Misty Mountain Goblins

## Summary

"This vicious horde controls the halls of Khazad-Dum and Gundabad, sworn enemy of the Dwarves for all time. They exist with Moria under the leadership of something deeper in the Dwarven mines." - Race Hall Summary

Not to be confused with the Orcs of Gundabad, the Misty Mountain Goblins are those orcs dwelling deep in the depths of the decrepit descents of the once-destroyed dwarfhold of Khazad-Dum, the remaining inhabitants of Goblin-Town, and all other orcs hidden within the caves of the Misty Mountains. They are raiders and the tamers of wargs, serving many masters.

## History

Following the War of Wrath, the event which ended the First Age and destroyed the lands of Beleriand, many of the orcs of Angbad fled east, often engaging in open warfare with the Dwarves of Moria. Come the Dark Years, and the sealing of the doors of Moria, these orcs were sent by Sauron to invade the mountains, whereupon Gundabad was taken and many of these beasts took up homes within the mountains themselves. Orcs of Mordor were sent to lead the disunited tribes to take the passes, though this effort was a failure and they had to hide away within the vales of Anduin and the boughs of Mirkwood.

After the War of the Last Alliance, these orcs, still led by the greater uruks (Another term for orcs) of Mordor, ambushed the party of Isildur in the Gladden Fields, slaying the last true High King of Arnor and Gondor. As the Third Age carried on, their numbers grew and their rivalry with the Dwarves continued, making war at any opportunity.

Upon the awakening of Durin's Bane in T.A. 1981, the Balrog unleashed by the reckless mining of the Dwarves, and the destruction of Khazad-Dum, the Goblins flooded in and took it for themselves, claiming much of their armour and weaponry.

In T.A. 2510, the Misty Mountain Goblins made common cause with the Easterling Balcoth, descendants of the Wainriders, and overran the Gondorian province of Calenhardon, nearly defeating the Gondorian forces until the Eothed of Framsburg, soon to be the Rohirrim, assaulted them from the rear.

When Smaug drove the Dwarves from Erebor in T.A. 2770, the Dwarves fled west, to the eastern side of the Misty Mountains, coming into conflict with the local orcs. The chieftain of Moria, Azog, battled and slew King Thror, sparking the War of the Dwarves and Orcs. The Dwarves sought a war of vengeance, sacking all the orcish holdings that they could, from Gundabad to Gladden, fighting through the tunnels and mines and warrens of the orcs, only ending at the Battle of Azanulbizar, where Azog fell. Many of these orcs fled south, to the White Mountains, where they troubled the Rohirrim for years. At this time, the Goblins were no longer a threat to Eriador and the Vales of Anduin, so devastated they were.

It is believed by Gandalf that these orcs are who forced the predecessors of Beorn out of their mountain homes.

By T.A. 2941, a notable population of goblins had formed in Goblin-Town, led by the Great Goblin, a gargantuan monster who sought to bring ruin to the Woodmen of Mirkwood alongside their Warg allies. Thorin's Company, upon being captured, managed to slay the Great Goblin, enraging his subjects, who would gather and march east to sack Erebor. These goblins were largely destroyed in the Battle of Five Armies, losing three fourths of their entire population.

In 2989, Balin's expedition left Erebor to retake Moria. In the original timeline of the books, Balin ultimately failed and his party was killed, but in this series of events, Balin has succeeded, pushing the goblins further into the depths. Many of these orcs joined Saruman's forces as the Snaga of Isengard, but many remain to battle the Dwarves and the Beornings, who keep the High Pass open against the orcs.

## Aesthetic

The Misty Mountain Goblins are extremely ramshackle, the majority wearing fur and bones as their armour, but many others wear stolen Dwarven armour from when they held Moria. Their weaponry is crude and cruel, with many spines and spikes and serrations. They wear very dark colours, largely blacks, greys, and browns. Their banner is a simple black symbol upon a grey backdrop.

## Notes

- These orcs can likely be considered some of the most proficient riders of the Wargs, as they live the closest to them are hold what seems to be a close alliance, being the only ones to speak of the Wargs as sentient beings rather than simple beasts.

- Goblins are the same as orcs in the books, the common conception of the goblins of Moria being so different was introduced by Peter Jackson, likely to make them feel like a more unique threat, better fitting their environment than simple orcs would.

- The Goblins tend to align themselves with just about any nearby leader that will let them fight and kill and eat, as shown by their willingness to work for Saruman, whom Sauron knew was a traitor to him, though this may have been to ensure he had forces ready to battle Isengard from within.

- The Goblins hold a particular hatred for Gondolinian blades, possibly hinting that some or many of their number were present in the War of Wrath or that these orcs maintain some form of oral or written histories, meaning they may have a more complex culture than is often depicted.