recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
One Ring

The **One Ring** was an ancient artifact created by the Dark Lord Sauron in the Second Age for the purpose of ruling over the Free peoples of Middle-earth, mainly the Elves.

It was also known as the **Ruling Ring**, **Great Ring of Power** and **Isildur's Bane** (due to it causing the death of Isildur). In the Ring Verse it is referred to as **Ash Nazg** in Black Speech.

## History

In the year of the Second age, the One Ring was forged by Sauron to control the other rings in order for him to take over all of Middle-earth. However, the Ring is cut off by Isildur who defeated Sauron in the Last Alliance of Men and Elves and keeps it for himself. In a flashback of *Fellowship of the Ring*, Elrond reveals to Gandalf that he led Isildur to Mount Doom to destroy it. However, he was unable to do so due to its evil influence and left the mountain before throwing it into the volcano. Due to this, Isildur kept the ring until he was killed and lost it in the Anduin river.

2,500 years later, Gollum (then known as Smeagol) kills his cousin Deagol, taking the ring for himself and the River-bank hobbits cast him out of society. For five hundred years, the Ring remained in Gollum's possession.

## *The Hobbit* film series

### An Unexpected Journey

The ring doesn't appear until the last thirty minutes of the first film. Bilbo Baggins, a Hobbit of the Shire and the series' protagonist, is separated from his companions, who were captured by Goblins, in the Misty Mountains, and lands in Gollum's cave with a nearly dead Goblin who attacks him. While Golluma nd the Goblin struggle, Bilbo takes the Ring from the ground and keeps it in his pocket.
Key of Erebor

The **Key to the Side-door** was a small curious-looking silver key with a long barrel. It was used to open the secret entrance to the Lonely Mountain, and for it there was a hidden keyhole.

## History

Like the map, the key was made at an unknown time by Thrór and his son Thráin before the fall of the Lonely Mountain. It was kept by Thrór and then Thráin with the map. When Thráin was captured by the Necromancer, it was given to Gandalf in TA 2850 by Thráin just before he died in the dungeons of the Necromancer. The key and the map was presented to Thorin the day that he and his fellow Dwarves visited Bilbo at Bag End in late April, 2941, and from that moment he kept it fastened to a chain around his neck.

When Thorin and Company were at the place of Side-door, time began to pass and the Sun began to fall and the Moon appeared and a hole appeared about three feet from the ground. As the Dwarves attempted to force the rock without success, Bilbo suddenly remembered the key Gandalf gave Thorin and told Thorin to use it to open the door before the light disappeared that revealed it. Thorin took the key and put it in the keyhole which caused the door-cracks to appear and the door to open.

The key is ornately wrought, with Dwarven runes engraved on both sides of the shaft. When translated, these runes read "Durin's Heir", a reference to Thorin's ancestor, Durin the Deathless.
Pillaging of Rohan

The lands of Rohan were **pillaged** by the Dunlendings and the Orcs of the White Hand during the War of the Ring.

## Prelude

Saruman the White planted seeds of disruption within Edoras in Rohan by sending Grima Wormtongue and placing a spell upon the King of Rohan, Théoden. Saruman then began his campaign of evil, beginning with the Battle of Amon Hen when he sent Lurtz and the Uruk-hai scouts to apprehend the Fellowship of the Ring. Following this, Saruman met with the Dunlending Chief, Freca. Saruman offered the lands of Rohan to the chieftain and the man pledged his allegiance to the White Wizard, cutting his hand with a knife. Saruman then sent the Dunlendings and his Orcs loose on the lands of Rohan

## The pillaging

The Dunlendings and Orcs began pillaging various villages around Rohan, killing all in their path. In one village, Morwen sent her children Éothain and Freda on horseback to warn Edoras.

## Aftermath

Freda and Éothain reached Edoras after multiple days of travel, right after Théoden's awakening from Saruman's spell. With this new information, Théoden decided to lead his people to the refuge of Helm's Deep.
Narya

**Narya**, also known as the **Ring of Fire**, was one of the three Rings of Power made originally for the Elves.

## Description

Narya was described as having the power to inspire others to resist tyranny, domination and despair, as well as having the power (in common with the other Three Rings) to hide the wielder from remote observation (except by the wielder of the One) and giving resistance to the weariness of time. It is also thought to have magical properties and fire powers, as when fighting Durin's Bane, Gandalf claimed to wield the Flame of Anor.

## History

### Second Age

Created by Celebrimbor in the Second Age, along with Nenya and Vilya, after Sauron disguised as the mysterious Annatar and left Eregion, Narya was free of his influence, having been crafted only by Celebrimbor himself and later hidden from Annatar's grasp - but it still was bound to the One Ring. According to the *Unfinished Tales*, at the start of the War of the Elves and Sauron, Celebrimbor gave Narya together with Vilya to Gil-galad, High King of the Ñoldor. Gil-galad entrusted Narya to his lieutenant Círdan, Lord of the Havens of Mithlond, who kept it after Gil-galad's death.

### Third Age

Upon the arrival of Gandalf in Middle-earth on TA 1000, Círdan, knowing Gandalf's true nature and duty, gave him Narya to aid him in his labours.

None save Elrond, Galadriel and Cirdan knew that Gandalf bore it through the Third Age. It is unknown how or where Gandalf used it, but during the siege of Minas Tirith he inspires hope and courage in men wherever he passes. This may be one example of Narya's influence. It is unknown if the ring enhanced Gandalf's power over fire. Elrond firmly stated that while the Three Rings are not idle they were not made as weapons of war. They were made to preserve and heal. As they were made to ward off the effects of time, at best the rings could give the wielder extra stamina and endurance, as Cirdan stated when he gave Narya to Gandalf. The ring was revealed on Gandalf's finger at the Grey Havens, where he bore it back to the Undying Lands and presumably kept it as a relic.
Mearas

The **Mearas** were a breed of wild horses in the north of Middle-earth. They surpass normal horses in intelligence, speed and strength. According to lore, the ancestors of the Mearas were brought from the West by Oromë.

## Description

The Mearas were strong, wild, and intelligent. They would bear no man but the kings or princes of the Mark (with Gandalf as a notable exception). Their lifespan was as long as men.

Felaróf and Snowmane were white, whereas Shadowfax was grey.

## History

They were descended from Felaróf, who was tamed by the first King of Rohan, Eorl. The descendants of Felaróf would later become the mounts of the King of Rohan, and would bear no one except for the Kings of the Mark and their sons.

During the Third Age, Gandalf was given consent to ride Shadowfax, Lord of the Mearas. Shadowfax continued to accompany Gandalf throughout the latter half War of the Ring. He was also present at the Grey Havens when Gandalf sailed to Valinor.
Minhiriath

**Minhiriath** was located in Eriador, a name for all the lands between the Brandywine and the Gwathló rivers.

## Geography

Minhiriath was located between the Brandywine River on its NW border and the Greyflood on its SE border. The Shire was north of the Brandywine across Sarn Ford. Enedwaith was south of the Greyflood.

The eastern border of Minhiriath was probably around the North-South Road. On the SW, Minhiriath had a coast on the Sea. The forest of Eryn Vorn was on a cape on the coast of Minhiriath.

The city of Tharbad was on the Greyflood on the border between Minhiriath and Enedwaith. The port of Lond Daer was also on the Greyflood where it flowed into the Sea.

## History

### Earliest inhabitants

The original forest inhabitants of Minhiriath were descended from the same Atani as the ancestors of the Númenóreans, but because they spoke mutually unintelligible languages (they were related to the Haladin), the Númenóreans did not class the Minhiriathrim as Middle Men. Combined with their later hostility, they classified them as "Men of Darkness".

### Second Age

A large-scale deforestation of the land began under the Númenórean "Ship Kings" after the 7th century. The folk of Minhiriath became openly hostile, and were in turn 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 hoping for his victory over the Men of the Sea, but they were to be disappointed - and permanently trapped - 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.

### Third Age

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 1409 no doubt caused extensive depopulation of the whole country. Even worse was the advent of the Great Plague in 1636, after which Minhiriath was "almost entirely deserted". The Dúnedain of Cardolan were wiped out.

After 1975, even though a few secretive hunter-folk lived in the woods throughout the Third Age, Minhiriath was claimed by no kingdom at all.

In 2912, Minhiriath was devastated by floods in the spring that followed the Fell Winter. Tharbad was ruined at this time.

Although it was still thickly forested in several places 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.

After the War of the Ring at the end of the Third Age, the North-kingdom of Arnor was re-established by Aragorn II. Minhiriath and other regions of Eriador were repopulated during the Fourth Age.
Lords of the Eotheod

The **Lords of the Éothéod** were the hereditary rulers of the Éothéod, the horsemen of the North. They were descended from the Kings of Rhovanion. With the formation of Rohan in T.A. 2501, the title was abandoned in favor of "King of Rohan".

## History

* Marhwini, fl. T.A. 1856
* Forthwini, fl. T.A. 1944
* Third Lord, fl. mid-20th century
* Frumgar, fl. T.A. 1977
* Fram, fl. 21st century
* Unknown number of unnamed lords
* Léod, d. T.A. 2501
* Eorl, T.A. 2501 - T.A. 2510
Mumakil

**Mûmakil**, sometimes known as **Oliphaunts**, were large elephant-like creatures, kept and used by the Haradrim.

## History

In southern Harad during the Third Age, there lived beasts of vast bulk thought to be ancestors of elephants, which would be much smaller in size.

In the years of the War of the Ring, the fierce warriors of Harad came north to Gondor at the call of Sauron, and with their legions they brought the great Mûmakil, which they used as beasts of war. The Mûmakil that the Haradrim brought to the Battle of the Pelennor Fields were harnessed with red banners, bands and trappings of gold and brass, and on their backs great war towers from which archers and spearmen fought. They had a natural blood-lust, and many foes were crushed beneath their feet. With their trunks they struck down many foes, and their tusks were red with the blood of their enemies. They could not be fought effectively by mounted men, for horses refused to go near them, nor by footmen, who were quickly crushed or shot from above. In war, they would frequently stand as towers that could not be captured; shield walls broke before them and armies were routed around them.

These thick-skinned beasts were almost invulnerable to arrows; their eyes were vulnerable, however, as Mûmakil could be blinded or even killed by arrows released with great force. When blinded they went into a rage of pain, often destroying masters and foes alike in their rampages. Very few Mûmakil were seen after the War of the Ring outside of Far Harad, their natural habitat. It is presumed wild Mûmakil still roamed in Far Harad and that some still were kept by the Haradrim.
Scarlet Heart

The **Scarlet heart** was an emblem of Turgon according to the early version of the legendarium in *The Book of Lost Tales*.

## History

Nólemë (later Finwë and then Turgon's father) was isolated by Orcs during the Battle of Unnumbered Tears, and they cut out his heart. The body and the heart were rescued by Turgon, and it became his emblem. In *The Fall of Gondolin*, the emblems of the House of the King included the scarlet heart, the Moon and the Sun, and they wore the respective colours.
Second Age 2221

**Second Age 2221** (abbreviated to **S.A. 2221**) is the 2221st year of the Sun of the Second Age of Middle-earth.

Notable events in this year include:

* Death of Tar-Atanamir, who is called the "Unwilling" for he was the first King who refused to lay down his life or surrender the Sceptre before death.
* Tar-Ancalimon, son of Tar-Atanamir, takes the Sceptre.
* Tensions in Númenor begin to rise between the Faithful and the King's Men.
Second Age 1800

**Second Age 1800** (abbreviated to **S.A. 1800**) is the 1800th year of the Sun of the Second Age of Middle-earth.

Notable events in this year include:

* Birth of Tar-Atanamir, son of Tar-Ciryatan.
* From about this time onward the Númenóreans begin to establish dominions on the coasts of Middle-earth.
* Sauron secretly extends his power eastwards.
* The shadow falls on Númenor.
Largo Brandyfoot

**Largo Brandyfoot** was a Harfoot hobbit in the Second Age.

## Biography

Largo was the father of Elanor and Dilly; their mother died at some point, and Largo was remarried to Marigold. As a member of the nomadic tribe led by Sadoc Burrows, he dwelt in the Vales of Anduin, and as his trade made wheels for his kinsmen.

While his daughter Elanor, unbeknownst to him, was away with a mysterious stranger, Largo attempted to help erect a pavilion for the upcoming festival, but when a rope snapped was thrown down, breaking his ankle.
Third Age 1964

**Third Age 1964** (abbreviated to **T.A. 1964**) is the 1964th year of the Sun of the Third Age of Middle-earth. Third Age 1964 was also known as **S.R. 364** in Shire-reckoning.

Notable events in this year include:

* Death of King Araphant of Arthedain.
* Arvedui, the son of Araphant, becomes the fifteenth King of Arthedain.
* Arvedui continues to hold off the assaults from Angmar.
Men of Darkness

**Men of Darkness** or **Men of Shadow** were the men of the east of Middle-earth who fell under the dominion of Morgoth in the First Age or were dominated by Sauron and worshipped him in the Second Age. In the Third Age they were moved by him against the Dúnedain.

The Dúnedain used the term with no account of race, culture or language; it was a generic term for all those peoples who were not simply barbaric plunderers or brigands, but fanatically opposed the Realms in Exile, the Free Peoples and their allies, as enemies of their "gods".

The following peoples can be considered Men of Darkness:

* Easterlings (Wainriders, Balchoth)
* Variags
* Black Númenóreans and Corsairs of Umbar
* Half-trolls
* Haradrim
* Dunlendings
* Hill-men
Keeper of the Dungeons

A **Gundabad Orc Chieftain**, later known as the **Keeper of the Dungeons**, was present at the Battle of Azanulbizar.

He fights against the Dwarves of the Lonely Mountain. After being defeated by Dwalin, the Orc brute survived his wounds and went into hiding in Mount Gundabad. Years later, he is summoned to Dol Guldur before the battle against the Dwarves, Men, and Elves in the Lonely Mountain and Dale, but unlike his comrades, he stayed in the fortress and kept watch on Gandalf who had been imprisoned and defeated by Sauron. He received order from Sauron to execute the wizard and confiscate the Ring of Fire (Extended Edition only), throwing Gandalf's cage across the tower. Before the orc could cut the ring off and kill the wizard, Galadriel arrived at the old fortress and killed him.

The Orc Chieftain was originally intended to be Bolg, but the decision to change the character's identity was made before the release of the second film in the trilogy.
Kings of Arthedain

The **Kings of Arthedain** were the hereditary rulers of Arthedain, one of the three successor kingdoms of Arnor after its division in T.A. 861.

## History

The first king of Arthedain was Amlaith, the eldest son of Eärendur the last King of Arnor. The kingdom of Arnor split into three pieces after the death of Eärendur. The other two kingdoms were named Cardolan and Rhudaur.

Beginning with Argeleb I onwards to the Chieftains of the Dúnedain, their names included the Elvish prefix *Ar(an)-* indicating loyal claim to the whole Arnor, after the lines of Cardolan and Rhudaur failed and the kings of Arthedain claimed the title King of Arnor. Practically speaking, however, their power was limited to the land of Arthedain which gradually diminished over the course of their seven hundred-year struggle with Angmar.

Angmar finally triumphed over Arthedain in T.A. 1974 with the destruction of Fornost. Arvedui, the last king, fled to the north, where he perished in a winter storm while trying to escape the frozen wastes of Forochel. Arvedui's son, Aranath, chose not to claim the kingship and instead became the first Chieftain of the Dúnedain in T.A. 1976. This marked the end of the kingship, though not of the dynasty of Isildur.

## Duties and Office

The duties would have been highly similar to those of the Kings of Arnor, though much reduced in scale. Several kings were involved in the wars against Angmar, where they would have led the forces of Arthedain against their foes.

The kings would also share the same badges of office that the Arnorian kings once used: the Shards of Narsil, the Ring of Barahir, and the Sceptre of Annuminas. After the dissolution of the kingship, these would pass to the keeping of Elrond, with the brief exception of the Ring of Barahir, which had to be retrieved from the Lossoth.

The kings controlled two of the three northern Palantíri: those in Elostirion and Annuminas. After the fall of Amon Sûl, they would gain the palantìr formerly housed there as well. However, the latter two palantíri would be lost forever in the shipwreck that killed Arevdui.

## List of Kings

The Kings of Arthedain were of the same lineage of those of Arnor, though are listed separately from them within royal chronicles. The Kings of Arthedain and the duration of their reigns were:
Oropher

**Oropher** was the first Elven king of Mirkwood. He was the father of Thranduil and grandfather of Legolas. While his reign was short-lived, he was later killed and his only son took control over as King of Mirkwood.

## Biography

### First and Second Ages

Oropher was one of the Sindar of Doriath. After the War of Wrath, he declined to depart Middle-earth as many others did, and instead went over the Blue Mountains with his household. He eventually ended up in Greenwood the Great, where Silvan Elves of Nandorin descent lived, and he was taken by them as lord. His capital was at Amon Lanc.

West of Oropher's realm was the realm of Lórinand across the Anduin, where Amdír, another Sindar, ruled over Silvan Elves.

#### War of Last Alliance

Before the War of the Last Alliance, Oropher and his folk left their capital at Amon Lanc and crossed Anduin to live with their kin in Lórinand. Three times, he moved his people northwards, eventually settling around Emyn Duir, the Mountains of Mirkwood. His retreat northwards was because of his desire to move "out of range" from the Dwarves of Khazad-dum and to escape the threat of Mordor.

Though he and his people had little to do with the other peoples of Middle-earth, Oropher understood that there could be no lasting peace until Sauron was defeated. Oropher answered the summons for the Last Alliance of Elves and Men but marched as an independent army with Amdír, the King of Lórien. He joined with Gil-galad's forces as they marched down the Anduin to Dagorlad. Oropher's force was lightly armed and untrained in fighting pitched battles in the open.

In the Battle of Dagorlad, Oropher's company fought valiantly but he was slain with the greater part of his people when he, with King Amdír and his warriors, called an early charge upon the enemy, without orders from the Ñoldorin High-King Gil-galad. After Sauron was defeated, Thranduil, Oropher's son and heir, returned to Eryn Galen with the shattered remnants of the formerly grand army of his people. Nevertheless, while depleted, his army was still large enough that the Orcs hiding in secret in the Misty Mountains did not dare attack them.
Osgiliath

**Osgiliath** was the capital city of Gondor. During the War of the Ring, the abandoned city gained strategic importance as a crossing point over the Anduin, both for the Men of Gondor and Orcs of Mordor.

At the heart of Osgiliath was a great stone bridge over the river. On the bridge was a tower containing the famous Dome of Stars, which housed the city's palantír. Another important building (or possibly the same one) was the Great Hall, which initially served as a throne room for Isildur and Anárion.

Translated, its name means "The Citadel of the Host of Stars"

## History

### Rise and Decline

The city was founded by Isildur and Anárion near the end of the Second Age, built on either side of the Anduin river. Ruling Gondor jointly, Osgiliath was their joint capital. During the War of the Last Alliance the city was attacked by Sauron's forces but was successfully defended by Anárion.

At the height of Gondor's power the city was a reflection of the splendour of Númenor's cities, but this was not to last. Decline started with the Kin-strife when Osgiliath was sacked and burned by the forces of Castamir the Usurper and the city's Palantír was lost in the Anduin. The decline of the city was greatly accelerated by the Great Plague of TA 1636 and Osgiliath began to fall into ruin, with King Tarondor moving the capital to Minas Anor in TA 1640.

The final blow came in TA 2475, when Uruks of Mordor overran and captured Osgiliath. Though they were thrown back by Boromir, son of the then-Steward Denethor I, Osgiliath was finally ruined and completely abandoned, and its great bridge was broken.

## Lord of the Rings trilogy

### *The Two Towers*.

A flashback is shown from a prior year of Boromir speaking to the masses of Osgiliath, and to his brother, after a battle. Faramir leads his Rangers from Henneth Annûn to Osgiliath, which is under light bombardment by Orcs on its eastern side. Since he had captured Sam, Frodo and Gollum, he takes them there by force. A Nazgûl upon a Fellbeast attacks the city, and the company scatters. Frodo is drawn to the wraith, at a bridge, but Faramir fends it off, and afterwards soon releases them.

### *The Return of the King*

Osgiliath is featured in many scenes, including that of its western half's final seizure by Orcs, led by Gothmog at night, in a battle lost and fled by Faramir and the defenders. A few days later, the army of Sauron and its siege-towers are seen crossing through the city over repaired bridges.
Sceptre of Annuminas

The **Sceptre of Annúminas** was the chief mark of royalty of the North-kingdom of Arnor in Eriador in Middle-earth during the Third Age.

## Description

The Sceptre of Annúminas was a silver rod originally borne by the Lords of Andúnië in Númenor, and it was patterned after the Sceptre of the King of Númenor. The sceptre of the Kings was lost with Ar-Pharazôn in the destruction of Númenor in 3319 of the Second Age. But Elendil, the last Lord of Andúnië, took his sceptre with him when he escaped from Númenor and came to Middle-earth and founded the Kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor. While the Kings of Gondor wore a crown, the Kings of Arnor bore the sceptre. It became known as the Sceptre of Annúminas, the original capital of the North-kingdom. After the North-kingdom was divided in 861 the sceptre passed to the Kings of Arthedain, and then, after Arthedain ceased to exist in 1974, to the Chieftains of the Dúnedain. Since the Dúnedain were a wandering people, the sceptre and other heirlooms were kept at Rivendell, home of Elrond. When Aragorn II came of age, Elrond withheld the Sceptre as he had not yet earned it.

By the end of the Third Age, the Sceptre of Annúminas was over 5,000 years old and was the oldest artifact made by Men in Middle-earth. On Midsummer's Eve of 3019, Elrond brought the Sceptre to Minas Tirith and gave it to Aragorn, the newly crowned King Elessar of the Reunited Kingdom of Gondor and Arnor.
Lord of the Iron Hills

**Lord of the Iron Hills** was the title given to the ruler of the Dwarven settlements in the Iron Hills. The title was first held by the realm's founder Grór and also by his grandson Dáin II Ironfoot, but possibly ended with the Battle of Five Armies and the reclaiming of the Lonely Mountain. Dáin thereafter moved to Erebor and he became King under the Mountain and of Durin's Folk.
Rohirrim

The **Rohirrim** were a race of Men who inhabited the land of Rohan, which was named after their famous horses.

## Description and culture

The Rohirrim were a tall, blonde, and mostly blue-eyed people, the men were large, husky, and handsome while the women were particularly beautiful. They were heroic, noble, brave, strong willed and fiercely independent, remaining within their own language and culture. Their horses were very important assets in their everyday lives, with their entire culture based around the breeding and trading of them. They lived mostly in villages on the plains of Rohan where their horses grazed, and had few cities.

## History

The Rohirrim were descended from the Northmen of Rhovanion and the Éothéod, a race who lived in the vales of the Great River Anduin but were removed to Calenardhon, a plains-land granted them in perpetuity by the Ruling Steward of Gondor, Cirion, in reward for the assistance that they offered Gondor at a time of great need. As a result, they were lifelong allies of Gondor bound by the Oath of Eorl. At that time Calenardhon was renamed Rohan (*Horse-land*) after their many horses. By the Rohirrim themselves Rohan is usually called "The Mark".

The terms **Riders of Rohan** and **Riders of the Mark** are commonly used and refer specifically to their mounted soldiers. The former is a chapter title in *The Two Towers*. The "King's Riders" were specifically the horsemen who formed the king's bodyguard.

The Dúnedain of Gondor believed that the Rohirrim were distantly related to them (having descended from the Atanatári of the First Age) and describe them as *Middle Men*, that being inferior to the Númenóreans in both culture and descent, but superior to the *Men of Darkness* who had worshiped and served Sauron.

The Rohirrim had contacts with Elves in their ancient history, and knew of Eru, but like the Dúnedain they did not worship him in any temples. They seem to have highly valued the Vala Oromë the Hunter, whom they called *Béma*.

They were ruled by a line of kings descended from Eorl the Young, who had first brought them to Rohan, and in time of war every able man rode to join the Muster of Rohan.
Morwen

**Morwen** was a Rohirrim woman during the War of the Ring.

## Biography

Her two young children are Freda and Éothain, whom she sends away to Edoras by horse as their village (likely in the Westfold) is first raided by Uruk-hai and Wildmen.

She is seen later in the fortress of the Hornburg, where she is reunited with her children. During the Battle of the Hornburg, she is seen hugging Éowyn desperately in the refuge of the caves. The fate of her children is unknown.
Long Lake

The **Long Lake** was an oval-shaped lake situated at the confluence of the Forest River and the northern reaches of the River Running, south of the Lonely Mountain.

The lake was about twenty miles from north to south, and at least five miles from east to west at its widest.

## History

The town of Lake-town, whose name refers to this lake, was (twice) built entirely upon the lake itself, thus forming a natural moat. After Smaug's demise, his dying body fell into the lake with a mighty crash. Smaug's remains could be seen sticking out of the water from the shore of the lake, but people feared them and treasure-hunters did not dare approach the carcass.

The surrounding areas are set in the immediate aftermath of the Battle of Dale, with Men and Dwarves rebuilding after the siege and remnants of the Easterling army still lurking around.
Moon-letters

**Moon-letters** were special Dwarven runes written in ithildin that could only be revealed by the Moon at a certain time. They are only mentioned in *The Hobbit* when Elrond held up Thrór's Map to read to Thorin and Company.

## Description

Moon-letters were a system of writing invented by Dwarves - they were ordinary runes, but written in such a way that they could only be read when the light of the moon shone behind the writing. Some moon-letters could be read by any moonlight, but it was possible to make the writing even more secret. More sophisticated Moon-letters could only be read by the same shape of moon, or at the same time of year, as when they were written.

Moon-letters were written with silver pens. The substance ithildin, made the from the precious metal mithril, reflected only starlight and moonlight.

An example of these moon-letters would be on the map of the Lonely Mountain and surrounding areas that Gandalf gave to Thorin Oakenshield. The moon letters were of the more secret variety, and were written on a midsummer's eve under a crescent moon. They read:

"Stand by the grey stone when the thrush knocks and the setting sun with the last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the key-hole."
Seat of Seeing

The **Seat of Seeing**, also known as the **Seat of Amon Hen**, was an ancient stone chair at the summit of Amon Hen. Surrounded by a battlement in the midst of a flat stone circle, the seat was built atop four carven pillars and was reached by a long staircase.

## History

The Seat of Seeing was established at the northern frontier of the kingdom of Gondor by the Kings of Gondor. It was made in the days of the great kings, possibly during the reign of Rómendacil II, though it is unclear precisely at what time.

At the time of the War of the Ring it too, like Amon Lhaw had long been abandoned and fallen into ruin. The last remaining feature of this once-extensive building was the high seat itself, an observation point situated at the top of the hill and overlooking the River Anduin, which lay far below. It was as this time that Frodo Baggins came upon the seat following his encounter with Boromir and was enabled to see several locations great distances away, including Minas Tirith and Barad-dûr.
Sack of Erebor

The **Sack of Erebor** occurred when the dragon Smaug attacked the Lonely Mountain and drove the Dwarves of Erebor from their capital.

## History

### Prelude

After the death of King Dáin I at the conclusion of the War of the Dwarves and Dragons, the new King, Thrór, and his brother Grór, abandoned the Grey Mountains for safer dwellings with most of their subjects. The king went to the Lonely Mountain (former seat of Durin's throne), and Grór to the primary source of the Longbeards' iron supply, the Iron Hills. Over the years, the Dwarves of Erebor gained great renown throughout Middle-earth for the splendor of their halls, craftsmanship, and great stores of wealth. Word eventually reached Smaug the dragon, one of the great fire drakes who now dwelt in the Grey Mountains, who in his lust for treasure desired to take the mountain.

### The Great Firestorm

One night in TA 2770, Smaug descended upon the mountain in flames, catching the Dwarves and Men of Dale off guard. The warriors of the mountain came out of the great gate to engage the dragon, but all were killed. Then Smaug attacked Dale whose warriors were all called to arms, and destroyed most of them. He then returned to the mountain and routed the remaining Dwarves. Afterwards he piled up all the gold within the mountain and made it his dwelling, emerging only ever so often to eat maidens from Dale which eventually caused its abandonment.

### Aftermath

In the end, Erebor was taken by Smaug and likely thousands of Dwarves and hundreds of Men of Dale, including Lord Girion, were killed during the terrible firestorm that Smaug committed. King Thrór himself along with his son Thráin II barely escaped out of the secret entrance. Most of the Dwarves who escaped fled to the Iron Hills. With his family and a small company of followers, the King went into a homeless wandering southward but not before cursing Smaug. It would be over two hundred years before Thrór's grandson Thorin II Oakenshield would return to the mountain to reclaim his home and treasure. Bard the Bowman, a descendant of Girion, would avenge Girion in slaying Smaug when the dragon attacked Lake-town in TA 2941.
Oin

**Óin** was one of the original twelve companions of Thorin and Bilbo on the Quest to Erebor. He was the oldest son of Gróin, older brother of Glóin, and paternal of Gimli. Óin served as the healer in Thorin's company. After the Quest of Erebor, Óin later went on another expedition with Balin, which Moria's clan did not last long. He was later taken from the Watcher in the Waters and eaten by it.

## Biography

### Third Age

Óin was the older brother of Glóin, cousin of Dwalin and Balin, and uncle of Gimli. Óin's uncle was Fundin, the father of Balin and Dwalin. He usually wore a brown-hooded cloak when travelling. Óin fought in the Battle of Azanulbizar along with Thorin Oakenshield, and in TA 2941 joined with Thorin and Company on the quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain wearing a brown hood. Óin was one of the Dwarves who bet that Bilbo would come along with them to reclaim the Lonely Mountain. Óin and his brother Glóin were usually in charge of preparing the fire for the Company as they were the most skilled out of the others. He fought in and survived the Battle of Five Armies, and later settled in the Lonely Mountain with King Dáin II Ironfoot, along with many other dwarves of The Company of Thorin.

### Later years

Forty-eight years later, in TA 2989, Óin went to Moria with Balin and Ori, along with many other dwarves, to recover the realm for the Dwarves of Durin's Folk. After Balin became Lord of Moria, according to the Book of Mazarbul, Óin was sent to look for the Upper Armories of the Third Deep, which were apparently westwards of the Hollin Gate (the west gate out of Moria). Some five years passed, with Óin at some point rejoining Balin, before the Moria Orcs attacked. The Dwarves could not escape by the eastern gate because the Orcs held the Bridge of Khazad-dûm, so they tried to escape by the Hollin Gate. But the water outside the door was right up to the wall, and the Watcher in the Water took Óin. He was likely ripped apart and eaten.

In TA 3018, the Fellowship of the Ring (including Óin's nephew, Gimli) learned of the manner of Óin's death after Gandalf read Ori's account in the Book of Mazarbul, in Balin's tomb chamber.
Ring of Thror

The **Ring of Thrór** was the first of the Seven Dwarf-rings to be forged, and the last to be recovered by Sauron.

While Sauron himself gave the Dwarves their Rings of Power, this one was originally given to King Durin III of Khazad-dûm by Celebrimbor, and it remained in the line of the House of Durin for thousands of years.

The Kings of Durin's Folk proved resistant to the magic of the Rings of Power, as Dwarves are hard to tame and the thoughts of their hearts are hidden. The rings, used only for the gaining of wealth, amplified their wearer's natural skills and desire for dominion which made them greedy and exceedingly rich. It is said that the Seven Hoards of the Dwarves were gathered thanks to a magic Ring, before they were devoured by dragons.

This seems to be the case with the Longbeards who massed their wealth, but during the time of the King under the Mountain Thrór, Smaug descended on the Lonely Mountain and drove the Dwarves of Erebor into exile. Long after his kingdom's destruction, Thrór passed the ring to his son Thráin, who dwelt for many years as an exile from his ancient home.

At last, Thráin set out on an ill-fated quest to regain his kingdom, but he was captured by the spies of Sauron, and the Ring of Thrór was lost forever. Sauron took it from Thráin by force in the dungeons of Dol Guldur.

Many Dwarves, however, did not know the fate of the Ring, and thought that it was lost in Moria when Thrór was killed by Azog. It was thought that one of the reasons Balin wished to reclaim Moria was to find the Ring. In the Council of Elrond, Gandalf told Glóin that Balin would not find the Ring there, as it was given to Thráin and lost in Dol Guldur.

The Ring of Thrór does not appear itself, but is named as "Angya", and is called "Handórm" by the Dwarves. Gandalf believes it to have been destroyed in the downfall of Barad-dûr.
Second Age 3255

**Second Age 3255** (abbreviated to **S.A. 3255**) is the 3255th year of the Sun of the Second Age of Middle-earth.

Notable events in this year include:

* Death of Tar-Palantir.
* Ar-Pharazôn takes Tar-Palantir's daughter, Míriel, to wife against her will.
* Ar-Pharazôn the Golden seizes the Sceptre of Númenor.
Sauron's Road

**Sauron's Road** was a road leading from Barad-dûr to the Cracks of Doom inside Mount Doom.

It crossed the great iron bridge at the Dark Tower, proceeding across Gorgoroth and then up a long causeway to the Sammath Naur.

## Description

The Road ran from Barad-dûr to Mount Doom in Mordor. It began at the great western gate of Barad-dûr. It spanned a deep abyss by way of a long iron bridge and then ran westward for a league (3 miles) across Gorgoroth.
On either side of the road were smoking chasms. At the foot of Mount Doom, Sauron's Road climbed a long causeway up the eastern slopes. The road then wound upwards around the mountain, turning first south then west then north and back to the east.

The road encircled the base of the mountain, which was 3,000 feet high, and then ran partway up the cone, which rose another 1,500 feet. It ended at the door to the Chambers of Fire on the east side of Mount Doom facing the Window of the Eye in Barad-dûr. Sauron's Road was a broad path paved with ash and broken rubble.

## History

The Road was probably blazed in the late sixteenth century of the Second Age when Sauron sought to control the other rings by creating the One Ring, using it as an easy way to get to and from the mountain during his labors. Over the long ages it was frequently blocked and ruined by the ravages of the erupting volcano, but was always repaired.

Frodo and Sam used part of this road to get up the mountain during their quest to destroy the ring when on March 25, 3019 of the Third Age, Sam carried Frodo up the northern slopes of Mount Doom until he found Sauron's Road leading to their destination. "'Why, it might have been put there a-purpose!' he said to himself. 'If it wasn't there, I'd have to say I was beaten in the end.'"
Olore Malle

**Olórë Mallë**, also known as the *Path of Dreams*, was a path between Valinor and the Great Lands, according to the early version of the legendarium in *The Book of Lost Tales*.

## History

The Olórë Mallë was made by Lórien at the bidding of Manwë, who looked with sorrow upon the hiding of Valinor. It was a road by which the children of Men would at times come to Valinor in their sleep. It was a lane of deep banks and great overhanging hedges, beyond which stood many tall trees wherein a perpetual whisper seemed to live. Great glow-worms crept about its grassy borders. At the end of the lane stood a high gate of lattice-work that shone golden in the dusk. The gate opened up to winding paths leading into the fairest of all the gardens, and amidmost of the garden stood a white cottage, *The Cottage of the Children* or *The Cottage of the Play of Sleep*. It was used by Elves before the fall of Gondolin to travel from the Great Lands, as it is said by Ailios and Vëannë.

Christopher Tolkien notes that some of this is a very early version, and that *"the conception of the coming of mortal children in sleep to the gardens of Valinor was soon to be abandoned in its entirety, and in the developed mythology there would be no place for it -- still less for the idea that in some possible future day 'the roads through Arvalin to Valinor shall be thronged with the sons and daughters of Men'."*
Nen Hithoel

**Nen Hithoel** was a large lake upon the Great River Anduin amid the Emyn Muil, east of Rohan.

The lake was approximately twenty miles long from north to south, and ten miles wide. Upon the lake's northern approach, 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 was the location of 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 ever set foot upon the island due to the intense currents at the lake's south end by the Falls of Rauros.

A stair built by the Men of Gondor allowed passage from Nen Hithoel down to the river below the Falls.

## History

The Fellowship of the Ring arrived at Nen Hithoel on February 25, 3019 and made camp at Parth Galen close to Amon Hen. The fall of Boromir and the breaking of the Fellowship occurred soon afterwards. Frodo and Sam took a boat for the eastern shore, Merry and Pippin were captured by Orcs, and after sending Boromir's body over the falls in another boat, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli, as "the Three Hunters", set out to track the Orcs and rescue Merry and Pippin.
Lord of the Glittering Caves

**Lord of the Glittering Caves** was a position created by Gimli after the War of the Ring. He led a large number of Durin's folk south to establish a new Dwarf kingdom at Aglarond where they became known as the Dwarves of the Glittering Caves. Led by their Lord Gimli, they repaired much of the physical damage incurred during the War of the Ring. Most notably, they rebuilt the Great Gate of Minas Tirith with a new one made of mithril and steel, as well as improving upon the existing layout of the entire city.
Poppy Proudfellow

**Poppy Proudfellow** was a Harfoot hobbit living in the Second Age. She was a friend of Elanor Brandyfoot.

## Biography

Poppy dwelt in the Vales of Anduin; a member of the tribe led by Sadoc Burrows. She accompanied her friend Elanor to an abandoned farm along with a number of Harfoot-children, where they discovered a grove of wild blackberries. The venture was cut short when Elanor became aware of a foreboding wolf-print left in the mud.

A short time later, Poppy and Elanor witnessed what appeared to be a meteorite fall from the sky, and upon traveling to the site, discovered a mysterious stranger in the crater. Poppy was cautious, and warned her friend from investigating further, though to no avail. Begrudgingly she aided Elanor in transporting the unconscious stranger to shelter, and later to visit him again, when he displayed the ability to seemingly communicate with fireflies.
Ravenhill

**Ravenhill** was a Dwarvish watchtower placed on a spur of the Lonely Mountain before the Gates of Erebor, overlooking Dale, The Long Lake and the Long Valley. It was home to the Ravens of Erebor.

It was abandoned and partially ruined when Smaug desolated Dale and the Long Valley. Upon reclaiming Erebor, the Dwarves used it to see Smaug's conflagration of Lake-town , and his subsequent demise.

## *The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies*

Azog occupied Ravenhill as a command post during the Battle of Five Armies, using flags and horns to command his army. When Thorin joined the battle, he led Fili , Kili , Dwalin and Balin in an assault up Ravenhill, through the frozen channel of the River Running. However, Balin was left behind, and the other Dwarves climbed up the hill on goats, unwittingly walking into a trap set by Azog, who had a second army from Gundabad approaching from the North, behind Ravenhill.

Feigning a retreat, Azog lured Fili and Kili into inspecting the tower, where Fili was captured and killed, drawing Thorin and Kili into the complex. Bilbo Baggins arrived to Ravenhill, telling Thorin and Dwalin. The skirmish saw Bolg coming ahead of his army to aid his father. He killed Kili but was killed by Legolas , who gave Thorin his sword back. With it, Thorin killed Azog, ending the Battle, but was mortally wounded by the Orc.

Bilbo, who had regain consciousness saw Thorin and attempted to tend to Thorin's wounds, but the hobbit sees that his friend is beyond help. Thorin continues, in his last dying breaths of the things he said, the deeds he'd done back at the gate, and leading him into many dangers. Bilbo says he was glad to of shared perils with Thorin. In his last dying breath, Thorin says. Farewell, Master Burglar. Go back to your books, to your armchair. Plant your trees, watch them grow. If more people valued home above gold, this world would be a merrier place. And then, Thorin dies.

A helpless Bilbo breaks down crying and mourns his fallen friend. Gandalf later comes up to Bilbo in a pour attempt to cheer him up, but he is still upset Thorin is dead.

By the time of the War of the Ring, Dís served as the main caretaker of Ravenhill, and tended the birds that flocked there. The Ravens, led by Arcah, Daughter of Croär, returned to live at Ravenhill.
Kine of Araw

The **Kine of Araw** were legendary cattle-like creatures that lived around the fertile plains of the Sea of Rhûn from the earliest days of Arda onward.

## History

The Kine of Araw were descended from the even greater kine (cattle) of Oromë the Hunter, who was known to be the master of beasts and birds. As Oromë was chosen to lead the Elves on the Great Journey, he might have intentionally (or accidentally) left his livestock in the East.

They presumably lived in the areas immediately adjacent to the Sea of Helcar, relocating to their present location around the Sea of Rhûn when that great ocean dried up.

Vorondil the Steward of Gondor ventured to the Far East and hunted one such beast, utilizing its great horns to craft the exquisite Horn of Gondor. For the lengthy years afterward, it became an heirloom of Gondor's stewards, handing it down to their oldest son for over 25 generations.

## Description

According to Appendix A of The Lord of the Rings, the Kine of Araw were far larger and splendid than common, earthly cattle (like Old Bessie). Their hides were a gleaming pallid white that reflected the sun rising from the Gates of Morning in the east.

The horns attached to their gargantuan bodies were colossal in size, giving the kine an air of grandeur. While nobody knows what the kine really looked like, their size and scant description that we possess may give them an appearance similar to the real-life Texas Longhorn.
Mount Doom

**Mount Doom** is a fiery mountain that was located in Mordor.

## Before the Series

Mount Doom was where the One Ring was forged by Sauron. Later, Elrond took Isildur to the Mountain and ordered for the young king to throw the Ring into the Fire. However, Isildur was corrupted by the Ring and refused.

## The Fellowship of the Ring

Elrond mentions the mountain when deciding what to do with the One Ring and that this location is where the Ring will be destroyed.

## The Return of the King

Frodo and Sam finally made it to Mount Doom at the last leg of their journey. After the Ring is destroyed, the mountain later collapses, as does all of Mordor.