From the Introduction: Why an Alternate Edition? The standard version of the Five Shires is a fine enough place to come from, but it suffers the problem of not giving adventurers much to do. The folk of the Five Shires are largely happy and content with little internal conflict and not even much external conflict. Its inhabitants live quiet, happy fulfilled lives unless something invades, and even that doesn't happen all that often. In other words, it's a great place to live, but not a place for adventurers. Even the magical paradise of Alfheim has some conflicts, problems, and dangerous places to form a basis for adventures. The Five Shires deserves the same. Thus, this edition seeks to make the Five Shires a place to have adventurers, as well as a place for bored adventurers to take their leave of to make trouble elsewhere.