hills - Geography & Ecology
The makeup of the Gold Hills is told in its name. Most of the countryside is fertile rolling hills between several stands of old forests. Bordered on the north by the Wildlands and to the west by the Central Mountains the kingdom is protected by the large curve of the Velikaya River and the Chandler Cowles River from incursions by any of the human kingdoms. Most Hin refer to the Chandler Cowles River as simply the Big Water and to the Velikaya River as the Big River. "The comfortable lands" is how many Hin refer to their territory.
The Dark Shire contains the Hobart Rivulet and the Murk Forest as the only areas inside of the Kingdom where visible danger lurks, although tales of the Old Forest are told to every young Halfling child.
The Central Shire combines both the Kings Seat and Mayors Seat at Michel Delving which is the largest town in Gold Hills. The center of Michel Delving is the four post square. This is where the Postal Road, the Greenway and the North Route all start and run to the various Mayors Seats. The Long South Road also leaves from this point and travels through Stock to the 'last town of the Shire' Bree and eventually reaches all the way to Loosend outside of Gold Hills.
The North Shire has the Mayors Seat at Hardbottle easily reached by the North Route from Michel Delving.
The South Shire has the Mayors Seat at Stock the second largest town in Gold Hills. The small village of Scary tucked away on the edge of the Old Forest and Central Mountains reached by taking the Old Forest Way from Frogmorton. This is the only place with any mining and the occasional chance to meet one of the dwarven folk. The Wetway Path leads from Stock and winds along the eastern edge of the marshes to reach the small hamlet of Budgeford on the Water. The town of Bree is the last town of the Shire along the Long South Road and is the traditional border of the Gold Hills.
The West Shire has the Mayors Seat at Tuckborough. The Chetwood takes up a large part of this Shire. The Postal Road links Tuckborough and Michel Delving.
The East Shire has its Mayors Seat at Bywater on the Big River {the Velikaya River} and is connected to Michel Delving by the Greenway.
As Hin have a tradition of eating well Plorkins are the traditional pocket meals that most farmers carry with them for a snack during the day.
Forests of Gold Hills
- Murk Forest
- Old Forest
- Bindbole Wood
- Woody End
- Chetwood
- Dwimordene Wood
