Blue Mountains (Faction)

Blue Mountains
Dwarves of the Ered Luin
Information
Biome(s)	Blue Mountains
Members	Blue Mountains Dwarf (axe-thrower, banner bearer, commander, merchant, miner, smith, warrior)
Alignment command name	BLUE_MOUNTAINS
Faction Items
Crafting Table	Blue Mountains crafting table
Shield
Banner
History
Added in (first NPCs)	Public Beta 13

The Ered Luin

This article is about the faction. For the biome, see here.

The Blue Mountains are the peaceful home to the Dwarves of the Blue Mountains, 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.

However, these Dwarves are poorer and less powerful than their eastern brethren, mostly staying in their halls and not currently engaging in any wars. For their strength over the years was much reduced from their glory in the First Age. Still, of the proud people of the Khazâd they are, and thus valiant, stubborn, and doughty like all their race.

History

The Khazâd of Ered Luin originated from the two Dwarf-Fathers who awoke under Mount Dolmed. From these two Fathers came the Firebeard and Broadbeam clans, who founded the cities of Belegost and Nogrod. So powerful were these two cities that they were effectively city-states, with their inhabitants coming to be known by which city they resided in rather than by their clan.

In the Years of the Trees, the Dwarves of Nogrod devised the making of chainmail. This soon became the dominant armour in the West of Middle-earth and remained so for many long ages after. However, none ever surpassed the metalworking skills of the Khazâd. Nogrod became famous for the smiths Gamil Zirak and his student Telchar. Their works were found in the treasuries of King Thingol. Indeed, it was the Dwarves of Ered Luin who made Menegroth, and some remained there under the payment of the Elvish King. Thus his armouries were filled with axes and spears that rusted not and armour of fish-mail shimmering in the moonlight.

Relations between the Dwarves of Ered Luin and the Sindar began frosty, due to the slaying of the Petty-dwarves by the Sindar. This the Khazâd begrudged (though they hated the Petty-dwarves themselves). However, it became clear that the fighting was due to attacks by the Petty-dwarves themselves, and the grievance was eased and a hesitant alliance was set up. In YT 1497, the Elves of Beleriand fought off the first attack of Orcs, and those that fled were slain by the Khazâd.

Azaghâl Lord of Belegost

Caranthir of Helevorn was the first of the Noldor to meet the Khazâd. He set up trade with them, though he scorned them, and gained great wealth. Eöl of Nan Elmoth was one of the few Elves in Beleriand to be friendly with the Khazâd. He studied long the art of smith-craft in their halls, and even learned their language. Dwarves also aided King Finrod (whom they named Felak-gundu) in the making of Nargothrond, enlarging the old caves of Nulukkizdîn for his uses.

The Dwarves encircle Glaurung

At some point after the Dagor Bragollach, Azaghâl Lord of Belegost was waylaid upon the road by Orcs. But Maedhros came to his aid, saving his life and treasure. In reward for this, Azaghâl gave him the Dragon-helm of Dor-lómin, wrought in mockery of Glaurung. When the Union of Maedhros was created in F.A. 473, Azaghâl joined, and his host was placed in the Eastern Army of Maedhros. Elsewhere is said of the battle of Nirnaeth Arnoediad, where Fingon fell and the flower of the Eldar withered, but here is said this: that famously, the Dwarves of Belegost covered the retreat of the Sons of Fëanor, encircling Glaurung, Father of Dragons, and hewing at him with their axes. Their iron masks and natural hardiness to fire shielded them from the Dragon-fire, and in rage Glaurung threw down Azaghâl and crushed him. But Azaghâl stabbed with his knife upward with his last breath, and piercing the Dragon's belly so wounded him that he fled the field. The Dwarves carried the body of Azaghâl from the field singing a dirge as if it were a funeral pomp in their own lands, and no foe dared waylay them.

Thingol is slain in the deep

The Dwarves of Nogrod were rather less friendly towards the Elves. After they reforged the Nauglamír for Thingol in F.A. 503, they demanded it as payment. Upon Thingol's refusal, they killed him, took the necklace, and fled Doriath. Only two escaped the Elven host that followed them and recaptured the Nauglamír, but they successfully persuaded the Dwarf-lord of Nogrod to march on Doriath and sack its capital of Menegroth. The Dwarves, unobstructed by the Girdle of Melian, sacked the city and emptied its treasury, including the necklace. As they returned to Nogrod, the Khazâd were attacked by Elves. King Naugladur of Nogrod was slain in combat by Beren son of Barahir. But he cursed all the treasure, and so Beren had it thrown into the River Ascar, later called Rathlóriel for its golden bed.

Regardless of their histories, both cities were destroyed in the War of Wrath. However, Khazâd continued to survive in the mountains. Many of their number fled to Khazad-dûm, but those that remained mined iron and copper beyond the Little Lune. They traded with the Kingdom of Gil-galad, though they did not grow remarkably wealthy.

Dwarves of Ered Luin prepare for battle in Azanulbizar

The Third Age saw the return of many Dwarves to Ered Luin. As Durin's Bane had been awakened in Moria, the descendants of those who had emigrated from Ered Luin returned. In T.A. 2793, these Khazâd answered the call of Thráin and joined him and the other Houses in the War of the Dwarves and the Orcs. After the decisive Battle of Azanulbizar in T.A. 2799, the Broadbeams and Firebeards returned to Ered Luin, as they had no wish to recolonize Moria.

Here dwell yet Dwarves

Later came Longbeards, moving from Dunland after being driven from Erebor by the Dragon. Thráin and Thorin Oakenshield were their leaders, and both delved separate halls in the Mountains --Thráin in the south, Thorin in the north. They did not prosper much, having little gold, but made what wealth they could mining copper and iron and, worse, coal. Thráin's halls were later abandoned by the Sigin-tarâg, with all the Dwarves of Durin's folk being found in Thorin's Halls. When Erebor was reclaimed, most of those Longbeards left, leaving behind only the remnants of the Firebeards and Broadbeams.

Few are the Dwarves in the Ered Luin, remnants of once-great houses of the Elder Days. They are hard-working and humble, removed from the majesty of their kin in the east, but still great craftsmen and delvers. Their kind trades with those around them - with Bree, the Elves, and the Halflings of the Shire. Even to Erebor do their traders come on occasion. But recently, strange Dwarves out of the East, Longbeards and even those from further houses, have come, seeking refuge. From what they flee they say little, but it may be that the Khazâd of the furthest West will have to fight, even as their ancestors did long ago. Then fight they shall, in honour of their ancient heritage.

Alignment

Their spheres of influence are centred around the mountains where they make their home.

File:Sphere Blue Mountains-0.png

Inter-faction relations

Allies	Friends	Neutral	Enemies	Mortal Enemies
•Durin's Folk •Hobbits		•Dale •Dorwinion •Dunland •Dúnedain of the North •Fangorn •Gondor •High Elves •Lothlórien •Morwaith •Near Harad •Rhúdel •Rohan •Taurethrim •Woodland Realm	•Angmar •Dol Guldur •Gundabad •Half-trolls •Mordor •Isengard

NPCs

• Blue Mountains Dwarf - Dwarves who make their home in the Blue Mountains. They can be married or single, adult or child, male or female.
• Blue Mountains Warrior - These Dwarves are warriors who fight with swords, axes, hammers, or other weapons.
• Blue Mountains Axe-thrower - Dwarves equipped with infinite amounts of powerful throwing axes to use as ranged weapons.
• Blue Mountains Banner Bearer - Blue Mountains Dwarves bearing the standard of the Blue Mountains. They will only spawn in invasions.
• Blue Mountains Commander - NPCs who will sell you the forces of the Blue Mountains for a fee of silver coins. They spawn in Blue Mountains Strongholds.
• Blue Mountains Miner - Miners in Dwarven mines who will sell you ores and buy food and ale. They spawn underground in the Blue Mountains.
• Blue Mountains Merchant - Travelling item traders who can sell Blue Dwarven armour and equipment.
• Blue Mountains Smith - Blacksmiths who will sell Blue Dwarven gear and buy materials. They spawn in Blue Dwarven Smithies.

Structures

• Blue Mountains Stronghold - These great strongholds are the command bases of the Blue Mountains. They contain barracks, Blue Mountains Warriors, ore storage rooms, Dwarven forges, crafting tables, a balcony, and a great hall at the top. They contain a Blue Mountains Commander at the top.
• Blue Mountains House - A Blue Mountains version of the normal Dwarven houses. The only difference between the two are that the Blue Mountains version contains Sarlluin stone bricks and Blue Dwarves, Blue Mountains crafting tables, Dwarven beds, cauldrons, chests, furnaces, and barrels of Dwarven ale and Dwarven tonic.
• Dwarven Mine - A large and winding mineshaft containing Dwarf Miners. These mines expose ores and contain chests which hold smelted ingots and ores and sometimes vanilla crafting tables along with Dwarven forges. Blue Mountains Miners can be found wandering the halls, along with Blue Mountains Dwarves and Warriors.
• Blue Mountains Smithy - Small structures that contain anvils, Dwarven forges, Blue Dwarven and vanilla crafting tables, chests of loot, and unsmelteries. They are home to the Blue Mountains Smith.

Items

• Blue Mountains Crafting Table - Crafting tables used to craft the following.
• Banner of the Blue Mountains - Standard of the Blue Mountains Dwarves, depicting the Ered Luin and stars on a light blue background.
• Blue Dwarven Equipment - Daggers, swords, battleaxes, warhammers, spears, pixes, throwing axes, shovels, axes, pickaxes, hoes, and mattocks used by the Dwarves of the Blue Mountains.
• Blue Dwarven Armour - Armour used by Blue Mountains warriors and their commanders.
• Blue Dwarven Steel Bars - Bars made of Blue Dwarven steel.
• Dwarven Gate - Strong gates made of Dwarven bricks and steel.
• Blue Dwarven Chandelier - Elegant light fixtures made with torches and Blue Dwarven steel.