I’m just curious as to what you guys think of this idea. What if a new dimension was added, called the Roots of the Mountains. Mithril ore would be nearly nonexistent if present at all at the bottom of the Misties. However, more of it could be found towards the bottom of this dimension. Tolkien often references the “roots of the mountains” and the creatures that live there, but we don’t get a good description of most of the animal life.

This level would be full of danger to make it hard to get mithril. It would have caves full of goblins and orcs and cave trolls. The caves would be much more common and much larger than in the Overworld. I imagine that in the deepest layers of the new dimension where mithril would be more abundant, there would be frequent dangers (maybe even Dragon’s lairs if added)? Gollum would spawn in this dimension. There would also be ruins - both from Orcs and Dwarves - dungeons and tunnels and mines, etc. This would be an opportunity for the mod team to be creative: we don’t really know what else lived down there - we just know other things lived down there. It would be good to give them names that imply the other factions really don’t know what they are, like Earth Gnawers or Forgotten Things. Some quotes:

“The roots of those mountains must be roots indeed; there must be great secrets buried there which have not been discovered since the beginning.” - Gollum , as quoted by Gandalf, The Fellowship of the Ring

“Goodness knows what the striking of matches and the smell of tobacco would have brought out of dark holes in that horrible place.” - The Hobbit

“...And he thought, too, of nasty slimy things, with big bulging blind eyes, wriggling in the water. There are strange things living in the pools and lakes in the hearts of the mountains: fish whose fathers swam in, goodness only knows how many years ago, and never swam out again, while their eyes grew bigger and bigger from trying to see in the blackness; also there are other things more slimy than fish. Even in the tunnels and caves the Goblins have made for themselves there are other things living unbeknown to them that have sneaked in from outside to lie up in the dark. Some of these caves, too, go back in their beginnings to ages before the goblins, who only widened them and joined them up with passages, and the original owners are still there in odd corners, slinking and nosing about.” - The Hobbit

“We fought far under the living earth, where time is not counted. Ever he clutched me, and ever I hewed him, till at last he fled into dark tunnels. They were not made by Durin’s Folk, Gimli son of Glóin. Far, far below the deepest delving of the dwarves, the world is gnawed by nameless things. Even Sauron knows them not. They are older than he. Now I have walked there, but I will bring no report to darken the light of day.” - Gandalf in the Two Towers

Portals would resemble Utumno portals in that they are long shafts. They would generate randomly in caves deep in the Misty Mountains. However it would always spawn the player in the same place so they could build things there if they wanted. Mithril would be in large veins very deep in the dimension, and mining it would be dangerous.

There would be generated structures including meandering labyrinths of caves, of all sizes, underground rivers and lakes, Orc / Goblin holes, and Dwarven ruins. Maybe also Gundabad strongholds or Durin’s Folk strongholds as well as enormous underground fortresses.

Pros:
- Mithril would be harder and riskier to get. More of an accomplishment.
- Another cool dimension with potential for a lot of variety
- Fun adventuring, fighting, and looting in the Roots of the Mountains
- Servers, by limiting acces to this dimension, could limit mithril use if they wanted.

Cons:
- Lag on servers?
- Too much trouble?
- Would it just make more people go to the Barrow-Downs?

Please post your thoughts below. Tell me what you think about:
- The idea in general
- How would the portal work?
- Any idea for denizens of the Roots of the Mountains?
- Should the dimension be shaped like the Misty Mountains or boundless?
- Should there be waypoints?
- Other dangers?
Etc.

EDIT: Balrogs would not spawn in this dimension, unless Durin’s Bane is added as a lore character.

EDIT: Added portal idea by ElenionoftheFirmament.

EDIT: Added creature names and some ruins based on suggestions by Fandalf.