Eriador and Surroundings

Main article: Eriador

Eriador is the large region of western Middle-earth that lies between the Blue and Misty Mountains. The name Eriador is Sindarin for 'Lonely Land'.

Geography & Climate[]

Karen Wynn Forstad estimates that Eriador was approximately 965 km wide, from Ered Luin to the Misty Mountains. Most of Eriador consisted of relatively flat lowlands, though there were some taller hills around the Shire and the former realm of Arnor, and a fairly high plateau around the Trollshaws. The highest point in Eriador was Amon Sul, also known as Weathertop.

Most of the vegetation of Eriador consisted of scattered forests and scrublands, with grasslands located near the centre of the region. The climate was relatively warm and humid, with cool to occasionally cold winters.

History[]

Up until the Second Age, virtually all of Eriador was forested, but the Numenorians cut down most of the forests to make way for farmland by the beginning of the Third Age. Most of the area was ruled by Arnor in the early third age, but when Arnor was conquered by Angmar, the kingdom broke up into three smaller kingdoms, Arthedain, Rhudaur, and Cardolan. These small kingdoms were often at war with one another, and towards the end Rhudaur was annexed by Angmar. Part of the former kingdom of Arthedain became the Shire, while Cardolan was deserted and became known as Minhiriath.

In the Mod[]

In the mod, the entire area of Eriador is available to explore, including the Shire, the Lone-lands, the Trollshaws, and Eregion. It is a contested land, where Rangers fight Orcs and Wargs at night, and both sides have set up camps throughout the lands. Occasionally, the fallen kingdom of Angmar will invade parts of Eriador, as will Orcs from the Misty Mountains.