Erebor

"There was the city of Dale. Its markets known far and wide. Full of the bounties of vine and vale. Peaceful and prosperous. For this city lay before the doors of the greatest kingdom in Middle-earth: Erebor. Stronghold of Thror, King Under the Mountain. Mightiest of the Dwarf Lords. "
—Bilbo

Erebor, also known as the Lonely Mountain, was a great mountain to the east of Mirkwood that became a dwarven kingdom after the Fall of Moria. The dwarves there were close friends with the Northmen that founded the towns of Dale and Esgaroth on the Long Lake, and were allies to the Elves of the Woodland Realm. However, tragedy took place when the great dragon Smaug plundered the Kingdom, leaving the dwarves a wandering folk. This would soon change when Thorin Oakenshield decided to retake the Mountain from the dragon with the assistance of his own company of trusted dwarves, Gandalf the Grey and a Hobbit named Bilbo Baggins. Thorin's company succeeded (although he himself died in the following Battle of Five Armies), and the Kingdom of Erebor endured under the leadership of King Dain until the War of the Ring where both Erebor and Dale were under attack from the Easterlings.

In the Age of the Ring mod, Erebor is similar in theme to the vanilla faction but expanded outwards. At the start of the match, the player has the option of choosing between the Reign of Oakenshield and the Reign of Ironfoot which alters their unit and hero roster. Reign of Oakenshield consists of Thorin's Company and has cheap Mannish allies from Lake-town, whilst Reign of Ironfoot is led by King Dain and is supported by elite Mannish soldiers from Dale.

## Reign of Oakenshield Heroes

### Roäc

Roäc was the chief of the ravens of Ravenhill. These birds were much smarter than others, were able to reach a great age and could even speak Westron. Roäc acted as a messenger for Thorin who wished for Dain Ironfoot to bring reinforcements. The Raven also gave Thorin a warning that the treasure would be his death.

### Master of Lake-town

The Master of Lake-town was a corrupt, gluttonous and greedy man who ruled Lake-town tyrannically - squashing any signs of rebellion from those he saw as rabble-rousers. During the Quest for Erebor, Thorin's Company persuaded him to help them by promising him a share of the gold within the Lonely Mountain. When Smaug attacked Esgaroth, the Master fled with his gold into the Desolation of Smaug where he is said to have gone mad with dragon sickness and died of starvation alone.

### Kíli

Kíli was Fíli's brother and another of Thorin's nephews. He was inseparable from his brother and fell alongside him when defending Thorin in the Battle of Five Armies.

### Fíli

One of Thorin's nephews, Fíli was the heir to the Kingdom of Erebor if something bad had happened to his uncle. He was one of the youngest of Thorin's Company, and gave up his life to protect his uncle during the Battle of Five Armies.

### Balin

Balin was one of the oldest of the dwarves of Thorin's Company. His age has brought wisdom and he is one of Thorin's most trusted advisers. After the Quest, Balin set out to reclaim the ancient Kingdom of Moria, a task which he eventually failed at as the entire expedition was slain by the goblins.

### Bard the Bowman

Bard the Bowman was a man of Laketown who was descended from the old King Gerion who fell in Smaug's assault on the city. A skilled fisher, smuggler and archer, he managed to slay the dragon during the attack on Laketown and led the forces of the town in the Battle of Five Armies. After the battle, he rebuilt the city of Dale and ruled as its king.

### Dwalin

A member of the House of Durin, Dwalin was the younger brother of Balin. He was the first of Thorin's Company to arrive at Bag End. Dwalin will bow to no one except those who have earned his respect and is fiercely loyal to Thorin Oakenshield who has fought alongside him in many battles.

### Dáin Ironfoot

Before the Quest for the Mountain, Dáin was Lord of the Iron Hills. He had a reputation for his skill as a warrior, for his red axe, and for his great deed of slaying Azog the Defiler at the Battle of Azanulbizar. He led his own army to assist his cousin, Thorin, at Erebor and became King Under the Mountain after Thorin's death in the battle.

### Thorin Oakenshield

Thorin, Son of Thrain, was King of Durin's Folk after his father vanished on a journey close to Mirkwood. He ruled his people from the Ered Luin in their exile. In T.A. 2941, he led the Quest for Erebor and briefly became King Under the Mountain. When king, his obsession with the treasure of Erebor almost led to war between dwarves, elves and men, but he made a final sacrifice to defeat Bolg of the North in the Battle of Five Armies.

## Reign of Ironfoot Heroes

### Arcah

Arcah was the Lady of Ravens and King Dáin's trusted advisor throughout his reign. As the threat of the Black Land grew, the King Under the Mountain sent Arcah to deliver and receive messages from the Dwarves' allies throughout Middle-earth. During the War of the Ring, Arcah brought tidings of a council summoned by Elrond, lord of Rivendell, that would shape the fate of all of Middle-earth.

### Glóin

After Thorin's Company successfully retook the Lonely Mountain, Glóin remained in Erebor with his son, Gimli. Erebor and the reforged kingdom of Dale flourished for many years as so too did Glóin who became wealthy. This peace was not long lived however, as King Dáin and the Dwarves of Erebor were threatened by an emissary of Sauron; Dáin dispatched Glóin and Gimli to Rivendell, where Lord Elrond had summoned a great council, to explain the Dwarves' plight.

### Hadhod

Hadhod was a Dwarf of the Lonely Mountain and highly skilled in the ways of demolition: he had a keen eye for structural integrity and could pinpoint vulnerabilities in enemy defences. During his travels, Hadhod met Elegost, a Dúnadan of the North, with whom he formed a close friendship - these two proved to be the bane of any orc lurking in the North.

### King Brand

The death of Smaug and the defence of Erebor against the orcs of the Misty Mountains allowed Bard and the men of Lake-town to restore the ruined city of Dale, which prospered for many years. During the War of the Ring, the Bardings were ruled by Bard's grandson, King Brand, who maintained a close friendship with King Dáin and the Dwarves of Erebor. A great host of Easterlings attacked the city of Dale and the Lonely Mountain in the final days of the war, Brand and Dáin fought side by side valiantly until both fell to the enemy's unrelenting hordes.

### Gimli

Gimli, son of Glóin, played a pivotal role throughout the War of the Ring. He accompanied his father to the Council of Elrond, where they learned of the One Ring's discovery and agreed upon the Ring's destruction - Gimli pledged to protect the Ring-bearer Frodo Baggins as a member of the Fellowship of the Ring. The quest led Gimli across Middle-earth, where he defended the lands of Rohan and Gondor alongside his companions Aragorn and Legolas, whom he formed a close bond with as the journey progressed.

### Thorin III Stonehelm

Prince Thorin, son of Dáin, was a fearsome and well-respected warrior like his namesake Thorin Oakenshield. He proved his worth in combat at the end of the War of the Ring, in which he secured victory against the Easterling host that had slain King Dáin and driven the Dwarves into the Lonely Mountain. He ruled as King Under the Mountain at the start of the Fourth Age and established a close friendship with the Realm of Gondor and its king, Elessar.

### King Dáin

In the aftermath of the Battle of the Five Armies, Dáin Ironfoot was crowned King Under the Mountain; Erebor prospered under his rule and the Dwarves became close allies with the Bardings of Dale, led by King Brand. During the War of the Ring, Dáin was visited by an emissary of the Black Lands, who demanded knowledge of a hobbit by the name of Baggins and threatened the Dwarves when Dáin refused to give information to Sauron. The defiance of Dáin ultimately led to his death as Sauron sent a host of Easterlings to lay waste to the kingdom of Erebor; Dáin was killed before the gates of the Mountain before his son, Thorin III Stonehelm, drove off the attackers.

## Spellbook

* Dwarven Skill
* Ravens of Erebor
* Horn of Erebor
* Deep Delving
* Vow of Vengeance
* Fully Armed And Filthy
* Send in the Goats!
* Moria Reclaimed
* Durin's Day
* Undermine
* Thrór's Hoard
* Cave-In

**Cost**:5PP

**Description**:
Repairs a structure.
Left click icon then left click on target structure.

**Cost**:5PP

**Description**:
Summons an unkindness of Ravens
 Reveals the shroud and detects stealthed units
 Modifier Type: Spell
Nearby friendly units gain +15% movement, attack and ability recharge speed
Nearby friendly structures gain +15% production speed
Left click icon then left click on target area.

**Cost**:5PP

**Description**:
Modifier Type: Buff
Target units gain +25% damage and +25% armour.
Stacks with leaderships
Left click then left click on target units.

**Cost**:10PP

**Description**:
+10% resources from all Dwarven Mines
Benefits all dwarven allies
Passive power.

**Cost**:10PP

**Description**:
Durin's Folk take a solemn vow of vengeance against those that have wronged them
Reduces enemy armour in a radius by 50% and prevents experience gain
Area of effect lasts 5 minutes
Left click icon then left click on target area.
Left click to activate

**Cost**:10PP

**Description**:
Grants forged blades and upgraded arrows to units in radius
 Only affects units that can receive Khûzdul Runes, Mithril-tipped Arrows and Fire Arrows
 Left click on icon then left click on target own units.

**Cost**:10PP

**Description**:
Summons a powerful stampede of goats to crush enemy units.
Left click icon then left click on target area.

**Cost**:15PP

**Description**:
Summons a Dwarrowdelf Pillar that is surrounded by 3 battalions of Khazad-dûm Veterans
Units in the vicinity of the pillar become immune to fear and terror.
Left click then left click on pathable location.

**Cost**:15PP

**Description**:
Cancels Freezing Rain, White Winter, Blessing of Ulmo, Darkness or Lights Go Out.
Stuns enemy units
Slowly heals allied units across the map
Left click to activate.

**Cost**:15PP

**Description**:
Places a Mine Shaft anywhere on the map that is protected by Vault Wardens and damages units when it appears
Nearby allies gain 15% damage and armour and are slowly healed
Mine Shaft becomes immediately connected to tunnel network
Left click icon then left click on visible location.

**Cost**:25PP

**Description**:
Summons a Dwarven hoard. Watch out for what your greed could summon

**Cost**:25PP

**Description**:
Creates an earthquake on an area of terrain, causing heavy damage to structures and moderate damage to units.
Left click icon then left click on target area.
## Strategy

Despite the differences in unit and hero rosters between Reign of Oakenshield and Ironfoot, the general strategy for Erebor does not change significantly due to the significant versatility of the faction's shared units. The Dwarven units from the Hall of Warriors are slow-moving but considerably tankier than other basic infantry and are typically only outmatched by superior numbers or hit and run tactics; Grim Hammers can be used to counter factions that rely on spam such as Misty Mountains due to their greater horde size and splash damage per hit. Units shared by both Reigns in the Erebor Assembly are more elite than those recruited from the Hall of Warriors. Ered Luin Rangers are fast moving infantry that are highly resistant to archers, allowing Erebor to compensate for its lack of permanent cavalry before it has recruited Battlewagons from the Erebor Workshop. Iron Hills Warriors are incredibly tanky and hard hitting, with abilities that focus on reducing or ignoring enemy armour - making them excellent choices in the late game vs an upgraded enemy army. The Erebor Redoubt provides access to highly specialist units that thrive in different situations: Vault Wardens are immensely durable, yet very slow moving pikemen that can provide additional armour to Erebor's already tanky forces, Wyrm-slayers act as hero and monster hunters that can chase down and deal heavy damage against single target enemies and the Khazâd-uzbadul are semi-heroic units, which acts as a rock in a stream - there are very few units that can dispatch these incredibly tanky Dwarves.

Reign of Oakenshield is defined by its cheap Lake-town units: Lake-town Watchmen and Lake-town Bowmen are considerably less durable than the basic Erebor Dwarves but have the benefit of larger hordes and a horde bonus which activates when these units are gathered in numbers of 80 or more. These can be supported by the elite Guards of the Master, which can disrupt the enemy's army and structures with their various abilities. Lake-town units benefit from the Master of Lake-town and Bard the Bowman, both of whom have ways of buffing these units or granting them experience. In general, Reign of Oakenshield's heroes are more numerous but are less tanky than those in Reign of Ironfoot, the player can research the Arkenstone at the fortress to increase Reign of Oakenshield hero armour as well as increasing Dwarf unit movement and recruitment speed and decreasing unit upgrade costs.

Reign of Ironfoot's Mannish allies come from Dale and so are more elite albeit more expensive than their Lake-town counterparts: they can serve as a strong transition unit between basic Dwarven units and the more elite Iron Hills and Redoubt units. They have superior archer units with Barding Longbowmen, which can be well-protected thanks to the durability of Erebor's other infantry units. Reign of Ironfoot's heroes are less numerous but are comparatively more durable than those in Reign of Oakenshield; they can also bolster their numbers via Gimli and Hadhod's summoned Legolas and Elegost respectively.