                          THE LORD OF THE RINGS

                             REFERENCE CARD

                     DONE BY : MR.THOMPSON / DEFJAM

------------------------------------------------------------------------
REQUIREMENTS:

Lord of the Rings requires an Amiga 500/1000/2000/2500 or 3000, one disk
drive, one megabyte of memory and a colour monitor. For best performance,
a hard disk drive is suggested.
Interplay recommends that you make a back up of the Lord of the Rings
diskettes before play or installing to your hard drive. Lord of the Rings
is not copy-protected for your benefit. You must only make backups for
your personal use.
Lord of the Rings is in stereo.

HARD DRIVE INSTALLATION

The HDINSTALL program, located on Lord Disk 1, will install Lord of the
Rings to your hard drive. You can install Lord of the Rings to your hard
drive by launching the HDINSTALL program from the Workbench screen.
From the CLI, you can type HDINSTALL if Lord Disk 1 is located in DF0:
and the CLI prompt shows the current disk to be in DF0:.
The HDINSTALL program will then prompt you to enter the desired location
for Lord of the Rings. After typing in the pathname, you will be prompted
to insert the other disks at the required time.
Lord of the Rings needs approximately two megabyte free on your hard
drive to install.

STARTING THE PROGRAM

To start the program from the hard drive, open the folder containing the
Lord of the Rings icon and launch the LORD program.
To start the program from the hard drive using the CLI, change to the
proper subdirectory and type LORD to begin.
To start the program using the disk drives, insert the Lord Disk 1 when
prompted for the Workbench diskette. Lord of the Rings will then load
itself automatically. If you are playing on diskettes, be sure to play
off of backups. The Lord Disk 2 must remain write enabled, while it is
suggested that Lord Disk 1 and Lord Disk 3 are write protected.

MOVEMENT

You control the leader of your party. The other members of your party
will follow at their own pace. You move the party with the mouse and the
keyboard. Using the mouse, move the pointer around the map until the
arrow is pointing in the direction you wish to travel. Press and hold the
left mouse button until you wish to stop moving. To change direction
while moving, simply move the mouse so that the pointer is indicating a
new direction. Using the keyboard, move your party by pressing the arrow
keys in the direction you wish to travel. Hold the key down for
continuous travel.

THE ICON MENU

Press the right mouse button once to bring up the icon menu. Move the
mouse pointer so that it is pointing to the icon you want to select and
press the left mouse button. Press the right mouse button again to cancel
the menu.
Using the keyboard, press the SPACE BAR to bring up the icon menu. To
select one of the icons, use the first letter of each icon as follows :

   (A)ttack                                   (T)alk
   (V)iew Character                           (L)eader
   (G)et                                      (C)hoose who
   (U)se                                      (O)ption
   (S)kill                                    (ESC)ape
   (M)agic

For specific action from within each icon, point to the action desired
and click with the left mouse button or press the corresponding number on
the keyboard.
Some actions require that you type in a word or phrase. For these actions
simply type in the word or phrase and press Enter when finished.

MENU OPTIONS

ATTACK         : Selecting this option during any combat situation will
                 attack the enemy within range.
VIEW CHARACTER : This displays the statistics for any character whose
                 picture is currently shown on screen.
GET            : This allows you to either take treasures you find or
                 items that you purchase from merchants.
USE            : This allows the character shown to use items, trade
                 items, or discard items. This also serves as the
                 character's inventory
SKILL          : This allows the character shown to use whatever skills
                 he/she may possess.
MAGIC          : This allows the character shown to use magic spells or
                 word of power. See your manual for more detailed
                 descriptions of magic spells and words of power.
TALK           : This allows you to talk with and/or question NPCs
                 (Non-player characters) and members in your party.
LEADER         : This allows you to choose a new leader for your party.
                 This should be the party member who possesses the most
                 skills and magic.
CHOOSE WHO     : This allows you to temporarily choose another party
                 member to access his skills, magic or inventory.
OPTIONS        : This brings up the options menu (see below).
ESCAPE         : This exits the icon menu.

DISTANCE

Note that characters need to be fairly close to each other to talk, trade
or use certain skills (such as perception). Characters also need to be
close to enemies they are attacking. If you see an NPC on the screen but
are unable to talk to him, he either has nothing to say (very rare) or
you need to move a little closer. Likewise, trading with a party member
will not work if he is too far away. You may have to have the leader
double back to close the distance between party members. Spells and bows
in combat do not have to worry about range...they can affect anything on
the screen.

THE OPTIONS MENU

There are some commands that do not directly relate to the story of the
game. These options control the game environment. They are accessed from
the keyboard by pressing the letter "O" for (o)ptions or by selecting the
options icon menu. The options available are as follows :

(S)ave          : Saves your current game where you stand. You can have
                  up to two saved games at any one time. Be careful where
                  and when you save.
(L)oad          : Loads one of your previously saved games. Your current
                  game will be lost. You cannot load a game during combat.
(Q)uit          : Quits the current game and returns you to Workbench or
                  the CLI. You might want to save your game before
                  quitting.
(P)ause         : Pauses the game where you are.
(M)sound on/off : This toggles between turning the sound on and off. This
                  controls the sound effects and the music.

MISCELLANEOUS SUBJECTS

You can skip theopening cartoon sequences by pressing the ESCAPE key.
Text cartoon screens are advanced by pressing the right mouse button or
the ENTER key.
The day/night counter at the top to the screen in the centre of the
golden bar helps show what time of day it is. Some events are time
related, keep a close eye on the day/night counter.
Characters have a maximum of ten skills. Being taught a skill a second
time does not improve the character's ability in that skill; it just
wastes the skill slot
If you believe that you will want to start a New Game during the middle
of a game, save a game immediately in the second slot when you first
start. Starting a New Game erases both save game slots.

CREDITS

In addition to those listed in the manual, the following people deserve
recognition for the work they have done :

Programmed by    : Frank Pearce of Silicon & Synapse, Inc
Directed by      : Alen Adahms of Silicon & Synapse, Inc
Sound FX by      : Scott La Rocca
Music by         : Charles Deenen
Playtesting by   : The Interplay Testing squad
Cover Art        : Greg and Tim Hildebrandt
Special Thanx to : J.R.R Tolkien & Sasha

CUSTOMER SERVICE

If you have any queries about this product, Electronic Arts' Customer
Service Department can help. Call (0753)549442 Monday to Friday between
9:00am and 6:00 pm. Please have the product and the following
information to hand when you call. This will help us answer your question
in the shortest possible time :

  - Type of computer you own
  - Any additional system information (like type and make of monitor,
    printer, hard disk, etc.)
  - Type of operating system
  - Description of the problem you are having

===================================================================================
Lord of the Rings - Vol. 1
Brought to you by Belgarath

INTRODUCTION
The Lord Of The Rings, Volume One, is a computer role-playing game
based on "The Lord Of The Rings" trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien, covering
the first book in the trilogy. This manual contains background
information on this game and the world of Middle-Earth in general.
We've aimed this manual at two different audiences.

IF YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH TOLKIEN'S BOOKS...
Welcome to Middle-Earth.  We are honored to be your introduction to
one of the greatest works of imaginative literature ever written, in
any language.  The Lord Of The Rings is extremely complete, with
hundreds of strange names, detailed histories, and other elements that
can easily overwhelm someone who is not familiar with this world. We
have written four short sections with the newcomer in mind:

(1) What Has Gone Before

(2) The Shire

(3) Prominent Places in the Shire

(4) Outside the Shire

These sections will give you a hobbit's eye view of the world.  These
will be enough to get you into the game.  When you encounter new
names, you can then refer to the more detailed background provided in
the Monsters, History, and Glossary sections.  If you find yourself
interested in the background of through the history and glossary
sections, read the original books byJ.R.R.  Tolkien, which are highly
recommended.

IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH TOLKIEN'S BOOKS...
You are going to be our toughest critic.  While this is one of the
largest computer games ever created, we couldn't fit in every place in
Middle-Earth into this game. At the same time, we didn't want to clone
Tolkien's world directly into the game and have anyone who knows the
book be able to easily solve the game.  You'll find plenty of  new
encounters, new characters, and even a plot twist or two that are not
included in Tolkien's epic fantasy. The reason we did this was not to
"improve" Tolkien's work (this would be extremely arrogant and stupid
of us to say), but to challenge the computer gamer who is familiar
with Tolkien's work. Expect to be surprised.

DESIGNER'S DISCLAIMER
J.R.R. Tolkien wrote the Lord of the Rings trilogy between 1938 and
1949. The world was a different place then, and the attitude of
society toward certain elements of the world were different than they
are today, most notably tobacco and wolves. We are trying to be true
to the spirit of Tolkien in this game, so this game reflects
Tolkienesque attitudes.  Pipeweed smoking is a pleasant recreation,
not the deadly addiction that we know it to be in today's world.
Wolves, as in European folktales, are destructive man-killers, not the
intelligent, social creatures that we know them to be in the real
world. If these things offend you, consider their inclusion in this
game to be an artifact of an earlier time when we were ignorant about
these things.  For convenience sake, we use the pronoun "he" to
represent "he or she," and the pronoun "him" to represent "him or her."

CHARACTER TYPES
In "Lord Of The Rings, Volume One," there are two types of characters.
A Player Character (PC for short) is a character who belongs to the
Fellowship, the group of characters participating in the Quest of the Ring.

A Non-Player Character (NPC for short) is a character who does not
belong to the Fellowship, but with whom it is possible to interact
either through trade, speech, or combat, occasionally all three.

In "Lord Of The Rings," there is also another distinction: the player
characters who belong to the Fellowship may be defined as permanent or
temporary player characters.

Permanent player characters are the Fellowship from the Lord Of The
Rings trilogy: Frodo, Sam, Pippin, Merry, Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas,
Gimli, and Boromir. They will join the Fellowship and remain in the
group for the duration of the game.  They may be dismissed and they
may be killed, but they will not abandon the Quest.  These characters
may be brought into further games in this series, such as The Two
Towers and The Return Of The King.

Temporary player characters will join the Fellowship, but are not
interested in the Quest and will instead pursue their own goals. Their
paths may cross with that of the Fellowship, and they will gladly help
them and accept help from them, but they eventually leave the
Fellowship when their job is over or when the Fellowship goes too far
from their goal. Example: Fred Sandyfoot, a hobbit from Bree, is
looking for the thief who stole his magic lamp. He will join the
Fellowship if the Fellowship agrees to help him. When he finds his
lamp, he will leave the Fellowship. If the Fellowship tries to leave
Bree, Fred will tell them that he is not interested in travelling away from his
home and will remove himself from the Fellowship.

Temporary characters will not be allowed to be brought over to future
games in this series.  Examples of temporary characters include Taffy
Proudfoot, Bilbo Baggins, and Celebrith.

CHARACTERISTICS
Every character in "The Lord Of The Rings, Volume One" has a set of
six attributes. These attributes are known as characteristics, and
represent a character's personal abilities.  They are defined as follows:

DEXTERITY (DEX)
This represents the character's ability to move swiftly. This is
especially important in combat, where it  determines how often a
character may strike, how accurate his blows are, and how agile he is
at avoiding the blows of his opponents.

ENDURANCE (END)
Endurance represents how much punishment a character may take. A
character with a high endurance (such as a wizard) can endure a lot of
injury; characters with low endurance scores (such as hobbits) will
fall after taking very little punishment.

LIFE POINTS (LIFE)
Life points represent the current injury level of a character.  A
character's maximum life points is equal to his endurance. A character
who falls below six life points in combat is unconscious, and may die.
A character who falls to zero life points is dead. Characters who die
in "The Lord Of The Rings, Volume One" cannot be resurrected, at least
not by any spell available to the player.

STRENGTH (STR)
Strength represents the capability of a character to lift heavy
objects. Strength also adds to the damage a character does with a
weapon in combat; a character with high strength does a lot of damage
with a weapon. Strength helps slightly in striking a character by
knocking a parry or a shield aside.

LUCK (LUCK)
Luck represents, well...it is sometimes said that it's better to be
lucky than good. Luck represents an unseen attribute, one's ability to
get good breaks in life. A character with a high luck value is harder
to hit in a combat situation than a character with a low luck score.
Hobbits are lucky characters.

WILLPOWER (WILL)
Willpower represents mental toughness and determination. It also
represents the ability not to be affected by objects of evil power,
such as the Ring. Hobbits have a very high willpower score.

INCREASING CHARACTERISTICS
Characteristics are increased through the acquisition of experience,
especially experience with the major powers of Middle Earth.
Characteristics increase when the characters complete quests, or come
in contact with certain items that give increased strength, luck, etc.
Increases in characteristics occur automatically. A character is not
just shaped by his personal attributes; often what counts is what he
can do with them.

SKILLS in "The Lord Of The Rings, Volume One" can be divided into
three categories: Active Skills, Combat Skills, and Lores. Active
Skills will only come into play if the player triggers the skills icon
and uses them. Combat skills give bonuses in battle. Lore skills give
the character extra information about a race or a culture. Both Combat
Skills and Lores will never need to be triggered by the skills icon.

ACTIVE SKILLS

BOATS: Characters with this skill can use boats with an expert's
skill, from small rafts to the huge swanships of the elves.

BRAVADO: This skill allows a character to sway the opinions of a large
number of people. When a crowd expresses disapproval or despair, a
show of bravado can encourage them. This skill is not useful in "Lord
of the Rings, Volume One" but will play a role in "The Two Towers" and
"The Return Of The King," the next two games in this series.

CHARISMA: This skill is similar to Bravado, but affects an in
dividual, rather than a group. A character who is unwilling to do
something may have their minds changed by charisma. A kind and gentle
word can often heal a hardened heart.

CLIMB: There are many steep hills and mountains in Middle Earth. Those
who use the climb skill may climb all but the steepest of these
slopes, and be able to guide those who travel with them over such
terrain. Climb is also useful in crawling down into holes and climbing
up out of them again.

DETECT TRAPS: The Dark Lord has built many fiendish devices over the
millennia, and those who are especially greedy love to protect their
wealth from thieves with deadly traps. When the Fellowship approaches
an item that might be trapped, using this skill will warn them of the
presence of these perils.

DEVICES: There are many machines in Middle-Earth. Some were built by
the Dark Lord.  Others were built by the dwarves.  Others were built
by the wizard Saruman. The devices skill allows a character to
understand a complex device and use it.

Devices is also the skill that allows a character to disarm traps.

HIDE: There are many foes in Middle-Earth, and sometimes discretion is
more appropriate than valor. Using the hide skill will sometimes hide
the player from the view of those who wish to harm him. It is rarely
useful to hide in the open.

JUMP: In the depths of Middle-Earth, one can often find great chasms.
Those who are skilled at jump can navigate these chasms, and guide the
rest of their party over them as well.

PERCEPTION: A sharp eye can solve many of the mysteries of Middle-
Earth. Use the perception skill to find hidden objects; clues will
usually be given, so in general it isn't always a good idea to use
this skill without knowing that something might be there.

PICKLOCKS: In Middle-Earth, people are not always trusting with their
valuables, and many keep them locked. Those with picklocks skills can
open all but the most sophisticated lock, or those that are magically defended.

READ: There are many languages in Middle-Earth (and even more dialects
and offshoots). A character with his skill is capable of reading
inscriptions and writings in many languages.

RIDING: This allows the character to control horses, even steeds as
great as the Mearas, the great horses of Rohan.

SNEAK: A character with this skill can instruct his party on how to
move silently and stealthily in dangerous places. If you see an orc
and he doesn't see you, it is usually a good idea to sneak past him.

COMBAT SKILLS

The ability to perform well in combat is very important. While
everyone can use weapons (provided they have enough strength to safely
use them), those who are skilled at using a weapon have an increased
chance to hit with them in combat. These combat skills are:

AXES: Those who possess this skill have an increased chance to hit an
opponent when armed with an axe. Many dwarves have this skill.

BOWS: Those who possess this skill have an increased chance to hit an
opponent when armed with a bow. Woodland elves are known to have this skill.

BRAWL: This represents unarmed combat. Those who know how to brawl
have a good chance to affect someone even without weapons.

DODGE: Characters with this skill get an additional defensive bonus in combat.

SWORDS: Those who possess this skill have an increased chance to hit
an opponent when armed with a sword. Most of the great warriors of
Middle-Earth have this skill.

LORES
There are also skills which are not actively used by the player, but
can give valuable information if the player possesses them. These
skills are known as lores.

Lore skills work when a character enters an area where his knowledge
is useful. A character with Numenorean lore, for instance, could enter
ruins which were built by the Numenoreans, he would then tell
something about the ruins to the rest of the party. This occurs
automatically; actively using a lore skill is never useful.

The lores available in "The Lord Of The Rings, Volume One" are:

Hobbit Lore
Elven Lore
Dwarf Lore
Orc Lore
Ranger Lore
Numenorean Lore
Wizard Lore
Dark Lore
These skills describe, respectively, being knowledgeable about
Hobbits, Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, Rangers, Numenoreans, Wizards, and the
Dark Lord.

ACQUIRING NEW SKILLS
There are two ways to acquire skills in "The Lord Of The Rings, Volume One":

(1) The most common way is to find a place where an expert can teach
people skills. Trigger the purchase icon, and a list of skills will
appear.  Then, just give the skill to the person you would like to learn it.

(2) There are certain places where characters will suddenly acquire a
skill, where (magically or otherwise) the character gains knowledge.
These places are very rare, and often the knowledge has its price ñ
you usually don't want to learn Dark Lore in this manner.  Check your
character's skills lists on occasion to determine whether any new
skills have been added to their inventory.

SPELLS

MAGIC IN MIDDLE-EARTH
Magic in Middle-Earth is very rare. Many of the inhabitants of Middle-
Earth have lived their entire lives  without seeing anyone cast a
spell. The rules of spellcasting magic are as follows:

Magic is divided into white and black magic. White Magic is used by
the Five Wizards of the White Council: Saruman, Gandalf, Radagast, and
two others who do not come into these tales. Various forms of white
magic are practiced by powerful elves (such as Galadriel and Elrond).
The children of Numenor occasionally employ ancient magic items. The
palantiri, the seeing stones of Elendil, are an example of magic items
used by humans (note: these items will not appear until the second
game in this series).

White magic exacts a price from the caster, in the form of lost life
points. Each spell will drain ld4 life points; when a caster's life
point total is reduced to a point where casting spells will cause
unconsciousness,  spells will fail to take affect. The list of spells
known to white magicians are given below.

White magic is cast with the blessing and approval of the Valar.
Wizards carry a staff, given to them by the Valar, as a symbol of
their authority.

Black magic, on the other hand, is evil magic derived from Melkor,
Lord of Darkness. While it is intended by the caster to enhance his
power, it actually corrupts his soul. Black magic is typically wielded
by the Ringwraiths and their apprentices, evil sorcerers.  Black magic
is typically wielded by humans, but Gandalf has hinted that orcs have
also cast spells and learned black magic.

In short, magic is weak, unreliable and dangerous. The wisest wizards
will only employ magic when it is an absolute necessity. Given that
advice, the most common spells in "The Lord Of The Rings, Volume
One" are:

WINTERCHILL
Description: This offensive spell creates an area of coldness around a
single target, a cold as bitter as the blizzards of Redhorn Pass. This
spell is rarely used by white magicians, as the cold of Northern
winters has ever been the domain of the Dark Lord.

FIREFINGER
Description: This offensive spell creates a jet of searing white
flame. This flame is enough to singe the whiskers of a warg or worse.
This spell is known to be used by Gan-dalf the Grey, on the rare
occasions that he uses magic openly.

VINECRUSH
Description: This offensive spell creates vines from stone or earth
that crush an opponent. This spell has also been known to restrain a
fleeing opponent, though using this spell in this manner is not always
guaranteed to succeed. Vinecrush is a favored spell of the wizard
Radagast the Brown.

COUNTERMAGIC
Description: There are many places in Middle-Earth which are
enchanted, under the influence of magical powers. Certain doors, for
example, may be held shut by magic. To dispel these enchantments, a
Countermagic spell is usually employed. Certain enchantments, however,
may be so powerful that the Countermagic spell is useless; do not
expect this to work in every case.

UNLOCK
Description: This spell will affect normal locks. It is considered to
be more reliable than using a Lockpicks skill, but there are some
locks in Middle-Earth, particularly those of dwarven manufacture, that
even an Unlock spell cannot open.

ILLUMINATE
Description: There are many dark places in Middle-Earth. An Illuminate
spell is the method most favored by wizards of dispelling the darkness
and bringing light to the blackest places of Middle-Earth.  This spell
will endure except when dispelled by powerful magic, or until one has
returned to the surface.

ANIMALSPEAK
Description: There are many birds and beasts in Middle-Earth,  and
sometimes valuable information and counsel can be gained from them. To
speak with animals, an Animalspeak spell will often allow a long and
profitable discourse.

KINGSHAND
Description: The hands of the King are the hands of a healer, or so it
is said in Gondor. This spell will heal some of the damage done
against the entire Fellowship, allowing them to regain their strength
and vigor.

ACQUIRING NEW SPELLS
As spells are the domain of wizards, one can only learn new spells
from a wizard or something of greater power than a wizard (i.e.. the
Valar, or Sauron). Because of this, it is all but impossible to learn
new spells.

WORDS OF POWER
Magic spells, both white and black, may only be cast by trained
magicians. However, there is another type of magic that may be used by
anyone with the knowledge ñ Words of Power. Words of power are used to
invoke the great powers of Middle-earth. If a person were sailing in
the middle of a great storm, and their ship was about to sink, using
the word of power !Ulmo might cause the Vala of the Seas (Ulmo) to
appear and save his ship from destruction.

Words of power always begin with a ‘!’ as the use of a word of power
is considered a recognition of the greatness of the invoked power.
Words of power in "The Lord Of The Rings, Volume One" include:

!ELBERETH
!LUTHIEN
!ANGMAR
!OROME
!DURIN
!MELIAN
!HELPHELP

Using these words of power at a certain time and place will be of
great benefit. Using them at the wrong time or place achieves nothing.
Unlike spells, once a word of power is successfully used, it will
disappear from the spell inventory.

Words of power are learned automatically when the circumstances are
right. The leader, or possibly all of the fellowship, will learn the
word and have it added to their magic. Select your characters' magic
icons now and then ñ you may be surprised by what they have learned!

All characters in the beginning part of the game who might belong to
the Fellowship will begin with !HELPHELP. This all-purpose word is
useful in times of great trouble, but it is up to the player to
discover what circumstances require the use of this word.

INTERFACE
"The Lord Of The Rings, Volume One" uses a full screen display with a
"hidden" interface, or icon window. To trigger the interface, either
press the Space Bar or click on the right mouse button. This will
bring up the icon window at the bottom of the screen. This will bring
up the following icons:

I ) ATTACK ICON: This icon is depicted as a sword. Click on the sword
during any combat situation, and the character will be able to attack
an enemy with whatever weapon is equipped.

2) VIEW ICON: This icon is depicted as a scroll. This will give the
statistics for any character whose picture is currently displayed on
screen. This also gives the listing for the amount of money, in silver
pieces, possessed by the enire party.

3) GET ICON: This icon is depicted as a hand picking up a ball. It
serves three functions: I ) to grab treasure that the player may find
during the course of the game, 2) to purchase items from merchants,
and 3) to learn skills from someone willing to teach them.

4) USE ICON: This depicted as a hand dropping a ball. It allows the
character to use items, trade items, or discard items. The use item
command also allows the player to view the character's inventory.

5) SKILL ICON:  This icon is depicted as a scholar's cap.  During
some situations, a character will  need to perform skills (picking a
lock, climbing a cliff, etc.) The skill icon will give the player
access to his character's skills.  This icon defaults to the skills of
the leader; to access other character's skil., the Character Selection
icon and select the character. Each character has different skills, so
your party will have
to work as a team.

6) MAGIC ICON: This icon is depicted as a magic wand. It will allow a
player to cast spells, including  Lords of power. If a character has
no words of powers or spells, this icon will not activate.

7) TALK ICON: This icon is depicted as a word balloon. It allows the
player to talk with some of the creatures that he meets on screen.
Clicking on this button produces the following sub-directory:

a) RECRUIT: This allows you to ask creatures or characters to join your party.

b) DISMISS: There is a maximum of ten characters that may join the
Fellowship at any time. If you wish to make room for new characters,
use Dismiss to remove them.

c) TALK: You will meet many characters in Middle-Earth with which to
converse. Use Talk to get an initial message. Use Question, which
comes up on the subdirectory, to talk with them about specific
subject. (Example: To learn more about what is going on in the Shire,
type NEWS when you meet hobbits.) Sometimes the initial Talk message
offers clues as to the subjects which a character may be questioned
about.

8) LEADER ICON: This icon is depicted as a human pyramid. The leader
will often take the brunt of the  action in Lord Of The Rings Volume
One and many encounters will use the leader's abilities to determine
the outcome. Use the human pyramid to choose a new leader when it
seems appropriate.

9) CHARACTER SELECTION ICON: This icon is depicted as two people
facing away from each other. In order to access the skills and
statistics of the other members of your party, use this icon. You will
be shown a menu with with the names of all of the members of the
party; point and click to the member you wish to select. Then, use the
Skills icon, the Stats icon or the Spells icon to trigger the
appropriate effect.

10) EXIT ICON: As it says. Returns you to Map Movement.

COMBAT
Combat in "Lord of the Rings" is determined on screen. When a hostile
enemy appears, the characters have two options: attack, or run away.
To attack, move your icon close to the enemy and press the attack
icon, or press the attack icon if you're firing with a ranged weapon
such as a bow. To run away, simply move your charac ter off the
screen. It should be noted that in some encounters, your characters
will not be  allowed to leave the screen (Ringwraiths will hunt down
your characters in most combat situations).

Characters have access to a full range of their abilities in combat.
They may use and trade items, they may cast spells and use words of
power, and even employ skills.

Characters with a high dexterity score get to move first in combat.
Those with very high dexterity scores will often have multiple chances
to hit in combat against slower creatures (such as trolls).

In combat, a character will take damage to his life point total. If
his life points drops between one and five points, he will be rendered
unconscious. His life points will drop during combat; eventually, the
character will die unless the combat is ended. Once a combat ends, an
unconscious character will regain  consciousness with a total of six
life points. Unconscious characters abandoned in combat (by running
away) will die.

See also Weapons in the items section.

WEAPONS EFFECT CHART
Weapon     Damage  To Hit Bonus  STR Min
DAGGER     ld6     GOOD          0
SWORD      ld8     GOOD          16
STAFF      ld6     GOOD          7
AXE        ldl0    NORMAL        20
CLUB       ld6     NORMAL        8
BOW        ld8     NORMAL        7
TORCH      ld6     MORMAL        0

ITEMS

WEAPONS AND ARMOR
Middle-earth is a dangerous place, and there are many foes that can
only be overcome with use of arms. The chart on the next page lists
the weapons that may be used by the members of the Fellowship.

Explanation of Terms:

Damage: This is the amount of injury, against a character's life
points, of the damage done by a particular weapon.

To Hit: Some weapons are easier to wield and more accurate in combat
than others. Swords, daggers, and staves are all more effective at
hitting an opponent than other weapons.

STR Min: Some weapons are harder to use than others. Unless a
character has enough strength to match the strength minimum of a
weapon, they will be unable to equip it. Thus, hobbits, with a low
average strength, are not capable of using a sword in combat.

Dagger: A short blade, the size of a large knife, and sturdier. The
preferred weapons of hobbits in close combat.

Sword: A long blade, used for millenia by Elves and Men of Middle-earth.

Staff: A long, thick wooden stick A staff is used by wizards, though
Gandalf prefers his magic sword Glamdring. The staff of a wizard also
has other special properties which will be discussed later in the game.

Axe: A preferred weapon of dwarves. Axes are not as precise as a
sword, but will inflict heavy damage.

Club: A thick piece of wood, often used by ruffians and trolls.

Bow: The favored weapon of wood elves, bows fire arrows over long
distances. For game purposes, it is usually easy to recover arrows
after combat- thus it is not necessary to keep track of the precise
number of arrows that are used.

Torch: Primarily used as a light source in dark places, torches are
also quite useful as weapons when one does not have anything else.

Magic weapons such as Anduril, Sting, and other weapons that will be
encountered in the game have higher damage and "to hit" ratings than
other weapons.

When one is involved in combat, it is usually a good idea to be
wearing armor. There are four types of armor that the Fellowship
members have access to in this game. Armor reduces the amount of
damage that  is taken from an enemy's blow; however, heavy armor
affects a character's mobility, making it easier for an opponent to hit him.

Shields do not block damage but can improve the ability of a
Fellowship member to defend himself by making him harder to hit. Below
is the Armor Effects Chart.

Explanation of Terms:

Damage Reduced: This is the number of life points which will be
subtracted from a damage roll by armor. Thus a character who is
wearing mithril armor (which absorbs five points of damage) who is hit
for nine points of damage by a blow, will only suffer (9-5) four life
points of damage.

ARMOR EFFECTS CHART
ARMOR   DAMAGE REDUCED  EFFECT ON DEFENSE
CLOTH   1               None
LEATHER 2               Slightly impairing
CHAIN   3               Impairing
MITHRIL 5               None

Effect on Defense: This explains how the armor affects the character's
defensive adjustment. Leather armor reduces the defensive adjustment
slightly, while chain mail affects it considerably, but provides
better protection.

Cloth: This armor type is simply very heavy cloth, which absorbs a
small amount of damage from a blow.

Leather: This armor type is thick leather, worn as a jerkin, to absorb
damage from a blow.

Chain: This armor is a mail suit, finely wrought pieces of chain, with
a cloth backing to pad the skin.  This provides very good protection,
but also hinders movement in combat.

Mithril: This is the finest dwarven armor, as light as it is sturdy.
It is made from mithril, a metal ore that can be found in only one place
in Middle-earth: the dwarven mines of Moria.

ACQUIRING WEAPONS
Weapons and armor are sold in only a handful of places in Middle-
Earth; while Shire hobbits know how to use weapons (bows in
particular), they do not sell or give away weapons. In general, the
easiest way to get weapons is to find them in treasure hoards.

MAGICAL ITEMS
There are many magical items in Middle-earth; however, their exact
powers and locations remain a mystery. Here are a few items that are
known to exist, and the powers they are known to possess.

THE ONE RING
The One Ring of Sauron the Terrible, currently held by the hobbit
Frodo Baggins. The Ring has theability to render anyone who wears it
invisible, and to preserve their  life...though, as Gandalf has said,
this is really an Unlife, where one eventually becomes a wraith and
falls under the command of the Lord of the Rings, Sauron.

The Ring drains the Will of anyone who uses it, and when one's will
has become reduced to Zero, they are effectively dead. Using the Ring
will drain Will, and the longer the Ringbearer wears it, the lower the
Will score becomes.

The Ring is known to have a mind of its own and will often play tricks
on the Ringbearer, trying to escape and come back to its Master, the
Dark Lord.

The Ring is a burden on anyone who uses it, and only creatures with an
extremely strong will should handle the Ring. For this reason alone,
it is recommended that the Fellowship include a full complement of
hobbits, who have a very strong will.

WIZARD'S STAFF
The staff of a wizard is a symbol of their authority from the Valar to
wield white magic. In extreme emergencies, a wizard can call upon the
full power of his staff, which usually shatters it. Wizard's m staves
are possessed by the wizards Gandalf, Radagast, and Saruman.

GLAMDRING
This is the magical sword of Gandalf, which he took from a troll's hoard.

NARSIL/ANDURIL
This sword was used by Isildur to cut the Ring from Sauron's finger
during the last battle of the Second Age of Middle-earth. Narsil was
broken into several pieces; in this game, one of the quests is to find
the pieces of Narsil and have them reforged at Rivendell, which will
result in the creation of Aragorn's
sword Anduril.

STING
This powerful magic dagger was used by Bilbo Baggins during his quest
with the dwarves and was taken by him to Rivendell.

LESSER RINGS
During the second age of Middle-earth, Sauron and Celebrimbor
fashioned many Rings of Power. The greater Rings of Middle-earth have
been given away or destroyed; however, there were numerous lesser
Rings of Power. There may still be numerous lesser Rings, which may
aid the Fellow ship in its Quest to destroy the One Ring.

OTHER ITEMS

FOOD
Adventure is important, but to hobbits (and the other denizens of
Middle-earth) food is a necessity.

The major game effect of food is that it restores lost life points.
Food will help heal a character, but is only effective at healing once
perday. Different types of food have different effects; rations have
only a minor curative effect, but lembas, the waybread of the elves of
Lothlorien, is very good at promoting healing. Here is a list of some
of the foods of Middle-earth and their effect on a character's life points.

Food Restore  Life/Day
Rations       2
Red Beans     2
Mushrooms     3
Hot Food      3
Dwarfwort     4
Lembas        6

MIRUVOR
This is also known as the cordial of Imladris; this elixir is proof
against the cold storms of mountain passes, and will reduce the effect
of the cold on members of the Fellowship. It is only given by Elrond.

ATHELAS
Known in Gondor as Kingsfoil, this herb is a powerful curative. It is
useful in the hands of a healer or someone skilled in Herb Lore. This
herb is said to be especially effective in the hands of the rightful
King of Gondor.

WIZARDLY ADVICE
Here are some hints to help the player succeed at Lord Of The Rings.

I ) Pay special attention to your conversations with NPCs. Even a
seemingly meaningless statement may eventually have some importance.
Take copious notes.

2) Make certain that your party always has at least one torch.
Illumination in underground areas is critical!

3) The Shire is a place to practice your skills. Exploring it
thoroughly before you leave is beneficial. However, if you receive a
hint that Black Riders are nearby, get away from there!

4) Keep hobbits out of combat if at all possible, at least until they
have armor or magic weapons. However, hobbits are useful and important
to the overall course of the game. Don't drop hobbits out of the
Fellowship just because they aren't as good in combat as the other characters.

5) Don't necessarily avoid areas because someone tells you that they
are dangerous.

6) "The Lord Of The Rings, Volume One" has a number of plot twists
that cannot be avoided. Don't be too anxious to restart the game if
something that seems disasterous happens.

WHAT HAS GONE BEFORE...
In a hole in the ground lived a hobbit. That hobbit's name was Bilbo
Baggins, and, quite unexpectedly, he was taken off on an adventure by
a wizard named Gandalf and thirteen dwarves. The dwarves wished to
regain their home, which they had lost long ago to a dragon named
Smaug. Since dwarves are not very stealthy (and hobbits are), Bilbo
was hired to act as a Burglar, to sneak and scout in Smaug's lair.

Eventually, Bilbo came back from this adventure quite rich and happy.
He also came back with a  magic ring that could make him invisible,
which he had won in a contest of riddles with a creature named Gollum.
Gollum was not happy to lose his ring, (his Precious, he called it)
and swore an oath: "Baggins! We hates it forever!"

On his 111th birthday, Bilbo had grown tired of life in the Shire (the
land of hobbits) and decided to leave and retire with his friends, the
elves of Rivendell. Bilbo gave his magic ring to his nephew Frodo.
Bilbo had become very attached to his ring, and found himself
surprisingly hesitant to give it away, but with Gandalf 's help he
left it behind.

Bilbo's reluctance to give away the ring made Gandalf very worried.
Gandalf travelled through many lands to discover what the ring truly
was. He found his answer. The ring was the One Ring, forged by the
Dark Lord Sauron as an instrument of evil magical power. He who
possessed the Ring had the ability to conquer the world. But the Ring
also corrupted anyone who used it. Gandalf also learned that the Dark
Lord had captured Gollum and knew that the Ring was held by a hobbit
named Baggins. Gandalf retumed to the Shire and told the young hobbit
Frodo of what he had found.

They decided that Frodo was to go to Rivendell, the home of the elves,
and there they would decide what to do with the Ring.  On Frodo's
birthday (at the latest) Gandalf would come to escort him to Rivendell
personally. Frodo would pretend to move in with his family in the
eastern part of the Shire, and then quietly travel to Rivendell. If
Gandalf couldn't make it, then he was to go by himself. Gandalf
advised him to do two things: use the name "Underhill" (since the Dark
Lord would be searching for "Baggins") and to take with him friends
that he trusted.

Frodo did as Gandalf said, selling his home, Bag End, to his odious
cousin Lobelia SackvilleBaggins, and waited for Gandalf to arrive on
his birthday.  But Gandalf did not come. Now Frodo will have to make a
very dangerous journey, with only his wits to protect him from the
greatest evils of Middle-Earth.

THE SHIRE
The Shire is, in the opinion of most respectable beings, the most
civilized place in Middle-earth. Here hobbits live in peace and
productive prosperity, away from the wars that plague the otherwise
great human nations of the South. In the Shire, no hobbit has
intentionally killed another hobbit in living memory.

Like much of Middle-Earth, the Shire is a green, pleasant land, with
rolling hills, woods, fields, and little rivers. Small towns dot the
landscape. Some hobbits live in houses; many others live in holes ñ
snug comfortable hobbit holes. While one sees the occasional dwarf in
the Shire (and, on very rare occasions, elves) the Shire is almost
exclusively the domain of hobbits. Hobbit life is chiefly concerned
with day-to-day matters.

Hobbits prefer to talk about life in the Shire; this is indeed an
interesting pastime and asking a hobbit for news can reveal an
astonishing amount of gossip. However, as hobbits occasionally have
difficulty separating facts from fantasy, everything they tell you
cannot be considered to be absolutely reliable. Good hobbit-sense will
usually reveal where the truth is.  In this game, the Shire can be
divided into two parts: west of the River Brandywine is Hobbiton and
Bywater, the two largest communities of hobbits in Middle-Earth. East
of Bran-dywine is Buckland, home of the Brandybucks. The hobbits of
Hobbiton believe that Buckland hobbits are slightly odd, and sometimes
unbelievable rumors will be spread about them. The hobbits of Buckland
believe that Hobbiton hobbits are slightly odd, and strange rumors
about Hobbiton hobbits will be heard there. This is considered to be
perfectly normal for the Shire, and no real malice is intended.

PROMINENT PERSONALITIES
FRODO BAGGINS: The nephew of Bilbo Baggins, Frodo's parents drowned in
a boating accident and  Frodo was adopted by his uncle.  Frodo
inherited Bag End following his uncle's mysterious and scandalous
disappearance during his eleventy-first birthday party. Frodo soon
became respected in spite of his association with dwarves, elves, and
the wizard Gandalf, considered by most hobbits to be of dubious
character. Frodo is a gentle, peace-loving hobbit and a good neighbour.

SAMWISE GAMGEE: The son of old Gaffer Gamgee, Samwise (better known as
Sam) is Frodo's closest friend. Samwise works in the gardens of Bag
Row, and is known as one of the sturdiest hobbits in Hobbiton, as well
as an exceptional gardener. The only flaw in Sam's character is his
love for Frodo's tales (passed down through Frodo's irresponsible
uncle Bilbo) of elves, dwarves, and wizards.

PEREGRIN TOOK: Peregrin (almost always known as Pippin) is the oldest
son of Paladin Took, the Thane of the Shire. Pippin is a jolly hobbit
who makes a good friend, but is rather immature and irresponsible.

MERIADOC BRANDYBUCK: Meriadoc (almost always known as Merry) is the
only son of Saradoc Brandybuck, the Master of Buckland. Merry is a
childhood friend of Frodo Baggins, his cousin, and he and his friend
Pippin are virtually inseparable. Unlike Pippin, Merry is a smart and
responsible young hobbit.

GAFFER GAMGEE: Old Gaffer Gamgee is the father of Samwise Gamgee, and
was the Bilbo Baggins' gardener for many years. He is slightly hard of
hearing these days, but is still fiesty and a fierce defender of his old employers
Bilbo and Frodo in Hobbiton's many fierce tavern discussions.

LOBELIA SACKVILLE-BAG-GINS: The nemesis of Bilbo Baggins and his
nephew Frodo; Lobelia is a very ambitious and snobbish hobbit from the
south of the Shire. Lobelia's (now deceased) husband Otho was Bilbo's
closest relative and would have inherited Bag End, except for Bilbo's
adoption of Frodo. Lobelia has held a major grudge against Frodo ever
since Bilbo returned from his adventure with the dwarves (when she and
Otho were about to purchase the long-desired Bag End at an auction);
at the beginning of this game, Lobelia finally purchased Bag End from
Frodo, news which has shocked most of the hobbits in the Shire.
Lobelia is cantankerous and overly fond of status and protocol, and
has absolutely no sense of humor.

LOTHO SACKVILLE-BAG-GINS: Often referred to as "Lotho Pimple," Lotho
is an obnoxious young hobbit who was spoiled rotten by his mother
Lobelia. Lotho believes that the Shire needs to see changes, big
changes, and he's going to be Boss while these changes occur.

TED SANDYMAN: A rather unpleasant young hobbit who is especially
disliked by Sam Gamgee. Ted runs the Hobbiton Mill and is a cohort of
Lotho Pimple in his ideas to change the Shire, as he loves big, noisy,
smoke-producing gadgets that no sensible hobbit would want anywhere
near them.

ROSE COTTON: Daughter of the poor but respected Farmer Cotton, this
kindly and humble hobbit girl is a special friend of Sam Gamgee.

WILL WHITFOOT: This lovable, friendly old hobbit is the Mayor of
Hobbiton. He tries to get along with everyone, even with people as
unpleasant as Lotho and Lobelia.

FARMER MAGGOT: This tough old farmer has a distinct dislike for trespassers.

SARADOC BRANDYBUCK: The current Master of Buckland, and Merry's
father. The Master of Buckland is a ceremonial title given to the head
of the prominent Brandybuck family. Master Saradoc also possesses the
only key to the Buckland Hedge Gate.

PROMINENT PLACES IN THE SHIRE
The following is a guide to the places listed on the Shire Map. It
should be noted that not every place in the Shire is included in this
guide, or on the map in the centerfold.

1. BAG END: The most comfortable hole in the Shire, this is the
residence of the prominent (if somewhat disreputable) Baggins family.
Within its corridors are said to be treasures that Bilbo Baggins
acquired during his quest with the dwarves.

2. GAFFER GAMGEE'S HOLE: The home of one of the stoutest citizens in
Hobbiton. Gaffer Gamgee can often be found in front of his hole,
waving a cheery hand and saying hello.

3. EAST WOODS RUINS: The East Woods are a dark and dangerous place, and no
sensible hobbit goes near them. The ruins were made by the King long ago, and have
been left alone by the hobbits. Who knows what dangers lurk in the East Woods?

4. THE MILL: This is where hobbits grind grain to make their bread.
The Mill is one of Hobbiton's favorite landmarks.

5. HOBBITON INN: The Hobbiton Inn is one of the Shire's favorite watering holes,
full of cheer and good company ñ and plenty of gossip, of course.

6. GREEN DRAGON TAVERN: This is another of the favorite places in the
Shire, a tavern whose ale is said to be unsurpassed in the Shire. This is also a good place
to find gossip.

7. GREAT ROAD GOODS: Jolly Proudfoot's store, which sells many supplies of high
quality. Anyone who goes on a journey should visit Great Road Goods first.

8. THE GRANGE: This farm is run by Farmer Grubb, a thoroughly respective hobbit.
Farmer Grubb is as sensible as a hobbit can get, though his son Freddi has been known to
get into trouble.

9. MATHOM STORE: When hobbits have birthdays, the custom in the Shire is to give
presents rather than receive them. The Mathom store has a wide selection of gifts, though
some of them may seem to be of limited versatility.

10. GREEN HILL COUNTRY: This is a pleasant land of rolling hills and trees, a place
where hobbits  sometimes have long leisurely walks. There are also strange ruins and the
occasional sighting of elves, both of which are ignored by sensible hobbits.

11. BUCKLAND BRIDGE: The River Brandywine is very wide, and there are
only two ways across it. By far the most popular crossing (especially
with hobbits that don't like boats) is the Buckland Bridge.

12. FARMER MAGGOT: One of the most sensible and knowledgeable hobbits
around, Farmer Maggot specializes in growing the best mushrooms in Middle-Earth. His
farm is often looted by hobbit children who find the temptation of his mushrooms
irresistable, though one has to beware of his attack dogs.

13. BUCKLAND FERRY: The second way to cross the River Brandywine; the
Buckland Ferry is for hobbits that are adventuresome enough to risk  travel by boat.
(Actually, the hobbits in Buckland like to ride in boats; this is one of the reasons why
hobbits in Hobbiton consider Bucklanders to be a little "odd.")

14. COTTON FARM: This is the home of Farmer Cotton and his daughter Rose.

15. BRANDY HALL: The largest home in Buckland, home of the prominent Brandybuck
family. Brandy Hall is governed by Saradoc Brandybuck, Meriadoc's father, and his no-
nonsense wife Esmerelda. Brandy Hall is considered to be too close to the Old Forest for
people's liking (see Outside The Shire).

16. BUCKLEBURY TAVERN: This is the most popular tavern in Buckland; strange
guests from outside the Shire (such as dwarves) who travel through Buckland can often be
found here.

17. HEDGE GATE: This is the private entrance of the Brandybucks into the Old Forest.

OUTSIDE THE SHIRE
1. THE OLD FOREST: This dark and dismal forest is greatly feared by
the hobbits of the Shire. Only the most adventuresome of Brandybucks
have been known to wander here, and few of them have ventured far from
the gate. While it is doubtful that the stories of goblins, wolves,
and evil wizards who lurk here are true, this is still an ominous
place whose trees hate those who walk beneath its boughs. More than
one hobbit who has entered here has never returned. The Brandybucks
are believed to be knowledgeable about the forest.

2. BARROW DOWNS: These hills have an even worse reputation than the
Old Forest. They are tombs of the old Kings, who are inhabited by evil
spirits known as barrow wights. No hobbit has ever been known to
survive an encounter with these creatures. Great wealth is said to be
buried in these tombs.

3. BREE: Bree is actually four villages combined: Archet is the north
village, Staddle is the southern village, while Bree and Combe have
grown into each other behind the protection of the Breewall. Bree is
the home of both hobbits and humans who share the community and live
in peace together, the only place in Middle-Earth where such an
arrangement exists. The community is also used by wandering men known
as Rangers, who are not trusted or liked by the people of Bree.
Recent years has seen an increase in bandit activity in and around Bree.

Bree is the only town between the Shire and Weathertop; it is an
excellent place to pick up supplies. Its people are suspicious but can
be extremely helpful when you have won their trust. Gandalf is known
to have friends here.

4. FORSAKEN INN: This Inn is the last tavern (or indeed the last
civillized place) until Rivendell. It is known for its comfortable
lodgings.

5. WEATHERTOP: This tall hill is the site of ancient ruins that were
built by human kings long ago. Weathertop (or Amon Sul, as it was
called in the old days) is a mountain which provides an ideal vantage
point for the road.

6. THE LAST BRIDGE: This is the only place where the River Hoarwell
can be crossed. It is also (unofficially) the entrance into the
Trollshaws, where some very nasty trolls live.

7. THE TROLLSHAWS: A land of hills, cliffs, and mysterious caverns,
this is also the home of stone trolls, some of the most dangerous
creatures in Middle-Earth.

8. THE FORD OF BRUINEN: This is the only way to cross the river
Bruinen, a rapid and dangerous river.

9. RIVENDELL: The home of Elrond and the Elves, the goal of the first
part of this game is to reach this place safely.

10. REDHORN PASS: A mountain pass infamous for its unfriendly clime
and frequent snowstorms. This is the southernmost pass of the Misty Mountains.

11. MORIA: Ancient mines built by the dwarves, located deep in the
heart of the Misty Mountains.

12. LORIEN: An elven stronghold, somewhere east of Redhorn Pass and
the mines of Moria.

13. MORDOR: The Black Land, the dwelling place of the Dark Lord
Sauron. Mordor will not be reached until the third game of the series;
the ultimate goal is to drop the One Ring of Sauron in the volcano in
which it was made, Mount Doom.

A HISTORY OF MIDDLE-EARTH
While not as important as the latest happenings of the Shire and great
historical events such as the Battle of Bywater, a close study of the
history of Middle-earth can be a rewarding pursuit for hobbits. The
history of Middle-Earth is extremely long and complex; a very short
condensed version from the Red Book follows:

THE FIRST AGE
In the beginning was Iluvatar, also known as Eru "The One." He created
all things from the thoughts of his mind. Desiring to create things
where there was noth-gness before, he created his servants, the Valar
and the Maiar, and brought them together in a great music which
contained the creation and the destiny of Middle-Earth.

These spirits descended to Middle-Earth to build the world, in
accordance to the music that Eru had devised, and also in accordance
with their own creativity. But there was one among the Valar, the
greatest of spirits, Morgoth, who sought to impose his own thoughts on
Middle-Earth that were contrary to the will of Eru. Thoughts of
evil.Morgoth's evil was powerful, and he subverted many of the Maiar
to his cause, most notably spirits of flame and shadow called Balrogs
and Sauron the Deceiver.

In time, as Eru had planned, elves were born. The Valar, eager for
their companionship, invited them to their land of Valinor. And the
elves came, and learned from the Valar. Of these elves, the greatest
was Feanor who created the Silmarils, three jewels of light that
captured and preserved the living radiance of the Two Trees of Valinor.

Morgoth, who hated the friendship of the Valar and the elves, plotted
to destroy it. He slew Finwe (the father of Feanor), stole the
Silmarils, and poisoned the Two Trees. Feanor swore to lead the elves
on a crusade to destroy Morgoth, but the Valar forbade this. Feanor
defied the Valar and many elves followed him. They came to Morgoth's
northern fortress of Angband, and a long, bloody, and doomed war ensued.

The War of the Silmarils lasted nearly five hundred years, and
contained many deeds of heroism and tragedy. At this time, humans
joined the elves in the war of Middle-Earth, and the names of men
often stand beside those of the greatest elven heroes: Beren and
Luthien, who cut a Silmaril from the Iron Crown of Morgoth. Hurin and his
son Turin, both cursed by Morgoth, who committed both deeds of valor
and atrocities because of the curse. The seven sons of Feanor, whose oath to
recover the jewels of his slain father led to the slaughter of elves by elves. The fall
of Gondolin, where some of the greatest deeds of heroism occurred. But
in the end, Morgoth defeated the elves, mocking their efforts to destroy him.

However, his triumph was shortlived. Earendil the Mariner fled Middle-
Earth and sailed through great perils to the land of the Valar and
pleaded pity for the humans tormented by Morgoth and mercy for the
elves that had defied the Valar. Then the Valar mustered their host,
and waged war against Morgoth, and threw him down.  Angband was
destroyed, as was much of the west of Middle-Earth. The Balrogs were
slain, save for a  few that hid themselves in the depths of the earth.
Morgoth was shackled by the Valar until the Last Day, at which time he
will be judged. Of his great servants, only Sauron survived, and even
he hid for many years.

THE SECOND AGE
The First Age ended with the fall of Angband and the destruction of
the Western portion of Middle-earth, Beleriand. The Valar invited the
elves to return to Valinor, and most returned. Of all those who had
led the rebellion against the Valar's wishes, only Galadriel, the
wisest of the elves, remained alive; she chose to stay in Middle-
Earth. The High King of the Elves was Gilgalad, grandson of Fingolfin,
Feanor's brother. The only survivor of Feanor's house was Celebrimbor
the smith, grandson of Feanor, who  dwelt in Eregion near the dwarven
mines of Moria.

The sons of Earendil, Elrond and Elros, were given a choice by the
Valar. Elrond chose to be counted as an elf, and was given elven
immortality. Elros chose to be a man; he and those humans who had
fought with the Valar against the forces of Morgoth were given a great
continent to rule in the midst of the Western Sea; the continent was
called Numenor. These men, the Numenoreans, lived long, prosperous
lives, and with the friendship of the elves and the gifts of the
Valar, built the greatest empire that the world has ever known. The
Valar placed only one restriction on the Numenoreans:  they were not
allowed to approach Valinor, or sail into the west out of sight of
their western shores. This restriction was known as the Ban of the Valar.

In the middle of the Second Age, Sauron came to Eregion in disguise,
and won the friendship of Celebrimbor. During this time, they
collaborated, and created Rings of Power, designed to preserve and
sustain Middle-Earth. Three Rings were given to the elven lords,
Celebrimbor, Galadriel, and Elrond. Seven were given to the dwarven
lords in their halls of stone. Nine were given to the greatest of the
Numenorean Princes who dwelt in Middle-Earth. Then Sauron betrayed
Celebrimbor, and created the One Ring. The Wearer of the One Ring
would receive many powers: to walk unseen amidst men, to become
ageless and immortal, and most important of all, to dominate all who
wore the Lesser Rings.

When Sauron placed the One Ring on his finger, the elves became aware
of what Sauron truly was, and removed their own Rings. There was war
between Sauron and the elves, and it would have been likely that the
elves would have been defeated utterly, except for the intervention of
Numenor. Then Sauron, bitter in defeat, vowed revenge against Numenor,
and retreated into his fortress of Mordor. He became a tyrant who
oppressed much of the East, but he did not make war against the elves
(who lived in the west of Middle-earth) again for many centuries.

Numenor began to colonize Middle-Earth, and where the Numenoreans
built their great towers, Sauron retreated. However, as the centuries
passed the Numenoreans themselves became discontent, and the Ban of
the Valar troubled them greatly.

The kings of Numenor broke their friendship with the elves and became
tyrants. Only a small portion of the people of Numenor kept true to
the old ways; these were known as the Faithful.

Finally, Ar-Pharazon the Golden, the greatest king of Numenor, heard
that Sauron was mustering his forces to attack the Numenorean bases in
Middle-Earth and drive Numenor into the sea. Angered, Ar-Pharazon
mustered the might of Numenor into a massive army, sailed to Middle-
Earth and marched on Sauron's Dark Tower, the Barad-dur, in the heart
of Mordor. He demanded that Sauron come forth from the tower and
declare himself his vassal.

And Sauron came.

Even at the zenith of Sauron's power, even with the One Ring, Sauron
knew that he was not a match for the power of Numenor. He abased
himself before ArPharazon, and swore allegiance. ArPharazon was not
deceived by Sauron, but brought Sauron to Numenor.

This was a major mistake. For Sauron took the already corrupt
Numenoreans and led them into utter darkness. He told that whoever
possessed the land of the Valar would have immortality. ArPharazon,
who was feeling the effects of his age and feared death, believed
Sauron. He mustered the greatest fleet that was ever built to attack
Valinor and seize immortality. The Valar responded by destroying the
fleet and burying the great continent of Numenor forever under the sea.

From Numenor came seven ships filled with those Faithful to the Valar,
led by Elendil and his sons Isildur and Anarion. With them came a
sapling of the White Tree, the symbol of the eternal friendship
between Numenor and the Valar. They established great human kingdoms
in the North and South of Middle-Earth, named (respectively) Arnor and
Gondor.  However Sauron also survived the downfall of Numenor, and
waged war against the Faithful and the  elves, who thought Sauron to
be dead. In response to Sauron's attacks, the Faithful and the elves
formed the Last Alliance of Elves and Men, and a final battle was
fought at the gates of the Dark Tower. Gil-galad the High King was
slain, and Elendil and Anarion were killed, but in the end Prince
Isildur cut the One Ring from Sauron's finger, and the Dark Lord's
spirit fled his body. Thus ended the Second Age of Middle-earth.

THE THIRD AGE
During this Age, the power of elves and dwarves diminished; for it is
said that the destiny of the world is now in the hands of humanity.

Sauron was slain by Isildur, but could not be permanently destroyed
while the One Ring existed. Elrond counselled that Isildur throw the
Ring into Mount Doom and the fires in which it was made. Isildur
proudly refused, saying that it was to become a trophy for his House,
taken to avenge his father's death.

Soon after this, Isildur was slain by an ambush of orcs as he crossed
the Great River. His son inherited the kingdom of Arnor, but there
were too few people to hold it together. Eventually, Arnor split into
three kingdoms: Arthedain, Cardolan, and Rhudaur. Soon afterwards, a
terrible enemy emerged:  the Witch-King of Angmar.

The Witch-King was in fact the greatest of the Ringwraiths, those
human princes who had been ensnared by the Nine Rings. He waged
constant war against the three kingdoms of Arnor, and corrupted
Rhudaur to his service.  Eventually, he destroyed the kingdoms of the
sons of Arnor, but forces from the south led by the Prince of Gondor
came soon afterward to destroy Angmar, and the Witch-King fled into
hiding. The descendents of the kings of Arnor were too few to govern a
kingdom; for long years none save the elven lords knew their fate.

In the South, Gondor grew into a great power, at its height recalling
the glory days of Numenor. But it  went into decline. Earnur, the last
king of Gondor, was slain by the Witch-King ages ago, and the stewards
of Gondor took control of the affairs of Gondor "until the king returns."

Sometime at the height of the Age a Shadow fell upon Mirkwood, and an
evil presence made its home in Dol Guldur, the Hill of Dark Sorcery.
At this time five aged wizards appeared, who offered aid and counsel
to those who would listen.  The greatest in power and knowledge was
Saruman the White; the wisest and most compassionate was Gandalf the
Grey; and closest in tune with the forces of nature was Radagast the
Brown. Of the other wizards, no tale speaks.  They struggled to
discover the nature of the Dark Power of Dol Guldur; Gandalf crept
into its vast chambers and discovered that Sauron had returned. They
allied with the elves to drive Sauron from Dol Guldur, but Sauron
simply returned to his old fortress in Mordor and raised the Dark
Tower once again. Armies of orcs continuously fought against the
forces of Gondor, as Sauron wore down the armies of his ancient enemy.
And most of all, Sauron sought to discover the hiding place of the One Ring

The One Ring was not discovered by Sauron. Instead, it was found by
one of the hobbits who lived near the great river, a hobbit named
Deagol. Deagol showed it to his friend, Smeagol, who murdered Deagol
and took the Ring as his own. Eventually Smeagol's people drove out
the malicious creature, and it fled into a cave in the Misty Mountains, where it
kept the Ring, its "Precious," for many years.  Smeagol became known as “Gollum" for
the swallowing noise that he constantly made.

The Third Age was an era of great tragedies for the dwarves of Middle-
Earth. The greatest dwarven fortresses of Middle-Earth were the mines
of Moria, which the dwarves named "Khazad-dum." A monstrous terror was
accidently stirred from slumber by dwarven miners, and the dwarves
were expelled from the mines. Some fled to the North, and made new
mines in the Lonely Mountain, Erebor. But Smaug, the greatest dragon of the
Third Age, pillaged the Lonely Mountain and took its treasures for his own.

The dwarves fled; they returned to Moria, which was found to be full
of orcs. The orcs murdered the King of the dwarves, and in retribution
there was a pitiless battle, Azanulbizar, where many dwarves and orcs
were slain. The dwarves won the battle but did not re-enter Moria for
fear of the evil that had been awakened, which they named Durin's
Bane. Yet Moria was the greatest of their mines, and they did not forget that.

At this time, Thorin Oakenshield, the proudest dwarf prince, met with
the wizard Gandalf the Grey. They both sought ways to destroy Smaug;
now they joined forces. But the dwarves were not stealthy creatures,
and they needed stealth to succeed against a dragon. So they recruited
a rather reluctant adventurer, the most famous Burglar in history, a
hobbit named Bilbo Baggins.

The quest to slay Smaug was a success, but during this adventure an
even greater event occurred: Bilbo encountered Gollum, the wretched
creature that had taken the One Ring, and won the Ring in a contest of
riddles. Gollum swore vengeance against ìBaggins," and left his
mountains to pursue him. Eventually, Gollum was captured by the Dark
Lord, who learned that "Baggins" had his Ring.

These are desperate times. In his Dark Tower, Sauron broods and plots,
focusing on three objectives. First, he intends to conquer Gondor, the
last remaining kingdom of his ancient human enemies. Second, he
intends to destroy the last remnant of the elves of Middle-earth.
Third, he intends to recover the One Ring. Once he has the One Ring on
his hand, nothing will stop him.

A BESTIARY OF MIDDLE-EARTH CREATURES
There are many dangerous creatures in Middle-Earth, though anyone with
good hobbit sense will know well enough to avoid them, here is a guide
for those accursed with an adventurous streak who might meet them:

FOES

SAURON: The Dark Lord of Middle-Earth is Sauron. In his origin he was
one of the Maia whom Morgoth corrupted to his service. During the
First Age of Middle-earth, he was Morgoth's lieutenant, and the
greatest of his servants. After the fall of Morgoth, he took up his
master's former role as the Dark Lord. Sauron is known to be a
terrifyingly powerful sorcerer, a master of deceit, and a tyrant whose
ambitions are boundless.  The state of his physical form is unknown; he is usually
symbolized as a lidless red Eye. Sauron is the current incarnation of
Evil in Middle-Earth today.

RINGWRAITHS: Also known as the Nazgul or the Nine or by a dozen other
dreadful names. These are Sauron's most powerful servants, great
humans of Numenorean stock who were enslaved by the Nine Rings that
Sauron gave to them. The Ringwraiths may be slain, but usually they
will abandon their forms at the instant of death and flee as shadows
back to Mordor to take new shapes. The mightiest of the Ringwraiths is
the Witch-King, formerly the ruler of Angmar. It has been prophesized
that "not by the hand of man shall he fall."

ORCS: Also known as goblins, these foul creatures were created by
Morgoth in the Great Darkness during the First Age of Middle-earth.
Through dark sorcery, the Great Enemy corrupted elves and transformed
them into these brutish slaves. Orcs delight only in watching things
suffer and die; these soulless creatures bear special malice to elves
and dwarves, against whom they have fought many battles. There are
three levels of command in the hierarchy of orcs: there are the
commanders (the uruk-hai), normal orcs, and the snagas, who are the slaves.

Orcs are tough in combat; not even the toughest human hero should take
a battle against uruk-hai lightly.

TROLLS: Of all of Sauron's servants, trolls have the greatest physical
might. These huge, massive figures may be the corrupted forms of tree
spirits, created by Morgoth in the Great Darkness. Trolls are normally
incapable of withstanding daylight, but recently Sauron has created a
new breed of troll, the olog-hai, that can withstand daylight

WOLVES: The wolves of our world are predators who feed on caribou and
do not attack humans. The wolves of Middle-Earth are not as gentle.
Normal wolves are noted for their fierceness, especially when hungry.
However, the largest wolves of Middle-Earth are the subject of much
more fearsome tales; during the First Age, Morgoth captured wolves and
filled them with cunning and malice, transforming them into wargs,
beasts of hatred. Wargs enjoy hunting and killing their prey, be they
hobbits, humans, or elves. Wargs often work with orcs, which has led
to the proverb "where the warg howls, there also the orc prowls." Orcs
have been known to ride wargs like horses into battle.

Middle-Earth is also known to be the home of werewolves, wolves that
can vary their form between human and wolf. Such creatures are quite
rare, but should be guarded against; during the First Age, Sauron was
the Captain of Werewolves and undoubtedly commands their allegiances.

SPIDERS: The first spider was Ungoliant, who helped Morgoth destroy
the two Trees of the Valar and steal the Silmarils. From her evil
progeny have come the spiders of Middle-Earth, both great and small.
The huge spiders of Mirkwood are greatly feared; large, deadly spiders
can be found in virtually every part of Middle-Earth. It is believed
that at least one great spawn of Ungoliant exists, somewhere in the
mountains of Mordor.

EVIL SPIRlTS: As documented in the History section, there were many
spirits created by Eru, the One, before the creation of the world.
Many of these spirits were seduced by Morgoth, Master of the Great
Darkness, Sauron's master during the First Age of Middle-earth. While
most of these spirits were slain in battles many years ago, a few
still hide in the deep places of Middle-Earth. Of these spirits, the
most terrifying are Balrogs, demons of fire and shadow who were
Sauron's lieutenants during the wars of the First Age. It is thought
that Balrogs may still exist in the deep places of the earth.

BARROW WIGHTS: These terrible monsters inhabit the Barrow Downs
between the Old Forest and Bree. Little is known of them, for few have
lived to tell of an encounter with them, and of those few none will
tell their tales willingly. It is probable that they are spirits who were corrupted
by the Witch-King long ago, and serve the evil intent of Sauron.

SORCERERS: There are few practitioners of the black arts; however,
there are some humans and orcs who have been taught sorcery by Sauron
or his greatest captain, the Witch-King. Sorcerers are evil and should
be avoided where possible.

DRAGONS: The greatest and most powerful of the creations of Morgoth,
the greatest dragons are even more deadly than Balrogs. Few dragons
remain alive today, and those are usually found in the wastes of
Northern Middle-Earth. They have heavily-armored scaly bodies, sharp
teeth, and breathe fire; some dragons have huge wings, while others have none.

VAMPIRES: Though no vampires have been seen since the end of the First
Age of Middle-Earth, it does not mean that they still do not exist.
Vampires are sorcerers (or witches) who can assume the form of a giant
bat. Of these creatures, little is known.

PEOPLES OF MIDDLE EARTH
ELVES: The first people of Middle-Earth, elves are beautiful, strong,
and immortal. They can only be slain by weapons in battle, or by
severe grief that robs them of the will to live. There are four major
enclaves of elves in Middle-earth: the kingdom of Tharanduil in
Northern Mirkwood; the Last Homely House of Elrond at Rivendell;
Lothlorien, which is ruled by the Lady Galadriel; and the Grey Havens
of Cirdan west of the Shire. Elves are usually either carefree and
merry or sad and thoughtful. They enjoy song and poetry, and
derive little joy from acts of war.

HUMANS: The second people of Middle-Earth, humans are similar to
elves, with one major difference: they are not immortal. Humans have a
lifespan of sixty to one hundred years: the Dunedain (the Men of the
West, i.e.. those descended from Numenor) have an extremely long
lifespan. The major human nations are in the East and South of Middle-
Earth: Rohan, Dunland, Gondor, the Kingdom of the Harad, and Rhun.
Many of the humans of the far south and east are in league with Sauron.

DWARVES: These tough sturdy peoples are the creation of Mahal, the
Vala known as Aule. Dwarves are stubborn, aggressive, covetous, and
quick to take offense, yet they are also honorable, steadfast
companions. The major dwarven strong holds are in the Blue Mountains
west of the Shire, and in the Iron Hills and the Lonely Mountain,
which are located in the east of Middle-Earth.

HOBBITS: Of these small, civilized creatures, much is said elsewhere.
The origin of hobbits is a mystery, but it is believed that they have
existed in Middle-earth for millenia before they came to the Shire.
Hobbits are peaceful and deplore violence and adventure, though when
forced, they are very strong-willed, sturdy creatures indeed. Hobbits
chiefly dwell in the Shire and in Bree.

EAGLES: The Great Eagles of the North are the most intelligent birds
in Middle-Earth (many of whom have been gifted with the ability to
speak to humans). The Eagles are the servants of Manwe, the chief of
the Valar, and are often sent by him to aid the forces of good in time
of great need.

In addition to the sentient creatures of Middle-Earth, there are a
wide variety of less intelligent and/or antagonistic creatures: these
include ponies, horses, bears, and even the legendary oliphant.

GLOSSARY of NAMES
(For Tolkien fans; this is lore that the Fellowship members would have
had a reasonable chance of acquiring, and may be misleading. Some of
these entries are incomplete, as not to spoil the mysteries of Middle-
Earth for players who have not read the series. Also, for
convenience's sake, we have anglicized some of the spellings).

AMON SUL: A ruined area on top of
a mountain east of Bree, also known as Weathertop.

ANARION: The younger son of Elendil; Anarion was slain in the last
battle of the Second Age. His sons became the rulers of Gondor.

ANGMAR: An ancient kingdom in the north slopes of the Misty Mountains,
ruled by the Witch-King. Angmar destroyed the kingdoms of Arthedain,
Cardolan, and Rhudaur, but was overthrown by forces belonging to Gondor.

ARAGORN: A great tracker and hunter, known to be a friend of Gandalf.
Aragorn is a direct descendent of Isildur.

ARNOR: An ancient human kingdom in Northwest Middle-earth, founded by
Elendil and ruled by the children of Isildur. Internal conflicts caused it to be
divided into three smaller kingdoms: Arthedain, Cardolan, and Rhudaur,
which were later destroyed by the Witch-King of Angmar.

ARTHEDAIN: The greatest of the three kingdoms that replaced Arnor;
Arthedain was destroyed centuries ago by the Witch-King. Aragorn is a
descendent of its last king.

ARWEN: The daughter of Elrond, betrothed to Aragorn.

AR-PHARAZON: The last king of Numenor. He captured Sauron during the
Second Age, but Sauron tricked him into attacking Valinor. The Valar
responded by calling upon Iluvatar, who destroyed Numenor.

AULE: The Smith of the Valar, creator of dwarves, and husband of
Yavanna. Known to the dwarves as Mahal.

BALROGS: Demonic servants of Morgoth, with powers of fire and
darkness. (See Evil Spirits in the Monsters section.)

BARAD-DUR: The Dark Tower of Sauron, his principal stronghold.

BARROW DOWNS: Hills and tombs located east of the Old Forest.  They
are said to be the homes of barrow wights, horrible monsters that kill travellers.

BARROW WIGHTS: Legendary monsters that live in the Barrow Downs.

BEREN: The most renowned human hero in history; he took a Silmaril
from the Iron Crown of Morgoth, and married Luthien of Doriath. Beren
was an ancestor of the Kings of Numenor.

BILBO BAGGINS: A hobbit who was recruited by dwarves to steal treasure
from the dragon Smaug, and who accidently found the One Ring. He is
the uncle of Frodo Baggins.

BREE: A town inhabited by humans and hobbits, located east of the
Barrow Downs.

BOROMIR: The oldest son of Denethor of Gondor and its greatest warrior.

BUCKLAND: The eastern part of the Shire, which lies across the River
Brandywine. Buckland is home to the Brandybuck family.

CARDOLAN: One of three kingdoms formed when Arnor collapsed; this
kingdom was destroyed by Angmar long ago. It was situated where Bree
and the Barrow Downs now stand, and Weathertop (Amon Sul) was one of
its strongholds.

CELEBRIMBOR: An elven smith, co-creator (with Sauron) of the Rings of
Power. Celebrimbor was betrayed and murdered by Sauron in the Second
Age of Middle-Earth.

DENETHOR: The current ruling steward of Gondor, father of Boromir and Faramir.

DOL GULDUR: The citadel of Sauron in Southern Mirkwood.

DRAGONS: Monstrous flying reptiles with scales stronger than armor and
fiery breath. Dragons are renowned for their greed, cunning, and
viciousness.  Smaug the Golden, who was slain eighty years ago, was
believed to be the last great dragon in Middle-Earth.

DUNLAND: A land on the southwestern slopes of the Misty Mountains, the
ancient enemies of Rohan.

DURIN: The father of the dwarves, the first of their race, and oldest
of the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves created by Aule.

DURIN'S BANE: A monster of unknown origin that slew Durin. DWARVES: A
race of short bearded smiths, known for their great skill in mining
and metal-working. The first seven dwarves, known as the Seven
Fathers, were created by Aule, the Vala of Smiths, whom the dwarves
call Mahal. The oldest and greatest dwarf was Durin; their greatest
mansion was Khazad-dum (which the elves called Moria). The dwarven
name for their race is Naugrim.

EARENDIL: A leader of the humans at the end of the First Age; Earendil
took the last Silmaril to Valinor and pleaded mercy for the sins of
the elves and humans to the Valar, which resulted in the last battle
of the First Age. Earendil sails a heavenly ship that shines with the
light of the Silmaril; this ship is called Earendil's Star.

EAGLES: Huge birds.  Giant talking eagles serve as protectors of good
in Middle-earth.

ELBERETH: A elvish name for Varda, the Queen of the Valar, who made
the stars. She is the Vala who is most feared by forces of evil.

ELENDIL: The leader of the Faith-ful in Numenor, who sailed to Middle-
Earth when Numenor was destroyed. Elendil set up the kingdoms of Arnor
and Gondor, and was slain in the last battle of the Second Age. His
sons were Isildur and Anarion.

ELROND: One of the two sons of Earendil, who chose to become an elf
and founded Rivendell. Elrond is the father of Arwen and was the
brother of Elros.

ELROS: One of the two sons of Earendil, who chose to become human and
became the first King of Numenor. Elros is an ancestor of Aragorn.

ELVES: The Elder Race, also called the Eldar; an immortal people who
are stronger and wiser than humans.  Most elves live with the Valar in
their home of Valinor, but there are several elven strongholds in
Middle-earth: Elrond's home of Rivendell, the forest of Lorien, the
kingdom of Tharanduil in Northen Mirkwood, and the Gray Havens (which
are far west of the Shire).

FAITHFUL, THE: The group of Numenoreans who remained loyal to the old
traditions of friendship with elves and the Valar, they fled Numenor
before its downfall and founded the kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor. They
were led by Elendil, who was a direct descendent of Elros, first King
of Numenor.

FARAMIR: The youngest son of Denethor, known as a scholar and soldier,
second only to Boromir in the esteem of the people of Gondor.

FEANOR: The greatest elven smith who ever lived; Feanor created the
Silmarils, and when they were stolen by Morgoth, he defied the will of
the Valar by leading a large number of elves into a war against
Morgoth. Feanor was slain early in that war by balrogs.

FORSAKEN INN: An inn located east of Bree.

GALADRIEL: The Lady of Lorien, Galadriel is renowned for her power,
wisdom, and beauty.  Arwen is her granddaughter.

GANDALF (the Grey): Known to the elves as Mithrandir, the wisest of
the wizards.

GONDOR: The great human kingdom of the south; its current capital is
Minas Tirith. It was ruled by the sons of Anarion until a thousand
years ago, when his line died; it is currently ruled by the Steward
Denethor. Gondor is the greatest military power in Middle-earth that
is opposed to Sauron.

ILUVATAR: The One, the creator of all things, master of the Valar.
Also known as Eru.

IMLADRIS: Another name for Rivendell.

ISILDUR: The oldest son of Elendil; Isildur cut the One Ring from
Sauron's finger in the final battle of the Second Age. Isildur kept
the Ring as a trophy instead of destroying it. Isildur died when the
Ring fell from his finger and exposed him to orc archers as he swam
across the Anduin; this is why the Ring is known as Isildur's Bane.
Isildur's sons became the rulers of Arnor.

KHAZAD-DUM: The dwarven city built underneath the Misty Mountains,
referred to by the elves as Moria.

LONELY MOUNTAIN: Also known as Erebor, this mountain was an ancient
home of dwarves, until they were expelled by the dragon Smaug the
Golden. Nearly a hundred years before the start of this game, the
Lonely Mountain was recaptured by the dwarves (with the assistance of
some humans who lived nearby, and that most famous Burglar, Bilbo Bag-
gins). It is currently ruled by the dwarven king Dain.

LORIEN: Also known as Lothlorien; this forest is the home of
Galadriel, the most powerful elf in Middle-Earth.

LUTHIEN: The daughter of Melian and Thingol of Doriath, and wife of
Beren; Luthien helped Beren take a Silmaril from the Iron Crown of
Morgoth. It was this Silmaril that became Earendil's Star.

MAHAL: The dwarves' name for the Vala Aule, who created them.

MAIAR: Powers who serve Iluvatar, similar to the Valar but not as
powerful. Sauron was a Maia, as was Melian of Doriath.

MANWE: The chief of the Valar, husband of Varda.

MELIAN: One of the most power- ful and wisest of the Maiar, who
married the elven King Thingol of Doriath. Melian was the mother of
Luthien, and a close friend of Galadriel.

MELKOR: The original name of Morgoth.

MIDDLE-EARTH: The world where elves, dwarves, humans, and hobbits live
in the setting for this game.

MIRKWOOD: A dark and dangerous forest, inhabited in the North by good
elves led by Thranduil, and in the South by evil spiders and the dark
citadel of Dol Guldur.

MORGOTH: Also known as Melkor, the greatest of the Valar, who fell
into evil. He waged many wars against those Valar that remained
faithful to Iluvatar. He stole the Silmarils from Feanor, and fought
against the elves and men who struggled to recover them. Morgoth
created orcs and trolls to serve as his slaves; he was defeated at the
end of the First Age and is imprisoned for eternity.

MORDOR: The land of Sauron. Mordor is a land of grey ash plains in the
southeast of Middle-Earth. It is surrounded by mountains, and contains
the most feared mountain of all -- Mount Doom.

MORIA: The greatest mansion of the dwarves, who refer to it as Khazaddum.

MOUNT DOOM: A volcano in Mordor, where Sauron forged the One Ring.

NAUGRIM: The elven name for dwarves, meaning "Stunted Ones.”

NESSA: Sister of Orome, and swiftest of the Valar. Wife of Tulkas.

NUMENOR: A great star-shaped kingdom of men during the Second Age of
Middle-Earth, given as a reward to the sons of those men who had died
aiding the elves against Morgoth. The Numenoreans became proud and
eventually rebelled against the Valar, which resulted in the
destruction of Numenor. The  Numenoreans are the ancestors of the
Dunedain  and the Lords of Gondor.

OLD FOREST: A forest east of Buckland, known for its dark trails and
mysterious disappearances.

ONE RING: The greatest of the Rings of Power, forged by Sauron.

RANGERS: Hunters who wander the North of Middle-Earth, mistrusted by
those around them.

RED BOOK: A volume by Bilbo Baggins, Frodo Baggins, and Sam Gamgee, in
which the history of Middle-Earth is written.

RINGS OF POWER: Rings created by Sauron and Celebrimbor. There were
three elven rings (whereabouts unknown), seven dwarven rings, and nine
rings for humans. These rings had the power to preserve Middle-earth,
but Sauron forged the One Ring to control those who wore the other
Rings and rule Middle-earth.

RINGWRAITHS: Nine servants of Sauron who were originally great
Numenorean Princes who took Rings offered to them by Sauron; they
became ghostly servants of great power, eternally enslaved to the will
of Sauron.

RHUDAUR: One of three Kingdoms created when dissent tore apart Arnor;
Rhudaur quickly fell under the domination of the Witch-King and was
completely destroyed.

RHUN: The lands of Eastern Middle-earth, whose inhabitants are allied
to Sauron and ancient enemies of Gondor.

RIVENDELL: The stronghold of Elrond on the western slopes of the Misty
Mountains, also referred to as Imladris and the Last Homely House.

ROHAN: A kingdom of warriors, closely allied to Gondor, which is
renowned for its horses.

SARUMAN (The White): The greatest of the wizards, known for his
knowledge and power. He currently dwells at Isengard, North of Rohan.

SAURON: One of the greatest of the Maiar, who fell into evil and
became Morgoth's lieutenant during the first age; known for his shape-
shifting ability and his deceit. He escaped from the Valar during the
battle at the end of the First Age. He helped Celebrimbor in the
forging of the Rings of Power, but betrayed him by forging the One
Ring to rule them all. He was captured by Ar-Pharazon, the last King
of Numenor, but tricked him into attacking Valinor, which resulted in
the destruction of Numenor and of Sauron's physical form. Sauron fled
back to Middle-earth in the hideous form of the Dark Lord, unable to
ever again assume a shape that humans or elves would find pleasing. He
waged war on the
elves and the Faithful but was defeated by Isildur, who cut the One
Ring from his hand. Sauron could not be destroyed while the Ring
existed, and spent the Third Age of Middle-earth increasing his power
to become the unchallenged master of Middle-earth.

SHIRE, THE: A land of rustic villages, streams, fields, and gentle
hills. The Shire was originally part of the Kingdom of Arthedain, and
given to the hobbits by the King as a settlement. After Arthedain
fell, the hobbits remained. The Shire is the starting point of this game.

SILMARILS: Three jewels created bv the elven smith Feanor, which
captured the light of the two trees of Valinor. These Silmarils were
stolen by Morgoth; one was later recovered by Beren and Luthien and
used to light Earendil's star; the other two jewels were lost at the
end of the First Age.

SMAUG: The last great dragon of Middle-earth, slain eighty years ago.

TOOKS: A family of hobbits known to possess an "un-hob- bitish"
adventuresome streak. Their family head receives the honorary title
Thane of the Shire. Peregrin Took is a member of this family; Bilbo
Baggins and Frodo Baggins are both closely related to them.

TULKAS: Champion of the Valar, renowned for his prowess in wrestling.
He is the husband of Nessa.

ULMO: The Vala who is the Lord of the Sea, and friendliest to the
Eldarin Middle-earth.

VALAR: The chief servants of Iluvatar; they are led by Manwe and his
wife Varda. They rule the realm known as Valinor, and will not
interfere in the affairs of Middle-earth except in gravest peril.

VALINOR: The land of the Valar, where most elves also dwell. Elves may
sail to Valinor by sailing westward; humans may not sail to Valinor.

VARDA: Another name for Elbereth.

WEATHERTOP: A ruined tower on top of a mountainous area, which once
belonged to the now dead kingdom of Cardolan, located east of Bree.
Also known as Amon Sul.

WITCH-KING: The lieutenant of Sauron, the Black Captain, chief and
most powerful of the Ringwraiths. The Witch-King ruled the Kingdom of
Angmar many centuries ago, but was defeated by Gondor.

WIZARDS: Five men of great age, wisdom, and magical power, whose
origin is unknown. The greatest wizard is Saruman, followed by Gandalf
and Radagast.

YAVANNA: One of the Valar, who has a special interest in trees and nature.

PARAGRAPHS

1. "A palantir!" you exclaim. You laugh to think that one of these
legendary seeing stones  has lain here in the Shire all these ages.
With awe, you carefully wipe the dust from its  crystalline surface.
As you do, a faint rosy glow takes hold within the palantir. The glow
gives way to a misty red-tinged vision of a dark figure sitting upon a
ceramic stool, reading a scroll.
Suddenly the Dark One looks up, his single flaming red eye glaring
with malice.  Sssssss," he hisses. "Read NOT those paragraphs for
which you have been given no instructions.  There is a special place
in Mordor for the likes of you!"
And with that, the vision disappears. Yet even as it fades, you hear a
muttered, "You'd  think being a Dark Lord would grant you some
privacy, but NOOOO!"

2. Apparently, some kind of answer is needed to pass through here.

3. Again, Elrond's voice rings clear and commanding throughout the
council hall. "There  can only be one conclusion drawn from these
tales ñ that the Enemy is moving again in Middle-Earth. He seeks for
the One Ring, and though the power of the three Elven Rings is
strong, they alone cannot long resist the spreading shadow of his
evil. We cannot keep the Ring here, nor would it be long safe in
Lothlorien or any dwarven citadel. Neither can
we trust it to be cast into the sea. Therefore the Ring must be
destroyed."
Elrond's gaze pierces the Ringbearer. "I cannot ask you to undertake
such a task, yet I  know of none other who is more able. Will you take
the Ring south to Mount Doom to cast it in the fire?" (Y/N)

4. Freddi is free from the spider, but badly wounded. He's doing his
best not to sob, and is overjoyed to be with people who will help him
get home. He joins your party.
Several items are scattered nearby, including the the bones of a dwarf
that died trussed up like a roasting pig.  An old axe, a star-shaped
key, and a weather-worn scroll with
legible dwarf-runes are in his hand. The scroll is readable.

5. The passageway widens into a dark chamber. At its center lies a
great circular hole with rusty chains dangling down into the darkness.
Possibly this was used as some great
well of old. Three arched passageways lead to the east. The leftmost
arch descends deeper. The central arch leads on a level course, and
the rightmost ascends to some higher place.

6. Erestor pauses, considers his words, then continues. "When first
the folk of Durin came   to dwell beneath the Misty Mountains, the
mightiest of their craftsmen created a weapon of surpassing power.
Naming it Durin's Axe after the First Father, the dwarves cleansed the
depths of Khazad-dum ñ that is, Moria ñ of creatures dark and
dangerous. With the fall of Moria, this weapon passed from the tales
of Durin's folk. Some say that it was found and now rests in an Orcish
treasure hoard somewhere deep within the mines of Moria."

7. The spirit spoke truthfully. There is indeed a secret cabinet above
the fireplace!

8. From a carefully scripted scroll, you read, "Moria, the Black
Chasm, Khazad-dum in the tongue of Dwar ves, was a great dwarven city
deep beneath the Misty Mountains. Its
western gate faces onto the lost land of Eregion, also called Hollin.
Its eastern entrance opens onto the Dimrill Dale and the Golden Woods
of Lothlorien. Great stairs reached
high into the mountain peaks and delved deep into terrible underground
secrets. It is indeed one of the unequalled wonders of Middle-earth.
It is also a place of horror and doom. For now, no dwarves live there
ñ only foul, darkness-loving, creatures."

9. A representative of the dwarves of the Lonely Mountain speaks.
"Know that an emissary of the Dark One approached our home in the
Lonely Mountain and asked us to tell him where to find the least of
rings, a mere trinket that Sauron fancied. We have defied him for many
months. But we must know more of this ring and why the Evil One seeks
it so urgently. I was sent here for your wise council, while another
party, including some of the men of Dale, went as emissaries to the
Lady of Lothlorien."

10. A voice whispers. "From Nain's cairn. EAST. NORTH. EAST. EAST.
NORTH. EAST."

11. The parchment reads, "As the approach of the forces of the Witch-
king became certain, Arveleg I, King of Arthedain gave two pieces of
the Sword that was Broken to his
youngest son, Amonar, to hide within the barrows of the Kings of
Cardolan east of the Dark Forest. The third he hid deep within the
fortress of Amon Sul."

12. Your torchlight gleams dully off a ring of rusty keys hanging on
the red-brown rock wall near the sleep-ing figure. Without sharp eyes
you might have missed them hanging
here.

13. "When I was but a foolish lad, I found this rusty sword in the
barrows south o' here. Old Healer Rush-dock told me it were a bit o'
old magic from the ancient time of the
Kings. Mayhap you folk can use it in your travels?"

14. "Enjoy your stay with us good folk! Nob will make up your rooms.
There's a blaze in the parlour and food will be along soon."
"Hi! Nob!" he shouts. "Nob! Where are you, you woolly-footed
slowcoach?" Turning back to you, he says, "If you've any ponies, I'll
have Bob see to it that they are taken
care of."

15. An aging but still burly man with a ruddy nose to match his name
is lifting large stone weights behind the counter. Odd pictures on the
wall show men and hobbits
going through the stages of several vigorous physical activities.

16. No hobbit would leave his hole in such a state. Smashed furniture,
broken crockery,  torn books and crumpled clothing lie strewn about
the room. From here, there is no
sign of the hobbit who lived here.

17. The parchment reads, "As the approach of the forces of the Witch
King became certain, Arveleg 1, King of Arthedain gave two pieces of
the Sword that was Broken to his
youngest son, Amonar, to hide beyond the Western Bridge near the
protection of the elves of the Grey Havens. The third he hid deep
within the fortress of Amon Sul."

18. The mournful ruins stand alone. The dwarves built them long ago,
and like most things of dwarven manufacture they endure, even when the
dwarves themselves were slaughtered long ago.

19. Above the wide arch, a wide flat signboard swings in the breeze
showing a fat white pony reared up
on its hind legs. Over the door was painted in white letters: THE
PRANC INC PONY by BARLIMAN BUTTERBUR. From somewhere inside, a merry
song begins and many cheerful voices loudly join in the chorus.

20. Grotesque carvings encircle the door, frightening enough in what
they depict to chill those who gaze upon it. Yet no orc carved these
worn stones. Something darker, more evil, made these decorations.

21. "Look for the one you seek at the Forsaken Inn."

22. The parchment reads, "As the approach of the forces of the Witch
King became certain, Arveleg I, King of Arthedain gave two pieces of
the Sword that was Broken to his
youngest son, Amonar, to hide within a cavern of the Misty Mountains
near the protection of the elves of Imladris. The third he hid deep
within the fortress of Amon Sul."

23. As you approach the cell, a wiry little man with glazed eyes and
matted brown hair and beard dances up to the bars. "You're not with
them," he cackles. "I can tell that, I can. Name's Appledore. I used
to sell curios up in Combe. Ferny said to bring my best goods down
here. Said they were paying top coin. You come for the secret? Them
Orcs are
digging at a secret in the cave. There's something powerful valuable
down there. Them Orcs can sense it.  Grimbosh's Black Book tells them
all about it. It has secrets in it, it does," he cackles.
Back at the bars, he presses his face up close, rolls his eyes about
and whispers, "'Course  if you was to set me free, I could show you
them secrets."

24. "There was a big man from foreign parts asking for Mr. Baggins. I
told him to go back where he came from double quick or I'd set the
dogs on him, then he gave a sort of
hiss that might have been a laugh and spurred his great horse at me,
and I jumped away only in the nick of time. After that, I found my boy
in the lane, and I don't know what hap-
pened to him. I was going off to get the healer, but I don't want to
leave him; will you go to the village and bring him back? It's not far
and I'm very worried. He isn't waking up."

25. With eyes darting back and forth, peering into each dark corner of
the room, he whispers, "To enter the 'Black Chasm', two passwords you
will need."

26. Like shadows cast by something unseen, Elven characters surround
you on the  chamber's floor.

27. The tall, weathered Ranger remains in his seat, yet his powerful,
clear voice commands the council chamber. Casting two pieces of a
broken sword upon the table, he states: "Here is the Sword that was
Broken, the heirloom of Elendil, founder of Gondor and Arnor,
Kingdoms of the Dunedain. I am Aragorn, Chieftain of the Rangers of
the North, and through Isildur, Elendil's heir. Years ago I aided
Gandalf in his search for the Ring by
capturing Gollum, the sad demented thing from which Bilbo obtained the
Ring. From Gollum we learned much of what had befallen the Ring
between those dark days of
Isildur's death and Bilbo's riddle contest. The Ring is Isildur's
Bane, which he cut from the hand of the Enemy. Now I choose to guard
and guide the Bearer of the Ring,
whomever it be, as far as he wishes me to go, whatever the path he
chooses. For this task, the lost pieces of the Sword That Was Broken
must be found, and Narsil must be reforged."

28. From untold depths a great, hot wind surges upwards, heavy with
the stench of smoke and brimstone. Almost at once, there is a feeling
of lessened tension, like a great weight
being lifted from your shoulders.

29. There is no greater power in Middle-earth than the pure white
flame of the Secret Fire.  This Flame of Anor is the Holy Spirit, Ea,
that gives life to the thoughts of lluvatar's
creation. The Golden Wheel of Anor symbolizes lluvatar's power; it was
forged from a shard of the lamps of the Valar (which were destroyed by
Morgoth in wars that occurred before the coming of the elves) and
given by Aule as a gift to the eldest of the dwarves, Durin. When
Moria fell into darkness, the wheel was said to be lost. Yet there are
tales of a golden disk that was taken by men into the lands west of
Weathertop. The true
purpose of the wheel is lost, though it may only be intended as a
symbol of the Secret Fire.

30. So fierce is your ability in battle that the remainder of your
foes are dismayed. Several minutes later, they press in for an attack,
when the armies of Lorien arrive. The orcs
are driven into the river ñ none return to Dol Guldur.

31. "Daro!" a commanding elven voice calls out to the Fellowship.
"Stand still! Do not move or speak!" Out of the shadows a ladder
descends from the trees. "In these dark
times," the elven commander says, "we require a password."

32. "GROND"

33. Within this deep green hollow murmurs the silver stream that
issues from the fountain  on the hill. At the bottom, upon a low
pedestal, stood a basin of silver, wide and shal-
low, and beside it a silver ewer.

34. Be not daunted by the sealed gate. Speak Friend and Enter.

35. "Hobbits!" cries Mr. Butterbur. "Now what does that remind me of.
And you say your name is Underhill? Underhill? There's something I
should remember about that name.
But one thing drives out another you know. It'll come back when I have
time to think. Nob will make up your rooms. There's a blaze in the
parlour and food will be along soon."
"Hi! Nob!" he shouts. "Nob! Where are you, you woolly-footed slow
coach?" Turning back to you, he says, If you've any ponies, I'll have
Bob see to it that they are taken
good care of."

36. Legolas watches as Gimli slowly catches up with the rest of the
Fellowship. "If dwarven legs were longer," he says, "we would not need
to wait."
"If elves were more patient," Gimli replies, "then they would not
object to waiting."
"Stop!" exclaims Gandalf. "This is an old and tiresome argument. There
are matters of greater interest to concern us." See Paragraph #3 in
the Addendum.

37. Elrond surveys the Council, sharp eyes undulled by the ages,
appraising each member of the Fellowship in turn. "Sauron, also known
as Annatar, also known as Aulendil,
and Artano, and the Enemy, and the Abhorred, and Captain of Werewol
ves, was himself a servant of Morgoth, also known as Melkor, also
known as Bauglir, also known as the
Dark Lord, also referred to as the Great Dark One by the Druedain
(whereas Sauron, also known as Annatar, is known as the Dark One, but
only in Gondor, the southernmost kingdom of the two kingdoms founded
by Elendil, son of Amandil, father of Anarion and
Isildur), and built his Dark Tower Barad-dur in the Black Land of
Mordor, where the orcs (also known as goblins), being composed of
snagas and uruk-hai, labored mightily, as
Aragorn son of Arathorn, also known as Elessar the Elfstone, Strider
of the House Telcontar, also known as Estel, also known as Thorongil
(which means "Eagle of
the Starn") can tell you..."
Frodo slipped out quietly through a side door.

38. The halls suddenly fill with sound. The sound of an ancient
conclave. The noise of battle is all around you. Then, all noise
ceases: and a single, bloodied axe rests
upon the floor at your feet.

39. Strider suddenly turns around, eyes glowing blood red, teeth like
small daggers. Fear paralyzes you. He is not a Ranger. He is of a kind
that has not been seen in Middle-Earth in over two Ages -- a vampire!
"You fools! Why else would I want you to roam the streets at night? It
is MY time," he hisses at you. "My Lord Sauron has not forgotten us;
we are
few, but to him we are valuable. All he wants is The Ring. Give it to
me and I will thirst only upon your companions. The choice is yours."
Do you choose to betray your companions and give the vampire the One
Ring? (Y/N)

40. Taffi tries to smile and says she'll go with you. She says her
friend Freddi Crubb fell into a cave and hurt himself. She wants you
to keep the doggies away from her and find her friend.

41. This is the entrance to the flet of Galadriel and Celeborn. Your
ad vance is halted. "The Lady will not see you until you bring her
five items: a silver horn, a magic scabbard, a crown of elanor, an
elfstone, and the light of Earendil's star."

42. Silent until now, Gandalf  rose, then paused, considering his
words carefully. "Some would think that the pursuit of the Ringbearer
might be proof enough that this halfling's ring is of great value to
the Enemy. I have long suspected that the Ring that Bilbo found might
indeed be the One Ring that Sauron craves. Yet not until this summer
did I learn
the full truth of this, or the nature of our peril. For Sauron is no
longer our only enemy.
"Years ago, Saruman the White, leader of the White Council and
greatest of those who are deemed wizards, sought the secrets of the
Rings and was given this subject as
his own domain to study, and little love has he shown to those who
would meddle in it. In the end, he stated that the Ring had been
carried by the currents of Anduin into
the sea, where it would rest forever. Long I believed him.
"In June, I learned from Radagast the Brown, another of my order, that
the Nine, the Nazgul, were abroad, and seeking a land called Shire...
and a hobbit named Baggins. Immediately, I rode to Saruman for his
aid, for by his power alone had we forced Sauron from Dol Guldur and
freed Mirkwood from its evil. Never did I make a greater mistake!
"Saruman greeted me, and mocked me, and called himself the Wizard of
Many Colors. He
demanded that I tell him where to find the Ring, and promised me great
power if I stood beside him; I refused, and was imprisoned on the top
of the great tower of Orthanc,
Saruman's fortress. Had it not been for the great eagle, Gwaihir, who
rescued me, I would be there still.
"Saruman has fallen to the Enemy. Though Rivendell has long resisted
the Enemy, we cannot long hide the Ring here, nor can we trust that it
will remain lost if it were cast into
the Sea. The Ring must be destroyed. It must be cast in the fires
where it was made, in the furnace of Mount Doom, in Mordor."

43. A chill wind whistles eerily through the rough stone pillars that
ring the hilltop like a mouthful of broken fangs. Near the ring's
center, stones, tumbled here and there,
form a crude marker. Perhaps someone long ago left something here,
intending to return for it later ñ much like Bilbo buried his troll
booty beneath a cairn of stone.

44. You hear the sound of a hammer repeatedly striking against a
forge. Eventually, an elf with broad shoulders looks at you with a
toothy grin. "I am Curudol, pupil of the
great Celebrimbor." he says. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

45. At the Door of Seven Hammers, speak the First Father's name and
then name the number of his people.

46. "Look for the one you seek in Archet."

47. The room reminds you of a poorly-kept hobbit hole. The furnishings
were once particularly homey, but long use and poor repair has turned
most into stuff barely fit for
firewood. Shades of heavy hide cover the windows, keeping out any
light that might filter through from sun or moon. A tall dark-haired
man, unlike the local Bree-folk, rises from the table.
"Please," he says with a disarming smile, "my home is your home. Make
yourself comfortable. You have no doubt heard tales of me by now. I'm
certain old Butterbur has had more than enough time to bend your ear.
Though 'tis a wonder he can even
find room for my name in that adled pate of his.
"My name is Rayf Brogan, and these men," he says, gesturing to
encompass some of the surliest rogues that you have ever seen, "are
the Company of Breeland, a nobler
band of heroes you shall never find in these parts. We fight to keep
our little land free of outsiders like that unpleasant wizard whose
creatures stalk the south downs, and those
meddlesome Rangers who pry so closely into affairs that are not their
own.
"Some call me rogue, others bandit. Many more call me friend. And I
would like to be your friend. Unlike most of these folk round here,
you seem to have a spirit of adventure
about you. I need folk like you. Maybe there is something that I can
give you in return, eh?"
It may be your imagination, but the room suddenly seems a bit darker.

48. The dusty scroll gives up its secrets: "In the dark days
followingthe fall of the Witch-Klng, the fortified village of Gorthad
defended the northernmost borders of what had once been known as
Cardolan. Some maintain that the men of Cardolan rose up against their
liege lord, that he had become a black sorcerer who sought to emulate
the Witch-King. The sources of this theory support their theories with
fur ther theories -- that Gardeleg, that
Lord of Gorthad, had taken a Black Book of Sorcery from the ruins of
Carn Dum, and that he had purchased a Golden Wheel from orcs that had
brought it from the depths of Moria. The men of Cardolan trapped their
liege-lord within his magic circle and banished his wife,
who was allegedly a witch, into the far North."

49. "Old Gandalf were here last summer. Quite an odd fellow, that
Gandalf. Said for me to help folk coming out of the Shire, he did.
Said Butterbur would send 'em my way. Said I'd know 'em when they gave
me their right name."

50. A man steps out of the trees. He is a tall handsome human, dressed
in brown clothes that look travel-worn, though they have been recently
washed. He has a rough
demeanor, as though he has lived all of his life in the forest, even
though he is rather handsome. "It is unusual to see hobbits wandering
alone in this part of the Shire. Especially in such dangerous times.
There are elves roaming this country, elves,
and far worse than elves."
He notes your skeptical expression and takes a deep breath. "You need
protection on the road ahead. I can help you. I offer you my
services." Do you accept this man into the Fel-
lowship? (Y/N)

51. The old man rifles through items on the shelf. "Aha!" He cackles
with joy. "My thanks for your help now! Take what I give you to Ham
Oakbellow. He has dire need of it,
though he may not say so."

52. A voice whispers. "From Orin's cairn: WEST. WEST. WEST. SOUTH.
WEST. NORTH. WEST. NORTH."

53. This dark, stuffy shop smells of herbs and preservative spices.
Odd little charms and runemarked stones line shelves and hang on
leather thongs from pegs amongst
the rafters. The shopkeeper, a heavy-set, grey-haired woman, reclines
languidly in a padded chair behind the counter, slowly drawing on an
oddly carved briar pipe.

54. This is Daisy Proudfoot. You ask her what is what is wrong and in
a quivering voice she implores, "Me sister Taffy and her friend Freddi
Grubb are lost in the East Woods.
Oh brave sirs won't 'ye please find 'em a'fore the wolves do? Take
Taffy to Great Road Goods, and Freddi back to his father."

55. Above the reeds there appears an old battered hat, then below it a
man all in blue save  for his great yellow boots. "What's the matter
then?" he shouts. "I'm Tom Bombadil. Tell
me your troubles. Tom's in a hurry now!"
You explain what has happened. "What!" shouted Tom, leaping into the
air. "Naught worse than that, eh? That can soon be mended. I know the
tune for him. Old grey Willow-
man. I'll freeze his marrow cold, if he don't behave himself. I'll
sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away. Old Man Willow!"
Tom begins to sing. "You let them out again, Old Man Willow. What be
you a-thinking of? You should not be waking. Eat earth! Dig deep!
Drink water! Bombadil is talking."
Soon all is set right again. Bombadil invites you to his house, which
lies across the bridge a short distance away, then vanishes.

56. Ware the Secret Flame, buried beneath the Stone of Moria. Only one
who bears the Holy Spirit's token shall pass through the halls with no
end to bask within its light.

57. "Alas!" the old river spirit cries, as great muddy tears roll down
her cheeks. "I may not honor your request. Magic deeper than my silty
bed forbids it 'til spring again touches my banks. Yet there is a way.
Go west to Ruddyoak. Take to him a red acorn. Ask for the
Springstone."

58. Erestor pauses, considers his words, then continues. "When first
the folk of Durin  came to dwell beneath the Misty Mountains, the
mightiest of their craftsmen created
a tool of surpassing hardness and strength. Naming it Durin's Pick
after the First Father, the dwarves mined the depths of Khazad-dum,
that is Moria, in search of mithril.
Though powerful, this awesome tool may have also caused their doom
when they delved too deep. With the fall of Moria, the Pick passed
from the tales of Durin's Folk. Uncon-
firmed tales suggest that it was found by the men of Bree."

59. The last thing anyone expected to find in this orc-infested pit
was a woman's dressing room! Though the room is not the least bit
frilly, your eyes and your nose do not lie.
Gowns and travelling clothes lie strewn here and there, a thick
feather bed shows signs of recent occupation and a lingering scent of
perfume tantalizes the nose with sub-
tle intrigue. Equally unfamiliar are the books and scrolls piled
casually on the floor. An open tome reveals language unfamiliar even
to the most learned amongst you. Mixed
thoughts race through the minds of all. Is this woman a prisoner...or
something more sinister?

60. Standing up, Strider seems to grow taller. "So, you seek to test
my truthfulness." And so saying, he draws out a long, sinister sword
that had remained hidden until now in
the dark folds of his travel-stained cloak. The blade shimmers
blackly, dripping dark fire. "Had I wanted to kill you before now, I
could have."
"One Ring to rule them all,
"One Ring to find them,
"One Ring to bring them all and in
the darkness bind them
"In the Land of Mordor where the
Shadows lie.î
"Give me the ring and my lord Sauron may forgive your transgres sions
against him. The Ring! Give me the Ring!"

61. A bridge may have crossed the flood here, but it collapsed long
ago.

62. The orcs have built a crude bridge to cross the chasm where
Gandalf and the Balrog fell. In the measureless deeps below, hazy
smoke now hangs, which for now lies still, devoid of sound and motion.

63. Quickly, you unbind and spread out the loose pages of the scroll.
Most are filled with heavily blacked-out lines of text. None are
legible. Only the last few words make any sense: "NAN CURUNIR,"
followed by today's date.

64. A particularly gnarled orc stands near the great fireplace. Its
filthy clothing may have once belonged to some Elven lord, but are now
festooned with unpleasant charms that dangle, jangle, and tangle with
each other. "You are in the home of Drishnak of the Red
Eye," the orc says in uncharacteristically clear speech. "I have known
you would come for some time. You know that you are doomed. You can
not leave Moria without my aid. The
price is small. You carry a ring. The least of rings. A mere trin-
ket." He has trouble with the word, but continues. "I want that ring.
Give it to me, and you may pass unharmed."

65. A ghostly voice whispers, echoing softly from the nitred walls of
this ancient crypt:
"In a city of dead, Sits one who once led.
"A ring is his bane, A barrow itsfane.
"He waits til the Last,
"Ask of his Past..."
The spirit's voice is heard no more in Middle-earth.

66. Like shadows cast by something unseen, dwarvish runes surround
you.

67. "Contemplate the mystery of eight:
"The wizard watches as Orc and dwarf die.
"While wolf gnaws the rotting skull dry
"A troll eats the man served up on his plate;
"And above the eagle soars high."

68. The old man rifles through items on the shelf. "Aha!" He cackles
with joy. "Take what I give you to Willa Bloom. She has dire need of
it, though she may not say so."

69. Written in the wizard's strong but graceful script is the
following message:
THE PRANCING PONY, BREE,
Midyear's Day, Shire Year, 1418.
Dear Frodo,
Bad news has reached me here. I must go off at once. You had better
leave Bag End soon, and get out of the Shire before the end of July at
the latest. I will return as soon as I can; and I will follow you, if
I find that you are gone. Leave a message for me here, if you pass
through Bree. You can trust the landlord (Butterbur). You may meet a
friend of
mine on the Road; a Man, lean, dark, tall, by some called Strider. He
knows our business and will help you. Make for Rivendell. There I hope
to meet again. If I do not come, Elrond will advise you.
Yours in haste
GANDALF.
PS. Do NOT use It again, not for any reason whatever! Do not travel by
night!
PPS. Make sure that it is the real Strider. There are many strange men
on the roads. His true name is Aragorn. Hmmm, I've used up all the
space on this page. I have
another page so I will continue on it...

70. With a hushed voice, he whispers, "Seek for Trollslayer atop the
Hill of Fangs."

71. As you approach the cell, a short, emaciated hobbit with hollow
eyes and matted brown hair and beard shumes to the bars."You're not
with them, he rasps. "I can tell that, I can. Name's Appledore. Nob
Appledore. I used to sell mining equipment up Bree way. Ferny said to
bring my best goods down here. Said they were paying top coin." He
laughs sharply, then coughs painfully, spitting something dark into
the rancid straw.
"I been living for the day when I can see ol' Ferny again." Teeth
clenched tight, he pauses then stares wide-eyed at you through the
bars.
"You come for the secret? Them Orcs are digging at a secret in the
cave. Made me dig in the big hole too, 'til the sickness came on me.
Now it's just Orcs digging. There's
something powerful nasty down there. Even the Orcs can sense it.
"But, working the hole's still better'n going the way o' Grimbosh's
Black Book. Four of my lads went that way. Screaming powerful loud and
long. Grimbosh comes in here and sneers his face at me, saying he's
got something special in mind for me some day soon.
Says 'the Dark Thing' is almost ready to come up and he needs me to
finish things up."
With a shudder, Nob grabs the bars, and with a hardly-heard whisper
sobs, "Say. You folks, you're not going to leave me in here now, are
you?

72. This is truly the darkest peril of all," Galadriel says. "Elbereth
protect thee! I have lore to assist thee ñ remember it well, for
Sauron is not the only power in this world nor is he the greatest."
"Of all the Valar, the greatest in the art of hunting was Orome, whose
horn has long echoed in Middle-Earth, and whose hounds were feared by
all evil creatures. Call upon him to ensnare one who is not easily
caught...
"Of all of the creatures who walked in Middle-Earth, the wisest of all
was Melian of Doriath. Call upon her wisdom to counter that which
would deceive or bewitch thee, or those that enchant thy comrades.
"If you wish for advice, travel the north road to Rhosgobel and seek
the aid of the Wizard Radagast. If he is there, he will aid you. To
sustain you on your journey, I have given my
servants lembas, the waybread of the elves. They will share it with
you when the need arises.
"I will sing no songs of farewell at this hour, for I shall yet again
greet you in Caras Galadon..."
It is over. You depart Lorien, heading into the Shadow.

73. The air smells faintly of stale pipeweed. "If you folk are lookin'
for good pipeweed, try over at Sharkey's Shipping. They've been buying
all me best and most of me
worst. There's not a shred of Longbottom Leaf to be had in Bree."

74. A note on the counter reads:
I apologize, good folk, for the inconvenience, but my supplies are a
bit short. I've gone to my camp north of the Midgewater to restock
before winter sets in completely.
Regards,
Willa Bloom

75. Seven Tribes for Seven Fathers of the Naugrim.

76. The blackness finally ends, but you can take no comfort from it.
You find yourself in a dark throne room, complete with the symbol of
an evil Eye. A black shadow falls upon you, and you find it dimcult to
breathe. A lone window shows a  frightful vista; an ash-covered plain
and a volcano belching magma and smoke.
GIVE ME MY RING! demands a voice sharp and terrible, and then you know
no more...

77. This scroll was apparently written by Gandalf, for the script
matches other things he has written. It describes his visit to Dol
Guldur, and the research that was done in
the library of Minas Tirith, that great city in the south in Gondor.
"...The tales of the Black Book are grim indeed. Some say it belonged
to the Witch-King of Angmar, but others
say that it could only have been written by by the Necromancer of Dol
Guldur. Gardeleg Lord of Gorthad studied it thoroughly, and is said to
have added many details on Moria which he learned from the orcs who
overran Moria after the fall of Durin's folk."

78. You realize where you are imprisoned in the lair of a barrow
wight! Your companions are unconscious, but for the gentle rise and
fall of their chests they look as ones dead, decked in the finery of
dead kings. Across their throats is a long, naked sword. A song like
an incan tation begins to rise:
"Cold be hand and heart and bone,
And cold be sleep under stone:
"Never more to wake on stony bed,
"Never, till the Sun fails and the
Moon is dead.
"In the black wind the stars shall die.
"And still on gold here let them lie,
"Till the dark lord lifts his hand
"Over dead sea and withered land."

79. The dust on the floor shows that no one has disturbed the room in
years. Your footprints are the first. "It may be that we are the first
to enter this chamber since Balin
sealed it." To the south, a huge statue, a troll carved of sturdy
stone, glowers over the room.

80. With a sigh of relief, one of you notices an old bird's nest
perched behind one troll's  ear. No living troll would have such a
decoration. These must then be the very three
that were caught by Gandalf, quarreling over the right way to cook
thirteen dwarves and a hobbit! Now they are nothing but unliving
stone.

81. The great book seems to open at once to something of interest.
"The Golden Wheel of Anor, a curious artifact once possessed by the
dwarves of Khazad-dum, was said to wield some power over the forces of
evil. One tale that escaped Moria's destruction was that of
Borin, son of Bruin, who used the wheel to entrap a powerful spirit of
evil. It is stated that Borin and comrades entombed the spirit far
from the Misty Mountains, near a remnant
of the Old Forest."

82. The machine starts to rattle and spit and make foul noises. The
steam reminds you of Gandalf's fireworks. The men get up with a start,
and you realize you should get
away before they get you. Crawling through a window, you safely escape
into the night. There is a lot of screaming behind you, drowned out by
the roar of the huge engine as
something explodes.

83. This is what hobbits and humans would call a tavern, except that
the occupants are somewhat more sedate. The minstrel Rathgil is
playing a song of long ago, while the elves sip ale and listen
attentively.

84. "Look for the one you seek in Staddle."

85. The light in here is worse that you had first thought...otherwise
you would have noticed that white charm hanging from a peg behind the
counter.

86. The passageway goes on for a mile, or maybe a little more, and
descends many flights of stairs, at least seven. After one last turn
to the left, the corridor passes through a
narrow door and into another hall. The air is quite warm here, even hot!

87. Well now, here's a bit of the unexpected. The nose is a bit
weatherworn and the hat has seen better days, but this is most
certainly meant to look like old Gandalf himself. What an odd place to
put a statue. Perhaps some troll took a liking to it and tried to take
it home
with him. On the other hand, perhaps there is more here than meets the eye?

88. "No one's supposed to know about that. Grimbosh killed the last
person who even mentioned it. The big boss sent the witch out to find
some half-folk that was supposed to
have heard tell of it. Personally, I think that's what they hope to
find in the pit. Say, what are you gonna be doing with me? Great lords
like yourselves wouldn't be thinking o' killing poor folk like me,
would you now?"

89. All is black, all is darkness, yet one does not get a feeling of
evil in this place. The only sound here is the echo of a great hammer
striking an anvil, repeatedly.
Suddenly a voice strikes out of the darkness. "We are the dead." It is
obviously a dwarven voice, of great power and majesty. "Long we
strived to build the mansions of Khazaddum. Our arms labored to carve
the stone, and find the gems, and build our mansion. Now time has
come, and the Enemy has struck against us, and the Naugrim are too few
to fight, though we shall do so until the last of Mahal's children
reaches the mansions of the dead.
"You have come into the domain of Durin, and you have used his
artifacts. Therefore, you must do Durin's work, and make Durin's home
ready to receive his children once again."
Suddenly, you are somewhere else.

90. The statue crumbles into dust and a few odd seven-sided stone
blocks. The  assageway is no longer blocked.

91. "When I was an adventurous young lad, I found this odd rock in the
ruins atop old  Weathertop. Old Rushdock the Healer, may he rest
peaceably, told me it were a bit
o'magic from the time when kings lived hereabouts. Mayhap you folk can
use it in your travels?"

92. Erestor's slender hands form a small circle. "The Golden Wheel,"
he intones in his clear voice, "was an ar ifact of Moria. The dwarves
used it to lock the treasure vaults in the
deepest deeps, wherein the greatest treasures of the dwarves were stored."

93. "Hobbits!" cries Mr. Butterbur. "Now what does that remind me of?
And you say your name is Baggins? Baggins? There's something I should
remember about that name. But one thing drives out another you know.
It'll come back when I have time to think. Nob will make up your
rooms. There's a blaze in the parlour and food will be along soon.
"Hi! Nob!" he shouts.  "Nob! Where are you, you woolly-footed
slowcoach?" Turning   back to you, he says, "If you've any ponies,
I'll have Bob see to it that they are taken good care of."

94. Gandalf's letter continues on this second sheet, though it shows
signs of having been read by many others.
All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by
the frost.
From ashes a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall
spring again; Renewed shall be blade that was broken, The crownless
again shall be king.
PPPS. I hope Butterbur sends this promptly. A worthy man, but his
memory is like a lumber-room: thing wanted always buried. If he
forgets, I shall roast him.
Fare Well!
Gandalf

95. The floor here is littered with rocks and debris. If anything is
to be found here other than rocks, someone must dig for it. Samwise
sighs heavily. "I've had me an ache
to work in the dirt again, but I was hoping for a bit of sunshine and
a cool breeze to go with it."

96. A few odd seven-sided stone blocks, lie on the dust. An intriguing
passageway beckons to the south.

97. The note tacked to the door reads:
If you've come in great need, I'm sorry to inconvenience you, but my
herb supplies are a bit short. I've gone to my camp north of the
Midgewater to restock before winter sets in completely.
Regards,
Tim Thistlewool

98. This flet contains the library of Lothlorien. On preserved mallorn
leaves, delicate  handwriting describes the triumphs and tragedies of
elves and men during the long history of Middle-Earth.

99. There are too few of you now. The Witch-King grabs the Ringbearer
and takes him to Mordor. Sauron wins.

100. You find a scroll buried in the rubble.
The scroll falls apart due to its age, but putting it together like a
puzzle, you manage to read the following:
"I have discovered more .... stolen by the orcs from Moria. The orcs
have reopened an ancient place called Gorthad, near the Downs. It
would appear that .... of Moria that items
crafted by our ancestors .... by the orcs and their masters. Many of
our treasures may be in this region ....
"It is said that orcs have found the Golden Wheel, the most elusive of
all the treasures of Durin. Its use is unclear, but it is said that
words are recorded .... the Black Book of Gor-
thad. It is a foul name, hinting at great evils.
"I will scour the Barrow Downs for more clues, then I will head for
Bree. This is a dangerous place; even the Rangers avoid it. I know
enough..."
(Signed) Thuri

101. My Dear Mr. Oldenad: Work on the new mill goes well. As you can
see by my last shipment, the lads have been able to double our output.
I'm sure the quality of the
work will improve soon too. Your fellows have been able to keep the
local folk quiet, though they don't like it much. When can I expect
next payment?
Sincerely, Lotho Sackville-Baggins
Master of Bag End, Hobbiton

102. "Contemplate the mystery of eight:
"A wizard watches a wolf's skull dry. "While orc slays dwarf and
watches him die.
"A troll eats the man served up on his plate; "And above the eagle
soars high."

103. "Look for the one you seek in Combe."

104. The shop is nearly empty, its
shelves bare of all but a few items.

105. The note tacked to the door reads:
If you've come in great need, I'm sorry to inconvenience you, but my
herb supplies are a bit short. I've gone to my camp deep in the
Midgewater to restock before winter
sets in completely. You may find me there for the next week or so.
Regards,
Tim Thistlewool

106. In this flet, an elven maid with soft black hair hums as she
turns thread on a spinning wheel. She notices you and nods. "I am the
seamstress llnalin." she says. "I sit
and weave and make new things. This cape, do you like it? (Y/N)"

107. A voice whispers. "From Throri's cairn. WEST. SOUTH. EAST. SOUTH.
EAST. NORTH."

108. Elrond casts the last shredded cloak aside. "Though you have
accounted for but eight of the Nazgul, we can delay no longer. Against
the Enemy's nine riders, I shall send forth nine walkers. Along with
the Ringbearer and his companion, Gandalf will go, for this shall
be his great task, and perhaps the end of his Labours. For the rest
they should represent the other Free Peoples of the World; Elves,
Dwarves, and Men. Legolas shall be for
the Elves and Gimli for the Dwarves. For men, take with you Boromir, a
valiant man of Minas Tirith in Gondor.
"Elf lords I could send with you, but they would only serve to draw
the  attention of the Enemy. I cannot force any of these valiant
heroes to join you ñ therefore, chose those who
may best aid you in your quest.
"Your path lies south of here, through Redhorn Pass and into the
forest of Lothlorien. My folk have been instructed to give what aid
they can, though some may still require a
token in return. If my kinfolk question you, use my name as their
answer. To Gandalf I give miruvore,  a powerful cordial, to help you
in cold weather. Use it wisely. And last-
ly, I give you a single word. You will know when to use it. That word
is 'mellon.'"

109. Thickly woven strands of sticky silken webbing block the exit.

110. The floor here is littered with rocks and debris. If anything is
to be found here other than rocks, someone must dig for it...

111. When the thick dust settles so that everyone can again see, you
discover that amongst the odd-shaped chunks of rubble are seven
sevensided stone blocks. Each of the
blocks is carved with the runes of the dwarf language, though even the
most knowledgeable among you cannot decipher their meaning.

112. "Well now. Unless I am no judge of good foodstuffs, these fine
bits of fungus are the same as the Scarlet Shelves that old Farmer
Maggot used to grow. Fine eating they are." Nevertheless, the other
members of your party seem less certain about your evaluation.

113. Noses wrinkle at the smell of dust and mildew. Though the walls
are lined with tall, wide bookshelves, possibly rescued long ago from
some ancient lord's manor, few are
the books and scrolls to be found filling those shelves. The most
common topic is "The History Of Bree," whose shelves run a slim lead
over "Cuisine of Bree," which in its own
turn has but one or two more folios than the nearly bare shelf
labelled "Everything Else."

114. "He's the orcs' leader. A powerful sorcerer he is. Knows magic
that would turn your insides out he does!" His voice drops to a
conspiratorial whisper. "We all hate
him. If you look to extinguish his dark fire, take the stair near the
Barrows to his lair. Don't forget to use the right passwords to foil
his traps."

115. Thadred, fourth Cardolani lord of Amon Sul, died of a broken
heart on the eve of what would have been his wedding. His lady
Luthanna and all her handmaids had been
killed but days before in an Orc attack as she rode southward to join
Thadred in marriage. Those who entered the Lord's vault in later years
would speak of hearing faint
weeping and sobbing and of feeling an ache for loved ones lost or
distant.

116. "Mr Frodo, sir!" Sam exclaims.
Frodo turns to Sam, only slightly irritated with his friend. "Sam, we
must get the Ring to Mount Doom at all costs."
"I know, Mr. Frodo, I know it, we will. But there's something
important we've forgotten, and it has to be said!"
"What is it, Sam?"
See Paragraph #2 in the Addendum.

117. A note from Bilbo says: "Must ask the Brandybucks about Old
Forest." You put this down for a copy of something far more
interesting, the Lay of Leithan, the song of
Beren and Luthien. It says that Luthien danced by the shores of the
river Esgaldil when the world was young, and some of the waters of
Middle-Earth still remember her. In
places where the elves still dwell, her memory will stir the waters to
a powerful defense, even against the mightiest of foes.

118. This flet is one of Lorien's guard posts, cunningly hidden in the
tree branches. A tall strong elf, obviously one of the commanders of
Lorien, looks at you and introduces himself as Celebrith, son of Dagnos.

119. Upon an altar, you see a large black tome, covered in thick
leather binding. It is open, and a footstool at the base of the
pedastal should allow even a hobbit to read it, though it is shrouded
in a palpable feeling of Evil.

120. Pippin feels curiously attracted by the well. While the others
busy themselves in the chamber, he creeps over to the edge of the well
and peers over. A chill air seems to strike his face, rising from
invisible depths. Moved by a sudden impulse, he gropes for a loose
stone, and lets it drop. His heart beats many times before there is
any sound. Then, far
below, as if the stone had fallen into deep water in some cavernous
place, there came a plunk, very distant, but magnified and repeated in
the hollow shaft.

121. Carved into the floor, in a large area free of dust, are the
words "For Durin's Child, a sharp eye will show the way."

122. The ring of hammers falls silent as you enter. Dark evil faces,
sweating in light of fiery forges glare at you menacingly. As one, the
huge Uruks drop their hammers, tongs,
and bellows to take up the weapons that they have been forging.

123. The Ringbearer has a dream. He sees a small brown bird wing its
way to a great eagle's aerie. Amid thunderclashes, the eagle flies to
a great tower within a circle, sweeping
down and bearing away a white haired man. "Say !ANGMAR to the stone
apart!" he cries.

124. The dwarven masons of old were true masters of stone, and though
much of their skill has undoubtedly been lost through the ages, enough
remained for Balin's folk to block up a secret door and make it appear
as natural stone. So sturdy is the construction that it is
impassable to all but the mightiest  stone mason's tools.

125. You hear an answer to your cry, a song that echoes through the
walls of the barrow:
"OId Tom Bombadil is a merry fellow,  "Bright blue his jacket is and
his boots are yellow,
"None have caught him yet, for Tom, he is the master, "His songs are
stronger songs, and
his feet are faster.
Tom Bombadil appears. He begins to sing again:
"Get out you old Wight! Vanish in
the sunlight!
"Shrivel like the cold mist, like the
winds go wailing,
"Out into the barren lands far
beyond the mountains!
"Come never here again! Leave
your barrow empty!
"Long and forgotten be, darker
than the darkness,
"Where gates stand forever shut, till
the world is mended."
At these words, there is a long trailing shriek, fading away into an
un guessable distance, and after that silence. You are free.

126. This flet is one of Lorien's guard posts, cunningly hidden in the
tree branches. A tall strong elf,
obviously one of the commanders of Lorien, looks at you and introduces
himself as Malkir, son of Seregon.

127. From a tattered tome, you read "Moria, the Black Chasm, Khazad-
dum in the tongue of Dwarves, was a great dwarven city deep beneath
the Misty Mountains. Great
stairs..."

128. "Then, of course, there is the blade Narsil, the sword once
belonging to Elendil, mighty Numenorean king of Gondor in the south.
Narsil was broken in four pieces when Isildur clove the Ring from
Sauron's finger. When Isildur's Bane is at last discovered, the sword
will be reforged anew and made whole. This may indeed be difficult,
for over
the course of centuries other small pieces have disappeared from the
sword: a broken piece of the blade, a wing-like crossguard, and a
magnificent jewel from its hilt. Aragorn
bears this sword."

129. Gharsh, the Orc overlord, eyes you warily. Durin's Axe lies hid
den on a platform in the Hall of Mists. Speak the mighty words Flame
of Udun to break the spell that holds it in place.

130. Weathertop, the southernmost of the Weather Hills near Bree, was
once the site of
Amon Sul, an ancient fortress destroyed by the forces of the Witch-
King. There are said to be crypts and caverns beneath its ruins,
though not even the Rangers know the way to find them.

131. "Look! Someone has been here recently," Strider comments. "There
are signs of a fight. The ground is scorched here, here, there  and
what is this?" Stooping, he traces a rune freshly scribed on a flat
rock that had escaped the fire. "G," he whispers, "Gandalf's personal
signature. It may be that he has been here quite recently and was
forced to defend himself. If only he had time to tell us more."

132. West of the Barrow Downs lies the last remnants of the Old
Forest, that once stretched from the Western mountains to the Misty
Mountains. This dark forest is home
to many spirits of the world, both good and evil. Therin dwells the
eldest, called larwain Ben-adar by the elves.

133. Rack upon rack of bottles line the walls. Most are surprisingly
free of dust and cobwebs. The vintage wines represent more than one
Age of Middle-earth, samples of over a thousand vineyards. Some, like
Old Winwards, take your mind back across the leagues to the Shire.
Others, their names marked in languages unknown now amongst the folk
of Middle-Earth, no longer even evoke memories of the soil that warmed
the roots of their vines, or of the people who first drank them. Even
in their antiquity, none seem spoiled.

134. "A staff seemingly made of pure ice is said to be lost beneath
the ruins northeast of Bree. The staff is said to have great powers
over fire spirits, even those as power-
ful as the legendary Balrog."

135. As you enter, characters on the wall begin to glow until they are
quite legible. The script is obviously Gandalf's. It reads: "I hope
you find this. The evil ones have driven me
underground for now. Do not tarry here, for they love the dark.
Remember the name of Elbereth, for it has power over them. They are
coming. I must flee deeper to escape them Gandalf."

136. You enter the gate of Caras Galadon, the city of the trees. No
folk can you see, but  there are many voices about you. In the
distance, you hear the sound of singing falling
from on high like soft rain upon the leaves. It is a wondrous place.

137. Elrond speaks: "Here my friends is the Ringbearer. Few have ever
come hither through greater peril or on an errand more urgent. There
is much to be told and each
should be heard. Let the Council of Elrond begin."

138. The dwarven runes on the floor here are incomprehensible.

139. Gharsh whines, "Tell the great troll statue a certain word. Tell
it, 'ITHILDIN.'"

140. The shining figure calls out, "Ai na vedui Dunadan! Mae
govannen!" His speech and clear ringing voice leaves no doubt in your
hearts: this is one of the Elven-folk. No
others that dwelt in the wide world had voices so fair to hear.
"This is Glorfindel who dwells in the house of Elrond." Strider says.

141. The door appears to be locked.

142. As you enter, characters on the wall begin to glow until they are
quite legible. The script is obviously Gandalf's. It reads: "I hope
you find this. The evil ones have driven me
underground for now. My spells will hold them, but not for long. Do
not tarry here, for they love the dark.  Remember the name of
Elbereth, for it has power over them. What lit-
tle aid I give you in two new names: !LUTHIEN summons aid over water,
!MITHRANDIR over fire. Use them wisely. They come now and I must flee
deeper ere I see the light of  Arda once more ñ Gandalf."

143. A slender bridge of stone spans the black chasm in a single
curving span of fifty feet. Beyond the fire to the west, hundreds of
black figures swarm angrily. They brandish spears and scimitars which
shine red as blood in the firelight. The rolling thunder of the drum
beats, grows louder and louder doom, doom...doom, DOOM! Arrows begin
falling around you. To the west, dark silhouettes of trolls place
great slabs of stone across the fire.
Yet before they can cross, a spasm of fear breaks like a wave against
the companions of the Ring...the Balrog has come, wrapped in flame and
darkness.

144. In the clear, ringing voice of the elven-folk, Glorfindel speaks.
"I was sent from Rivendell to look for you. We feared you were in
danger upon the Road."
"Then Gandalf has reached Rivendell?"
"No. He had not when I departed but that was nine days ago. We heard
news of your coming from Gildor and his people, whom you met beyond
the Brandywine.
"It was I who left the elfstone upon Bridge over the Mitheithel when I
drove off the servants of Sauron who held it. Yet I fear that even
more that the Nine are near, both behind and ahead. Once the Black
Riders find your trail upon the Road, they
will ride after us like the wind."

145. The Black Book is a mighty tool of sorcery, yet it should not be
handled by the weak of will. Also
within it are dire secrets about Moria, which the dwarves call Khazad-
dum. Fire is its bane.

146. The stone lid here is sealed tightly. It would be impossible to
fit even a prybar into the cracks.

147. A ghost hovers here, noble in bearing yet wearing a sadness
deeper than any you have known. You sense no evil, but nevertheless a
deep chill runs down your spines
as it whispers in hollow tones: "In life, I was Thadred, one of many
Lords of Amon Sul who have ruled this place over the centuries. Long
ago, I gave my heart to a maiden fair, Luthanna. Yet never was our
love to be, for the servants of the Witch-King took her
spirit where none can reach. Love! It  slew me more surely than all
the arrows of Angmar. I sat in a tower, with armies at my command.
Through the Stone of Seeing, I could behold all that occurred in my
domain, and beyond. I had the wealth of kings. But this meant nothing
to me. I could not fight for Luthanna, I could not see Luthanna
in the Stone, and all my wealth and power could not buy her back.
"Now, I watch over the dead.  Though the dead cannot know love, my
dead heart yet craves to know of it. None may pass until they give
proof of a maiden's love."

148. After climbing a great height, you find yourself in a large
hall, set amid the branches of the tallest mallorn in Caras Galadon.
On two chairs beneath the bole of the tree
and canopied by living boughs sit Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel.

149. "I am Boromir, son of Denethor, who is Steward over Gondor. I
have come North seeking the answer to a dream which has plagued me. In
that dream, I thought the eastern sky grew dark, and there was a
growing thunder, but in the West a pale light lingered,
and out of it I heard a voice, remote but clear, crying:
"Seek for the Sword that was broken: "In Imladris it dwells; "There
shall counsels be taken
"Stronger than Morgul spells. "There shall be shown a token "That Doom
is near at hand,
"For Isuldur's Bane shall waken, "And the Halfling forth shall stand.
"What is the Sword that was broken? What or who was Isuldur's Bane?"

150. Deep beneath his tower on the downs, Gardelag lord of Gorthad hid
the glowing sword that his warriors had taken from the band of Orcish
bandits returning from the sack of Khazad-dum.

151. Hidden within the fastness of the troll cave is an elven scroll.
You don't know how it got here -- and you don't want to know. The
scroll is battered and beaten, and mostly un-
readable. The only surviving inscrip tion refers to Rivendell:
"Imladris's deeps beyond vintages lie."

152. Greatest of the swords of Middle-Earth is Anglachel, the Sword of
the Dark Elf Eol. It was forged by Telchar of Nogrod, and was believed
lost in the Fall of Gondolin. Yet the
Black Blade escaped capture, and was taken to Moria as a reward by the
dwarves who aided the Valar in the final battle against Morgoth. There
it was wielded by Nain, son of
Durin Vl, until Durin's Bane drove the dwarves from Moria. It was
taken by dwarves from the sack of Moria, but none know where it rests.

153. The wretched creature snarls "Tell the gray dwarves MORIA."
Though, it may cost you greatly, you stand by your word and let it
scamper off into the darkness.

154. Your torchlight gleams dully off a rusty knife hanging on the red
brown rock wall near the sleeping figure. Without sharp eyes you might
have might have missed it hanging there.

155. This is an old elven keep. However, the workmanship is clearly
dwarven; obviously it dates back to the days in Eregion when the elven
smiths and the dwarf lords of Moria
formed a great (but now long sundered) friendship.

156. Upon the throne is a being that resembles a human sculpture made
out of mud from a river bank. This is the mighty Withywindle, the
spirit of the river. She says in a slow,
deep voice: "I know of you and your quest. Yet who bids you to take
lilies from my secret place? Show me a token, so I may understand."

157. "A staff seemingly made of pure ice is said to be lost in a cave
within the Old Forest. The staff is said to have value against fire
spirits, even those as powerful as the legen-
dary Balrog."

158. "So," Smaug says, licking his lips (or the draconian equivalent).
"You must indeed be a simpleton to think that something as trivial as
an arrow could slay a dragon such as
myself, regardless of its color. Now, I smell something familiar, a
scent similar to one who stole my cup ñ a relative, perhaps...?"

159. In a happier age, the Elves of Eregion were mighty smiths,
creators of many wondrous magical items. Chief amongst these smiths
was Celebrimbor. He created many
rings of power, untainted by Sauron's corruption. One of these, called
the Smith's Ring, was imbued with a fraction of Celebrimbor's own
skill. Though Eregion fell and
Celebrimbor died, his skill lived on this ring, passed down from smith
to smith. At last it was carried into the Old Forest by Dunedain
fleeing the great plague. Its owner died from an orc's arrow as he
crossed the River Withywindle, and the Smith's Ring was never seen
again.

160. A slender bridge of stone  spans the black chasm in a single
curving span of fifty feet. Beyond the fire to the west, hundreds of
black figures swarm angrily. They brandish spears and scimitars which
shine red as blood in the firelight. The rolling thunder of the drum
beats, grows louder and louder --doom, doom...doom, DOOM! Arrows
begin falling around you. To the west, dark silhouettes of trolls
place great slabs of stone across the fire. Yet before they can cross,
a spasm of fear breaks like a wave against
the companions of the Ring...the Balrog has come, wrapped in flame and
darkness.
"Fly! This is a foe beyond any of you!" Gandalf cries. Only the full
power of a wizard might stand against it.  Might...

161. ''Though your task will be difficult, I feel that the right
choice has been made here today," Elrond states. "Yet before the
journey of the Ring can begin, we must know of
the fate of the Black Riders, and learn more of the Enemy's plans.
Therefore, gather the mightiest of
heroes and scout the land. Bring me proof of their destruction.
Consider too that the lands around us may yield secrets and treasures
to aid you in your journey. Range far, range wide, but return here
once more."

162. My Dear Mr. Oldenad: Tell your lads to let up on us. After all,
it's their fault, not mine, that the wretched machine got broken. It
would still be working if they had been about their tasks better. The
local folk are getting a bit uppity too. Perhaps you can send a few
more fellows to keep the peace. When can I expect my next payment?
Sincerely, Lotho Sackville-Baggins, Masterof Bag End, Hobbiton

163. The statue of the dwarf here seems out of place in such a grand
hall, yet the nobility and strength of character depicted by the
stonecarver's hands seem to radiate confidence and serenity. The stone
murals upon the walls show an injured dwarf receiving the ministra-
tions of a dwarven healer.

164. This passage seems to refer to the Shire: "Amonar, the younger
son of Arveleg of Arthedain, took as his fief that lands west of the
River Baranduin and held them in the
name of his brother King Araphor, swearing an oath to avoid the kin
strife that had harmed the sons of Isildur. But there was little love
be tween them, and Amonar honored
his oath when he chose to, late and with little support. But in the
final battle, rebuked by his liege-lord, he was stirred to wild
action, and he and his guard were slain by the
Witch-king. His dying words were an affirmation of his oath to the
kings of Arnor for eternity. He was entombed in a cave overlooking his
lands."

165. The black halls of Moria continue to ring with the shattering
echoes of slamming doors. From outside, a noise of rending and
crashing comes dully through the ponderous stone. It comes to you that
the sounds tell of the destruction of the great holly trees that
once flanked its western gate a  pity, since the trees were beautiful
and had stood so long. Whoever was its master and whatever its in
tent, the crashing boulders confirm that the way behind you is now
sealed by the creature from the waters. The Fellowship's only paths
lie ahead, into the depths of Moria.

166. After all that, all you find is an odd black key, and a crumbling
scroll. As you unroll the scroll, you glimpse the two words ñ "DURIN'S
BANE" ñ before it crumbles into dust.

167. Green vapours belch forth from the crevice, swirling and eddying
about the chamber. A cold hollow voice echoes: "At last I am free to
do my master's bidding once more!" The gas overwhelms you, and all is
darkness...

168. A robust, but ruffled-looking hobbit stares back at you. "Pleased
to meet you. My name is Bushdock, Ned Bushdock. I hope you folk don't
want me to go on no adventures,
least not right aways. Only hobbits can fit where these folks and Rayf
wanted me to go."

169. Shadowy figures startle you as you descend the steps into the
dimly lit cellar. Yet, upon closer looks, they are nothing more than
cleverly-crafted statues of dwarves.

170. Long ago, the dwarves of Khazad-dum used this room to make steel.
The fires have long
since ebbed, leaving a forge as the only reminder of what was once
here. You feel that all is not as it should be in this place. Dwarven
runes decorate the forge.

171. Old bones, great empty jars and broken pots litter the floor of
this gloomy old cave. "Surely this is a troll-hole, if ever there was
one!" one of you comments. "Let us leave
and get away, now that we know who made the path outside. We better
get off it quick!"
Nonetheless, there is something hidden among the bones...

172. A chill settles on the party and the light flickers but does not
fail. A hollow voice, half-heard yet fully clear, whispers. "I sense
one of the folk of Bilbo here. Maybe even of his
noble line."
"True, Ori." a second voice chimes in. "Yet they will have to prove
themselves ere we tell them much."  There are no creatures visible
here, not even a ghost.
"If they don't survive the crossing," the first voice replies, "then
they will be of no use to us at all, my good Oin."
"Hmmph! I still say we need proof that they serve not the Shadow."
"Orcfeathers!"
"Oh shave your beard!"
The chill passes and you cast glances amongst one another. Surely the
oppressive darkness has begun to drive you mad.
Without warning the chill returns. "Words of Power are needed, it's
true, and some words mean more than life to you. Yet one word alone
means much to us, who did the Burglar befriend."
"That didn't rhyme! 'Tis terrible doggerel you make."
"Hush, I'm not done. Where was I? Ah ... 'Yet one word alone means
much to us, who did the Burglar befriend...um...Ah!  'Seek it in a
fireplace, to speak it and our sorrow end.' There, wagglebeard, does
that appease you?"
"Beware, I sense our master. We must return ere he finds us absent."
Once again, the chill passes and you are alone beneath the stone of
Moria.
173. The sounds of your digging echo through the halls. The going is
laborous, but you are obviously making headway.

174. The apparition of a great dwarf appears, rising in a vision of a
smoke from the forge. The dwarves fall to their knees -- surely this
must be Durin, father of all dwarves!
"Find my axe!" he commands. "Use it to destroy the Dark Lord!"

175. In the center of a swirling pool is a stone figure of a once
proud eagle, standing silent on a solitary isle. Its wings have been
shorn from its body, and its eyes are covered with mud. The water
looks too swift to safely swim.

176. The narrow passage behind the hidden door goes on for nearly a
mile or so, continually rising up stairs until at last, it opens upon
a larger chamber.

177. The statue of the dwarf here seems out of place in such a grand
hall, yet the nobility and strength ofcharacter depicted by the
stonecarver's hands seem to radiate confidence and serenity. The
basrelief stone murals depict the death of a dwarven hero, and then
surpris-
ingly, his return to life again at the hands of a healer. Great were
the powers of the First Fathers! Yet even they could not prevent their
own deaths. Return to life was granted by
the Valar only in times of greatest need and only for the greatest
heroes of their Age. An equally great sacrifice was often required of
the being who was granted life again.

178. The barrier shatters, fragments of stone flying in all directions
to reveal a small opening into a dark passageway beyond. One large
stone remains. Carved into it is a message: "Ask a question of the
creator of the Naugrim ere you pass beyond."

179. Tom's wife, the beautiful Goldberry, is here. She is Iying in
bed, ill. Beside her, a blackened willow leaf floats in a bowl of
stinking water. "My lilies..." she whispers. "My
special pool lies south of this house. Please...bring me lilies. Take
this token and whatever you may need from this house." She offers you
her token, a golden leaf pasted against
oak bark.

180. A statue of a dwarven craftsman stands here, his arm raised in
the air, poised to deliver a
skilled blow to some object on his work table.

181. Your feet disturb a deep dust on the floor, and you stumble among
things Iying in the doorway whose shapes you cannot at first make out.
A table in the middle of the room, a great oblong block of white
stone, is carved with dwarfrunes, deeply graven. "It's like a
tomb." one of you comments.
Brushing aside the dust, you read "BALIN, SON OF FUNDIN, LORD OF
MORIA."
"He is dead, then." another of you comments. "I feared it was so."
Upon closer examination, the room reveals its secrets. "This is
'Mazarbul,' the Hall of Records of old. We have come too high. We are
on the seventh level." To the east, a small passageway opens upon a
stair that leads sharply down. All around you are the signs of ancient
battle ñ broken swords and axeheads, cloven shields and helms.
Whatever was once here is now gone and plundered.

182. You have entered the library of Bag End. There are many books of
hobbit lore, as well as several volumes of elven lore from Rivendell.
You loathe the idea of Lotho fingering Bilbo's beloved books, but
somehow doubt that Lotho Pimple has the imagination or curiosity to
ever look at them.

183. The air in this mighty hall is hot, very hot. The great hall is
lit with a fierce, fiery red light. Down its center stalk a paired row
of towering columns. They are carved like the
boles of mighty trees whose boughs uphold the rough with branching
tracerty of stone. At the base of two of the columns, a great fiery
fissure has opened. Flames crackle and dance from its depths. You have
come upon the eastern end of the great hall. Hopefully, the
fire lies between you and your pursuit.

184. Not since the days of Angband has the world known such cold. Ages
ago, an evil spirit entered the Misty Mountains and begrudged all
creatures who travelled on his slopes, for it viewed the mountains as
its own personal property. And as the ages passed, the spirit of Carad
has grew colder and colder, and it begrudged all warmth, and plotted
to destroy it. And so the spirit Caradhas captured some of the warmth
of spring, in the form of a bird, and imprisoned it in a cage of ice.
Since then, the mountains have been subject to the unchallenged will
of
Caradhas, and its malice has grown as great as its might. This cave is
the dwelling place of cruel Caradhas, spirit of the Redhorn;
imprisoned in a pack of ice is the bird of spring.
The great coldness seems shocked that anyone would dare challenge it.
"Fool!" it hisses like blowing snow rolling upon ice. "Dare you to
challenge the power of the winterchill?"
It howls like a blizzard. "First you climb my slopes, now you invade
my home? Die!" the voice growls like breaking ice.

185. Though nothing here would indicate the presence of evil, an
overwhelming dread grips you, nearly forming itself into abject
terror.

186. With resounding splashes, each member of the Fellowship strikes
the surface of the dark swirling waters below. Darkness closes over
you and consciousness fades.

187. You have come to the site of a recent battlefield. Many orcs lie
dead, but the elves who fought here were all slain ñ save one.
"The orcs have an encampment...swamp." The elf is clearly dying from
many wounds; nothing can save his life. "They must be killed...before
they can set up a camp. Unless you
do so now...the quest might never cross the...."
With that, the elf gives up his last breath.

188. On this piece of grass a young elf maid sits. She is not
frightened of you, but your presense has not changed her melacholy
demeanor. "I sit in the shadows," she says, "and I think of the Great
Shadow to come. Lorien is doomed. The Shadow has won."

189. "And If I were after the Ring, I could have it -- NOW!"
Standing up, Strider seems to grow taller. "I am the real Strider. I
am Aragorn, son of Arathorn; and if by life or by death I can save
you, I will." And so saying, he draws out a
sword that had remained hidden until now in the folds of his travel
stained cloak. The blade had been broken off about a foot below the
hilt, its hilt lacked a gem, and one of the wing-shaped crossguards
was missing. "Not much use, is it? But the time is near when it shall
be
reforged anew.
"A light from the shadows shall
spring;
"Renewed shall be blade that was
broken,
"The crownless again shall be king."

190. In the bottom of Grimbosh's chest is a scroll. You read it
carefully:
"I am interested in several matters in your area. I understand that
the Golden Wheel may be near ñ it must be obtained. Any weapon of such
power will be useful against my Enemy, not to mention essential in
finding Durin's Axe.
"As for the voices in the stone circles that you reported, I am also
interested in that. Try dropping items deliberately in the circle and
record the voices that you hear. It
may provide clues to the halls of Khazad-dum, which I have not visited
since before the coming of  Durin's Bane.
"Your obediance is essential. Do not make enemies. As for that other
matter, SHE is handling that. Keep your ears open, but do not meddle
with it unless it comes to your doorstep. The use of force may attract
the Nine Riders, and They must be avoided at all costs!
"I am pleased with your work to date. Tell Oldenad not to bother me
with non-essentials; the shipping company is only a matter of minor
amusement to me, of little consequence in my overall plans.  ñ S"
The scroll is emblazoned with the symbol of a White Hand.

191. The elf lifts himself painfully, and begins his tale.
"A few weeks ago, I had strange dreams of a glowing bird trapped in a
cage of ice. Everywhere around it was ice. It was obvious the bird was
trapped, and needed my help..."
He groans, and then continues. "The dreams did not stop so I sought
the guidance of  Gaiadriel. She brought me to her Mirror and we saw a
secret passageway in the eastern part of the Redhorn Pass. We saw a
huge monster, made of ice, with the bird from my dreams
imprisoned in ice. The ice monster seemed to draw strength from the
bird, which it used to increase the power of the winters in the
mountains.
"I immediately asked Galadriel to give me permission to battle this
monster, but she refused, saying that no elf of Lorien was destined to
prevail against it. The dreams did not come again, but still I could
not forget this. So I left, alone, for the Redhorn. There I was
attacked by
orcs and injured, and so I came back to Lorien."
"If the orcs of the Misty Mountains have sealed Redhorn Pass, then
both Rivendell and Lorien are in peril. If the spirit of Caradhas, as
Galadriel has named this monster, grows stronger, then eventually it
will bring the cold of Morgoth upon us all. It must be defeated.
Redhorn
Pass must be freed."

192. Though your own light is dim and feeble, countless facets in the
sparkling walls reflect and intensify its light until it seems you
stand in bright daylight. Mithril! Here, count-
less years ago, the dwarves of Moria delved for the precious metal.
And here, too, did they unleash Durin's Bane.

193. Oin's spectral voice whispers. "From Dwili's cairn. WEST: NORTH.
EAST. NORTH. EAST. NORTH."

194. In the section marked "Other"  you find the following entry in a
book entitled "Hobbit Life In Bree":
Weathertop, the southernmost of the Weather Hills near Bree was once
the site of Amon Sul, an ancient fortress destroyed by the forces of
the Witch-King. There are said to be crypts and caverns beneath its
ruins, though they were sealed by the Witch-King of Angmar, and only
the use of the same magic word that he used to seal the caverns can
counter his spell. There
are rumored to be other entrances into the caverns within the ruins of
Weathertop, but none of Bree have ever confirmed this. One notable
feature of Weathertop is the Lonely Stone, believed to have been
placed by the survivors of the Witch-King as a burial marker to honor
those slain by the Witch-King in those ancient wars.  The Stone Alone
was honored in a prophecy made by the famed Seer Malbeth:
When Isildur's Doom Awake, And its lost bearer Dreams, Then the Stone
Alone shall shake,
To find a Broken Wing. Reforged shall be a shattered sword The hope of
the Dunedain;
The weak shall overthrow the Lord Destroyed shall be the Bane.
A scribbled footnote says: "As usual with Malbeth's prophecies, no one
can truly understand a word of them."

195. Six statues of dwarven warriors stand guard here. They look like
they could speak, but then what would you say in return? Nevertheless,
deep inside, you feel a sense of disquiet. There is something more to
these finely crahed statues than just stone. Could it have something
to do with the dark discolorations on the warriors' weapons?

196. The brown bird spreads its wings. For a moment, you have the
impression of a face ñ like Gandalf's, maybe a bit younger. A voice
comes from the bird, speaking in the Com-
mon Tongue:
"If you have not found the elves, seek them at night on the roads
leading to Green Hill Country. Ask them about Elbereth, for her name
has the power to protect you, as will
the name of Luthien. But that one you will not learn there.
"The Old Forest is long and hard and dangerous, but the Enemy will not
follow you there. Seek the Master of the Forest. Call for help in dire
need.
"Gandalf! Gandalf!" Then the bird is gone.

197. The air seems to shatter around you as a hollow voice shrieks in
anger! Dark forms shamble from the shadows as the air temperature
continues to drop. Evil hangs in the
air like smoke. Cold chuckling voices murmur of death, darkness, and
doom.

198. "Athelwyn!" you cry, and the final note echoes through the
chamber. But it is no use. She is gone. "We must make certain her
sacrifice was not in vain." you say, holding
back the tears.

199. The scroll is dated a hundred years ago and says: "The fortress
of Dol Guldur is ten levels tall, from its deepest pit to its tallest
tower.  Within its fortress are many orcs
and dark magicks, but its most terrifying occupant is the Necromancer,
who is indeed Sauron of Mordor, given new shape again. I urge the
White Council to press for an assault; it is to be hoped that the
revelation will make Saruman less in tractable." The scroll is signed
"G,"
obviously the symbol of Gandalf.

200. The one standing alone is Gloin, an old king of Durin's folk. The
others are dwarven warriors, probably heroes, though you cannot put a
name to their faces. Deep in-
side, you feel a sense of disquiet. There is something more that you
should remember about such finely crafted statues. Could it have
something to do with the dark discolorations on the warriors'
weapons?

201. As the grey mists and your heads clear, you find yourselves in a
dark-columned chamber. The means by which you came is not apparent.
Nor is there any obvious way
to go back the way you came. Meanwhile, dark passages beckon from all
directions.

202. Oin's spectral voice whispers. "From Buri's cairn. WEST. SOUTH.
EASTT. SOUTH. EAST. NORTH. WEST."

203. Here in the nitre-coated crypt wall, the dust collects upon an
empty stone shelf. The carvings beneath indicate that this bier has
been reserved for Pelissar, a Prince of the Dunedain.

204. As you enter, characters on the wall begin to glow until they are
quite legible. The script is obviously Gandalf's. It reads: "I hope
you find this. The evil ones have driven me
underground for now. My spells will hold them, but not for long. Do
not tarry here, for they love the dark. Remember the name of Elbereth,
for it has power over them. What lit-
tle aid I give you is a new name: !LUTHIEN, which summons aid over
water. Use it wisely. They come now and I must flee deeper ere I see
the light of Arda once more ñ Gandalf."

205. The old man rifles through items on the shelf. "Aha!" He cackles
with joy. "Take what I give you to my nephew Nob. I'm certain your
gift was his idea. And take this for your-
selves now."

206. Some in your party are more affected than others. Standing apart,
they gaze awestruck at the wonder of the mithril ore. All other
concerns seem trivial in this great and wonderful place.

207. With the dirt and rubble brushed aside, deep runes can be read in
the rock floor. The simple characters state, "With the Sign of Seven,
Durin's Axe may be regained."

208. The dark form that is crossing the narrow bridge is recognizable
as Durin's Bane, the slayer of Durin Vl. It was this creature that
drove the dwarves from Moria and haunted
the memory of all dwarves ever since. You are doomed.

209. The great hall is dark. Down its center stalk a paired row of
towering columns. They are carved like the boles of mighty trees whose
boughs uphold the roof with a branching tracery of stone. At the base
of two of the columns, a great fissure has opened. Lazy plumes of
smoke float gently upwards to lose themselves in the darkness.

210. This huge doorway has a swan-shaped keyhole, about which the word
"FINARFIN" is written in elven script.

211. After all that, all you find is a crumbling skull. The scroll has
two words carved into it: "DURIN'S BANE." As you handle the ancient
bone, it crumbles into dusty frag-
ments.

212. Bilbo gets up from his chair with a start. "There was something
that I desperately needed to write ñ I hope I'm not too late!"
See Paragraph # 1 in the Addendum.

213. Haldir removes the blindfolds. "You have come to Cerin Amroth, in
ancient times the heart of our realm. Here ever blooms the winter
flowers in the unfading grass: the yellow
elanor, the pale niphredil. Follow the stream to Galadriel."

214. The barrier shatters, fragments of stone flying in all directions
to reveal a small opening into a dark passageway beyond. One large
stone remains. Carved into it is a message: "Ask of the number of
dwarven fathers."

215. The sounds of your digging echo through the halls. With a last,
mighty blow, a crawlspace is cleared at the top of the debris pile,
large enough even for a big man to
squirm through.

216. Tom Bombadil will go no further. He advises you to seek an old
inn in Bree named the Prancing Pony, whose innkeeper is named Barliman
Butterbur. From there, he
tells you, you are on your own. "Be bold, but wary! Keep up your merry
hearts, and ride to meet your fortune!"
You beg Tom to come with you, at least as far as the inn, and drink
once more with you, but he laughs and refuses, saying: "Tom's country
ends here; he will not pass the borders. Tom has his house to mind,
and Goldberry is waiting!"
Then he turns, tosses up his hat, and departs, his song fading into
the distance behind you.

217. Once, Mirkwood was known as Greenwood the Great. Then Sauron the
Enemy built his great tower of Dol Guldur in the south end of the
forest, and slowly corrupted it, so it became known as Mirkwood, a
dwelling place of evil things. His dungeons were so corrupted by
Sauron's magic that even when he wasn't there, the prisoners would be
tormented by his presence.
A more recent scrawl says: "Only two creatures are known to have
entered Dol Guldur and es-
caped, through a secret entrance. The first is the wizard known as
Gandalf the Grey. The second is the creature Smeagol, now known as
Gollum."

218. Hidden here in the dancing shadows, you find a great stone chest,
worked with runes and carved with intricate, interwoven designs.

219. A chill settles on the party and the light flickers but does not
fail. A hollow voice, half-heard yet fully clear, whispers. "I sense
one of the folk of Bilbo here. Maybe even of his
noble line."
"True, Ori." a second voice chimes in. "Yet they will have to prove
themselves ere we tell them much." There are no creatures visible
here, not even a ghost.
"If they don't survive the crossing," the first voice replies, "then
they will be of no use to us at all, my good Oin."
"Hmmph! I still say we need proof that they serve not the Shadow."
"Orcfeathers!"
"Oh, shave your beard!"
The chill passes and you cast glances amongst one another. Surely the
oppressive darkness has begun to drive you mad.
Without warning the chill returns. "'Seek to end our plight, whether
day or night, in the seventh deep, where the spirits sleep.' There,
wagglebeard, does that appease you?"
"Beware, I sense our master. We must return ere he finds us absent."
Once again, the chill passes and you are alone beneath the stone of
Moria.

220. After all that, all you find is a crumbling skull. The scroll has
one word carved into it: "MORIA." As you handle the ancient bone, it
crumbles into dusty fragments.

221. You quickly climb down the handholds to the lower level.

222. "Thieves!" a booming voice commands. The chamber seems empty,
except for a pair of stone wings; but the voice is that of a dragon.
"Touch my hoard and I shall curse thee for eternity! Come closer and I
shall make this chamber your funeral pyre!"

223. The troll who stands here is a giant, even amongst its own kind.
Powerful muscles ripple beneath its scaled skin. In one massive hand,
it clutches a small brown bird. "Gandalf! Gandalf!" the bird cries
out. As the behemoth troll stuffs the bird into its filthy satchel and
reaches for its massive war club, the bird seems to say: "Gandalf,
it's I..." only to be
cut off by the muffling leather. Twirling its club like a baton, the
monster advances, gurgling in what it might consider a chuckle.

224. How odd. This should be a dangerous climb, as the sides of this
pit could collapse at any time, but you've never felt safer, more
secure.  You see what caused the bright gleam ñ it is a gem, as big
and as beautiful as you have ever seen. It is a blue sapphire, and in
its center an
image of a golden eagle can be seen.
"The Eagles of the North never had a chance to thank Bilbo for his
part in the death of our enemy, the dragon Smaug." a voice from the
gem says. "We offer this as a gift to his people, the hobbits, on whom
the fate of Middle-Earth rests. We will come to your aid in a time of
dire need ñ but only when the need is uttermost. Only one of Bilbo's
people can summon us; this is our gift to them. We hope the time never
arises where you will need to use the Gem
of Eagles, the Eye of Manwe."

225. The book tells of the grim last moments of Balin's Folk. Oin was
taken by the Watcher in the Water. Loni and several others fell
attempting the East Gate.
"We cannot get out!" the writer despairs. "The end comes...drums,
drums in the deep. They are coming!" Then there is nothing more.

226. In the distance, you hear angry words -- it's a Black Rider,
arguing with the man who had been so rude to you before. The Black
Rider lifts his sword, and the death scream is terrible to hear.
Fortunately, the Black Rider rides away, but who knows where it might
be lurking?

227. A hobbit-sized figure is sitting on the throne, looking at you
with mock cheerfulness. It is Frodo ñ but not the Frodo that you know.
He has become a wraith, a shadow under the power of the Dark Lord of
Mordor.
"Greetings my friends. Don't look so alarmed, I understand everything
now. The truth. Gandalf has deceived us all. He never cared for Bilbo.
He never cared for me, or the
Shire. No one cares for the Baggin-ses except the Ring, and Sauron
made the Ring. Only Sauron cares for the Shire -- he made the Ring to
help us all. It should never have
been stolen from him in the first place; even the elves acknowledge
that It is his property, and it is our hobbitish obligation to return
stolen goods, not try to destroy them. Gan-
dalf wanted to destroy it. It's Gandalf who's evil, not the Dark
Lord."
Foolishly, you try to dissuade your former friend from the cause of
Sauron. "The enemies of Mordor must die!" the wraith-Frodo cries, and
he attacks you.

228. The mallorn tree is surprisingly easy to climb; its boughs are
strong and sturdy. No wonder the dwellers of Caras Galadon built their
homes in the trees, you think to yourself as
you carefully survey the area.

229. It is a long hard match. Eventually, you force your opponent to
the ground and hold his shoulders there. Belegcam grins: "You are
indeed mighty! It has been long since I had such a contest. May your
strength endure for all your days."

230. A handsome, tall, young elf sleeps upon the ground. As you
approach, he awakens and smiles. "Members of the Quest! I just had the
oddest dream. In it, I saw the East grow dark until the blackness was
absolute, and the blackness spread until it overwhelmed Lorien.
All seemed lost, but suddenly a light came from the west and told me
that you would come soon. It gave me a riddle to tell you. Converse
with me further, and I shall tell it."

231. The creature that approaches is a Balrog, a spirit of great and
ancient evil. Eons ago, they were corrupted by the Dark Lord Morgoth
into the service of evil; Morgoth
made them his fiercest warriors and gave them great power. Only a
wizard, using the full power of his staff, might defeat this monster;
either a wizard, or a relic of a greater power.

232. The dwarves among you forget the recent misfortunes that have
befallen the Fellowship and get very
excited by the sight of the stone. "This pillar marks the place where
Durin first looked into  the Mirrormere. Let us look ourselves, ere we
go!"

233. This is the council chamber of Elrond. Upon the dais there are
many chairs; this hall is used by Elrond to discuss matters of great
importance.

234. Erestor strokes his chin in concentration. "Of course, there are
the tales of Trollslayer, a weapon of great power said to have been
buried atop the Hill of Teeth above Rivendell by the mighty elven Lord
Gil-galad himself."

235. Gazing around, you spot a huge mallorn to the west. Surely that
must be the home of Galadriel and Celeborn. To the east, you spot the
great river Anduin, and beyond it a dark mass of trees. That must be
the forest of Mirkwood. A black cloud lies across it; that must be Dol
Guldur, the northern citadel of the Dark Lord.

236. "This should be the turn of Aragorn, son of Arathorn." says
Elrond. "But alas, he could not be with us. The Sword that was Broken
is Narsil, the sword of Elendil. It was
broken in battle against the Enemy long ago, and its pieces were lost
long ago. They must be found so the sword may be reforged.
"Isildur's Bane is the One Ring, the Ring of Sauron. It was found by
the halfling Bilbo, whom we honor here today. The Ring is our greatest
peril, and perhaps our only hope. Of
these matters, Gandalf has much to say..."

237. The book continues on an unsullied page: "Lest it fall into evil
hands, we took Durin's mighty Axe and hid it where few would find it,
protected by many traps and guar-
dians. So well did we disguise it, that only by means of Queen
Galadriel's Token would one find it again. This token we cast into the
shaft of Durin's chimney."

238. A note attached to the crate says:
"I, Lotho Sackville-Baggins, Boss of the Shire, hereby agree to
provide
in perpetuity, to the Sharkey Shipping Company, the best pipeweed that
the Shire can grow, in exchange for machinery and able Big Folk to
assist me in the expansion of my im-
provements to the Shire. (Signed) Lotho-Sackville Baggins."

239. On the floor of this place is a skeleton, a man who died within
this barrow many years ago. He is covered in rags; even a cursory
glance can tell that he was not a prince or a soldier. A tomb robber,
perhaps? If so, one can scarcely imagine a worse choice of tombs to
plunder. His only gain was a gem, still encased by his tightly
clenched hand, but he did not live to take it out of here.

240. The scroll is dated a hundred years ago and says: "The fortress
of Dol Guldur is well-guarded. It would be folly to try to assault it
without the advantage of surprise, but sentries
east of Dol Guldur make this impossible ñ except for the forest
labyrinth south of Dol Guldur. There are many spiders and monsters in
the maze ñ it was obviously built as a place to torment his prisoners,
but I have made a secret exit in the eastern face of the maze below
the Lawn of Statues. Through this exit, we can avoid the sentries."
The scroll is
signed "G," obviously the symbol of Gandalf.

241. "The last guardian must be summoned by name..."

242. The scroll is dated a hundred years ago and says: "The fortress
of Dol Guldur is thirteen levels tall, from its deepest pit to its
tallest tower. Within its fortress are many
orcs and dark magicks, but its most terrifying occupant is the
Necromancer, who is indeed the Witch-King of Angmar, given new shape
again. I urge the White Council to press for
an assault; it is to be hoped that the revelation will make Saruman
less intractable." The scroll is signed "G," obviously the symbol of
Gandalf.

243. The waterfall holds special meaning for Legolas. He tells the
story of Nimrodel and Amroth, two elves who loved each other deeply:
"When dwarves awoke the evil within
the Mountains, many elves fled Lothlorien. And Amroth waited for her
to come to the elf-havens in the South but Nimrodel was lost in the
White Mountains, and was never seen
again. And yet this waterfall remembers her, for if you listen very
carefully to it, you can hear her voice, singing, in the sound of the
cascade."

244. The Nazgul withers. You have a feeling he is not quite dead; he
has merely abandoned this form, travelling shapeless and disgraced to
Mordor. A thin but terrifying voice
says: "The hour of Sauron approaches soon! Thy doom draws nigh!

245. AII right!"  The man breaks into sobs. "You know the truth about
poor, poor..."  He struggles to compose himself, and doesn't do a very
good job. After a few minutes, he
manages to continue: "He was looking into what happened to Nob
Appledore, and he went to that place, and nosed around. And they
killed him! I saw it! But you mustn't tell
anyone. They'll kill us all!"

246. You race around the hill eight times. It is grueling, even to
elves as seemingly tireless as Legolas and Bragolhir. Legolas wins ñ
barely. "Truly Nessa herself could not have
given a greater effort," Bragolhir pants. "May the Valar bless thee."

247. Earendil's star is the light of the Silmaril taken from the Iron
Crown of Morgoth, the Great Enemy, by the human hero Beren One-Hand.
The Silmaril was taken to the West by the sailor Earendil, who pleaded
to the Valar for help against Morgoth. The  Silmaril was
placed in a ship by the Valar, and hallowed, and Earendil was made
captain of the vessel. Late in the evening and early in the morning
the Star of Earendil can be seen, a symbol of the downfall of evil. So
great is the power of the star that its reflection is sometimes
captured in magical pools hallowed to Ulmo, the Vala of water who kept
his friendship
to elf and man even in the time of exile. An empty vessel, filled with
such water, will shine with the light of the star.

248. Galadriel continues: "Take any of my commanders, even the Lord
Celeborn. There is time to return to Rivendell if you are quick, and
gather aid from Elrond. Also, I give you an option of great power and
peril...
"On the west wall of this cleft, you will find an entrance. This leads
to an underground area I sealed long ago. It connected to Moria, but
when Durin's Bane stirred, other evils also wakened. I was forced to
close that ancient entrance.
"Within its caverns are great dangers, but also great treasures of
wisdom and power. Few would dare it, fewer still have the power to
try.  Only in such desperate times as these would I offer the key to
anyone. Take it if you wish this peril. If you succeed, you may find a
way to save the Quest of the Ring!"

249. "Greetings visitors. I am Linwen," a beautiful elven voice says
in greeting. She turns to you and says: "Soon I will depart, and
either flee the Shadow and the Enemy or die.
What matter most troubles thy heart?"

250. There are many damaged pages. Then one reads briefly, "By Mahal,
who created the Naugrim, I..."

251. An elf is firing arrows into a target. He looks at you and says:
"I am Urthel.  elcome, strangers, to Caras Galadon, the heart of elven
dom in Middle-Earth. May the stars shine on your faces."
Urthel is a cordial and friendly fellow, and you discuss many things.
Conversation turns to his archery practise, as you admire the skill
with which he placed arrows into the tar-
get. Urthel is pleased by the compliment. He decides to offer you his
assistance.
"I know that you are on a dangerous quest. I am considered a good
archer, and an even better teacher. I can teach one of you the art of
the bow, if you have the time. Do you accept Urthel's offer? (Y/N)

252. You see before you a large dark pool of water. In the center of
the pool are three extremely life-like granite statues, of what appear
to be humans in heavy robes. Carefully
aiming your light at where their faces should be, you see a look of
mixed surprise and horror. The water itself is still and very black.

253. A note says: "This is Galadriel's token. It is a symbol of the
friendship of the Eldar and the Naugrim. Two of these were made long
ago by Queen Galadriel to
King Durin when he helped her escape from Sauron during ancient wars.
Only one other token is known to exist, in Moria. This token is used
as one of the safeguards to prevent
Durin's Axe from falling into the hands of our enemies. The other is
the Golden Wheel. Only with these items can Durin's Axe be regained."

254. To your horror, you recognize the dark shape that is crossing the
chasm, a shape from the nightmares of all elves ñ a Balrog of
Morgoth. During the wars of the First Age of Middle-Earth, many elven
heroes died at the hands of these demonic creatures: Fingon,
Ecthelion, even the great Feanor himself. Of all of the elf-banes of
Middle-Earth, only Sauron himself is more deadly. You are doomed.

255. This is the Hall of the First Father, the heart of dwarven-kind
on earth. To your wonder, the orcs have not marred these crypts as is
typical with their kind. There are many
stone sarcophogi here, more than you have ever seen before. They are
covered in ancient inscriptions, written in the secret dwarven tongue.
"This is no tomb." Gimli draws your attention to a stone marker. "In
time of great need, the tool of Durin will show the way..." he reads.
"Alas, I know not of this marker or its
meaning. It was not spoken of in the legends that survived the fall of
Khazad-dum. It is clearly a barrier of sorts, but to where?"

256. Well now, here's a bit of the unexpected. The nose is a bit
weatherworn and the robe  has seen better days, but this is most
certainly meant to look like the wizard Saruman himself. What an odd
place to put a statue. Perhaps there is more here than meets the eye?

257. Carefully smoothing out the crinkled, ale-stained pages of the
ledger scroll, you make out barely literate writing. The word
"ORTHANC" has been written in, along with yesterday's date. Both have
been crossed out. Below them, the word "ISENGARD" stands out on the
page.

258. In a bold hand, the following is set forth: "Galadriel has
extended her influence to include the pass high above Lothlorien. Even
the spirit of Caradhas now bends his will
to hers, allowing safe passage throughout the year. To call upon the
Lady's power, simply speak her name to the spirit."

259. Many are the treasures within Khazad-dum. Within its labyrinthine
layers are gold, silver, and some of the mightiest weapons ever
forged. While it is probable that the orcs
have despoiled most of the wealth, it is unlikely that they have
uncovered every hiding place of the cunning dwarves.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR
The Year 1992 is the one hundredth anniversary of J.R.R. Tolkien's
birth, and a time to
celebrate one of the giants of 20th Century literature.

J.R.R. Tolkien was born in South Africa in 1892. He moved to England
in 1896, and attended Oxford University, where he later served as a
professor of philology, specializing in the study of Old and Middle
English dialects. His essay "Beowulf -- the Monsters and
the Critics" (1936), an attack on scholars who failed to see Beowulf
as a literary work meant to be enjoyment enjoyed (rather than a text
for linguistic discussion), is still
considered to be one of the most important essays in the history of
Old English criticism; he also provided an early translation of the
Middle English poem "Sir Gawain and the Green Knightî.

Tolkien's love of fantasy literature led him to create his own works
based in a fantasy  niverse called Middle-earth. He began writing the
"Book of Lost Tales" in 1917; this book later became the basis for the
posthumously published "Sil marillion". "The Book of Lost Tales"
developed not only from Tolkien's love of literature but of language;
it was written in Tolkien's imaginary elvish language, and Tolkien
felt he had to write stories in which his
language had a logical place. Tolkien used Middle-earth as the setting
for his first fantasy book The Hobbit". This children's fantasy, which
was released in 1937, became an instant classic and left readers
wanting a sequel.

For over ten years, Tolkien worked on this sequel, "The Lord of the
Rings", which was published in three volumes between 1954 and 1956.
They were very well received,
but it wasn't until the mid-1960s that Tolkien's universe captured
public attention when "Lord of the Rings" was released in paperback.
Tolkien's work generated a cult fol-
lowing and numerous (perhaps too numerous) imitators; certainly
fantasy literature, which boomed during the 1970s, owes an unpayable
debt to Tolkien for popularizing the genre. It was this fantasy boom
that inspired the creation of fantasy role-playing games, and the
computer role-playing games which followed.

After he retired from teaching in 1959, Tolkien spent the remainder of
his life working on the ìSilmarillionî, a cycle of the complex myths
that lay behind Middle-earth which he started in 1917 with "The Book
of Lost Tales." When Tolkien died in 1973, the task of compiling and
publishing the ìSilmarillionî was placed in the hands of Tolkien's
son, Christopher, who published them in 1977. An animated motion
picture of the first half of Tolkien's saga appeared in 1978; there
have also been televised animated cartoons, comic books, computer
games, role-playing games, and even a Harvard Lampoon parody
based on Tolkien's masterwork.

Tolkien was a devout Roman Catholic; his religious influences, though
interpreted through  his love of fantasy, are felt throughout the
ìSilmarillionî and ìThe Lord of the Rings.î Tolkien was a member of a
select society of Oxford dons known as the Inklings; they in-
cluded Tolkien's close friend C.S. Lewis, whom Tolkien helped convert
to Christianity. Lewis later became one of the great popular
theologians of the 20th Century, as well as the author of the
acclaimed ìChronicles of Narnia.î Tolkien was extremely proud of his
German heritage, though in 1938 he refused to allow the Hobbit to be
translated into German when the publisher requested that he sign a
release form stating that he was "Aryan.î Tolkien's love of "escapist"
fantasy was unabashed and unapologetic;
his essay "On Faerie Stories" remains the most cogent defense of the
genre. While some literary critics failed to understand the appeal of
Tolkien's sagas, he found many admirers, including Dorothy Sayers,
Ursula K LeGuin, and W.H. Allden. And of course, millions of
fans. ìThe Hobbitî and ìThe Lord of the Ringsî remain on the Top Ten
list of all-time best sellers. It can already be said that his work
has stood the test of time. He will almost certainly be remembered as
one of the most important writers of the 20th Century, and its
greatest fantasist.

(For more details on Tolkien's life, the reader is directed to
Humphrey Carpenter's biography, entitled
"Tolkien".)

Credits

Executive Producer
Brian Fargo

Programming
Troy A. Miles

Design
Paul Jaquays, Scott Bennie,
Troy A. Miles, Bruce Schlickbernd

Producer
Scott Bennie

Assistant Producer
Bruce Schlickbernd

Artists of Middle-earth
Charles H.H. Weidman III (maps)
Todd J. Camasta (Cartoons, portraits, character animation)
Bruce Schlickbernd (character animation)
Scott Beiser (character animation)

Musicians of Middle-earth
Charles Deenen (Original score)
Kurt Heiden (adaptation for MS-DOS machines)

Programming Assistance
Jim Sproul

Production Assistance
Wes Yanagi, Thomas R. Decker

Playtesters of Middle-earth
Jacob R. Buchert III, Vince DeNardo,
Hayato Ochiai, Thomas R. Decker

Manual Illustrations
Charles H.H. Weidman III

Manual
Scott Bennie, Paul Jaquays,
Bruce Schlickbernd

Text Manual
Belgarath

Manual Design
Vince DeNardo

Paul  Jaquays would like to thank
Rick Britton, Terry Amthor, and Kevin
Barrett of Iron Crown Enterprises for
their assistance.