User blog:Glflegolas/Biome of the Week -- Issue 6 -- October 23, 2016

Last week, some people were hoping for a biome that was more "unexpected" than the biomes which I had been featuring for the past couple of weeks. Well, your wishes have been granted. I have left the swamplands behind, and in this issue of Biome of the Week, we shall set sail for the island of Tolfalas.

Where is it?
Tolfalas is located just south-east of the mouths of the Anduin. It used to be a fiefdom of Gondor, but over the years, the strength of Gondor declined, and the Corsairs of Umbar started to attack it. After years of war, the Gondorians finally retreated back to their homeland. Today, only a few ruins remain as evidence of the days of former glory.

Why do you like this biome?
In all truth, this is another biome I had never visited before writing the blog post that is to feature it. The vegetation of this island isn't really anything to get too excited about; just grass (which, unusually, is a fairly bright green) and a few dead trees. However, the old Gondorian structures contain a decent amount of loot, and there are no Orcs to worry about at night. Besides, it is not far away from Gondor or Dol Amroth, making it a nice forward base, especially if you want to enjoy the fresh sea air. Also, the large amount of stone exposed at the surface makes mining for coal, copper, and tin very convenient.

Any advice for travellers?
For travellers, my main advice is; watch out for bandits! They are very common here, and can take a lot of your possessions if you do not keep any eye on your pockets. However, if you can keep yourself safe from the bandits, life should be fairly safe here, as there are no Orcs or Gondorians to worry about, and it is not a likely location to be attacked by other players, owing to its remoteness. If you plan to stay here for a longer period of timewant to grow anything other than wheat, or brew anything other than ale, make sure you bring those crops along before you book your trip. While there are many temperate animals present here, the same can't be said for plants. Also, don't forget to bring some saplings along, as all the trees here are dead.