Gundabad (Faction)

The Orcs of Gundabad have long troubled much of the North of Middle-Earth. These bloodthirsty Orcs are split into many scattered tribes, and at night can be found far from their chief strongholds in the Misty Mountains, and trouble many lands between western Eriador and Northern Wilderland. The average Gundabad Orc may not seem like a challenge, but be careful: hordes of them are lethal, and they are often backed up by powerful and well-equipped Gundabad Uruks.

History
The Gundabad Orcs are the descendants of a clan of Orcs that sacked and captured Mount Gundabad not long after the War of the Elves and Sauron in the Second Age. They had been scattered tribes, living in the Grey Mountains and the Mountains of Angmar, but after his defeat at the hands of the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm a furious Sauron sent his agents to the tribes to incite them to war. They swept through the Misty Mountains like a plague throughout much of the latter half of the Second Age, attacking dwarven holds wherever they could be found, and eventually taking for themselves all of the Misty Mountains north of the Gladden River.

These orcs came into conflict with surrounding peoples many times. Their battles with the Dwarves lasted much of the Second Age, and at the start of the Third Age they came into conflict with Elves and the Men of Arnor as well. A band of them slew Isildur, the King of Arnor and son of Elendil the Tall, in the Gladden Fields at the dawn of the Third Age. Their strength was bolstered by many of the Orcs of Mordor, who were fleeing the ruin of Sauron in the War of the Last Alliance.

Thirteen hundred years into the Third Age, the Witch-Realm of Angmar was formed in the North, and Gundabad allied with them. Mount Gundabad became host to large armies of Angmar Orcs, and served as a pass between the main vale of Angmar and their lands in the northern Anduin Hills. The Orcs and great Uruks of Gundabad bolstered the Witch-King's forces significantly, and were present in many battles with the successor states of Arnor. Indeed, some say it was Gundabad raiders that destroyed most of the population of Minhiriath, and helped deal the killing blow for the southern kingdom Cardolan.

After the fall of Arthedain and the subsequent destruction of Angmar, many of the Angmar Orcs joined the forces of Gundabad, making it the most powerful faction of Orcs in Middle-Earth. Around this time, the Dwarves unearthed a terrible discovery under Moria: a Balrog of Morgoth. It slew King Durin VI, and was named Durin's Bane. After this the dwarves attempted to establish a kingdom in the Grey Mountains, were they constantly were attacked by Gundabad.

In the twenty-fifth century of the Third Age, the Gundabad chieftain Azog the Defiler led a clan of Orcs south to Moria, and claimed it as his stronghold. The Balrog allowed he and his Orcs to inhabit the ancient dwarven stronghold, where they became over hundreds of years the vile Moria Orcs. Azog united much of Gundabad, and his orc soldiers built fortresses across the mountains, blocking all passes into Eriador. Gundabad Orcs were responsible for many attacks on the Dwarves during this time, and also trapped a Gondorian army between the Limlight and a Balchoth army in the Battle of Celebrant.

After Azog slew the wandering dwarf-king Thror in Moria, Gundabad became embroiled in the War of the Dwarves and Orcs. For seven long years, the Orcs of Gundabad fought armies from all seven Dwarven Clans, and though initially the war seemed in their favor, the dwarves eventually sacked all of their fortresses north of the Gladden, though as they did not occupy them or even sack them completely, the Orcs quickly returned. The war ended with the brutal Battle of Azanulbizar, in which many Gundabad Orcs were slain, and Azog himself was killed by Dain Ironfoot.

Bolg, the son of Azog, took control of Gundabad after his father's death. In the years after the Battle of Azanulbizar the Orcs regrouped and multiplied, and soon became a deadly threat again. Their strength nearly returned to what it had been before the war. Several clans grew to become dominant. The Balrog Durin's Bane took control of the Orcs of Moria, though they were still led by their own chieftains, and they worshipped him as a god. Goblin-Town, an old Orc city on the High Pass, became home to the strongest clan, and was lead by a great chieftain called the Great Goblin.

However, the Great Goblin was killed by Gandalf the Grey in a bid to free Thorin and Company from the Orcs that had captured them, and many others were killed when the Eagles rescued the dwarves. The wrath of Gundabad was once more kindled to fury, and Bolg led out a massive army of Gundabad Orcs, Uruks, and Wargs from all the clans of the Misty Mountains to attack and capture the recently reclaimed dwarven city Erebor. They were met in battle by the Wood-Elves of Mirkwood, the Dwarves of the Iron Hills, and the Men of Lake-Town in what was called the Battle of the Five Armies. The Orcs were defeated, Bolg was killed, and three-fourths of the Orcs of the Misty Mountains were slain.

But though they had been defeated, Gundabad was not destroyed. in the years following the Battle of the Five Armies they multiplied once more. Though the Beornings kept the High Pass open, soon their control dwindled, and the mountains became more dangerous than ever. In TA 2989, a group of dwarves led by Balin, son of Fundin reclaimed vital parts of Moria in an attempt to rebuild their ancient kindom. But five years later, under the leadership of several great captains, the Moria Orcs counterattacked and killed every single dwarf in Moria. At this point Sauron's realm in Mordor had begun to grow once more. He sent legions of Orcs and Uruks north to Moria and other key Gundabad fortresses, and bolstered their strength exponentially.

Now, the scattered clans of Gundabad move towards war once again, and have begun to raid the lands of their enemies around them. Though they have no one leader, they are united by a single cause: the destruction of the realms of their enemies.

NPCs
The Orcs of Gundabad may be scattered and leaderless, but they all share one vile trait: their hatred for the Free Peoples of Middle-Earth.
 * Gundabad Orc - Orcs from across the Misty Mountains allied only to themselves. They use random pieces of armour and equipment from various orc and neutral sets.
 * Gundabad Orc Archer - Gundabad Orcs with bows or crossbows.
 * Gundabad Warg - Evil giant wolves allied with the Gundabad Orcs. They can be ridden by Gundabad Orcs or archers.
 * Gundabad Uruk - Powerful Uruk-hai who are descended from the greatest of the warriors of Mount Gundabad. They wield cleavers, waraxes, and bludgeons and wear Gundabad Uruk Armour.
 * Gundabad Uruk Archers - Gundabad Uruks armed with Gundabad Uruk bows.
 * Gundabad Banner-Bearer - Gundabad Orcs wielding both a weapon and the Banner of Gundabad.
 * Gundabad Orc Chieftains - Leaders of the Gundabad Orcs who spawn in Captured Dwarven Towers and Gundabad Orc Camps. They allow you to hire all of the above.

Structures
The Orcs of Gundabad build few permanent structures, and often use abandoned or conquered fortresses as their own.
 * Ruined Dwarven Tower - Ancient towers once build by the Dwarves of Durin's Folk before being abandoned or captured. Captured variants of these towers serve as bases for bands of Gundabad Orcs, and often feature Gundabad Orc Chieftains. These often prove to be helpful, as they allow the player to smelt mithril without having to go to the Iron Hills or Erebor. They generate in the Misty Mountains and Grey Mountains.
 * Ruined Dwarven Mine - Abandoned mineshafts built by the Dwarves of Durin's Folk across the Misty Mountains and the Grey Mountains in their quests for ore. Chests can still be found down here in the orc-infested darkness.
 * Gundabad Orc Camp - Camps for roaming Gundabad Orcs that spawn randomly across the north. As with most camps, they contain tents, forge tents, crafting tables, skulls, orc torches, chests, small farms, and Gundabad Orc Chieftains.

Items

 * Gundabad Crafting Table - Crafting tables used to craft all of the following.
 * Gundabad Banner - The banner of Gundabad, depicting a grey Mount Gundabad on a black field beneath the symbol of the Red Eye.
 * Orc Bow - Bows used by the common orc archers of Gundabad.
 * Gundabad Uruk Equipment - Cleavers, waraxes, bludgeons, spears, daggers, and pikes used by the deadly Gundabad Uruks.
 * Gundabad Uruk Bow - Deadly but slow bows used by Gundabad Uruk Archers.
 * Gundabad Uruk Armour - The armour of the Gundabad Uruks and their chieftains.
 * Orc Gate - Crude wooden gates reinforced with steel.
 * Orc Torch - Tall, dim torches made with two sticks and one piece of coal.
 * Orc Chandelier - Elegant yet evil light fixtures made with orc torches and steel.
 * Orc Bed - Poor-quality beds used by Orcs.
 * Maggoty Bread - Stale bread that is rotting and full of maggots.