Iron Hills

The Iron Hills are one of the few remaining homes of the Dwarves of Durin's Folk, the Longbeards, after the fall of Khazad-Dum (Moria), Mount Gundabad, and the Grey Mountains. The name comes from the high iron ore deposits lying in the earth. The Iron Hills also are the region where Daìn lived before Erebor was reconquered.

This is a good place for Dwarven aligned players, as it contains many types of Dwarves (including Dwarven traders), excellent mining opportunities, the rare Dwarfwort flower, and enemies to get alignment from.

As the name would suggest, the Iron Hills contain more quantities of iron and other ores than anywhere else. It is also the only other place, besides the Blue Mountains, where glowstone ore generates, making it possible for players to get glowstone in survival without having to travel back to the Overworld, and from there to the Nether.

Invasions
Durin's Folk is capable of invading the Grey Mountains, on rare occasions.

Structures
The Iron Hills contain three Dwarven structures.
 * Dwarven Houses- Houses of the Dwarves. They are hard to find during the day, due to the invisible Dwarven doors, but at night they the markings on the door will light up. Inside is the main room, a Dwarf couple (sometimes with children), a fireplace, and two "basement" rooms. One room has two barrels of Dwarven ale or Dwarven tonic and a chest of food, while the other has two Dwarven beds.
 * Dwarven Towers- Large towers of Dwarven brick. They contain Dwarf warriors, barrels of Dwarven ale, food, chests, Dwarven crafting tables, and a Dwarf commander.
 * Dwarven Mines- Large and complex mineshafts. They contain Dwarven forges and normal crafting tables. The long and complex mineshafts contain ores, as well as chests of items, and Dwarven Miners. This place is very hard for evil players as a large amount of dwarves are spawned here.

Mobs
As home of the Dwarves, you will likely find Dwarves here (but only in structures or underground). Beware, at night or in dark places (underground), Gundabad Orcs and Wargs can also spawn.
 * Dwarves - Male, female, adult, and child Dwarves may spawn in Dwarf houses. They can also be hired from Dwarf commanders.
 * Dwarf Miners - Dwarves who have taken up work in the Dwarven mines. They carry Dwarf pickaxes, and you can buy ores and sell food and drink to them.
 * Dwarf Warriors - Dwarves who are warriors and wear Dwarven armor. They spawn in Dwarf towers and Dwarven Mine and can be hired from Dwarf commanders. They carry Dwarven swords, battleaxes, and warhammers. Only when hired or in invasions they can be mounted on boars.
 * Dwarf Axe-Thrower - Dwarf warriors who have throwing axes to take out enemies from afar. They can be hired from Dwarf commanders and can ride boars as well.
 * Dwarf Commander - NPCs from whom you can hire Dwarves, Dwarf Warriors, Dwarf Axe-Throwers, and Warrior/Axe-thrower Boar Riders. They spawn in Dwarf towers.
 * Gundabad Orc - Orcs of Gundabad.
 * Gundabad Orc Archer - Archer variant of Gundabad Orcs. They use iron crossbow, Orc Bow or Bow.
 * Gundabad Warg - Wargs allied with Gundabad. Gundabad orcs and archers sometimes ride on them.

Mining
The Iron Hills are a great region for mining. This biome contains more iron, coal, copper, tin, silver, gold, lapis lazuli, sulfur, and saltpeter ores than anywhere else in Middle-Earth, with the exception being the Red Mountains. In addition, this biome is one of the only two (the Iron Hills and the Blue Mountains) that contain glowstone ore.

Vegetation
The Iron Hills are filled with spruce forests, even on top of the hills. Other trees spawn here as well but spruces dominate.

There are some flowers in the Iron Hills. The Iron Hills contain dandelions, roses, and blue orchids (these are flowers that grow in most Dwarvish regions). In addition, the Dwarfwort flower grows only in the Iron Hills and Blue Mountains. Dwarfwort is important for the brewing of Dwarven drinks, and is less common than other plants.