Interior:The House of Tom Bombadil

In the Old Forest, between Buckland and the Barrow-downs, stands a welcome sight: the home of Tom Bombadil and Goldberry, the River-maiden. Weary travellers will find this an unusually pleasant retreat amongst the ancient and often foreboding forest and the mist-shrouded downs beyond. Tom Bombadil himself is a person who defies specific explanation, though his intentions clearly favor the Free Peoples of Middle-earth. He is pleasant and affable, warm and welcoming, yet undeniably powerful and as ancient as Middle-earth itself. From the modest surroundings of well-tended gardens and delicious meals, Tom Bombadil commands the respect of all around him, from the creatures of the forest to the very land and trees themselves.

Adventurers in Middle-earth will no doubt want to seek out the home of Tom Bombadil in the Old Forest, as it is a very memorable chapter in The Lord of the Rings. It also represents a critical place to stop and rest, since the areas just outside its welcoming glow contain all manner of dark and uncertain paths. When creating the home itself for The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, it was important to capture the warmth that signals a safe retreat, yet also maintain an air of otherworldliness to the home and a physical connection to the land and surrounding forest.

Tom Bombadil has been the focus of much debate over the decades, since he is so uniquely connected to Middle-earth, yet mysterious and powerful beneath his bright clothing and light-hearted manner. He was clearly one of Professor Tolkien's favorite characters, sharing a connection with nature and a need to protect the ancient living things of the natural world against the encroaching darkness.