From the Book: Mathoms

In “From the Book” Goldenstar discusses the significance of in-game people, places and things that were part of the book.

Everyone knows they need to collect mathoms to gain faction with the Hobbit’s Mathom Society. Mathoms are a part of Hobbit lore which is probably why they were chosen as a reputation item.

A mathom is an item that Hobbits have no particular use for but aren’t willing to throw away. Mathom-Houses were similar to our museums and displayed or stored mathoms. By this definition, my basement is also a Mathom-House.

The most famous Mathom-House is of course the one found in Michel Delving. It was here that Bilbo Baggins loaned his mithril mail coat after returning from his journey to the lonely mountain. It takes a Hobbit to call an item that Gandalf claims to be “worth more than the entire worth of the Shire and everything in it” a mathom with no particular use. Before leaving the Shire, Bilbo took the mithril coat from the Mathom-House and later gave it to Frodo in Rivendell.

Many mathoms in the Shire tended to be weapons and armor like the mithril coat. The Shire had lived in relative peace for such a long time that they didn’t have much use for these items. They were typically heirlooms from ancestors who did fight in battles long ago and are actual items of war; just not needed and so mostly used as decorations in hobbit homes.

Hobbits absolutely adore giving and receiving of gifts. Mathoms were the most typical item given as gifts for all occasions. On birthdays, it was the birthday boy or girl that gave away gifts to their party attendees, not the other way around.

Mathoms are in no way a large or important part of the stories but it is something uniquely Hobbitish that LOTRO included in the game for us to enjoy!

Have a question on why something in-game is the way it is? Have a in-game item that was in the book but not really mentioned in the movies? Send your questions and suggestions to Goldenstar!