You have the choice of having random elements combined, or selecting elements from a provided list, which the generator will then concatenate for you. Name elements for the dwarf name generator come from Norse and other Scandinavian sources. The site owner gives credit to Viking Answer Lady, and to Kate Monk’s Ononastikon. The Ononastikon site is an amazing compendium of name sources from many many different cultures and time periods.
These names are ones that could have been used in Viking times, and Old Norse is the language which Tolkien used to represent many aspects of the ‘outer’ dwarvish language. I am giving the version of the name without accent, as you would use it in a game, after each entry.
You select Gender of either, male or female for your name.
Using random choices, and selecting either gender, I was given:
Vargbrand: Taken from varg (wolfish) and brandr (sword / sword-blade) Wargbrand
Ástknút: Taken from ást (love / affection) and knútr (knot) Astknut
Furageir: Taken from fura (fir tree) and geirr (spear) Furageir
Kjalmæki: Taken from kjal (keel) and mæki (banner / sign) Kjalmaeki
Gnauthðr: Taken from gnauð (noise) and ðrr (wild / mad / furious) Gnauthor
Húsósorg: Taken from hús (house) and ósorgr (joyful / hopeful) Husosorg
For female names (remembering that other races can not tell a female dwarf from a male dwarf):
Vargkom: Taken from varg (wolfish) and koma (to come) Wargkom
Hlífhrím: Taken from hlíf (shield / protection) and hrím (frost) Hlifhrim
Lothinnvænn: Taken from loðinn (hairy) and vænn (promising) – According to the method Jim Allan found in Tolkien’s names, the final ‘n’ would be dropped, leaving Lothinwaen. Not a name I necessarily would have picked as female- but if you can not tell the females from the males…
Ingfjöa: Taken from ing (descendant / of the lineage of) and fjör (life / vitality) Ingfjoa
Líknhvata: Taken from líkn (goodness / compassion) and hvatr (quick / bold / daring / manly) Liknhwata. Also not a name I would have picked for female…
Selecting male names gave me:
Sprakaeii: Taken from spraka (to crackle / to gossip) and eir (peace) Sprakaei
Saxedagi: Taken from saxe (short sword) and dagr (day) Saxedagi
Títhfúss: Taken from tíð (time) and fúss (seeking after) Tithfuss
Dróttgangi: Taken from drótt (household) and gangr (going / walking) Drottgang
Kjóllfróthi: Taken from kjóll (ship) and fróðr (wise / learned) Kjollfrothi
Kjötbrandi: Taken from kjöt (flesh / meat) and brandr (sword / sword-blade) Kjotbrandi
I was not able to discern much difference in the choices made for names from any gender based on their meanings. If you use any of these generated names, use them without accented characters, as those will be almost impossible to use in the context of an online game.
There is an occasional boggle in this generator. Sometimes you need to click ‘name that dwarf’ multiple times before the new name is concatenated. The elements will change, but the name itself stays the same. If you keep clicking, you will get a new name. Or you can take the elements and try to concatenate them yourself, since it still gives you the information on what name elements mean. This happens under all three choices.
Khordaldrum (Dwarven) Name Generator
This generator does not explicitly say it uses names appropriate for Tolkien’s dwarves, but they do seem to have Scandanavian elements in them, and so would be appropriate. They did not give name meanings.
It is random, you can choose gender, and it gives you the option to be given surname or both. Dwarf names can be realistic, which
are the ones using Scandinavian elements, or fantasy, where the surname is an English nickname.
Here are some of the male realistic dwarf names generated:
Rogi Yurdadak / Thorhof Harbud / Babdal Odar / Anur Magadorn / Nosthic Farral / Tybbar Berthral / Drogen Bulrin / Bul Farkaduum / Grugim Agadduum / Beldar Burmek / Azagdas Garthec / Boir Zagpel / Gnok Nortek / Kilzin Odul / Vonis Farkarak / Donarum Kazakul / Rak Davadum / Ril Thodan / Gomgthal Nordorn / Rilo Tordur / Yerthic Reiral / Bikbar Fardald / Dorn Garkadrum / Anor Wermak / Havmar Urgamalk
If you look at the various names, you can see certain name elements repeating, but no individual names repeated in my 50 some tries. Especially in the sunames, you can see that some are only differing by a letter or two, as in Odar and Odul. However, Fili and Kili in the Hobbit also only differed by a letter.
Female realistic dwarf names:
Namna Nurakak / Torda Garamek / Arna Paladul / Tah Kulddar / Huakil Dunadbal / Mana Bazaerg / Agli Urgakul / Vomra Fardlode / Marin Agaddum / Marlali Kaldral / Vonrad Falpal / Almabo Nordun / Belren Gorogdak / Annu Urdum / Teldu Thorekgirn / Tuatu Werlode / Bardeth Heirkak / Dorbela Ograddorn / Nurbera Kolmhad / Cliadeth Tormak / Nola Ovkar / Delamana Azdak / Barla Murdindud / Anra Nanirak / Anra Kolmkal / Yili Okver / Unna Bulrak / Bazina Grazgmek
None of the last name repeated, even with the last names for the male dwarves, but there was a first name repeat, Anra, which makes me wonder whether they have a slightly smaller database for female name elements. In many historic records, there are far fewer female names recorded than there are male names, and if they are specifically trying to use elements from female names, that could cause this.
I am oly going to give a brief sampling of the male and female fantasy names. They are given with English surnames, and it is easy to pick out the individual name elements used in their database. While these names could be used in the game, they would add less to the ambiance than the first sets of names. On the other hand, if you found a first name you liked in this group, you could always use it by itsself or with a surname from another list you liked.
Male fantasy names:
Garnak Ironmaul / Matdik Bloodpick / Thoradvak Earthdig / Matin Metalcrafter / Over Gemfist / Balmir Trollbane /Rorob Trollkiller / Immvak Rockaxe / Dorn Ironminer / Galin Irondweller / Hirseg Shalecarver / Nalo Anvilcarver / Donnar Bluebeard I did get some pleasure from seeing Bluebeard as a name, even if it is in completely the wrong story. Female fantasy names: Marlra Firepick / Bazani Ironquarry / Aglaba Ironhewer / Tuvada Granitebeard / Velm Rockcutter / Tumia Ironsmith / Iloh Spidermaul / Ranna Grayheart / Vulela Ironhand / Phaerad Graybeard / Delamana Silverblade / Nurrim Dragonhewer / Geruki Stonedig / Veylral Pickoath / Tidal Trollbane
While Iron is repeated as an element in both the male and female surnames, only one of the names was an exact match (Trollbane). Brother and sister- or married couple. Take your pick, if you can tell them apart. None of the first names repeated within either group, or between the two groupings, so you are not in serious danger of getting the exact name the person before you generated.
Someone did a very nice job of finding synonyms for words meaning miner, quarry, hewer, carver, cutter, etc. On the other hand, in my sample all the names with beard as an element were given to female dwarves…
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RPGInspirations.com
The next Dwarf name generator I looked at was from the site RPGInspirations.com. This was the first time I found this site, and they also had generators for elf and orc names. In the forthcoming article on Orc names, we will review that generator.
This generator also offered no choices for the user. It did generate a number of names for you to look at at a time. It was very difficult to tell if the first names used elements from Scandinavian names or not. The surnames and appellations were in English. The only reason I think there is a possibility that some Norse name elements were used is because some of the first names were accented.
Generated names:
Grookhak Blackshard / Kulmilin Goldenhelm / Brarmrin of the Caveboot clan / Thagrug Gravelshovel / Krolmomli Wyverncleaver / Ogrög of the Wyvernminer clan / Khufrilin Hillstein / Khûrdög Graniteshard / Hurno Copperpick / Sikrrin Kragshard / Grookren Minehammer of the Icebrewer clan / Thubilin Wyverndigger / Krokhog Graydrill / Ovain Gravelshovel / Mormu Ironforge / Darik Graniteshield / Grögnin Mudforge / Khugnrin Copperforge / Grulmilin Oakenbuilder / Adren Trollforge / Dûrön Stoneshard / Bornog Oakenstein of the Alecart clan / Dakhin Blackcleaver / Nelmug Goldencleaver / Krakhön Oakencart / Khûkrarn Ironaxe / Khûrmick Blackshovel / Abrin of the Mountainbeard clan / Brarfi Dragonaxe / Sikrili of the Blackpick clan / Thrafu Dragondrill / Armön Stoneminer / Khukög Alegrinder / Golmilir Bloodaxe / Mobrick Caveforge / Hurgain Gravelshovel / Grornik Kragstein of the Trollcleaver clan / Hogrus Deepboot / Khukrur Wyverncart of the Ironshovel clan / Grofren Deepbeard / Dobri of the Bloodbeard clan
Curiously enough, while there were three different members of the Gravelshovel family listed, none of the clans repeated themselves. This also could have been because my sample was fairly small.
While there where two different names using Oaken as an element, neither of them were Oakenshield, and since there was another
name with shield as the end element, I wonder whether Oakenshield was explicitly eliminated from the choices.
Since these names have a somewhat Norse feel to them, and since some of the appellations or surnames are similar to those found in the Hobbit and LOTR, these are viable choices for use in the game, if you eliminate the clans from the names. You could also do some combining of first and surnames yourself to find one that pleased you.
Christopher Pye’s Dwarf Name Generator
This Dwarf Name Generator is also a random generator, with no user choices about the names it generated.
The sample of generated names I got were:
Veinbig Beerwrath / Murdergray Dorfbringer / Eaterhammer Kingbane / Meadbringer McSlayergrudge / Jawmurder Bearbig / Goblinthunder Cragstrong / Mithralsteel Bringerrune / Boarhammer MacFiercegreat / Brazenrock Crushshield / Dorfguts Baneboar / Firebringer Crushaxe / Bearsteel / MacRunegoblin / Axebeard Veinmighty / Doorbringer McMasonpeak / Brazenstrong McHatered / Warheavy McHeavywar / Darkdwarf McMithralhammer / Mightykeg Darkgrudge / Warhands Bigtomb / Wisecrag Granitemagma / Copperred MacGiantbeard / Thundereater MacDiamondblunt
There is some Tolkien influence here, as seen in the names Mithralsteel Bringerrune and Darkdwarf McMithralhammer, but I don’t
think these are generally names that would add a lot to the Middle Earth ambiance of LOTRO. Other than that, most first names appear to be made from two elements, and some of the surnames seem to concatenate up to three elements, which does add to the variety possible. Most of these dwarves have names that make them someone I’d not want to meet in a dark alleyway. On the other hand, as supporters in a fight they might bring an enormous amount of enthusiasm to your cause or quest. If you like a descriptive name that everyone will understand, this generator will give you some choices better than IdwarfBamBamBoom. But some choices are not much better.
In the names I sampled, I did not find any exact duplicates.
I hope this look at Dwarf name generators has given you an idea of the variety of places you can go to find a unique name, and a feel for the sort of name you will get from each generator.
For additional information on how Tolkien selected names, and the variety of his sources, I again do recommend Jim Allan’s book, An Introduction to Elvish….etc. It contains a great deal of information which can make you seem an accomplished Tolkien scholar in under 300 pages, and also provides dictionaries for multiple Tolkien languages, as well as information on the naming of different races in LOTR. It was completed before the Silmarillion was published, and so while there is currently much more information available on Tolkien’s languages, it is quite comprehensive in what it covers on the languages and names allowed to be used in the creation of LOTRO.
Additional resources
For other name generators used for names of other races you can play in LOTRO, see these Bright Hub articles:
For other name generators you may find useful in other MMOs:
Name generators in general
For a look at some reviews of MMOs where roleplaying is also important:
This post is part of the series: LOTRO Name Generators
A review of various name generators for Lord of the Rings Online.
- 26Cirith Ungol
- 26.1Tower of Cirith Ungol
- 30Dale
- 100Mount Gundabad
The stories of J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earthlegendarium contain references to numerous places. Some of these fictional places are described below.
Aldburg[edit]
Aldburg (O.E. 'old fortress') is a hill fort and settlement in Rohan, in the region known as the Folde, some miles to the southeast of Edoras. Aldburg was initially the capital of the realm, where Eorl the Young, the first King of Rohan, founded his hall in T.A. 2510. Though his son, King Brego, moved to Edoras early in Rohan's history (T.A. 2569), Aldburg remained the residence of the descendants of Éofor, Brego's third son.[1] One of these descendants was Éomer, who was also a nephew of King Théoden. At the time of the War of the Ring, Éomer was the Third Marshal of the Mark and became heir to the king.
All-welcome Inn[edit]
The All-welcome Inn was an inn located at the junction of the Northway and the East Road on the Hobbiton side of Frogmorton. It was much used by travellers, especially Dwarves from the Ered Luin.[2]
Amon Hen[edit]
Amon Hen is a hill located on the western bank of the river Anduin, at the southern end of Nen Hithoel, the lake above the Falls of Rauros. It was one of the three peaks at the Falls of Rauros at the southern end of the Emyn Muil, the others being Amon Lhaw, the Hill of the Ear, and Tol Brandir, an island located between the two hills. The Seat of Seeing was built at the summit of Amon Hen, serving as a watchtower for the northern borders of Gondor. It was constructed in the early days of Gondor.
In The Fellowship of the Ring, the Fellowship travelled down the Anduin from Lothlórien to Parth Galen, the lake-side lawn at the feet of Amon Hen. But here the Fellowship was broken: Boromir attempted to take the One Ring by force from Frodo Baggins, who fled; Boromir was shortly afterward killed defending Meriadoc Brandybuck (Merry) and Peregrin Took (Pippin) from Orcs, who had been sent by Saruman to capture the Ring; and the Orcs absconded with Merry and Pippin. After Frodo escaped from Boromir, he sat upon the Seat of Seeing while still wearing the Ring, and was able to see events hundreds of miles distant. From Amon Hen, Frodo and Samwise Gamgee crossed the Anduin on their way east to Mordor, while Merry and Pippin were carried by Saruman's Orcs in the direction of his hold at Isengard, and the rest of the Fellowship set out in pursuit of the Orcs.
Tolkien's aerial view of the Emyn Muil shows Tol Brandir to be much taller than Amon Hen and Amon Lhaw. The sketch is published in J. R. R. Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator.[3]
The bulletin of The Tolkien Society has been named Amon Hen since December 1972.
Amon Lhaw[edit]
Amon Lhaw (S. 'Hill of the Ear') is one of the three peaks above the Falls of Rauros which drained the lake known as Nen Hithoel, it towered amongst the Emyn Muil on the eastern banks of the Anduin. Its twin, Amon Hen (The Hill of Sight), lay upon the western bank. Between them, at the centre of the stream above Rauros, was the island peak Tol Brandir upon which none had ever set foot.
Although at one time Amon Lhaw had been on the northern boundary of Gondor and a high seat was built there (probably called The Seat of Hearing), this was no longer the case at the time of the War of the Ring; by then, it had long since fallen under the influence of Mordor. Also called the Hill of Hearing and perhaps Hill of the Ear in Westron.
Tolkien's aerial view of the Emyn Muil shows Tol Brandir to be much taller than Amon Lhaw and Amon Hen. The sketch is published in J. R. R. Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator.[3]
Amon Tirith[edit]
- see: Hill of Guard
Andrath[edit]
Andrath (S. 'Long Climb') is a narrow pass through which the North-South Road (later called the Greenway) passed between the Barrow-downs on the west and the South Downs on the east. To the north of Andrath the road met the Great East Road, just west of the gates of Bree.
When the Nazgûl came north from Mordor to seek the Ring in the Shire at the end of the Third Age, their leader, the Witch-king of Angmar, camped in Andrath. It is mentioned in the appendices of The Return of the King that it is likely that the Witch-king aroused the Barrow-wights in the nearby Barrow-downs while camped at Andrath.
The Angle[edit]
Two separate areas in Middle-earth were known as the Angle, each defined by the angle between two converging rivers.
The Angle in Lothlórien lay between the Anduin and Silverlode. It was more generally referred to as Egladil.[4]
The Angle in Eriador was a much larger area. It lay between the Mitheithel on the west and the Bruinen on the east; on the north it was bounded by the Great East Road. This Angle was part of the province of Rhudaur in the kingdom of Arnor.[5] Many Stoors, a tribe of Hobbits, settled in the Angle circa T.A. 1150, but left about T.A. 1356.[6]Tom Shippey notes a number of similarities between the migration history of Hobbits and that of the Anglo-Saxons; one such similarity is the Angle in Eriador and the Angle in northern Europe.[7]
Argonath[edit]
The Argonath ('stones of the Kings') is a monument comprising two enormous pillars carved in the likenesses of Isildur and Anárion, standing upon either side of the River Anduin at the northern approach to Nen Hithoel.
The figures were originally constructed about T.A. 1240 at the order of King Rómendacil II[8] to mark the northern border of Gondor. However the effective border had receded southwards by the time of the War of the Ring; the Fellowship of the Ring passed the Argonath in Elven-boats on 25th 'February' T.A. 3019.
Each of the two figures was shown wearing a crown and a helm, with an axe in its right hand and its left hand raised in a gesture of defiance to the enemies of Gondor.[9] It's likely that the figure on the east bank, which technically stood in the province of Ithilien, represented Isildur, while the western figure, standing in the province of Anórien, represented Anárion.
Also known as the Pillars of the Kings or the Gate of Kings.
Ash Mountains[edit]
- see Ered Lithui
Azanulbizar[edit]
- see Dimrill Dale
Bamfurlong[edit]
Bamfurlong is the farmland of Farmer Maggot, located in the Marish of the eastern part of the Shire. The boggy nature of the land makes for above-ground habitation rather than the traditional hobbit-hole. Tolkien himself suggested the name Bamfurlong comes from Old English meaning roughly bean-field.[10]
Barazinbar[edit]
Barazinbar, the Dwarvish name for Caradhras (Redhorn), is one of the largest mountains in the Misty Mountains. It lies in close proximity to Redhorn Pass and the Dimrill Stair. Dwarves sometimes shortened the name to Baraz.
Barrow-downs[edit]
The Barrow-downs, or Tyrn Gorthad, were a series of hills east of the Shire, behind the Old Forest, and south-west of the village of Bree. Many of the hills were crowned with standing stones and barrows, hence their name.
The Barrow-downs were first inhabited by Men related to the Edain in the First Age, together with the Hills of Evendim to the north. They fled west as Easterlings invaded Eriador and passed on to Beleriand, but after these had left or been killed in the War of Wrath the Edain returned to their old homes.[11]
During the Second Age the inhabitants were fairly numerous, and when they met with the Númenóreans the Barrow-downs were the first places where the Dúnedain émigrés from Númenor settled. When Elendil returned to Middle-earth, the Barrow-downs were incorporated in the kingdom of Arnor. The Downs were revered by the Númenóreans because they were rightly recognized as the first tombs of their ancestors, long before they had encountered the Elves of Beleriand.
After Rhudaur fell to Angmar, the Dúnedain of Cardolan entrenched themselves here, but in T.A. 1409 the realm fell and the Great Plague in 1636 killed any remaining Dúnedain hiding in the Barrow-downs. The Barrow-wights were now sent there by the Witch-king. In the 1850s King Araval of Arthedain tried to recolonize Cardolan, but this failed because of the Barrow-wights.[12]
The hobbits who later became members of the Fellowship of the Ring, namely Frodo (bearing the One Ring), Sam, Merry, and Pippin, travelled through the Barrow-downs on their journey from the Old Forest to Bree. On the night of 28th 'September' T.A. 3018 they were ensnared in the downs by a barrow-wight, probably in the same barrow which held the grave of the last prince of Cardolan.[11] They were rescued by Tom Bombadil, and from the burial treasure received enchanted daggers—designed to slay the evil servants of Angmar.
The daggers from the Barrow-downs had varying fates in The Lord of the Rings. When the Nazgûl attacked Aragorn and the hobbits on Weathertop, Frodo slashed at one of them with his dagger but only damaged its cloak. Merry used his weapon to help destroy the Lord of the Nazgûl in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, Sam left his beside Frodo in Cirith Ungol and later had it returned to him by Gandalf, while Pippin made use of his dagger in the Battle of the Black Gate to slay a Troll-chief.
Black Gate[edit]
- see Morannon
Blue Mountains[edit]
- see Ered Luin
Bridge Inn[edit]
The Bridge Inn was located on the west side of the Brandywine Bridge in the Shire. It was likely used by travellers on the East Road. Its location would have put it near the point where the road north from Stock met the main East Road. When the Shire was occupied by Saruman's men during the War of the Ring, the Bridge Inn was demolished and replaced with a guard house, with gates erected on the Bridge.[13]
Brown Lands[edit]
The Brown Lands comprise a region across the Anduin from Fangorn forest. In the First Age the Entwives settled there and began to make gardens, and they also taught the Men that already lived there to engage in agriculture. The Entwives' gardens, as the region was called at that time, lasted for a long time into the Second Age, until Sauron later blasted the entire area at some time before the Battle of Dagorlad, which was when it became known as the Brown Lands. Treebeard appeared convinced that the Entwives were not all destroyed but were 'lost'; their ultimate fate remains a mystery.
The area is described as withered, as if by fire, without any living green thing. In The Fellowship of the Ring,[14] the Fellowship pass by the region in elven boats as they sail down the River Anduin. Aragorn's notable knowledge of geography and family history lets him down as he 'could not tell' what had 'so blasted' the region.
Bundushathûr[edit]
- see Fanuidhol
Calenardhon[edit]
Calenardhon was the north-west province of Gondor until T.A. 2510, when it was ceded to the folk of Eorl the Young and renamed Rohan.
Carach Angren[edit]
- see Isenmouthe
Carchost[edit]
- see Towers of the Teeth
Carrock[edit]
The Carrock is a large and tall mid-river monolith in the upper reaches of the Anduin, to the north of the Old Ford. In Chapter 7 of The Hobbit, Gandalf states that the steps from the base of the rock to the flat space at the top were made by Beorn and that 'Carrock' is Beorn's name for it. This is somewhat of a linguistic joke on Tolkien's part: car in Anglo-Saxon means 'rock', the Irish for 'rock' is 'carraig' – usually anglicized in place names as 'carrick', and the Welsh for rock is 'Carreg.' Specifically, 'carrock' is Beorn's word for large rocks standing in the middle of rivers, and as this is the largest such rock in the river, he took to calling it 'the' Carrock.
Celebdil[edit]
The Silberhorn
Celebdil (called Zirakzigil in Khuzdul (or Zirak for short) and translated to English as Silvertine), is a peak in the Misty Mountains, the westernmost[15] of the Mountains of Moria, the three peaks that stood above the Dwarves' realm of Khazad-dûm. Celebdil stood above the main city.
Durin's Tower was located on the peak of Celebdil. The summit was the location of the final battle between Gandalf and the Balrog in the Battle of the Peak, which saw Gandalf slay the demon, before succumbing to his injuries himself and eventually, his resurrection as Gandalf the White.
In a 1968 letter, Tolkien identifies the Swiss Silberhorn as it appeared to him when camping near Mürren in 1911 as 'the Silvertine (Celebdil) of my dreams'.[16]
Cerin Amroth[edit]
Cerin Amroth, also known as the mound of Amroth. It stood in the heart of the Elf-realm of Lothlórien. A number of great trees, including mallorns, grew on the mound, and in the grass at their feet bloomed elanor and niphredil. Amroth lived in a flet high in the greatest tree, before he left on an ill-fated voyage and was lost (T.A. 1981). It was here that Aragorn and Arwen plighted their troth centuries later (T.A. 2980), and it was here where Arwen, after Aragorn's death, went to die.
The Fellowship of the Ring visited Cerin Amroth in their travels, arriving at noon on 17th 'January' T.A. 3019. It was essentially the first sight they beheld in Lothlórien, where hitherto they had been blindfolded. Frodo Baggins climbed to the tree-house where Amroth had lived; from there he could see Caras Galadhon to the south, and to the far east could be seen the Anduin, Mirkwood and Dol Guldur.
Cirith Gorgor[edit]
Cirith Gorgor (S. 'Cleft of Terror'), called the Haunted Pass in Westron, is the main passage into Mordor, located at the point where the mountain ranges Ered Lithui and Ephel Dúath meet. It was protected by the Black Gate of Mordor and guarded by the two Towers of the Teeth, Carchost and Narchost. Each side of the pass was a high cliff.
One end of the pass led roughly south-southeast into Udûn, a region of Mordor. The other end of the pass opened onto the Dagorlad, a large desolate plain on the approaches to Mordor.
Cirith Ungol[edit]
Cirith Ungol (pronounced [ˈkiriθ ˈuŋɡɔl]) is a pass through the Ephel Dúath, the high mountain-range on the west of Mordor. The name is Sindarin for Spider's Cleft, or Pass of the Spider, referring to the guardian of the pass, Shelob, a great spider.
The pass of Cirith Ungol was one of two entrances into Mordor from the West, along with the Morgul Pass.[17] The two passes were fairly close together, but Cirith Ungol was less used, being higher, steeper and narrower.
If these difficulties weren't enough, anyone using the pass of Cirith Ungol had to go through Torech Ungol, a network of caves and tunnels near the top of the pass. Shelob had her lair in these caves, and set traps for travellers in the tunnels.
The Pass of Cirith Ungol was high above the Morgul Pass, on the northern side of the Morgul Vale. In Mordor, the road from Cirith Ungol came down to join the Morgul-road. These routes were guarded by the Tower of Cirith Ungol, built by the Men of Gondor after the War of the Last Alliance, but occupied by Orcs at the time of the War of the Ring.
The Tower of Cirith Ungol overlooked the crest of the pass from the north; a natural tower of stone overlooked the crest from the south. As a result the top of the pass appears to be adorned by two horns. Tolkien's visualization of the pass, as viewed from the west, is depicted in his sketches.[18]
During the Quest of the Ring, Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee were led to the Pass of Cirith Ungol by Gollum, in order to get into Mordor.
Tower of Cirith Ungol[edit]
An illustration of Cirith Ungol, by the Brothers Hildebrandt
The Tower of Cirith Ungol is a watchtower and fortress on the border of Mordor. It is an important scene in The Lord of the Rings, in particular the chapter which bears its name: chapter 1 of book 6.
The Tower of Cirith Ungol was located high in the Mountains of Shadow overlooking the pass that was called Cirith Ungol—the Pass of the Spider—because the Great Spider Shelob dwelt there. The Tower was located near the top of the pass on the north side, and the base of the tower joined the eastern face of the mountain. The Tower of Cirith Ungol was made of black stone. It had three tiers, each set back from the next lower one like steps. The sheer sides faced northeast and southeast and formed a bastion pointing eastward. At the top of the Tower was a round turret that could be seen above the pass.
A road ran down from the pass and skirted the Tower alongside a sheer precipice before turning southward to join the Morgul-road. The Tower of Cirith Ungol was surrounded by an outer wall that was 30 feet (9.1 m) high. The sides of the wall were smooth. At the top was overhanging stonework that prevented anyone from climbing over it.
The Tower of Cirith Ungol has been illustrated by artists such as John Howe, the Brothers Hildebrandt, and Alan Lee. The image by Tim and Greg Hildebrandt features an eruption of Mount Doom in the background and one of the Hobbits looking at the tower from a rock spire in the foreground. The Two Watchers are not depicted, although the castle-like structure of the tower shows a gate.
History of the Tower[edit]
The Tower of Cirith Ungol was built by the Men of Gondor after Sauron was defeated in the War of the Last Alliance at the end of the Second Age. The Tower was the easternmost outpost of the defences of Ithilien. Its original purpose was to keep watch on the land of Mordor to ensure that no evil things escaped and to guard against the possibility of the Dark Lord's return. But over time, as Gondor's power declined, the vigilance on Mordor became lax and the Tower was deserted.
After the Lord of the Nazgûl returned to Mordor in T.A. 1980, the Tower came under his control. From Cirith Ungol, he led an assault on Minas Ithil, which was captured in 2002 and became his stronghold, known as Minas Morgul. Sauron returned to Mordor in 2942, and used the Tower of Cirith Ungol to prevent any of his slaves or prisoners from escaping from Mordor. A garrison of Orcs were stationed in the Tower, and at the time of the War of the Ring their captain was Shagrat.
Entrances to the fortress[edit]
The main gate was in the southeastern side of the fortress's outer wall. It was guarded by the Two Watchers—hideous statues seated on thrones. Each Watcher had three joined bodies facing inward, outward, and toward the other. The description in the book is as follows:
They were like great figures seated upon thrones. Each had three joined bodies, and three heads facing outward, and inward, and across the gateway. The heads had vulture-faces, and on their great knees were laid clawlike hands. They seemed to be carved out of huge blocks of stone, immovable, and yet they were aware: some dreadful spirit of evil vigilance abode in them. They knew an enemy. Visible or invisible none could pass unheeded. They would forbid his entry, or his escape.
They thus had a kind of 'psychic barrier' that barred the gate. Sam Gamgee had to overcome this obstacle while searching for his master Frodo Baggins. He did so by using the phial of Galadriel, which overcame their will and allowed him to pass. As soon as he was through, however, they sounded an alarm. It is not known if the Watchers were built by men of Gondor, as was the Tower itself, or if it had been added later by Sauron. Certainly, the spirit that dwelt within them must have come later, as it was clearly identified as being evil.
The fortress had a second entrance at the rear, known as the Undergate. This was located inside the Tower itself where its base abutted the mountainside. The Undergate opened onto a tunnel that joined with Shelob's Lair.
Interior of the fortress[edit]
Within the outer wall was a paved courtyard, and of course the Tower itself.
There was a great door on the southeastern side of the Tower. The door opened into a passageway which ran back through the base of the Tower. There were rooms on either side, and at the far end was the arched door of the Undergate.
To the right of the Undergate was a winding stairway to the upper levels of the Tower. At the top of the stairs was a domed chamber with doors facing east and west leading out onto the roof of the third tier. The roof was about 20 yards (18 m) across and was surrounded by a parapet. On the western side of the roof stood the turret of the Tower.
The turret had slitted windows facing westward and eastward through which torchlight glowed like red eyes. A winding stairway led up to a passage running through the middle of the turret. A trapdoor in the ceiling of the passage opened onto a large round chamber at the very top of the Tower of Cirith Ungol.
The Tower in the War of the Ring[edit]
At the time of the War of the Ring, the captain of the Orc-garrison of the Tower of Cirith Ungol was Shagrat. On 13th 'March' T.A. 3019, he was leading a patrol down the Pass of Cirith Ungol at the same time as another Orc-patrol, led by Gorbag, was coming up from Minas Morgul. Frodo Baggins was caught by the two patrols as they met.
The Orcs took Frodo through the Undergate to the Tower of Cirith Ungol and imprisoned him in the topmost chamber of the turret. Frodo was stripped and questioned mercilessly. Gorbag coveted Frodo's mithril shirt and fought Shagrat for it. Gorbag's orcs and those of Shagrat's garrison joined the fight, killing one another until virtually all of them were dead.
Sam Gamgee came to the Tower of Cirith Ungol to rescue Frodo. He got past the Two Watchers by raising the Phial of Galadriel, but once he was through the gate the Watchers gave a terrible cry and an alarm bell rang in the Tower. Sam entered the Tower and encountered Snaga, one of the few surviving orcs. Snaga mistook Sam for a great Elf-warrior and fled back up the stairs. Sam followed him to the roof of the third tier. There Sam confronted Shagrat, who fled with the mithril shirt and left the fortress.
Sam entered the turret in search of Frodo, but he could not find a way to the uppermost chamber until he saw Snaga climb up through the trapdoor in the ceiling and followed him. When he saw Snaga whipping Frodo he charged at the orc, who fell through the trapdoor to his death, the last living orc in the fortress.
Sam returned the Ring to Frodo and they escaped from the Tower disguised in its Orc armour and livery. They used the Phial to pass the Watchers, and the archway collapsed behind them. As they fled, a winged Nazgûl descended from the sky and perched on the wall of the Tower of Cirith Ungol, now in charge.
Cloudyhead[edit]
- see Fanuidhol
Coldfells[edit]
The Coldfells were highlands in north-eastern Eriador. They lay west of the Misty Mountains and south of the Ettenmoors, separated from them by the northern branch of the river Bruinen.
Dagorlad[edit]
Dagorlad is the great, treeless, open plain between the Emyn Muil and Cirith Gorgor, the north-west entrance to Mordor. The name means the Battle Plain in Sindarin, and refers to the Battle of Dagorlad fought there between the forces of Sauron (the Lord of Mordor) and the Last Alliance of Elves and Men at the end of the Second Age. The bodies of the dead decayed as normal, but over time part of the field became a wetland, the Dead Marshes, where the images of the fallen could be seen.
Later, in the Third Age, the Dagorlad was the site of many battles between Gondor and various Easterling armies, including the Battle of the Morannon. The countless battles of two ages left Dagorlad as a devastated wasteland, contaminated and unhealthy, with sumps of poisonous slick and mounds of scorched earth.
Dale[edit]
Dale is a city-state of Men on the Celduin (the River Running) in the north-east of Wilderland. It appears to have been an independent monarchy, whose ruler was styled 'Lord' (and later 'King').
The city itself, a large town, was located between the ends of the southern arms of the Lonely Mountain, and thus had a very close relationship with Erebor, the kingdom of Dwarves under the Mountain. Indeed the heights of Ravenhill, where the Dwarves had built a guard-post, overlooked the town on its west. Dale also had a close relationship with Esgaroth, about 30 miles south on the Long Lake.
The town of Dale, famous for its ringing bells, had many buildings, and was defended by 'towers, and walls'.[19]
The geographic position of Dale enabled it to thrive on the trade between Erebor and other places. The 'toy market of Dale was the wonder of the North' of Middle-earth. Gold, jewels, metalwork and food were also traded;[20] the travel-food cram was produced in Dale.[21]Bilbo Baggins imported toys and festive crackers from Dale to the Shire as presents for guests at his Farewell Party (T.A. 3001). Inside the crackers were small but high-quality musical instruments, including trumpets, horns, pipes and flutes.[22]
The people of Dale had the special ability to understand the language of thrushes.[23]
History of Dale[edit]
Dale existed in three main phases. It was first established after Dwarves returned to Erebor[24] in T.A. 2590. It was this first phase that Elrond was referring to when remembering Dale and its 'merry bells',[25] indicating he had visited the city. The city flourished until T.A. 2770, when it was destroyed by the dragonSmaug, and its last lord Girion killed. The city then lay in uninhabited ruins for about seven generations of Men.
The Battle of Five Armies passed through the ruins in late T.A. 2941; Thorin Oakenshield died in a tent in Dale the day after the battle.[26]
After the battle, Dwarves restored their kingdom under the Lonely Mountain, and Men began to settle once more in Dale, initiating its second phase. Significant rebuilding occurred in T.A. 2944; in the same year Bard the Bowman, a descendant of Girion, assumed the title King of Dale. Gollum visited Dale in secret[27] in the first few years of Bard's reign.[28]
In T.A. 2977 Bard was succeeded as King of Dale by his son Bain; he in turn was succeeded by his own son Brand in T.A. 3007.
The great progress of the kingdom was reported at Rivendell in T.A. 3018, but the report also noted that war was gathering on Brand's borders.
Dale was sacked for a second time during the War of the Ring by Easterlings, allies of Sauron. The people of Dale took refuge in Erebor with the Dwarves, and it was during the Battle of Dale that King Brand of Dale and King Dáin II Ironfoot of Erebor were slain (17th 'March' T.A. 3019).
However a week later, Sauron himself was defeated; when the news arrived the siege was broken. Dale was rebuilt once more, entering its third phase. Its new King was Bard II, son of Brand. He sent an ambassador to the coronation of King Elessar of Gondor, initiating a period of long-term mutual benefit between the kingdoms in the Fourth Age.
Deeping-coomb[edit]
The Deeping-coomb was a deep, well-defended valley in the northern White Mountains, located in Westfold in the kingdom of Rohan. The gorge of Helm's Deep and the castle of the Hornburg were situated at the head of the Coomb; there the Deeping-stream issued from the gorge before it ran down through the valley, generally in a north-easterly direction (until it left the Coomb). The Coomb was the site of an important battle, the Battle of the Hornburg, during the War of the Ring.
Tolkien sketched a detailed map of the Deeping-comb to assist him in writing parts of The Two Towers, especially the chapter 'Helm's Deep'. This map is published in J. R. R. Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator.[29]
The road which ran up through the Deeping-coomb, from the Great West Road to the Hornburg, was known as the Deeping-road.
Tolkien occasionally used other spellings--Deeping Coomb,[30] the Coombe[31]—or perhaps he missed these in the proofs of The Lord of the Rings, but he confirmed Deeping-coomb as the correct spelling.[32] The word coomb is a rare Brythonic survival word, meaning a small deep dry valley, easily defended. It gives its name to many places in the British Isles. He also used it, with the spelling 'Combe', as the name of one of the four villages of the Bree-land.[33]
Dimholt[edit]
The Dimholt is a forest of pine wood and fir situated at the base of the Dwimorberg mountain, past Dunharrow. The name means literally 'dark wood'. An ancient road was visibly forged there, which led to a glen where a standing stone lay in front of the Dark Door, the entrance to the Paths of the Dead. The pathways led under the Dwimorberg and had been haunted by the spirits of the Dead Men of Dunharrow in the Third Age until they fulfilled their oath to Aragorn and departed.
Dimrill Dale[edit]
Dimrill Dale (in the tongue of Men of the North) was a great valley on the eastern side of the Misty Mountains. The valley was part of the ancient Dwarf-kingdom of Khazad-dûm; its Dwarvish name was Azanulbizar. It was called Nanduhirion in Sindarin, meaning 'valley of dark streams'.
Topographically the valley was embayed by the three massive Mountains of Moria: Zirakzigil (containing the Mines of Moria) on the west, Barazinbar at the valley-head (Dimrill Stair) in the north, and Bundushathûr forming the east side of the valley. A feature of the vale was the Mirrormere, a crystal clear lake in which Durin first saw the stars. The river Silverlode ran through the vale before it flowed into Lothlórien.
The bloody Battle of Azanulbizar was fought in Dimrill Dale in T.A. 2799 between Dwarves and the Orcs who had occupied Moria; the latter were defeated and their leader Azog killed. In T.A. 2989 Balin and his followers fought the orcs here on the way to Moria. Thirty years later the Fellowship of the Ring paused in the valley, having escaped from Moria and the loss of Gandalf.
Dimrill Stair[edit]
The Dimrill Stair is the southeastern part of the Redhorn Pass. A waterfall flowed beside the Stair, which led down into the Dimrill Dale and past the mirror-like pool called Kheled-zâram.
Dol Baran[edit]
Dol Baran is the southernmost foothill of the Misty Mountains. King Théoden of Rohan and some of the surviving members of the Fellowship of the Ring camped here on the night of 5th 'March' T.A. 3019, after their parley with Saruman. Pippin stole away from this camp with the palantír.
Dorwinion[edit]
Dorwinion is a land which lay on the northwestern shores of the Sea of Rhûn. Known for its wine, Dorwinion was drawn at Tolkien's advice on Pauline Baynes' map of Middle-earth as lying at the end of the Carnen and Celduin, at the northwest shore of the Sea of Rhûn, and in that position it has since appeared on other maps. It was possibly part of Gondor for several centuries in the early Third Age.
The gardens of Dorwinion produced heady wine, which was exported at least as far as the Elves of Mirkwood,[34] who lived over 500 miles to the north-west.
The same name was used in earlier unpublished writings to refer to one or two other places. In the conclusion of the 1937 Quenta Silmarillion Tolkien refers to the 'meads of Dorwinion', a location on the island of Tol Eressëa, and in the poem The Lay of the Children of Húrin, set in the First Age, he refers to the 'wine of Dor-Winion', which may or may not be identical to the Dorwinion of the Third Age.[35]
Drúwaith Iaur[edit]
Drúwaith Iaur was a coastal region on the far west of Gondor. It was not a part of the realm of Gondor, and therefore also not of the Reunited Kingdom. It was the home to the remnants of the Drúedain, the original inhabitants of the Ered Nimrais, who were dispersed by the Númenóreans as they were hostile to them. The northern part of Drúwaith Iaur was also home to the Dunlendings, who feared the Drûgin because they used poisoned arrows.The region was also called Old Púkel-land.
Dunland[edit]
Dunland lay west of the southern Misty Mountains, generally between the Isen and Greyflood rivers. It had areas of woodland in the south, and its northern parts were described as 'a green and pleasant country.'[36]
Dunland was the home of the Dunlendings, swarthy and dark-haired men of shorter stock than the Dúnedain or Rohirrim. The Dunlendings were descended from the same ancient stock as the House of Haleth, making them distantly related to the Dúnedain. During the Dark Years they had settled in areas that were later ruled by Arnor and Gondor, and they remained long after Arnor had been destroyed. The Rohirrim displaced many of them from Calenardhon when Rohan was first established, leading to lasting enmity between their two peoples. As the Dunlendings had been forced into more marginal lands, they were jealous of the wealth of Rohan, and during the War of the Ring many were persuaded by Saruman to join him in the invasion of Rohan.
Following the sack of Erebor in T.A. 2770, those of its exiled Dwarves who were led by Thrór dwelt in Dunland for a time.[37]
Members of the Fellowship of the Ring travelled through Dunland in late 'August' T.A. 3019, on their journey home after the War of the Ring. While in Dunland they encountered Saruman and his sidekick Wormtongue.
Durin's Stone[edit]
Durin's Stone is a pillar that stood on the banks of Mirrormere below the East-gate of Khazad-dûm. According to the Dwarves of Durin's Folk, it was built on the site where Durin the Deathless looked down in the lake and saw a crown above his head, and its purpose was to commemorate this. The stone was ornamented with runes, but by the later Third Age the stone was broken, cracked and heavily weathered.[38]
Members of the Fellowship of the Ring visited Durin's Stone during the afternoon of 15th 'January' T.A. 3019.
Durin's Tower[edit]
Durin's Tower is the tower that stood on the peak of Celebdil above Khazad-dûm. It could be reached only by a long stairwell, the Endless Stair, which began in the deep far below the mines. Gandalf pursued the Balrog known as Durin's Bane up the Endless Stair, reaching Durin's Tower on 23rd 'January' T.A. 3019. Their ensuing battle on the peak destroyed the Stair and Durin's Tower.[39]
Durthang[edit]
Durthang (S. 'dark oppression') was an old castle in northern Mordor. It stood in the northern Ephel Dúath, on the slopes above the Isenmouthe. Possibly it was built by Gondorians after Sauron's downfall at the end of the Second Age, but later was captured by his forces and became an orc-hold.
Frodo Baggins and Sam Gamgee saw Durthang in the distance on the morning of 18th 'March' T.A. 3019. That night they were captured by a contingent of Orcs from the castle.
Dwimorberg[edit]
Dwimorberg, called the Haunted Mountain (which is what the name means), is a peak in the White Mountains; it was situated at the head of the valley of Harrowdale. Dunharrow stood above a cliff on the valley's eastern side, parallel to the Dwimorberg mountain itself. Beyond Dunharrow was a forest of pine wood and fir, known as the Dimholt.
The Dimholt itself contained a small glen, where there was a standing stone positioned in front of a doorway that led to the Paths of the Dead. The paths led under the Dwimorberg and were in the Third Age haunted by the spirits of the Men of the Mountains. After the events at the end of the Third Age when Aragorn released these spirits from their oath, the Dwimorberg was haunted no longer.
East Bight[edit]
The East Bight is a vast indentation in the south-eastern edge of Mirkwood Forest, created by the clearing of trees by the Northmen.
Eastfold[edit]
The Eastfold is the part of the kingdom of Rohan that lay east of Edoras (capital of Rohan) and the Snowbourn River. Its south-east borderland was named Fenmarch. East of the Eastfold lay the kingdom of Gondor and its province of Anórien.
Éomund of Eastfold was the Chief Marshal of Rohan from at least T.A. 2989 to his death in 3002. His main responsibility was the East-mark, of which the Eastfold was the southern section. His son Éomer also became Marshal of the East-mark, a position he held at the outbreak of the War of the Ring.[40]
Part of the Great West Road ran through the Eastfold. Gandalf and Pippin, riding on Shadowfax, travelled eastwards through Eastfold during the War of the Ring. Days later they were followed by the great Ride of the Rohirrim, which was led by Théoden, King of Rohan; the 6,000 riders included Éowyn, Meriadoc Brandybuck and the said Éomer.
Edhellond[edit]
Edhellond (S. 'elf-haven') is an ancient harbour and settlement of Elvish origin in Gondor, located just south of the junction of the rivers Morthond and Ringló.
In one account by Tolkien, Edhellond was founded by the Sindarin refugees in three small ships fleeing the ruin of Beleriand following Morgoth's successful onslaught on the Elvish kingdoms. Another version tells that some refugees of Doriath, in the course of their wandering, founded the haven. In both versions, the original founders possessed the knowledge of shipbuilding, which in the First Age was known only to Círdan and the elven-folk of the Falas. Whatever its ultimate origins, in time Edhellond was swelled by Nandorin Elves seeking for the sea.[41]
Amroth, Lord of Lothlórien, was lost at sea near Edhellond in the year 1981 of the Third Age while looking for his beloved Nimrodel. By then nearly all Elves of Edhellond had sailed into the West, seeking escape from the shadows of Middle-earth. By the time of the War of the Ring no Elves remained in Edhellond, and while it was uninhabited, the area passed into the dominion of Gondor.
Elostirion[edit]
Elostirion is the tallest of the three towers that stood on the Tower Hills. These towers were said to have been built by Gil-galad, High King of the Noldor in Middle-earth, in honour of Elendil who came to Middle-earth in the aftermath of the fall of Númenor (S.A. 3319).
Afterwards Elendil often came to the tower and set there one of the palantíri of the North, the only one that could look to Númenor; but unlike the other six, it could not be used to communicate with other palantíri. This palantír eventually became known as the Elendil Stone.
Elostirion endured for millennia after the deaths of Gil-galad and Elendil (both in S.A. 3441), under the care of Círdan and the Elves of Lindon; but the Elendil Stone palantír that it once held was taken to the Blessed Realm when Elrond and company sailed away at the end of the Third Age.
Emyn Beraid[edit]
- see: Tower Hills
Emyn Muil[edit]
The Emyn Muil (S. 'veiled hills'[42]) is a craggy, nearly impassable highland surrounding Nen Hithoel, a large lake. The Anduin river cut through the Emyn Muil, entering the north at Sarn Gebir, passed the Argonath before flowing into Nen Hithoel, and then poured out of the Emyn Muil in the great waterfall of Rauros. The three southmost peaks of the Emyn Muil were Amon Hen, Tol Brandir and Amon Lhaw. Most of these features are included in an 'aerial view' of the Emyn Muil which Tolkien sketched; the sketch is published in J. R. R. Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator.[43]
The Emyn Muil marked the southern limits of Wilderland,[44] and formed the eastern wall of Rohan. Gondor claimed the Emyn Muil as far north as the Argonath.
In The Two Towers, Frodo and Sam struggled through the eastern Emyn Muil en route to the Black Gate of Mordor. Tolkien writes that he padded Frodo and Sam's difficult crossing with enough days to synchronize their movements with those of Aragorn and Gandalf. Frodo and Sam eventually escaped using a rope to descend a cliff to the Dead Marshes.
In the meantime the Uruk-hai, carrying Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took as captives, traversed the western Emyn Muil. They were pursued by the Three Hunters: Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli.
Emyn Uial[edit]
The Emyn Uial (S. 'hills of dusk') are the highlands in northern Eriador, called also the Hills of Evendim. The hills began about a hundred Númenórean miles north of the Shire; at the southern end was the city of Annúminas, the first capital of Arnor, at Lake Evendim. The Baranduin or Brandywine River flowed out of this lake. A tributary of the river Lhûn also rose in the hills.
In the Second Age, when the Men of Númenor first returned to Middle-earth, the Hills of Evendim were populated by Men related to the ancestors of the Edain. For this reason the Númenóreans later settled nearby, and the hills formed the core of the later kingdom of Arnor. After the establishment of the Kingdoms in Exile by Elendil and his sons, the Men of Evendim merged with the Dúnedain and men not of Edain stock, like the Men of Bree, to form the population of Arnor.
Enedwaith[edit]
Enedwaith (also spelt Enedhwaith, or Enedwâith) originally referred to both a region of Middle-earth and the men that inhabited it, although the region Enedwaith retained that name even when the Enedwaith people were no more. Enedwaith is Sindarin for 'Middle-region' as well as 'Middle-folk', referring to its position between Eriador (and its kingdom Arnor) to the north and Gondor to the south.
The boundaries of the Enedwaith were defined in the north by the rivers Gwathló and Glanduin, to the east by the Misty Mountains, and to the west by Belegaer, 'The Great Sea'. The southern border was less clear, but was probably formed by the river Isen.
During the First and early Second Age Enedwaith was deeply forested, but the arrival of the timber-hungry Númenóreans, from the seventh century of the Second Age onwards, devastated the landscape. The denuded forests of Enedwaith, and much of those to the north in Eriador, were finally destroyed by the War of the Elves and Sauron around S.A. 1700, during which much of what had survived the felling was burnt. Only remote corners like Eryn Vorn survived in Eriador, and the Old Forest still further north. Many surviving natives took refuge in the eastern highlands of Enedwaith, 'the foothills of the Misty Mountains', which ultimately became Dunland.
After S.A. 3320, Enedwaith formed the most northern part of the new Kingdom of Gondor, at least officially. The south-east was still 'in places well-wooded', but elsewhere Enedwaith was by this time 'mostly grassland.' Following the Great Plague in T.A. 1636 however, Gondor's authority permanently lapsed throughout the region.
The Númenóreans founded two cities on the Gwathló, Enedwaith's north-west boundary: Tharbad and Lond Daer. Lond Daer was located on the coast, on the southern banks of the Gwathló estuary, and thus fully in Enedwaith. At a later stage it was known as Lond Daer Enedh, reinforcing its connection with Enedwaith.
The other city, Tharbad, was further inland. Located mainly on the northern banks, technically in Eriador, it nevertheless was an important centre for the inhabitants of Enedwaith across the river. Tharbad, unlike Lond Daer, remained significant beyond the early Third Age, but was finally abandoned following devastating floods in T.A. 2912. After this only two groups survived in Enedwaith: the Dunlendings in the east, and a 'fairly numerous but barbarous fisher-folk' wandering the coast.
Ered Lithui[edit]
Ered Lithui is the mountain range forming the northern border of Mordor. From the Morannon, where it met the Ephel Dúath, the Ered Lithui ran generally eastward for hundreds of miles. The 'Guide to the Names in The Lord of the Rings', written by Tolkien as a guide for translators, explains the name Ered Lithui as 'Sindarin orod, plural ered, eryd, 'mountain'; lith “ash” plus adjectival ui. Translate by sense: mountains of ash-grey hue'[45]
As an alternative to Ered Lithui, Tolkien himself used the English ('Common Speech') name 'Ashen Mountains', which appears twice in The Return of the King, once in the chapter 'The Land of Shadow' and once in 'Mount Doom'; it is also spelt thus in the index to the second edition. On the maps prepared by Christopher Tolkien, however, the range is labelled 'Ash Mountains,' and that is the English name that commonly appears on fan sites.
Barad-dûr, the Dark Tower of Sauron, stood at the end of a spur of the Ered Lithui which jutted southwards onto the plateau of Gorgoroth and towards Mount Doom.
Further to the east, a longer southwards spur formed part of the escarpment between Gorgoroth and Nurn, Mordor's lower lands.
Ered Luin[edit]
The Ered Luin, also called the Blue Mountains and the Mountains of Lune, was a large mountain range which formed the western boundary of the great region of Eriador. Originally Beleriand, another great region, lay to the west of the mountains; but at the end of the First Age Beleriand was mostly destroyed and submerged, and the only mainland remaining west of the mountains was Lindon. Even before the end of the First Age, Lindon had given the mountains an alternative (but little-used) name: the Ered Lindon.
The peaks of the Blue Mountains included Mount Dolmed, roughly in the middle, and Mount Rerir in the north. Also in the north was the source of the river Lhûn. The upper Lhûn flowed to the east, but in the destruction of Beleriand the Sea forced a great gap in the middle of the Blue Mountains, and the Lhûn's lower course was diverted so that it flowed back west and into the gap, which was now partly filled by the Gulf of Lune. In the First Age, a number of rivers had flowed west from the mountains: the Gelion and the Seven Rivers of Ossiriand.
The peoples of Middle-earth encountered the Blue Mountains at different stages of the First Age. The first peoples were Elves, who crossed the range in their primeval Great Journey westwards; much later they were followed by Men: the Edain. Dwarves founded two great cities in the east face of the mountains: Belegost, just to the north of Dolmed, and Nogrod just to the south.
The Dwarves had appeared an age after the Elves (but well before Men). The Sindar (Elves who had abandoned the Great Journey and settled in Beleriand) believed that the Dwarves had followed them from the far east and across the mountains.[46] However, given that Belegost and Nogrod were the strongholds of two of the great clans of the Dwarves (the Broadbeams and Firebeards), it is possible that their patriarchs had been placed in the Blue Mountains by Aulë, and awoke there.
After the end of the First Age the power and wealth of Khazad-dûm was much increased; for it was enriched by many people and much lore and craft when the ancient cities of Nogrod and Belegost in the Blue Mountains were ruined in the breaking of Thangorodrim.[47] However, by the late Third Age Dwarves were again residing in the eastern Blue Mountains. Some of Durin's folk who survived the sack of Erebor settled in the southern Ered Luin in T.A. 2802, led by Thrain II;[48] thus Thorin Oakenshield was living there prior to his quest of Erebor. Thorin's nephews Fíli and Kíli were born in the Blue Mountains, as was their distant cousin Gimli.
At one time Dwarves had mines in the far north of the Blue Mountains, but these had been abandoned by T.A. 1974 when Arvedui, the last King of Arthedain, hid in these mines with his companions. Hunger soon forced them to leave these mines and seek the assistance of the Lossoth on the nearby shores of the Bay of Forochel.
Ered Mithrin[edit]
The Ered Mithrin or Grey Mountains was a large mountain range on the north of Wilderland. The Grey Mountains were a remnant of the wall of the Ered Engrin or Iron Mountains, which once stretched all over the north of Middle-earth, but were broken at the end of the First Age. The eastern Grey Mountains branched into two spurs, between which lay the Withered Heath, an abode of Dragons. The Greylin (a tributary of the Anduin) and the Forest River arose in the western Grey Mountains.
Dwarves of Durin's folk established a colony in the Grey Mountains in the First Age. It was disrupted by an infestation of Orcs in the War of the Elves and Sauron (S.A. 1693-1701).[49] Dwarves re-established themselves in the Grey Mountains, but were eventually again disrupted by the dragon Scatha, who piled the Dwarves' treasure into a hoard. Scatha was eventually killed, in about T.A. 2000, by Fram of Éothéod. Fram claimed Scatha's hoard (which included a silver artefact later known as the horn of Eorl), although this was disputed by the Dwarves.
The Kings of Durin's folk were based in the Grey Mountains from T.A. 2210, until they returned to Erebor in 2590.
To the north of the Grey Mountains lay the large cold region of Forodwaith.
Ered Wethrin[edit]
Ered Wethrin (IPA: [ˈɛrɛd ˈweθrɪn]; archaically IPA: [ˈœrœd ˈɣweθrin]) (Mountains of Shadow) was a mountain range in the north of Middle-earth in the First Age. In the south, it was an east-west range that divided Dor-lómin and Mithrim to the north from Beleriand to the south, then in the east it curved around to the northwest, forming the boundary of Hithlum. A line of hills to the southwest formed the southern boundary of Nevrast, while the Mountains of Mithrim were a northwesterly spur that separated Dor-lómin from Mithrim.
Several rivers arose in the Ered Wethrin; those on the eastwards side of the range included the great river Sirion and its tributaries Narog and Teiglin. The easternmost point of the Ered Wethrin reached nearly to the Echoriath, forming a steep-sided valley through which the upper Sirion ran. The Ered Wethrin disappeared beneath the waves at the end of the First Age, when the Valar changed the shape of Middle-earth.
These mountains should not be confused with Middle-earth's other Mountains of Shadow: the Ephel Dúath of Mordor.
Eryn Vorn[edit]
Eryn Vorn, also known as 'The Black Wood', was a densely forested peninsula in southern Eriador. Forming the western tip of what became known as Minhiriath, it was originally part of the vast ancient treescape that covered most of north-western Middle-earth, and was named by the early Númenórean explorers of the Second Age.
Throughout the following millennium, Minhiriath's landscape beyond the cape was systematically deforested by the Númenóreans in their greed for shipbuilding timber, and was then almost completely burnt down during the ensuing War of the Elves and Sauron. By the war's end in S.A. 1700, the surviving natives had either retreated north to Bree or hidden themselves in Eryn Vorn, but the whole region was largely ignored by both Elf and Númenórean thereafter.
Eryn Vorn eventually fell under the jurisdiction of Arnor after Númenor's destruction at the end of the Second Age, and from 861 in the Third Age, the Black Woods became a nominal part of Cardolan, one of Arnor's three successor states.
The people of Cardolan were almost completely destroyed by the Great Plague a few centuries later, and although it is not known how this affected the Black Wood, it is probable that it remained populated throughout its history, for although no permanent settlements of men existed anywhere west of Bree by the late Third Age,[50] 'a few secretive hunter-folk lived in the woods' of Minhiriath by the time of the War of the Ring.[51] The Black Wood was the only woodland in Minhiriath large enough to be mapped, so presumably these secretive folk were the descendants of those who hid in Eryn Vorn over four thousand years earlier.
Ettenmoors[edit]
The Ettenmoors are highlands west of the Misty Mountains and north of the Coldfells. It was a location of warfare between the Free Peoples and Angmar in the Third Age when the Witch-king fled after losing the battle of Fornost.[52] It is also the place where the trolls live in The Hobbit (ettin is the Old English for giant).
Everholt[edit]
'Everholt' is the name the Rohirrim gave to a section of the Firienholt woods.[53] It was notorious for its boars, after whom the forest was named;[54] the first element is Old Englisheofor, 'boar'. The last boar was hunted and killed by Folca, 13th King of Rohan; in the encounter the king was gored by the boar, and also died in the woods.
Fanuidhol[edit]
Fanuidhol is also called Bundushathûr in Khuzdul (Shathûr for short) and translated into English as Cloudyhead. It is a peak in the Misty Mountains, the eastern-most[15] of the three great mountains that stood above the Dwarf-realm of Khazad-dûm (the others being Caradhras and Celebdil).
Fenmarch[edit]
Fenmarch was the south-east borderland of Rohan. Part of the Firien Wood lay in its south at the feet of the White Mountains. The border itself was marked by the Mering Stream, which flowed from the mountains and through the Firien Wood. East of the border lay Gondor.
King Théoden and his army rode 'through Folde and Fenmarch and the Firienwood' on their way to the Battle of Pelennor Fields.[55]
Field of Celebrant[edit]
The Field of Celebrant is a broad grassland in south-western Wilderland. It lay west of the river Anduin between two tributaries: the Limlight in the south and the eponymous Celebrant in the north. The Field thus separated Calenardhon (later the kingdom of Rohan) from the woods of Lothlórien. The Field of Celebrant was bounded on the west by the Misty Mountains.
The south-eastern corner of these grasslands was the site of the decisive Battle of the Field of Celebrant in T.A. 2510, where Eorl the Young rode to the aid of Gondor's northern army. In Gondor after this time, the Field of Celebrant generally meant the battle site, rather than the grasslands as a whole.[56]
After the War of the Ring, the Field of Celebrant (in its broader sense) became part of Rohan.[57]
Firienholt[edit]
Firienholt is a forest through which a portion of the border between Rohan and Gondor lay, also called the Firien Wood. The Mering Stream, marking the border between the two lands, flowed through. The White Mountains lay south of the forest; Elendil's original tomb was on a tall peak named Halifirien within the forest.[58]
The Floating Log[edit]
The Floating Log is a 'good inn' located in the village of Frogmorton in the Shire. During the War of the Ring, the inn was closed, so that Frodo Baggins and his companions were taken to a Shirriff-house instead while travelling through Frogmorton.[13]
Folde[edit]
The Folde is an ancient and historic region of the kingdom of Rohan. It included Edoras[59] (the capital of Rohan for most of its history), and the nearby settlement of Harrowdale. The town of Aldburg, Rohan's first capital before the transfer to Edoras, was also located in the Folde, further to the east. Its name comes from Old English, with the approximate meaning 'bosom of the Earth', which shows its importance in Rohan's early history.[60] The Folde was the most populous region of Rohan.
King Théoden and his army rode 'through Folde and Fenmarch' on their way to the Battle of Pelennor Fields.[55]
In an earlier concept, Rohan's capital region was called the King's Lands, of which the Folde was the sub-region to the south-east of Edoras and containing Aldburg.[61] This earlier concept of the Folde found its way onto the map of Gondor published with The Return of the King.
Forlond[edit]
Forlond (S. 'north haven') is a harbour on the northern side of the Gulf of Lhûn in Lindon. It was built by Elves after the drowning of Beleriand.
The Forsaken Inn[edit]
Artist´s depiction of Forsaken Inn
The Forsaken Inn is an inn on the Great East Road east of Bree, presumably constructed by Men. It was mentioned by Aragorn discussing with Frodo Baggins the further course of their journey: 'None have measured the road between Rivendell and the Forsaken Inn, a day's ride east of Bree.'[62]
The East Road was used years earlier by Bilbo Baggins; the Forsaken Inn is not specifically referred to in The Hobbit, but 'an inn or two' at the edge of the Lone-lands are mentioned.[63]
In the Interplay version of The Fellowship of the Ring for PC, the Forsaken Inn is located southeast of Bree's east gate. A secret cellar beneath the inn contains clues to obtaining Durin's Axe.
In Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online, the Forsaken Inn is located on the western edge of the Lone-lands, along the Great East Road. In the game, the inn is in a bad state.
Goblin-town[edit]
Goblin-town is a goblin (or orc) settlement which lay under the High Pass in the Misty Mountains. It was ruled by the Great Goblin.
Goblin-town was a complex of caverns and tunnels. The Great Goblin held court in one great cavern at the heart of the settlement. Other delvings were dedicated to mines, torture-chambers, slave-pens, prison-cells, forges for weapons and tools, and places where 'clever' devices were made.[64]
The tunnels ultimately led most of the way through the mountains, from the 'front porch' to the 'back door' (also called 'Goblin Gate'). The front porch (ostensibly a cave) opened onto the High Pass so that travellers on the Pass could be waylaid. Goblin Gate was on the eastern side of the mountains, near the Eagles' eyrie in Wilderland; it was used to mount raids into Wilderland. Both entrances had doors; the Front Porch had a hidden door ('the black crack') at the rear of the cave, and a guard-post was maintained at Goblin Gate.
A tunnel nearer Goblin Gate led deep into the mountain to a subterranean lake, which was part of the Misty Mountains underworld. Occasional goblins sought fish from the lake for the Great Goblin.[65]Gollum made his home on an island in this lake in about T.A. 2470.
During the quest to Erebor in T.A. 2941, Thorin Oakenshield's company – Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf and thirteen Dwarves – were sheltering in the Front Porch when they were attacked by soldiers of Goblin-town. Bilbo and the Dwarves were captured, and brought before the Great Goblin. The Great Goblin accused them of spying, and was enraged to find out Thorin was carrying the sword Orcrist 'Orc-cleaver'. With the help of Gandalf, Bilbo and the Dwarves killed the Great Goblin and fled, and a frantic pursuit occurred. They eventually escaped via Goblin Gate.
The Golden Perch[edit]
The Golden Perch is an inn situated in the village of Stock in the Eastfarthing of the Shire. It was credited by Peregrin Took for having 'the best beer in the Eastfarthing'.[66]
The name perch is neither the land measure, nor a bird perch. It refers to the fish. The inn was 'probably one favoured by anglers.'[67]
Gorgoroth[edit]
Gorgoroth is an arid plateau in the north-west of Sauron's realm of Mordor, in the midst of which stood the volcanic Mount Doom. The plateau was covered in volcanic ash and rock, and was effectively a desert with little to no plant growth.
The plateau was a large triangular area, mostly surrounded by high mountain ranges. The north was fenced by about 300 miles of the Ered Lithui, and the west by about 150 miles of the Morgai (the inner range of the Ephel Dúath), and most of the south-east side by mountain-range spurs that extended south-west from the Ered Lithui and east from the Ephel Dúath.
Thus Gorgoroth had superb natural defences, and it was the heart of the realm of Sauron. In the northeast, on a smaller spur of the Ered Lithui, Sauron constructed his chief fortress of Barad-dûr. Gorgoroth was the location for the mines and forges that produced Mordor's arms and armour. Agriculture in Gorgoroth was virtually impossible, but armies of Sauron's soldiers lived in camps of huts and tents on the western margins at the feet of the Morgai escarpment.[68] Sauron built a network of highways across Gorgoroth for his soldiers and messengers; there were cisterns and wells at various points on these roads through the desert.[69]
Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee crossed Gorgoroth in their quest to get to Mount Doom in The Lord of the Rings.
A similar name had been given to a range of mountains in Beleriand, Ered Gorgoroth. The Norwegian black metal band Gorgoroth took the name in tribute to the plateau in Mordor.
Gram[edit]
- see Mount Gram
The Green Dragon[edit]
The Green Dragon, an inn at Bywater, is the last building on the side of the village nearest to Hobbiton.
At the beginning of the Quest of Erebor, Thorin Oakenshield and his company of Dwarves went ahead to the Green Dragon Inn to make preparations and await Bilbo Baggins.[63] Many years later, on the advent of the War of the Ring, the inn was the site of a conversation between Samwise Gamgee and Ted Sandyman about the strange things that had been happening, such as queer folk passing through the Shire and a 'Tree-man' seen by Sam's cousin Halfast of Overhill.[70] When Frodo Baggins and the others returned to Bywater from Gondor, they found the inn 'lifeless and with broken windows', as it was not maintained under Saruman's men.[13]
The Green Dragon as depicted in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy
In The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, the inn is featured twice, in brief interludes near the beginning and end of the three movies. The Green Dragon is the employer of Rosie Cotton, who works there as a bar maid. This is where Samwise Gamgee approaches her following the Fellowship's return from Gondor. The inn was also not vandalized by Saruman's men in the films, because the Scouring of the Shire is only shown as an alternate future in Galadriel's mirror. The largest container of ale offered in the Green Dragon is half a pint.
Merry and Pippin sing a song about the Green Dragon in the film The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King:
Oh, you can search far and wide
You can drink the whole town dry
But you'll never find a beer so brown
As the one we drink in our hometown
You can keep your fancy ales
You can drink 'em by the flagon
But the only brew for the brave and true
Comes from the Green Dragon![71]
The song is mostly invented by the film's writers, though the phrase 'a beer so brown' appears in 'The Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late', an actual Tolkien poem found in The Fellowship of the Ring and The Adventures of Tom Bombadil.[72]
In The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II, the inn is not simply vandalized, but utterly destroyed by the goblins of Gorkil in the Evil Campaign. The Green Dragon Inn is also seen in the Shire map for skirmish mode, where it functions as a normal inn once captured.
The name of the inn where Bilbo met the Dwarves at the start of The Hobbit was a last-minute change made when the book was in page proofs. The sign of the Green Dragon displayed in front of a public house is a compliment to the Patron Saint of England, Saint George of dragon-slaying fame. It was clearly selected with some care on Tolkien’s part, most likely as intentional foreshadowing of the events of the story yet to come. Who better to see Bilbo on his way as he sets out on his quest to kill the dragon than Patron Saint of England, the 'dragon slayer.' [73] Tolkien also notably mused on 'a great green dragon' in his childhood.[74]
Grey Mountains[edit]
- see Ered Mithrin
Gulf of Lune[edit]
The Gulf of Lune is a sea-arm that broke through the range of the Ered Luin into Eriador. The Gulf of Lune, named after the river Lhûn or 'Lune', was created during the War of Wrath when Beleriand was broken. In the midst of Ossiriand, the Great Sea broke through the mountains, creating the Gulf of Lune.[75] The remnant of Beleriand north of the gulf became known as Forlindon, and the part south of it as Harlindon (North and South Lindon).
At the beginning of the Second Age, Elves established the Grey Havens of Mithlond at the eastern end of the Gulf. These Elves were Noldor and Sindar under who remained in Middle-earth under King Gil-galad. But at various times during the following Ages, the ships of the Eldar continued to sail from the Gulf and into the West.
During the Second Age the ships of the Númenóreans came to the Gulf of Lune to visit the Elves.
Gundabad[edit]
- see Mount Gundabad
Harad[edit]
The vast region of Harad lay to the south of Gondor and Mordor. It included the coastal city of Umbar. The Men of Harad, called the Haradrim, were ancient enemies of the Gondorians, and allies of Sauron during the War of the Ring.
Harlond[edit]
Harlond (S. 'south haven') is a harbour on the southern side of the Gulf of Lhûn in Lindon. Like Forlond, it was built after the drowning of Beleriand.
Harrowdale[edit]
Harrowdale is the deep valley cut northwards out of the White Mountains by the Snowbourn River. At the head of the valley, beneath the mountain known as the Starkhorn, stood Dunharrow, a great refuge of the Rohirrim. Lower down the valley lay the hamlets of Underharrow and Upbourn. At its northern end, by the east bank of the Snowbourn where it issued down onto the plains of Rohan, stood that kingdom's capital, Edoras.
In The Lord of the Rings, Aragorn and his Grey Company arrived in Harrowdale on 7th 'March' T.A. 3019, and left the next morning via the Paths of the Dead. King Théoden of Rohan arrived on 9th 'March' with Meriadoc Brandybuck; the following day they led the Muster of Rohan and its ride to the War of the Ring.
Hill of Guard[edit]
The hill abutting Mount Mindolluin at the eastern end of the White Mountains. It stood some 700 feet above the lands at its base.[76] The Gondorian city of Minas Tirith was built on this hill.
The hill's name is a translation of the Sindarin name: Amon Tirith.[77]
Hills of Evendim[edit]
- see Emyn Uial
Hills of Faraway[edit]
The hills of Faraway was a vague location in Eriador. A Troll was said to live there. Possibly it existed only in the imagination of Hobbits.
Himring[edit]
Himring is a hill in the north-east of Beleriand during the First Age, it was the greatest hill for many leagues around. It was wide-shouldered and surrounded by many lesser hills, and after Beleriand sank beneath the sea the summit of the hill remained above the sea as an island which remained in the ages that came afterwards.
Irensaga[edit]
Irensaga is one of the major peaks of the White Mountains. It rose above Harrowdale. Its name is Old EnglishÍrensaga, 'iron-saw', a reference to the jagged appearance of its peak.
The Irensaga Montes on Titan, a moon of Saturn, are named after Tolkien's Irensaga.
Isenmouthe[edit]
The Isenmouthe is the pass in the northwest of Mordor, also called by the Mannish name of the Isenmouthe or Carach Angren (both versions of the name mean 'iron jaws'). It was formed where spurs reaching out from the ranges of the Ephel Dúath and the Ered Lithui met, leaving only a narrow passage between the Plateau of Gorgoroth and the smaller valley of Udûn to the north. As the passage to the Black Gate of the Morannon, Carach Angren was heavily fortified, and both the rocky spurs that overlooked it carried fortresses and watchtowers. Across the passage itself, a wall of earth had been built, and a great ditch had been dug across the opening spanned by a single bridge.
Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee passed close to the Isenmouthe on their journey to Mount Doom.
The Ivy Bush[edit]
The Ivy Bush is a 'small inn on the Bywater road' near Hobbiton in the Shire. Here Gaffer Gamgee recounted to the other regulars his stories about Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, who were about to throw a magnificent joint birthday party.[78]
The Ivy Bush pub at the junction of Hagley Rd/Monument Rd in Edgbaston
The most likely real-world source for this inn is an Edgbaston pub called the Ivy Bush, near which Tolkien lived for a number of years.[79][80]
A hotel in Carmarthen (Wales) is named the Ivy Bush Royal Hotel.
Khand[edit]
Khand is a land which lay on the south-east of Mordor at the end of the Mountains of Shadow. To the south-west of Khand lay Near Harad, and to the east lay the vast region of Rhûn. Tolkien says little about the land or its people. It was the home of the Variags of Khand, warriors who appear tangentially in the text with little description. The index of Volumes VIII and XII of The History of Middle-earth, presumably due to Christopher Tolkien, glosses Variag as 'the people of Khand'.
Khand existed in the shadow of its powerful neighbour, Mordor. It appears twice in Tolkien's account of the history of Gondor: first in the year 1944 of the Third Age when the Variags together with the Wainriders attacked Gondor, and later during the War of the Ring when they fought and died on the Pelennor Fields.
Kheled-zarâm[edit]
- see Mirrormere
Lake Evendim[edit]
Lake Evendim (S.Nenuial) was located in Eriador in the Hills of Evendim, which lay north of the Shire. The lake covered an estimated 639 square miles[81] (1,655 km²). It was the source of the river Baranduin (the Brandywine).[82]
In the early part of the Second Age, Galadriel and Celeborn may have dwelled in the area around Lake Evendim with many other Elves in their following before they moved to Eregion around the year S.A. 700.[83]Men also lived around Lake Evendim in the early part of the Second Age.[84] When the North-kingdom of Arnor was established in S.A. 3320, the High King Elendil had his seat at Annúminas on the south-east shore of Lake Evendim near the outflow of the Baranduin.[85] One of the palantíri was kept there.[86]
After Arnor was divided into three kingdoms in 861 of the Third Age, the capital was moved to Fornost (about 100 miles to the east of Annúminas). Annúminas began to fall into ruin and was eventually abandoned.[87] In the Fourth Age, Annúminas was re-established as the northern capital by Aragorn, King Elessar.[88] In the year 15 of the Fourth Age, the King, and Queen Arwen, came north to dwell by the shores of Lake Evendim for a time.[89]
Evendim means 'evening twilight.'[90] The Sindarin name was Nenuial meaning 'lake of twilight' from 'nen' meaning 'lake' and 'uial' meaning 'twilight.'[91]
Last Bridge[edit]
The Last Bridge is the crossing point of the river Mitheithel by the Great East Road. The stone bridge of three arches, the river's lowest crossing below its upper reaches in the Ettenmoors,[92] served as an important landmark on the road from Bree to Rivendell, as it was just over halfway between these two points and at least a week's journey east of Bree.
Bilbo Baggins, the dwarves, and Gandalf crossed this bridge in The Hobbit, though it is not named, and their encounter with the trolls occurred in the Trollshaws nearby. In The Fellowship of the Ring, Aragorn finds a beryl on the bridge that was left by Glorfindel as a warning that the Nazgûl were searching the Great East Road for the One Ring. Glorfindel mentions waging battle with the Nazgûl upon the bridge, as to make it safe for the Hobbits and Aragorn to reach Rivendell.
Last Desert[edit]
An arid region in the far east of Rhûn. It was the abode of Wereworms.
Lithlad[edit]
Lithlad (S. 'ash-plain') is an arid region of Mordor to the south of Ered Lithui, upon the outskirts of which the Tower of Barad-dûr stood.
Lond Daer Enedh[edit]
Lond Daer Enedh was the first permanent settlement of the Númenóreans in Middle-earth. It was located on the coast of Enedwaith, on the southern banks of the estuary of the Gwathló; this river provided access to the great region of Eregion in the hinterland to the north.
The settlement was founded as Vinyalondë ('New Haven') by Númenor's crown prince Aldarion between the years 739 and 800 of the Second Age.[93] From here Aldarion's 'Guild of Venturers' began harvesting the local timber for the shipbuilding industry of Númenor.
Within a few centuries, the deforestation of the outlying regions Enedwaith and Minhiriath became cataclysmic, angering the local native population (ancestors of the Dunlendings), and they began to fight back with increasing ferocity, destroying the haven several times, and frequently burning the great wood-stores in hit-and-run attacks.
By the time of the War of the Elves and Sauron in the middle of the Second Age, this 'New Haven' had become very well established, and its name had shifted over the intervening one thousand years to Lond Daer, the Great Haven. As such, it was one of the two beachheads of the Númenórean forces in Eriador that were used to support the Elves around S.A. 1700.
Lond Daer's shipyards were starved of timber following the war, as the forces of Sauron had burnt almost all of what remained in Enedwaith and Minhiriath. Once its shipbuilding yards were no longer practicable, Lond Daer declined in importance, and the Númenórean hunger for ever more wealth shifted focus to the establishment of newer havens to the south, Pelargir and Umbar. Following this, Lond Daer was once again renamed, being now one of several major ports in Middle-earth, and was known as Lond Daer Enedh, or 'Great Middle Haven'. Despite this, Númenor still maintained traffic on the Gwathló as far as the city of Tharbad.
After the Downfall of Númenor, Elendil founded the realm of Arnor in the lands north of Lond Daer, but the haven was now redundant, and fell into ruin. Instead, control over the region was maintained from Tharbad. The ancient ruins of Lond Daer were still visible as late as the end of the Third Age, however, and still featured on maps from that time.
Long Lake[edit]
The Long Lake is a lake situated at the confluence of the Forest River and the northern reaches of the Celduin south of the Lonely Mountain. The lake gets its name from being many times longer north-south than it was wide east-west (from the west shore where the Forest River emptied into the lake the east shore could barely be seen, but the north and south not at all). The lake emptied out over waterfalls on the southern edge into the River Running that led all the way to the great Sea of Rhûn. Esgaroth, a town of Men, was built entirely upon the lake itself, which thus formed a natural moat. It was built very near to the Forest River outlet, but protected from the stream by a promontory of rock. The water in the Lake itself was calm.
In The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins and Thorin's company traversed virtually the whole lake from south to north before heading to the Lonely Mountain. They were rowed by men of Esgaroth.
The lake covered an estimated 93 square miles[81] (272 km²).
Lune[edit]
- see Gulf of Lune; Mountains of Lune; List of Middle-earth rivers#Lhûn
Methedras[edit]
Methedras (S. 'end-horn') is the southernmost peak of the Misty Mountains. On its west lay Isengard in the valley of Nan Curunír.
On the eastern side of Methedras lay Fangorn Forest. The Entwash sprang from the mountain's higher eastern slopes. Treebeard's home, Wellinghall, was located at the feet of the mountain near the source of the river. From there the young river ran down the mountain's lowest slopes on its way through the forest.
Treebeard and the Ents, together with Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took, traversed the southern spur of Methedras, a high ridge, on their march from Fangorn to Isengard.
Mindolluin[edit]
Mindolluin (S. 'towering head blue') was the easternmost peak of the White Mountains. The city of Minas Tirith stood upon the Hill of Guard, the eastern shoulder of the mountain. In The Return of the King, shortly after Aragorn's coronation as King Elessar, Gandalf took him by an ancient path that led up Mindolluin to a high hallow that overlooked the city far below. There he discovered, upon an otherwise barren slope, a sapling of Nimloth, the White Tree of Gondor, which he replanted in the city's Court of the Fountain as a sign of rebirth.
The Mindolluin Montes on Titan, the great moon of Saturn, are named after Tolkien's Mindolluin.
Minhiriath[edit]
Minhiriath (Sindarin for 'Between Rivers' and thus an Elvish form of Mesopotamia) was the most southerly region of Eriador. The two rivers referred to are the Brandywine on the north-west and the Greyflood on the south-east. In the south and south-west were Minhiriath's coastlands, washed by Belegaer, 'the Great Sea'. It had no clear border on the north-east.
Absorbed: Journals that are combined with another title. In rare instances, apublisher has elected to have a 'zero' moving wall, so their currentissues are available in JSTOR shortly after publication.Note: In calculating the moving wall, the current year is not counted.For example, if the current year is 2008 and a journal has a 5 yearmoving wall, articles from the year 2002 are available. The 'moving wall' represents the time period between the last issueavailable in JSTOR and the most recently published issue of a journal.Moving walls are generally represented in years. Terms Related to the Moving Wall Fixed walls: Journals with no new volumes being added to the archive. Complete: Journals that are no longer published or that have beencombined with another title.
The original inhabitants of Minhiriath (Minhiriathrim) were descended from the same Atani as the ancestors of the Númenóreans, but because they spoke mutually unintelligible languages, the Númenóreans did not class the Minhiriathrim as Middle Men.
When the large-scale deforestation of their land began under the Númenórean 'Ship Kings' after the 7th century of the Second Age, the minhiriathrim became openly hostile, and were persecuted. Only those who 'fled from Minhiriath into the dark woods of the great Cape of Eryn Vorn' survived. Most, if not all, of these forest-dwellers subsequently 'welcomed Sauron and hoped for his victory over the Men of the Sea', but they were to be disappointed by Sauron's burning of much of the rest of the surviving forest, and final defeat, in S.A. 1701.
From S.A. 3320, Minhiriath became nominally part of the newly established Kingdom of Arnor, at which time it formed the upper part of
- .a land that was far and wide on either bank a desert, treeless but untilled.
- ('Of Galadriel & Celeborn' from Unfinished Tales)
From T.A. 861, Minhiriath was inherited by one of Arnor's three successor states, Cardolan, but the 'ravaging' of Cardolan by evil forces in T.A. 1409 no doubt caused extensive depopulation of the whole country. Even worse was the advent of the Great Plague in T.A. 1636, after which Minhiriath was 'almost entirely deserted'. After T.A. 1975, even though 'a few secretive hunter-folk lived in the woods' the region was almost entirely desolate.
Although 'still in places well-wooded' by the time of the War of the Ring, the once continuously forested Minhiriath bore the permanent scars of over 5000 years of felling, burning and war.
During the Fourth Age the region once more developed under the auspices of the restored Kingdom of Arnor: when talking of Eriador (and particularly the lands south and west of Bree) to an innkeeper at the end of the War of the Ring, for example, Gandalf confidently predicts that,
- .the waste in time will be waste no longer, and there will be people and fields where once there was wilderness.
- ('The Journey Home', The Lord of the Rings)
Mirrormere[edit]
The Mirrormere is the tarn (mountain-lake) located in Dimrill Dale below the doors of Khazad-dûm (Moria), on the eastern side of the central Misty Mountains. It was known as Kheled-zâram by the Dwarves.
According to the Dwarves of Durin's folk, their ultimate forefather Durin the Deathless had awoken in the First Age at Mount Gundabad in the far north Misty Mountains, and then travelled south until he came upon the Mirrormere. He looked down in it, and in the reflection saw a crown of stars above his head; this constellation was thus named Durin's Crown by Dwarves. Having acquired a 'crown', he then founded the kingdom of Khazad-dûm nearby. Mirrormere was revered by Dwarves; they erected Durin's Stone on the spot by the edge of the lake where their patriarch had his vision.
When Balin attempted to refound a Dwarf-colony in Moria, he was fatally attracted by the Mirrormere. On 10 'November' T.A. 2994 he went alone to look in the lake, but was shot by an Orc.
The Fellowship of the Ring neared the lake shortly after escaping Moria, early in the afternoon of 15th 'January' T.A. 3019. Despite the urgency of getting further away from Moria, Gimli, a Dwarf, would not pass by without looking in the lake. Frodo Baggins and Sam Gamgee joined him, and they could see the stars of Durin's Crown as if reflected in the lake, even though it was broad daylight and no stars were in the sky.
Not to be confused with the Shadowmere.
Feral BirdsFeralBirdsF eralbirds are ones that have escaped from domestication and havemanaged to establish breeding populations in the wild. Feralpopulations are the results of accidents - not of releasesby people who intended to add new birds to the local fauna.A substantial proportion of exotic species that 'get away'are doves, parrots and their relatives, and waterfowl,because of the popularity of these groups in the pet trade.In most cases, pet escapees (and those 'given theirfreedom') have not gone feral.
Taxidermy texas monk parrots hunting pictures.
Morannon[edit]
The Morannon, or the Black Gate (Sindarinmor 'black' + annon 'gate'), was the highly-fortified main entrance of Mordor, the realm of the Dark Lord Sauron.
Its main structure was a great stone wall built right across Cirith Gorgor, a pass into Mordor on its north-east. Each side of the pass was a great cliff, the end of a mountain-range: the Ephel Duath (Mountains of Shadow) and the Ered Lithui (Ash Mountains). The battlemented wall separated Dagorlad on the north from the vale of Udûn on the south. The wall guarded Mordor from attack from the northwest and was flanked by Carchost and Narchost, the two 'Towers of the Teeth.' The hills on either side contained tunnels and caves where orcs lay in wait, ready to go to war.[94]
The only opening in the wall was the Black Gate itself: an enormous structure of iron, with 'three vast doors,'[95] Secret passwords were needed to pass through the gate.[96]
The Black Gate stood near the meeting of four roads: one led to the north, another east along the Ered Lithui, another west and then south through Ithilien (and ultimately to Harad), and the last through the gate into Udûn, and then deeper into Mordor.
The Morannon was built by Sauron[94] sometime during the Second Age and certainly by 3434,[97] when the Battle of Dagorlad in the War of the Last Alliance was 'fought for days and months on the plain at the Black Gates.'[98][99]
Frodo, Sam and Gollum reached the Black Gate early on 5th 'March' T.A. 3019 to seek a way into Mordor, but were unable to enter and so left. On the 25th of 'March' the Army of the West fought with the armies of Mordor before the Black Gate in the 'Battle of the Morannon.' The battle was intended to distract Sauron and give Frodo time to destroy the One Ring. When the Ring was unmade, Sauron's army was defeated and the Black Gate destroyed.
Morgul Pass[edit]
The Morgul Pass is the main pass from the Morgul Vale into Mordor. The Morgul Pass was at the far eastern end of the Morgul Vale. The Mountains of Shadow were relatively low at that point. The Morgul-road ran through the valley past Minas Morgul and over the Morgul Pass. This road then ran down into Mordor and crossed Gorgoroth to Mount Doom and Barad-dûr. The Morgul Pass was so called because it was located in the Morgul Vale. The word morgul means 'black magic'. The element mor means 'black, dark.' The element gûl means 'sorcery, magic' from the stem ngol or nólë meaning 'long study, lore, knowledge.' This pass was also called the Nameless Pass, presumably by those who did not wish to utter the evil name of Morgul.
Far up the northern wall of the Morgul Pass, far above the main roadway, was a steep secondary pass reached by a perilous stairway, and known as Cirith Ungol.
Mount Gram[edit]
Mount Gram is a mountain in north Eriador; its exact location is unknown but it probably was located either in the Ettenmoors or the Mountains of Angmar, or somewhere else in the northern Misty Mountains. It was inhabited by Orcs.
In T.A. 2747 the Orc-ruler was king Golfimbul; in that year he fatally led an invasion into the Shire.
Mount Gundabad[edit]
Mount Gundabad (S. 'stone[100]-judgement[101]': a translation of a Khuzdul name[102]) is a mountain in the northernmost section of the Misty Mountains, close to the western extremity of the Grey Mountains. It was originally a stronghold of Dwarves, but by the times in which The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings are set it was the capital of the Orcs of the Misty Mountains.
The maps published in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings depict Mount Gundabad as a three-peaked formation, reminiscent of two other Middle-earth mountains: Thangorodrim and Thrihyrne.
Sacred to Dwarves[edit]
The Fathers of the Dwarves were created by Aulë, who lay them in hibernation in various places in Middle-earth. Aule began with Durin the Deathless, oldest of the Fathers of the Dwarves and the first of all Dwarves, and deposited him in Mount Gundabad. Durin eventually awoke there some time after the awakening of the Elves. Mount Gundabad remained a sacred place to the Dwarves ever after.[102]
After their awakening Durin and many of his clan, the Longbeards, emigrated far to the south to found the city-kingdom of Khazad-dûm in the central Misty Mountains. However the Longbeards continued to control Mount Gundabad during the rest of the First Age. During this time, meetings of delegates from all seven Dwarf-clans were often held at Mount Gundabad.[103]
Second and Third Age history[edit]
In the middle of the Second Age, Orcs (servants of Sauron) invaded Gundabad. The site would not be cleansed until very late in the Second Age, possibly around or after the fall of Sauron and the loss of the One Ring.
In the Third Age, the Orcs of Angmar yet again claimed it as their capital, which was one of the reasons for the Dwarves' special hatred of this people. After the fall of Angmar, Gundabad remained an Orc stronghold, even after it was sacked during the War of the Dwarves and Orcs. The army of goblins that fought in the Battle of Five Armies was said to have mustered at the mountain in The Hobbit.
Mountains of Angmar[edit]
The Mountains of Angmar are the northernmost range of the Misty Mountains;[104] it ran north-west from Mount Gundabad to Carn Dûm. Carn Dûm was the capital of the evil kingdom of Angmar, which straddled the mountains and gave its name to the range. The mountains were inhabited at various times both by Dwarves and Orcs.
Mountains of Ash[edit]
- see Ered Lithui
Mountains of Moria[edit]
The Mountains of Moria were the three massive peaks at the midpoint of the Misty Mountains: Caradhras, Celebdil and Fanuidhol. The great Mines of Moria were delved by the Dwarves beneath these three mountains; the main body of their realm lay under Celebdil. The Mountains of Moria embayed a great valley, Dimrill Dale, with Celebdil on the west, Caradhras in the north, and Fanuidhol on the east.
The most southerly of the Misty Mountains' few passes was located in the Mountains of Moria: the Redhorn Pass on Caradhras. During the events of The Lord of the Rings, the Company of the Ring attempted to traverse this pass, but they were forced to enter the Mines due to a heavy snowfall.
Mountains of Shadow[edit]
- for Beleriand's Mountains of Shadow see Ered Wethrin
- for Mordor's Mountains of Shadow see Ephel Dúath
Nanduhirion[edit]
- see: Dimrill Dale
Narchost[edit]
- see Towers of the Teeth
Nen Hithoel[edit]
Nen Hithoel was a large lake upon the Great River Anduin amid the Emyn Muil to the east of Rohan. The lake was approximately 20 miles (32 km) long from north to south, and 10 miles (16 km) wide. Upon the lake's northern approach from Anduin the Men of Gondor constructed the huge pillars of the Argonath in the reign of Rómendacil II to mark the northern boundary of their realm, although by the time of the War of the Ring that boundary had long since receded. At the southern end of the lake stood three hills. Amon Hen, the Seat of Seeing, stood upon the western shore and Amon Lhaw, the Seat of Hearing upon the east. The third hill formed an island in the lake itself, Tol Brandir. None has ever set foot upon the island due to the intense currents at the lake's south end, for the lake was drained by the falls of Rauros.
The Fellowship of the Ring entered Nen Hithoel in the late afternoon of 25 'February' T.A. 3019, and made camp at Parth Galen, on the shore of Nen Hithoel at the feet of Amon Hen. The fall of Boromir and the breaking of the Fellowship occurred the following day. Frodo and Sam took a boat for the eastern shore, Merry and Pippin were captured by Uruk-Hai, and after sending Boromir's body over the falls in another boat, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli, calling themselves the Three Hunters, set out to track the Uruk-Hai and find the captive Hobbits.
Nen Hithoel features in an oblique aerial view of the Emyn Muil sketched by Tolkien. The sketch is published in J. R. R. Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator.[3]
Nenuial[edit]
- see Lake Evendim
Nindalf[edit]
Nindalf (also called Wetwang) is a swamp that lay to the south of the Emyn Muil and east of the Great River Anduin, fed by the great inland delta of the Entwash. The Dead Marshes lay further east and may have been an extension of the Nindalf. The 'f' at the end of Nindalf is pronounced 'as in English of'.[105]
Old Ford[edit]
The Old Ford is the point where the Old Forest Road of Wilderland crossed the River Anduin, about forty miles (sixty-four kilometres) downriver from the Carrock. In older times, the river was crossed by a stone bridge here, but by the end of the Third Age, the bridge had long since disappeared, and the crossing was no more than a simple ford.
Old Guesthouse[edit]
The Old Guesthouse was an inn in Minas Tirith. Situated on the Lampwrights' Street in the lowest circle of the city, it was located near the city's Great Gate, and thus convenient for travellers.
It is described as 'a large building of grey weathered stone with two wings running back from the street, and between them a narrow greensward, behind which was the many-windowed house, fronted along its whole width by a pillared porch and a flight of steps down on to the grass.'[106]
Peregrin Took met Bergil at the Old Guesthouse on 9th 'March' T.A. 3019. Five days later, Sauron's forces besieged the city and set its lowest circle in flames. Many of the buildings in that circle were severely damaged or destroyed, but the fate of the Old Guesthouse is not recorded.
Old Púkel Land[edit]
- see Drúwaith Iaur
Osgiliath[edit]
Osgiliath is a city of Middle-earth, the old capital city of the kingdom of Gondor. Osgiliath is a Sindarin name that means Citadel of the Host of Stars. Founded by Isildur and Anárion at the end of the Second Age, Osgiliath was located on either side of the Great River Anduin. In T.A. 1437, during the Kin-strife, Osgiliath was burned and its palantír was lost in the Anduin. Later Osgiliath was badly affected by the Great Plague which wiped out a substantial part of the city's population. In T.A. 1640 King Tarondor shifted the capital to Minas Anor, and Osgiliath began to fall into ruin. The half-ruined city was completely abandoned in T.A. 2475 when Orcs from Mordor invaded Ithilien and destroyed the city's great bridge. They were driven back by forces led by Boromir, son of Denethor I, a Steward of Gondor.[8]
Osgiliath was the scene of some of the earliest fighting in the War of the Ring, when in 3018, Sauron's forces attacked and captured East Osgiliath. The orcs were driven back from the western shore by forces led by Boromir (son of Steward Denethor II) and the last bridge was thrown down. During the assault on Gondor, the army of Sauron again attacked the western city and after overcoming the defence, surrounded Minas Tirith, beginning the siege of Gondor and leading directly into the Battle of the Pelennor Fields.
In Peter Jackson's film of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Faramir takes Frodo, Sam and Gollum to Osgiliath, where they witness a battle. However, in the book, the hobbits are not taken to Osgiliath, nor do they witness the battle that occurs there.
Parth Galen[edit]
Parth Galen (S: 'Green Sward') is a green lawn above the Falls of Rauros at the feet of Amon Hen. It was on the western shore of Nen Hithoel near the southern end—a fair, green sward, watered by a small spring. Sward means a large open expanse of lawn: parth means 'field, enclosed grassland', related to 'path', meaning 'level space, sward'; galen (or calen) means 'green'. It was here that the breaking of the Fellowship of the Ring took place.
The Prancing Pony[edit]
The Prancing Pony is an inn in the village of Bree. It served locals, and it was also familiar to travellers, for one of Eriador's major cross-roads was located just outside the village: the meeting of the Great East Road and the Greenway.
The sign of The Prancing Pony as depicted in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy
The inn was located in the centre of the village at the base of the Bree-hill, at the spot where the East Road made a bend. The building is described in The Lord of the Rings:
'Even from the outside the inn looked a pleasant house to familiar eyes. It had a front on the Road, and two wings running back on land partly cut out of the lower slopes of the hill, so that at the rear the second-floor windows were level with the ground. There was a wide arch leading to a courtyard between the two wings, and on the left under the arch there was a large doorway reached by a few broad steps. .. Above the arch there was a lamp, and beneath it swung a large signboard: a fat white pony reared up on its hind legs. Over the door was painted in white letters: THE PRANCING PONY by BARLIMAN BUTTERBUR.'[107]
Inside there was a large common room, several private parlours, and a number of bedrooms, including a few rooms in the north wing designed for Hobbits, that were low to the ground and had round windows. The inn also had stables.
The Prancing Pony was a meeting place for both Bree-folk and travellers, and was frequented by Men, Hobbits and Dwarves. Some of the Bucklanders from the Shire are known to have travelled to the inn occasionally. The art of smoking pipe-weed was said to have begun in Bree and from The Prancing Pony it spread among the races of Middle-earth. The inn was also noted for its fine beer, enchanted at an occasion by Gandalf.[108]Tom Bombadil knew the inn well, but presumably by repute only (it lay outside his own little realm which he never left).
At the time of the War of the Ring, the proprietor was Barliman Butterbur, whose family had kept the inn 'from time beyond record'.[109] Two Hobbits worked for Butterbur: Nob, a servant in the inn, and Bob, who worked in the stables.
Two important events leading up to the War of the Ring took place at The Prancing Pony. The first was 'a chance-meeting' of Gandalf and Thorin Oakenshield on 15th 'March' T.A. 2941; this meeting eventually led to the destruction of Smaug and far lighter casualties during the war in the northern theatre.[110] The second event occurred during the journey of Frodo Baggins to Rivendell, when he and his companions stayed at The Prancing Pony for a night (29th 'September' T.A. 3018). After singing The Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late, Frodo accidentally put the One Ring on and became invisible, which led to an attack on the inn by the Black Riders. Frodo also met Aragorn at that time, who saved him and led the party away.
Business at The Prancing Pony declined during the war because of an influx of rough Men from the South who terrorized Bree and the surrounding countryside. However, when Gandalf stopped with the Hobbits at the inn on their way home (28th 'October' T.A. 3019), he prophesied that 'better days' were coming as the Kingdom was restored and 'some fair folk' would be staying at The Prancing Pony.[111]
Research by a branch of the Tolkien Society indicates that the Bell Inn in Moreton-in-Marsh was a source of inspiration for the Prancing Pony.[112]
In Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring movie the hobbits only briefly reside in the common room, without Frodo singing, after which Frodo is taken away by Aragorn.
The Inn also features in Lord of the Rings Online and features in the development of the game's storyline for individual adventurers.
Ravenhill[edit]
Ravenhill is an outlying hill beneath the height of Erebor, the Lonely Mountain. It stood at the end of a ridge of high ground extending southwards from the mountain itself. The eastern aspect of the hill overlooked the town of Dale and upper valley of the River Running; the main gate of Erebor could be seen further to the north.
The Dwarves of Erebor built a large guard-post at the hill-top; the underground shelter had 'room for a hundred'. The guard-post could be accessed by paths and stairs that led off the main road between Erebor and Dale.[113]
Carc and his wife (a pair of a large, intelligent and long-lived breed of raven) had lived above the guard-post during the childhood of Balin, a Dwarf of Erebor who supposed that the hill was named after this pair.[114] However it's probable that a raven rookery had existed on the hill for generations, so the name Ravenhill may have been much older than Balin was aware.
During the expedition of Thorin & Company to Erebor in T.A. 2941, they utilized the lookout at Ravenhill and the shelter of the guard-chamber. Two or three weeks later, the allies made a stand on Ravenhill in the Battle of Five Armies.[115]
Sarn Gebir[edit]
Sarn Gebir is a stretch of rapids in the river Anduin where it entered the north of the Emyn Muil.[116] An old portage-way existed on the western shore to enable light boat traffic to by-pass the rapids.
In the Fellowship of the Ring's voyage down the river in their Elven-boats, they came upon the rapids suddenly, just before midnight on 23 'February' T.A. 3019. Simultaneously they were ambushed by Orc-archers positioned on the east bank.
Sea of Nurnen [edit]
The Sea of Núrnen is an inland sea in south-east Mordor. It held bitter water not suitable for drinking, but the area around it, Núrn, watered by a river system coming from the Ephel Dúath, was fertile enough to feed the entire armies of Sauron in Mordor.
The sea covered an estimated 5,718 square miles[81] (14,810 km²).
Sea of Rhûn[edit]
The Sea of Rhûn is an inland sea near the western edge of Rhûn. The Sea of Rhûn, according to Tolkien's maps, covered an estimated 17,898 square miles[81] (46,355 km²), or a little smaller than the Aral Sea in Tolkien's lifetime. The Celduin (River Running) flowed from the northwest through the land Dorwinion into a northwestern arm of the sea, while several unnamed rivers flowed from the northeastern shore. The sea was also called the Inland Sea.[117]
The Kine of Araw, a wild white cattle, lived in lands around the Sea of Rhûn. Vorondil (Steward to King Eärnil II of Gondor, T.A. 1998-2029) visited these lands to hunt the Kine.[118]
The relationship of the Sea of Rhûn to the Sea of Helcar (an inland sea which had also lain in the East, but only in the First Age) is unclear, except that the Sea of Rhûn was very much smaller than the vast Sea of Helcar. Christopher Tolkien and others have speculated that the Sea of Rhûn might '..be identified with the Sea of Helkar, vastly shrunken' (The War of the Jewels, pg. 174). In The Peoples of Middle-earth there are references to the Sea of Rhûn existing in the First Age, but no indication whether it should be equated with the Sea of Helcar. Karen Wynn Fonstad's Atlas of Middle-earth shows the Sea of Rhûn as a surviving northern fragment of the Sea of Helcar.
Shathûr[edit]
- see Fanuidhol
Silvertine[edit]
- see Celebdil
Stair Falls[edit]
The Stair Falls is a waterfall outside the West-gate of Moria. The falls were formed by the stream Sirannon, which flowed from the valley in front of the West-gate and over a cliff about 30 feet (9.1 m) high and then continued southwestward to join the Glanduin. There was a flight of stone steps carved into the cliff on the northern side of the falls, but the main path wound up the cliffside a bit north of the stairs. The Stair Falls were once strong and full, but by the time of the War of the Ring the waterfall was cut off when the Sirannon was dammed, forming a pool where the Watcher in the Water lurked.[119][120]
When the Fellowship arrived at the Stair Falls on 13 'January' T.A. 3019, they found a mere trickle. Gandalf, Gimli, and Frodo climbed the Stair, discovered that the pool blocked their path, returned and used the main path up the cliff and around the pool. It seems possible that after the War and reoccupation of Moria, the Sirannon may have been unblocked and the Stair Falls may have flowed once more, but this is nowhere stated.
Starkhorn[edit]
The Starkhorn is a snow-clad peak that rose in the inner regions of the White Mountains. From its feet sprang the Snowbourn River, whose widening valley ran northwards through the mountains to emerge onto the plains of Rohan. The Rohirrim called that valley Harrowdale, and built their courts of Edoras at its mouth, from where the lonely white peak of the Starkhorn could be seen along the straight length of the valley.
Swanfleet[edit]
The Swanfleet (S.Nîn-in-Eilph) is a marshy area in Eriador. Formed where the Glanduin (mistakenly labelled as 'Swanfleet river' on some maps) joins the Gwathló (Greyflood), the Swanfleet is effectively an inland delta, with uncertain streams and a very uncertain difference between land and water.
It strongly resembles the Gladden Fields on the other side of the Misty Mountains, and as such many Stoors felt right at home here after their migration into Eriador. These Stoors remained here until the Great Plague nearly wiped them out, and the remainder then went to the South Farthing of the Shire. Near the Swanfleet was a ford over the Glanduin, from where led a road to the ruins of Ost-in-Edhil, the ruined city of Eregion.
Tharbad[edit]
Tharbad is a city on the southern edge of Eriador. Tharbad, Sindarin for 'The Crossing Road',[121] was originally the name given to a fort where the old North-South Road crossed the fenlands at the head of the Gwathló. The area around Tharbad was flat and marshy; the road approached the river from either side along miles of causeway and crossed via a great bridge, in ruins by the late Third Age. Gondor's garrison was withdrawn following the Great Plague (T.A. 1636), but the city continued to exist until flooded in the aftermath of the Fell Winter (early 2912).
In the summer of T.A. 3018 Boromir passed through Tharbad on his journey to Rivendell, where he joined the Fellowship. He lost his horse in the fords at Tharbad.[122]
Thrihyrne[edit]
The Thrihyrne was a massive triple-peaked mountain in the northernmost White Mountains. The gorge of Helm's Deep wound into the base of the Thrihyrne, where the Glittering Caves of Aglarond were located. The name is from Old English þrí 'three' and hyrne 'horn, corner, angle'[123].
The three-peaked shape of Thrihyrne is reminiscent of two other Middle-earth mountains: Thangorodrim and Gundabad.
Tol Brandir[edit]
Tol Brandir is an island crag set in the lake of Nen Hithoel. It straddled the Falls of Rauros at the southern end of the Emyn Muil. Tol Brandir was the middle peak of a row of three prominent hills; Amon Hen stood nearby on the western shore, while Amon Lhaw stood nearby on the eastern shore. In days past, the hills near Tol Brandir had been important watchtowers for the Kingdom of Gondor. However, no man ever visited Tol Brandir, or so the legends state.
Tol Brandir means 'tall island' and was the name used by Elves. Men called the island 'Tindrock', derived from the Old English word 'tind' meaning sharp point (literally, therefore, 'pointed rock').
Tolkien's aerial view of the Emyn Muil, entitled 'Rauros Falls & the Tindrock', shows Tol Brandir to be much taller than Amon Hen and Amon Lhaw. The sketch is published in J. R. R. Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator.[3]
Tomb of Elendil[edit]
The Tomb of Elendil was the tomb of the first King of Arnor and of Gondor. Its location was a secret kept for many centuries, but it was later discovered to be atop the mountain known as the Halifirien, on the borders of Gondor and Rohan.[124] Following the Gift of Calenardhon to Eorl, the remains of Elendil were removed to a new tomb in the Hallows of Minas Tirith.
Torech Ungol[edit]
Torech Ungol (Shelob's Lair) was the subterranean domain of the giant spiderShelob. It was part of Cirith Ungol, a pass over the Mountains of Shadow into Mordor, and was located near the top of the pass. The orcs of Mordor often had to use the pass, and built extensive additional tunnels to try to avoid Shelob. When some of them were unruly or Shelob needed to be appeased, the orcs would throw some of their own kind into the lair without much concern for them.[125]
Frodo Baggins and Sam Gamgee entered Shelob's Lair on 12th 'March' T.A. 3019, unaware of its monster. They were led by Gollum, who had previously visited Shelob's Lair in secret on more than one occasion. Frodo and Sam noticed a strong 'foul reek' emanating from the tunnel. Once inside,
'they were in utter and impenetrable dark. Not since the lightless passages of Moria had Frodo or Sam known such darkness, and if possible here it was deeper and denser. .. Here the air was still, stagnant, heavy, and sound fell dead. They walked as it were in a black vapour wrought of veritable darkness itself that, as it was breathed, brought blindness not only to the eyes but to the mind, so that even the memory of colours and of forms and of any light faded out of thought. Night always had been, and always would be, and night was all.'[126]
Tower Hills[edit]
The Tower Hills are a series of steep hills at the west end of Eriador, called in SindarinEmyn Beraid. They lay about 30 Númenórean miles east of the Grey Havens, and about 50 miles (80 km) west of the White Downs, of old the border of the Shire. High upon the Tower Hills stood three tall Elven towers, the highest of which was called Elostirion and held a palantír.
The Tower Hills formed the ancient border between the Elven realm of Lindon and the Kingdom of Arnor, and the Great East Road which led all the way to Rivendell ran through them. In the early Fourth Age, Elanor Gamgee and her husband Fastred Fairbairn moved to the Tower Hills, founding the town of Undertowers on the eastern slopes of the Hills, and becoming the Wardens of Westmarch, when the Tower Hills became the new western border of the Shire by the issue of King Elessar.
Towers of the Teeth[edit]
The Towers of the Teeth, also called the Teeth of Mordor, are the two towers situated on either side of the Black Gate of Mordor. The towers — known individually as Carchost and Narchost — were originally constructed by the men of Gondor after Sauron's defeat in the Second Age to guard the entrance to Mordor, but were taken over by Sauron in the later Third Age, having been abandoned sometime after the defeat of King Ondoher in T.A. 1944 to the Wainriders, as the Towers are stated to have been manned before the Battle.
Tolkien's writings leave it unclear which tower was located on which side of the Morannon. However, Carchost appears to have stood to the eastern side and Narchost on the western side. Carchost is a Sindarin name that means 'Tooth Fort', a compound of carch (meaning 'tooth or fang') and ost (meaning 'fortress'). Narchost is a Sindarin name that means 'Fire Fort'.
Frodo Baggins, Sam Gamgee and Gollum hid near the western tower on 5th 'March' T.A. 3019.
The towers were destroyed in the War of the Ring with the defeat of Sauron following the destruction of the One Ring. Their collapse is shown in Peter Jackson's film interpretation of The Return of the King.
Trollshaws[edit]
The Trollshaws are the upland woods consisting at least partly of beech trees. They lay in the Rhudaur region north of the Great East Road, to the west of Rivendell between the rivers Hoarwell and Loudwater. They were the haunt of trolls. Three of these trolls waylaid Bilbo Baggins and his companions in The Hobbit. Years later Frodo Baggins and his companions found them on their way to Rivendell, but they were inert stone.
There is a contradiction regarding the layout of the Trollshaws. In The Hobbit, the company passes over a 'stone bridge' and very soon after that spots the trolls' fire, an hour or two away. In The Fellowship of the Ring, however, Aragorn explicitly leads the Hobbits over the Last Bridge and takes six days to reach the site of the troll camp. This discrepancy was not noticed by J. R. R. Tolkien, but was discussed by Christopher Tolkien in The Return of the Shadow.
Tyrn Gorthad[edit]
- seeBarrow-downs
Udûn[edit]
Udûn was pronounced 'oo-doon.'[127] In the Elvish language of Sindarin, Udûn translates as hell,[128] and possibly as u+dûn = un-west (although this may be a pseudo-etymology, as it most likely is cognate to Quenya 'Utumno').[129]
Udûn was the name of a deep valley and region between the ends of the Ephel Duath (Mountains of Shadow) and the Ered Lithui (Ash Mountains) in north-western Mordor. The two ends of the valley were closed by the Black Gate (Morannon) and the Isenmouthe. The Isenmouthe (Carach Angren) was Udûn’s southern entrance, south of which lay Gorgoroth. The Isenmouthe was built across the southern pass between a spur from the Ephel Duath and a spur from the Ered Lithui. There were towers and forts upon the ends of both these spurs.[130] Looking north, the valley opened out but then narrowed again where a spur from each mountain range again came close to the other. Each spur contained caves and there hordes of Orcs could be stationed when needed.[131] The Black Gate was built across the northern pass or gap between the spurs of the two mountain ranges. This pass was called Cirith Gorgor: the Haunted Pass. Udûn contained underground armories and tunnels for the defence of the Morannon.
A road passed through Udûn connecting the Black Gate to the Isenmouthe. The old castle of Durthang (later an orc-hold) was positioned high up on the south-western spur of the Ephel Duath and there were many other orc-holds clustered about the valley.[130]J. R. R. Tolkien developed his concept of north-west Mordor when he had the idea that the valley behind the Morannon was closed at the southern end by the spurs of the two mountain ranges.[132] His original idea was that Gorgoroth would have extended right up to the mouth of the northern pass of Cirith Gorgor. Tolkien’s earlier name for the vale of Udûn was 'The Narch' which was described as a 'deep dark valley.'[133]
The name Udûn recalled the name of Melkor's ancient fortress, Utumno in Quenya or Udûn in Sindarin, located to the north of Beleriand. It was Melkor's fortress that Gandalf referred to when he addressed the Balrog in Moria as 'Flame of Udûn.'
Undergate[edit]
- see: Cirith Ungol
Underharrow[edit]
Underharrow is a hamlet in Rohan. It lay near Dunharrow on the banks of the Snowbourn in the upper valley of Harrowdale.
Lotro Villages Of The Earth Kin
Upbourn[edit]
Upbourn is a hamlet in Rohan, located on the banks of the Snowbourn river in the valley of Harrowdale. It lay south of Edoras, the capital of Rohan, and north of Underharrow.
Withered Heath[edit]
The Withered Heath is a region at the eastern extreme of the Grey Mountains (Ered Mithrin). There, the Grey Mountains broke into two long spurs, north and south. Between these roughly-parallel spurs lay the Withered Heath.
The burned, blackened valley was known as a breeding ground of the Great Worms: Dragons. The Dragons nurtured around the Withered Heath terrorized the Dwarves of the Grey Mountains, forcing them to leave in T.A. 2589 and relocate to Erebor (roughly 60 miles to the south of the Withered Heath) and the Iron Hills. A young[134] dragon left the Withered Heath in T.A. 2770 to destroy and occupy Erebor; this dragon's name was Smaug.
Zirakzigil[edit]
- see: Celebdil
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1980), Unfinished Tales, George Allen & Unwin, ch.V appendix (i) p.367 & footnote, ISBN0-04-823179-7. The name Éofor recalls Eofor of the epic Beowulf.
- ^Rateliff, John D. (2007), The History of the Hobbit, London: HarperCollins, p. 815, ISBN978-0-00-723555-1
- ^ abcdWayne G. Hammond & Christina Scull (1995), J. R. R. Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator, Harper Collins; picture no. 159 (p. 164); ISBN0-261-10322-9
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1954), The Fellowship of the Ring, 2nd edition (1966), George Allen & Unwin, book 2 ch. VI p. 361; ISBN0 04 823045 6
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1955), The Return of the King, 2nd edition (1966), George Allen & Unwin, appendix A part I(iii) p. 320; ISBN0 04 823047 2
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1955), The Return of the King, 2nd edition (1966), George Allen & Unwin, appendix B, Third Age, p. 366; ISBN0 04 823047 2
- ^Tom Shippey (2003), The Road to Middle-earth, revised & expanded edition, Houghton Mifflin, ch. 4 § 'Maps and Names' p. 102; ISBN0-618-25760-8
- ^ abTolkien, J. R. R. 'Appendix A: Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion'. The Lord of the Rings. ISBN0-9741468-0-3.
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. 'The Great River'. The Lord of the Rings (The Fellowship of the Ring). ISBN0-345-33208-3.
- ^Tolkien, Guide to the Names in the Lord of the Rings, in The Tolkien Compass, edited by Jared Lobdell, Open Court, 1975, ISBN0-87548-303-8.
- ^ abTolkien, J. R. R. (1955), The Return of the King, The Lord of the Rings, Boston: Houghton Mifflin (published 1987), Appendix A, iii, first section, ISBN0-395-08256-0
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1996), Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, ISBN0-395-82760-4, See also Araval at the Encyclopedia of Arda
- ^ abcTolkien, J. R. R. (1955), The Return of the King, The Lord of the Rings, Boston: Houghton Mifflin (published 1987), 'The Scouring of the Shire', ISBN0-395-08256-0
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1954), The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings, Boston: Houghton Mifflin (published 1987), Book 2, Ch. IX: 'The Great River', ISBN0-395-08254-4
- ^ abHammond and Scull, J.R.R. Tolkien: Artist & Illustrator, Figure 158: 'Dimrill Dale and Mountains of Moria', p. 163.
- ^Carpenter, Humphrey, ed. (1981), The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, #306, ISBN0-395-31555-7
- ^Robert Foster (1978), Guide to Middle-earth
- ^Tolkien's sketch Cirith Ungol as been published in Pictures by J. R. R. Tolkien (no. 28) and J. R. R. Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator (no. 171 p. 175). Two other versions of the sketch appear in Artist and Illustrator: nos. 172 & 173 on p. 176.
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1937), The Hobbit, 4th edition (1978), George Allen & Unwin, ch. XI p. 175; ISBN0-04-823147-9
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1937), The Hobbit, 4th edition (1978), George Allen & Unwin, ch. 1 p. 28; ISBN0-04-823147-9
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1954), The Fellowship of the Ring, 2nd edition (1966), George Allen & Unwin, book 2 ch. 8 p. 38; ISBN0 04 823045 6
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1954), The Fellowship of the Ring, 2nd edition (1966), George Allen & Unwin, book 1 ch. 1 pp. 35 & 37; ISBN0 04 823045 6
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1937), The Hobbit, 4th edition (1978), George Allen & Unwin, ch. XII p. 194 & ch. XIV p. 211; ISBN0-04-823147-9
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1937), The Hobbit, London: George Allen & Unwin, ch. I p. 28; ISBN0-04-823147-9
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1937), The Hobbit, 4th edition (1978), George Allen & Unwin, ch. 3 p. 52; ISBN0-04-823147-9
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1937), The Hobbit, London: George Allen & Unwin, ch. XVII p. 238 & ch. XVIII p. 243; ISBN0-04-823147-9
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1954), The Fellowship of the Ring, 2nd edition (1966), George Allen & Unwin, book 1, ch. 2 p. 67; ISBN0 04 823045 6
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1955), The Return of the King, 2nd edition (1966), George Allen & Unwin, Appendix B, Third Age, between years 2944 & 2951; ISBN0 04 823047 2
- ^Wayne G. Hammond & Christina Scull (1995), J. R. R. Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator, Harper Collins; picture no. 160 (p. 165), text on pp. 165, 167 & particularly 168; ISBN0-261-10322-9
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1955), The Return of the King, George Allen & Unwin, 2nd edition (1966), book 6 ch.6 p.257, and Index p.431, ISBN0 04 823 047 2.
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1955), The Return of the King, George Allen & Unwin, 2nd edition (1966), Appendix A:II p.348, ISBN0 04 823 047 2.
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1967), Nomenclature of The Lord of the Rings, published in Hammond & Scull (2005), p.768.
- ^Hammond, Wayne G.; Scull, Christina (2005). The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion. HarperCollins. ISBN0 00 720308 X.:150
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1937), The Hobbit, 4th edition (1978), George Allen & Unwin, ch. IX pp. 153 & 155; ISBN0-04-823147-9
- ^Rateliff, John D. (2007), The History of the Hobbit, London: HarperCollins, pp. 418-420, ISBN978-0-00-723555-1
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1955), The Return of the King, 2nd edition (1966), George Allen & Unwin, book 6 ch. VI pp. 261 & 263; ISBN0 04 823047 2
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1955), The Return of the King, 2nd edition (1966), George Allen & Unwin, appendix A part III p. 354; ISBN0 04 823047 2
- ^Tolkien, J.R.R. (2005). The Fellowship of the Ring (50th Anniversary ed.). Harper Collins. ISBN0-261-10325-3.
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1954), The Two Towers, 2nd edition (1966), George Allen & Unwin, book 3 ch. V pp.105-106; ISBN0 04 823046 4
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1955), The Return of the Ring, 2nd edition (1966), George Allen & Unwin, appendix A part 2 p. 351; ISBN0 04 823047 2
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1980), Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, History of Galadriel and Celeborn: Amroth and Nimrodel, ISBN0-395-29917-9
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1987), The Lost Road and Other Writings (volume 5 of The History of Middle-earth), Unwin Hyman, part 3 'The Etymologies', p.374 MUY-, ISBN0-04-823349-8.
- ^Wayne G. Hammond & Christina Scull (1995), J. R. R. Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator, Harper Collins; picture no. 159 (p. 164), text on pp. 167-168; ISBN0-261-10322-9
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1954), The Fellowship of the Ring, London: George Allen & Unwin, book 2 ch. IX p.401
- ^A Tolkien Compass, ed. Jared Lobdell, Open Court Press, Chicago 1975.
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1977), The Silmarillion, George Allen & Unwin 1st edition, ch. 10 p. 91; ISBN0 04 823139 8
- ^J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, 'The Second Age'
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1955), The Return of the King, 2nd edition (1966), George Allen & Unwin, Appendix B p. 369; ISBN0 04 823047 2
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1996), The Peoples of Middle-earth, Houghton Mifflin, part 2 ch. X pp. 302 & 305; ISBN0-395-82760-4
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1955), The Return of the King, The Lord of the Rings, Boston: Houghton Mifflin (published 1987), ISBN0-395-08256-0
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1980), Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, Appendix D to 'The History of Galadriel and Celeborn', ISBN0-395-29917-9
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1955), The Return of the King, The Lord of the Rings, Boston: Houghton Mifflin (published 1987), Appendix B: The Tale of Years (Chronology of the Westlands), The Third Age, ISBN0-395-08256-0
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1955), The Return of the King, London: George Allen & Unwin, Appendix A section II, under entry for Folca, 13th King of Rohan
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1955), The Return of the King, The Lord of the Rings, Boston: Houghton Mifflin (published 1987), Appendix A (II), ISBN0-395-08256-0
- ^ abJ. R. R. Tolkien (1955), The Return of the King 2nd edition (1966), George Allen & Unwin, book 5 ch. III p.77; ISBN0 04 823047 2
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1980), Unfinished Tales, George Allen & Unwin, part 2 ch.IV appendix C p.260, ISBN0-04-823179-7.
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1996), The Peoples of Middle-earth (being volume 12 of The History of Middle-earth), Houghton Mifflin, part 1, ch. IX (iii), p. 273; ISBN0-395-82760-4
- ^Unfinished Tales, 'Cirion and Eorl', (iii)
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1967), Nomenclature of The Lord of the Rings, in Wayne G. Hammond & Christina Scull (2005), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, Harper Collins, p. 771; ISBN0 00 720308 X
- ^The word 'Folde' is the genitive singular of the Old English word 'Foldan', which in turn is a feminine noun. It meaning can be translated to 'of the earth', or simply 'earth' or 'land'.[1] and 'Archived copy'. Archived from the original on 27 December 2007. Retrieved 6 November 2007.CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1980), Unfinished Tales, George Allen & Unwin, part 3, ch. V. Appendix (i) p. 367; ISBN0-04-823179-7
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1954), The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings, Boston: Houghton Mifflin (published 1987), 'A Knife in the Dark', ISBN0-395-08254-4
- ^ abTolkien, J. R. R. (1937), Douglas A. Anderson (ed.), The Annotated Hobbit, Boston: Houghton Mifflin (published 2002), 'Roast Mutton', ISBN0-618-13470-0
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1937), The Hobbit, 4th edition (1978), George Allen & Unwin, ch. IV p.60; ISBN978-0-04-823147-5
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1937), The Hobbit, 4th edition (1978), George Allen & Unwin, ch. V p.68; ISBN978-0-04-823147-5
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1954) The Fellowship of the Ring, 2nd edition (1966), George Allen & Unwin, ch. III p. 97; ISBN0 04 823045 6.
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1967), Nomenclature of The Lord of the Rings, published in Wayne G. Hammond & Christina Scull (2005), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, HarperCollins, p.771, ISBN0 00 720308 X.
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1955), The Return of the King, 2nd edition (1966), George Allen & Unwin, ch. II p.200, ISBN0 04 823047 2
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1955), The Return of the King, 2nd edition (1966), George Allen & Unwin, ch. III p.213, ISBN0 04 823047 2
- ^The Fellowship of the Ring, 'The Shadow of the Past'.
- ^The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King DVD, 'Return to Edoras'
- ^'The Grey Havens - Songs & Tales: 'Merry Inn' Song'. tolkien.cro.net.
- ^Hooker, Mark T. (2014). The Tolkienaeum. Llyfrawr. p. 79.
- ^Humphrey Carpenter (1977), J. R. R. Tolkien: A Biography, Unwin Paperbacks, ch. 2 'Birmingham' p. 31; ISBN0 04 928039 2
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1989), Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Treason of Isengard, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, The Council of Elrond - 4th version, pg 124, ISBN0-395-51562-9
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1955), The Return of the King, 2nd edition (1966), George Allen & Unwin, book 5 ch. 1 p. 24; ISBN0 04 823047 2
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1967), Nomenclature of The Lord of the Rings, in Wayne G. Hammond & Christina Scull (2005), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, Harper Collins, p. 772; ISBN0 00 720308 X
- ^The Fellowship of the Ring, 'A Long-expected Party'.
- ^Blackham, Bob, 'Tolkien's Birmingham', in Mallorn, the journal of The Tolkien Society (U.K.) issue 45, Spring 2008, p.27
- ^Hooker, Mark T. (2009). The Hobbitonian Anthology. Llyfrawr. p. 81. ISBN978-1448617012.
- ^ abcdKaren Wynn Fonstad, The Atlas of Middle-earth, revised edition (1994), HarperCollins, p.191; ISBN0 261 10277 X
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1977), Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 'Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age,' p. 360, ISBN0-395-25730-1
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1980), Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 'The History of Galadriel and Celeborn,' p. 234-35, ISBN0-395-29917-9
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1996), Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 'Of Dwarves and Men,' p. 313, ISBN0-395-82760-4
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1955), The Return of the King, The Lord of the Rings, Boston: Houghton Mifflin (published 1987), Appendix A: 'The Númenórean Kings: Númenor,' p. 317, ISBN0-395-08256-0
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1954), The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings, Boston: Houghton Mifflin (published 1987), 'The Palantír,' p. 203, ISBN0-395-08254-4
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1955), The Return of the King, The Lord of the Rings, Boston: Houghton Mifflin (published 1987), Appendix A: 'The North-kingdom and the Dúnedain,' p. 324, ISBN0-395-08256-0
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1955), The Return of the King, The Lord of the Rings, Boston: Houghton Mifflin (published 1987), 'Homeward Bound,' p. 272-73, ISBN0-395-08256-0
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1955), The Return of the King, The Lord of the Rings, Boston: Houghton Mifflin (published 1987), Appendix B: 'The Tale of Years,' p. 378, ISBN0-395-08256-0
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1954), The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings, Boston: Houghton Mifflin (published 1987), 'The Council of Elrond', p. 257, ISBN0-395-08254-4
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1977), Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 'Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names,' entry for uial, ISBN0-395-25730-1
- ^The Fellowship of the Ring, 'Flight to the Ford'
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1980), Unfinished Tales, George Allen & Unwin, part 2, ch. 2 pp. 175-177 & ch. 3 p. 219 (Aldarion born in S.A. 700); ISBN0-04-823179-7
- ^ abTolkien, J. R. R. (1954). 'The Black Gate is Closed'. The Two Towers (1978 (Hardback) Impression ed.). London: George Allen and Unwin Publishers. p. 244. ISBN0048230464.
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R., The Return of the King, 'The Black Gate Opens', London: George Allen and Unwin Publishers (1978 (Hardback) Impression), p. 163, 0048230464.
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R., The Return of the King, 'The Land of Shadow', London: George Allen and Unwin Publishers (1978 (Hardback) Impression), p. 205, 0048230464.
- ^The Return of the King, Appendix B.
- ^The Two Towers, 'The Passage of the Dead Marches'.
- ^The Silmarillion, 'Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age', p. 293–294.
- ^John D. Rateliff (2007), The History of the Hobbit, HarperCollins, part 2 'Return to Bag-End', ch. XVII p. 675 note 20, ISBN0-00-725066-5.
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1987), The History of Middle-earth volume 5, Unwin Hyman, part 3 'The Etymologies', root BAD- 'judgement', related to entry MBAD- 'duress, prison, doom, hell'; ISBN0-04-823349-8. The names derived from MBAD- are epic underground places of confinement (Angband, Mandos); thus the name Gundabad alludes to Aulë's creation of the Dwarves, Durin's awakening, and the stone-bound fate of his people.
- ^ abJ. R. R. Tolkien (1996), The History of Middle-earth volume 12, part 2 (Late Writings), ch. X p. 301, ISBN0-395-82760-4.
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1996), The Peoples of Middle-earth, Houghton Mifflin, part 1 ch. X p. 301; ISBN0-395-82760-4
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1980), Unfinished Tales, George Allen & Unwin, fold-out map 'The West of Middle-earth at the end of the Third Age', ISBN0-04-823179-7.
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1955), The Return of the King, 2nd edition (1966), George Allen & Unwin, appendix E(I) p. 391, entry for 'F'; ISBN0 04 823047 2
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1955), The Return of the King, 2nd edition (1966), George Allen & Unwin, book 5 ch. 1 p. 41; ISBN0 04 823047 2
- ^The Fellowship of the Ring, 'At the Sign of the Prancing Pony'.
- ^The Fellowship of the Ring, 'The Council of Elrond'.
- ^The Fellowship of the Ring, Prologue: 'Concerning Pipe-weed'.
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1980), Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 'The Quest of Erebor', ISBN0-395-29917-9
- ^The Return of the King, 'Homeward Bound'.
- ^'PDF: 'The Prancing Pony by Barliman Butterbur' ADCBooks, accessed 26 September 2014'(PDF).
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1937), The Hobbit, 4th edition (1978), George Allen & Unwin, ch. XIII pp. 208, 206; ISBN0-04-823147-9
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1937), The Hobbit, London: George Allen & Unwin, ch.XV p.217, ISBN0-04-823147-9
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1937), The Hobbit, London: George Allen & Unwin, ch.XVII p.240, ISBN0-04-823147-9
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1954), The Fellowship of the Ring, London: Allen & Unwin, bk.2 ch IX. pp.401fl.
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1955), The Return of the King, 2nd edition (1966), George Allen & Unwin, book 5 ch. I p.38; ISBN0 04 823047 2
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1955), The Return of the King, 2nd edition (1966), George Allen & Unwin, book 5 ch. 1 p.27 & appendix A part I(iii) p. 319 footnote; ISBN0 04 823047 2
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1954), The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings, Boston: Houghton Mifflin (published 1987), 'A Journey in the Dark,' p. 314-16, ISBN0-395-08254-4
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1954), The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings, Boston: Houghton Mifflin (published 1987), 'The Bridge of Khazad-dûm,' p. 336-37, ISBN0-395-08254-4
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1977), Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, Appendix, p. 364, ISBN0-395-25730-1
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1955), The Fellowship of the Ring, 2nd edition (1966), George Allen & Unwin, book 2 ch. VIII p. 390; ISBN0 04 823045 6
- ^'Welcome to the digital edition of the Bosworth-Toller Anglo-Saxon Dictionary'. www.bosworthtoller.com.
- ^'Tomb of Elendil - Tolkien Gateway'. tolkiengateway.net.
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1954), The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings, Boston: Houghton Mifflin (published 1987), 'The Choices of Master Samwise', ISBN0-395-08254-4
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1954), The Two Towers, 2nd edition (1966), George Allen & Unwin, book 4, ch. IX, pp. 326-327; ISBN0-04-823046-4
- ^'Udûn'. The Encyclopedia of Arda. 14 December 2002. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1955), 'Index: III Places,' The Return of the King, London: George Allen and Unwin Publishers (1978 (Hardback) Impression), (p. 436), 0048230464
- ^Allan, J. (1978). 'Sindarin-English Dictionary'. In Allan J. (ed.). An Introduction to Elvish (reprinted 2002 ed.). Helios: Bran’s Head Books. pp. 76, 90. ISBN0905220102.
- ^ abTolkien, J. R. R. (1955). 'The Land of Shadow'. The Return of the King (1978 (hardback) Impression ed.). London: George Allen and Unwin Publishers. p. 205. ISBN0048230464.
- ^Tolkien, J. R. R. (1954). 'The Black Gate is Closed'. The Two Towers (1978 (hardback) Impression ed.). London: George Allen and Unwin Publishers. p. 244. ISBN0048230464.
- ^Tolkien, C. R. (1992). 'The Land of Shadow'. J.R.R. Tolkien: The End of the Third Age - The History of The Lord of the Rings Part Four (2000 (paperback edition) ed.). New York: Houghton Mifflin. p. 32. ISBN9780618083565.
- ^Tolkien, C. R. (1992). 'The Land of Shadow'. J.R.R. Tolkien: The End of the Third Age - The History of The Lord of the Rings Part Four (2000 (paperback edition) ed.). New York: Houghton Mifflin. pp. 33–34. ISBN9780618083565.
- ^J. R. R. Tolkien (1937), The Hobbit, 4th edition (1978), George Allen & Unwin, ch. XII p. 193; ISBN0-04-823147-9
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Minor_places_in_Middle-earth&oldid=903729278'
Angmar
Exploration
Confidence +2 | The Road to War |
Empathy +2 | Marching into Shadow (Final) |
Fidelity | The Circle of Despair |
Idealism | Marching into Shadow (Advanced) |
Loyalty | Marching into Shadow |
Tolerant +2 | Bastions of Hope |
Monster Slayer
Determination | Warg-Slayer |
Discipline | Troll-Slayer |
Honour | Uruk-Slayer |
Justice | Angmarim-Slayer |
Merciful | Wight-Slayer |
Valour | Worm-Slayer |
Zeal | Orc-Slayer |
Bree-land
Exploration
Charity | Bree-Land Adventurer (Advanced) |
Empathy | Bree-Land Adventurer |
Idealism | Flowers of the Old Forest |
Idealism | The History of the Dunedain |
Patience | Ruins of Bree-land |
Patience | The Barrow Downs |
Loyalty +2 | Bree-Land Adventurer (Final) |
Wisdom | Lore of the Cardolan Prince |
Wisdom | The Old Forest |
Monster Slayer
Determination | Barghest-Slayer |
Discipline | Sickle-fly-Slayer |
Fortitude | Bree-Land Woodsman |
Fortitude | Neeker-breeker-Slayer |
Honour | Spider-Slayer |
Justice | Brigand-Slayer |
Mercy | Wight-Slayer |
Valour | Orc-Slayer |
Haudh Iarchath - Rep Dungeon in Barrow Downs
Mercy | Wight-Slayer |
Zeal | Spider-Slayer |
Ered Luin
Exploration
Charity | Ally of Ered Luin |
Charity +2 | Hero of Ered Luin (Final) |
Compassion | Defender of Ered Luin (Advanced) |
Confidence | Rath Teraig |
Fidelity | Scouting the Dourhands |
Patience | Places of the Dwarves |
Wisdom | Elf-Ruins Exploration |
Monster Slayer
Determination | Wolf-Slayer |
Discipline | Hendroval-Slayer |
Justice | Brigand-Slayer |
Zeal | Spider-Slayer |
Zeal | Goblin-Slayer |
Sarnur - Rep Dungeon
Discipline | Beasts-Slayer |
Valour | Snow-Trolls-Slayer |
Justice | Dourhands-Slayer |
Evendim
Exploration
Compassion | Wanderer of Evendim (Advanced) |
Compassion | Warden of Evendim (Final) |
Fidelity | Tombs of Evendim |
Fidelity | Bilbo's Buttons |
Innocence | Pilgrim of Evendim |
Patience | Wilds of Evendim |
Monster Slayer
Determination | Salamander-Slayer |
Discipline | Brigand-Slayer |
Fortitude | Orc-Slayer |
Honour | Giant-Slayer |
Justice | Goblin-Slayer |
Mercy | Limrafn-Slayer |
Zeal | Kergrim-Slayer |
Lone Lands
Exploration
Charity | Tales of the Lonely Road |
Compassion | Tales of the Lonely Road (Advanced) |
Confidence | Garth Agarwen |
Confidence | The Grimfens |
Fidelity | Defences of the Lone-Lands |
Idealism +2 | Tales of the Lonely Road (Final) |
Wisdom | Weathertop Exploration |
Monster Slayer
Discipline | Bog-Lurker-Slayer |
Fortitude | Warg-Slayer |
Honour | Spider-Slayer |
Merciful | Wight-Slayer |
Valour | Goblin-Slayer |
Valour | Orc-Slayer |
Honesty | Craban-Slayer |
Honesty | Troll-Slayer |
Misty Mountains
Exploration
Compassion | Peril of the Mountains |
Confidence | Where Giants Dwell |
Empathy | Peril of the Mountains (Advanced) |
Honesty | Bilbo's Buttons |
Honesty | Goblin-town |
Honesty | The Forbidden Heights |
Innocence +2 | Peril of the Mountains (Final) |
Tolerance | Ruins of Misty Mountains |
Wisdom | The High Passes |
Monster Slayer
Determination | Snow-Beast-Slayer |
Fortitude | Bear-Slayer |
Honour | Worm-Slayer |
Justice | Warg-Slayer |
Valour | Troll-Slayer |
Zeal | Giant-Slayer |
North Downs
Exploration
Charity | Of Glories Long Past (Advanced) |
Confidence | Strongholds Exploration |
Empathy | Of Glories Long Past |
Loyalty +2 | Of Glories Long Past (Final) |
Patience | The Eastern Ruins |
Tolerance | The Villages of the Earth Kin |
Wisdom | The Western Ruins |
Monster Slayer
Determination | Worg-Slayer |
Fortitude | Troll-Slayer |
Honour | Worm-Slayer |
Justice | Orc-Slayer |
Mercy | Redeemer |
Zeal | Goblin-Slayer |
The Shire
Exploration
Compassion | The Life of the Bounder |
Empathy | The Life of the Bounder (Advanced) |
Fidelity | The Sights of Shire |
Innocence +2 | The Life of the Bouder (Final) |
Patience | No Place for Spoiled Pie |
Patience | Restoring the Quick Post |
Tolerance | The Farms of The Shire |
Monster Slayer
Determination | Slug-Slayer |
Discipline | Wolf-Slayer |
Fortitude | Harvest Sickle-fly-Slayer |
Honour | Spider-Slayer |
Justice | Brigand-Slayer |
Valour | Goblin-Slayer |
Trollshaws
Exploration
Fidelity | The Road to Rivendell |
Honesty | Wilds of Tal Bruinen |
Idealism +2 | Deeds in the Wilderness (Final) |
Innocence | Deeds in the Wilderness |
Loyalty | Deeds in the Wilderness (Advanced) |
Tolerance | Ruins of Trollshaws |
Monster Slayer
Determination | Crawler-Slayer |
Discipline | Wolf-Slayer |
Fortitude | Giant-Slayer |
Mercy | Wight-Slayer |
Valour | Worm-Slayer |
Zeal | Troll-Slayer |
| The Lord of the Rings Online |
|---|
| Developer(s) |
|---|
| Publisher(s) | Turbine, Inc.(former)
Midway Games(former)
Codemasters(former, only Europe)
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment(former)
Daybreak Game Company(current) |
|---|
| Engine | Turbine G3 with Havok[1] |
|---|
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows, OS X |
|---|
| Release | April 24, 2007 |
|---|
| Genre(s) | Massively multiplayer online role-playing game |
|---|
| Mode(s) | Multiplayer |
|---|
The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar is a massive multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) for Microsoft Windows and OS X set in a fantasy universe based upon J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earthwritings, taking place during the time period of The Lord of the Rings. It launched in North America, Australia, Japan, and Europe in 2007. Originally subscription-based, it is free-to-play, with a paid VIP subscription available that provides players various perks.
- 1Gameplay
- 2Storyline
- 3Development and release history
Gameplay[edit]
The game's environment is based on The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. However, Turbine does not have rights to any other works in Tolkien's legendarium, such as The Silmarillion.[2]
Much of the gameplay is typical of the Massive Multiplayer Online (MMO) format: the player controls a character avatar which can be moved around the game world and interacts with other players, non-player characters (or 'NPC,' controlled by the computer) and other entities in the virtual world. Camera angles can be switched between first-person and third-person options. Characters are improved by gaining levels. Other gameplay features include a fast travel system between discovered locations in-game, and a detailed quest-log with a tracker and history of quests completed.
A character's level increases after it earns a set amount of experience points through the player versus environment (or 'PvE') combat and storyline adventures. Characters' abilities and skills are improved and obtained by increasing in level.
Tolkien's Middle-earth as represented in The Lord of the Rings Online implements magic in a different manner than other MMORPG such as World of Warcraft. There are only five 'wizards' in the fictional world, none of which are player-controlled. Instead, there are active skills which require 'power' (the equivalent of magic points). Some skills behave like magic (like healing or throwing a burning ember at an enemy), but are based on 'lore'.[3] In addition, objects and artifacts are used to create effects similar to magic.
As opposed to other role-playing video games, the equivalent of health or hit points in The Lord of the Rings Online is morale and can be raised via food, rest, music, and battle cries. The game also places a fair emphasis on cooking and farming in its crafting system, in consistency with the characterization of Hobbits in Tolkien's writings.
Classic Player vs. Player (PvP) combat, found in many other MMOs, does not exist in The Lord of the Rings Online. Instead, it does have 'Sparring,' where PvP-like combat results by inviting other players to spar one-on-one. This can take place anywhere in Middle-earth (individual players can turn off these requests to spar) but there is no in-game benefit to the victor in a sparring match.[4]
Regions[edit]
The in-game world of The Lord of the Rings Online is divided into 25 distinct regions with individual dynamic content and storyline. Three main world areas include Eriador, Rhovanion and Gondor (unlike in Tolkien's original world, Enedwaith appears under Eriador and Rohan is considered to be a part of Rhovanion). Each region in the game contains non-player characters (NPCs) and quests within an established player character level range. Level ranges are broad and the regions' main quest lines will guide players through deeds and quests in the region in progression from lowest level to highest level. Every region contains PvE content, but the only in-game region that player's can participate in PvP action is the Ettenmoors. Each region also has a capital, the largest settlementhat serve as 'quest hubs' (bases to accept or finish quests from friendly NPCs) and contain in-game services for player characters, such as vendors, auction houses, crafting halls, etc. Every region is sub-divided into distinct areas, with individual landscape aesthetic and NPCs that spawn only in that area. These areas take on many distinct appearances: swamp, tundra, forest, open plains, hilly regions, lakes, etc. The areas contain additional quest hubs and services, either large settlements of NPCs or small camps or lone NPCs.
Players begin (depending on race) in an area of Eriador, which on release was divided into Ered Luin, The Shire, Bree-land (the area around Bree, the Old Forest and the Barrow-downs), the North Downs (lands to the east and south of Fornost), the Lone-lands (the area around Amon Sûl), the Trollshaws (the area surrounding Rivendell), the Misty Mountains (at first excluding Goblin Town), Angmar and the Ettenmoors. Early free updates added Lake Evendim, Annúminas, and Forochel. The Mines of Moria expansion also added Eregion. Other updates have expanded existing areas, such as adding Goblin Town and the High Pass to the Misty Mountains, and Tal Bruinen to the Trollshaws. Each region of Middle-earth is represented as being permanently 'frozen' at a certain point of time. Later, the timeline has moved on to be set after the destruction of the Ring, while free people explore Mordor freed from Sauron, but filled with evil, and Sauron's allies.
Originally, only players who purchased the Mines of Moria expansion had access to Moria and Lothlórien. This type of expansion was continued with the release of Siege of Mirkwood, the region of south Mirkwood including Dol Guldur, and the storyline continuation Book 9 to those who purchased the game. With the addition of the Region of Enedwaith in 2010, the game returned to lands west of the Misty Mountains. As the game continued to grow, Turbine revised its approach to expansion in an update in November 2010, after which all players (including free-to-play) could visit expansion-regions, but those playing for free were barred from most content. This approach continued with the Rise of Isengard expansion which included Dunland, The Gap of Rohan, and Isengard. Update 6 added the area around the Anduin south of Lothlórien. The Riders of Rohan expansion added The Eastemnet: the Wold, the East Wall, Norcrofts, Sutcrofts, Entwash Vale, and the Eaves of Fangorn. The Helm's Deep expansion added The Westemnet: Broadacres, Stonedeans, Kingstead, Eastfold, and Westfold (including Edoras, Aldburg, Dunharrow and the fortress of the Hornburg). Updates 14-16 introduced Gondor between the Paths of the Dead and Osgiliath. Updates 17-18 added Minas Tirith and the Battle of Pelennor Fields. Update 19 added North Ithilien. Update 20 added The Wastes (three zones: Noman-lands, Dagorlad, and the Slag-hills) and the majority of the Battle of the Black Gate. Update 21, the Mordor expansion, concludes the Battle of the Black Gate, and adds the Plateau of Gorgoroth, which includes five regions: Udûn, Dor Amarth, Lhingris, Talath Úrui, and Agarnaith.
Player characters[edit]
There are six playable races in Lord of the Rings Online: Dwarf, Elf, High Elf, Hobbit, Beorning and Man.[5] Players can choose a male or female sex for each race apart from Dwarves, for whom male is the only playable gender.
There are seven classes that can be played in The Lord of the Rings Online, Champion, Guardian, Hunter, Burglar, Captain, Minstrel and Lore-master, with two additional classes (Rune-keeper and Warden) playable in the Mines of Moria expansion. A tenth class, the Beorning, was introduced in Update 15 in November 2014.
Player characters may choose professions dedicated to gathering and/or crafting. Gathering professions involve harvesting of raw materials for use by crafting professions. Professions are optional but permit players to advance through skill levels and create in-game armour, weapons, and other equipment.
Characters are identified in-game by names chosen by players. First names are selected and surnames can be added later once a player has enough in game experience points (Exp). Additionally, titles are granted for completion of deeds or acquisition of player characteristics (for example advancing in a profession). Membership in a kinship also grants an additional title.
Each character has the ability to equip traits earned during the game. Traits give characters a myriad of different bonuses and abilities. Any trait combination can be equipped as long as they have enough trait slots. The number of free trait slots depends on their level. Traits can be easily changed by visiting a bard found in most towns, and equipping traits costs a certain amount of money.
Economy[edit]
An in-game currency of gold, silver and copper coins permits player characters to profit by completing quests and selling obtained loot and crafted items to NPCs or human players. Currency can also be used to acquire equipment from NPCs or other players, pay to repair equipment after combat, equip characters with traits, fast travel, buy crafting materials, and purchase a house. Players can trade face-to-face, via in-game mail, or at in-game Auction Houses. In update 11, Mithril Coins (available for purchase with real world money or Lord of the Rings Online points in the Lord of the Rings Online Store) were added as a meta-currency for game-related purchases. VIP subscription perks include the removal of the currency cap that would otherwise hamper the economic freedom of a player, and the ability to send currency through the mail system, and make cash-on-delivery payments.
Characters on reaching Level 15 can purchase a house in instanced neighborhoods. Neighbourhoods and houses have different themes depending on setting (there are four settings: Man, Elf, Dwarf, Hobbit). Decorations/furniture may be purchased or acquired as rewards in certain in-game activities such as quests, deeds or festivals. The items are displayed via item hooks and may be either cosmetic or functional. Houses come in three different sizes and include chests for additional player storage. Houses require weekly maintenance rent (using in-game currency) with houses locked on failure to pay upkeep. The largest size house is reserved for kinships (player guilds). Players can own one personal house per server, and restrict the level of access to himself only, kinship members, or make it publicly accessible. As of Update 19 in late 2016, Premium housing is now available, based in a new housing area in the Cape of Belfalas in Gondor.[6]
Fellowship (party)[edit]
A fellowship is a band of up to six characters, created to complete quests and to pursue group hunts. The fellowships are known as 'parties' in other role-playing games, and they can be formed and disbanded by the leader at any time. Fellowships are an integral part of the game, as they are necessary to engage in difficult group instances that players will encounter. All players in a fellowship can communicate with each other in the fellowship chat panel, where a conversation is seen by all fellowship members.
All members of the fellowship will be displayed on the left hand side of every players screen (unless it has been adjusted otherwise), so that the status of every member can be monitored. Members in a fellowship will also appear to each other on regional maps, which allows for easy location when not in combat. When in a fellowship, members can enter into the same instance as each other from the instance join panel, or they can be summoned by special abilities. There are several easily identifiable icons that can be placed over every players head by the fellowship leader so that members who are strategic in an instance or other mission can be easily located. The fellowship leader also has the ability to invite or dismiss a member at any time. A fellowship can also be transformed into a Raid, which can be composed of up to four separate fellowships and can contain anywhere from 6 to 24 players.
Fellowships (including those found in raids) can use the Fellowship Manoeuvre system to perform special group moves. Fellowship Manoeuvres occur randomly and require that the target be stunned or knocked down, in any group encounter with a 'signature' or higher enemy. Burglars and Guardians also have special skills that can initiate these actions when triggered. When a Fellowship Manoeuvris initiated, every player within the area will get a color wheel on their screen to choose one of four skill contributions.
Monster Players in the game can also join Fellowships, though they are named Warbands instead. Players who are playing as Monster characters (see below) in a PvP zone also gain access to the Fellowship Manoeuvres panel. Although the same principles apply, they are instead renamed Warband Manoeuvres.
Deeds and reputation[edit]
Deeds are a means of tracking accomplishments for each character that are not part of a quest. Most common are regional deeds, found in all the game's landscape regions, including Explorer, Slayer, Lore and Reputation deeds. Deeds are generally granted upon completion of one of the goals of the deed (e.g., finding the first area of an Explorer deed or killing the first enemy of a Slayer deed). Additional deeds include those tied to individual character's class or race. Epic story deeds are advanced by completing quests in the Epic Quest line. Additional deeds are also granted in conjunction with the Skirmish and Instance features. A final category is the Hobby Deed, related to in-game hobbies such as fishing. In addition, there are deeds that can be Hidden, and there are 'Meta' Deeds. Hidden deeds aren't displayed in the deed tracker until the deed is complete. Meta Deeds require completion of several other deeds. In all cases, deed completion is generally rewarded by statistic boosts, almost always Lord of the Rings Online Points (LP), and sometimes cosmetic/non-combat awards such as titles or emotes. Virtue, class and racial traits offer a maximum of five slots, and legendary traits offer three slots.
Types of traits include:
- Virtue: Virtue traits are common amongst all races and classes and can be earned by completing general goals, such as killing a set number of monsters, or completing enough quests in an area. These traits generally improve stats, resistances and total morale and power, including regeneration. There are a large variety of goals, and each has multiple levels that can be earned during the course of the game.
- Class: Class traits are specific to a certain class. These are generally earned by using a class skill or power often enough, or meeting certain conditions with these skills often enough, such as achieving enough critical strikes with a certain skill. These skills improve the power of certain abilities and often give an additional passive bonus to character statistics.
- Racial: Racial traits are specific to each of the races. These traits confer special abilities or improvements, and only a relatively limited number can be used at one time.
- Legendary: Legendary traits confer rare bonuses. They are obtained by collecting class-specific books and their pages which drop from specific enemies, from a series of level 45 class-specific quests, or from combining five class traits of a single type.
Reputation is the measure of how well acquainted a player is with a specific group or faction of NPCs. There are various factions in The Lord of the Rings Online that a player can become acquainted with in their travels. Reputation for these different factions may be gained by completing quests, defeating specific monsters, crafting items, and completing deeds. Many of the original reputation factions as well as those in the Mines of Moria expansion also accepted reputation items that were either collected from defeated NPCs or gained by completing deeds. However, since the Siege of Mirkwood expansion no new faction in the game has had this feature added, although a system of daily quests was created that allow the player to gain a steady source of reputation in the absence of reputation items.
There are two kinds of factions in the game, those are Reputation Factions and Crafting Guilds. Reputation Factions are factions that generally only inhabit a specific region of the game, such as the Men of Bree who are present in Bree-land; each have a main location where the player can purchase goods and services from the faction's vendors, some of which are only accessible at higher reputation levels. Some factions also possess a vendor where the player can barter faction-specific items awarded from quests or instances for unique items such as armour or weaponry. The ability to gain reputation with Reputation Factions is open to all players who have purchased the content for the region these factions are present in. Crafting Guild factions however, are available only to players who belong to a specific crafting vocation, and a player can only gain reputation with any one of the several Crafting Guild factions at any one time. Crafting Guild factions also have locations that the player can visit to barter for guild-unique goods, including valuable crafting recipes for specific professions.
There are several levels of reputation that a player can achieve with any faction. The default starting point for most factions is neutral, although reputation with the Lossoth of Forochel begins one level below this. In addition to these tiers of reputation for Crafting Guilds, there is a further three levels that the player can achieve. As the player progresses up these tiers in either Reputation Factions or Crafting Guilds, they gain access to more valuable goods and services from the factions vendors. These upgrades include things such as travel discounts and special reputation mounts for Reputation Factions, and access to higher tier crafting recipes from Crafting Guilds.
Player vs Monster Player[edit]
In The Lord of the Rings Online, Player vs Monster Player (PvMP or alternately Monster Play)[7] is more similar to what players expect as classic PvP. However, it is still not possible to loot defeated player characters. 'Creeps' (Monster players) have quests, titles, and deeds similar to regular characters. Creeps fight against free-people players ('Freeps') in the Ettenmoors for control of five keeps in the Ettenmoors. On July 20, 2015, Update 16.2 added the new PvMP area: The Sundering of Osgiliath.[8]
To engage in Monster Play any player must first create a normal player character and reach level 10. 'Free to Play' players may then play an Orc Reaver class for free. They may also purchase additional classes individually in the Lord of the Rings Online Store in-game; you may have one slot for each of the six classes available to play: Orc Reaver, Orc Defiler, Spider Weaver, Uruk Blackarrow, Uruk Warleader, or Warg Stalker. These characters begin at maximum level. Once created, each monster character will persist and be available for further play, unless you choose to reset it. Free and Premium players can purchase a temporary Ettenmoors pass from the Stable-masters offering travel to the Ettenmoors using 20 of the Mithril Coin currency to purchase six hours of PVMP playtime. VIP subscribers have unlimited access while their subscriptions are current. Only VIP players can play a Freep in PvMP. Similarly, a VIP player has access to all monster character classes, as well as unlimited access to 'the Moors'. A VIP player has access to PvMP at level 20, and low-level characters are automatically 'scaled' to the current level cap. Note however, that this refers only to the character's basic stats. When one side holds two outposts they are able to go into the Delving of Frór, a dungeon area beneath the Ettenmoors. Outposts (smaller keeps) are also objects of combat. Two outposts must be taken to enter the Delving of Frór. Monsters and Heroes progress through 15 ranks in the Ettenmoors by defeating opponents. Higher ranks give access to better equipment and armour, health, and power ratings. Commendations are given for quest completion or enemy kills and also permit purchase of statistic improvements, skills, equipment and appearance. Raids and groups permit faster advancement.[9]
Music system[edit]
In keeping with Tolkien's heavy use of song and music in his books,[10]Lord of the Rings Online has a player music sub-system akin to MIDI that has been the subject of a Harvardanthropological study.[11] Characters on reaching level 5 can learn to play musical instruments, including Bagpipes, Clarinet, Cowbell, Drum, Harp, Horn, Lute, Pibgorn, and Theorbo. Using keyboard macros, instruments can be played in real time on three octaves and abc notation, with the music broadcast to nearby player characters. Players can also play pre-programmed pieces from user-created .ABC script files using the game's music notation, similar to MIDI files. Players often hold impromptu public performances, in solo or as bands at places such as The Prancing Pony Inn in Bree. Communities also regularly organize music events and mini-concerts such as 'Weatherstock': Woodstock above Weathertop.[12]
Storyline[edit]
The main storyline (also known as the 'Epic Quest Line') is presented as a series of 'Books', which consist of series of quests called 'Chapters'. There were initially eight Books when the game was released, with new books added with each free content update. The Epic Quests focus on some events that are new additions to the Lord of the Rings story created by the makers of the game. The player starts simultaneously with Frodo and company leaving The Shire.
Volume I: Shadows of Angmar[edit]
- Book I - Stirrings in the Darkness - After the introductions, the player is sent to Aragorn, who needs help weakening the Blackwolds, a hostile gang within Bree-land, loyal to Sharkey. After helping Aragorn and the Rangers, the player is sent to Tom Bombadil to destroy the evil in Othrongroth, the Great Barrow of the Barrow-downs. Though the Wightlord Sambrog is defeated, the Witch-king and his servants, Ivar and Skorgrim, escape the player's pursuit. Upon returning to Bree, the player discovers Aragorn has left with the Hobbits and instead meets Gandalf, who arrived too late to help. The player is then instructed by Gandalf (who leaves for Rivendell as well) to locate one of Gandalf's fellow Istari, Radagast the Brown.
- Book II - The Red Maid - The player is sent to the Ranger Candaith, who tries to learn the location of Radagast the Brown for the player. While waiting, the player investigates the mysterious events that happened on Weathertop and fights the Orc army around and on top of the hill. By the time the enemy is defeated, Candaith has found Radagast in the city of Ost Guruth and sends the player to meet him. Radagast asks for the player's help in cleansing the area of Garth Agarwen from the evil wights that inhabit it. Ultimately the player and Radagast fight Ivar the Bloodhand, their leader and servant of the Witch-king. Upon succeeding, the player is urgently sent to the North Downs to aid the Rangers in those lands.
- Book III - The Council of the North - The player is asked by Halbarad to aid in the defense of the North Downs against Angmar's forces, by uniting the three main armies of the North Downs: the Men of the town of Trestlebridge, the local Dwarves led by Dori, and Gildor's Elves. After accomplishing this, the player is sent to Rivendell, where the Fellowship has now safely arrived.
- Book IV - Chasing Shadows - The Black Rider that survived the Flood of Bruinen by Elrond is still somewhere in the Trollshaws, making it impossible for the Fellowship to leave. With the help of Legolas, Elladan and Elrohir, the player chases the Nazgûl, destroying the Trolls he has corrupted, and forcing the Ringwraith to retreat to the Misty Mountains. The player is sent to pursue him, where Glóin and some Dwarves have set up a camp.
- Book V - The Last Refuge - The player's search for the Nazgûl brings him/her to the final stronghold of Skorgrím and the Dourhands, the corrupted Dwarves. An assault led by Gimli results in the fall of Skorgrim and his servants. But the Nazgûl has fled to Helegrod, where a long-dead Dragon Thorog has been reanimated as a wight to serve the Dark Lord. The player arrives just in time to stop the Nazgûl, defeating him and making him lose control of the Dragon, who escapes. Now that Rivendell is safe, it is time to move on to Angmar itself.
- Book VI - Fires in the North - Rangers of the North, led by Corunir and Golodir, have gone to Angmar and their kinsmen want to know what has become of them. Upon arriving in Angmar, the player finds Corunir safe in a friendly Hillmen village. He begs the player to find his lost company, who passed through Rammas Deluon: a great series of statues that weaken (or even kill) those who pass it. After destroying the spirits within them, the player becomes able to resist the power of Rammas Deluon, and finds a hidden Dwarf settlement, where a part of the scattered party lives.
- Book VII - The Hidden Hope - The player is informed that Golodir is settled at Gath Forthnir, far in the North. Upon arriving there, (s)he finds that Golodir is long gone and the Rangers are led by his daughter, Lorniel. Lorniel reveals that Golodir has been captured by Mordirith, Steward of Angmar, and has been locked away in Carn Dûm. As leader of the remaining Rangers, and with the help of the Elf Laerdan, Lorniel launches an assault on Carn Dûm, where she is slain by Mordirith, who then releases broken Golodir in a mockery, to continue his torture.
- Book VIII - The Scourge of the North - Golodir's grief for the death of his daughter has almost destroyed him, yet he sees a chance to avenge her. Reclaiming an ancient sword, he travels with the player to the heart of Carn Dûm, defeating Mordirith with his blade. But then Mordirith's palantír, a great seeing-stone he used to torture Golodir, is quickly taken by the mysterious Sara Oakheart.
- Book IX - Shores of Evendim - The player learns that Sara Oakheart is none other than Amarthiel, the legendary Champion of Angmar. She has set up a plot within a tower of Barad Gularan to use the player to weaken Mordirith. Now that she has the palantír, she can communicate with Sauron and challenge Mordirith's position. The player is sent to kill all of Mordirith's Knights, in an attempt to further weaken his power. But despite the player's victories over Mordirith, Amarthiel only grows stronger. After losing Fornost and Barad Gularan, she moves to Annúminas, the ancient capital of Arnor. The Rangers there, led by Calenglad, need the player's aid.
- Book X - The City of Kings - A massive battle in Annúminas ensues and the wise Elf Laerdan offers his services to Calenglad. Mordrambor, one of Amarthiel's captains, is captured, but while in captivity he poisons the mind of Laerdan, making the Elf decide to fight Amarthiel on his own, in an attempt to make up for his mistakes in the past. Again the Free Peoples have been tricked by Amarthiel and her servants. Together with the Rangers of Evendim, the player is able to wrestle the palantír from Amarthiel's clutches, but Laerdan is lost. However, within the palantír, Amarthiel saw a glimpse of where Narchuil, her ancient ring, lies. She is now determined to possess its power once more.
- Book XI - Prisoner of the Free Peoples - Amarthiel's captain Mordrambor breaks free, killing many Rangers. Soon he leads an army out of Annúminas, to find Amarthiel's Ring, Narchuil. The player attempts to find Narchuil before Amarthiel can, searching the ancient ruins of the Trollshaws. After much searching, it turns out Narmeleth, Laerdan's daughter, who originally caused Amarthiel's fall in Fornost, has become possessed by her. But all searching seems in vain, when it is revealed Amarthiel has already found Narchuil. However, Elrond does not fall for her trickery again; he realizes Narchuil is still out there, and Laerdan knows where.
- Book XII - The Ashen Wastes - Amarthiel has Laerdan transported to Angmar, where she learns from him under torture where her Ring is. In a brave attempt to save both Laerdan and the ring Narchuil, the player is able to get to them before Amarthiel does, but only half of the ring was found. Laerdan confesses to Elrond he has broken the Narchuil in two, and reveals where the other part should be. But then he swears an oath upon Elbereth that he will not rest before he has saved his daughter, and leaves the Council.
- Book XIII - Doom of the Last King - Trying to find out more about the other half of Narchuil, the player is sent to Forochel. However Amarthiel's forces have already arrived, and their search is underway. In an attempt to find the ring before the Angmarim, the player receives help from the shade of the Last King Arvedui. During a confrontation with the enemy, it appears that Mordrambor has betrayed Amarthiel: the two battle each other and disappear from the view. The player then retrieves the second half of Narchuil and returns it to Rivendell.
- Book XIV - The Ring-forges of Eregion - Still seeking to save Narmeleth, Laerdan travels with the two halves of Narchuil to Eregion. Amarthiel, baiting him in, reclaims Narchuil for herself. Elrond sends many Heralds of Rivendell to all corners of Eriador to help him in his search for the lost Ring-lore. But all efforts are too late, for Narchuil has been reforged when the Free Peoples reach Eregion. It quickly becomes clear none are able to withstand Narchuil, until Mordrambor, Amarthiel's former servant, arrives. Sowing confusion in her, he shows her the arrival of Mordirith, who is in power once again, but Amarthiel does not surrender and believes she can defeat him with use of Narchuil. However, Mordirith has the power of the Witch-king and defeats her, claiming Narchuil as his own. Just as he is about to finish Amarthiel, Laerdan appears. He reveals his knowledge that Mordirith is actually Eärnur, the last King of Gondor, taken captive by the Witch-King and made a Wraith in mockery of his former defiance. Under Mordirith's orders Mordrambor kills Laerdan, after which the two leave. Amarthiel is devastated by the loss of her father, and taken captive by the Free Peoples.
- Book XV - Daughter of Strife - With the death of her father, Narmeleth is once again freed from the evil influence of Amarthiel. She becomes a captive of the Free Peoples, but volunteers to avenge her father. In Angmar, the final battle between the Free People and Mordirith ensues. First Mordrambor is defeated and Narchuil is finally destroyed by Narmeleth. In the final confrontation, she sacrifices herself in order to defeat Mordirith. The book ends bittersweet with Narmeleth's redemption and her death and Elrond comforts the player, saying that she had found peace in the Undying Lands.
Volume II: Mines of Moria[edit]
Volume III: Allies of the King[edit]
Volume IV: The Strength of Sauron[edit]
The final volume, the first chapters of which were released in March 2015. The epic story concludes with Book 9, which was released as part of the Mordor expansion. Volume IV covers the final months of the War of the Ring. The player character is summoned to Dunharrow to meet Lady Eowyn who informs them that Aragorn and the Grey Company have travelled through the Paths of the Dead. The player character learns that a faction of the dead called the 'Ruthless Dead' have chosen to follow Sauron and stop Aragorn.
The player sets out after Aragorn and, through region quests, stops the Ruthless Dead before coming across the Corsair fleet that Aragorn has set out to stop. The player then takes part in the Battle of Pelargir and afterwards is tasked with going to Minas Tirith and informing either Faramir or Gandalf of Aragorn's plan to take the Corsair ships and sail up the Anduin. After journeying through Eastern Gondor, the player comes across Osgiliath being raided by the army of Minas Morgul. During the player's time in Osgiliath they discover that Moridith has returned from the void and been rechristened 'Gothmog'. The player eventually ends up escaping the city, meeting up briefly with Faramir before he is shot by a Morgul dart and rendered unconscious. The player then prepares the city of Minas Tirith for siege and after looking in Steward Denethor's Palantir, sees the battle of Minas Tirith take place and the Rohirrim not arriving, leading to the fall of the city. After telling Gandalf what they have seen, the wizard asks the player to head out to find King Theoden's forces. The player finds the Rohirrim in Far Anórien and marches with them to Minas Tirith just in time to save the city, finishing the Battle of Pelennor Fields in time to march to the Black Gates through North Ithilien and the Wastes. On the Slag Hills the player fights during the Battle of the Black Gates to draw the enemy eye from Frodo and the ring. The quest of the ring is completed and the player travels with Gandalf on the eagles just in time to save Frodo and Sam from the eruption of Mount Doom. Volume IV ends here as the last of the volumes; a new story begins with Mordor: the Black Book of Mordor.
The Black Book of Mordor: Where the Shadows Lie[edit]
The War of the Ring is over and also the volumes which followed the player since ten years are no more, new stories are beginning. The first of them is called 'The Black Book of Mordor: Where the Shadows Lie' and talks about what happened soon after the fall of Sauron in the Dark Land and beyond. It is divided in chapters: the first four were released with the Mordor expansion in 2017; two chapters each were released in March 2018 with Update 22: 'Legacy of the Necromancer' and in October 2018 with Update 23: 'Where Dragons Dwell'.
Development and release history[edit]
Sierra On-Line first announced the development of a licensed Middle-earth MMORPG in 1998.[13] Sierra had financial troubles in 1999 and replaced the staff working on the game. Sierra continued to confirm development of the MMORPG but did not release any development details.
Vivendi Universal Games, the parent company of Sierra, secured eight-year rights to produce computer and video games based on The Lord of the Rings books in 2001. Vivendi announced an agreement with Turbine in 2003 to produce Middle-earth Online (at that time expected to be released in 2004). In March 2005, Turbine announced that it had bought the rights to make an MMORPG based on Tolkien's literature and that Turbine would publish The Lord of the Rings Online instead of Vivendi.
Russian promotion at IgroMir 2008
A closed beta was announced on September 8, 2006. An open beta began on March 30, 2007, and was open to all who pre-ordered the game's Founders Club edition. On April 6, 2007, the beta opened to the public.
In April 2007, Salon.com reported[14] that the game had dropped a planned feature for in-game players marriage because of the controversy around the possibility of same-sex[15] and inter-species[16] weddings. One developer stated that the design rule was for weddings to be allowed if examples could be found in the book, as between elves and humans. The online magazine for gay gamers, GayGamer.net commented that, while Tolkien was a devout Christian, his stance on gay rights isn't known as the topic wasn't a public issue at the time.[17] Video game critic Ian Bogost compared it to the case of The Sims 2, which did allow same-sex marriage three years prior.[18][19]
Lotro The Villages Of The Earth Kin
The game was developed and maintained by Turbine after Jeffrey Anderson secured the rights from Vivendi.[20] In January 2014 it was announced that the license for The Lord of the Rings Online had been renewed to 2017.[21]
Executive producer Aaron Campbell transferred to other duties in 2015, and Dungeons and Dragons Online franchise director Athena Peters replaced him. Peters announced a new roadmap for the future of Lord of the Rings Online, including improvements to the legendary item system, new fellowship quests, and various 'quality of life' fixes.[22] Also on the agenda for the summer of 2015 were server merges and new datacenters.[23]
On December 19, 2016, it was announced that Turbine would no longer develop the game, rather a new independent game studio was formed under the name Standing Stone Games, the staff of whom would made up of the people that have been working on The Lord of the Rings Online and Dungeons & Dragons Online under Turbine before. The publishing of the game would transfer from Warner Brothers to Daybreak Game Company. While a reason was not given for the transition, it was assured that the game would continue with new development.[24][25]
Releases and subscription model[edit]
In North America, players who pre-ordered the game were offered a special founder's offer, a lifetime subscription for $199 or reduced cost of $9.99 per month. Standard monthly fee is $14.99 with three, six, twelve month, and lifetime discounts available. European players had a similar program from Codemasters. A holiday subscription was available in December 2007 and January 2008 for $9.99/month for a 3-month commitment. A special edition, which cost $10 more than the regular edition, included a full-color manual, an item called 'Glass of Aglaral,' a cloak of regeneration, which is visually different from the one in the regular edition, a 'Making of' DVD, soundtrack, and a 10-day buddy key.
The one year anniversary edition included a $9.99/month subscription or a $199.99 Lifetime subscription, which was again offered during the lead-up to the release of Mines of Moria. However the lifetime subscription option is no longer available and is unlikely to return.[26]
On June 4, 2010, it was announced the game was to add a free-to-play option in the autumn, with an in-game store. Free-to-play was successfully launched in North America on September 10, 2010. After a delay in Europe, free-to-play went live on November 2, 2010.[27] During the following six months the company reported tripled revenues from the title.[28]
On April 26, 2011, it was announced that Codemasters would relinquish control of the European service back to Turbine, and on June 1, the servers were transferred. After a transition period of a few days, they reopened under a unified Lord of the Rings Online global service. Finally, on June 6, 2012, The Lord of the Rings Online was made available for download on Steam.
Until 2008, approximately once every two months a major update was added to The Lord of the Rings Online. Each update was an extension to the epic quest called a book. Despite the Mines of Moria being an official expansion to the original game, it is not required for subscribers to continue receiving the free content updates. However, any new content exclusive to Mines of Moria, including any area past Eregion, is not accessible. In the case of items such as legendary weapons, they are viewable but unable to be equipped. The only exception to this is the Helm's Deep update, where a portion of the Epic Story tied in directly with a new feature added in that expansion. Because of this, in order to play through the Helm's Deep Epic Story, the expansion must be purchased.
Expansions[edit]
In addition to regular free updates, six expansion packs have been released:
- Mines of Moria: released in 2008 this expansion featured the underground world of Dwarrowdwelf.
- Siege of Mirkwood: this expansion was released in 2009, it introduced Mirkwood region and the skirmish system.
- Rise of Isengard: released in 2011 this expansion introduced Dunland region and new instances in Isengard.
- Riders of Rohan: this expansion was released in 2012 and featured mounted combat and East Rohan.
- Helm's Deep: it was released in 2013 and introduced 'epic battles' and a new region in Rohan (West Rohan).
- Mordor: released in 2017 after three years of minor free updates. It introduced the Plateau of Gorgoroth region and new instances in Mordor.
Soundtrack[edit]
The soundtrack for Lord of the Rings Online has received much praise for its quality and variety.[29][30] It features compositions from Turbine composer Stephen Digregorio as well as original songs from acclaimed video game composer Chance Thomas. Other composers include Geoff Scott, Brad Spears, and Egan Budd. According to Thomas, all references that were made to the music of the peoples of Middle-earth in the books were used to extrapolate as much information as possible about the instruments and styles that each race would have used to create their music. This information was then used as the base for creating the score.[31] Additionally, 61 songs from the game were made available for free in mp3 format using a download manager released by Turbine.[32]
Reception[edit]
| Reception |
|---|
| Aggregate score |
|---|
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|
| Metacritic | 86/100[33] | | Review scores |
|---|
| Publication | Score |
|---|
| 1UP.com | A[34] | | Eurogamer | 9 of 10[35] | | Game Informer | 8.5 of 10[36] | | GameSpot | 8.3 of 10[29] | | GameSpy | 4.5 of 5[37] | | IGN | 8.6 of 10[30] |
|
The Lord of the Rings Online received wide universal acclaim thus far, as reviews continue to appear since the game's initial release.[33]
GameDaily awarded the game 9/10, praising its rich, fantasy-themed universe, well-integrated trait and title system, and a story that remains true to the works of Tolkien. Yahoo! Video Games wrote a review with few negative mentions, awarding the game a score of 4/5,[38] while Computer and Video Games called the game an essential purchase for Lord of the Rings fans, scoring the game a 9.2/10.[39]Eurogamer scored the game a 9.0/10, calling it tough to resist.[40]GameSpy gave it 4.5/5 stars, claiming the game 'opened up Middle-Earth to the masses' but commented negatively on its weak PvP content,[41] while GameTrailers awarded it 8.5/10,[42] citing its interesting tweaks to the MMO genre. IGN ranked it a similar 8.6/10, praising it for its solid experience, though criticizing it for its lack of major improvements to the genre.[43]The New York Times called the game 'a major achievement of interactive storytelling, the first game truly worthy of the ‘Lord of the Rings' franchise and a must-play for just about anyone with an interest in Tolkien or the future of online entertainment.'[44] In a GameSpot review, the product was awarded an 8.3/10, praising its appealing polish and intriguing Monster Play feature.[45]GamePro's review gave it an overall 4.25/5, pointing out how engaging the epic quests are, as well as how faithful to the novels the game managed to stay.[46]
GameSpy declared The Lord of the Rings Online 'Game of the Month' for May 2007.[47] Midway announced that the game sold over 172,000 copies in North America during its second quarter.[48]
In August 2007, Codemasters announced that The Lord of the Rings Online had received five Golden Joystick Awards nominations for the five applicable categories for the game,[49] and in October 2007 that it had won the 'PC Game of the Year' at these awards.[50] It won the same award again on October 2008.
In 2007, GameSpy awarded The Lord of the Rings Online 6th place in the top ten PC games of the year.[51] Turbine also won the GameSpy MMO of the Year award.[52]
In 2010, RPGFan's Adam Tingle named The Lord of the Rings Online the best MMORPG of all time in a top-10 countdown[53] while RPGLand gave its 'Best Free-to-Play MMORPG' annual award.[54] That year, the NPD Group reported that the game was 'the third most played massively multiplayer role-playing game' with Turbine citing their free-to-play model as the reason for the growing subscriber base.[55]
In January 2011, PC Gamer chose The Lord of the Rings Online as the MMO of the year.[56] Praise was given for treating fans to two new Epic Books worth of quests, two added regions, expansion of in-game events, improved UI elements, and the revamp of the character creation and starter regions. Also noted was the success of the move to free-to-play, stating Lord of the Rings Online is 'quickly redefining the way a successful subscriptionless MMO is run.'
References[edit]
- ^'Havok-Powered Titles'. Havok.com. Retrieved 2015-02-11.
- ^''Is The Lord of the Rings Online (LOTRO) based on the movies or the books?' and 'What about The Silmarillion?' at the official FAQ'. Turbine. n.d. Archived from the original on November 27, 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-15.
- ^'One game to rule them all?'. BBC News. Retrieved 2008-03-08.
- ^'Spar'. Lotro-wiki.com. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
- ^'Characters'. The Lord of the Rings Online. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
- ^'Dev Diary - Premium Housing'. Turbine. 2016-10-18. Retrieved 2016-11-21.
- ^'Game Systems: Monster Play Overview'. Turbine. n.d. Archived from the original on February 25, 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-08. - this reference is historical only.
- ^'Update 16.2 Release Notes'. Lotro.com. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
- ^'Monster Play Rank Titles: Rank Chart'. Turbine. n.d. Retrieved 2013-08-13.
- ^Justin Olivetti. 'The Road to Mordor: Making music together'. Joystiq.com.
- ^William Cheng. 'Role-Playing toward a Virtual Musical Democracy in The Lord of the Rings Online'. University of Illinois Press.
- ^Justin Olivetti. 'LotRO musicians prepare for Weatherstock. 2011'. Joystiq.com.
- ^'Middle-earth Online Memories - Part 1'. Rpgvault.ign.com. 2007. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
- ^Katherine Glover. 'Why can't gay dwarves get married in Middle-earth?'. Salon.com.
- ^'Gay Marriage Flap Around New Lord of the Rings MMO'. GamePolitics.com.
- ^Flynn De Marco. 'LOTR Online Just Says No To Same Sex Marriage'. Kotaku.com. Archived from the original on December 16, 2007.
- ^'We Wants The Gay Hobbitses! And We Wants It Now!'. FAD Media, Inc. Archived from the original on 2011-10-10.
- ^Ian Bogost. 'No marriage, gay or otherwise, in Middle Earth'.
- ^Clive Thompson. 'The Game of Wife'. Slate.com. Retrieved 2014-02-26.
- ^'Turbine spin into action to secure Tolkien license'. Videogamer.com. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
- ^Purchese, Robert (14 January 2014). 'Lord of the Rings Online licence renewed to 2017'. Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
- ^'LOTRO maps out 2015, vows to address server populations [Update]'. Engadget.com. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
- ^'Summer Plans Include Server Merges & New Datacenters'. Mmorpg.com. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
- ^Bree Royce (19 December 2016). 'TURBINE SPINS Lord of the Rings Online AND DDO TEAMS OUT TO NEW STUDIO, USING DAYBREAK AS PUBLISHER'. Massively Overpowered. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
- ^'Standing Stone Games Transition FAQ'. The Lord of the Rings Online. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
- ^'Lord of the Rings Online Lifetime Subscriptions FAQs'. Turbine Support. Turbine. 1 February 2012 [First published 2010]. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
- ^'Official Announcement'. Lotro.com. Retrieved 2011-06-17.
- ^'News - Turbine: Lord of the Rings Online Revenues Tripled As Free-To-Play Game'. Gamasutra.com. Retrieved 2011-06-17.
- ^ abVanOrd, Kevin (2007-05-10). 'Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review'. GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-04-24.
- ^ abOnyett, Charles (2007-05-11). 'The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review. Turbine's latest MMORPG delivers'. IGN. Retrieved 2007-04-24.
- ^'Chance Thomas Invades Middle Earth'. IGN. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
- ^'Lord of the Rings Online Download Manager Release'. Lord of the Rings Online. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
- ^ ab'The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar for PC Reviews'. Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 2019-05-16.
- ^Sharkey, Scott (2007-05-15). 'Reviews: Lord of the Rings Online'. 1UP.com.
- ^Fahey, Rob (2007-04-24). 'Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review'. Eurogamer.
- ^Biessener, Adam. 'Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar'. Game Informer. Archived from the original on February 13, 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-07.
- ^Rausch, Allen (2007-05-04). 'Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review'. GameSpy. Retrieved 2008-04-24.
- ^'The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review'. Yahoo! Games. Retrieved 2007-08-24.
- ^'PC Review: Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar'. CVG. Retrieved 2007-08-24.
- ^'Review - Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar'. EuroGamer. Retrieved 2007-08-24.
- ^'The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review'. GameSpy. Retrieved 2007-08-24.
- ^'The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar'. gametrailers.com. Archived from the original on July 14, 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-24.
- ^'The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review'. IGN. Retrieved 2007-08-24.
- ^'Lord of the Rings Online Press Release'. lotr.turbine.com. Archived from the original on August 17, 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-24.
- ^'The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar for PC Review'. GameSpotUK. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-24.
- ^'Review: The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar for PC'. GamePro. Archived from the original on 2007-05-13. Retrieved 2007-08-24.
- ^'Game of the Month: May 2007'. GameSpy. Retrieved 2007-08-24.
- ^'Midway halves Q2 losses, delays BlackSite, Wheelman'. GameSpotAU. Retrieved 2007-08-25.
- ^'Music and vice top games awards'. BBC News. Retrieved 2007-08-25.
- ^'Gears Wins Big at Golden Joysticks - Edge Magazine'. Next-gen.biz. 2007-10-26. Retrieved 2011-06-17.
- ^'GameSpy's Game of the Year 2007'. GameSpy. Retrieved 2007-12-19.
- ^'Lord of the Rings Online Wins Top Honors from Gamespy!'. Lord of the Rings Online. Archived from the original on December 20, 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-19.
- ^'RPGFan Top 10 MMORPG of All Time'. Rpgfan.com. Retrieved 2011-02-15.
- ^'RPGLand RPG of 2010'. Rpgland.com. Retrieved 2011-02-15.
- ^VanOrd, Kevin (June 13, 2011). 'E3 2011: The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard Preview'. GameSpot. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
- ^'PC Gamer US games of the year awards'. Pcgamer.com.
External links[edit]
| Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Lord of the Rings Online. |
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Lord_of_the_Rings_Online&oldid=902618823'
In the Chetwood, the Blackwold brigands have established an encampment from which they assail the various villages of Bree-land. The entire brigand band put together, however, is not as much of a threat as the guardian left there by ɯgan of Angmar.
Wandering through the Chetwood and the Blackwold camp is a vile Warg that came out of the North. Baugarch is feared by all who dwell there, even the wild wolves who make their den to the west of the Blackwold encampment. Many an unwary woodsman has vanished in the Chetwood, taken by the evil Baugarch.
Baugarch was created by the designers of The Lord of the Rings Online?: Shadows of Angmar. Players wandering the Chetwood should be wary, for this beast could slay an entire fellowship should they enter unprepared.
In out-of-the-way places dwell many ancient creatures, and numbered among them are the Huorns. Whether these creatures are trees that have been awakened or Ents that have become treeish is hard to say, but without the guidance of the Ents, they often become wild and dangerous, sometimes even black-hearted.
In Agamaur, one such Huorn guards the ways into Garth Agarwen, the stronghold of the Red-maid. Dour-root long dwelt in the presence of the River-maiden, who succumbed to the evils brought by the ancient wars with Rhudaur and Angmar. When she fell, so did Dour-root.
Dour-root was created by the developers at Turbine as one of the boss-monsters in the Lone-lands instance, Garth Agarwen. Players adventuring in Garth Agarwen should beware this vengeful creature of nature.
In the First Age, Morgoth summoned many fell spirits into his service and twisted countless creatures to his will. Among those were dire creatures called Gaunt-men. Morgoth gave the Gaunt-men mortal bodies in which to work his wickedness throughout Middle-earth. Men and Elves alike feared these creatures, for they had the power to instill other fell spirits into the remains of the dead and raise them as wights.
After Morgoth’s fall, the remaining Gaunt-men went into hiding in the realm that later became Angmar. Their power was greatly diminished, but when the Wizards arrived to lend wisdom to the Free Peoples of Middle-earth, the Witch-king summoned the Gaunt-men to his service. Among them, five gained greater power to match the five Wizards. These five, embodying death, pestilence, famine, war, and purest evil, became known as the Gaunt-lords.
The Gaunt-lords were created by the developers at Turbine for The Lord of the Rings Online™: Shadows of Angmar, using lore surrounding the coming of the Wizards and the physical manifestation of spirits. These creatures are among the most powerful of the Enemy’s servants.
For those who wander beneath the moonlight on tranquil evenings in Eriador, the sound of bat wings in the darkened sky rarely brings a sense of fear or dread. In the wilds of Middle-earth, it is not uncommon to hear the rush of wings or catch a glimpse of small, darting shapes flittering on a night's hunt for insects around fields and still ponds. Even those who explore dark caves are more startled than truly afraid when the light of a lamp disturbs the slumbering creatures into a frenzied rush for the cave's exit. In these dark days, however, the wild creatures of Eriador are not as they once were.
A shadow of corruption now spreads throughout the wilderness, bringing with it an unwelcome darkness. The bats of Eriador, once content to be concealed from villagers and townsfolk, have begun hunting larger creatures, even swarming to attack unwary travellers in the night. Adventurers from outlying areas tell tales of menacing creatures with huge, leathery wings, cold black eyes, and needle-sharp teeth that deliver wicked bites. These tales are troubling indeed, for these creatures of the skies are numerous throughout Eriador. If they now fly in the service of a dark master, travel by night is likely to be perilous, even for the wariest adventurer.
Little is known about this secretive race that dwells high atop the mountain passes and peaks of Middle-earth. Some would say their existence is merely the stuff of tales for children, but there are those who have explored less-inhabited lands and have witnessed the power of the giants first-hand. If the tales are to be believed, it is said that the giants resemble Men in much the same way as Hobbits do, but where Hobbits are diminutive, the giants are enormous! Imagine a tribe of Men, each standing a full sixty feet in height, hurling boulders from mountaintop to mountaintop creating a thunder all their own. The power of these creatures instantly sends a chill down the spine of any who hear the tale!
The giants of Middle-earth, while rarely mentioned and never described in great detail in The Lord of the Rings books, are an important part of the design of The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar. Mysterious and powerful though they are indeed, the giants are also a rare mix of both terrifying monster and potential ally for the Free Peoples of Middle-earth. As of yet holding no alliance to either side in the War of the Ring, the on-going battle between the giants in the peaks of the Misty Mountains east of Rivendell is sure to attract the attention of the bravest of adventurers.
Those who have fought against the vile creatures of Orc-kind know all too well the ferocity and ruthlessness of their ilk. The Free Peoples of Middle-earth have always taken some measure of comfort from the knowledge that the welcoming light of day weakens these monsters and drives them back into their shadowed realms. Lately, however, disturbing tales are growing more common among the people of Eriador - stories of larger, more ferocious Orcs, bred for their strength and cunning and capable of fighting with terrible strength by day or night. The fighting Uruk-hai, as they are known, are terrifying indeed.
Sauron himself has been breeding Uruk-hai for some time, but now it is said that a powerful ruler from lands to the southeast is also practicing the darkest of arts to bring these creatures to life. This new ruler is organizing the Uruk-hai into a fighting force to bring darkness and desolation to the peaceful lands of Middle-earth. No one wants to dwell on the nefarious purpose for which such a tyrant might be conducting such atrocities, but fear is sweeping the lands east of the Misty Mountains as these creatures hack and burn a path though village after village.
Uruk-hai have tough, dark skin, bodies of corded muscle, and incredible strength and stamina. Seeming to need no rest, they appear sustained instead by their intense hatred for all that is good in Middle-earth.
The wights of the Great Barrows are the bodies of ancient soldiers, risen from the grave and controlled by evil spirits residing within. In the far reaches of Angmar, in deep places long-since forgotten, lies a form of wight known only to that dark realm. These bodies, the victims of dark rituals in centuries past, show the effects of their brutal demise, bereft of their head and one arm, their death having come as part of a long-since-forgotten ceremony. Driven by malice toward all that is good in Middle-earth, these shambling wights will pursue and attack relentlessly.
The crypt-wight is unique to the world of LOTRO, designed to be reminiscent of the wights of the great Barrow-downs in Eriador to the east of the Shire. The grievous wounds to their bodies belie the ancient ritual that was performed as a means of punishment in Angmar long ago. Those who betrayed, failed, or otherwise displeased the Witch-king were slain with a single blow of his dark blade, cleaving their head and arm from their body. Then, by means of dark sorcery, evil spirits rose up within the headless bodies, driven now to spend an eternity as servants in the dark places of the realm, their rotting flesh a reminder to all of the price paid for betraying the ruler of Angmar.
In the First Age, in Angband, there were many creatures bred and twisted by darkness. In later Ages, the Dark Lord Sauron bred from these abominations new creatures with which to make war upon Middle-earth. Among these new monsters are the Merrevail.
A Morroval appears to be a cross between a bat and a mortal woman, but if the blood of Man ever ran within its veins, it has become utterly corrupt and evil. These creatures are not mere beasts, acting strictly upon instinct. They are instead cunning and skilful in the use of arms. It is rumored that they may have some powers beyond the mundane, as well. The Merrevail dwell in the ruined realm of Angmar, in service to the Iron Crown and the Steward of Angmar.
The Middle-earth of The Lord of the Rings OnlineTM: Shadows of AngmarTM (LOTRO) is populated by many creatures, old and new, wondrous and mundane. The Merrevail are only one of many new creatures created by the developers, drawing from lore sources, which players will encounter in LOTRO.
As the realm of Angmar grew in power under the Lord of the Nazgûl, he commanded that a great citadel be built as the capital of his kingdom. Thus many Angmarim and Hill-men out of Rhudaur were pressed into service to build the city of Carn Dûm, nestled in the Mountains of Angmar. They were taken from their homes, and foul meats and the vile waters of Sereg Argûl became their sole sustenance. Shrunken and twisted by the cruel scourges of their Orcish taskmasters and by the scarce and tainted provender granted them, the slaves gradually fell beneath the shadow of Angmar.
The Nimwaith, or Pale-folk, as the descendants of the slaves became known, act as the primary labor caste of Carn Dûm. These small, pale-skinned creatures are weaker than ordinary Men, but their numbers are great, bred and maintained in the caves beneath the ancient fortress of the Witch-king. They are vile and ravenous creatures, subservient to the will of Mordirith, the Steward of Angmar, though they remain filled with hatred for their cruel masters.
The Pale-folk are one of many creatures developed by Turbine for The Lord of the Rings OnlineTM: Shadows of AngmarTM (LOTRO) using principles established in the Books of J.R.R. Tolkien. Players in LOTRO should be cautious when entering the deep halls of Carn Dûm, for they may be swarmed by the vicious Nimwaith.
Lynx, Wolf, and Barghest[edit]
There are more threats in the cliffs and crags of the North Downs than Orcs and evil Men. Many creatures that walk on four legs, both natural and evil, stalk prey in the hills and fields of the North Downs.
In the crags of Nan Amlug, lynx dwell in great numbers. While these mountain cats are mere beasts, with no care for the wars of Men and Orcs, they can still be extremely dangerous. They are able to move about nearly unseen, silently creeping towards their prey, springing upon the unwary with vicious precision. The miners of Othrikar, the dwarf-mines of Nan Amlug, must keep a constant vigil as they journey to and from their tunnels.
At the northern end of the Greenway, beyond the lonely town of Trestlebridge, and in southern reaches of Annundir, packs of wolves roam in search of easy prey. Unlike lynx, wolves are not mere beasts. They are highly intelligent and cunning, but worse yet, they are servants of the Enemy, corrupt and evil. From these hounds of evil were bred the fiercest of their kind, the Wargs. It is said that there was a time as well when fell-spirits were cast into wolves, creating a breed of Werewolves.
Of all the four-legged creatures which stalk the western North Downs, the Barghests of the Fields of Fornost are the worst. Evil hounds akin to the Werewolves, they are terrible creatures possessed of a fell-spirit. They are rarely seen anywhere but ancient fields of battle and burial grounds, haunting the grassy knolls where the dead lay.
The lynx and Barghests are new to The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, drawn from appropriate real-world and folklore sources. Wolves are seen with great frequency in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, always as creatures of evil, as they were portrayed in the folklore and literature of Professor Tolkien's own day. In LOTRO, players shall encounter these and other such creatures throughout Eriador.
While the fellow shown here is not the only creature of dragon-kind in our corner of Middle-earth, he is the ONLY Dragon: one of the very few remaining in all of Middle-earth. We'll leave his backstory and name a secret for now..
The Dragon first appeared in Jeff Murchie's Developer Diary entitled 'Unfinished Tails,' which contains more information about its creation. You can also discuss the Dragon on our forums in the Unfinished Tails discussion thread.
In the depths of time, the great race of dragons was bred by Morgoth in his dark realm of Angband. These terrible beasts are capable of spewing gouts of flame and crushing stone and metal with little effort. Few survived the fall of Beleriand, and fewer still remain in the Third Age. Smaug the Golden was the greatest of those who fled to Middle-earth, and he was slain by Bard the Bowman, who became King of Dale.
The winged drakes who now inhabit the stony hills and mountains of Middle-earth are mere shadows of the once-great majesty of their forebears. They hunt the landscape for aurochs, bears, and other large animals with which to feed their young – drakelings – though they will not hesitate to make a meal of stray Hillman or Earth-kin, if the opportunity arises.
Weaker still are the wingless worms who claw their way across the barren plains and hills. Like their winged kin, they live to feed, terrorizing beast and Man alike. Neither drake nor worm possesses the might of the great dragons, but they should not be underestimated. Rumor has it that something in the Misty Mountains is stirring, calling them to gather.
In The Lord of the Rings: Shadows of Angmar, players will encounter drakes and worms throughout the crags and passes of Angmar, the North Downs, and the Misty Mountains. Both Mordor and Angmar are gathering their strength to crush the Free Peoples of Middle-earth, and all of Dragon-kind is being called upon by the Enemy to serve in this war.
Statues throughout Middle-earth are not always what they seem. The very stone of some statues hold the trapped spirit of malice within, crafted by the Dark Lord long ago with skilled workmanship and dark ritual. These ominous statues act as sentries and alarms within the realm of Angmar and throughout the lands corrupted by the shadow. Within many of the ruins throughout Eriador and Arnor, in lands once controlled by the darkness of Mordor's reach, these watchers remain, ever-vigilant even after centuries of abandonment.
Inspired by the Two Watchers at Cirith Ungol in The Return of the King, watcher statues can be found throughout LOTRO. Cautious adventurers will be wary of any statue, for there is little outward difference between a Watching Stone and common statues found throughout the ruins of Angmar.
The terrifying Warg of Middle-earth is the most vile and corrupt breed of the wolves found in the wilds of Eriador. Wargs are the dark spawn of an ancient evil, creatures which now relentlessly pursue the Free Peoples of Middle-earth. Wargs are occasionally found hunting on their own, though they prefer to hunt in packs. In the lands beyond Eriador, they even wilfully act as mounts in the service of the evil goblins and Orcs of the lands.
The great howl of the Warg can be heard for many miles, though their language is understood by few. Larger and more intelligent than the average wolf and able to attack with great swiftness, they are known for their cunning cruelty.
Throughout the bogs and marshes and even the wooded Wilderlands of Middle-earth there are many varieties of biting and buzzing insects, from the harvest-flies of the Shire to the greater sickle-flies of the Midgewater Marshes and the Bruinen vile-flies of the Trollshaws. Most of these creatures are little more than disgusting nuisances, but some varieties are known to carry debilitating diseases. A single bite can make a brave adventurer easy prey for larger and more dangerous predators.
The adventurers of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings often find themselves the unfortunate victims of annoying insects, bitten and stung and driven to distraction. The sickle-flies and other insects of The Lord of the Rings Online™: Shadows of Angmar™ tend to be a little more dangerous in the marshy regions. Players would be well-advised to avoid the disease-bearing bugs, lest they find themselves in a weakened state against larger and deadlier enemies.
Throughout the dark places of Middle-earth, there can be found terrifying, bodiless spirits bound to the physical world. These ghostly spirits are the shades of Men of times past. Like the oath-breakers roused by Aragorn on the Paths of the Dead, they are bound to Middle-earth by an ancient curse, doomed to remain on the fringes of the living world until their curse is lifted.
Shades are ethereal, capable of delivering a deadly, chilling attack on their enemies and instilling fear by their very presence. Defeating a shade in LOTRO can prove to be a challenge for adventurers, but there are many less conventional ways to conquer these denizens of the spirit world, should the need arise. Traditional combat is not always what is needed; some shades are simply looking for release, or redemption, or even revenge, in order to free themselves from their lifetime of torment, tasks which may fall to the brave adventurer willing to attempt the quest on the shade's behalf.
While The Lord of the Rings can only pause briefly on the precipice of the deepest delvings, where far below 'the world is gnawed by nameless things,' we are privileged to be able to shine a light into those dark recesses, and reveal what new horrors may be found.
Hence the Rogmul: a powerful creature trapped between this world and the realm of the Unseen, enslaved to a great and ancient power of Middle-earth.
For more information about the Rogmul, see the Official Discussion thread on our forums. There's also insight into its naming in Chris Foster's Developer Diary, 'Riddles in the Dark.'
Throughout Middle-earth there are many forms of insect; some mere annoyances, others more dangerous, and some that are a mystery rarely, if ever, seen. Neekerbreekers once fell into the last category. For ages, they were merely a distracting noise in the dark corners of the Midgewater Marshes, but recently a shadow has passed through Bree-land, and they have become more aggressive and begun to swarm.
In The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, many different varieties of this insect can be found across Eriador, known by different names: the relatively placid Neekerbreeker resides in the marshes of Bree-land, while the fiercer Norbog populates the crags of the Ered Luin and elsewhere. This is only one of many creatures first seen – or in this case, heard – in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings that players will encounter in The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar.
In the early days of Angmar, the Witch-king sent forces North to 'collect' the remnants of an evil race that was long believed destroyed, but which Sauron's far-seeing eye spied in the ruins of the Northern Waste. These ancient creatures were few in number but great in strength; of Troll-kind but far more cunning, and exceedingly cruel. The name given them was Gorthorog.
Lotro Villages Of The Earth Kin
Recognizing the power of the Witch-king and of his master in Mordor, these creatures willingly joined with Angmar and Sauron. The smiths of Angmar outfitted them with powerful arms and armor, and they became Angmar's most devastating fighters, set at the front of Angmar's armies like the sharp edge of a blade. With their help, the Witch-king won many battles against the kingdoms of Arnor. Some say that it was Gorthorogs who tore down the Tower of Amon Sûl, toppling it into ruin, but none survive to confirm that tale.
In the last battle to drive Angmar out of the lands of Arnor, the enemy made one grave error. The Witch-king had held his last few Gorthorogs in Carn Dûm, planning to lure his enemies to their ruin with a false retreat. But in the end his attempt to reach the fortress failed, and the Witch-king was driven from the North. Angmar was defeated.
With Angmar's forces scattered, the Gorthorogs retreated to the dark places of that fallen kingdom, which were to them much like the cracks and shadows in the North where they once dwelt. Some also say that a few Gorthorogs fled south and east, all the way to Mordor, and there were bred with Trolls by Sauron, and thus had a part in the creation of the Mordor's most powerful and darkest of creatures. Of this, not even the Wise can say for certain.
Now, with the rumors of a flame rekindled in Angmar, there remains the danger that these creatures might yet ally themselves with whatever evil returns to that barren realm.
Goblins of the North Downs[edit]
Goblins of the North Downs 'In the twilight he saw a large black Orc, probably Uglúk, standing facing Grishnákh, a short crook-legged creature, very broad and with long arms that hung almost to the ground. Round them were many smaller goblins. Pippin supposed that these were the ones from the North.' - The Two Towers, Book III, Ch. 3 The Uruk-hai North Downs Goblin (click on the image for a larger version) Scavenging the North Downs, like their brethren roaming as far west as the Ered Luin and as far east as their dark home in the Misty Mountains, the goblins of Middle-earth are as vile and cruel examples of Orc-kind as one may encounter. Rarely found alone, goblins traditionally hunt in groups both small and large, preferring the advantage of numbers to inflict their cruelty on the Free Peoples of Middle-earth.
In the pages of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, Orc-kind may be recognized by many names. From lowly and numerous goblins, to the various tribes and breeds of Orcs, to the cruel and mighty Uruk-hai, LOTRO will feature each prominently as the foot soldiers of the dark tide sweeping across Middle-earth in the days leading up the War of the Ring.
Goblin- and Orc-kind[edit]
Orcs are one of the most recognized enemies from The Lord of the Rings.1 As a result, rest assured that you'll not only encounter lots of Orcs in the untamed areas of Middle-earth, but you'll face lots of different types of them.
Where Tolkien has used both the names 'Goblin' and 'Orc' for the race, we've used the terms in the interest of gameplay to represent different types of Orc-kind. 'Orcs' are larger, brawnier creatures, whereas 'Goblins' are smaller, and the sort that might ambush you in dark caverns underground. Here is concept art of a Goblin.
But even among the creatures that are called Orcs, there will be visual variety. In addition to having variety in what weapons they wield and what armor they wear, they will also vary in terms of body shape, as shown in these concept images.
In Elven-tales, the dreadful Mornen, known as a Dark-water in the Westron language, is a creature formed from the depths and brought into being by evil spirits. Rising from the rivers and lakes of Eriador to fight the unwary, these beings of shadow and seething liquid are said to have originated in the darkness of Angmar during the reign of the Witch-king long ago. Their essence remains strong to this day, and they will relentlessly attack the Free Peoples of Middle-earth with no fear of death.
The Dark-water (Mornen in Sindarin, pl. Mernin) is a creature unique to The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar and expands upon Professor Tolkien's lore of evil spirits bound to Middle-earth by dark powers, such as the wights of the Great Barrows. Adventurers should take warning from the dark mist that often swirls beneath the surface of a lake or swamp before the Dark-water rises to strike with cold hands. They should be especially wary of the crowned Mernen, who rule their kind in mockery of the Kings of Númenór.
These menacing black birds from the lands between the Misty Mountains and the dark forest of Fangorn are often controlled by the forces of darkness, acting from above as the eyes and ears of the enemy. Large and intelligent, flocks of these crow-like creatures darken the skies on their mission of evil. But be warned, even one Craban is capable of alerting the enemy with the swiftness of the wind.
Away in the South a dark patch appeared, and grew, and drove north like flying smoke in the wind.
'What's that, Strider? It don't look like a cloud,' said Sam in a whisper to Aragorn. He made no answer, he was gazing intently at the sky; but before long Sam could see for himself what was approaching. Flocks of birds, flying at great speed, were wheeling and circling, and traversing all the land as if they were searching for something; and they were steadily drawing nearer.
'Lie flat and still!' hissed Aragorn, pulling Sam down into the shade of a holly-bush; for a whole regiment of birds had broken away suddenly from the main host, and came, flying low, straight towards the ridge. Sam thought they were a kind of crow of large size. As they passed overhead, in so dense a throng that their shadow followed them darkly over the ground below, one harsh croak was heard.
Not until they had dwindled into the distance, north and west, and the sky was again clear would Aragorn rise. Then he sprang up and went and wakened Gandalf.
'Regiments of black crows are flying over all the land between the Mountains and the Greyflood,' he said, 'and they have passed over Hollin. They are not natives here; they are crebain out of Fangorn and Dunland. I do not know what they are about: possibly there is some trouble away south from which they are fleeing; but I think they are spying out the land. I have also glimpsed many hawks flying high up in the sky. I think we ought to move again this evening. Hollin is no longer wholesome for us: it is being watched.'
Found in the forested wetlands of western Middle-earth, the bog-lurker lives a concealed existence in the darkened wilds. To the casual observer, the body of the bog-lurker is seemingly made of root and bramble, its back alive with marsh-plants and its limbs formed of bark and wood. Ancient tales tell of the creature working alongside the mighty Ents of Eriador, acting in their service to assist in the shepherding of the trees. While the Ents retreated from those lands, the bog-lurkers remained, living a solitary life separated from their masters, although they are occasionally found in the company of the forest Huorns they once tended.
Bog-lurkers are unique to LOTRO and were designed and visually conceived to be in the same class of creature as Ents and other 'natural' inhabitants of Middle-earth. Bog-lurkers tend to stay out of the affairs of the speaking races of Middle-earth, preferring their own isolation to the wars between good and evil. However, in the wetlands of Eriador, adventurers would be wise to be cautious in their presence, as the corruption and darkness of Mordor and Angmar have found their way even into the most desolate marshes. Beware the rustling in the brush. It may be only the wind in the reeds, or it may be a watching bog-lurker, turned to the service of darker powers.
Among the beasts that roam the lands, few inspire such respect from hunters as the Aurochs. Related to domesticated cattle, these creatures are known by their massive size and long, curving horns. Once the Aurochs roamed in massive herds all across Middle-earth, but in later days were reduced to a handful of areas on either side of the Misty Mountains.
Aurochs are placid by nature and wish to be left alone, but will attack when approached. An Aurochs gives warning before attacking by twisting its neck back and forth, digging a groove in the dirt with each horn in turn.Some believe that the Aurochs relate to the fabled Kine of Araw, the quarry of Vorondil the Hunter, ancestor of the stewards of Gondor. It is said that Vorondil took the horn of his prey, and from it fashioned the great horn later carried by Boromir, son of Denethor.
Rumors from northward suggest that Aurochs are now the quarry of hulking creatures who wear the Aurochs' long horns as part of their hunting garb. Little more can be said of these strange hunters.
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