Player name(s) : Sunwing34, CosmicChronos
Player rank : Builder+, Builder
Private or Public : Public
Location name : WEV3 | Turfaham
Lore : The plains of Rohan west of the river Entwash; borders the Fangorn forest on the north. Lands north of the Folde described as “a grey-green sea” of “endless miles of grass” containing “hidden pools and broad acres of sedge waving above wet and treacherous bogs.”
… a little while [after leaving Fangorn] he turned suddenly, and choosing a place where the banks were lower, he waded the [Entwash], and then led them away due south into a flat land, treeless and wide. The wind went like grey waves through the endless miles of grass. There was no sign of road or track…
‘He is steering a straight course now for the halls of Théoden under the slopes of the White Mountains,’ said Gandalf. ‘It will be quicker so. The ground is firmer in the Eastemnet, where the chief northward track lies, across the river, but Shadowfax knows the way through every fen and hollow.’
For many hours they rode on through the meads and riverlands. Often the grass was so high that it reached above the knees of the riders, and their steeds seemed to be swimming in a grey-green sea. They came upon many hidden pools, and broad acres of sedge waving above wet and treacherous bogs; but Shadowfax found the way … Looking out over the great plain, far away the riders saw [the sun] … sinking into the grass. Low upon the edge of sight shoulders of the mountains glinted red upon either side. …
‘There lies the Gap of Rohan,’ said Gandalf. ‘It is now almost due west of us. That way lies Isengard.’
The Two Towers , LoTR Book 3, Ch 5, The White Rider
‘Come now!’ said Éomer. 'The Heir of Elendil would be a strength indeed to the Sons of Eorl in this evil tide. There is battle even now upon the Westemnet, and I fear that it may go ill for us.
The Two Towers , LoTR Book 3, Ch 2, The Riders of Rohan
Turf Cutting in the Anglo-Saxon period:
“Peat, also known as turf, is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation or organic matter. It is unique to natural areas called peatlands, bogs, mires, moors, or muskegs.”
We chose the location of the village in a way that wouldn’t intrude on lore (being too close to Westemnetford), and that wouldn’t intrude on realism. The main industry of the village is peatcutting (or turfcutting as it was called at the time). It consists of cutting peat, which would be used as a replacement for firewood where it was scarce. Thus, peat will be used in for all households (there may be an exception or two), and in some instances peat will be in use in households in the other villages of the Westemnet. It wont be used however as fuel in most (probably all) bakeries, as the speed at which it burns wouldn’t be viable for the production of bread. The Westemnet, being a large plain with several moors, mires and bogs, is an excellent region for this type of farming.
To enable construction in the area, peatlands are drained (as construction on wet soil is quite difficult). Farming turf in an inundated area would also be impossible, thus we will have drains, these are marked down with blue wool.
Overhead Plan:
In-game Example:
With the peat trenches we wanted to design something that makes sense. Special types of shovels called turf spades or slanes are used to cut the turf, and pitchforks are used to remove the grassy layer above the peat. The trenches can be quite deep, but that depends on the progress of exploitation, so we will have the heights vary.
Reference Imagery:
Drainage ditch
