| “ | Far over the misty mountains cold To dungeons deep and caverns old We must away ere break of day To seek the pale enchanted gold. |
” |
–Dwarves' song from The Hobbit, An Unexpected Party | ||
The Misty Mountains, also known as the Hithaeglir, are the highest mountain range in Middle-earth, created by Melkor during the Years of the Trees. The name comes from the mist that lies in the air coming from and surrounding this cold climate.
The Misty Mountains are completely covered with thick snow and consist only of high mountains up to around layer 250. The snowline here lies on y=94.
While the Misty Mountains were home at one point to populations of Dwarves, they have since been invaded and controlled by the forces of Gundabad. Thus, they are somewhat dangerous for good-aligned players to travel through or live in, especially at night. Both the foothills and the mountains themselves are full of patrols of Gundabad Orcs, Gundabad Uruks, and Gundabad Wargs. It's the only region where Mithril can be found and mined, in the depths below Y=16.
Under the High Pass waypoint, around Y=15, one can find everyone's favourite friend in the nearest cave. For best results, bring large amounts of raw fish, a fishing pole, water, and a large amount of patience.
Appropriately, a dense mist covers the Misty Mountains, which makes the mountains hard to navigate. This can be avoided by going under a block or placing a light source, such as a torch, near you. If you want remove this feature, you can turn the mist off in the config file by accessing the "Misty Misty Mountains" tag.
Upon entering either the true mountains or the Misty Mountains foothills, you will get the achievement "The Mountains Cold." By climbing mountains above the cloud level, you will get the achievement "Mountaineer."
Sub-biomes[]
Misty Mountains Foothills[]
| “ | They limped along now as fast as they were able down the gentle slopes of a pine forest in a slanting path leading steadily southwards. At times they were pushing through a sea of bracken with tall fronds rising right above the hobbit's head; at times they were marching along quiet as quiet over a floor of pine-needles; and all the while the forest-gloom got heavier and the forest-silence deeper. | ” |
–The Hobbit, Out of the Frying-Pan into the Fire | ||
This region marks the borders of the Misty Mountains and has far smaller hills, no snow and no mist. While the mountains themselves have no vegetation, the valleys in the foothills have spruces and larches (but nearly no flowers, herbs or other plants). This sub-biome has a two variants next to the standard version:
- Forest - Forest covered lands.
- Light Forest - Lightly forested lands.
The forests can be dominated by one species, creating:
- Aspen Forest - A forest dominated with aspen trees.
- Larch Forest - A forest dominated with larch trees.
- Pine Forest - A forest dominated with pine trees.
Variants[]
The core of the Misty Mountains has no variants, but small patches of Misty Mountains Foothills can occur amidst the mountain ranges (they appear to be mountain valleys due to their lower elevation). The Misty Mountains Foothills are coded as the Mountain variant of the standard Misty Mountains biome. That variant has, by default, two dependent variants: Forest and Light Forest.
Mobs[]
The mountains are populated by Gundabad Orcs, Uruks and Wargs, which spawn quite often. As in most biomes, they only spawn in dark places or during the night. The Misty Mountains are the homeland of the Gundabad Orcs, who trouble the northern lands from their bases of Mount Gundabad, Mount Gram, Goblin-Town, and Moria, which are not yet in the mod. In addition to spawning constantly on the surface at night, the forces of Gundabad can be found underground in caves and ravines, both day and night, and thus good-aligned players should be wary when going mining here.
- Gundabad Orc - Scavenging Orcs which are based at Mount Gundabad and patrol the whole mountain range. They use random pieces of armour and equipment from various orc and neutral sets.
- Gundabad Orc Archer - Gundabad Orcs with bows and arrows.
- Gundabad Warg - Wargs (giant wolves) allied with the Gundabad Orcs. They can be ridden by Gundabad Orcs or archers.
- Gundabad Uruk - Uruks from Mount Gundabad. They are larger, stronger, and have more health than the average Gundabad Orc. They wield Gundabad Uruk cleavers, waraxes, and bludgeons, and they wear Gundabad Uruk Armor.
- Gundabad Uruk archers - Gundabad Uruks armed with Gundabad Uruk bows.
- Gundabad Orc Chieftains - Leaders of the Gundabad Orcs who spawn in ruined towers. They allow you to hire all of the above and more.
- Snow-trolls - Furry and wild trolls who can throw snowballs at a distance, and switch to a melee attack with a club if the player gets too close.
Prior to Public Beta 24, mobs allied with Isengard could spawn in these mountains. This is no longer the case, with one exception: Isengard mobs can still be found in Orc Dungeons in the Misty Mountains.
Structures[]
Next to hidden Orc Dungeons and scattered Stone Ruins, the only noteworthy structures that can be found here are:
- Ruined Dwarven Tower - Crumbling reminders of the Dwarves that once ruled these mountains, many of which are now occupied by Gundabad. Some are simply abandoned, containing Dwarven crafting tables, forges, and loot chests, while others have been captured by Orcs, and contain Gundabad crafting tables, forges, and loot chests. The former can provide the player with the tools to smelt mithril without having to go to the Iron Hills or Erebor, while the latter serve as handy bases for the local Gundabad Orc Chieftains and their bands of irregular troops.
- Ruined Dwarven Mine - Remnants of the time where Dwarves ruled the mountains. The mineshafts are rotted, raided, and broken; they're also completely lightless, so Gundabad Orcs and Uruks are a common sight in their knotted tunnels. At the bottom of the entry-shaft one might find a dwarven forge or two, and the cobweb-choked tunnels often contain chests with valuable loot.
Fixed structures[]
Mount Gundabad[]
This mountain, located at the northernmost point of the Misties, was home to one of the most feared tribes of Orcs in Middle-earth. This mountain was originally a Dwarven fortress, and the birthplace of Durin the Deathless, but was taken over by Orcs and made into a place of great evil. Players with negative Gundabad alignment cannot fast-travel here. In the mod, Mount Gundabad appears much rockier and less conical than other mountains. It peaks at about y=241 and is found at the Mount Gundabad waypoint at about 49272, -17568.
Mount Gram[]
Mount Gram is a mountain on a westward spur of the Misty Mountains. The caverns beneath were home to a clan of Gundabad Orcs, which led an attack on the Shire, but were defeated by the Bullroarer in the Battle of Greenfields.
Eagle's Eyrie[]
Eagles' Eyrie is a hill on the eastern side of the Misty Mountains near the Vales of Anduin and north of the road to the pass. It is located in the Misty Mountains foothills region of the map. This mountain housed the eyries of the Great Eagles of the Misty Mountains. Alignment does not affect this fast travel waypoint. As the mountain is mostly snowy, it is relatively barren; however, trees do grow at the base of it.
Mount Caradhras[]
Caradhras, otherwise known as Redhorn or Barazinbar, is the northernmost and tallest of the three mountains of Moria. It was under Caradhras that the greatest mithril veins were, and deep under the mountain the dwarves awoke a balrog of Morgoth, which was named Durin's Bane after it slew Durin VI, their king.
Mount Celebdil[]
Celebdil, otherwise known as Silvertine or Zirakzigil, is one of the three mountains of Moria. The majority of Moria was dug under Celebdil, but now the dark halls are stalked by hordes of Gundabad Orcs. It is the southernmost of the Mountains of Moria.
Mount Fanuidhol[]
Fanuidhol, otherwise known as Cloudyhead or Bundushathur, was the third Mountain of Moria, and easternmost of the three peaks.
Mount Methedras[]
Methedras was the southernmost major peak of the Misty Mountains, and was tall enough to remain snow-capped despite being far south.
Conquest[]
Misty Mountains can be conquered by Blue Mountains, Durin's Folk, Gundabad, Angmar, and Isengard. The Conquest rate is 1.0.
Mining[]
The Misty Mountains are one of the most important mining sites in Middle-earth. All the standard ores can be found here at the usual rates, but gemstones are twice as prevalent, as with most other mountain biomes. In addition, this biome is one of only a few where glowstone ore can be found, generating fairly frequently up to Y=48 in small veins. But more important than either of these factors is the fact that this is the only biome in Middle-earth where mithril ore can be found. The most coveted substance in the world, mithril, or true-silver, can be crafted into the best armour and equipment in the game. It's not easy to get, however - the treasure of Moria is four times as rare as vanilla diamonds, generating only in veins of up to six below Y=16 in roughly one in four chunks. It's the rarest ore in the game - but well worth digging for.
The foothills have a reduced gemstone generation rate, akin to other foothill biomes, but Glowstone can still be found there. Contrary to popular belief, mithril can be found in the foothills as well, at the same rates as in the mountains.
Vegetation[]
The mountains themselves have no vegetation, but spruces (normal and huge variant), firs, pines, and larches grow in small valleys and in the Misty Mountains foothills.
Base building[]
Building a base in the Misty Mountains will assure the player of a steady supply of mithril, as this is the only region in which that ore can be found. Living in the mountains themselves, though, has a number of disadvantages. Aside from the constant mist, which tends to impede the player's view, getting wood and food will not be easy, as there are few trees and fewer animals. Good players will also have to contend with the spawn of Gundabad whenever it's dark, whether that be underground or above ground at night. A final challenge with living here is that building a mountaintop base may result in the structure running into the world height limit. A more viable option may be to live right on the border between the mountains themselves and the foothills, as that area has much more wood and wildlife present, making it easier to build an above-ground house. Alternatively, it's possible to set up a base in a large underground cavern, and grow trees and crops there.
Lore[]
The Misty Mountains were originally risen by Melkor to hinder the riding of Oromë in the Years of the Trees. When they were discovered by the elves they were named the "Hithaeglir", or the Towering Mists. Later, Aulë created the Dwarves, and they were awoken underneath the Misty Mountains by Ilúvatar. These Dwarves established Khazad-dûm, or Moria in Sindarin. They maintained this stronghold until the Second Age when Eregion was overrun by Orcs, and the gates to Moria were shut. Later, during the Third Age, Sauron began to rise again, a balrog awoke and drove the dwarves from Moria, later to be back by Orcs of the Misty Mountains and all recolonization attempts have ended in utter failure.
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The One Wiki to Rule Them All has an article on:
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The Tolkien Gateway has an article on:
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Misty Mountains
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 The Hordes of Gundabad 
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Orc (Archer, Banner Bearer) •
Uruk (Archer) •
Warg
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