The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria

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The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moris
Video game
DeveloperTurbine, Inc
PublisherTurbine, Inc
Midway Games
Codemasters
PlatformMicrosoft Windows
Release date18 November 2008
GenreMMORPG

The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) set in Middle-earth during the time of The Lord of the Rings. It is the first expansion for The Lord of the Rings Online.

The game's story line starts at the beginning of The Fellowship of the Ring Book II, Chapter III "The Ring goes South" and currently ends at the beginning of Book II, Chapter VI "Lothlórien".

Epic Storyline

Book I - The Walls of Moria

An expedition of dwarves known as the Iron Garrison begins its attempts to excavate and enter the Hollin Gate, lead by Brogur and Bosi. They finally succeeding with the player's help, yet when the last rocks are cleared, the Watcher in the Water attacks the assembled dwarves, claiming the life of Brogur's son Broin. As they regroup, they turn their hope to a discovered cache of older weapons, tasking the player with discovering if one such weapon might be endowed with the power to fight off such a foe as the Watcher. After selecting, training with, and reforging such a weapon, the Iron Garrison faces the Watcher again. This time, it is forced from the Black Pool, and the Iron Garrison passes into Moria.

Book II - Echoes in the Dark

Establishing themselves in their new home, the Iron Garrison begins the task of rediscovering the lore and artifacts of their heritage. One such passage of lore speaks of an ancient dwarf-smith, favored by Durin, who endeavored to create an axe of solid mithril. So large was the task that an entire forge was created specifically for it: The Heart of Fire. After searching the mines for clues to its location, the Heart of Fire is unearthed, yet the axe, Zigilburk, is nowhere to be found. Nevertheless, the dwarves are heartened by the recovery of one of their greatest forges, and Brogur pushes onward into Moria, establishing a command post in the Twenty-First Hall.

Book III - The Lord of Moria

Brogur sees to the defense of the Twenty-First Hall, only to learn of the presence of the White Hand's minions nearby. Meanwhile, excavation begins in the Chamber of Mazarbul, producing the Book of Mazarbul, a record of the demise of Balin's Company. While Bosi takes on the task of reading the tome in its entirety, his son Bori plans a strike against the White Hand in Broin's honor. While a pair of dwarves cause a diversion, Bori and the player sneak into the White Hand camp and confront the commander, Ashpar. Before he dies, he boasts that his is not the major power, and mentions the name Mazog. Brogur rests assured that Ashpar was simply boasting, yet the news weighs heavy on Bosi. Mazog, he reveals, was the orc commander who slew Balin's company at Mazarbul.

Book IV - Fire and Water

The Orcs and Dwarves each prepare for war. Fearing that attacks may be imminent, Brogur and Bori see that the defenses are secured at the Twenty-First Hall, the Chamber of Crossroads, and the Heart of Fire. The player is sent into the rotting Waterworks and orc-infested Flaming Deeps beneath Moria to both harass the orcs and gather supplies. In the meantime, Bori sneaks a look at the Book of Mazarbul, finding mention there of a dwarf named Oin who went off in search of Zigilburk. Bori and the player follow Oin's path, arriving after a time at a flooded treasury, The Hall of Mithril. There they find not only Zigilburk, but also Broin (wounded, but alive) and the Watcher in the Water. The player drives the Watcher from the hall, and the dwarves return in victory. Yet Broin confesses from his sickbed that he feels a dread about Zigilburk, and fears it may be cursed.

Book V - Drums in the Deep

Broin is still worried about the repercussions of recovering Zigilburk, and asks the player to tell Bori of his reservations. Bori laughs them off, and sends the player to Zabadgathol, Mazog's fortress, to defeat some of his bodyguards. Some of these in their dying words speak of an alliance they have obtained, and the player is again sent away to collect some of the treasure in Zabadgathol to see if it can shed some light on the issue. It is discovered that Mazog is indeed allied with Dol Guldur. After learning this, Bori plans a raid on Zabadgathol to defeat Mazog once and for all. Even with Zigilburk, Bori and the player are unsuccessful, and Bori along with the legendary axe are captured. After this blow, the player is sent by Brogur to consult with Bosi. He, too has lost hope in the expedition to reclaim Moria, and leaves it up to the player to see to the defenses during a major raid by Mazog's forces.

Book VI - The Shadowy Abyss

Even after the successful defense of several key locations, Bosi's spirits are still low. He sends the player to Lothlórien to seek help from the Elves of the Golden Wood. After proving to Haldir that you are indeed a friend, he asks the player to assist his brothers in patrolling the borders of the Wood while messengers are sent to Galadriel to relay Bosi's request for aid. By the time the task is done, a company of elves has already been sent to the Foundations of Stone, and the player is directed to help them. Once there, the player is directed to defeat some of Mazog's minions that are believed to have been sent into the Foundations to search for something, but the Elves believe Dol Guldur is behind this move of the orcs. After collecting confirmation that the orcs are indeed searching for something, the player is sent back to defeat some of them. After the player has slain many of the orcs, some more of the elves sent from Lorien ask for aid in other tasks. The player is instructed to find clues of Gandalf's passage through the area, and also to help contain some of the nameless creatures that dwell in the Foundations. Finally, an elf named Magor has gone missing, and the others are getting worried. A clue is found outside a dark cave, and the player is sent in to see if Magor is inside. It is revealed that Magor was captured by orcs who took him inside the cave, and the player is able to free him from his captors. Magor then asks for the player's help in defeating the source of the evil that Galadriel sensed beneath Moria. After a hard-fought battle, the player defeats the nameless creature in the depths of the cave. Finally, hearing of the victory the Lady Galadriel summons the player to her garden where many secrets are revealed, including a partial explanation of the fate of Gandalf.