The Stones of Scary
The village of Scary is nestled within the hills of the same name, found to the north of the Eastfarthing. For many years the landscape around the village has been quarried to provide the Shire with stone. A network of mines runs deep under the hills, from which the quarried stone is brought to the surface by cart and lift. Many would agree that Scary has earned its name, as the many miners have gone missing in the tunnels – their disappearance is often attributed to the population of giant spiders that have made the older mines their abode.
It is often written that hobbits were taught the skill of mining from the dwarves – the bearded folk who dwell within the mountains, building great stone halls. The Dwarves of Needlehole, in the Westfarthing, agree that this is the case. It is also plausible to believe that the Shire was once quarried long before the settlement of hobbits and dwarves. The Arnorians were great artisans of stonework; even the Dwarves of Needlehole admit their envy at some of the surviving structures left by the Northern Kingdom. The great towers and castles built by the Westernesse would have required tremendous amounts of quarried stone. However, the masons of Scary will tell you that the stone winched up from their mines is not what the many ruins in the Shire are built from. Much like the Dwarves of Needlehole expressing their envy of Arnorian craftsmanship, many of the masons in the Hills of Scary consider their own stonework to be brittle compared to the great Westernesse bricks. It is unknown where the stone used in Arnorian structures was quarried from, but it is likely that it was imported from elsewhere in the kingdom.
Close by to the village and quarries of Scary stand a number of ruins, known collectively as the Stones of Scary. The site has been considered a mystery for many years now, as no one knows exactly what the Stones of Scary are. Although often named and studied together, there are three distinct areas of the site with remaining structures. Each is built upon the eastern side of the road that runs between Budgeford to the south, passing Scary and Brockenborings, before cutting through the Greenfields in the north. Unlike the Great East Road, this path was not paved by the Arnorians.
The northernmost ruin stands to the south of Scary, overlooking the village like five sentries. They are the remnants of a column wall that the Arnorians seemed to favour. Joined at the top, the columns form archways that often mark boundaries. Although not considered particularly effective for defence, they would have certainly provided a decadent wall. Only five columns remain standing, with only two are unbroken or eroded. The presence of these columns has been used by a number of scholars to support the view that Arnorians once quarried the Hills of Scary, just as hobbits do today. Although by a meagre section of the wall remains standing, it is possible that a far-stretching belt of columns once surrounded the land that Scary is now built upon.
The hard surface of the ground surrounding Scary makes it ideal for quarrying, but it also makes the landscape prone to waterlogging. South of the remnants of the column wall, a stagnant pond has submerged more ancient Arnorian stonework. This has caused rapid deterioration in the stonework, the likes of which will likely consume the remains within decades. The portion of wall, similar to the stalwart style found at the Bridgefields Wall, which can be seen to the south-east across the lowlands, is perhaps the most significant of all the Stones of Scary. It appears to be but a fragment of a much greater structure, suggesting that a fortification once stood in the surrounding area. What is curious is that there is nothing else to indicate such a structure, with only a meagre portion of wall remaining. The impressive width of this wall, however, propounds an impressive structure.
The third part of the site is certainly the most peculiar of the Stones of Scary. Although much of the structure has long since crumbled away, it remains as ornate as it is mysterious. The truth is that no one has been able to establish what the ruin is, or indeed was. A number of scholars have argued that it was a fountain, providing drinking water for the local population. Such assertions have, however, been dismissed time and time again. The absence of an aqueduct or piping seems to be sufficient evidence to repudiate such theories. Furthermore, the closest source of fresh water is southwards, downhill to where Budgeford now stands. It is more likely that this ruin was built as an altar by the Westernesse, where offerings would be left to please the gods. Before the façade of the seven sacred stars of the Ship-kings, the devout of Arnor would leave oblations at this altar to ensure good fortune for the realm and its people. In times of war, disease and poor harvest, it would be from this place that Arnor would try to appease the gods. It is likely that many such altars were found throughout the kingdom, but this ruin is the only known one to be found in the Shire.
