The Shire was the first village on The Ancient World when the server became public on December 14th 2011. The original spawn being on a platform on the Old Fort, new players climbed down and cleared out a small area to build the first settlement. This settlement soon became the main spawn and the heart of the server.

players clearing a space for the first settlement. (The Old Fort can be seen in the background)

During these early days, The Ancient World had no means of block protection or anti-grief. Having come from being a private server it had no past experience of griefing or raiding. On only the second day, the settlement was attacked by griefers and left in ruins. Repairs were made, Factions was then implemented for the first time, and construction continued.

The first griefer attack on December 15th 2011

The Shire was complete with a Merchant Town, Community Event Area, and the Arrow to the Knee Tavern. It became the perfect gathering place for all players in the community.

The Shire Community Event Area. The 2011 Xmas Party was hosted here!

The Shire Gods

The Shire was where the ideology of Gods on The Ancient World was born. It began with the ascension of the original Ancient World players to godhood. Revan, The God of Wealth. Deadlymonty, The God of Air. And Drakortha, The God of Creation.

The first Shrine to Deadlymonty was built in the form of a tall cobblestone spire with a weather shrine on the top. Many times The God of Air would stand upon his tower and cast lightning from the skies above.

Deadlymonty & his followers atop his spire, marveling at the shrine atop.

The remains of the Shrine Tower today.

Members of the Merchants Faction were known for their great love of profits and wealth. So it is no surprise they had their own shrine to the God of Wealth in the courtyard of their village.

One of the shrines built to Revan, God of Wealth

Then the Rifts came..

The region surrounding The Shire was where the first appearance of Rifts took place. On the edge of the world, close by Vault 101 the first Rift emerged into The Ancient World. Ghasts were the primary mob and were spotted floating over the nearby Shadowclan Village. Fireballs struck the village but very minimal damage was done.

The First Rift

A ghast floats over Shadowclan Village hurling fireballs

Larger Rifts emerged in the following weeks, growing in power each time. This period in time was known as the Age of Rifts. Many Faction bases and homes in the surrounding regions suffered from the onslaught. However despite this, spirits remained high at The Shire and community events and gatherings continued as normal. It was not known at this time just how consequential a Rift could be, or how much The Shire was at risk of attack.

Rifts emerged closer in the vicinity of The Shire as the weeks went by. Until eventually a Rift grew over it and collapsed – crushing The Shire.

One of the last images taken of The Shire. A dead rift can be seen in the distance (the piles of sand), and at this late stage of The Shire, the Arrow to the Knee tavern was closed and abandoned due to a fire that caught on it and spread – likely caused by a rogue ghast fireball.

Rift fighters pay homage to the lives lost by building a placgue in honor of the fallen.