The Shire has always been a fairly quiet, peaceful part of the land. Sheltered from the north by high mountains, many of the threats to its tranquil existence pass by, heading towards the more prosperous capital.
The recorded history of the area begins about two hundred years ago with King Lud. Lud arrived with about fifty men and women and built himself a large house in the village of Juteford, by the river Jute. Within a year, he had become the Headman of the village and within five he was king of the town of Ludsford. Lud brought money and trade to Ludsford and, soon enough, the nearby villages of Crow's Wold and Poulton were also controlled by Ludsford and King Lud.
A hundred years passed along, with the tiny Kingdom surviving, through periods of prosperity and periods of poverty. Then, the new Kingdom of Exiles formed and began assimilating neighbouring Kingdoms. King Lud the Third attempted to bargain with the delegation from the Kingdom and discovered that his 'Kingdom' was little more than a tiny area of what was being called a Barony. He managed to retain a certain amount of control over the area by becoming Mayor of Ludsford, which became the administrative centre of Ludshire, a small province of the Van Hausen Barony. The actual land was auctioned, however, and became the property of three Lairds.
Once Ludshire became part of the Barony, official patrols began to operate in the area. A small garrison barracks was built in Ludsford and patrol members were recruited and trained by the Defenders of the Kingdom.
About fifty years ago, a battle was fought between the Defenders and an Orc army at the foot of the mountains. By all records, the Defenders won easily.
About thirty years ago, a Priest called Guardian Eos moved to Ludsford. He gathered a reasonable following and set up a Temple of Balance in Ludsford, with smaller shrines to the other Temple Paths inside. This is the only temple in Ludshire and it is here that the majority of local ceremonies and marriages are held.
About five years ago, a group of travelling druids ventured into the forest to the East of the Shire, and began to consecrate a grove there. Patrols have reported that the grove is doing well, but the druids are stand offish.
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