As we get closer to the release of Tales of the Shire later this month, ScreenRant has just shared a first look at one of the game’s original characters, Nefi. She is a dwarf with a quiet but quite emotional link to the events of The Fellowship of the Ring. Nefi is not a character that is known in the Lord of the Ring series, which will make her unique to the little cozy game!
Tales of the Shire is developed by Wētā Workshop, who are known for also working on the original Peter Jackson trilogies. It is a cozy life sim set between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings lore-wise. Similar to typical games like that, it will focus on crafting, building, relationships, cooking, and even parties in the peaceful village of Bywater!
Who Is Nefi?
Nefi is the local iron crafter in Bywater. But her story will go far beyond her crafting skills. According to ScreenRant, Nefi originally comes from the Blue Mountains and is of Moria dwarf descent. Her dream was to join Balin’s expedition to reclaim Moria, but she was told she was too young to go.
As Lord of the Rings fans know, Balin’s journey does not end very well. Without giving too many spoilers, basically it is something Frodo and the Fellowship discover when they reach the Mines of Moria. But since Nefi was too young to join, she continues her life in Bywater, wondering what became of Balin and the others. For now, it is unknown if she is completely unaware, or just in denial of the really tragic fate they met.
It is a pretty nice contrast between her young optimism and what we know really happened over there.
Why Is It Important to Link Back to the Original Story
It is usually this type of backstory that ends up making a great game. Many other cozy games rely much more on just the crafting/gathering part. Tales of the shire seem to be more about the story, community life, and creating new and old bonds. So characters like Nefi, who are deeply linked to existing lore, can even make the experience ten thousand times better.
It also means that other characters in Bywater will maybe have similar connections to the Lord of the Rings universe. This can be anything from descendants of characters we know, or new ones, but that will have hidden links to previous characters. The game clearly has a lot to uncover that is more than just the cozy hobbit life!
You will be able to join Nefi and the others once Tales of the Shire launches on July 29, 2025. Keep an on our latest news, as we will update you with all the information as it releases!