Erebor

The Lonely Mountain, or Erebor, was a mountain in the north-east of Rhovanion. It was the source of the River Running, and a major Dwarven stronghold, the Kingdom under the Mountain at the end of the Third Age and well into the Fourth.

## Erebor

### Inhabitants

Dwarves (Durin's Folk, Broadbeams), Smaug (TA 2770-2941)

## Description

The Lonely Mountain was possibly 3,500 meters tall, as it was snow capped at spring. Geologically, it was rich in metals and jewels.

The mountain was star-shaped with six ridges radiating as spurs from the peak.

The south-western spur contained Ravenhill housing a Dwarven guard-post. Between the two western spurs was a narrow vale which was the exit of the Back Door, behind an overhanging cliff. Rough steps, hewn into a statue of Thror's, ascended to the top of the southern ridge along a narrow ledge turning east behind a boulder into a steep bay.

Inside, the mountain was dug with passages and tunnels leading to cellars and halls and mansions such as the Gallery of the Kings near the Front Gate. A secret tunnel led to the "bottom most cellar"

The main entrance into the mountain was the Gate of Erebor on the south side, opening onto the Long Valley between two great spurs of the mountain. The River Running sprang from beneath the mountain and issued from the Front Gate, forming a waterfall that fell into the valley below.

In the Lower Halls, there was a vast chamber called the Great Hall of Thráin at the root of the mountain. From there a secret passageway led to a hidden door in the western side of the mountain. The Back Door was invisible from the outside except on Durin's Day, when the light of the setting sun would reveal the keyhole.

## History

### Early History

The Longbeards had control of the mountain since at least the early Second Age.

With the awakening of Durin's Bane in the capital of Khazad-dûm, Thráin I led some Dwarves to Erebor. They dug its caves and halls forming an underground city, and established the Kingdom under the Mountain in TA 1999. During Thráin's rule many riches were mined from its depths. The town of Dale was also built by Men between its slopes.

Thráin's son Thorin I abandoned the Mountain in TA 2210 for the Grey Mountains; but after the War of the Dwarves and Dragons, in TA 2590, King Thrór led a group back to the Lonely Mountain, re-establishing it as the capital of Durin's Folk. He hoarded a massive treasure from the bowels of the mountain, and commissioned for a Golden Statue to be made in his own likeness in the Gallery of the Kings. During mining works for this enterprise, unearthing the Arkenstone, which Thror declared as the King's Jewel. They had a complicated relationship with the nearby Woodland Realm, when Thranduil warned Thror of hoarding treasure, and Thror withheld the White Gems of Lasgalen from him.

This greedy hoarding of gold also attracted the dragon Smaug and in TA 2770 he descended on the mountain driving out the Dwarves and destroying the town of Dale. Thranduil arrived at the head of an army, apparently in an attempt to take the mountain by force, only to found it taken by the dragon, leaving the uprooted Dwarves be. The Lonely Mountain was empty for almost two hundred years, save Smaug who slept in the innermost chamber on a great pile of wealth.

### Quest of Erebor

In TA 2941, Sauron returned under the identity of the Necromancer and settled in the ruins of Dol Guldur. He planned to re-establish the kingdom of Angmar, but had to secure its flank from the Northmen, Woodland Realm and Iron Hills, to which end he decided to make an alliance with Smaug. Fearing just such an eventuality, Gandalf convinced King Thorin II and a small company of friends and family to try and convince the Dwarven armies to retake the Mountain and, when this proved impossible, proposed a quest to reclaim the Arkenstone.

After the Dragon Smaug had realized that the Dwarves had been helped by the Lake-men he went to their town of Esgaroth intent on destroying them, only to be killed by a man named Bard. With the help of a Hobbit named Bilbo Baggins, Thorin and company were able to retake the city and the treasure, therefore allowing Thorin to proclaim himself King under the Mountain. But after refusing to give any of the treasure to the Men of Esgaroth, and the Elves of Mirkwood, the mountain and the Dwarves and Hobbit in it were put under a bloodless siege.

Things came to blows when Thorin's cousin Dáin Ironfoot (Grór's grandson) arrived as aid to his kinsman and briefly went to battle against the besiegers. At that, however, a great host of Orcs came to take the mountain for Sauron. So the Elves, Men, and Dwarves made an alliance, and fought a bloody battle against their foes in the valley before the gate. In the end the defenders were victorious against the Orcs and Wargs. Thorin slew their leader Azog and was mortally wounded during the battle, but finally, after so many years of longing, Dáin returned the Longbeards to the Lonely Mountain.

#### War of the Ring

##### Prelude

In the years following the Battle of the Five Armies, Sauron rose to power yet again and sent his evil minions across the entire country of Middle-earth. He sent the Nazgûl to the Lonely Mountain, demanding to know where Bilbo Baggins and the ring were. Sauron offered an alliance with the Dwarves, but Dáin refused and decided to warn Bilbo of the threat looming over him. He sent Glóin, Gimli and several other Dwarves to Rivendell to attend the council of Elrond, where it was discovered that the ring Bilbo found was the One Ring Sauron was looking for. While he and Saruman spent their time fighting both Gondor and Rohan, he sent the Easterlings to deal with the Dwarves of Erebor and the Men of Dale

##### Battle of Dale

Many years later, during the War of the Ring, conflict broke out between Dale and the East and eventually Men and Dwarves retreated into the mountain. King Brand and King Dáin were killed at its very gates. The Dwarves and Men held out for several days until word reached the ears of the Easterlings that the great hosts of Sauron in the south had been defeated in the Battle of the Morannon. With this news fear fell on the besiegers. When the besieged saw this they came forth from the Lonely Mountain, and attacked their enemy driving them from Dale across the Running.

### Fourth Age

The Lonely Mountain was a minor place for battle during the War of the Ring. The city took a small hit but it was rebuilt during the Fourth Age with the help of men and all of the Dwarves. With the restoration of the Kingdom under the Mountain the area became prosperous again. Dwarves and Men reforged their friendship. Dáin was killed during the War of the Ring, and was succeeded by his son Thorin III Stonehelm who ruled well into the Fourth Age.

During this time, Dwarves from the Lonely Mountain helped rebuild cities in Gondor and the fortress of Helm's Deep.

Some went to the newly established Dwarven realm of the Glittering Caves where Gimli was lord. However, Gimli would eventually leave for the Gray Havens with his best friend, the Elven prince, Legolas. Late in the Fourth Age the Lonely Mountain was attacked by a large force of Orcs which was destroyed easily by the Dwarves. After this it is thought that the Lonely Mountain continued to flourish for many years after.

## Military

Erebor had a strong well armored and equipped Dwarven army able to defeat even the toughest foes. The Army consisted of over 10,000 Dwarves of Erebor.. They had only Infantry, Artillery Machinery and Mounted Machinery as Balin stated while riding a war chariot " It's been a while since I rode on one of these things". Possibly the strongest Artillery in Middle-Earth as it is stated that a huge army of Easterlings tried to attack Erebor/Dale in the TA "but they were no match for Dwarven Machinery,weapons,armor,and defenses."

If counting all Dwarven forces the number would rise significantly as it is stated in the trilogy that the "Dwarves will defend their kin no matter what"

## Inhabitants

* Thorin's company
	+ Thorin Oakenshield (Former ruler)
	+ Bilbo Baggins (formerly)
	+ Balin (Formerly)
	+ Dwalin
	+ Fili
	+ Kili
	+ Gloin
	+ Bombur
	+ Bofur
	+ Bifur
	+ Ori (formerly)
	+ Oin (formerly)
* Thror (Formerly)
* Thrain (formerly)
* Smaug
* Flói
* Frár
* Lóni

## Appearances

* The Lord of the Rings
	+ The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (First mentioned)
	+ The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Mentioned indirectly)
* The Hobbit trilogy
	+ The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (First appearance)
	+ The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
	+ The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies