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.