User blog:Glflegolas/Biome of the Week -- Issue 7 -- November 2, 2016

This week, I will be featuring what is arguably my second-favourite biome. And, since nobody really suggested anything last week (although, the Barrow-downs were suggested a couple weeks ago), I decided that I will make the choice myself. Today, the Trollshaws are in the spotlight, partly because I think they are amazing, but also because I happen to have a lot of pictures of this biome, and I ran out of time to take my own pictures.

Where are they?
The Trollshaws are found in the Lone-Lands. They were originally part of the Kingdom of Rhudaur, which was the first kingdom of Arnor to fall when Angmar attacked it. However, the Hillmen never settled here permanently. As a result, a few trolls moved into here, albeit only at night, and attacked any adventurers in these lands. This is the land where Thorin and Company were taken captive by three trolls, which were destroyed with the rising sun, allowing the Company to get great loot from a Troll Hoard.

Why do you like this biome?
I like this biome for many reasons. From an aesthetics point of view, it is pretty hard to beat forested hills. This biome has one of the most diverse woodlands in the mod, as many species of tree grow here, the grass is greener than the lone-lands, big game is common, If you have the patience and the energy to climb the summits, it is well worth it, as the views from the summits are simply amazing with panoramic vistas of mixed forest, with occasional dark blue lakes, stretching as far as the eye can see. Finally, as I stated below, the Trollshaws contain many resources, regardless of alignment. In my opinion, the terrain generation in this biome is one of the best examples of the countless hours Mevans has put into developing the smallest details within the mod. Another reason why I really like this biome is because in real life, I live in a part of the world that looks very similar to the Trollshaws of the mod. Much of it consists of forested hills, with bare, rocky summits, many lakes, and panoramic views from every summit. The good news for me, however, is that there are no Trolls, Orcs, or Wargs to think about at night!

Any advice for travellers?
The Trollshaws are a rich biome in terms of resources. There are lots of caves underground, plenty of big game spawns throughout the biome, enough trees to build an entire fortress, and the Troll Hoards contain High Elven, Ranger, and Orcish equipment, along with money for those brave enough to deal with the inhabitants. Good players will want to be careful around the trolls, although these trolls, unlike the Hill-trolls of Angmar, do not feature a ranged attack, and are relatively easy to dispatch in comparison. Gundabad creatures and Orcs also spawn here, though they are not as dangerous as they are in the neighbouring Lone-Lands, largely due to the lack of wargs, except during invasions. Evil players will want to watch out for occasional ranger spawns, along with invasions. On the whole, though, this biome is a nice neutral biome for all players, with many resources. Living here, or at least making a vacation home here, is definitely not out of the question. Do be aware that no unit hiring captains spawn here, and any hiring will mean a trip to the Lone-lands.