Factions

''This article is about the groups of NPCs in their own right. For how the player interacts with these factions, see the Alignment page.''

Vote for your favourite faction here

Factions are groups that players can forge friendships with or make enemies with. This system is based on alignment, which determines your reputation with each faction. As of Public Beta 28, there are 23 different factions in the mod.



The factions menu can be accessed by entering the Middle-earth menu (default press "L") and scrolling over to the Factions section. This displays your alignment with all factions, and some other statistics. There are three main categories: "The West", "Rhun", and "Harad".

Every faction has an alignment meter - this is the defining characteristic of what constitutes a 'faction'. Besides this, factions have at least some of the following exclusive features, and many have all of them:
 * Crafting table - used to craft the faction's exclusive items
 * Building blocks - bricks, pillars, and others, craftable on the faction table
 * Weapons and armour - craftable and generally worn by the faction's NPCs
 * Banner - craftable and held by the faction's Banner Bearers
 * Shield - a cosmetic item to display your allegiance (worn by some NPCs and by the player if their alignment is high enough)
 * Titles - earned by getting alignment with the faction
 * Mini-quests - sometimes given when speaking to NPCs
 * Traders - often sell the faction's items
 * Unit traders - from whom you can hire the faction NPCs to serve you
 * Invasions - an in-game event where groups of the faction's mobs spawn in a biome that they are at war with
 * Horn of Conquest - a horn you can buy from the faction's unit trader to summon an invasion of the corresponding faction
 * Structures - houses, fortresses, and so on, that spawn in the faction's biomes and include NPCs
 * Biomes - the region(s) of Middle-earth, the faction's people live in

Some factions also have sub-factions, which are distinct groups within the main faction that also have some of these features. Sub-factions are not true factions because they do not have their own alignment meters. These include the Men of Dol Amroth (a sub-faction of Gondor) and the Rhudaur hillmen (a sub-faction of Angmar), among others.

Note that the Utumno faction will always be enemies with the player; its alignment cannot be changed, and will always remain -66,666.

Guide to inter-faction relations
In the Lord of the Rings mod, there are three levels of faction relationships, which affect how NPCs interact with one another. Faction relations are usually, but not necessarily reflexive; that is to say, if faction A is allied with faction B, faction B is not automatically allied with faction A - for example, it may be neutral in return.

Note! This is not the same as which factions give alignment rewards or penalties when killed, though it does sometimes overlap; see the table on Alignment page for that information.

Allies
Members of allied factions will never attack one another. Often, killing NPCs of one faction will cause you to lose alignment with its allies, though this is not always the case. If a stray projectile from one NPC happen to hit another, it will simply bounce off.

Neutral
Neutral factions do not normally attack one another, but they can do so under some circumstances. Hired units are more loyal to their player commander than they are to neutral factions.

For example, if one has hired Rohan units but has negative Lothlórien alignment, the Rohirrim will automatically attack the Elves. And if 'friendly fire' is enabled, then the Sword of Command can be used to make the Rohirrim attack the Elves even if the player has positive Lothlórien alignment.

And finally, if one of the Rohirrim is wandering about and happens to be shot by an Elf, he will attack the Elf. This would not, however, happen if both units had been hired by the player.

Neutral faction relations were added in Public Beta 24 - previously, factions could only be allies or enemies.

Enemies
Factions that are enemies will attack each other without provocation. For example, Gondor will attack any units allied with the Mordor faction.

The Utumno faction is enemies with all other factions. Therefore, it is not listed in the relations tables below.

List of factions
Here follows a list of all factions in the mod, with a short introduction to each.

Angmar
The forces of Angmar are a potently corrupt faction that reside in the eponymous biome, a former dominion of the Witch-King of Angmar. Only the positively evil or extremely foolhardy player would dare to meddle with such a faction. The Hillmen of Rhudaur are the sub-faction of Angmar. They are also found in Angmar, as well as in the surrounding areas. They are like the Dunlendings but more rugged.

Blue Mountains
The Blue Mountains are the peaceful home to the Blue Dwarves, cousins to the Dwarves of the Iron Hills. Like all their kin, Blue Dwarves have a love for the precious metals of the earth, and a large part of their time is spent in mines deep underground.

Dale
The Kingdom of Dale was founded by the Northmen around the year TA 2590. Its capital, also called Dale, was located between the Long Lake and the Lonely Mountain. When the dragon Smaug awoke in TA 2770, the original city was destroyed, and the survivors rebuilt their town on the Long Lake, and named it Esgaroth. When the Dwarves of Thorin and Company tried to re-take the Lonely Mountain in TA 2944, Smaug attacked Esgaroth, and was shot down by Bard using his Black Arrow.

With Smaug slain, the rebuilt their capital city in its former location. In the fifty or so years between the death of Smaug and the start of the War of the Ring, they rebuilt their kingdom from ruins, and grew wealthy thanks to trade with Dwarves of Erebor, the Woodland Realm, and Dorwinion, and have become the strongest kingdom of Men east of Mirkwood and north of Dorwinion, with mighty warriors, archers, and cavalry all equipped with high-quality armour and weapons, forged by the Dwarves under the Mountain.

Dol Guldur
Dol Guldur is an evil-infested region at the southwest corner of Mirkwood where Sauron lived before moving to Mordor. The forces of Dol Guldur represent the source of all corruption in the forests of Mirkwood, and their sinister urge to conquer directly contrasts the tranquil seclusion of their counterpart faction: the Wood-elves.

Dorwinion
Dorwinion was a very old kingdom founded in the first age by the Nandorin and Avari Elves. Later, in the Second Age, as Gondor reached its golden age, it assumed the rule of Dorwinion. An Easterling invasion in the second millennium of the Third Age effectively caused Gondor and Dorwinion to be split, and the remaining Men and Elves took over the rule of Dorwinion.

With a climate ideal for grape-growing, winemaking became the chief economic activity in Dorwinion. The wines of Dorwinion were bought by people as far away as Dale, the Woodland Realm, and Erebor.

Dunland
Dunland is the home to the sworn enemies of Rohan, the Dunlendings. After they were driven out of their old home in Rohan they went to Dunland to scrape a living off rocks, making them wild and vengeful.

They are, however, somewhat civilized, being able to coexist in forts and taverns. During the Third Age, they allied themselves with Saruman's forces in hopes of exacting revenge upon the Rohirrim.

They are allies of the dwarves of Durin's Folk, because Thror and his kin was allowed to stay in Dunland after Smaug drove them from Erebor.

Dunland is perhaps the most neutral of all factions in the mod. As you can see in the table below, it has very few allies and enemies; it is neutral with most other factions, and vice versa.

Durin's Folk
Durin's Folk, the Dwarves of the Iron Hills, are master craftsmen and miners, similar to their cousins in the Blue Mountains. They value the riches of the earth, and delve deeply through complex systems of mines in the mountainous terrain of their home.

Though small in stature, Dwarves are fearsome in battle, especially since they have the skill to forge some of Middle-Earth's strongest arms and armor.

Fangorn
Nothing embodies nature's power more than the might of the Fangorn faction, which is composed primarily of Ents and their lesser relatives, the huorns.

Preferring to isolate themselves from the wars of Middle-Earth, the forces of Fangorn will only rise to protect their forest home. When they do however, they are frightfully dangerous. In fact, Morgoth first created trolls for the purpose of combating Ents, and even then, the Dark Lord never was able to extract the secrets of the ancient tree-herders.

Gondor
Gondor is the greatest kingdom of Men in Middle-earth, bordered by Rohan to the north, Near Harad to the south, the Great Sea to the west, and Mordor to the east. It has seen a long succession of kings since the time of its founding, and its capital is the great city of Minas Tirith.

The Gondorians have a strong attachment to the principles of valour and honour. They are widespread and glorious, though the latter has somewhat abated of late as the shadow of Mordor lengthens. Nevertheless, they still remain one of the most variegated of factions, comprising not only of the chivalrous Gondor soldiers, but also the rugged rangers of Ithilien and the elegant swan knights of Dol Amroth.

Gundabad
The Gundabad Orcs are a race of Orc originating from the Misty Mountains. Throughout the Third Age, they have come to occupy nearly all regions in northern Middle-Earth, spawning abundantly when it is dark.

This evil faction is perhaps the most common and numerous, but also the least powerful when compared to others in the mod. They are widespread but lack unity because of it.

However, not all of the orcs from Gundabad were cut-throat scavengers. In the Misty Mountains and Grey Mountains lurk the Gundabad Uruks, among the most powerful orcs in the mod. They are certainly not a force to sneer at - Gundabad Uruk Armour is equal to Black Uruk Armour in strength, and their weapons are not only powerful, but deadly intimidating.

Half-trolls
The Half-trolls reside in Pertorogwaith and are very brutish and hostile towards enemy players. In fact, their mannerisms and culture in general are significantly less refined than that of most other factions, as a result of their unnatural origin.

They usually spawn with mohawks on their heads, tusks in their mouths, and a stature taller than that of a normal NPC, giving the impression of a warthog-like monster. They wield stone based tools and ride rhinos that charge into opponents at high speed, making them a dangerous foe.

High Elves
The High Elves are the most powerful and knowledgeable of Elves in Middle-Earth, being part of the ancient Noldor race. They reside in Lindon, one of the few remaining safe-havens for their kind.

Throughout the Third Age, the High Elves decide to leave Middle-Earth and return to their home in the Undying Lands beyond the sea.

Hobbits
The Hobbits are a race of small, hairy-footed, peaceful folk who inhabit the Shire biome and are well-known for their love of food, drink, and pipeweed. They pride themselves in their simple lifestyles, isolated from the world of the "Big Folk."

Most Hobbits (called "Halflings" by many Elves and Men) live in holes underground. Not nasty, dirty, wet holes full of worms and oozy smells, nor yet dry, bare, sandy holes with nothing to sit on or eat. These are Hobbit holes, and that means good food, a warm hearth and all the comforts of home.

Isengard
Isengard is a warlike faction, the brainchild of Saruman the White, who, seeking the One Ring, decided to make his own army to rival that of the dark lord. Aside from using ordinary Orcs from the Misty Mountains and allying with Dunland, he bred the Uruk-hai. Mutated from Orcs, they are significantly larger, faster, and stronger than the former species.

Members of this faction take orders only from their creator, and wreak destruction wherever they go.

Lothlórien
The Galadhrim of Lothlórien are a peaceful yet powerful faction of Elves. Their land is that of beauty and light, headed by the Elven Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel.

The realm of the Galadhrim is one of the safest places for the Free Peoples of Middle-Earth, and the Elves there will fight to keep it that way.

Mordor
Mordor is the corrupted realm which the Dark Lord Sauron inhabited for the greater part of the Third Age. It is festering with foul creatures, most predominately the Mordor Orcs, that spawn both day and night.

The faction of Mordor is indisputably evil and formidable, acting as a force that threatens to engulf Middle-Earth and its Free Peoples in darkness.

Moredain
The Moredain people are not very well-known among those of Middle-Earth. They dwell in the southern reaches of Harad and rarely travel beyond their homeland.

Moredain are tribesmen, skilled at survival in the open savannah in which they live. They have a unique culture that involves the worship of the Great Lion. Their major enemies are the Tauredain, whom they call "Forest-Men."

Near Harad
The Near Haradrim, or Southrons, as they are also called, are mostly isolated from the rest of Middle-Earth. They do, however, have frequent disputes with their northern neighbors, the Gondorians, and as such they joined the side of Mordor during the War of the Ring.

Most of the land belonging to this faction is inhospitable desert, so the population of Near Haradrim is concentrated mainly in a fertile land located along the Near Harad River. Here, many of the Haradrim live in large villages, iconic for their large bazaars where large quantites of goods are available. The desert which surrounds Near Harad Fertile sometimes features pyramids of formidable size, built by the Haradrim in days past.

Rangers of the North
The Rangers of the North are the last descendants of the Dúnedain, men from the ancient kingdom of Númenor. They are often perceived as dangerous rogues, roaming the wilds throughout western Middle-Earth.

The rangers are survivors of unparalleled skill, being well-trained in the arts of combat and stealth. Though few in number, their kind will not go easily extinct.

Rohan
Rohan is the realm of the Rohirrim, whose lifestyles revolve around the training and breeding of horses which they hold sacred. Because of this, the Rohan faction comprises of the best horses and cavalry in all of Middle-Earth.

As one of the greatest kingdoms of Men, the Rohirrim, or Eorlingas, have a long history, vibrant culture, and expansive territory that stretches from the foot of the Misty Mountains to the great Anduin River.

Tauredain
The Tauredain (Sindarin: Forest-men) roam the Jungles of Far Harad which they hold sacred. They have a feud with the Limwaith and the Moredain, and members of either of those two factions would do well to avoid messing with the Tauredain, for their warriors are the strongest warriors in the jungle, and they are the only faction to use blowguns.

Utumno
Utumno is the most corrupted of all factions, headed by the Dark Lord Melkor himself. In fact, it is impossible to get positive alignment with this faction. The forces of Utumno are hostile to all other NPCs in the mod and will attack them without hesitation. They are powerful as well, being the sole faction that contains balrogs, ancient fire-demons thought to exist only in lore.

Woodland Realm
The Wood-elves (Silvian Elves) of the Woodland Realm are arguably the most dangerous of the Elven race, being both powerful warriors and distrustful characters at the same time. In fact, they will not hesitate to attack any player that does not have at least +50 alignment with their faction.

Nevertheless, the vigilant Wood-elves guard the last peaceful realm within the corrupted forests of Mirkwood. They represent one of the last Elven civilizations remaining in the Third Age of Middle-Earth.

Other Factions
Listed above were all the true factions in the mod; that is, groups of NPCs with an associated alignment meter. However, there are some other technical 'factions' defined in the mod's code.

Neutral
Neutral is the faction assigned to all entities which have no defined faction. This includes animals, vanilla mobs, players, and even inanimate objects like paintings and arrows. The Neutral faction has no properties; it is merely a 'placeholder', so that the mod does not always have to handle the possible case where a mob has no faction.

Hostile
Hostile is a faction defined for NPCs that are always hostile to all other factions and players. This includes the Bandits most notably, and some other mobs, such as the Gondor and Rohan ruins wraiths.

Dark Huorns
Dark Huorns is another invisible faction which includes the Dark Huorns of the Old Forest. This faction was defined purely so that Hobbit alignment could be gained from killing Dark Huorns. Previously, the Dark Huorns were assigned to the 'Hostile' faction.

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