Tolkien Gateway - User contributions [en]

Durin V

2023-01-08T16:41:01Z

Sinordloresearcher: Undo revision 366592 by Sinordloresearcher (talk)

{{disambig-more|Durin|[[Durin (disambiguation)]]}}
{{dwarves infobox
| name=Durin V
| image=[[File:Philip Kerst - Durin V.png|200px]]
| caption="Durin V" by [[:Category:Images by Philip Kerst|Philip Kerst]]
| pronun=
| othernames=
| titles=[[Kings of Durin's Folk|King of Durin's Folk]] [[Kings of Khazad-dûm|King of Khazad-dûm]]
| position=
| location=[[Moria|Khazad-dûm]]
| affiliation=
| language=[[Khuzdul]]
| birth=late [[Second Age]]/early [[Third Age]]
| birthlocation=
| rule=
| death=late [[Second Age]]/early [[Third Age]]
| deathlocation=
| age=
| notablefor=
| house=[[House of Durin]]
| parentage=
| siblings=
| spouse=
| children=
| gender=Male
| height=
| hair=
| eyes=
| clothing=
| weapons=
| steed=
}}
'''Durin V''' (early [[Third Age]]) was a King of [[Durin's folk]] who ruled the great city of [[Moria|Khazad-dûm]] during the height of its glory, and the fifth Durin. Like his father he bore a [[Ring of Thrór|Ring of Power]].

==History==
Like all Durins after [[Durin|Durin I]] he was given the name of the first of the [[Seven Fathers of the Dwarves]] because he greatly resembled him in both appearance and manner. Indeed it was believed among the Dwarves that he was the reincarnation of Durin I, though whether this is possible is unclear.

==Etymology==
One account states that the name ''Durin ''was a word for "king" in the language of the [[Men of the North]] in the early [[Second Age]].<ref name=relations>{{PM|Relations}}</ref>

Another account states that ''Durinn'' is one of the Dwarfs in the ''[[Völuspá|Dvergatal]]''. The name means "Sleepy".<ref>Chester Nathan Gould, "Dwarf-Names: A Study in Old Icelandic Religion", published in ''Publications of the Modern Language Association of America'', Vol 44 (1929), issue #4, pp. 939-967</ref>

==Genealogy==
{{familytree/start}}
{{familytree| DU1 | |DU1=[[Durin|Durin I]]''fl. {{YT}}''}}
{{familytree| |:| | |}}
{{familytree| DU2 | |DU2=[[Durin II]]''fl. late {{FA}}/early {{SA}}''}}
{{familytree| |:| | |}}
{{familytree| DU3 | |DU3=[[Durin III]]''fl. {{SA|1600}}''}}
{{familytree| |:| | |}}
{{familytree| DU4 | |DU4=[[Durin IV]]''fl. late {{SA}}/early {{TA}}''}}
{{familytree| |:| | |}}
{{familytree| DU5 | |DU5='''DURIN V'''''fl. late {{SA}}/early {{TA}}''}}
{{familytree| |:| | |}}
{{familytree| DUR | |DUR=[[Durin VI]] ''{{TA|1731}} - {{TA|1980|n}}''†}}
{{familytree/end}}

==Portrayal in adaptations==
'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Durin V's story is expanded on in a series of quests. During his reign, the dragon Thorog took Helegrod, a northern city of his kingdom located near the source of the [[Bruinen]]. Durin took up the axe Mírdanant, a gift from the [[elves]] of [[Eregion]] to his ancenstors, and led a small company of dwarves to reclaim the city. Durin and Thorog killed each other, and only one dwarf of his company survived to tell the story.

:Helegrod was left abandoned by the dwarves. Mírdanant was said to be blessed by the elves with words of protection, and so the death of the king while bearing the axe and its loss in the abandoned city was a source of tension between Durin's Folk and the elves. A quest in the game involves reclaiming Mírdanant from the reanimated carcass of Thorog and returning it to the elves of [[Rivendell]], who in turn return it to [[Glóin]].

{{references}}
{{seq-start}}
{{seq-head
| race=dwarf
| house=[[Durin's Folk|House of Durin]]
}}
{{seq
| pvac=Unknown
| prev=Last known: [[Durin IV]]
| prow=2
| list=[[Kings of Durin's Folk|King of Durin's Folk]]
| nvac=Unknown
| next=Next known: [[Durin VI]] (mid-[[Third Age]])
| nrow=2
}}
{{seq
| list=[[Kings of Khazad-dûm|King of Khazad-dûm]]
}}
{{seq-end}}

{{durinskings}}
[[Category:Dwarves]]
[[Category:Kings of Durin's Folk]]
[[Category:Kings of Khazad-dûm]]
[[Category:Longbeards]]
[[Category:Norse names]]
[[Category:Third Age characters]]
[[de:Durin V.]]
[[fi:Durin]]
[[fr:encyclo:personnages:nains:3a:durin_v]]

Durin V

2023-01-08T16:40:45Z

Sinordloresearcher: Undo revision 366593 by Sinordloresearcher (talk)

{{disambig-more|Durin|[[Durin (disambiguation)]]}}
{{dwarves infobox
| name=Durin V
| image=[[File:Philip Kerst - Durin V.png|200px]]
| caption="Durin V" by [[:Category:Images by Philip Kerst|Philip Kerst]]
| pronun=
| othernames=
| titles=[[Kings of Durin's Folk|King of Durin's Folk]] [[Kings of Khazad-dûm|King of Khazad-dûm]]
| position=
| location=[[Moria|Khazad-dûm]]
| affiliation=
| language=[[Khuzdul]]
| birth=late [[Second Age]]/early [[Third Age]]
| birthlocation=
| rule=
| death=late [[Second Age]]/early [[Third Age]]
| deathlocation=
| age=
| notablefor=
| house=[[House of Durin]]
| parentage=
| siblings=
| spouse=
| children=
| gender=Male
| height=
| hair=
| eyes=
| clothing=
| weapons=
| steed=
}}
'''Durin V''' (early [[Third Age]]) was a King of [[Durin's folk]] who ruled the great city of [[Moria|Khazad-dûm]] during the height of its glory, and the fifth Durin. Like his father he bore a [[Ring of Thrór|Ring of Power]].

==History==
Like all Durins after [[Durin|Durin I]] he was given the name of the first of the [[Seven Fathers of the Dwarves]] because he greatly resembled him in both appearance and manner. Indeed it was believed among the Dwarves that he was the reincarnation of Durin I, though whether this is possible is unclear.

==Etymology==
One account states that the name ''Durin ''was a word for "king" in the language of the [[Men of the North]] in the early [[Second Age]].<ref name=relations>{{PM|Relations}}</ref>

Another account states that ''Durinn'' is one of the Dwarfs in the ''[[Völuspá|Dvergatal]]''. The name means "Sleepy".<ref>Chester Nathan Gould, "Dwarf-Names: A Study in Old Icelandic Religion", published in ''Publications of the Modern Language Association of America'', Vol 44 (1929), issue #4, pp. 939-967</ref>

==Genealogy==
{{familytree/start}}
{{familytree| DU1 | |DU1=[[Durin|Durin I]]''fl. {{YT}}''}}
{{familytree| |:| | |}}
{{familytree| DU2 | |DU2=[[Durin II]]''fl. late {{FA}}/early {{SA}}''}}
{{familytree| |:| | |}}
{{familytree| DU3 | |DU3=[[Durin III]]''fl. {{SA|1600}}''}}
{{familytree| |:| | |}}
{{familytree| DU4 | |DU4=[[Durin IV]]''fl. late {{SA}}/early {{TA}}''}}
{{familytree| |:| | |}}
{{familytree| DU5 | |DU5='''DURIN V'''''fl. late {{SA}}/early {{TA}}''}}
{{familytree| |:| | |}}
{{familytree| DUR | |DUR=[[Durin VI]] ''{{TA|1731}} - {{TA|1980|n}}''†}}
{{familytree/end}}

==Portrayal in adaptations==
{{Gallery
|title=Durin V in adaptations
|height=150
|width=200
|lines=3
File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Durin V.jpg|Durin V in [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Fate of Gundabad]]''
}
'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Durin V's story is expanded on in a series of quests. During his reign, the dragon Thorog took Helegrod, a northern city of his kingdom located near the source of the [[Bruinen]]. Durin took up the axe Mírdanant, a gift from the [[elves]] of [[Eregion]] to his ancenstors, and led a small company of dwarves to reclaim the city. Durin and Thorog killed each other, and only one dwarf of his company survived to tell the story.

:Helegrod was left abandoned by the dwarves. Mírdanant was said to be blessed by the elves with words of protection, and so the death of the king while bearing the axe and its loss in the abandoned city was a source of tension between Durin's Folk and the elves. A quest in the game involves reclaiming Mírdanant from the reanimated carcass of Thorog and returning it to the elves of [[Rivendell]], who in turn return it to [[Glóin]].

{{references}}
{{seq-start}}
{{seq-head
| race=dwarf
| house=[[Durin's Folk|House of Durin]]
}}
{{seq
| pvac=Unknown
| prev=Last known: [[Durin IV]]
| prow=2
| list=[[Kings of Durin's Folk|King of Durin's Folk]]
| nvac=Unknown
| next=Next known: [[Durin VI]] (mid-[[Third Age]])
| nrow=2
}}
{{seq
| list=[[Kings of Khazad-dûm|King of Khazad-dûm]]
}}
{{seq-end}}

{{durinskings}}
[[Category:Dwarves]]
[[Category:Kings of Durin's Folk]]
[[Category:Kings of Khazad-dûm]]
[[Category:Longbeards]]
[[Category:Norse names]]
[[Category:Third Age characters]]
[[de:Durin V.]]
[[fi:Durin]]
[[fr:encyclo:personnages:nains:3a:durin_v]]

Durin V

2023-01-08T16:40:06Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Portrayal in adaptations */

{{disambig-more|Durin|[[Durin (disambiguation)]]}}
{{dwarves infobox
| name=Durin V
| image=[[File:Philip Kerst - Durin V.png|200px]]
| caption="Durin V" by [[:Category:Images by Philip Kerst|Philip Kerst]]
| pronun=
| othernames=
| titles=[[Kings of Durin's Folk|King of Durin's Folk]] [[Kings of Khazad-dûm|King of Khazad-dûm]]
| position=
| location=[[Moria|Khazad-dûm]]
| affiliation=
| language=[[Khuzdul]]
| birth=late [[Second Age]]/early [[Third Age]]
| birthlocation=
| rule=
| death=late [[Second Age]]/early [[Third Age]]
| deathlocation=
| age=
| notablefor=
| house=[[House of Durin]]
| parentage=
| siblings=
| spouse=
| children=
| gender=Male
| height=
| hair=
| eyes=
| clothing=
| weapons=
| steed=
}}
'''Durin V''' (early [[Third Age]]) was a King of [[Durin's folk]] who ruled the great city of [[Moria|Khazad-dûm]] during the height of its glory, and the fifth Durin. Like his father he bore a [[Ring of Thrór|Ring of Power]].

==History==
Like all Durins after [[Durin|Durin I]] he was given the name of the first of the [[Seven Fathers of the Dwarves]] because he greatly resembled him in both appearance and manner. Indeed it was believed among the Dwarves that he was the reincarnation of Durin I, though whether this is possible is unclear.

==Etymology==
One account states that the name ''Durin ''was a word for "king" in the language of the [[Men of the North]] in the early [[Second Age]].<ref name=relations>{{PM|Relations}}</ref>

Another account states that ''Durinn'' is one of the Dwarfs in the ''[[Völuspá|Dvergatal]]''. The name means "Sleepy".<ref>Chester Nathan Gould, "Dwarf-Names: A Study in Old Icelandic Religion", published in ''Publications of the Modern Language Association of America'', Vol 44 (1929), issue #4, pp. 939-967</ref>

==Genealogy==
{{familytree/start}}
{{familytree| DU1 | |DU1=[[Durin|Durin I]]''fl. {{YT}}''}}
{{familytree| |:| | |}}
{{familytree| DU2 | |DU2=[[Durin II]]''fl. late {{FA}}/early {{SA}}''}}
{{familytree| |:| | |}}
{{familytree| DU3 | |DU3=[[Durin III]]''fl. {{SA|1600}}''}}
{{familytree| |:| | |}}
{{familytree| DU4 | |DU4=[[Durin IV]]''fl. late {{SA}}/early {{TA}}''}}
{{familytree| |:| | |}}
{{familytree| DU5 | |DU5='''DURIN V'''''fl. late {{SA}}/early {{TA}}''}}
{{familytree| |:| | |}}
{{familytree| DUR | |DUR=[[Durin VI]] ''{{TA|1731}} - {{TA|1980|n}}''†}}
{{familytree/end}}

==Portrayal in adaptations==
{{Gallery
|title=Durin V in adaptations
|height=150
|width=200
|lines=3
File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Durin V.jpg|Durin V in [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Fate of Gundabad]]''
}}
'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Durin V's story is expanded on in a series of quests. During his reign, the dragon Thorog took Helegrod, a northern city of his kingdom located near the source of the [[Bruinen]]. Durin took up the axe Mírdanant, a gift from the [[elves]] of [[Eregion]] to his ancenstors, and led a small company of dwarves to reclaim the city. Durin and Thorog killed each other, and only one dwarf of his company survived to tell the story.

:Helegrod was left abandoned by the dwarves. Mírdanant was said to be blessed by the elves with words of protection, and so the death of the king while bearing the axe and its loss in the abandoned city was a source of tension between Durin's Folk and the elves. A quest in the game involves reclaiming Mírdanant from the reanimated carcass of Thorog and returning it to the elves of [[Rivendell]], who in turn return it to [[Glóin]].

{{references}}
{{seq-start}}
{{seq-head
| race=dwarf
| house=[[Durin's Folk|House of Durin]]
}}
{{seq
| pvac=Unknown
| prev=Last known: [[Durin IV]]
| prow=2
| list=[[Kings of Durin's Folk|King of Durin's Folk]]
| nvac=Unknown
| next=Next known: [[Durin VI]] (mid-[[Third Age]])
| nrow=2
}}
{{seq
| list=[[Kings of Khazad-dûm|King of Khazad-dûm]]
}}
{{seq-end}}

{{durinskings}}
[[Category:Dwarves]]
[[Category:Kings of Durin's Folk]]
[[Category:Kings of Khazad-dûm]]
[[Category:Longbeards]]
[[Category:Norse names]]
[[Category:Third Age characters]]
[[de:Durin V.]]
[[fi:Durin]]
[[fr:encyclo:personnages:nains:3a:durin_v]]

Durin V

2023-01-08T16:39:43Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Portrayal in adaptations */

{{disambig-more|Durin|[[Durin (disambiguation)]]}}
{{dwarves infobox
| name=Durin V
| image=[[File:Philip Kerst - Durin V.png|200px]]
| caption="Durin V" by [[:Category:Images by Philip Kerst|Philip Kerst]]
| pronun=
| othernames=
| titles=[[Kings of Durin's Folk|King of Durin's Folk]] [[Kings of Khazad-dûm|King of Khazad-dûm]]
| position=
| location=[[Moria|Khazad-dûm]]
| affiliation=
| language=[[Khuzdul]]
| birth=late [[Second Age]]/early [[Third Age]]
| birthlocation=
| rule=
| death=late [[Second Age]]/early [[Third Age]]
| deathlocation=
| age=
| notablefor=
| house=[[House of Durin]]
| parentage=
| siblings=
| spouse=
| children=
| gender=Male
| height=
| hair=
| eyes=
| clothing=
| weapons=
| steed=
}}
'''Durin V''' (early [[Third Age]]) was a King of [[Durin's folk]] who ruled the great city of [[Moria|Khazad-dûm]] during the height of its glory, and the fifth Durin. Like his father he bore a [[Ring of Thrór|Ring of Power]].

==History==
Like all Durins after [[Durin|Durin I]] he was given the name of the first of the [[Seven Fathers of the Dwarves]] because he greatly resembled him in both appearance and manner. Indeed it was believed among the Dwarves that he was the reincarnation of Durin I, though whether this is possible is unclear.

==Etymology==
One account states that the name ''Durin ''was a word for "king" in the language of the [[Men of the North]] in the early [[Second Age]].<ref name=relations>{{PM|Relations}}</ref>

Another account states that ''Durinn'' is one of the Dwarfs in the ''[[Völuspá|Dvergatal]]''. The name means "Sleepy".<ref>Chester Nathan Gould, "Dwarf-Names: A Study in Old Icelandic Religion", published in ''Publications of the Modern Language Association of America'', Vol 44 (1929), issue #4, pp. 939-967</ref>

==Genealogy==
{{familytree/start}}
{{familytree| DU1 | |DU1=[[Durin|Durin I]]''fl. {{YT}}''}}
{{familytree| |:| | |}}
{{familytree| DU2 | |DU2=[[Durin II]]''fl. late {{FA}}/early {{SA}}''}}
{{familytree| |:| | |}}
{{familytree| DU3 | |DU3=[[Durin III]]''fl. {{SA|1600}}''}}
{{familytree| |:| | |}}
{{familytree| DU4 | |DU4=[[Durin IV]]''fl. late {{SA}}/early {{TA}}''}}
{{familytree| |:| | |}}
{{familytree| DU5 | |DU5='''DURIN V'''''fl. late {{SA}}/early {{TA}}''}}
{{familytree| |:| | |}}
{{familytree| DUR | |DUR=[[Durin VI]] ''{{TA|1731}} - {{TA|1980|n}}''†}}
{{familytree/end}}

==Portrayal in adaptations==
{{Gallery
|title=Durin V in adaptations
|height=150
|width=200
|lines=3
File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Durin V.jpg|Durin V in [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Fate of Gundabad]]''
}
'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Durin V's story is expanded on in a series of quests. During his reign, the dragon Thorog took Helegrod, a northern city of his kingdom located near the source of the [[Bruinen]]. Durin took up the axe Mírdanant, a gift from the [[elves]] of [[Eregion]] to his ancenstors, and led a small company of dwarves to reclaim the city. Durin and Thorog killed each other, and only one dwarf of his company survived to tell the story.

:Helegrod was left abandoned by the dwarves. Mírdanant was said to be blessed by the elves with words of protection, and so the death of the king while bearing the axe and its loss in the abandoned city was a source of tension between Durin's Folk and the elves. A quest in the game involves reclaiming Mírdanant from the reanimated carcass of Thorog and returning it to the elves of [[Rivendell]], who in turn return it to [[Glóin]].

{{references}}
{{seq-start}}
{{seq-head
| race=dwarf
| house=[[Durin's Folk|House of Durin]]
}}
{{seq
| pvac=Unknown
| prev=Last known: [[Durin IV]]
| prow=2
| list=[[Kings of Durin's Folk|King of Durin's Folk]]
| nvac=Unknown
| next=Next known: [[Durin VI]] (mid-[[Third Age]])
| nrow=2
}}
{{seq
| list=[[Kings of Khazad-dûm|King of Khazad-dûm]]
}}
{{seq-end}}

{{durinskings}}
[[Category:Dwarves]]
[[Category:Kings of Durin's Folk]]
[[Category:Kings of Khazad-dûm]]
[[Category:Longbeards]]
[[Category:Norse names]]
[[Category:Third Age characters]]
[[de:Durin V.]]
[[fi:Durin]]
[[fr:encyclo:personnages:nains:3a:durin_v]]

File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Durin V.jpg

2023-01-08T16:39:01Z

Sinordloresearcher:

== Summary ==
[[Category:Images from The Lord of the Rings Online]]
[[Category:Images of Durin V]]

File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Durin V.jpg

2023-01-08T16:36:40Z

Sinordloresearcher: Category:Images from The Lord of the Rings Online: Fate of Gundabad Category:Images of Durin V

== Summary ==
[[Category:Images from The Lord of the Rings Online: Fate of Gundabad]]
[[Category:Images of Durin V]]

Durin III

2023-01-08T16:27:06Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Portrayal in adaptations */

{{disambig-more|Durin|[[Durin (disambiguation)]]}}
{{dwarves infobox
| name=Durin III
| image=[[File:Ahmet Can Kahraman - Durin III.jpg|250px]]
| caption="Durin III" by [[:Category:Images by Ahmet Can Kahraman|Ahmet Can Kahraman]]
| pronun=
| othernames=
| titles=[[Kings of Durin's Folk|King of Durin's Folk]] [[Kings of Khazad-dûm|King of Khazad-dûm]]
| position=
| location=[[Khazad-dûm]]
| affiliation=[[Alliance of Dwarves and Men]]<ref name=relations>{{PM|Relations}}</ref>
| language=[[Khuzdul]], [[Sindarin]]
| birth=Before c. {{SA|1500}} - c. {{SA|1590|n}}<ref name="Durin"/>
| birthlocation=
| rule=
| death=After {{SA|1697}}<ref name="Galadriel"/>
| deathlocation=
| age=107+
| notablefor=Gifted the [[Ring of Durin]]
| house=[[House of Durin]]
| parentage=
| siblings=
| spouse=
| children=
| gender=Male
| height=
| hair=
| eyes=
| clothing=
| weapons=
| steed=
}}
'''Durin III''' (fl. {{SA|1600}}s) was the [[King of Durin's folk]] who ruled the great [[Dwarves|Dwarf]]-city of [[Khazad-dûm]] at the time of Sauron's [[Sack of Eregion|assault]] on [[Eregion]].

==History==
Like all Durins after [[Durin|Durin I]], he was given the name of the first [[Seven Fathers of the Dwarves|Father of the Dwarves]] because he greatly resembled him in both appearance and manner. Indeed it was believed among the Dwarves that he was the reincarnation of Durin I, though whether this is possible is unclear.<ref name="Durin"/>

During his reign in the 16th century of the Second Age, the [[Dwarves of Khazad-dûm]] had struck a rare friendship with the [[Elves of Eregion]]. Around {{SA|1500}}, the Elves, guided by [[Annatar]], began forging the [[Rings of Power]].<ref>{{App|SA}}</ref> According to the Dwarves, [[Celebrimbor]] and the Elven-smiths gave Durin the first of the [[Seven Rings|Seven Rings]] of the Dwarves (other traditions state that [[Celebrimbor]] was said to have yielded the Seven - all the Seven - to [[Sauron]] after torture and it was Sauron who gifted the ring to Durin).<ref name="Durin">{{App|Durin}}</ref>

Their instructor in crafting the Rings, the wise [[Annatar]], was actually [[Sauron]] who had come to corrupt the Elves through the Rings of Power. By {{SA|1697}}, seeing that he could not control either the Elves nor the Dwarves through the Rings, he led a large army towards Eregion. In response, Durin sent a great force of Dwarves to the aid of [[Celebrimbor]], but with the [[Sack of Eregion|fall of Eregion]], his warriors were driven back and the [[Doors of Durin]] were shut. Their actions were not in vain for it was by the aid of Durin that [[Elrond]] was able to escape and establish the refuge of [[Imladris]] in the North.<ref name="Galadriel">{{UT|Concerning}}</ref>

Sauron's assault on Eregion was only the beginning of his campaign of conquest. His servants also invaded [[Gundabad]] and the [[Ered Mithrin]], cutting off communications between Durin III and the [[Iron Hills]]. Consequently, the [[Alliance of Dwarves and Men]] came to an end during his reign.<ref name=relations>{{PM|Relations}}</ref> Although [[Eregion]] was conquered, Durin III's people were too numerous and valiant, and his halls too deep and strong, to be taken by Sauron.<ref name="Durin"/>

==Etymology==
One account states that the name ''Durin ''was a word for "king" in the language of the [[Men of the North]] in the early [[Second Age]].<ref name=relations>{{PM|Relations}}</ref>

Another account states that ''Durinn'' is one of the Dwarfs in the ''[[Völuspá|Dvergatal]]''. The name means "Sleepy".<ref>Chester Nathan Gould, "Dwarf-Names: A Study in Old Icelandic Religion", published in ''Publications of the Modern Language Association of America'', Vol 44 (1929), issue #4, pp. 939-967</ref>

==Genealogy==
{{familytree/start}}
{{familytree| DU1 | |DU1=[[Durin|Durin I]]''fl. {{YT}}''}}
{{familytree| |:| | |}}
{{familytree| DU2 | |DU2=[[Durin II]]''fl. late {{FA}}/early {{SA}}''}}
{{familytree| |:| | |}}
{{familytree| DU3 | |DU3='''DURIN III'''''fl. {{SA|1600}}s''}}
{{familytree| |:| | |}}
{{familytree| DU4 | |DU4=[[Durin IV]]''fl. late {{SA}}/early {{TA}}''}}
{{familytree| |:| | |}}
{{familytree| DU5 | |DU5=[[Durin V]]''fl. late {{SA}}/early {{TA}}''}}
{{familytree| |:| | |}}
{{familytree| DUR | |DUR=[[Durin VI]] ''{{TA|1731}} - {{TA|1980|n}}''†}}
{{familytree/end}}

==Portrayal in adaptations==
{{Gallery
|title=Durin III in adaptations
|height=150
|width=200
|lines=3
|File:Decipher - Durin III.jpg|Durin III in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]''
|File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Durin III.jpg|Durin III in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Fate of Gundabad]]''
|File:The Rings of Power (TV series) - King Durin III.jpg|King Durin III in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power]]''
}}
'''2001: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'':'''
:In the prologue, Durin III appears with the other six Lords receiving their [[Seven Rings|Rings]]. He is only identified as Durin on a [[Decipher Card]].

'''2021: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Fate of Gundabad]]'':'''
: Durin III briefly appears in a flashback in the Second-age, sealing the [[West-gate]] following the [[Sack of Eregion]]. He also was noted to have convened the Fourth Dwarrowmoot of the Seven Houses at Mount Gundabad. The name of his Ring of Power is given as Angya, or Handórm in the dwarven tongue.

'''2022: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power]]'':'''
:King Durin III appears in Amazon's series, portrayed by [[Peter Mullan]]. He is depicted as the king of [[Khazad-dûm]] and father to [[Durin IV|Prince Durin IV]]. He first appears on it's series [[Adrift|second episode]] at Khazad-dûm where he [[Elrond]], who has traveled there, and speaks with him.

{{references}}
{{seq-start}}
{{seq-head
| race=dwarf
| house=[[House of Durin]]
}}
{{seq
| pvac=Unknown
| prev=Last known: [[Durin II]]
| prow=2
| list=[[Kings of Durin's Folk|King of Durin's Folk]]
| dates=Mid-[[Second Age]]
| nvac=Unknown
| next=Next known: [[Durin IV]]
| nrow=2
}}
{{seq
| list=[[Kings of Khazad-dûm|King of Khazad-dûm]]
| dates=Mid-[[Second Age]]
}}
{{seq-end}}

{{durinskings}}
[[Category:Dwarves]]
[[Category:Kings of Durin's Folk]]
[[Category:Kings of Khazad-dûm]]
[[Category:Longbeards]]
[[Category:Norse names]]
[[Category:Second Age characters]]
[[de:Durin III.]]
[[fr:encyclo:personnages:nains:2a:durin_iii]]
[[fi:Durin III]]

Durin III

2023-01-08T16:25:55Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Portrayal in adaptations */

{{disambig-more|Durin|[[Durin (disambiguation)]]}}
{{dwarves infobox
| name=Durin III
| image=[[File:Ahmet Can Kahraman - Durin III.jpg|250px]]
| caption="Durin III" by [[:Category:Images by Ahmet Can Kahraman|Ahmet Can Kahraman]]
| pronun=
| othernames=
| titles=[[Kings of Durin's Folk|King of Durin's Folk]] [[Kings of Khazad-dûm|King of Khazad-dûm]]
| position=
| location=[[Khazad-dûm]]
| affiliation=[[Alliance of Dwarves and Men]]<ref name=relations>{{PM|Relations}}</ref>
| language=[[Khuzdul]], [[Sindarin]]
| birth=Before c. {{SA|1500}} - c. {{SA|1590|n}}<ref name="Durin"/>
| birthlocation=
| rule=
| death=After {{SA|1697}}<ref name="Galadriel"/>
| deathlocation=
| age=107+
| notablefor=Gifted the [[Ring of Durin]]
| house=[[House of Durin]]
| parentage=
| siblings=
| spouse=
| children=
| gender=Male
| height=
| hair=
| eyes=
| clothing=
| weapons=
| steed=
}}
'''Durin III''' (fl. {{SA|1600}}s) was the [[King of Durin's folk]] who ruled the great [[Dwarves|Dwarf]]-city of [[Khazad-dûm]] at the time of Sauron's [[Sack of Eregion|assault]] on [[Eregion]].

==History==
Like all Durins after [[Durin|Durin I]], he was given the name of the first [[Seven Fathers of the Dwarves|Father of the Dwarves]] because he greatly resembled him in both appearance and manner. Indeed it was believed among the Dwarves that he was the reincarnation of Durin I, though whether this is possible is unclear.<ref name="Durin"/>

During his reign in the 16th century of the Second Age, the [[Dwarves of Khazad-dûm]] had struck a rare friendship with the [[Elves of Eregion]]. Around {{SA|1500}}, the Elves, guided by [[Annatar]], began forging the [[Rings of Power]].<ref>{{App|SA}}</ref> According to the Dwarves, [[Celebrimbor]] and the Elven-smiths gave Durin the first of the [[Seven Rings|Seven Rings]] of the Dwarves (other traditions state that [[Celebrimbor]] was said to have yielded the Seven - all the Seven - to [[Sauron]] after torture and it was Sauron who gifted the ring to Durin).<ref name="Durin">{{App|Durin}}</ref>

Their instructor in crafting the Rings, the wise [[Annatar]], was actually [[Sauron]] who had come to corrupt the Elves through the Rings of Power. By {{SA|1697}}, seeing that he could not control either the Elves nor the Dwarves through the Rings, he led a large army towards Eregion. In response, Durin sent a great force of Dwarves to the aid of [[Celebrimbor]], but with the [[Sack of Eregion|fall of Eregion]], his warriors were driven back and the [[Doors of Durin]] were shut. Their actions were not in vain for it was by the aid of Durin that [[Elrond]] was able to escape and establish the refuge of [[Imladris]] in the North.<ref name="Galadriel">{{UT|Concerning}}</ref>

Sauron's assault on Eregion was only the beginning of his campaign of conquest. His servants also invaded [[Gundabad]] and the [[Ered Mithrin]], cutting off communications between Durin III and the [[Iron Hills]]. Consequently, the [[Alliance of Dwarves and Men]] came to an end during his reign.<ref name=relations>{{PM|Relations}}</ref> Although [[Eregion]] was conquered, Durin III's people were too numerous and valiant, and his halls too deep and strong, to be taken by Sauron.<ref name="Durin"/>

==Etymology==
One account states that the name ''Durin ''was a word for "king" in the language of the [[Men of the North]] in the early [[Second Age]].<ref name=relations>{{PM|Relations}}</ref>

Another account states that ''Durinn'' is one of the Dwarfs in the ''[[Völuspá|Dvergatal]]''. The name means "Sleepy".<ref>Chester Nathan Gould, "Dwarf-Names: A Study in Old Icelandic Religion", published in ''Publications of the Modern Language Association of America'', Vol 44 (1929), issue #4, pp. 939-967</ref>

==Genealogy==
{{familytree/start}}
{{familytree| DU1 | |DU1=[[Durin|Durin I]]''fl. {{YT}}''}}
{{familytree| |:| | |}}
{{familytree| DU2 | |DU2=[[Durin II]]''fl. late {{FA}}/early {{SA}}''}}
{{familytree| |:| | |}}
{{familytree| DU3 | |DU3='''DURIN III'''''fl. {{SA|1600}}s''}}
{{familytree| |:| | |}}
{{familytree| DU4 | |DU4=[[Durin IV]]''fl. late {{SA}}/early {{TA}}''}}
{{familytree| |:| | |}}
{{familytree| DU5 | |DU5=[[Durin V]]''fl. late {{SA}}/early {{TA}}''}}
{{familytree| |:| | |}}
{{familytree| DUR | |DUR=[[Durin VI]] ''{{TA|1731}} - {{TA|1980|n}}''†}}
{{familytree/end}}

==Portrayal in adaptations==
{{Gallery
|title=Durin III in adaptations
|height=150
|width=200
|lines=3
|File:Decipher - Durin III.jpg|Durin III in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]''
|File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Durin III.jpg|Durin III in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Fate of Gundabad]]''
|File:The Rings of Power (TV series) - King Durin III.jpg|King Durin III in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power]]''
}}
'''2001: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'':'''
:In the prologue, Durin III appears with the other six Lords receiving their [[Seven Rings|Rings]]. He is only identified as Durin on a [[Decipher Card]].

'''2021: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: The Fate of Gundabad]]'':'''
: Durin III briefly appears in a flashback in the Second-age, sealing the [[West-gate]] following the [[Sack of Eregion]]. He also was noted to have convened the Fourth Dwarrowmoot of the Seven Houses at Mount Gundabad. The name of his Ring of Power is given as Angya, or Handórm in the dwarven tongue.

'''2022: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power]]'':'''
:King Durin III appears in Amazon's series, portrayed by [[Peter Mullan]]. He is depicted as the king of [[Khazad-dûm]] and father to [[Durin IV|Prince Durin IV]]. He first appears on it's series [[Adrift|second episode]] at Khazad-dûm where he [[Elrond]], who has traveled there, and speaks with him.

{{references}}
{{seq-start}}
{{seq-head
| race=dwarf
| house=[[House of Durin]]
}}
{{seq
| pvac=Unknown
| prev=Last known: [[Durin II]]
| prow=2
| list=[[Kings of Durin's Folk|King of Durin's Folk]]
| dates=Mid-[[Second Age]]
| nvac=Unknown
| next=Next known: [[Durin IV]]
| nrow=2
}}
{{seq
| list=[[Kings of Khazad-dûm|King of Khazad-dûm]]
| dates=Mid-[[Second Age]]
}}
{{seq-end}}

{{durinskings}}
[[Category:Dwarves]]
[[Category:Kings of Durin's Folk]]
[[Category:Kings of Khazad-dûm]]
[[Category:Longbeards]]
[[Category:Norse names]]
[[Category:Second Age characters]]
[[de:Durin III.]]
[[fr:encyclo:personnages:nains:2a:durin_iii]]
[[fi:Durin III]]

File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Durin III.jpg

2023-01-08T16:25:06Z

Sinordloresearcher: Category:Images from The Lord of the Rings Online Category:Images of Durin III

== Summary ==
[[Category:Images from The Lord of the Rings Online]]
[[Category:Images of Durin III]]

Gildor

2023-01-08T16:07:12Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Portrayal in adaptations */

{{disambig-two|the [[Noldor]]in Elf|member of [[Barahir's Outlaw Band]]|[[Gildor (outlaw)]]}}
{{noldor infobox
| name=Gildor Inglorion
| image=[[File:Lori Deitrick - Gildor Inglorion.jpg|250px]]
| caption="Gildor Inglorion" by [[:Category:Images by Lori Deitrick|Lori Deitrick]]
| pronun=
| othernames=
| titles=
| position=
| location=[[Rivendell]]
| affiliation=
| language=
| birth=
| birthlocation=
| rule=
| death=
| deathlocation=
| age=
| notablefor=
| house=[[House of Finrod]]<ref name="3IC"/>
| parentage=Possibly [[Inglor]]<ref>{{HM|RC}}, p. 103</ref> ([[#Ancestry|see below]])
| siblings=
| spouse=
| children=
| gender=Male
| height=
| hair=
| eyes=
| clothing=
| weapons=
| steed=
}}
{{quote|The Elves have their own labours and their own sorrows, and they are little concerned with the ways of hobbits, or of any other creatures upon earth. Our paths cross theirs seldom, by chance or purpose. In this meeting there may be more than chance; but the purpose is not clear to me, and I fear to say too much.|Gildor Inglorion in ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', "[[Three is Company]]"}}
'''Gildor Inglorion''' was a [[Noldor|Noldorin]] [[Elves|Elf]] of the [[House of Finrod]], who was one of the few [[Exiled Noldor]] in the late [[Third Age]].

==History==
Gildor was probably the son of some [[Inglor]]<ref name=halls>{{webcite|author=Matt Light, Lowell R. Matthews|articleurl=http://www.guildcompanion.com/scrolls/2000/jul/gildorshalls.html|articlename=Gildor's Halls|dated=2000|website=The Tolkien List}}</ref> and one of the [[Exile of the Noldor|Exiles]] of the House of Finrod. It's possible that he was from around Rivendell.<ref>{{RGEO|Elbereth}}</ref>
[[File:Alan Lee - Feasting with the Elves.jpg|thumb|left|''Feasting with the Elves'' by [[Alan Lee]]]]
Elven [[Wandering Companies]] crossed [[the Shire]] and Gildor knew well [[Bilbo Baggins|Bilbo]] and [[Frodo Baggins]] when they were out in the woods. Around [[September]] {{TA|3001}}, as [[Bilbo Baggins]] was leaving the Shire for Rivendell, Gildor met the [[hobbit]] as he waved them farewell in one of their camps above [[Woodhall]]. The following years he met him once more,<ref name="3IC">{{FR|I3}}</ref> perhaps at Rivendell.<ref name=halls/>
===Meeting Frodo===
{{quote|Elves seldom give unguarded advice, for advice is a dangerous gift, even from the wise to the wise, and all courses may run ill.|Gildor Inglorion}}
In September {{TA|3018}}, he led a Wandering Company of [[Elves of Rivendell]] travelling eastwards from the [[Emyn Beraid]], where they went to see [[Varda|Elbereth]] in the ''[[Elostirion-stone|palantír]]'' that was kept there. On the [[24 September|24th]], they were [[Elven Hymn to Elbereth|singing]], and unknown to him their sounds drove away a [[Black Riders|Black Rider]] who was searching for [[Frodo Baggins]], [[Samwise Gamgee]] and [[Peregrin Took]] on the road near the [[Woody End]]. As they passed by them, Gildor was the hindmost, and seeing Frodo he greeted him, to his surprise. Gildor initially intended that the elves bid the [[hobbits]] farewell and continue on their way, until Pippin spoke of the Black Riders pursuing them. Upon hearing this, he invited the hobbits to join them, although it was not their custom. He rejoiced after hearing Frodo's [[Elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo|Quenya greeting]] and gave him the title [[Elf-friends|Elf-friend]].

At night they camped on a hill above [[Woodhall]]; they ate and sang, and Gildor discussed the peril that haunted the three hobbits. He sensed Frodo's fears and uncertainties about his travel to Rivendell, and was worried hearing that [[Gandalf]] had not returned as he had promised to Frodo. When Frodo asked whether he ought to wait for Gandalf, Gildor replied that the choice was Frodo's, but if he demanded counsel, then Gildor advised him not to wait but to follow Gandalf's plans, with trusty companions. However, he refused to tell him more of the nature of the mysterious Black Riders, except that they were agents of the [[Sauron|Enemy]], and deadly.<ref name="3IC"/>

After separating from the hobbits, he informed other [[Wandering Companies]] to be on the watch,<ref name="3IC"/> and sent word to the house of [[Tom Bombadil]], probably before the [[26 September|26th]].<ref>{{FR|I7}}</ref> He also spoke with [[Aragorn]]<ref>{{FR|I10}}</ref> and sent a message to [[Elrond]].<ref>{{FR|I12}}</ref>

Two years later, on [[22 September]] {{TA|3021}}, he met the hobbits once again. He accompanied a riding of great Lords and Ladies, that planned to sail [[Aman|West]] on board the [[White Ship]]<ref>{{RK|VI9}}</ref> and probably he was among the Elves who sailed to the West.<ref>{{HM|Guide}}, entry "Gildor Inglorion"</ref><ref group=note>The narrative does not specify whether Gildor also boarded the ship to the West or if he was simply present as a companion.</ref>

==Etymology==
The meaning of ''Gildor'' is not given, but it can be deduced as [[Sindarin]] "Star Lord", from [[gil]] ("star") + -dor ("lord, king").<ref>{{webcite|author=Paul Strack|articleurl=http://eldamo.org/content/words/word-879448255.html|articlename=S. ''Gildor'' m.|dated=|website=Eldamo|accessed=15 December 2019}}</ref>

The same applies to ''Inglorion'', which means "Son of Inglor", from ''[[-ion]]'' ("son of"), leading to the genealogical discussion explained below.

==Ancestry==
Gildor is one of the less prominently featured Elves, yet he seems important enough to raise questions concerning his lineage, or the identity of this character. Gildor calls himself "Gildor Inglorion of the House of Finrod". He also says: "''We are [[Exile of the Noldor|Exiles]], and most of our kindred have long departed and we too are only tarrying here a while, ere we return over the [[Belegaer|Great Sea]].''"<ref name="3IC"/>

It should be noted that Tolkien initially used names from his (unpublished) ''[[The Silmarillion]]'' writings rather at random in ''[[The Hobbit]]'' and the first drafts of the sequel which would become ''The Lord of the Rings'': other examples are the mention of [[Gondolin]] and the appearance of [[Elrond]] in ''The Hobbit'', which were only later brought into alignment with ''The Lord of the Rings'' and the unpublished mythology by a third edition of the book.<ref name="L257">{{L|257}}</ref> This may be the case of the reference to the name "Finrod".

The name "Gildor" first appeared in the outlines of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' in February [[1938]],<ref>{{RS|Hobbiton}} (p. 45)</ref> and in Tolkien's notes of that time, "Finrod" still meant the character later known as [[Finarfin]]<ref name="RC3IC">{{HM|RC}}, "[[Three is Company]]", pages 103-4</ref> and [[Finrod|his son]] had the older name "[[Inglor]]".

However the name ''[[Inglor]]'' reappeared, in [[Quenya]] form, for Finarfin (who in the earlier legendarium, was named Finrod). Finarfin's [[Amilessë|mother-name]] was ''[[Ingalaurë]]''.<ref>{{PM|Shibboleth}}, note 30</ref> If Ingalaurë is to be translated in [[Sindarin]] according to the [[Sindarization|sound-changing rules]], this would become ''Inglor''. Thus, the connection of Gildor to the house of Finrod/Finarfin still remains in the updated legendarium.

This all suggests that, while Gildor might have been initially intended to be Felagund's son, in the final version he may have been a member of the House of Finrod as some other descendant, or servant, not one of Finrod's sons — perhaps one of the knights of [[Nargothrond]].

It is also possible that he was a son of a supposed "Inglor" — a character unconnected to Finrod Felagund.

==Portrayal in adaptations==
{{Gallery
|title=Gildor in adaptations
|height=150
|width=250
|lines=3
|File:The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game - Gildor Inglorion, of the House of Finrod.jpg|Gildor Inglorion in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game]]''
|File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Gildor.JPG|Gildor Inglorion in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]''
}}

'''1978: [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1978 film)]]:'''
:[[Legolas]], here an Elf of Rivendell, tells Strider that Elrond had received news of the burden, but it is left unexplained how.

'''1981: [[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1981 radio series)]]:'''
:Adapter [[Brian Sibley]] wanted to use as much of the original Elvish lines as possible. This meant that the heavily wounded Frodo told the line ''[[Elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo]]'' to Glorfindel instead.

'''1992: [[Der Herr der Ringe (1992 German radio series)|''Der Herr der Ringe'' (1992 German radio series)]]:'''
:Gildor is played by Charles Wirths.

'''2001-2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game]]'':'''
: Despite not featuring in [[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' film series]], Decipher produced a card depicting the character.

'''2001: [[Pán prsteňov (2001-2003 Slovak radio series)|''Pán prsteňov'' (2001-2003 Slovak radio series)]]:'''
:The voice of Gildor is provided by Marián Geišberg.

'''2002: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' (video game)]]:'''
:This video game features both [[Tom Bombadil]] and [[Glorfindel]]. Tom apparently knows nothing of Frodo carrying the Ring, yet Glorfindel does - he is sent out by Elrond. Elrond had received a message, but from whom this message came is left untold.

'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Gildor makes a brief appearance in the Hobbit introduction to the ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar|Shadows of Angmar]]'' driving out a [[Nazgûl|Black Rider]] in [[the Shire]]. He also appears in the hobbit village of [[Tighfield]], interacting with the village's children.
:Later he is also the representative for the elves for the Council of the North in the third book to the ''Shadows of Angmar'': "The Council of the North". Besides the epic story line, players can find him in the Elven refuge Lin Giliath near Esteldín in the [[North Downs]].

{{references|notes}}
[[Category:Characters in The Lord of the Rings]]
[[Category:House of Finarfin]]
[[Category:Noldor]]
[[Category:Noldorin names]]
[[Category:Sindarin names]]
[[Category:Third Age characters]]

[[de:Gildor Inglorion]]
[[fi:Gildor (haltia)]]

Gildor

2023-01-08T16:06:38Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Portrayal in adaptations */

{{disambig-two|the [[Noldor]]in Elf|member of [[Barahir's Outlaw Band]]|[[Gildor (outlaw)]]}}
{{noldor infobox
| name=Gildor Inglorion
| image=[[File:Lori Deitrick - Gildor Inglorion.jpg|250px]]
| caption="Gildor Inglorion" by [[:Category:Images by Lori Deitrick|Lori Deitrick]]
| pronun=
| othernames=
| titles=
| position=
| location=[[Rivendell]]
| affiliation=
| language=
| birth=
| birthlocation=
| rule=
| death=
| deathlocation=
| age=
| notablefor=
| house=[[House of Finrod]]<ref name="3IC"/>
| parentage=Possibly [[Inglor]]<ref>{{HM|RC}}, p. 103</ref> ([[#Ancestry|see below]])
| siblings=
| spouse=
| children=
| gender=Male
| height=
| hair=
| eyes=
| clothing=
| weapons=
| steed=
}}
{{quote|The Elves have their own labours and their own sorrows, and they are little concerned with the ways of hobbits, or of any other creatures upon earth. Our paths cross theirs seldom, by chance or purpose. In this meeting there may be more than chance; but the purpose is not clear to me, and I fear to say too much.|Gildor Inglorion in ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', "[[Three is Company]]"}}
'''Gildor Inglorion''' was a [[Noldor|Noldorin]] [[Elves|Elf]] of the [[House of Finrod]], who was one of the few [[Exiled Noldor]] in the late [[Third Age]].

==History==
Gildor was probably the son of some [[Inglor]]<ref name=halls>{{webcite|author=Matt Light, Lowell R. Matthews|articleurl=http://www.guildcompanion.com/scrolls/2000/jul/gildorshalls.html|articlename=Gildor's Halls|dated=2000|website=The Tolkien List}}</ref> and one of the [[Exile of the Noldor|Exiles]] of the House of Finrod. It's possible that he was from around Rivendell.<ref>{{RGEO|Elbereth}}</ref>
[[File:Alan Lee - Feasting with the Elves.jpg|thumb|left|''Feasting with the Elves'' by [[Alan Lee]]]]
Elven [[Wandering Companies]] crossed [[the Shire]] and Gildor knew well [[Bilbo Baggins|Bilbo]] and [[Frodo Baggins]] when they were out in the woods. Around [[September]] {{TA|3001}}, as [[Bilbo Baggins]] was leaving the Shire for Rivendell, Gildor met the [[hobbit]] as he waved them farewell in one of their camps above [[Woodhall]]. The following years he met him once more,<ref name="3IC">{{FR|I3}}</ref> perhaps at Rivendell.<ref name=halls/>
===Meeting Frodo===
{{quote|Elves seldom give unguarded advice, for advice is a dangerous gift, even from the wise to the wise, and all courses may run ill.|Gildor Inglorion}}
In September {{TA|3018}}, he led a Wandering Company of [[Elves of Rivendell]] travelling eastwards from the [[Emyn Beraid]], where they went to see [[Varda|Elbereth]] in the ''[[Elostirion-stone|palantír]]'' that was kept there. On the [[24 September|24th]], they were [[Elven Hymn to Elbereth|singing]], and unknown to him their sounds drove away a [[Black Riders|Black Rider]] who was searching for [[Frodo Baggins]], [[Samwise Gamgee]] and [[Peregrin Took]] on the road near the [[Woody End]]. As they passed by them, Gildor was the hindmost, and seeing Frodo he greeted him, to his surprise. Gildor initially intended that the elves bid the [[hobbits]] farewell and continue on their way, until Pippin spoke of the Black Riders pursuing them. Upon hearing this, he invited the hobbits to join them, although it was not their custom. He rejoiced after hearing Frodo's [[Elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo|Quenya greeting]] and gave him the title [[Elf-friends|Elf-friend]].

At night they camped on a hill above [[Woodhall]]; they ate and sang, and Gildor discussed the peril that haunted the three hobbits. He sensed Frodo's fears and uncertainties about his travel to Rivendell, and was worried hearing that [[Gandalf]] had not returned as he had promised to Frodo. When Frodo asked whether he ought to wait for Gandalf, Gildor replied that the choice was Frodo's, but if he demanded counsel, then Gildor advised him not to wait but to follow Gandalf's plans, with trusty companions. However, he refused to tell him more of the nature of the mysterious Black Riders, except that they were agents of the [[Sauron|Enemy]], and deadly.<ref name="3IC"/>

After separating from the hobbits, he informed other [[Wandering Companies]] to be on the watch,<ref name="3IC"/> and sent word to the house of [[Tom Bombadil]], probably before the [[26 September|26th]].<ref>{{FR|I7}}</ref> He also spoke with [[Aragorn]]<ref>{{FR|I10}}</ref> and sent a message to [[Elrond]].<ref>{{FR|I12}}</ref>

Two years later, on [[22 September]] {{TA|3021}}, he met the hobbits once again. He accompanied a riding of great Lords and Ladies, that planned to sail [[Aman|West]] on board the [[White Ship]]<ref>{{RK|VI9}}</ref> and probably he was among the Elves who sailed to the West.<ref>{{HM|Guide}}, entry "Gildor Inglorion"</ref><ref group=note>The narrative does not specify whether Gildor also boarded the ship to the West or if he was simply present as a companion.</ref>

==Etymology==
The meaning of ''Gildor'' is not given, but it can be deduced as [[Sindarin]] "Star Lord", from [[gil]] ("star") + -dor ("lord, king").<ref>{{webcite|author=Paul Strack|articleurl=http://eldamo.org/content/words/word-879448255.html|articlename=S. ''Gildor'' m.|dated=|website=Eldamo|accessed=15 December 2019}}</ref>

The same applies to ''Inglorion'', which means "Son of Inglor", from ''[[-ion]]'' ("son of"), leading to the genealogical discussion explained below.

==Ancestry==
Gildor is one of the less prominently featured Elves, yet he seems important enough to raise questions concerning his lineage, or the identity of this character. Gildor calls himself "Gildor Inglorion of the House of Finrod". He also says: "''We are [[Exile of the Noldor|Exiles]], and most of our kindred have long departed and we too are only tarrying here a while, ere we return over the [[Belegaer|Great Sea]].''"<ref name="3IC"/>

It should be noted that Tolkien initially used names from his (unpublished) ''[[The Silmarillion]]'' writings rather at random in ''[[The Hobbit]]'' and the first drafts of the sequel which would become ''The Lord of the Rings'': other examples are the mention of [[Gondolin]] and the appearance of [[Elrond]] in ''The Hobbit'', which were only later brought into alignment with ''The Lord of the Rings'' and the unpublished mythology by a third edition of the book.<ref name="L257">{{L|257}}</ref> This may be the case of the reference to the name "Finrod".

The name "Gildor" first appeared in the outlines of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' in February [[1938]],<ref>{{RS|Hobbiton}} (p. 45)</ref> and in Tolkien's notes of that time, "Finrod" still meant the character later known as [[Finarfin]]<ref name="RC3IC">{{HM|RC}}, "[[Three is Company]]", pages 103-4</ref> and [[Finrod|his son]] had the older name "[[Inglor]]".

However the name ''[[Inglor]]'' reappeared, in [[Quenya]] form, for Finarfin (who in the earlier legendarium, was named Finrod). Finarfin's [[Amilessë|mother-name]] was ''[[Ingalaurë]]''.<ref>{{PM|Shibboleth}}, note 30</ref> If Ingalaurë is to be translated in [[Sindarin]] according to the [[Sindarization|sound-changing rules]], this would become ''Inglor''. Thus, the connection of Gildor to the house of Finrod/Finarfin still remains in the updated legendarium.

This all suggests that, while Gildor might have been initially intended to be Felagund's son, in the final version he may have been a member of the House of Finrod as some other descendant, or servant, not one of Finrod's sons — perhaps one of the knights of [[Nargothrond]].

It is also possible that he was a son of a supposed "Inglor" — a character unconnected to Finrod Felagund.

==Portrayal in adaptations==
{{Gallery
|title=Gildor in adaptations
|height=150
|width=250
|lines=3
|File:The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game - Gildor Inglorion, of the House of Finrod.jpg|Gildor Inglorion in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game]]''
|File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Gildor.JPG|Gildor Inglorion in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]''
}}

'''1978: [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1978 film)]]:'''
:[[Legolas]], here an Elf of Rivendell, tells Strider that Elrond had received news of the burden, but it is left unexplained how.

'''1981: [[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1981 radio series)]]:'''
:Adapter [[Brian Sibley]] wanted to use as much of the original Elvish lines as possible. This meant that the heavily wounded Frodo told the line ''[[Elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo]]'' to Glorfindel instead.

'''1992: [[Der Herr der Ringe (1992 German radio series)|''Der Herr der Ringe'' (1992 German radio series)]]:'''
:Gildor is played by Charles Wirths.

'''2001-2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game]]'':'''
: Despite not featuring in [[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' film series]], Decipher produced a card depicting the character.

'''2001: [[Pán prsteňov (2001-2003 Slovak radio series)|''Pán prsteňov'' (2001-2003 Slovak radio series)]]:'''
:The voice of Gildor is provided by Marián Geišberg.

'''2002: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' (video game)]]:'''
:This video game features both [[Tom Bombadil]] and [[Glorfindel]]. Tom apparently knows nothing of Frodo carrying the Ring, yet Glorfindel does - he is sent out by Elrond. Elrond had received a message, but from whom this message came is left untold.

'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Gildor makes a brief appearance in the Hobbit introduction to the ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar|Shadows of Angmar]]'' driving out a [[Nazgûl|Black Rider]] in [[the Shire]]. He also appears in the hobbit village of [[Tighfield]], interacting with the village's children.
:He is also the representative for the elves for the Council of the North in the third book to the ''Shadows of Angmar'': "The Council of the North". Besides the epic story line, players can find him in the Elven refuge Lin Giliath near Esteldín in the [[North Downs]].

{{references|notes}}
[[Category:Characters in The Lord of the Rings]]
[[Category:House of Finarfin]]
[[Category:Noldor]]
[[Category:Noldorin names]]
[[Category:Sindarin names]]
[[Category:Third Age characters]]

[[de:Gildor Inglorion]]
[[fi:Gildor (haltia)]]

Tom Bombadil

2023-01-08T16:04:06Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Portrayal in adaptations */

{{disambig-more|Tom|[[Tom (disambiguation)]]}}
{{other infobox
| image=[[Image:John Howe - Tom Bombadil.jpg|250px]]
| caption="Tom Bombadil" by [[John Howe]]
| name=Tom Bombadil
| pronun=
| othernames=''Iarwain Ben-adar'' ([[Sindarin|S]]) ''Orald'' ([[Rohan language|R]]) ''Forn'' ([[Khuzdul|K]])
| titles=The [[Eldest]], [[Master]]
| position=
| location=[[Old Forest]]
| affiliation=
| language=[[Westron]]
| birth=
| birthlocation=
| rule=
| death=
| deathlocation=
| age=
| notablefor=saving [[Frodo]], [[Sam]], [[Merry]] and [[Pippin]] from the [[Old Man Willow]] and the [[Barrow-wights|Barrow-wight]]
| parentage=
| siblings=
| spouse=[[Goldberry]]
| children=
| race=[[Tom Bombadil/Nature|Tom Bombadil]]
| gender=Male
| height=Short
| hair=
| eyes=
| clothing=Blue jacket and hat, boots
| weapons=Song
| steed=[[Fatty Lumpkin]]
}}
{{quote|Eldest, that's what I am... Tom remembers the first raindrop and the first acorn... he knew the dark under the stars when it was fearless – before the Dark Lord came from Outside.|Tom Bombadil in ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', "[[In the House of Tom Bombadil]]"}}

'''Tom Bombadil''' was an enigmatic figure that lived throughout the history of [[Arda]]. Living in the depths of the [[Old Forest]], he seemed to possess unequaled power in the land around his dwelling. Although seemingly benevolent, he took no stance against the [[Dark Lord]]s.

==Appearance and traits==
{{quote|Old Tom Bombadil is a merry fellow; Bright blue his jacket is, and his boots are yellow.|Tom Bombadil}}
Tom looks like a male figure, with a red "ripe" face, with many laughing wrinkles, sporting a long brown beard. His eyes are bright blue. He wears a blue coat and an old tall hat with a long blue feather. His thick legs wear big yellow boots.<ref name="OldF"/>

He lived in a little house in the [[Dingle]] of the [[Old Forest]] by the river [[Withywindle]], together with his lovely wife [[Goldberry]].

The [[Bucklanders]] had little understanding of his powers and nature. They saw him as a mysterious, unpredictable, but benevolent and comic person; more or less as the [[Shire-folk]] thought of [[Gandalf]].<ref name="Adv"/>

==History==
===Origins===
[[Image:Olanda Fong-Surdenas - Tom Bombadil.jpg|thumb|left|''Tom Bombadil'' by [[Olanda Fong-Surdenas]]]]
{{quote|He is a strange creature.|[[Elrond]], ''[[The Council of Elrond]]''}}
The origins and [[Tom Bombadil/Nature|nature of Tom Bombadil]] are unknown; however, he already existed when the [[Morgoth|Dark Lord]] came to [[Arda]],<ref name="house">{{FR|Bombadil}}</ref> signifying he was alive even before the coming of the [[Valar]].

He was on Arda "before the river and the trees", before the first rain and made paths before the [[Great March]] of the [[Eldar]] and later of the [[Middle Men]] and their [[Barrow Downs|tombs]]. He also witnessed the [[Changing of the World]], the arrival of the [[Exiles of Númenor]] and the [[Barrow-wights]],<ref name="house"/> but his role and nature in the [[Elder Days]] and later is unknown. He also witnessed the reducing of the great forests that covered all [[Middle-earth]], and perhaps of his powers.<ref name="CoE"/>

The level of his interactions with the outside world is also unclear; however, he seemed to have names among many peoples and perhaps became a folkloric figure in the traditions and legends of Elves, Dwarves, Men. [[Elrond]] knew of him when he ventured in his lands.<ref name="CoE"/><ref name="Adv">{{AB|Preface}}</ref>

During the [[Third Age]], he had contact with the [[Bucklanders]]<ref name="Adv"/> and [[Farmer Maggot]], and perhaps it was this to which he owed his jolly and whimsical attitude.

===War of the Ring===
[[Image:Ted Nasmith - The Willow Man is Tamed.jpg|thumb|''The Willow Man is Tamed'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
On [[26 September]], {{TA|3018}}, he encountered [[travellers|four hobbits]] while he was searching for water-lilies for his wife. Two of those Hobbits, [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]], had been captured by [[Old Man Willow]]. Tom, who was the master of the Old Forest, rescued them, and took all four of them to his house.<ref name="OldF">{{FR|Forest}}</ref>

The four hobbits stayed two nights, and he told them many tales and songs. With cunning questions, he made [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] tell him of the [[The One Ring|Ring]]. When Tom tried it on, nothing happened, but he then took it off and flipped it in the air and made the ring itself disappear, showing that indeed within his realm Tom was master. However, when Frodo put the ring on, Tom could still see him. He bade the Hobbit to come back and sit down; his hand was fairer without the ring.

The following morning, Tom warned his guests of the [[Barrow-downs]], and advised them to pass any barrow on the western side. He also taught them a song, should they come to peril.<ref name="house"/>

And they did come to peril. Tom chased off a [[Barrow-wights|wight]] with song, and broke the spells on the barrow in which the four hobbits were captured. While he sent the Hobbits to calm down, he went for provisions. He also brought the ponies that had belonged to Merry. After that, he broke the spells of the barrow. From the barrow's mighty hoard, he took a blue-jewelled brooch for Goldberry (probably belonging to the spouse of the [[last prince of Cardolan]] he seemingly met long ago),<ref>{{HM|RC}}, "Fog on the Barrow-downs", pp. 146-7</ref><ref>{{RS|Wight}}, p. 127-8</ref> and gave a [[Daggers of Westernesse|dagger]] to each of the hobbits. He then advised them to make for ''[[The Prancing Pony]]'' in [[Bree]].<ref>{{FR|Barrow}}</ref>

The peril of the hobbits was not over; an attack on their lives was carried out, and their ponies were set loose. The ponies apparently remembered the care they were given in the house of Tom Bombadil, and returned to stay beside Tom's own pony, [[Fatty Lumpkin]]. He returned them to [[Barliman Butterbur]], the proprietor of ''The Prancing Pony''. Since he had paid eighteen pence as compensation for the loss, he was now the owner of five fine ponies.<ref>{{FR|Knife}}</ref>

As he was merry and benevolent, some of the [[Free Peoples]] considered him a potential ally against [[Sauron]] during the [[War of the Ring]]. [[Elrond]] and [[Erestor]] considered that he should be present at the [[Council of Elrond]]. However, according to [[Gandalf]], Tom Bombadil was perhaps not fully aware of the struggle of Light and Darkness and could not prove useful to their causes.<ref name="CoE"/>

Eventually the defeat of Sauron in the end of the War, and the victory of the [[West]] allowed Tom to continue and "survive" in the following Ages.<ref>{{L|144}}</ref>

===Legacy===
Tom Bombadil’s existence passed into Hobbit lore and was referenced in poems such as ''[[The Adventures of Tom Bombadil]]'' and ''[[Bombadil Goes Boating]]''. The Hobbit, [[Samwise Gamgee]], based and modeled his protagonist in ''[[The Stone Troll]]'', [[Tom (The Stone Troll)|Tom]], after Bombadil, considering that Sam composed the poem soon after their meeting.<ref name=RF>{{HM|Guide}}, p. 385</ref>. In the poem, Tom encounters an old [[Stone-trolls|troll]], gnawing for years on the shinbone of Tim, his [[Unusual words|nuncle]], and Tom demands for the troll to let it down.<ref>{{FR|I12}}</ref><ref>{{AB|7}}</ref> It is likely that Tim was only an invention by Sam rather than actually being Tom Bombadil's nuncle.<ref name=RF/>

==Other names==
He also went by other names:
* To the [[Elves]] and [[Dúnedain]], he was known with the [[Sindarin]] name '''''[[iaur|Iar]][[gwain|wain]] [[penadar|Ben-adar]]''''', which translates to "Oldest and Fatherless".<ref name="CoE">{{FR|Council}}</ref> ''Iarwain'' literally means "Old-young"<ref>''[[The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion]]'' p. 128; quoting an unpublished letter by Tolkien</ref>
* To the [[Northmen]]<ref name="CoE"/> (perhaps specifically the [[Rohirrim]]) he was known with the [[Rohanese]] name '''''Orald'''''.<ref name="CoE"/> This is an [[Old English]] word meaning "very ancient.<ref name="nomen">{{HM|N}}, p. 761</ref>
* The Dwarves knew him as '''''Forn'''''. This too is a reference to his age: it is [[North Germanic languages|Old Norse]] for "(belonging to) ancient (days)".<ref name="nomen"/><ref group=note>In some imprints of ''[[The History of Middle-earth Index]]'', this name was accidentally spelled with a "P" as the first letter: {{HM|IX}}, "Tom Bombadil (VII)", p. 435</ref>

==Etymology==
''Tom Bombadil'' is said to be a [[Buckland]]ish name, added by Hobbit chroniclers to his many older ones. It is, like many names of the Bucklanders, untranslatable.<ref name="Adv"/>

[[Paula Marmor]] notes that ''bobadil'' is an archaic word meaning "braggart", as seen in the character "Captain Bobadill" in the English play ''[[Wikipedia:Every Man in His Humour|Every Man in His Humour]]''. Because of its Bucklandish form, ''[[An Introduction to Elvish]]'' lists the name Bombadil under the "[[Celtic]]-sounding names". However, it is said that the word derives from '''[[Wikipedia:Boabdil|Boabdil]]''', the Spaniard name of [[Wikipedia:Muhammad XII of Granada|'''Abu Abdillah''' Muhammad XII]], the last Moorish ruler of Granada.<ref>{{HM|IE}}, Giving of Names</ref>

==Inspiration==
Tom Bombadil was inspired primarily from a [[Wikipedia:Peg wooden doll|dutch doll]] Tolkien's child(ren) toyed with.<ref name=intro/> The doll had a feathered hat. One time they found it in the lavatory, being stuffed there by little [[John Tolkien]], who perhaps didn't like it much.<ref>{{HM|Bio}}, p. 165</ref>

Probably in the 1920s he began writing a story entitled ''Tom Bombadil'' set during the reign of "King Bonhedig" in the British prehistory, far before any recorded events or invasions. The protagonist Tombombadil is mentioned as one of the oldest inhabitants of Bonhedig's kingdom, that spanned many miles on either side of the Thames. Only the 3 opening paragraphs survive of the shortly-abandoned, story, and the fragment ends at the description of Tombombadil who "wore a tall hat with a blue feather; his jacket was blue, and his boots were yellow".<Ref>{{AB|Prose}}</ref>

Around the 1930s or earlier Tolkien wrote a poem about some Tom Bombadil rowing down a River, a poem which Tolkien later identified as his "germ of Tom Bombadil".<ref>{{RS|1VT}}</ref> Later in [[1934]] he put him into [[The Adventures of Tom Bombadil (poem)|a poem]], again described according to the appearance of the aforementioned doll (something that he did with other toys of his children, like [[Rover]]).<ref name=intro>{{AB|Intro}}</ref> At one time he described him as a "spirit of the (vanishing) [[Oxford]] and Berkshire countryside"<ref name=L19>{{L|19}}</ref>

When asked to make a sequel for ''[[The Hobbit]]'', Tolkien briefly considered if he would base it around that figure of his poem.<ref name=L19/> Although it didn't happen, he eventually [[The Old Forest|appeared]] in the narrative as a supporting character. Tolkien wrote Bombadil as a direct contrast to the artistry and (sub)creative force of the [[Elves]]; whereas they seek to create, devise, alter and control, Bombadil only observes and contemplates the world outside him and takes joy in it. He is the fearless theoretical study of the world, and history.<ref name=coghill>[[Letter to Nevill Coghill]] (Excerpt reproduced [http://wayneandchristina.wordpress.com/2014/12/30/tom-bombadil-addenda-corrigenda/ here]</ref>}}

Justin Noetzel in his paper "Beorn and Tom Bombadil: Mythology, Narrative, and The Most (Non) Essential Characters in Middle-earth", suggests an association of Tom Bombadil with the [[Wikipedia:Celtic Otherworld|Celtic Otherworld]] and tales of the [[Wikipedia:Tuatha Dé Danann|Tuatha Dé Danann]].<ref>{{webcite|author=[[John D. Rateliff]]|articleurl=http://sacnoths.blogspot.se/2013/03/valparaiso-day-three.html|articlename=Valparaiso, Day Three|dated=12 March 2013|website=Sac|accessed=14 March 2013}}</ref>

David Elton Gay compares Tom to the demigod [[Wikipedia:Väinämöinen|Väinämöinen]] from the ''[[Kalevala]]'': both are extremely old and powerful immortal figures who express their power in rhymes, and both have control over their small forested country.<ref>Gay, David Elton (2004). Chance, Jane (ed.). ''J.R.R. Tolkien and the Kalevala. Tolkien and the invention of myth : a reader''. University Press of Kentucky. pp. 295–304.</ref>

==Outside the legendarium==
Except the aforementioned earlier works written independently to the Legendarium, a figure that hints to Bombadil appears in the much later poem ''[[Once upon a Time]]''. Tolkien wrote it around [[1964]] and reused the names of "Tom" and "Goldberry" (although the epithet "Bombadil" is not mentioned, the association can be made as he appears with Goldberry). Hammond & Scull note that in this poem Tom appears less omnipotent; while he is known to talk to all creatures, who always obey him, the mysterious ''[[lintips]]'' are the only ones who refuse to talk to him and hide away.<ref>{{AB|Once}}, p. 283</ref> No specific events are mentioned that can connect it to Tom Bombadil or the legendarium of Arda.

==Portrayal in adaptations==
Because he is left out of the three major adaptations ([[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|Ralph Bakshi]], [[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)|BBC's 1981 series]] and [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring|Peter Jackson's]]), Tom Bombadil's main role (providing the [[Daggers of Westernesse|Barrow-blades]]) is omitted. He does have several appearances in other adaptations, though.

{{Gallery
|title=Tom Bombadil in adaptations
|height=150
|width=200
|lines=3
|File:War in Middle Earth - Tom Bombadil.png|''[[J.R.R. Tolkien's War in Middle Earth]]''
|File:The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring (video game) - Tom Bombadil.JPG|[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' (video game)]]
|File:The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game - Tom Bombadil, The Master.jpg|''[[The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game]]''
|File:BFME2 - Tom Bombadil 03.jpg|''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II]]''
|File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Tom Bombadil.jpg|''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]''
}}
'''1955: ''[[The Lord of the Rings (1956 radio series)|BBC Radio's The Lord of the Rings]]'':'''
:[[Norman Shelley]] voiced Bombadil, and Tolkien thought his portrayal "dreadful". [[Goldberry]] was portrayed as his daughter, rather than his wife<ref>{{L|175}}</ref>.

'''1979: [[The Lord of the Rings (1979 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1979 radio series)]]:'''
:In this series, Tom was voiced by [[Bernard Mayes]]. Like Norman Shelley before him, he also voiced [[Gandalf]].

'''1988: ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien's War in Middle Earth]]'':'''
:Tom Bombadil can be found outside his house in the Old Forest.

'''1990: ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings Volume I]]'':'''
:Tom Bombadil rescues the party from the Willow Man, and provides information, supplies, shelter, and side-quests for the party. He later rescues the party from the Barrow Wights, and very briefly joins as a temporary playable character while inside the barrow. His role runs almost directly parallel to the original, with some related passages of ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'' quoted directly. However, [[Goldberry]]'s role is significantly changed to provide a quest for the party.

'''1992: [[Der Herr der Ringe (1992 German radio series)|''Der Herr der Ringe'' (1992 German radio series)]]:'''
:Tom Bombadil is played by Peter Ehrlich.

'''1992: [[Tales from the Perilous Realm (1992 radio series)|''Tales from the Perilous Realm'' (1992 radio series)]]:'''
:When he adapted the 1981 [[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)|radio series]], [[Brian Sibley]] deeply regretted cutting Bombadil from the radio series.<ref>[[Brian Sibley]], ''[http://briansibleytheworks.blogspot.com/2008/01/this-page-is-still-under-construction_23.html The Ring Goes Ever On]''</ref> When he made ''[[Tales from the Perilous Realm]]'' into a radio series, he decided to change the section "[[The Adventures of Tom Bombadil]]". Rather than several (unadaptable) Hobbitish poems, Sibley adapted the chapters from ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]''. Bombadil is voiced by [[Ian Hogg]].

'''1993: ''[[Hobitit]]'':'''
:Tom Bombadil is portrayed by [[Esko Hukkanen]]. It is the only screen adaptation that features him so far.

'''2001-2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game]]'':'''
:Although Tom Bombadil does not appear in [[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' film series]], Decipher produced a card for the character. He was portrayed by Harry Weller-Chew.

'''2001-present: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game]]'':'''
:Despite not appearing in the films the game is based on, Tom Bombadil and Goldberry were given several models by [[Games Workshop]], which has held rights for tabletop games since 1980.

'''2001: [[Pán prsteňov (2001-2003 Slovak radio series)|''Pán prsteňov'' (2001-2003 Slovak radio series)]]:'''
:The voice of Tom Bombadil is provided by Milan Lasica. He appears in the final third of the first episode, helping the four hobbits with Old Man Willow, guiding them to his house and taking them in as his guests for the night, along with his wife Goldberry. After they depart and get lost on the Barrow Downs, he once again aids in their rescue, and provides them with barrow-blades from the barrow of the defeated barrow-wight.

'''2002: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' (video game)]]:'''
:[[Daran Norris]] portrayed Bombadil with a Scottish accent. His role is much like that in the book, and as one of the few characters in this video game, he keeps most of his songs.

'''2002: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]]'':'''
:In the [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (extended edition)|extended edition]], some of Bombadil's poems are transferred to [[Treebeard]], and so is his encounter with [[Old Man Willow]].

'''2006: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II]]'':'''
:Bombadil is a summonable power. Once summoned, he can plow through enemy lines. His most powerful weapon is a "Sonic Song". As soon as [[Electronic Arts|EA]] secured the rights to the books, it was decided that Tom Bombadil should be in it; his appearance is kept close to his description in the book.<ref>[http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/battleformiddleearth2/news.html?sid=6139678 The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II Q&A - Enter Tom Bombadil], [http://www.gamespot.com/ GameSpot.com]</ref>

'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Tom can be found either inside or outside his house in the Old Forest. He helps the player track down crebain scouts possessing important information, and later arrives to rescue the player from the Barrow-Downs when (s)he gets himself in more than (s)he is prepared for, much like the Hobbits in the Book. He later aids the player against agents of the Barrow-downs when the latter attempts to corrupt Old Man Willow with a [[Morgul-blade]].

'''2012: ''[[Lego The Lord of the Rings: The Video Game]]'':'''
:Bombadil is a playable character. He uses a trowel as a weapon and for digging in certain spots. Tom can be found in his house on the road to the north of [[Bucklebury Ferry]] in the forested area between [[Bree]] and the Shire. It is unclear if this forest is meant to be the Old Forest or not; it is in the right location, but the game never specifically names it and its physical appearance does not fit the book's description.

'''2014: ''[[Lego The Hobbit: The Video Game]]'':'''
:Bombadil also appears as a playable character, and again wields a trowel. This time, Tom is found in a forest southwest of Bree, near a house atop a hill (likely his house in the Old Forest).

===Collectibles===
In [[April]] [[2008]], [[Gentle Giant]] released the Tom Bombadil Mini Bust.

==See also==
*'''[[Tom Bombadil/Nature|The Nature of Tom Bombadil]]'''

== External links ==
* [http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/t/tombombadil.html Entry in the Encyclopedia of Arda] (a concise overview of the discussion)
* [http://middle-earth.xenite.org/2012/08/27/count-count-weigh-divide/ Count, Count, Weigh, Divide] by [[Michael Martinez]] (discusses Tom Bombadil's moral aspects at length)
* [http://www.whoistombombadil.blogspot.com/2013/01/tom-bombadil-as-music-of-ainur_9.html Tom as the Music of the Ainur] discusses the major theories of Tom's origins and proposes a new theory.
* [http://www.cas.unt.edu/~hargrove/tombomb.html Who Is Tom Bombadil?] (an essay by Gene Hargrove)

{{references|notes}}
{{ringbearers}}
[[Category:Characters in The Adventures of Tom Bombadil]]
[[Category:Characters in The Lord of the Rings]]
[[Category:Enigmas]]
[[Category:First Age characters]]
[[Category:Second Age characters]]
[[Category:Spirits]]
[[Category:Third Age characters]]
[[de:Tom Bombadil]]
[[fr:encyclo/personnages/tom_bombadil]]
[[fi:Tom Bombadil]]

The Lord of the Rings Online

2022-05-10T01:02:37Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Fate of Gundabad Expansion */

{{cleanup}}
{{disambig-more|The Lord of the Rings|[[The Lord of the Rings (disambiguation)]]}}
{{video game infobox| image=[[Image:Lotro logo.png|250px]]| name=The Lord of the Rings Online| developer=[[Turbine|Turbine, Inc.]] (2007-2016)
[[Standing Stone Games]] (2016-Present)|
publisher=[[Midway Games]]
[[Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment]] (2010-2016)
[[Daybreak Game Company]] (2016-Present)
| platform=Microsoft Windows, OS X (Beta)| releasedate=April 24, [[2007]]| genre=MMORPG| modes=| rating=| distribution=}}
'''''The Lord of the Rings Online''''' (commonly abbreviated to '''LOTRO''' or '''LotRO''') is an MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) for PC and OS X that takes place in the world of [[Arda]] during the time of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]].'' It was originally branded as '''The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar''', but with later updates, that subtitle was dropped.

The players take on the role of adventurers of the [[Free peoples|Free Peoples]] of [[Middle-earth]]. The events of the game are concurrent with the events of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' but most of the game revolves around events that occurred elsewhere or in the wake of events in the books. The game draws inspiration from people, places and events only mentioned in the books, combining these with original concepts to expand on parts of Middle-earth Tolkien did not. The main quest series of the game, known as Epic Quests, are divided into volumes, books and chapters, emulating the structure of ''The Lord of the Rings''.

There have been many expansions to the original game, including: Mines of Moria (2008), Siege of Mirkwood (2009), Rise of Isengard (2011), Riders of Rohan (2012), Helm's Deep (2013) Mordor (2017), Minas Morgul (2019), and Fate of Gundabad (2021) with regular updates, adjustments, and "mini-expansions" in between.

==Development==
{{rewrite}}

Development of ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' began in 1998, when [[Sierra Entertainment|Sierra]] started work on a game called ''Middle-earth Online''. Following [[Vivendi|Vivendi Universal Games]]' takeover of Sierra in 1999, the game's production was shared with [[Turbine]]. Turbine secured the rights of the entire game in March 2004,<ref>[http://www.videogamer.com/news/turbine_spin_into_action_to_secure_tolkien_license.html Turbine spin into action to secure Tolkien license - VideoGamer.com]</ref> and it was renamed to ''The Lord of the Rings Online''. It was originally subscription-based, but later became free-to-play with optional paid subscription and microtransactions.

A closed beta was announced on [[8 September]], [[2006]]. An open beta began on [[30 March]], [[2007]], and was open to all who pre-ordered the game's Founders Club edition. In April [[2007]], the beta opened to the public. In 2010, the monetization model of the game changed to allow a free-to-play experience. Subscribers were given benefits for their patronage, while all players could access the game for free, but with certain limitations. In 2016 development of the game was handed off to a new spin-off company formed specifically to maintain LOTRO and 'Dungeons & Dragons Online': Standing Stone Games.

As an online game, development continues with regular enhancements, additions, and changes to mechanics and game systems.



==Gameplay==
===Characters===
''Main article: [[Character Classes (LOTRO)]]''

Like many RPGs, ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' has a system of character classes and levels. Each character chooses a race and a class on character creation, this cannot be changed. Players are able to play as any of the [[Free Peoples]] - [[Elves]], [[Men]], [[Dwarves]], [[Hobbits]], [[Beornings]], [[Stout-axe]] Dwarves, or [[High Elves]]. Male or female characters can be created, except in the case of Dwarves. As per Tolkien, Dwarf-women are very rare and seldom leave their mountain halls, though the addition of Stout-axe dwarves as a playable race in 2019 allowed players to create dwarf-women. There is no difference in appearance male and female Stout-axes. There are eleven classes: Beorning, Brawler, Burglar, Captain, Champion, Guardian, Hunter, Lore-master, Minstrel, Rune-keeper, and Warden.

Customization of the character's abilities can be done by changing equipment and traits. As of the [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Helm.27s Deep Expansion|Helm's Deep expansion]], class traits work on a tree system, with each class having three "trait trees" where traits can be selected with earned points and unlocking enough traits in a particular tree allows higher-level traits to be selected and applies additional bonus. In addition to class traits are racial traits, such as Men being able to slot a trait to do additional damage with swords or Hobbits being able to slot a trait that allows them to throw a stone, and virtue traits which boost the character's stats.

Levels are significant, with much lower level enemies being extremely easy to defeat and much higher level enemies being nearly impossible to defeat. Each region has enemies and quests with a range of levels usually consecutive to those of an adjacent region. Quests over five levels above the character's level are inaccessible. In addition to being able to complete quest and defeat enemies in more locations, characters gain access to additional equipment, skills, traits and instances as they level up. Levels are increased by gaining experience, which is earned by completing quests and instances, defeating enemies of an appropriate level, and crafting.

===World===
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is an "open-world" game in which most locations that have been released can be freely accessed on an open landscape (although some places, such as Moria, require certain quests to be completed first.) The game world is split into "lands", large areas of Middle-Earth. As of Update 21, the four lands in the game are [[Eriador]], [[Rhovanion]], [[Gondor]], and [[Mordor]]. Each land is in turn divided into regions, e.g. [[Bree-land]] in Eriador, and each region contains areas, e.g. [[Andrath]] within Bree-land.

Although most of the land is available to all for exploration, most regions require non-VIPs to purchase a quest pack to access quests, deeds and instances associated with that region. A few regions, such as East and West Rohan, require expansion packs to be purchased to unlock content, even for VIPs. Each region is generally seen as it was in a certain time in the War of the Ring, for example Lothlórien is visited by the player at the same time as the [[Fellowship of the Ring]] rested there, and [[Pelargir]] just after [[Aragorn]] liberated the city from the [[Corsairs of Umbar]].

Reddit users /u/lallapalalable and /u/exploderator estimated the total size of the map at no more than 250 square km (97 square miles) in 2017, making it one of the largest game maps ever made.<ref>{{webcite|author=/u/lallapalalable|articleurl=http://www.reddit.com/r/lotro/comments/60j1ul/been_trying_to_calculate_the_area_of_the_map/|articlename=Been trying to calculate the area of the map|dated=20 March 2017|website=Reddit|accessed=29 October 2020}}</ref>

===Quests===
Much of the game's completable content is in the form of quests. Quests consist of a series of objectives, often including speaking with NPCs, defeating certain enemies, and recovering certain items from the ground or from defeated enemies. Most quests have a small number of objectives but may unlock additional quests upon completion to form a quest chain. Quests are usually started by started by speaking with a particular Non-Player Character (NPC), indicated with a ring icon above the NPC's head. The forms of ring icons and what they indicate are as follows:

*Gold ring with blue aura: the NPC has a quest that is approximately appropriate for the character's level.
*Gold ring with blue aura and fiery inscription: the NPC must be spoken with to advance the quest.
*Bright gold ring: the NPC has an Epic quest available.
*Gold ring with orange flames: the NPC must be spoken to to advance the Epic quest.
*Blue ring and quill: the NPC has a comment about an active quest, speaking to the NPC will not advance the quest but may give additional information.
*Gold ring with hourglass: the NPC has a quest with a cooldown, the player must wait for the cooldown to expire before accepting the quest.
*Silver ring: the NPC has a quest that is too high level for the player to accept at that level.
*Transparent grey ring: the NPC has a "trivial" quest, one far below the player's level.
*Gold ring with anvil: the NPC has a crafting quest, and involves the crafting system in some way.
*Gold ring with sword: The NPC has an allegiance quest; quests that are unique to the Mordor Expansion.*Gold ring with map: The NPC has a missions quest; quests that are unique to Missions-related quests.

Some quests are started by obtaining unique items dropped from specific enemies. The [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Riders of Rohan Expansion|Riders of Rohan expansion]] introduced auto-bestowed quests, which bring up a quest prompt when the player defeats a specific type of enemy or finds a certain location. Such enemies are marked with ring icons similarly to how NPC quest givers are. Players have the option of accepting these quests automatically or choosing to manually accept or decline each prompt. Most landscape quests can only be completed once, some special landscape quests and most instance quests can be completed once a day any number of times, and a few landscape quests can be repeated at any time up to a certain number of times.

Quests are categorized according to what area, instance or other section they are associated with. Of note are the Epic Quests, a series that tells the main storyline of the game. In imitation of [[The Lord of the Rings|the Lord of the Rings book]], the epic quests are divided into Volumes, which are divided into Books which in turn are divided into Chapters. Each Chapter is usually an individual quest. Epic Quests bring the player through the landscape but are considered apart from it, therefore most Epic Quests are available to all players regardless of whether or not any quest packs are unlocked. A notable exception is the end of Volume III: Allies of the King, which requires purchase of the Helm's Deep expansion to complete. The Black Book of Mordor, the new main storyline for quests after the Epic Books, has eight chapters, all spanning various areas in Middle Earth including [[Mordor]], the Strongholds of the North, the [[Iron Hills]], and the [[Ered Mithrin]].

===Deeds===
Deeds are non-repeatable achievements recorded on an interface window called the Deed Log. Common deed objectives include completing a certain number of quests in a particular area or region (Quest Deeds), defeating a certain number of enemies of a specific type in a particular region (Slayer Deeds), discovering specified locations (Explorer Deeds), and reaching the next tier of reputation with a faction. Most Deeds award Turbine points. Deeds in a particular region usually award reputation in that region's faction. Deeds also commonly reward marks, virtues, and titles.

===Instances===
Instances are locations in the game separated from the open landscape, not accessible through normal travel. Instances can take place in either separate versions of the locations available on the landscape (for example, Pelargir while Aragorn's host retakes it from the corsairs) or in locations not accessible anywhere else (such as Dale). Most instances are private instances, that is, only one player or group of players can enter it and it closes when they complete it, while public instances can be joined at any time by any number of separate players. They are often repeatable, with ones associated with landscape quests being replayable through a Reflecting Pool in the associated region and others accessible through the Instance Finder window. Most private instances have associated quests automatically bestowed upon entering the instance and cancelled upon exiting.

===Fellowships and Kinships===
Most open landscape content and associated instances are designed to be completable by a solo player, while some locations in the game and Instance Finder instances are meant for a team of players. A group of players with a maximum size of six is known as a fellowship. For larger groups, a raid of up to four fellowships can be formed, for a maximum group size of 24 players. Players are free to group on the open landscape and in public instances, but private instances have a limit on how many players may enter.

Players can found and join lasting organizations known as Kinships in the game. Players in a kinship can communicate in their own kinship chat channel to socialize and plan events with their fellow members.

===Monster Play===
The game is primarily Player vs. Environment (PvE), with most combat being player characters against computer controlled enemies found throughout the landscape and instances. However in the [[Ettenmoors]] region, players can participate in Player vs. Monster Player battles (PvMP). Players can create Monster characters that only have access to PvMP areas where they battle standard characters, who fight on the side of the Free Peoples. Each monster player class is limited to a specific race. The monster classes are the Blackarrow (Uruk), Defiler (Orc), Reaver (Orc), Stalker (Warg), Warleader (Uruk), and Weaver (Spider) As of [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath|Update 16.2]] a new PvMP area, set in Osgiliath before Boromir's journey to Rivendell and accessed via a banner in the Ettenmoors, was released.



Towns and settlements provide Vendors where players can purchase or repair their armour, weapons, and supplies. Towns also often include Mailboxes, Auction Halls, Class Trainers, Forge-masters, Relic-masters, and Stable-masters who allow swift travel between regions.

The player interface allows other aspects of gameplay such as Character screens, Quest and Deed Logs, a Social Panel where players can interact, and a Crafting panel where players use skills to craft new items.

==Releases, Updates, and Expansions==
===Shadows of Angmar===
:{{Main|The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar}}
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar|Shadows of Angmar]]'' was released on [[24 April]], [[2007]]. It included books 1 through 8 of Epic Volume I: Shadows of Angmar. Approximately once every two months a major free update was added to ''The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar''. Each update added a new book to the volume.

====Book 9: Shores of Evendim====
{{#ev:youtubehd|VOEcXrbG4OI|200|thumb}}
The first free content update was released on 14 June, 2007.<ref>[http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=3611&pagename=home&search=yes&keyword=Book%209 Book 9: Shores of Evendim Release Date Announced]</ref>

Updates included:
*A new region - [[Evendim]] - is added, including locations like [[Annúminas]].<ref name="book9">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/news/pressreleases/136-book-9-shores-of-evendim-release-date-announced|articlename=Book 9: Shores of Evendim Release Date Announced!|dated=5 June 2007|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
*The epic story is expanded with book 9, Shores of Evendim<ref name="book9"/>
*100 new quests are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*A 24-player raid is added, ''Battle for Helegrod''.<ref name="book9"/>
*Nine new monsters are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*New Collectible armour sets are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*Updates to the music system.<ref name="book9"/>

====Book 10: The City of Kings====

The second free-content update was released on 21 August, 2007 in North America and on 24 August, 2007 in Europe.<ref>| [http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=3949&pagename=home&search=yes&keyword=Book%209 Codemasters Online and Turbine unveil Book 10: The City of the Kings]</ref>

Updates included:
*Continuation of the Story Line.
*Legendary Play – Players can now use Destiny Points to play as a Ranger of the North or as a Troll.
*Critter Play – Players can now explore Middle-earth from a different viewpoint as a chicken.
*New Reputation and Bartering Systems – The Reputation system enables players to earn positive and negative standing with different races and groups in Middle-earth based on both monster kills and quest completions. The Bartering system allows players to trade trophies earned in battle for rewards, such as armour sets or mounts.
*Over 100 new Quests.
*More customizable user interface.

====Book 11: Prisoner of the Free Peoples====

The third free-content update was released on 24 October, 2007 in North America<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/article/430 Turbine and Codemasters Online Gaming to Unveil Book 11: Defenders of Eriador for The Lord of the Rings Online]</ref> and 25 October in Europe.<ref>[http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=4661&articletype=News Codemasters Online and Turbine to unveil Book 11: Defenders of Eriador]</ref>

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_11_Official complete release notes]):
*Continuation of the Epic Story arc, including 13 quests.
*Player housing – players will be able to customize their houses with items such as furniture and doormats.
*Second raid called "The Rift" – 12-player raid in which players encounter a [[Balrogs|Balrog]] for the first time. Turbine has stressed that this is not the [[Durin's Bane|Balrog from Khazad-dûm]].<ref>[http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=287 Book 11 Preview: The Balrogs are Coming]</ref>
*Two new areas – Tâl Bruinen in the Trollshaws, where [[Gollum]] will be introduced for the first time, and Goblin-town in the [[Misty Mountains]], featured in ''The Hobbit''.
*More than 100 new quests.

====Book 12: The Ashen Wastes====

The fourth free content update was released on 13 February, 2008 in North America; and 14 February, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_12_Official complete release notes]):
*Continuation of the Story Line.
*Character customization - Increased character customization "ranging from haircuts, to some (possible) additions to the trait-system." In addition, the Outfit system, along with special social clothing designed just for it, will be introduced where a second or third set of clothing can be slotted and displayed while retaining the statistical bonuses of the currently equipped items.<ref>[http://lotro.stratics.com/content/hoclog/hoc10.php Lord of the Rings Online: House of Commons ]</ref>
*The Delving of Frór - A new Monster Play PVE (and PVMP under certain circumstances) area was introduced: An expanse of caves and catacombs located beneath the Ettenmoors.
*The Great Angmar Revamp - A revamp of the most high-level region of the game's current 9 PvE regions. The revamp included the reworking of many quests, areas and other changes, such as new horse routes.
*Barbershop - You can customize the look of your avatar in-game with around 50 new haircuts and second set of details.
*Updates to the Burglar, Guardian, and Champion classes.

====Book 13: Doom of the Last-King====

The fifth free content update was released on 24 April, 2008 in North America and on 1 May, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_13_Official complete release notes]):
*A new playable map area: the Ice Bay of [[Forochel]].
*Players being able to see the ocean for the first time, confirmed as the Ice Bay of Forochel in recent developer chats.
*Fishing - the first of a new system in ''Lord of the Rings Online'', called 'hobbies'.
*New PVMP Monster Healing Class - Orc Defiler.
*Looking For Fellowship- and Quest-panel improvements.

====Book 14: The Ring-forges of Eregion====

The sixth free content update was released on 22 July, 2008 in North America. It was released on 24 July, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_14_Official complete release notes]):
*Climax of the "Shadows of Angmar" storyline.
*Added selected sections of [[Eregion]] (Region leading towards the Gates of Moria).
*Epic Quest events that will allow interaction between players regardless of server.
*Prelude quests for and leading up to the ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria|Mines of Moria]]'' expansion, which would have updates leading to Lothlórien, Fangorn, Rhovanion and Rohan.

====Book 15: Daughter of Strife====

The seventh free content update was released on 18 November, 2008. This update was released in tandem with the Mines of Moria expansion for players who did not purchase the expansion release.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Category:Epic_-_Vol._I,_Book_15:_Daughter_of_Strife_Quests Epic - Vol. I, Book 15: Daughter of Strife Quests epic]):
*Conclusion of the "Shadows of Angmar" storyline.
*Added the zone of Eregion expanding on the selected sections from Book 14. The zone does not include the Hollin Gate leading to the Black Pool.
*Added UI enhancements

===Mines of Moria Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria]]''
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria|Mines of Moria]]'' was released on [[18 November]], [[2008]]. It included Vol. II books 1 through 6 of the epic quest line. Like ''Shadows of Angmar'', ''Mines of Moria'' continued to regularly release updates. Updates were less frequent than Shadows of Angmar.

====Book 7: Leaves of Lórien====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Leaves of Lórien.png|thumb|300px]]Book 7 was released on [[17 March]] [[2009]]. This update included:
* Continuation of the Epic Storyline in Book 7, Leaves of Lórien.<ref name="book7">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/book-spotlights/342-vol2book7|articlename=Volume II: Book 7: Leaves of Lórien Spotlight|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
* Expansion of the Lothlórien Area, including [[Caras Galadhon]].<ref name="book7"/>
* A new raid, named ''Strange Happenings'', has been added.<ref name="book7"/>
* The [[Galadhrim]] are added as a new reputation faction.<ref name="book7"/>
* Crafting instances enable players to gather resources.<ref name="book7"/>
* The Ered Luin Introduction and, on lesser scale, the Bree-land Introduction are revamped.<ref name="book7"/>
* Several new Monster Play emotes are added.<ref name="book7"/>

====Book 8: Scourge of Khazad-dum====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Scourge of Khazad-Dûm.png|thumb|300px]]Book 8 was released on 23 June, 2009. This update included:
*Book 8, Scourge of Khazad-dûm, continues the epic story.<ref name="book8">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/book-spotlights/421-vol2-book8|articlename=Volume II: Book 8: Scourge of Khazad-dûm|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
* A radiance-gated multi-boss, 12-man raid - named ''Dar Narbugud'' is added.<ref name="book8"/>
* One 6-man instance is added: ''The Halls of Crafting''.<ref name="book8"/>
* Two 3-man instances are added:
** ''Lumul-nar''<ref name="book8"/>
** ''Nala-dum''<ref name="book8"/>
* Continuation of the revamp of the Bree-land Introduction.<ref name="book8"/>
* The Crafting system has been revived.<ref name="book8"/>

===Siege of Mirkwood Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood]]''=
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood|Siege of Mirkwood]]'' was released on 1 December, 2009 in North America and 3 December, 2009 in Europe. Unlike the second expansion this edition was only available via a web-based download. It included Book 9 and the epilogue of Volume II: Mines of Moria.

Kate Paiz, Executive Producer for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'', released a letter on 22 October, 2010 stating that updates will be more frequent but will not always be accompanied with a new book continuing the epic story.<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/866-producers-letter-october-2010 Producer's Letter, October-2010] lotro.com, Dev Diaries</ref>

====Book 1: Oath of the Rangers====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Oath of the Rangers.png|300px|thumb]]=
Book 1 was released on [[1 March]], [[2010]].<ref> [http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?t=320404 Volume III: Allies of the King has arrived!]</ref>

Updates include ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Volume_3_Allies_of_the_King_Official complete release notes]):
* The beginning of Volume III in the epic storyline.
* The ability to solo the Volume I epic storyline.
* A duo mode for most skirmishes.

====Book 2: Ride of the Grey Company====

Book 2 was released on [[10 September]], [[2010]] in North America. ([[8 September]], [[2010]] for subscribers). It was delayed in Europe because of contractual reasons and was finally released on [[2 November]], almost two months after North America.<ref>[http://massively.joystiq.com/ Massively], [http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/v-e-me-day-lotro-europe-announces-launch-date-for-free-to-play/ V-E-ME Day: LotRO Europe announces launch date for free-to-play], dated [[29 October]], [[2010]] (accessed [[11 November]], [[2011]])</ref>

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Volume_3_Book_2_Official complete release notes]):

* New region: [[Enedwaith]].
* ''Lord of the Rings Online'' Free to Play subscription.
* Book 2 in the Volume III epic storyline.
* Scalable instances.
* Improvements to the vault, and a new wardrobe system for cosmetic items.
* Updates to the Captain class.
* The LOTRO store, where players may purchase convenience items. Points either earned through gameplay, through the VIP program or by being purchased.
* The introduction of Lua Scripting.
* DirectX 11 support.
* Ranger session play.

====Update 1: Journey to Winter-Home====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 1 Journey to Winter-Home.png|300px|thumb]]In 2010, LOTRO altered its monetization model and became "free-to-play." The first post Free-to-play update was released in November 2010. Due to changes to how updates work this did not contain an epic book.=

Updates included:

* A Barter Wallet for skirmish marks and anniversary tokens.
* Opening of Moria, Lothlorien, Mirkwood and Enedwaith to free-to-play players. Volume II and Volume III will also be available, as well the legendary item system, and the level 65 level cap all to free-to-play players.
* Vault improvements.
* Tasks: a new quest type for all levels.
* Improved reputation mounts.
* Updates to the Lore-master and Rune-keeper classes.
* Ered Luin starting area revamp.

====Update 2: Echoes of the Dead====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 2 Echoes of the Dead.png|300px|thumb]]The first update of 2011 was released on [[21 March]] in the United States and [[24 March]] for Europe.

Updates included:

* Two 3-man's, two 6-man's, and a 12-person raid were added for level 65 players.
* A special item required to craft a First Age weapon which drops from the above raid.
* Radiance was removed.
* Legendary Items were updated.
* Character panel and cosmetic system were revamped.
* The Minstrel, Hunter and Burglar classes were updated.
* Volume III Book 3: Echoes of the Dead was added.
* Volume II was revamped and made soloable, including three instances which have been converted to skirmishes.
* Improvements to the PvP starter tutorial.
* [[Evendim]] was revamped, with [[Annúminas]] being scaled down to level 40.

====Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 3 Lost Legends of Eriador.png|300px|thumb]]''Lost Legends of Eriador'' was the third update. It was released on [[23 May]], [[2011]] and included: ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Update_3,_Lost_Legends_of_Eriador,_Official complete release notes]):=

* Two new 3-man scalable instances starting mid-game.
* Two new skirmishes.

===Rise of Isengard Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard]]''=
The third expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is entitled ''Rise of Isengard''. The expansion was made available on 27 September, 2011 and only as a digital download.<ref>[http://isengard.lotro.com/ The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard Official Homepage]</ref>

====Update 5: Armies of Isengard====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 5 Armies of Isengard.png|220px|thumb]]''Armies of Isengard'' was the first update published after the release of ''The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard''. It was released on [[12 December]] [[2011]] and included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Update_5,_Armies_of_Isengard,_Official complete release notes]):=

* Four new instances and a 12-man raid in and around [[Isengard]].
* Book 5: The Prince of Rohan of '''Volume III: Allies of the King''' is released.
* A new Instance finder, to form groups more easily.
* Barter currencies of skirmishes, classic and instances are unified.
* Changes to Reputation items.

====Update 6: Shores of the Great River====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 6 The Great River.png|220px|thumb]]''Shores of the Great River'' is the sixth update and was released on [[12 March]] [[2012]].<ref name="Update6&Riders"> {{webcite|author=Justin Olivetti|articleurl=http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/riding-into-rohan-lotro-maps-out-2012/|articlename=Riding into Rohan: LotRO maps out in 2012|dated=25 January 2012|website=Massively|accessed=29 January 2012}}</ref><ref name="Update6">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/game-manual/1775-update-6-great-river|articlename=Update 6 Great River|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>

*A new region, the [[Anduin|The Great River]], was added, featuring seven new areas - including Parth Celebrant - in the upper [[Anduin]]. <ref name="Update6"/>
*Mists of Anduin, Book 6 of Volume III, was released, in which the player seeks the wisdom of [[Galadriel]] about troubling dreams and fights [[Easterlings]], Brigands and an ancient enemy of Rohan.<ref name="Update6"/>
*The ability to summon skirmish warriors outside skirmishes.<ref name="Update6"/>
*Updates to the Instance finder.<ref name="Update6"/>
*Currency-change in Monster Play: "Destiny" will be replaced with "Commendations". Commendations will be available for both Freeps and Creeps.<ref name="MP Currency change">{{webcite|author=Jaret Pruett|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/1776-update-6-commendations-developer-diary|articlename=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/1776-update-6-commendations-developer-diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>

====Update 7: Shades of the Past====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 7 Shades of the Past.png|thumb|220px]]''Shades of the Past'' is the seventh update<ref name="Update 7">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/1966|articlename=Update 7|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=12 May 2012}}</ref> and was released on 14 May, 2012.{{fact}}=

*Continuation of the aforementioned currency-change.<ref name="MP Currency change"/>
*A new skirmish, "Storm on Methedras."<ref name="Update 7"/>
*Revamp of the Fornost instance and Moria region.<ref name="Update 7"/>

===Riders of Rohan Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Riders of Rohan]]''=
The fourth expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is named ''Riders of Rohan''. The expansion was released on October 15, 2012. <ref name="Turbine">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/news/pressreleases/1736-warner-bros-interactive-entertainment-and-turbine-unveil-the-lord-of-the-rings-online-riders-of-rohan|articlename=WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND TURBINE UNVEIL THE LORD OF THE RINGS ONLINE™: RIDERS OF ROHAN™|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=30 January 2012}}</ref>

====Update 9: Against the Shadow====
''Against the Shadow'' is the ninth update and was released 17 December, 2012. <ref name="Update 9">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.tentonhammer.com/lotro/news/lotro-update-9-coming-december-17th|articlename=LOTROs Update 9 Coming December 17th|dated=|website=www.tentonhammer.com|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*Three new three man instances.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-riders-rohan-instance-cluster-part-i|articlename=Riders of Rohan Instance Cluster, Part I|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Scaling of Dol Guldur instances.
*Completion of Moria revamp.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-revisiting-mines-moria-part-ii|articlename=Developer Diary: Revisiting the Mines of Moria, Part II|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Ability to quickly travel to turn in quests.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-travel-quest-location-behind-scenes|articlename=Update 9 - Travel To Quest Location: Behind the Scenes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Update to the Yule Festival.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-yule-festival|articlename=Update 9 - Yule Festival|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Combat revisions.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-combat-revisions|articlename=Update 9 - Combat Revisions|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 10: Against the Shadow, Part II====
''Against the Shadow, Part II'' is the tenth update and was released 6 March, 2013.=

*One six man instance and three twelve man raids.<ref name="Update 10">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-instance-cluster-developer-diary|articlename=Update 10 - Instance Cluster Developer Diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*In Their Absence instance scaling.<ref name="Update 10"/>
*Mithril Coins, a new currency used for special services.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-mithril-coin-qa|articlename=Update 10 Mithril Coin Q&A|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Agility made Wardens' primary stat.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-warden-stat-change-agility-wardens|articlename=Update 10: Warden Stat Change – Agility Wardens!|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Changes to critical defense.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-critical-defence-revision|articlename=Update 10 - Critical Defence Revision|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Unification of currency for scaling instances.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-seals-and-medallion-conversion|articlename=Update 10 - Seals and Medallion Conversion Diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand====
''Treachery of the White Hand'' is the eleventh update and was released 13 May, 2013. <ref name="Update 11">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?511377-Update-11-Treachery-of-the-White-Hand-Release-Notes-Official|articlename=Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand Release Notes - Official|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*A new region, Wildermore, located on the previously-inaccessible plateau in the north of East Rohan.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Book 10: Snows of Wildermore of '''Volume III: Allies of the King''' is released.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Updates to mounted combat.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Hobbit presents, daily free random items with the ability to unlock more rolls with mithril coins.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Lalia's Market, a shop where cosmetic clothing and dyes can be purchased with mithril coins.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/lalias-market|articlename=Lalia’s Market Now Open in Bree-town!|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

===Helm's Deep Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Helm's Deep]]''=
The fourth expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is named ''Helm's Deep''. The expansion was released on 20 November, 2013. <ref name="TenTonHammer">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.tentonhammer.com/lotro/news/turbine-temporarily-delays-lotro-helms-deep-launch|articlename=Updated: Turbine Temporarily Delays LOTROs Helms Deep Launch|dated=|website=www.tentonhammer.com|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref> After the Helm's Deep expansion, Turbine has discontinued for three years paid expansions in favor of quarterly updates with content free to VIPs. <ref name="Looking Ahead to 2014">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?535422-A-letter-from-Executive-Producer-Kate-Paiz-Looking-Ahead-to-2014|articlename=A letter from Executive Producer Kate Paiz - Looking Ahead to 2014|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 13: The Breaking of Isengard====
''The Breaking of Isengard'' is the thirteenth update and was released 14 April, 2014. <ref name="Update 13">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?546315-Update-13-The-Breaking-of-Isengard-%E2%80%93-Official-release-Notes|articlename=Update 13: The Breaking of Isengard – Official release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*Release of a new landscape consisting of post-[[Battle of Isengard]] Nan Curunir as well as the Entwood<ref name="Update 13"/>, an area consisting of the south-western part of Fangorn.
*The fourteenth and final book of Epic Volume III: Allies of the King, The Waters of Isengard.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/dev-diary-%E2%80%93-update-13-quest-notes|articlename=Dev Diary – Update 13 Quest Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Misty Mountains, North Downs and Trollshaws region revamps.<ref name="Update 13"/>
*Resizable inventory bags.<ref name="Update 13"/>
*Level scaling from level 20 up for players in the Ettenmoors and temporary Ettenmoors passes for free-to-play purchasable with Mithril Coins.<ref name="Update 13"/>

====Update 14: Paths of the Dead====
''Paths of the Dead'' is the fourteenth update and was released 14 July, 2014. <ref name="Update 14">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?552272-Update-14-Paths-of-the-Dead-Release-Notes-amp-Known-Issues|articlename=Update 14: Paths of the Dead - Release Notes & Known Issues |dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*Release of the West Gondor region, consisting of the areas the [[Paths of the Dead]], the [[Blackroot Vale]], [[Lamedon]], the Havens of [[Belfalas]], and [[Dol Amroth]]. <ref name="Update 14"/><ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/u14|articlename=Update 14: Paths of the Dead Now Available|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*A new Epic series,<ref name="Update 14"/> Volume IV: The Strength of Sauron, beginning with Book 1: The Road to Gondor.
*The Essence System, allowing specially slotted armors to be fitted with a variety of Essences for customizable stats.<ref name="Update 14"/>.
*Level cap increase to 100.<ref name="Update 14"/>
*The [[Dead Marshes]] region was added later in the minor Update 14.2, released September 15 2014. This area included a Session Play featuring Frodo, Samwise, and Gollum's passage through the marshes, casting the player character as Sam.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?555920-Update-14-2-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 14.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 15: Gondor Aflame====
''Gondor Aflame''<ref name="U15 Announcement">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/u15|articlename=Update 15: Gondor Aflame Now Available|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref> is the fifteeth update and was released 4 November, 2014. <ref name="Update 15">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?558300-Update-15-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 15 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*The region of Central Gondor, consisting of [[Ringló Vale]], [[Dor-en-Ernil]], [[Lebennin]] and [[Pelargir]].<ref name="U15 Announcement"/><ref name="Update 15"/>
*Beorning race and class.<ref name="U15 Announcement"/><ref name="Update 15"/>
*Epic Volume IV Book 2: The Dawnless Day.<ref name="Update 15"/>
*A new Epic Battle, Retaking Pelargir.<ref name="Update 15"/> Initially only available in solo/duo mode, a full fellowship version was released in 4 February, 2015 with Update 15.2.<ref name="Update 15.2">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?&postid=7312886|articlename=Update 15.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>
*Roving Threats, a new type of open landscape group content.<ref name="Update 15"/> Additional Roving Threats were added to other regions of the game beginning with Update 15.2<ref name="Update 15.2"/>

====Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath====
''Ashes of Osgiliath'' is the sixteenth update and was released 1 May, 2015.<ref name="Update 16">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?568045-Update-16-Ashes-of-Osgiliath-%E2%80%93-Official-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath – Official Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*The region of Eastern Gondor, consisting of Upper Lebennin, Lossarnach, South Ithilien and Osgiliath.<ref name="Update 16"/>
*Epic Volume IV Book 3: Voices of the Past.<ref name="Update 16"/>
*Cosmetic weapons and shields, more Roving Threats, and new PvMP map set in Osgiliath were released with Update 16.2 on 17 July, 2015. A new quest series of weekly episodic content, following the adventures of the Hobbit Bingo Boffin, was begun the Wednesday after the update, on 22 July.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?572512-Update-16-2-Release-Notes&p=7404279#post7404279|articlename=Update 16.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 17: The Siege of Minas Tirith====
''The Siege of Minas Tirith'' is the seventeenth update and was released 27 October, 2015.=

*The region of Old Anórien, including [[Minas Tirith]], the [[Pelennor Fields]], and Talath Anor.
*Epic Volume IV Book 4: Siege of the White City
*New crafting tier, hidden cosmetic weapon toggle.
*New Epic Battles: Defence of Minas Tirith, Hammer of the Underworld.

====Update 18: The Battle of Pelennor Fields====
''The Battle of Pelennor fields'' is the eighteenth update and was released 11 April 2016.=

*The region of Far Anórien, including [[Drúadan Forest|Taur Drúadan]], [[Warning beacons of Gondor|Beacon hills]], and the Pelennor Fields during the battle.
*Instance cluster including two 3-man instances (The Quays of the Harlond, The Blood of the Black Serpent), one 6-man instance (The Silent Street) and a 12-man raid (Throne of the Dread Terror).
*Epic Volume IV Book 5: The Ride of the Rohirrim and Book 6: The Battle of Pelennor Fields.

====Update 19: March of the King====
''March of the King'' is the nineteenth update and was released 14 October, 2016.=

*The region March of the King, including [[North Ithilien]], after battle Minas Tirith, after battle Osgiliath, and after battle Pelennor Fields.
*Flora barter system to exchange new gear for flowers.
*Epic Volume IV Book 7: March of the King.

====Update 20: Battle of the Black Gate====
''Battle of the Black Gate'' is the twentieth update and was released 21 March, 2017.=

*The region The Wastes, including Noman-lands, [[Slag-hills]] and [[Dagorlad]] which surround the [[Black Gate]].
*New reputation items to exchange for armour.
*Epic Volume IV Book 8: Battle of the Black Gate.

===Mordor Expansion===
''Mordor'' is the sixth expansion, and the twenty-first update, released on 2 August, 2017.=

*The region Plateau of [[Gorgoroth]] includes five different areas, [[Udûn]], Dor Amarth, Lhingris, Talath Urui, and Agarnaith.
*The conclusion of the Epic Questline (and Volume 4), with Book 9.
*A new series of quests, the "Black Book of Mordor", becomes the main storyline after the conclusion of the Epic Quests. There are four chapters introduced in this update.
*The Allegiance System is introduced, players can pledge to one of four factions to gain greater rewards in [[Mordor]]. They are the Kingdom of [[Gondor]], the Court of [[Lothlórien]], [[Durin's Folk]], and the Hobbits of the Company.
*A new instance cluster is introduced, featuring a 3-man instance (The Court of Seregost), a 6-man instance (The Dungeons of Naerband), and a 12-man raid (The Abyss of Mordath).

====Update 22: Legacy of the Necromancer====
''Legacy of the Necromancer'' is the twenty-second update, released on 6 March, 2018.=

*The new region "[[Eryn Lasgalen]] and the Dale-lands" (otherwise known as the "Strongholds of the North" or "Northern Mirkwood"), features the Forest of Eryn Lasgalen (including the [[Halls of the Elven-king]] (known as Felegoth), The Dale-lands (featuring iconic locations such as The [[Long Lake]], [[Lake-town]], [[Dale]], and [[Ravenhill]]), and [[Erebor]], the Lonely Mountain.
*Three new reputation factions are introduced; the "Elves of Felegoth", the "Men of Dale", and the "Dwarves of Erebor".
*The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new region.

====Update 23: Where Dragons Dwell====
''Where Dragons Dwell'' is the twenty-third update, released on 9 October, 2018.=

* The new area "The Dwarf-holds", consists of two areas; The [[Iron Hills]], and [[Ered Mithrin]]. An expanded area of [[Erebor]] is also opened.
* A new instance cluster is introduced, featuring two 3-man instances (Caverns of Thrumfall and Glimmerdeep), a six-man instance (Thikil-gundu), and a 12-man raid (The Anvil of Winterstith).
* The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new areas.

====Update 24: Vales of Anduin====
''Vales of Anduin'' is the twenty-fourth update, released on 4 June, 2019.=
* A new region, the [[Vales of Anduin]] was released, containing several key locations such as the Beorninghus ([[Beorn's Hall]]), The [[Carrock]], the [[Eagle's Eyrie]], the [[Gladden Fields]], [[Rhosgobel]], and various settlements of the [[Woodmen]].
* Update 24.2 brought the "Gladdenmere" sub-region to the Vales, along with a single six-man instance, "The Depths of Kidzul-kalah.
* The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new area, in addition to a "Prelude" to the Minas Morgul Expansion.

===Minas Morgul Expansion===
''Minas Morgul'' is the seventh expansion, and the twenty-fifth update, released on 5 November, 2019.=

*The expansion consists of two new areas, "Mordor Besieged" consists of the upper half of [[Gorgoroth]] during the final stages of the [[Siege of Barad-dûr]] in the Second Age, and the [[Morgul Vale]], which consists of the areas between [[Ithilien]] to the west, and Gorgoroth to the east. The city of [[Minas Morgul]] is also available for exploration.
*A new playable race, the "Stout-axe dwarves", became available.
*New Crafting updates, including a new tier to crafting guilds.
*A new instance cluster taking place in the Morgul Vale, with four three-man instances, three six-man instances, and a raid, the Remmorchant, featuring battling with [[Shelob]] in [[Torech Ungol]].
*A new level cap of 130 is introduced.

====Update 26: Mists of Wilderland====
''Mists of Wilderland'' is the the twenty-sixth update, released on 23 April, 2020.=
* A new region, the Wells of Langflood was released, featuring the upper-lands of the [[Vales of Anduin]], and the merging of the [[Greylin]] and [[Langwell]] rivers into the Anduin. In addition, there is the [[beorning]] settlement of Limlok, the [[stoor]] village of Lyndelby, and the ruins of [[Framsburg]], once the capital of the [[Eotheod]].
* A new reputation faction, the "Protectors of Wilderland", situated in Limlok was introduced.
* A brand new epic questline, "The Legacy of Durin and the Trials of the Dwarves" is introduced to follow the Black Book of Mordor, and follows Prince Durin's efforts in leading the united dwarves to retake [[Mount Gundabad]] from the orcs who dwell there. Two initial chapters were released.

====Update 27: The Great Wedding====
''The Great Wedding'' is the twenty-seventh update, released on 30 June, 2020.=
* A new area, [[Minas Tirith]] (Midsummer), was introduced, situated after the destruction of the [[One Ring]], situated around the wedding of King [[Aragorn Elessar]] and [[Arwen Undomiel]].
* The [[Midsummer]] Festival was introduced, based in Midsummer Minas Tirith, featuring all new quests, items and deeds for players. In addition, the Summer and Farmer's Faire festivals were merged to make way for the Midsummer Festival.
* The Epic Questline continues with Volume V- The Peace of Middle-earth, in it's first book.

====Update 28: War of the Three Peaks====
''War of the Three Peaks'' is the eighth update, also called a "mini-expansion", released on 20 October, 2020.=
* A new area, Elderslade, is introduced, and features the lands north of the Wells of Langflood and west of the [[Ered Mithrin]], situated before the very gates of [[Mount Gundabad]].
* The Missions mechanic was introduced, allowing players of any level over 20 to aid Durin's war-effort, and gain rewards through one of two new reputation factions: The Gabil'akka.
* "The Legacy of Durin and the Trials of the Dwarves" continues with two new chapters, featuring the Battle of Elderslade, and the challenging of Gorgar the Ruthless, Lord of Gundabad, and son of [[Bolg]].

====Update 29: The Wildwood====
''The Wildwood'' was released on 27 March, 2021.=
* The Wildwood, a new zone, was released as part of the Bree-land starting at level 45. Includes new quests along with two reputation factions.
* New Missions were added for The Wildwood.
* The Bree-land map was updated accordingly.

====Update 30: Blood of Azog====
''Blood of Azog'' was released on 8 June, 2021.
* New Missions for new dwarf factions were released.
* "The Legacy of Durin" storyline continued with a flashback to [[Battle of Azanulbizar]]. The flashback is told by Hersegg, granddaughter of one of the heroes of that battle.
* The Fall of Khazad-dûm raid was also released with new gear to be earned. In this instance, players help the dwarves of Moria in TA 1981 in their final stand against Durin's Bane.
* This is the final content update before the next major expansion, ''Fate of Gundabad'', released on November 10th, 2021.

=====Update 30.3=====
''Update 30.3'' was released on 13 October, 2021.=
* This update did not contain any new quest content for the game, but did release several significant features leading up to The Fate of Gundabad expansion, along with smaller quality of life changes.
* The Brawler class was introduced to the game.
* A fully revamped Legendary Item system released publicly after many months of beta testing
* The housing system saw an update that removed the size signifiers for housing items, making it easier to customise player housing

===Fate of Gundabad Expansion===
''Fate of Gundabad'', the ninth expansion and thirty-first update, was released on November 10th, 2021.

====Update 32: Rangers and Ruins====
''Rangers and Ruins'' was released on 16 February, 2022.

* A new raid, "The Hiddenhoard of Abnankâra", was released, featuring Prince Durin's final confrontation with Hrímil Frost-heart within the ancient treasury of the Greymaul Rebellion.
* A new premium housing area in the Abodes of [[Erebor]] was released, located within one of the last of [[Smaug|Smaug's]] treasure hoards.
* A new sub-region, the [[Angle (Eriador)|Angle of Mitheithel]] was released, filled with elven ruins, and the outposts of the [[Rangers of the North]].
* The new 'Legendary Item Rewards Track' was introduced to compliment the new Legendary Item System. Players use their item XP to gain special rewards to help increase the power of their items.

====Update 33: The Yondershire====
''The Yondershire'' was released on 20 April, 2022.
* This update was released alongside the 15 year celebration of ''Lord of the Rings Online''. This event runs from the 20th of April up until 12th of May.
* A new sub-region, "The Yondershire", was released, connecting the [[Ered Luin]] directly to the rest of Middle-earth for the first time. Hobbit villages such as [[Nobottle]], [[Tighfield]], [[Gamwich]], and [[Long Cleeve]] are also featured.
* All content including and prior to the Helm's Deep Expansion, including the Rune-keeper, Warden, and Beorning classes, as well as the High Elf race were made free and available to all players.

=Added Elements and Deviations from the Book=
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' does not only follow the story as told in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', but also tells original stories about events happening during the same time period as the War of the Ring. These chiefly involve player characters following the trail of the members of the Fellowship and other main characters from the text. As such, there are a number of elements that do not appear in any of the published works. This includes characters, lineages, objects and locations. A selection of these are described below.=

==Major Characters==
* '''[[Amarthiel]]''' served the [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]] during his first reign over [[Angmar]]<ref>In the game the Witch-king reigned over Angmar again shortly before the [[War of the Ring]].</ref> and wore the [[lesser rings|lesser ring]] [[Narchuil]]. She was slain by [[Narmeleth]] at the [[Battle of Fornost]] and her soul wandered [[Middle-earth]] for over a thousand years. She managed to possess Narmeleth and disguised herself as Sara Oakheart. She eventually revealed herself after the defeat of [[Mordirith]] by [[Golodir]] and becomes the Regent of Angmar.=

* '''[[Andraste]]''' was a female [[Men|Man]] who served the [[Witch-king]].

* '''[[Jon Brackenbrook]]''' was a [[Men|Man]] who was captain of [[Archet]].

* '''[[Ronald Dwale]]''' was a [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] from [[Dwalling]]. He was an author and a member of [[The Inklings (LOTRO)|the Inklings]], that meets in the [[The Eagle and Child|Bird and Baby Inn]]. He was based on [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] himself.

* '''[[Éogan]]''' was the second in command of the [[Blackwolds]] and took over leadership of the group after William Skunkwood's death.

*'''Gorgar the Ruthless''' was another descendent of Azog who led the Orcs of Gundabad against the Gabil'akka during the War of Three Peaks.

*'''Gorothul''' was a Black Numenorean sorcerer high in the ranks of [[Dol Guldur]].

* '''The Huntsman''' was a spirit found in [[Enedwaith]] who took the shape of a large man with horns of a stag. Many players thought this was [[Oromë]]. The developers confirmed that it wasn't Oromë but a [[Maiar|Maia]] of Oromë.<ref>[http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?359604-big-D-small-d&p=4996860&highlight=#post4996860 big D, small d] [[Jonathan Rudder]], lotro.com forums</ref>

* '''[[Ivar the Bloodhand]]''' was a Gaunt-lord from the [[First Age]].

*'''Karazgar''' was one of the [[Gúrzyul]] seeking to claim power in Mordor after Sauron's defeat.

*'''Mazog''' was a descendant of [[Azog]] and leader of the Orcs of Moria.

* '''[[Mordirith]]''' was the Steward of Angmar.

* '''[[Narmeleth]]''' was an elf maiden of [[Rivendell]] and daughter of [[Laerdan]]. She slew [[Amarthiel]] during the [[Battle of Fornost]] and became possessed by her soul over a thousand years later.

* '''[[Mundo Sackville-Baggins]]''' was a [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] who was mistakenly identified as having the ring.

* '''[[William Skunkwood]]''' was the leader of the [[Blackwolds]].

* '''[[Skorgrím]]''' was a dwarf and leader of the [[Dourhands]]. He was slain during the Battle of Edhelion. His corpse was used as a vehicle by Ivar the Bloodhand who possessed it with a fell spirit to trick the Dourhands to ally themselves with the forces of [[Angmar]].

* '''[[Sambrog]]''' was the Wight-lord of the [[Barrow-downs]].

==Groups==
* '''The [[Blackwolds]]''' were a group of [[Men|Mannish]] brigands from [[Bree-land]].=

* '''The [[Dourhands]]''' was a clan of dwarves aligned with the forces of [[Angmar]]. They were the dwarves that stayed behind to rebuild the Dwarven Halls in the [[Blue Mountains]] which were destroyed during the [[War of Wrath]].

*The '''Gúrzyul''' were powerful Black Númenoreans who served near the top of the chain of command in Mordor.

* '''The [[Inklings (Shadows of Angmar)|Inklings]]''' are a group of [[Hobbits|Hobbit]]-authors who discuss literature. They meet each other in the [[The Eagle and Child|Bird and Baby Inn]]. Prominent members are [[Ronald Dwale]] ([[J.R.R. Tolkien]]), [[Owen Farfield]] ([[Owen Barfield]]), [[Carlo Williams]] ([[Charles Williams]]) and [[Jack Lewisdown]] ([[C.S. Lewis]]). The group and members are based on the real [[Inklings]]

*'''The Iron Garrison''' was a group of Longbeard Dwarves that sought to find [[Balin]] and retake the Mines of Moria.

*'''The Stout-axes''' were a House of Dwarves lost to slavery in Mordor. They were eventually freed after the demise of Sauron.

*The '''Warriors Three''' were a trio of Rohirrim adventure seekers.

*'''The Zhelruka were an eastern House of Dwarves who migrated westward after the War of the Ring.

==Objects==
* '''[[Narchuil]]''' was one of the [[lesser rings]] forged by the elven-smiths during the [[Second Age]].=

* '''Zigilburk''' was a legendary [[mithril]] axe discovered in Moria by The Iron Garrison.

* '''The Vandassari''' were a set of stones brought from [[Numenor]] to Middle-earth. These are the Oath-stones with the power to hold those who swear upon them to their promises, such as the Stone of [[Erech]].

* '''The Black Book of Mordor''' was a mysterious text discovered in the Iron Hills.

==Locations==
* '''[[Agamaur]]''' was a vast swamp of the [[Lone-lands]]. It was a site of a major battle between [[Arthedain]], [[Cardolan]] and [[Rhudaur]]. To the west were the ruins of Ost Guruth, a fortress of [[Arnor]] claimed by the nomadic Eglain. To the east lay the ruins of Garth Agarwen, a fortress of Rhudaur ruled by [[Hill-men]] loyal to the mysterious Red Maid.=

* '''[[The Eagle and Child|Bird and Baby Inn]]''' was an inn in [[Michel Delving]].

* '''[[Esteldin]]''' was a ruin of Arnor in the [[North Downs]]. At the time of the [[War of the Ring]], it was used as a base of operations by the [[Rangers of the North]].

*'''[[Falathlorn]]''' was a green and beautiful region of the [[Ered Luin]] favored by the Elves. It contained the Elvish havens of Duillond and Celondim. Not far from this region were the chilly Low-lands, site of the Dwarvish cities Gondamon and Kheledul.

*'''[[Galtrev]]''' was one of the largest towns of [[Dunland]], the nominal capitol of the country.

*'''Lhanuch''' was a chief village among the [[Dunlending]] clans of [[Enedwaith]].

*'''Luntil's Ferry''' was a secret crossing of the River Anduin in [[Lossarnach]].

*'''[[Maur Tulhau]]''' was a [[Stoors|Stoorish]] Hobbit village in [[Enedwaith]] located in the forbidding Gloomgens. It was an remnant of the time when the Stoors lived in this region before most of their number moved north to [[The Shire]].

*'''Nar's Peak''' was a cleft along one of the spurs of the [[Misty Mountains]]. Thorin and some other exiles of [[Erebor]] dwelt for a time.

* '''[[Othrongroth]]''' was the oldest and largest Edain mound in the [[Barrow-downs]].

* '''[[Stangard]]''' was a [[Rohirrim]] settlement near the Great River [[Anduin]]. Its inhabitants were mostly exiles sent to protect [[Rohan]]'s outer borders.

* '''[[Tinnudir]]''' was an island in [[Lake Evendim]]. It was used as a headquarters by a group of Rangers called the Wardens of [[Annúminas]], protectors of the ancient capitol of Arnor.

*'''Wildermore''' was a small plateau in the northern portion of [[Eastemnet]]. It suffered an unnatural winter due to the machinations of Saruman.

*'''Woodsedge''' was one of the main towns of the [[Woodmen]] living in the Vales of [[Anduin]] at the edge of [[Mirkwood]].

=Active Worlds=
*[US]Arkenstone (Unofficial Oceanic)=
*[EU]Belegaer [DE-RP]
*[US]Brandywine
*[US]Crickhollow
*[EU]Evernight [EU]
*[US]Gladden
*[EU]Gwaihir [DE]
*[US]Landroval [EN-RE]
*[EU]Laurelin [Global-RP]
*[EU]Sirannon [FR]
*Anor [Legendary]
*Shadowfax [Legendary]
*Treebeard [Legendary]

==European servers==
The European servers were originally created and hosted by [[Codemasters]], but on [[1 June]] [[2011]] LOTRO Europe was taken over by Turbine, who are based in the Easter U.S. This arrangement continued with Standing Stone Games who currently host the European servers.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.casualstrolltomordor.com/2011/04/turbines-lotro-service-goes-global/|articlename=Turbine's LOTRO Service Goes Global|dated=24 April 2011|website=A Casual Stroll to Mordor|accessed=2 January 2012}}</ref>

European servers are further distinguished by language, French and German in particular

==Legendary Servers==
'''Legendary servers''' are special worlds with a progressive level cap. The first legendary server, Anor, was launched in 2018, while Ithil was opened shortly thereafter to accommodate congestion. Due to inactivity, Ithil was eventually closed in 2021.

In fall of 2021, two new Legendary servers were announced. Both would follow the previous legendary model, by starting at the original level cap of 50 and slowly expanding from there, but each had its own take on progression. The Shadowfax server gave players 50% more experience points than the standard servers, while Treebeard slowed experience point gain y 70%. Each server would also receive expansions at a different pace, with Shadowfax gaining expansions more quickly than Treebeard.

==Roleplay Servers==
To encourage players who wish to enjoy the game as their characters, some servers have been designed RP as roleplaying servers. In these worlds, it is expected that most players will interact together as the characters they have made, imagining themselves as actually being in Middle-earth. As a special case Landroval is designed RE, roleplay encouraged.=

==Closed Worlds==
Over time, due to shifting player populations, worlds have been consolidated. Players transfer their characters to a new world and the old server is then closed. Below is a list of closed worlds.
*[RU] Fornost
*[RU] Mirkwood
*[RU] Aglarond
*[US] Vilya
*[EU] Maiar [DE]
*[US] Firefoot
*[US] Meneldor
*[US] Windfola
*[EU] Morthond [DE]
*[EU] Gilrain [UK]
*[US] Nimrodel
*[EU] Withywindle [UK]
*[EU] Vanyar [DE]
*[US] Dwarrowdelf
*[US] Riddermark
*[EU] Anduin [DE]
*[EU] Estel [FR-RP]
*[EU] Eldar
*[US] Imladris
*[US] Silverlode
*[US] Elendilmir (Oceanic)
*[EU] Snowbourn [UK]
*Ithil [Legendary]

=License=
For ''The Lord of the Rings Online'', [[Turbine]] (and subsequently Standing Stone Games) has licensed the rights to the content and lore of ''[[The Hobbit]]'' and ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. Turbine does not have license rights to the [[New Line Cinema]] film trilogy nor ''[[The Silmarillion]]'', ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'', ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'' books or ''[[The Children of Húrin]]''.=

=Reception=
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' has been received very positively thus far, as reviews continue to appear since the game's initial release.<ref>[http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/middleearthonline Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, The - Review] metacritic.com</ref>==

GameDaily awarded the game 9/10, praising its rich, fantasy-themed universe, well-integrated trait and title system, and a story that remains true to the works of Tolkien. Yahoo! Video Games wrote a review with few negative mentions, awarding the game a score of 4/5,<ref>[http://videogames.yahoo.com/gamereview?cid=1990963744&tab=reviews&page=0&eid=513259 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] Yahoo! Games</ref> while ''Computer and Video Games'' called the game an essential purchase for ''Lord of the Rings'' fans, scoring the game a 9.2/10.<ref>[http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=161846&skip=yes PC Review: Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] ''Computer and Video Games''</ref> Eurogamer scored the game a 9.0/10, calling it tough to resist.<ref>[http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=75657 Review - Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] Eurogamer</ref> Gamespy gave it 4.5/5 stars, claiming the game "opened up Middle-Earth to the masses" but commented negatively on its weak PvP content,<ref>[http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/lord-of-the-rings-online-shadows-of-angmar/785884p1.html The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] GameSpy</ref> while GameTrailers awarded it 8.5/10,<ref>[http://www.gametrailers.com/gamepage.php?id=754 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] Game Trailers</ref> citing its interesting tweaks to the MMO genre. IGN.com ranked it a similar 8.6/10, praising it for its solid experience, though criticizing it for its lack of major improvements to the genre.<ref>[http://pc.ign.com/articles/787/787942p3.html The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] IGN</ref> GamerNode.com awarded the game an 8.8/10, calling it the best MMO launch experience since ''Ultima Online''.<ref>[http://www.gamernode.com/PC/Reviews/2848-Lord-of-the-Rings-Online-Review/index.html Lord of the Rings Online] GamerNode</ref> The ''New York Times'' called the game "a major achievement of interactive storytelling, the first game truly worthy of the ‘Lord of the Rings' franchise and a must-play for just about anyone with an interest in Tolkien or the future of online entertainment."<ref>[http://lotro.turbine.com/article/356 Lord of the Rings Online Press Release] Lord of the Rings Online</ref> In a GameSpot review, the product was awarded an 8.3/10, praising its appealing polish and intriguing Monster Play feature.<ref>[http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/middleearthonline/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=topten&tag=topten;all;score;5 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar for PC Review] GameSpot</ref> Gamepro.com's review gave it an overall 4.25/5, pointing out how engaging the epic quests are, as well as how faithful to the novels the game managed to stay.<ref>[http://gamepro.com/computer/pc/games/reviews/112000.shtml Review: The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar for PC] Gamepro</ref> GameSpy declared ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' 'Game of the Month' for May 2007.<ref>[http://uk.gamespy.com/articles/795/795353p2.html Game of the Month: May 2007] GameSpy</ref>

=Awards=

In August 2007, Codemasters announced that ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' had received five Golden Joystick Awards nominations for the five applicable categories for the game,<ref>[http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6925679.stm Music and vice top games awards] BBC News</ref> and in October 2007 that it had won the "PC Game of the Year" at these awards.<ref>[http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7693&Itemid=2 Gears Wins Big at Game Awards] Next-Generation</ref> and again won the same award on October 2008. In December 2007, GameSpy awarded ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' 6th place in the top 10 PC games of 2007.<ref>[http://goty.gamespy.com/2007/pc/6.html GameSpy's Game of the Year 2007] GameSpy</ref> On December 18, Turbine announced it had also won the GameSpy MMO of the Year award.<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/article/476 LOTRO Wins Top Honors from Gamespy!] Lord of the Rings Online</ref> In January 2009, mmorpg.com awarded Turbine both MMORPG studio of the year 2008<ref>[http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/45/feature/2574/Best-MMO-Studio-of-2008-Winner MMORPG.com Best MMO Studo of 2008] mmorpg.com</ref>, and MMO Expansion of the Year for ''Mines of Moria''.<ref>[http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/45/feature/2579 MMORPG.com Best Expansion of 2008] mmorpg.com</ref>

=Subscription Model=
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Free to Play.png|300px|thumb]]=
In North America, players who pre-ordered the game were offered a special founder's offer, a lifetime subscription for $199 or reduced cost of $9.99 per month. Standard monthly fee is $14.99 with three, six, twelve month, and lifetime discounts available. European players had a similar program from Codemasters.

A Holiday subscription was available in December of 2007 and January of 2008 for $9.99/month for a 3 month commitment. A one year anniversary addition includes a $9.99/month subscription or a $199.99 Lifetime subscription, which was again offered during the lead up to the release of Mines of Moria.

Warner Bros. announced on June 4, 2010 that Lord of the Rings Online will offer a free-to-play model starting in the fall of 2010.<ref>[http://turbine.com/news/105-warner-bros-interactive-entertainment-announces-the-lord-of-the-rings-online-to-adopt-global-free-to-play-model.html Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Announces The Lord of the Rings Online™ to Adopt Global Free-to-Play Model] Turbine, Inc</ref> On August 18, 2010, Warner Bros. announced that the free-to-play model would go live on September 10, 2010. On October 21, 2010, [[Codemasters]] announced that a preview of Free-to-Play would be available in Europe on October 25, 2010.<ref>[http://community.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=10839&pagename=news&type=news The Lord of the Rings Online Europe Preview Event]</ref>

=External Links=
* '''[http://lotro.com Official website]'''=
** '''[http://forums.lotro.com/ LOTRO Community Forums]''': The official ''Lord of the Rings Online'' forums
* '''[http://lotro-wiki.com LoTRO-Wiki]''': The most complete source of information for the game
* '''[http://lotroplayers.com LoTRO Players]''': Long-running news site and podcast
* '''[http://www.dadislotroguides.com Dadi's LOTRO Guides]''': Useful guides for various game systems.

{{notes}}
{{references}}

{{lotro}}
{{Videogames}}
{{title|italics}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lord of the Rings Online}}
[[Category:The Lord of the Rings Online| ]]
[[Category:Open world games]]
[[Category:Role playing games]]
[[Category:Turbine games]]

The Lord of the Rings Online

2022-05-10T01:02:04Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Fate of Gundabad Expansion */

{{cleanup}}
{{disambig-more|The Lord of the Rings|[[The Lord of the Rings (disambiguation)]]}}
{{video game infobox| image=[[Image:Lotro logo.png|250px]]| name=The Lord of the Rings Online| developer=[[Turbine|Turbine, Inc.]] (2007-2016)
[[Standing Stone Games]] (2016-Present)|
publisher=[[Midway Games]]
[[Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment]] (2010-2016)
[[Daybreak Game Company]] (2016-Present)
| platform=Microsoft Windows, OS X (Beta)| releasedate=April 24, [[2007]]| genre=MMORPG| modes=| rating=| distribution=}}
'''''The Lord of the Rings Online''''' (commonly abbreviated to '''LOTRO''' or '''LotRO''') is an MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) for PC and OS X that takes place in the world of [[Arda]] during the time of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]].'' It was originally branded as '''The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar''', but with later updates, that subtitle was dropped.

The players take on the role of adventurers of the [[Free peoples|Free Peoples]] of [[Middle-earth]]. The events of the game are concurrent with the events of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' but most of the game revolves around events that occurred elsewhere or in the wake of events in the books. The game draws inspiration from people, places and events only mentioned in the books, combining these with original concepts to expand on parts of Middle-earth Tolkien did not. The main quest series of the game, known as Epic Quests, are divided into volumes, books and chapters, emulating the structure of ''The Lord of the Rings''.

There have been many expansions to the original game, including: Mines of Moria (2008), Siege of Mirkwood (2009), Rise of Isengard (2011), Riders of Rohan (2012), Helm's Deep (2013) Mordor (2017), Minas Morgul (2019), and Fate of Gundabad (2021) with regular updates, adjustments, and "mini-expansions" in between.

==Development==
{{rewrite}}

Development of ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' began in 1998, when [[Sierra Entertainment|Sierra]] started work on a game called ''Middle-earth Online''. Following [[Vivendi|Vivendi Universal Games]]' takeover of Sierra in 1999, the game's production was shared with [[Turbine]]. Turbine secured the rights of the entire game in March 2004,<ref>[http://www.videogamer.com/news/turbine_spin_into_action_to_secure_tolkien_license.html Turbine spin into action to secure Tolkien license - VideoGamer.com]</ref> and it was renamed to ''The Lord of the Rings Online''. It was originally subscription-based, but later became free-to-play with optional paid subscription and microtransactions.

A closed beta was announced on [[8 September]], [[2006]]. An open beta began on [[30 March]], [[2007]], and was open to all who pre-ordered the game's Founders Club edition. In April [[2007]], the beta opened to the public. In 2010, the monetization model of the game changed to allow a free-to-play experience. Subscribers were given benefits for their patronage, while all players could access the game for free, but with certain limitations. In 2016 development of the game was handed off to a new spin-off company formed specifically to maintain LOTRO and 'Dungeons & Dragons Online': Standing Stone Games.

As an online game, development continues with regular enhancements, additions, and changes to mechanics and game systems.



==Gameplay==
===Characters===
''Main article: [[Character Classes (LOTRO)]]''

Like many RPGs, ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' has a system of character classes and levels. Each character chooses a race and a class on character creation, this cannot be changed. Players are able to play as any of the [[Free Peoples]] - [[Elves]], [[Men]], [[Dwarves]], [[Hobbits]], [[Beornings]], [[Stout-axe]] Dwarves, or [[High Elves]]. Male or female characters can be created, except in the case of Dwarves. As per Tolkien, Dwarf-women are very rare and seldom leave their mountain halls, though the addition of Stout-axe dwarves as a playable race in 2019 allowed players to create dwarf-women. There is no difference in appearance male and female Stout-axes. There are eleven classes: Beorning, Brawler, Burglar, Captain, Champion, Guardian, Hunter, Lore-master, Minstrel, Rune-keeper, and Warden.

Customization of the character's abilities can be done by changing equipment and traits. As of the [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Helm.27s Deep Expansion|Helm's Deep expansion]], class traits work on a tree system, with each class having three "trait trees" where traits can be selected with earned points and unlocking enough traits in a particular tree allows higher-level traits to be selected and applies additional bonus. In addition to class traits are racial traits, such as Men being able to slot a trait to do additional damage with swords or Hobbits being able to slot a trait that allows them to throw a stone, and virtue traits which boost the character's stats.

Levels are significant, with much lower level enemies being extremely easy to defeat and much higher level enemies being nearly impossible to defeat. Each region has enemies and quests with a range of levels usually consecutive to those of an adjacent region. Quests over five levels above the character's level are inaccessible. In addition to being able to complete quest and defeat enemies in more locations, characters gain access to additional equipment, skills, traits and instances as they level up. Levels are increased by gaining experience, which is earned by completing quests and instances, defeating enemies of an appropriate level, and crafting.

===World===
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is an "open-world" game in which most locations that have been released can be freely accessed on an open landscape (although some places, such as Moria, require certain quests to be completed first.) The game world is split into "lands", large areas of Middle-Earth. As of Update 21, the four lands in the game are [[Eriador]], [[Rhovanion]], [[Gondor]], and [[Mordor]]. Each land is in turn divided into regions, e.g. [[Bree-land]] in Eriador, and each region contains areas, e.g. [[Andrath]] within Bree-land.

Although most of the land is available to all for exploration, most regions require non-VIPs to purchase a quest pack to access quests, deeds and instances associated with that region. A few regions, such as East and West Rohan, require expansion packs to be purchased to unlock content, even for VIPs. Each region is generally seen as it was in a certain time in the War of the Ring, for example Lothlórien is visited by the player at the same time as the [[Fellowship of the Ring]] rested there, and [[Pelargir]] just after [[Aragorn]] liberated the city from the [[Corsairs of Umbar]].

Reddit users /u/lallapalalable and /u/exploderator estimated the total size of the map at no more than 250 square km (97 square miles) in 2017, making it one of the largest game maps ever made.<ref>{{webcite|author=/u/lallapalalable|articleurl=http://www.reddit.com/r/lotro/comments/60j1ul/been_trying_to_calculate_the_area_of_the_map/|articlename=Been trying to calculate the area of the map|dated=20 March 2017|website=Reddit|accessed=29 October 2020}}</ref>

===Quests===
Much of the game's completable content is in the form of quests. Quests consist of a series of objectives, often including speaking with NPCs, defeating certain enemies, and recovering certain items from the ground or from defeated enemies. Most quests have a small number of objectives but may unlock additional quests upon completion to form a quest chain. Quests are usually started by started by speaking with a particular Non-Player Character (NPC), indicated with a ring icon above the NPC's head. The forms of ring icons and what they indicate are as follows:

*Gold ring with blue aura: the NPC has a quest that is approximately appropriate for the character's level.
*Gold ring with blue aura and fiery inscription: the NPC must be spoken with to advance the quest.
*Bright gold ring: the NPC has an Epic quest available.
*Gold ring with orange flames: the NPC must be spoken to to advance the Epic quest.
*Blue ring and quill: the NPC has a comment about an active quest, speaking to the NPC will not advance the quest but may give additional information.
*Gold ring with hourglass: the NPC has a quest with a cooldown, the player must wait for the cooldown to expire before accepting the quest.
*Silver ring: the NPC has a quest that is too high level for the player to accept at that level.
*Transparent grey ring: the NPC has a "trivial" quest, one far below the player's level.
*Gold ring with anvil: the NPC has a crafting quest, and involves the crafting system in some way.
*Gold ring with sword: The NPC has an allegiance quest; quests that are unique to the Mordor Expansion.*Gold ring with map: The NPC has a missions quest; quests that are unique to Missions-related quests.

Some quests are started by obtaining unique items dropped from specific enemies. The [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Riders of Rohan Expansion|Riders of Rohan expansion]] introduced auto-bestowed quests, which bring up a quest prompt when the player defeats a specific type of enemy or finds a certain location. Such enemies are marked with ring icons similarly to how NPC quest givers are. Players have the option of accepting these quests automatically or choosing to manually accept or decline each prompt. Most landscape quests can only be completed once, some special landscape quests and most instance quests can be completed once a day any number of times, and a few landscape quests can be repeated at any time up to a certain number of times.

Quests are categorized according to what area, instance or other section they are associated with. Of note are the Epic Quests, a series that tells the main storyline of the game. In imitation of [[The Lord of the Rings|the Lord of the Rings book]], the epic quests are divided into Volumes, which are divided into Books which in turn are divided into Chapters. Each Chapter is usually an individual quest. Epic Quests bring the player through the landscape but are considered apart from it, therefore most Epic Quests are available to all players regardless of whether or not any quest packs are unlocked. A notable exception is the end of Volume III: Allies of the King, which requires purchase of the Helm's Deep expansion to complete. The Black Book of Mordor, the new main storyline for quests after the Epic Books, has eight chapters, all spanning various areas in Middle Earth including [[Mordor]], the Strongholds of the North, the [[Iron Hills]], and the [[Ered Mithrin]].

===Deeds===
Deeds are non-repeatable achievements recorded on an interface window called the Deed Log. Common deed objectives include completing a certain number of quests in a particular area or region (Quest Deeds), defeating a certain number of enemies of a specific type in a particular region (Slayer Deeds), discovering specified locations (Explorer Deeds), and reaching the next tier of reputation with a faction. Most Deeds award Turbine points. Deeds in a particular region usually award reputation in that region's faction. Deeds also commonly reward marks, virtues, and titles.

===Instances===
Instances are locations in the game separated from the open landscape, not accessible through normal travel. Instances can take place in either separate versions of the locations available on the landscape (for example, Pelargir while Aragorn's host retakes it from the corsairs) or in locations not accessible anywhere else (such as Dale). Most instances are private instances, that is, only one player or group of players can enter it and it closes when they complete it, while public instances can be joined at any time by any number of separate players. They are often repeatable, with ones associated with landscape quests being replayable through a Reflecting Pool in the associated region and others accessible through the Instance Finder window. Most private instances have associated quests automatically bestowed upon entering the instance and cancelled upon exiting.

===Fellowships and Kinships===
Most open landscape content and associated instances are designed to be completable by a solo player, while some locations in the game and Instance Finder instances are meant for a team of players. A group of players with a maximum size of six is known as a fellowship. For larger groups, a raid of up to four fellowships can be formed, for a maximum group size of 24 players. Players are free to group on the open landscape and in public instances, but private instances have a limit on how many players may enter.

Players can found and join lasting organizations known as Kinships in the game. Players in a kinship can communicate in their own kinship chat channel to socialize and plan events with their fellow members.

===Monster Play===
The game is primarily Player vs. Environment (PvE), with most combat being player characters against computer controlled enemies found throughout the landscape and instances. However in the [[Ettenmoors]] region, players can participate in Player vs. Monster Player battles (PvMP). Players can create Monster characters that only have access to PvMP areas where they battle standard characters, who fight on the side of the Free Peoples. Each monster player class is limited to a specific race. The monster classes are the Blackarrow (Uruk), Defiler (Orc), Reaver (Orc), Stalker (Warg), Warleader (Uruk), and Weaver (Spider) As of [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath|Update 16.2]] a new PvMP area, set in Osgiliath before Boromir's journey to Rivendell and accessed via a banner in the Ettenmoors, was released.



Towns and settlements provide Vendors where players can purchase or repair their armour, weapons, and supplies. Towns also often include Mailboxes, Auction Halls, Class Trainers, Forge-masters, Relic-masters, and Stable-masters who allow swift travel between regions.

The player interface allows other aspects of gameplay such as Character screens, Quest and Deed Logs, a Social Panel where players can interact, and a Crafting panel where players use skills to craft new items.

==Releases, Updates, and Expansions==
===Shadows of Angmar===
:{{Main|The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar}}
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar|Shadows of Angmar]]'' was released on [[24 April]], [[2007]]. It included books 1 through 8 of Epic Volume I: Shadows of Angmar. Approximately once every two months a major free update was added to ''The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar''. Each update added a new book to the volume.

====Book 9: Shores of Evendim====
{{#ev:youtubehd|VOEcXrbG4OI|200|thumb}}
The first free content update was released on 14 June, 2007.<ref>[http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=3611&pagename=home&search=yes&keyword=Book%209 Book 9: Shores of Evendim Release Date Announced]</ref>

Updates included:
*A new region - [[Evendim]] - is added, including locations like [[Annúminas]].<ref name="book9">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/news/pressreleases/136-book-9-shores-of-evendim-release-date-announced|articlename=Book 9: Shores of Evendim Release Date Announced!|dated=5 June 2007|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
*The epic story is expanded with book 9, Shores of Evendim<ref name="book9"/>
*100 new quests are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*A 24-player raid is added, ''Battle for Helegrod''.<ref name="book9"/>
*Nine new monsters are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*New Collectible armour sets are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*Updates to the music system.<ref name="book9"/>

====Book 10: The City of Kings====

The second free-content update was released on 21 August, 2007 in North America and on 24 August, 2007 in Europe.<ref>| [http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=3949&pagename=home&search=yes&keyword=Book%209 Codemasters Online and Turbine unveil Book 10: The City of the Kings]</ref>

Updates included:
*Continuation of the Story Line.
*Legendary Play – Players can now use Destiny Points to play as a Ranger of the North or as a Troll.
*Critter Play – Players can now explore Middle-earth from a different viewpoint as a chicken.
*New Reputation and Bartering Systems – The Reputation system enables players to earn positive and negative standing with different races and groups in Middle-earth based on both monster kills and quest completions. The Bartering system allows players to trade trophies earned in battle for rewards, such as armour sets or mounts.
*Over 100 new Quests.
*More customizable user interface.

====Book 11: Prisoner of the Free Peoples====

The third free-content update was released on 24 October, 2007 in North America<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/article/430 Turbine and Codemasters Online Gaming to Unveil Book 11: Defenders of Eriador for The Lord of the Rings Online]</ref> and 25 October in Europe.<ref>[http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=4661&articletype=News Codemasters Online and Turbine to unveil Book 11: Defenders of Eriador]</ref>

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_11_Official complete release notes]):
*Continuation of the Epic Story arc, including 13 quests.
*Player housing – players will be able to customize their houses with items such as furniture and doormats.
*Second raid called "The Rift" – 12-player raid in which players encounter a [[Balrogs|Balrog]] for the first time. Turbine has stressed that this is not the [[Durin's Bane|Balrog from Khazad-dûm]].<ref>[http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=287 Book 11 Preview: The Balrogs are Coming]</ref>
*Two new areas – Tâl Bruinen in the Trollshaws, where [[Gollum]] will be introduced for the first time, and Goblin-town in the [[Misty Mountains]], featured in ''The Hobbit''.
*More than 100 new quests.

====Book 12: The Ashen Wastes====

The fourth free content update was released on 13 February, 2008 in North America; and 14 February, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_12_Official complete release notes]):
*Continuation of the Story Line.
*Character customization - Increased character customization "ranging from haircuts, to some (possible) additions to the trait-system." In addition, the Outfit system, along with special social clothing designed just for it, will be introduced where a second or third set of clothing can be slotted and displayed while retaining the statistical bonuses of the currently equipped items.<ref>[http://lotro.stratics.com/content/hoclog/hoc10.php Lord of the Rings Online: House of Commons ]</ref>
*The Delving of Frór - A new Monster Play PVE (and PVMP under certain circumstances) area was introduced: An expanse of caves and catacombs located beneath the Ettenmoors.
*The Great Angmar Revamp - A revamp of the most high-level region of the game's current 9 PvE regions. The revamp included the reworking of many quests, areas and other changes, such as new horse routes.
*Barbershop - You can customize the look of your avatar in-game with around 50 new haircuts and second set of details.
*Updates to the Burglar, Guardian, and Champion classes.

====Book 13: Doom of the Last-King====

The fifth free content update was released on 24 April, 2008 in North America and on 1 May, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_13_Official complete release notes]):
*A new playable map area: the Ice Bay of [[Forochel]].
*Players being able to see the ocean for the first time, confirmed as the Ice Bay of Forochel in recent developer chats.
*Fishing - the first of a new system in ''Lord of the Rings Online'', called 'hobbies'.
*New PVMP Monster Healing Class - Orc Defiler.
*Looking For Fellowship- and Quest-panel improvements.

====Book 14: The Ring-forges of Eregion====

The sixth free content update was released on 22 July, 2008 in North America. It was released on 24 July, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_14_Official complete release notes]):
*Climax of the "Shadows of Angmar" storyline.
*Added selected sections of [[Eregion]] (Region leading towards the Gates of Moria).
*Epic Quest events that will allow interaction between players regardless of server.
*Prelude quests for and leading up to the ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria|Mines of Moria]]'' expansion, which would have updates leading to Lothlórien, Fangorn, Rhovanion and Rohan.

====Book 15: Daughter of Strife====

The seventh free content update was released on 18 November, 2008. This update was released in tandem with the Mines of Moria expansion for players who did not purchase the expansion release.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Category:Epic_-_Vol._I,_Book_15:_Daughter_of_Strife_Quests Epic - Vol. I, Book 15: Daughter of Strife Quests epic]):
*Conclusion of the "Shadows of Angmar" storyline.
*Added the zone of Eregion expanding on the selected sections from Book 14. The zone does not include the Hollin Gate leading to the Black Pool.
*Added UI enhancements

===Mines of Moria Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria]]''
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria|Mines of Moria]]'' was released on [[18 November]], [[2008]]. It included Vol. II books 1 through 6 of the epic quest line. Like ''Shadows of Angmar'', ''Mines of Moria'' continued to regularly release updates. Updates were less frequent than Shadows of Angmar.

====Book 7: Leaves of Lórien====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Leaves of Lórien.png|thumb|300px]]Book 7 was released on [[17 March]] [[2009]]. This update included:
* Continuation of the Epic Storyline in Book 7, Leaves of Lórien.<ref name="book7">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/book-spotlights/342-vol2book7|articlename=Volume II: Book 7: Leaves of Lórien Spotlight|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
* Expansion of the Lothlórien Area, including [[Caras Galadhon]].<ref name="book7"/>
* A new raid, named ''Strange Happenings'', has been added.<ref name="book7"/>
* The [[Galadhrim]] are added as a new reputation faction.<ref name="book7"/>
* Crafting instances enable players to gather resources.<ref name="book7"/>
* The Ered Luin Introduction and, on lesser scale, the Bree-land Introduction are revamped.<ref name="book7"/>
* Several new Monster Play emotes are added.<ref name="book7"/>

====Book 8: Scourge of Khazad-dum====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Scourge of Khazad-Dûm.png|thumb|300px]]Book 8 was released on 23 June, 2009. This update included:
*Book 8, Scourge of Khazad-dûm, continues the epic story.<ref name="book8">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/book-spotlights/421-vol2-book8|articlename=Volume II: Book 8: Scourge of Khazad-dûm|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
* A radiance-gated multi-boss, 12-man raid - named ''Dar Narbugud'' is added.<ref name="book8"/>
* One 6-man instance is added: ''The Halls of Crafting''.<ref name="book8"/>
* Two 3-man instances are added:
** ''Lumul-nar''<ref name="book8"/>
** ''Nala-dum''<ref name="book8"/>
* Continuation of the revamp of the Bree-land Introduction.<ref name="book8"/>
* The Crafting system has been revived.<ref name="book8"/>

===Siege of Mirkwood Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood]]''=
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood|Siege of Mirkwood]]'' was released on 1 December, 2009 in North America and 3 December, 2009 in Europe. Unlike the second expansion this edition was only available via a web-based download. It included Book 9 and the epilogue of Volume II: Mines of Moria.

Kate Paiz, Executive Producer for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'', released a letter on 22 October, 2010 stating that updates will be more frequent but will not always be accompanied with a new book continuing the epic story.<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/866-producers-letter-october-2010 Producer's Letter, October-2010] lotro.com, Dev Diaries</ref>

====Book 1: Oath of the Rangers====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Oath of the Rangers.png|300px|thumb]]=
Book 1 was released on [[1 March]], [[2010]].<ref> [http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?t=320404 Volume III: Allies of the King has arrived!]</ref>

Updates include ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Volume_3_Allies_of_the_King_Official complete release notes]):
* The beginning of Volume III in the epic storyline.
* The ability to solo the Volume I epic storyline.
* A duo mode for most skirmishes.

====Book 2: Ride of the Grey Company====

Book 2 was released on [[10 September]], [[2010]] in North America. ([[8 September]], [[2010]] for subscribers). It was delayed in Europe because of contractual reasons and was finally released on [[2 November]], almost two months after North America.<ref>[http://massively.joystiq.com/ Massively], [http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/v-e-me-day-lotro-europe-announces-launch-date-for-free-to-play/ V-E-ME Day: LotRO Europe announces launch date for free-to-play], dated [[29 October]], [[2010]] (accessed [[11 November]], [[2011]])</ref>

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Volume_3_Book_2_Official complete release notes]):

* New region: [[Enedwaith]].
* ''Lord of the Rings Online'' Free to Play subscription.
* Book 2 in the Volume III epic storyline.
* Scalable instances.
* Improvements to the vault, and a new wardrobe system for cosmetic items.
* Updates to the Captain class.
* The LOTRO store, where players may purchase convenience items. Points either earned through gameplay, through the VIP program or by being purchased.
* The introduction of Lua Scripting.
* DirectX 11 support.
* Ranger session play.

====Update 1: Journey to Winter-Home====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 1 Journey to Winter-Home.png|300px|thumb]]In 2010, LOTRO altered its monetization model and became "free-to-play." The first post Free-to-play update was released in November 2010. Due to changes to how updates work this did not contain an epic book.=

Updates included:

* A Barter Wallet for skirmish marks and anniversary tokens.
* Opening of Moria, Lothlorien, Mirkwood and Enedwaith to free-to-play players. Volume II and Volume III will also be available, as well the legendary item system, and the level 65 level cap all to free-to-play players.
* Vault improvements.
* Tasks: a new quest type for all levels.
* Improved reputation mounts.
* Updates to the Lore-master and Rune-keeper classes.
* Ered Luin starting area revamp.

====Update 2: Echoes of the Dead====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 2 Echoes of the Dead.png|300px|thumb]]The first update of 2011 was released on [[21 March]] in the United States and [[24 March]] for Europe.

Updates included:

* Two 3-man's, two 6-man's, and a 12-person raid were added for level 65 players.
* A special item required to craft a First Age weapon which drops from the above raid.
* Radiance was removed.
* Legendary Items were updated.
* Character panel and cosmetic system were revamped.
* The Minstrel, Hunter and Burglar classes were updated.
* Volume III Book 3: Echoes of the Dead was added.
* Volume II was revamped and made soloable, including three instances which have been converted to skirmishes.
* Improvements to the PvP starter tutorial.
* [[Evendim]] was revamped, with [[Annúminas]] being scaled down to level 40.

====Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 3 Lost Legends of Eriador.png|300px|thumb]]''Lost Legends of Eriador'' was the third update. It was released on [[23 May]], [[2011]] and included: ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Update_3,_Lost_Legends_of_Eriador,_Official complete release notes]):=

* Two new 3-man scalable instances starting mid-game.
* Two new skirmishes.

===Rise of Isengard Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard]]''=
The third expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is entitled ''Rise of Isengard''. The expansion was made available on 27 September, 2011 and only as a digital download.<ref>[http://isengard.lotro.com/ The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard Official Homepage]</ref>

====Update 5: Armies of Isengard====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 5 Armies of Isengard.png|220px|thumb]]''Armies of Isengard'' was the first update published after the release of ''The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard''. It was released on [[12 December]] [[2011]] and included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Update_5,_Armies_of_Isengard,_Official complete release notes]):=

* Four new instances and a 12-man raid in and around [[Isengard]].
* Book 5: The Prince of Rohan of '''Volume III: Allies of the King''' is released.
* A new Instance finder, to form groups more easily.
* Barter currencies of skirmishes, classic and instances are unified.
* Changes to Reputation items.

====Update 6: Shores of the Great River====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 6 The Great River.png|220px|thumb]]''Shores of the Great River'' is the sixth update and was released on [[12 March]] [[2012]].<ref name="Update6&Riders"> {{webcite|author=Justin Olivetti|articleurl=http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/riding-into-rohan-lotro-maps-out-2012/|articlename=Riding into Rohan: LotRO maps out in 2012|dated=25 January 2012|website=Massively|accessed=29 January 2012}}</ref><ref name="Update6">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/game-manual/1775-update-6-great-river|articlename=Update 6 Great River|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>

*A new region, the [[Anduin|The Great River]], was added, featuring seven new areas - including Parth Celebrant - in the upper [[Anduin]]. <ref name="Update6"/>
*Mists of Anduin, Book 6 of Volume III, was released, in which the player seeks the wisdom of [[Galadriel]] about troubling dreams and fights [[Easterlings]], Brigands and an ancient enemy of Rohan.<ref name="Update6"/>
*The ability to summon skirmish warriors outside skirmishes.<ref name="Update6"/>
*Updates to the Instance finder.<ref name="Update6"/>
*Currency-change in Monster Play: "Destiny" will be replaced with "Commendations". Commendations will be available for both Freeps and Creeps.<ref name="MP Currency change">{{webcite|author=Jaret Pruett|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/1776-update-6-commendations-developer-diary|articlename=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/1776-update-6-commendations-developer-diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>

====Update 7: Shades of the Past====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 7 Shades of the Past.png|thumb|220px]]''Shades of the Past'' is the seventh update<ref name="Update 7">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/1966|articlename=Update 7|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=12 May 2012}}</ref> and was released on 14 May, 2012.{{fact}}=

*Continuation of the aforementioned currency-change.<ref name="MP Currency change"/>
*A new skirmish, "Storm on Methedras."<ref name="Update 7"/>
*Revamp of the Fornost instance and Moria region.<ref name="Update 7"/>

===Riders of Rohan Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Riders of Rohan]]''=
The fourth expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is named ''Riders of Rohan''. The expansion was released on October 15, 2012. <ref name="Turbine">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/news/pressreleases/1736-warner-bros-interactive-entertainment-and-turbine-unveil-the-lord-of-the-rings-online-riders-of-rohan|articlename=WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND TURBINE UNVEIL THE LORD OF THE RINGS ONLINE™: RIDERS OF ROHAN™|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=30 January 2012}}</ref>

====Update 9: Against the Shadow====
''Against the Shadow'' is the ninth update and was released 17 December, 2012. <ref name="Update 9">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.tentonhammer.com/lotro/news/lotro-update-9-coming-december-17th|articlename=LOTROs Update 9 Coming December 17th|dated=|website=www.tentonhammer.com|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*Three new three man instances.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-riders-rohan-instance-cluster-part-i|articlename=Riders of Rohan Instance Cluster, Part I|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Scaling of Dol Guldur instances.
*Completion of Moria revamp.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-revisiting-mines-moria-part-ii|articlename=Developer Diary: Revisiting the Mines of Moria, Part II|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Ability to quickly travel to turn in quests.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-travel-quest-location-behind-scenes|articlename=Update 9 - Travel To Quest Location: Behind the Scenes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Update to the Yule Festival.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-yule-festival|articlename=Update 9 - Yule Festival|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Combat revisions.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-combat-revisions|articlename=Update 9 - Combat Revisions|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 10: Against the Shadow, Part II====
''Against the Shadow, Part II'' is the tenth update and was released 6 March, 2013.=

*One six man instance and three twelve man raids.<ref name="Update 10">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-instance-cluster-developer-diary|articlename=Update 10 - Instance Cluster Developer Diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*In Their Absence instance scaling.<ref name="Update 10"/>
*Mithril Coins, a new currency used for special services.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-mithril-coin-qa|articlename=Update 10 Mithril Coin Q&A|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Agility made Wardens' primary stat.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-warden-stat-change-agility-wardens|articlename=Update 10: Warden Stat Change – Agility Wardens!|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Changes to critical defense.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-critical-defence-revision|articlename=Update 10 - Critical Defence Revision|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Unification of currency for scaling instances.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-seals-and-medallion-conversion|articlename=Update 10 - Seals and Medallion Conversion Diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand====
''Treachery of the White Hand'' is the eleventh update and was released 13 May, 2013. <ref name="Update 11">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?511377-Update-11-Treachery-of-the-White-Hand-Release-Notes-Official|articlename=Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand Release Notes - Official|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*A new region, Wildermore, located on the previously-inaccessible plateau in the north of East Rohan.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Book 10: Snows of Wildermore of '''Volume III: Allies of the King''' is released.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Updates to mounted combat.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Hobbit presents, daily free random items with the ability to unlock more rolls with mithril coins.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Lalia's Market, a shop where cosmetic clothing and dyes can be purchased with mithril coins.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/lalias-market|articlename=Lalia’s Market Now Open in Bree-town!|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

===Helm's Deep Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Helm's Deep]]''=
The fourth expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is named ''Helm's Deep''. The expansion was released on 20 November, 2013. <ref name="TenTonHammer">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.tentonhammer.com/lotro/news/turbine-temporarily-delays-lotro-helms-deep-launch|articlename=Updated: Turbine Temporarily Delays LOTROs Helms Deep Launch|dated=|website=www.tentonhammer.com|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref> After the Helm's Deep expansion, Turbine has discontinued for three years paid expansions in favor of quarterly updates with content free to VIPs. <ref name="Looking Ahead to 2014">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?535422-A-letter-from-Executive-Producer-Kate-Paiz-Looking-Ahead-to-2014|articlename=A letter from Executive Producer Kate Paiz - Looking Ahead to 2014|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 13: The Breaking of Isengard====
''The Breaking of Isengard'' is the thirteenth update and was released 14 April, 2014. <ref name="Update 13">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?546315-Update-13-The-Breaking-of-Isengard-%E2%80%93-Official-release-Notes|articlename=Update 13: The Breaking of Isengard – Official release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*Release of a new landscape consisting of post-[[Battle of Isengard]] Nan Curunir as well as the Entwood<ref name="Update 13"/>, an area consisting of the south-western part of Fangorn.
*The fourteenth and final book of Epic Volume III: Allies of the King, The Waters of Isengard.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/dev-diary-%E2%80%93-update-13-quest-notes|articlename=Dev Diary – Update 13 Quest Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Misty Mountains, North Downs and Trollshaws region revamps.<ref name="Update 13"/>
*Resizable inventory bags.<ref name="Update 13"/>
*Level scaling from level 20 up for players in the Ettenmoors and temporary Ettenmoors passes for free-to-play purchasable with Mithril Coins.<ref name="Update 13"/>

====Update 14: Paths of the Dead====
''Paths of the Dead'' is the fourteenth update and was released 14 July, 2014. <ref name="Update 14">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?552272-Update-14-Paths-of-the-Dead-Release-Notes-amp-Known-Issues|articlename=Update 14: Paths of the Dead - Release Notes & Known Issues |dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*Release of the West Gondor region, consisting of the areas the [[Paths of the Dead]], the [[Blackroot Vale]], [[Lamedon]], the Havens of [[Belfalas]], and [[Dol Amroth]]. <ref name="Update 14"/><ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/u14|articlename=Update 14: Paths of the Dead Now Available|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*A new Epic series,<ref name="Update 14"/> Volume IV: The Strength of Sauron, beginning with Book 1: The Road to Gondor.
*The Essence System, allowing specially slotted armors to be fitted with a variety of Essences for customizable stats.<ref name="Update 14"/>.
*Level cap increase to 100.<ref name="Update 14"/>
*The [[Dead Marshes]] region was added later in the minor Update 14.2, released September 15 2014. This area included a Session Play featuring Frodo, Samwise, and Gollum's passage through the marshes, casting the player character as Sam.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?555920-Update-14-2-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 14.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 15: Gondor Aflame====
''Gondor Aflame''<ref name="U15 Announcement">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/u15|articlename=Update 15: Gondor Aflame Now Available|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref> is the fifteeth update and was released 4 November, 2014. <ref name="Update 15">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?558300-Update-15-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 15 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*The region of Central Gondor, consisting of [[Ringló Vale]], [[Dor-en-Ernil]], [[Lebennin]] and [[Pelargir]].<ref name="U15 Announcement"/><ref name="Update 15"/>
*Beorning race and class.<ref name="U15 Announcement"/><ref name="Update 15"/>
*Epic Volume IV Book 2: The Dawnless Day.<ref name="Update 15"/>
*A new Epic Battle, Retaking Pelargir.<ref name="Update 15"/> Initially only available in solo/duo mode, a full fellowship version was released in 4 February, 2015 with Update 15.2.<ref name="Update 15.2">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?&postid=7312886|articlename=Update 15.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>
*Roving Threats, a new type of open landscape group content.<ref name="Update 15"/> Additional Roving Threats were added to other regions of the game beginning with Update 15.2<ref name="Update 15.2"/>

====Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath====
''Ashes of Osgiliath'' is the sixteenth update and was released 1 May, 2015.<ref name="Update 16">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?568045-Update-16-Ashes-of-Osgiliath-%E2%80%93-Official-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath – Official Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*The region of Eastern Gondor, consisting of Upper Lebennin, Lossarnach, South Ithilien and Osgiliath.<ref name="Update 16"/>
*Epic Volume IV Book 3: Voices of the Past.<ref name="Update 16"/>
*Cosmetic weapons and shields, more Roving Threats, and new PvMP map set in Osgiliath were released with Update 16.2 on 17 July, 2015. A new quest series of weekly episodic content, following the adventures of the Hobbit Bingo Boffin, was begun the Wednesday after the update, on 22 July.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?572512-Update-16-2-Release-Notes&p=7404279#post7404279|articlename=Update 16.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 17: The Siege of Minas Tirith====
''The Siege of Minas Tirith'' is the seventeenth update and was released 27 October, 2015.=

*The region of Old Anórien, including [[Minas Tirith]], the [[Pelennor Fields]], and Talath Anor.
*Epic Volume IV Book 4: Siege of the White City
*New crafting tier, hidden cosmetic weapon toggle.
*New Epic Battles: Defence of Minas Tirith, Hammer of the Underworld.

====Update 18: The Battle of Pelennor Fields====
''The Battle of Pelennor fields'' is the eighteenth update and was released 11 April 2016.=

*The region of Far Anórien, including [[Drúadan Forest|Taur Drúadan]], [[Warning beacons of Gondor|Beacon hills]], and the Pelennor Fields during the battle.
*Instance cluster including two 3-man instances (The Quays of the Harlond, The Blood of the Black Serpent), one 6-man instance (The Silent Street) and a 12-man raid (Throne of the Dread Terror).
*Epic Volume IV Book 5: The Ride of the Rohirrim and Book 6: The Battle of Pelennor Fields.

====Update 19: March of the King====
''March of the King'' is the nineteenth update and was released 14 October, 2016.=

*The region March of the King, including [[North Ithilien]], after battle Minas Tirith, after battle Osgiliath, and after battle Pelennor Fields.
*Flora barter system to exchange new gear for flowers.
*Epic Volume IV Book 7: March of the King.

====Update 20: Battle of the Black Gate====
''Battle of the Black Gate'' is the twentieth update and was released 21 March, 2017.=

*The region The Wastes, including Noman-lands, [[Slag-hills]] and [[Dagorlad]] which surround the [[Black Gate]].
*New reputation items to exchange for armour.
*Epic Volume IV Book 8: Battle of the Black Gate.

===Mordor Expansion===
''Mordor'' is the sixth expansion, and the twenty-first update, released on 2 August, 2017.=

*The region Plateau of [[Gorgoroth]] includes five different areas, [[Udûn]], Dor Amarth, Lhingris, Talath Urui, and Agarnaith.
*The conclusion of the Epic Questline (and Volume 4), with Book 9.
*A new series of quests, the "Black Book of Mordor", becomes the main storyline after the conclusion of the Epic Quests. There are four chapters introduced in this update.
*The Allegiance System is introduced, players can pledge to one of four factions to gain greater rewards in [[Mordor]]. They are the Kingdom of [[Gondor]], the Court of [[Lothlórien]], [[Durin's Folk]], and the Hobbits of the Company.
*A new instance cluster is introduced, featuring a 3-man instance (The Court of Seregost), a 6-man instance (The Dungeons of Naerband), and a 12-man raid (The Abyss of Mordath).

====Update 22: Legacy of the Necromancer====
''Legacy of the Necromancer'' is the twenty-second update, released on 6 March, 2018.=

*The new region "[[Eryn Lasgalen]] and the Dale-lands" (otherwise known as the "Strongholds of the North" or "Northern Mirkwood"), features the Forest of Eryn Lasgalen (including the [[Halls of the Elven-king]] (known as Felegoth), The Dale-lands (featuring iconic locations such as The [[Long Lake]], [[Lake-town]], [[Dale]], and [[Ravenhill]]), and [[Erebor]], the Lonely Mountain.
*Three new reputation factions are introduced; the "Elves of Felegoth", the "Men of Dale", and the "Dwarves of Erebor".
*The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new region.

====Update 23: Where Dragons Dwell====
''Where Dragons Dwell'' is the twenty-third update, released on 9 October, 2018.=

* The new area "The Dwarf-holds", consists of two areas; The [[Iron Hills]], and [[Ered Mithrin]]. An expanded area of [[Erebor]] is also opened.
* A new instance cluster is introduced, featuring two 3-man instances (Caverns of Thrumfall and Glimmerdeep), a six-man instance (Thikil-gundu), and a 12-man raid (The Anvil of Winterstith).
* The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new areas.

====Update 24: Vales of Anduin====
''Vales of Anduin'' is the twenty-fourth update, released on 4 June, 2019.=
* A new region, the [[Vales of Anduin]] was released, containing several key locations such as the Beorninghus ([[Beorn's Hall]]), The [[Carrock]], the [[Eagle's Eyrie]], the [[Gladden Fields]], [[Rhosgobel]], and various settlements of the [[Woodmen]].
* Update 24.2 brought the "Gladdenmere" sub-region to the Vales, along with a single six-man instance, "The Depths of Kidzul-kalah.
* The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new area, in addition to a "Prelude" to the Minas Morgul Expansion.

===Minas Morgul Expansion===
''Minas Morgul'' is the seventh expansion, and the twenty-fifth update, released on 5 November, 2019.=

*The expansion consists of two new areas, "Mordor Besieged" consists of the upper half of [[Gorgoroth]] during the final stages of the [[Siege of Barad-dûr]] in the Second Age, and the [[Morgul Vale]], which consists of the areas between [[Ithilien]] to the west, and Gorgoroth to the east. The city of [[Minas Morgul]] is also available for exploration.
*A new playable race, the "Stout-axe dwarves", became available.
*New Crafting updates, including a new tier to crafting guilds.
*A new instance cluster taking place in the Morgul Vale, with four three-man instances, three six-man instances, and a raid, the Remmorchant, featuring battling with [[Shelob]] in [[Torech Ungol]].
*A new level cap of 130 is introduced.

====Update 26: Mists of Wilderland====
''Mists of Wilderland'' is the the twenty-sixth update, released on 23 April, 2020.=
* A new region, the Wells of Langflood was released, featuring the upper-lands of the [[Vales of Anduin]], and the merging of the [[Greylin]] and [[Langwell]] rivers into the Anduin. In addition, there is the [[beorning]] settlement of Limlok, the [[stoor]] village of Lyndelby, and the ruins of [[Framsburg]], once the capital of the [[Eotheod]].
* A new reputation faction, the "Protectors of Wilderland", situated in Limlok was introduced.
* A brand new epic questline, "The Legacy of Durin and the Trials of the Dwarves" is introduced to follow the Black Book of Mordor, and follows Prince Durin's efforts in leading the united dwarves to retake [[Mount Gundabad]] from the orcs who dwell there. Two initial chapters were released.

====Update 27: The Great Wedding====
''The Great Wedding'' is the twenty-seventh update, released on 30 June, 2020.=
* A new area, [[Minas Tirith]] (Midsummer), was introduced, situated after the destruction of the [[One Ring]], situated around the wedding of King [[Aragorn Elessar]] and [[Arwen Undomiel]].
* The [[Midsummer]] Festival was introduced, based in Midsummer Minas Tirith, featuring all new quests, items and deeds for players. In addition, the Summer and Farmer's Faire festivals were merged to make way for the Midsummer Festival.
* The Epic Questline continues with Volume V- The Peace of Middle-earth, in it's first book.

====Update 28: War of the Three Peaks====
''War of the Three Peaks'' is the eighth update, also called a "mini-expansion", released on 20 October, 2020.=
* A new area, Elderslade, is introduced, and features the lands north of the Wells of Langflood and west of the [[Ered Mithrin]], situated before the very gates of [[Mount Gundabad]].
* The Missions mechanic was introduced, allowing players of any level over 20 to aid Durin's war-effort, and gain rewards through one of two new reputation factions: The Gabil'akka.
* "The Legacy of Durin and the Trials of the Dwarves" continues with two new chapters, featuring the Battle of Elderslade, and the challenging of Gorgar the Ruthless, Lord of Gundabad, and son of [[Bolg]].

====Update 29: The Wildwood====
''The Wildwood'' was released on 27 March, 2021.=
* The Wildwood, a new zone, was released as part of the Bree-land starting at level 45. Includes new quests along with two reputation factions.
* New Missions were added for The Wildwood.
* The Bree-land map was updated accordingly.

====Update 30: Blood of Azog====
''Blood of Azog'' was released on 8 June, 2021.
* New Missions for new dwarf factions were released.
* "The Legacy of Durin" storyline continued with a flashback to [[Battle of Azanulbizar]]. The flashback is told by Hersegg, granddaughter of one of the heroes of that battle.
* The Fall of Khazad-dûm raid was also released with new gear to be earned. In this instance, players help the dwarves of Moria in TA 1981 in their final stand against Durin's Bane.
* This is the final content update before the next major expansion, ''Fate of Gundabad'', released on November 10th, 2021.

=====Update 30.3=====
''Update 30.3'' was released on 13 October, 2021.=
* This update did not contain any new quest content for the game, but did release several significant features leading up to The Fate of Gundabad expansion, along with smaller quality of life changes.
* The Brawler class was introduced to the game.
* A fully revamped Legendary Item system released publicly after many months of beta testing
* The housing system saw an update that removed the size signifiers for housing items, making it easier to customise player housing

===Fate of Gundabad Expansion===
''Fate of Gundabad'', the eighth expansion and thirty-first update, was released on November 10th, 2021.

====Update 32: Rangers and Ruins====
''Rangers and Ruins'' was released on 16 February, 2022.

* A new raid, "The Hiddenhoard of Abnankâra", was released, featuring Prince Durin's final confrontation with Hrímil Frost-heart within the ancient treasury of the Greymaul Rebellion.
* A new premium housing area in the Abodes of [[Erebor]] was released, located within one of the last of [[Smaug|Smaug's]] treasure hoards.
* A new sub-region, the [[Angle (Eriador)|Angle of Mitheithel]] was released, filled with elven ruins, and the outposts of the [[Rangers of the North]].
* The new 'Legendary Item Rewards Track' was introduced to compliment the new Legendary Item System. Players use their item XP to gain special rewards to help increase the power of their items.

====Update 33: The Yondershire====
''The Yondershire'' was released on 20 April, 2022.
* This update was released alongside the 15 year celebration of ''Lord of the Rings Online''. This event runs from the 20th of April up until 12th of May.
* A new sub-region, "The Yondershire", was released, connecting the [[Ered Luin]] directly to the rest of Middle-earth for the first time. Hobbit villages such as [[Nobottle]], [[Tighfield]], [[Gamwich]], and [[Long Cleeve]] are also featured.
* All content including and prior to the Helm's Deep Expansion, including the Rune-keeper, Warden, and Beorning classes, as well as the High Elf race were made free and available to all players.

=Added Elements and Deviations from the Book=
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' does not only follow the story as told in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', but also tells original stories about events happening during the same time period as the War of the Ring. These chiefly involve player characters following the trail of the members of the Fellowship and other main characters from the text. As such, there are a number of elements that do not appear in any of the published works. This includes characters, lineages, objects and locations. A selection of these are described below.=

==Major Characters==
* '''[[Amarthiel]]''' served the [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]] during his first reign over [[Angmar]]<ref>In the game the Witch-king reigned over Angmar again shortly before the [[War of the Ring]].</ref> and wore the [[lesser rings|lesser ring]] [[Narchuil]]. She was slain by [[Narmeleth]] at the [[Battle of Fornost]] and her soul wandered [[Middle-earth]] for over a thousand years. She managed to possess Narmeleth and disguised herself as Sara Oakheart. She eventually revealed herself after the defeat of [[Mordirith]] by [[Golodir]] and becomes the Regent of Angmar.=

* '''[[Andraste]]''' was a female [[Men|Man]] who served the [[Witch-king]].

* '''[[Jon Brackenbrook]]''' was a [[Men|Man]] who was captain of [[Archet]].

* '''[[Ronald Dwale]]''' was a [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] from [[Dwalling]]. He was an author and a member of [[The Inklings (LOTRO)|the Inklings]], that meets in the [[The Eagle and Child|Bird and Baby Inn]]. He was based on [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] himself.

* '''[[Éogan]]''' was the second in command of the [[Blackwolds]] and took over leadership of the group after William Skunkwood's death.

*'''Gorgar the Ruthless''' was another descendent of Azog who led the Orcs of Gundabad against the Gabil'akka during the War of Three Peaks.

*'''Gorothul''' was a Black Numenorean sorcerer high in the ranks of [[Dol Guldur]].

* '''The Huntsman''' was a spirit found in [[Enedwaith]] who took the shape of a large man with horns of a stag. Many players thought this was [[Oromë]]. The developers confirmed that it wasn't Oromë but a [[Maiar|Maia]] of Oromë.<ref>[http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?359604-big-D-small-d&p=4996860&highlight=#post4996860 big D, small d] [[Jonathan Rudder]], lotro.com forums</ref>

* '''[[Ivar the Bloodhand]]''' was a Gaunt-lord from the [[First Age]].

*'''Karazgar''' was one of the [[Gúrzyul]] seeking to claim power in Mordor after Sauron's defeat.

*'''Mazog''' was a descendant of [[Azog]] and leader of the Orcs of Moria.

* '''[[Mordirith]]''' was the Steward of Angmar.

* '''[[Narmeleth]]''' was an elf maiden of [[Rivendell]] and daughter of [[Laerdan]]. She slew [[Amarthiel]] during the [[Battle of Fornost]] and became possessed by her soul over a thousand years later.

* '''[[Mundo Sackville-Baggins]]''' was a [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] who was mistakenly identified as having the ring.

* '''[[William Skunkwood]]''' was the leader of the [[Blackwolds]].

* '''[[Skorgrím]]''' was a dwarf and leader of the [[Dourhands]]. He was slain during the Battle of Edhelion. His corpse was used as a vehicle by Ivar the Bloodhand who possessed it with a fell spirit to trick the Dourhands to ally themselves with the forces of [[Angmar]].

* '''[[Sambrog]]''' was the Wight-lord of the [[Barrow-downs]].

==Groups==
* '''The [[Blackwolds]]''' were a group of [[Men|Mannish]] brigands from [[Bree-land]].=

* '''The [[Dourhands]]''' was a clan of dwarves aligned with the forces of [[Angmar]]. They were the dwarves that stayed behind to rebuild the Dwarven Halls in the [[Blue Mountains]] which were destroyed during the [[War of Wrath]].

*The '''Gúrzyul''' were powerful Black Númenoreans who served near the top of the chain of command in Mordor.

* '''The [[Inklings (Shadows of Angmar)|Inklings]]''' are a group of [[Hobbits|Hobbit]]-authors who discuss literature. They meet each other in the [[The Eagle and Child|Bird and Baby Inn]]. Prominent members are [[Ronald Dwale]] ([[J.R.R. Tolkien]]), [[Owen Farfield]] ([[Owen Barfield]]), [[Carlo Williams]] ([[Charles Williams]]) and [[Jack Lewisdown]] ([[C.S. Lewis]]). The group and members are based on the real [[Inklings]]

*'''The Iron Garrison''' was a group of Longbeard Dwarves that sought to find [[Balin]] and retake the Mines of Moria.

*'''The Stout-axes''' were a House of Dwarves lost to slavery in Mordor. They were eventually freed after the demise of Sauron.

*The '''Warriors Three''' were a trio of Rohirrim adventure seekers.

*'''The Zhelruka were an eastern House of Dwarves who migrated westward after the War of the Ring.

==Objects==
* '''[[Narchuil]]''' was one of the [[lesser rings]] forged by the elven-smiths during the [[Second Age]].=

* '''Zigilburk''' was a legendary [[mithril]] axe discovered in Moria by The Iron Garrison.

* '''The Vandassari''' were a set of stones brought from [[Numenor]] to Middle-earth. These are the Oath-stones with the power to hold those who swear upon them to their promises, such as the Stone of [[Erech]].

* '''The Black Book of Mordor''' was a mysterious text discovered in the Iron Hills.

==Locations==
* '''[[Agamaur]]''' was a vast swamp of the [[Lone-lands]]. It was a site of a major battle between [[Arthedain]], [[Cardolan]] and [[Rhudaur]]. To the west were the ruins of Ost Guruth, a fortress of [[Arnor]] claimed by the nomadic Eglain. To the east lay the ruins of Garth Agarwen, a fortress of Rhudaur ruled by [[Hill-men]] loyal to the mysterious Red Maid.=

* '''[[The Eagle and Child|Bird and Baby Inn]]''' was an inn in [[Michel Delving]].

* '''[[Esteldin]]''' was a ruin of Arnor in the [[North Downs]]. At the time of the [[War of the Ring]], it was used as a base of operations by the [[Rangers of the North]].

*'''[[Falathlorn]]''' was a green and beautiful region of the [[Ered Luin]] favored by the Elves. It contained the Elvish havens of Duillond and Celondim. Not far from this region were the chilly Low-lands, site of the Dwarvish cities Gondamon and Kheledul.

*'''[[Galtrev]]''' was one of the largest towns of [[Dunland]], the nominal capitol of the country.

*'''Lhanuch''' was a chief village among the [[Dunlending]] clans of [[Enedwaith]].

*'''Luntil's Ferry''' was a secret crossing of the River Anduin in [[Lossarnach]].

*'''[[Maur Tulhau]]''' was a [[Stoors|Stoorish]] Hobbit village in [[Enedwaith]] located in the forbidding Gloomgens. It was an remnant of the time when the Stoors lived in this region before most of their number moved north to [[The Shire]].

*'''Nar's Peak''' was a cleft along one of the spurs of the [[Misty Mountains]]. Thorin and some other exiles of [[Erebor]] dwelt for a time.

* '''[[Othrongroth]]''' was the oldest and largest Edain mound in the [[Barrow-downs]].

* '''[[Stangard]]''' was a [[Rohirrim]] settlement near the Great River [[Anduin]]. Its inhabitants were mostly exiles sent to protect [[Rohan]]'s outer borders.

* '''[[Tinnudir]]''' was an island in [[Lake Evendim]]. It was used as a headquarters by a group of Rangers called the Wardens of [[Annúminas]], protectors of the ancient capitol of Arnor.

*'''Wildermore''' was a small plateau in the northern portion of [[Eastemnet]]. It suffered an unnatural winter due to the machinations of Saruman.

*'''Woodsedge''' was one of the main towns of the [[Woodmen]] living in the Vales of [[Anduin]] at the edge of [[Mirkwood]].

=Active Worlds=
*[US]Arkenstone (Unofficial Oceanic)=
*[EU]Belegaer [DE-RP]
*[US]Brandywine
*[US]Crickhollow
*[EU]Evernight [EU]
*[US]Gladden
*[EU]Gwaihir [DE]
*[US]Landroval [EN-RE]
*[EU]Laurelin [Global-RP]
*[EU]Sirannon [FR]
*Anor [Legendary]
*Shadowfax [Legendary]
*Treebeard [Legendary]

==European servers==
The European servers were originally created and hosted by [[Codemasters]], but on [[1 June]] [[2011]] LOTRO Europe was taken over by Turbine, who are based in the Easter U.S. This arrangement continued with Standing Stone Games who currently host the European servers.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.casualstrolltomordor.com/2011/04/turbines-lotro-service-goes-global/|articlename=Turbine's LOTRO Service Goes Global|dated=24 April 2011|website=A Casual Stroll to Mordor|accessed=2 January 2012}}</ref>

European servers are further distinguished by language, French and German in particular

==Legendary Servers==
'''Legendary servers''' are special worlds with a progressive level cap. The first legendary server, Anor, was launched in 2018, while Ithil was opened shortly thereafter to accommodate congestion. Due to inactivity, Ithil was eventually closed in 2021.

In fall of 2021, two new Legendary servers were announced. Both would follow the previous legendary model, by starting at the original level cap of 50 and slowly expanding from there, but each had its own take on progression. The Shadowfax server gave players 50% more experience points than the standard servers, while Treebeard slowed experience point gain y 70%. Each server would also receive expansions at a different pace, with Shadowfax gaining expansions more quickly than Treebeard.

==Roleplay Servers==
To encourage players who wish to enjoy the game as their characters, some servers have been designed RP as roleplaying servers. In these worlds, it is expected that most players will interact together as the characters they have made, imagining themselves as actually being in Middle-earth. As a special case Landroval is designed RE, roleplay encouraged.=

==Closed Worlds==
Over time, due to shifting player populations, worlds have been consolidated. Players transfer their characters to a new world and the old server is then closed. Below is a list of closed worlds.
*[RU] Fornost
*[RU] Mirkwood
*[RU] Aglarond
*[US] Vilya
*[EU] Maiar [DE]
*[US] Firefoot
*[US] Meneldor
*[US] Windfola
*[EU] Morthond [DE]
*[EU] Gilrain [UK]
*[US] Nimrodel
*[EU] Withywindle [UK]
*[EU] Vanyar [DE]
*[US] Dwarrowdelf
*[US] Riddermark
*[EU] Anduin [DE]
*[EU] Estel [FR-RP]
*[EU] Eldar
*[US] Imladris
*[US] Silverlode
*[US] Elendilmir (Oceanic)
*[EU] Snowbourn [UK]
*Ithil [Legendary]

=License=
For ''The Lord of the Rings Online'', [[Turbine]] (and subsequently Standing Stone Games) has licensed the rights to the content and lore of ''[[The Hobbit]]'' and ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. Turbine does not have license rights to the [[New Line Cinema]] film trilogy nor ''[[The Silmarillion]]'', ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'', ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'' books or ''[[The Children of Húrin]]''.=

=Reception=
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' has been received very positively thus far, as reviews continue to appear since the game's initial release.<ref>[http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/middleearthonline Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, The - Review] metacritic.com</ref>==

GameDaily awarded the game 9/10, praising its rich, fantasy-themed universe, well-integrated trait and title system, and a story that remains true to the works of Tolkien. Yahoo! Video Games wrote a review with few negative mentions, awarding the game a score of 4/5,<ref>[http://videogames.yahoo.com/gamereview?cid=1990963744&tab=reviews&page=0&eid=513259 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] Yahoo! Games</ref> while ''Computer and Video Games'' called the game an essential purchase for ''Lord of the Rings'' fans, scoring the game a 9.2/10.<ref>[http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=161846&skip=yes PC Review: Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] ''Computer and Video Games''</ref> Eurogamer scored the game a 9.0/10, calling it tough to resist.<ref>[http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=75657 Review - Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] Eurogamer</ref> Gamespy gave it 4.5/5 stars, claiming the game "opened up Middle-Earth to the masses" but commented negatively on its weak PvP content,<ref>[http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/lord-of-the-rings-online-shadows-of-angmar/785884p1.html The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] GameSpy</ref> while GameTrailers awarded it 8.5/10,<ref>[http://www.gametrailers.com/gamepage.php?id=754 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] Game Trailers</ref> citing its interesting tweaks to the MMO genre. IGN.com ranked it a similar 8.6/10, praising it for its solid experience, though criticizing it for its lack of major improvements to the genre.<ref>[http://pc.ign.com/articles/787/787942p3.html The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] IGN</ref> GamerNode.com awarded the game an 8.8/10, calling it the best MMO launch experience since ''Ultima Online''.<ref>[http://www.gamernode.com/PC/Reviews/2848-Lord-of-the-Rings-Online-Review/index.html Lord of the Rings Online] GamerNode</ref> The ''New York Times'' called the game "a major achievement of interactive storytelling, the first game truly worthy of the ‘Lord of the Rings' franchise and a must-play for just about anyone with an interest in Tolkien or the future of online entertainment."<ref>[http://lotro.turbine.com/article/356 Lord of the Rings Online Press Release] Lord of the Rings Online</ref> In a GameSpot review, the product was awarded an 8.3/10, praising its appealing polish and intriguing Monster Play feature.<ref>[http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/middleearthonline/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=topten&tag=topten;all;score;5 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar for PC Review] GameSpot</ref> Gamepro.com's review gave it an overall 4.25/5, pointing out how engaging the epic quests are, as well as how faithful to the novels the game managed to stay.<ref>[http://gamepro.com/computer/pc/games/reviews/112000.shtml Review: The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar for PC] Gamepro</ref> GameSpy declared ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' 'Game of the Month' for May 2007.<ref>[http://uk.gamespy.com/articles/795/795353p2.html Game of the Month: May 2007] GameSpy</ref>

=Awards=

In August 2007, Codemasters announced that ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' had received five Golden Joystick Awards nominations for the five applicable categories for the game,<ref>[http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6925679.stm Music and vice top games awards] BBC News</ref> and in October 2007 that it had won the "PC Game of the Year" at these awards.<ref>[http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7693&Itemid=2 Gears Wins Big at Game Awards] Next-Generation</ref> and again won the same award on October 2008. In December 2007, GameSpy awarded ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' 6th place in the top 10 PC games of 2007.<ref>[http://goty.gamespy.com/2007/pc/6.html GameSpy's Game of the Year 2007] GameSpy</ref> On December 18, Turbine announced it had also won the GameSpy MMO of the Year award.<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/article/476 LOTRO Wins Top Honors from Gamespy!] Lord of the Rings Online</ref> In January 2009, mmorpg.com awarded Turbine both MMORPG studio of the year 2008<ref>[http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/45/feature/2574/Best-MMO-Studio-of-2008-Winner MMORPG.com Best MMO Studo of 2008] mmorpg.com</ref>, and MMO Expansion of the Year for ''Mines of Moria''.<ref>[http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/45/feature/2579 MMORPG.com Best Expansion of 2008] mmorpg.com</ref>

=Subscription Model=
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Free to Play.png|300px|thumb]]=
In North America, players who pre-ordered the game were offered a special founder's offer, a lifetime subscription for $199 or reduced cost of $9.99 per month. Standard monthly fee is $14.99 with three, six, twelve month, and lifetime discounts available. European players had a similar program from Codemasters.

A Holiday subscription was available in December of 2007 and January of 2008 for $9.99/month for a 3 month commitment. A one year anniversary addition includes a $9.99/month subscription or a $199.99 Lifetime subscription, which was again offered during the lead up to the release of Mines of Moria.

Warner Bros. announced on June 4, 2010 that Lord of the Rings Online will offer a free-to-play model starting in the fall of 2010.<ref>[http://turbine.com/news/105-warner-bros-interactive-entertainment-announces-the-lord-of-the-rings-online-to-adopt-global-free-to-play-model.html Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Announces The Lord of the Rings Online™ to Adopt Global Free-to-Play Model] Turbine, Inc</ref> On August 18, 2010, Warner Bros. announced that the free-to-play model would go live on September 10, 2010. On October 21, 2010, [[Codemasters]] announced that a preview of Free-to-Play would be available in Europe on October 25, 2010.<ref>[http://community.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=10839&pagename=news&type=news The Lord of the Rings Online Europe Preview Event]</ref>

=External Links=
* '''[http://lotro.com Official website]'''=
** '''[http://forums.lotro.com/ LOTRO Community Forums]''': The official ''Lord of the Rings Online'' forums
* '''[http://lotro-wiki.com LoTRO-Wiki]''': The most complete source of information for the game
* '''[http://lotroplayers.com LoTRO Players]''': Long-running news site and podcast
* '''[http://www.dadislotroguides.com Dadi's LOTRO Guides]''': Useful guides for various game systems.

{{notes}}
{{references}}

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[[Category:The Lord of the Rings Online| ]]
[[Category:Open world games]]
[[Category:Role playing games]]
[[Category:Turbine games]]

The Lord of the Rings Online

2022-05-10T01:00:34Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Minas Morgul Expansion */

{{cleanup}}
{{disambig-more|The Lord of the Rings|[[The Lord of the Rings (disambiguation)]]}}
{{video game infobox| image=[[Image:Lotro logo.png|250px]]| name=The Lord of the Rings Online| developer=[[Turbine|Turbine, Inc.]] (2007-2016)
[[Standing Stone Games]] (2016-Present)|
publisher=[[Midway Games]]
[[Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment]] (2010-2016)
[[Daybreak Game Company]] (2016-Present)
| platform=Microsoft Windows, OS X (Beta)| releasedate=April 24, [[2007]]| genre=MMORPG| modes=| rating=| distribution=}}
'''''The Lord of the Rings Online''''' (commonly abbreviated to '''LOTRO''' or '''LotRO''') is an MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) for PC and OS X that takes place in the world of [[Arda]] during the time of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]].'' It was originally branded as '''The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar''', but with later updates, that subtitle was dropped.

The players take on the role of adventurers of the [[Free peoples|Free Peoples]] of [[Middle-earth]]. The events of the game are concurrent with the events of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' but most of the game revolves around events that occurred elsewhere or in the wake of events in the books. The game draws inspiration from people, places and events only mentioned in the books, combining these with original concepts to expand on parts of Middle-earth Tolkien did not. The main quest series of the game, known as Epic Quests, are divided into volumes, books and chapters, emulating the structure of ''The Lord of the Rings''.

There have been many expansions to the original game, including: Mines of Moria (2008), Siege of Mirkwood (2009), Rise of Isengard (2011), Riders of Rohan (2012), Helm's Deep (2013) Mordor (2017), Minas Morgul (2019), and Fate of Gundabad (2021) with regular updates, adjustments, and "mini-expansions" in between.

==Development==
{{rewrite}}

Development of ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' began in 1998, when [[Sierra Entertainment|Sierra]] started work on a game called ''Middle-earth Online''. Following [[Vivendi|Vivendi Universal Games]]' takeover of Sierra in 1999, the game's production was shared with [[Turbine]]. Turbine secured the rights of the entire game in March 2004,<ref>[http://www.videogamer.com/news/turbine_spin_into_action_to_secure_tolkien_license.html Turbine spin into action to secure Tolkien license - VideoGamer.com]</ref> and it was renamed to ''The Lord of the Rings Online''. It was originally subscription-based, but later became free-to-play with optional paid subscription and microtransactions.

A closed beta was announced on [[8 September]], [[2006]]. An open beta began on [[30 March]], [[2007]], and was open to all who pre-ordered the game's Founders Club edition. In April [[2007]], the beta opened to the public. In 2010, the monetization model of the game changed to allow a free-to-play experience. Subscribers were given benefits for their patronage, while all players could access the game for free, but with certain limitations. In 2016 development of the game was handed off to a new spin-off company formed specifically to maintain LOTRO and 'Dungeons & Dragons Online': Standing Stone Games.

As an online game, development continues with regular enhancements, additions, and changes to mechanics and game systems.



==Gameplay==
===Characters===
''Main article: [[Character Classes (LOTRO)]]''

Like many RPGs, ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' has a system of character classes and levels. Each character chooses a race and a class on character creation, this cannot be changed. Players are able to play as any of the [[Free Peoples]] - [[Elves]], [[Men]], [[Dwarves]], [[Hobbits]], [[Beornings]], [[Stout-axe]] Dwarves, or [[High Elves]]. Male or female characters can be created, except in the case of Dwarves. As per Tolkien, Dwarf-women are very rare and seldom leave their mountain halls, though the addition of Stout-axe dwarves as a playable race in 2019 allowed players to create dwarf-women. There is no difference in appearance male and female Stout-axes. There are eleven classes: Beorning, Brawler, Burglar, Captain, Champion, Guardian, Hunter, Lore-master, Minstrel, Rune-keeper, and Warden.

Customization of the character's abilities can be done by changing equipment and traits. As of the [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Helm.27s Deep Expansion|Helm's Deep expansion]], class traits work on a tree system, with each class having three "trait trees" where traits can be selected with earned points and unlocking enough traits in a particular tree allows higher-level traits to be selected and applies additional bonus. In addition to class traits are racial traits, such as Men being able to slot a trait to do additional damage with swords or Hobbits being able to slot a trait that allows them to throw a stone, and virtue traits which boost the character's stats.

Levels are significant, with much lower level enemies being extremely easy to defeat and much higher level enemies being nearly impossible to defeat. Each region has enemies and quests with a range of levels usually consecutive to those of an adjacent region. Quests over five levels above the character's level are inaccessible. In addition to being able to complete quest and defeat enemies in more locations, characters gain access to additional equipment, skills, traits and instances as they level up. Levels are increased by gaining experience, which is earned by completing quests and instances, defeating enemies of an appropriate level, and crafting.

===World===
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is an "open-world" game in which most locations that have been released can be freely accessed on an open landscape (although some places, such as Moria, require certain quests to be completed first.) The game world is split into "lands", large areas of Middle-Earth. As of Update 21, the four lands in the game are [[Eriador]], [[Rhovanion]], [[Gondor]], and [[Mordor]]. Each land is in turn divided into regions, e.g. [[Bree-land]] in Eriador, and each region contains areas, e.g. [[Andrath]] within Bree-land.

Although most of the land is available to all for exploration, most regions require non-VIPs to purchase a quest pack to access quests, deeds and instances associated with that region. A few regions, such as East and West Rohan, require expansion packs to be purchased to unlock content, even for VIPs. Each region is generally seen as it was in a certain time in the War of the Ring, for example Lothlórien is visited by the player at the same time as the [[Fellowship of the Ring]] rested there, and [[Pelargir]] just after [[Aragorn]] liberated the city from the [[Corsairs of Umbar]].

Reddit users /u/lallapalalable and /u/exploderator estimated the total size of the map at no more than 250 square km (97 square miles) in 2017, making it one of the largest game maps ever made.<ref>{{webcite|author=/u/lallapalalable|articleurl=http://www.reddit.com/r/lotro/comments/60j1ul/been_trying_to_calculate_the_area_of_the_map/|articlename=Been trying to calculate the area of the map|dated=20 March 2017|website=Reddit|accessed=29 October 2020}}</ref>

===Quests===
Much of the game's completable content is in the form of quests. Quests consist of a series of objectives, often including speaking with NPCs, defeating certain enemies, and recovering certain items from the ground or from defeated enemies. Most quests have a small number of objectives but may unlock additional quests upon completion to form a quest chain. Quests are usually started by started by speaking with a particular Non-Player Character (NPC), indicated with a ring icon above the NPC's head. The forms of ring icons and what they indicate are as follows:

*Gold ring with blue aura: the NPC has a quest that is approximately appropriate for the character's level.
*Gold ring with blue aura and fiery inscription: the NPC must be spoken with to advance the quest.
*Bright gold ring: the NPC has an Epic quest available.
*Gold ring with orange flames: the NPC must be spoken to to advance the Epic quest.
*Blue ring and quill: the NPC has a comment about an active quest, speaking to the NPC will not advance the quest but may give additional information.
*Gold ring with hourglass: the NPC has a quest with a cooldown, the player must wait for the cooldown to expire before accepting the quest.
*Silver ring: the NPC has a quest that is too high level for the player to accept at that level.
*Transparent grey ring: the NPC has a "trivial" quest, one far below the player's level.
*Gold ring with anvil: the NPC has a crafting quest, and involves the crafting system in some way.
*Gold ring with sword: The NPC has an allegiance quest; quests that are unique to the Mordor Expansion.*Gold ring with map: The NPC has a missions quest; quests that are unique to Missions-related quests.

Some quests are started by obtaining unique items dropped from specific enemies. The [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Riders of Rohan Expansion|Riders of Rohan expansion]] introduced auto-bestowed quests, which bring up a quest prompt when the player defeats a specific type of enemy or finds a certain location. Such enemies are marked with ring icons similarly to how NPC quest givers are. Players have the option of accepting these quests automatically or choosing to manually accept or decline each prompt. Most landscape quests can only be completed once, some special landscape quests and most instance quests can be completed once a day any number of times, and a few landscape quests can be repeated at any time up to a certain number of times.

Quests are categorized according to what area, instance or other section they are associated with. Of note are the Epic Quests, a series that tells the main storyline of the game. In imitation of [[The Lord of the Rings|the Lord of the Rings book]], the epic quests are divided into Volumes, which are divided into Books which in turn are divided into Chapters. Each Chapter is usually an individual quest. Epic Quests bring the player through the landscape but are considered apart from it, therefore most Epic Quests are available to all players regardless of whether or not any quest packs are unlocked. A notable exception is the end of Volume III: Allies of the King, which requires purchase of the Helm's Deep expansion to complete. The Black Book of Mordor, the new main storyline for quests after the Epic Books, has eight chapters, all spanning various areas in Middle Earth including [[Mordor]], the Strongholds of the North, the [[Iron Hills]], and the [[Ered Mithrin]].

===Deeds===
Deeds are non-repeatable achievements recorded on an interface window called the Deed Log. Common deed objectives include completing a certain number of quests in a particular area or region (Quest Deeds), defeating a certain number of enemies of a specific type in a particular region (Slayer Deeds), discovering specified locations (Explorer Deeds), and reaching the next tier of reputation with a faction. Most Deeds award Turbine points. Deeds in a particular region usually award reputation in that region's faction. Deeds also commonly reward marks, virtues, and titles.

===Instances===
Instances are locations in the game separated from the open landscape, not accessible through normal travel. Instances can take place in either separate versions of the locations available on the landscape (for example, Pelargir while Aragorn's host retakes it from the corsairs) or in locations not accessible anywhere else (such as Dale). Most instances are private instances, that is, only one player or group of players can enter it and it closes when they complete it, while public instances can be joined at any time by any number of separate players. They are often repeatable, with ones associated with landscape quests being replayable through a Reflecting Pool in the associated region and others accessible through the Instance Finder window. Most private instances have associated quests automatically bestowed upon entering the instance and cancelled upon exiting.

===Fellowships and Kinships===
Most open landscape content and associated instances are designed to be completable by a solo player, while some locations in the game and Instance Finder instances are meant for a team of players. A group of players with a maximum size of six is known as a fellowship. For larger groups, a raid of up to four fellowships can be formed, for a maximum group size of 24 players. Players are free to group on the open landscape and in public instances, but private instances have a limit on how many players may enter.

Players can found and join lasting organizations known as Kinships in the game. Players in a kinship can communicate in their own kinship chat channel to socialize and plan events with their fellow members.

===Monster Play===
The game is primarily Player vs. Environment (PvE), with most combat being player characters against computer controlled enemies found throughout the landscape and instances. However in the [[Ettenmoors]] region, players can participate in Player vs. Monster Player battles (PvMP). Players can create Monster characters that only have access to PvMP areas where they battle standard characters, who fight on the side of the Free Peoples. Each monster player class is limited to a specific race. The monster classes are the Blackarrow (Uruk), Defiler (Orc), Reaver (Orc), Stalker (Warg), Warleader (Uruk), and Weaver (Spider) As of [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath|Update 16.2]] a new PvMP area, set in Osgiliath before Boromir's journey to Rivendell and accessed via a banner in the Ettenmoors, was released.



Towns and settlements provide Vendors where players can purchase or repair their armour, weapons, and supplies. Towns also often include Mailboxes, Auction Halls, Class Trainers, Forge-masters, Relic-masters, and Stable-masters who allow swift travel between regions.

The player interface allows other aspects of gameplay such as Character screens, Quest and Deed Logs, a Social Panel where players can interact, and a Crafting panel where players use skills to craft new items.

==Releases, Updates, and Expansions==
===Shadows of Angmar===
:{{Main|The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar}}
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar|Shadows of Angmar]]'' was released on [[24 April]], [[2007]]. It included books 1 through 8 of Epic Volume I: Shadows of Angmar. Approximately once every two months a major free update was added to ''The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar''. Each update added a new book to the volume.

====Book 9: Shores of Evendim====
{{#ev:youtubehd|VOEcXrbG4OI|200|thumb}}
The first free content update was released on 14 June, 2007.<ref>[http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=3611&pagename=home&search=yes&keyword=Book%209 Book 9: Shores of Evendim Release Date Announced]</ref>

Updates included:
*A new region - [[Evendim]] - is added, including locations like [[Annúminas]].<ref name="book9">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/news/pressreleases/136-book-9-shores-of-evendim-release-date-announced|articlename=Book 9: Shores of Evendim Release Date Announced!|dated=5 June 2007|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
*The epic story is expanded with book 9, Shores of Evendim<ref name="book9"/>
*100 new quests are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*A 24-player raid is added, ''Battle for Helegrod''.<ref name="book9"/>
*Nine new monsters are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*New Collectible armour sets are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*Updates to the music system.<ref name="book9"/>

====Book 10: The City of Kings====

The second free-content update was released on 21 August, 2007 in North America and on 24 August, 2007 in Europe.<ref>| [http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=3949&pagename=home&search=yes&keyword=Book%209 Codemasters Online and Turbine unveil Book 10: The City of the Kings]</ref>

Updates included:
*Continuation of the Story Line.
*Legendary Play – Players can now use Destiny Points to play as a Ranger of the North or as a Troll.
*Critter Play – Players can now explore Middle-earth from a different viewpoint as a chicken.
*New Reputation and Bartering Systems – The Reputation system enables players to earn positive and negative standing with different races and groups in Middle-earth based on both monster kills and quest completions. The Bartering system allows players to trade trophies earned in battle for rewards, such as armour sets or mounts.
*Over 100 new Quests.
*More customizable user interface.

====Book 11: Prisoner of the Free Peoples====

The third free-content update was released on 24 October, 2007 in North America<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/article/430 Turbine and Codemasters Online Gaming to Unveil Book 11: Defenders of Eriador for The Lord of the Rings Online]</ref> and 25 October in Europe.<ref>[http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=4661&articletype=News Codemasters Online and Turbine to unveil Book 11: Defenders of Eriador]</ref>

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_11_Official complete release notes]):
*Continuation of the Epic Story arc, including 13 quests.
*Player housing – players will be able to customize their houses with items such as furniture and doormats.
*Second raid called "The Rift" – 12-player raid in which players encounter a [[Balrogs|Balrog]] for the first time. Turbine has stressed that this is not the [[Durin's Bane|Balrog from Khazad-dûm]].<ref>[http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=287 Book 11 Preview: The Balrogs are Coming]</ref>
*Two new areas – Tâl Bruinen in the Trollshaws, where [[Gollum]] will be introduced for the first time, and Goblin-town in the [[Misty Mountains]], featured in ''The Hobbit''.
*More than 100 new quests.

====Book 12: The Ashen Wastes====

The fourth free content update was released on 13 February, 2008 in North America; and 14 February, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_12_Official complete release notes]):
*Continuation of the Story Line.
*Character customization - Increased character customization "ranging from haircuts, to some (possible) additions to the trait-system." In addition, the Outfit system, along with special social clothing designed just for it, will be introduced where a second or third set of clothing can be slotted and displayed while retaining the statistical bonuses of the currently equipped items.<ref>[http://lotro.stratics.com/content/hoclog/hoc10.php Lord of the Rings Online: House of Commons ]</ref>
*The Delving of Frór - A new Monster Play PVE (and PVMP under certain circumstances) area was introduced: An expanse of caves and catacombs located beneath the Ettenmoors.
*The Great Angmar Revamp - A revamp of the most high-level region of the game's current 9 PvE regions. The revamp included the reworking of many quests, areas and other changes, such as new horse routes.
*Barbershop - You can customize the look of your avatar in-game with around 50 new haircuts and second set of details.
*Updates to the Burglar, Guardian, and Champion classes.

====Book 13: Doom of the Last-King====

The fifth free content update was released on 24 April, 2008 in North America and on 1 May, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_13_Official complete release notes]):
*A new playable map area: the Ice Bay of [[Forochel]].
*Players being able to see the ocean for the first time, confirmed as the Ice Bay of Forochel in recent developer chats.
*Fishing - the first of a new system in ''Lord of the Rings Online'', called 'hobbies'.
*New PVMP Monster Healing Class - Orc Defiler.
*Looking For Fellowship- and Quest-panel improvements.

====Book 14: The Ring-forges of Eregion====

The sixth free content update was released on 22 July, 2008 in North America. It was released on 24 July, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_14_Official complete release notes]):
*Climax of the "Shadows of Angmar" storyline.
*Added selected sections of [[Eregion]] (Region leading towards the Gates of Moria).
*Epic Quest events that will allow interaction between players regardless of server.
*Prelude quests for and leading up to the ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria|Mines of Moria]]'' expansion, which would have updates leading to Lothlórien, Fangorn, Rhovanion and Rohan.

====Book 15: Daughter of Strife====

The seventh free content update was released on 18 November, 2008. This update was released in tandem with the Mines of Moria expansion for players who did not purchase the expansion release.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Category:Epic_-_Vol._I,_Book_15:_Daughter_of_Strife_Quests Epic - Vol. I, Book 15: Daughter of Strife Quests epic]):
*Conclusion of the "Shadows of Angmar" storyline.
*Added the zone of Eregion expanding on the selected sections from Book 14. The zone does not include the Hollin Gate leading to the Black Pool.
*Added UI enhancements

===Mines of Moria Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria]]''
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria|Mines of Moria]]'' was released on [[18 November]], [[2008]]. It included Vol. II books 1 through 6 of the epic quest line. Like ''Shadows of Angmar'', ''Mines of Moria'' continued to regularly release updates. Updates were less frequent than Shadows of Angmar.

====Book 7: Leaves of Lórien====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Leaves of Lórien.png|thumb|300px]]Book 7 was released on [[17 March]] [[2009]]. This update included:
* Continuation of the Epic Storyline in Book 7, Leaves of Lórien.<ref name="book7">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/book-spotlights/342-vol2book7|articlename=Volume II: Book 7: Leaves of Lórien Spotlight|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
* Expansion of the Lothlórien Area, including [[Caras Galadhon]].<ref name="book7"/>
* A new raid, named ''Strange Happenings'', has been added.<ref name="book7"/>
* The [[Galadhrim]] are added as a new reputation faction.<ref name="book7"/>
* Crafting instances enable players to gather resources.<ref name="book7"/>
* The Ered Luin Introduction and, on lesser scale, the Bree-land Introduction are revamped.<ref name="book7"/>
* Several new Monster Play emotes are added.<ref name="book7"/>

====Book 8: Scourge of Khazad-dum====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Scourge of Khazad-Dûm.png|thumb|300px]]Book 8 was released on 23 June, 2009. This update included:
*Book 8, Scourge of Khazad-dûm, continues the epic story.<ref name="book8">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/book-spotlights/421-vol2-book8|articlename=Volume II: Book 8: Scourge of Khazad-dûm|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
* A radiance-gated multi-boss, 12-man raid - named ''Dar Narbugud'' is added.<ref name="book8"/>
* One 6-man instance is added: ''The Halls of Crafting''.<ref name="book8"/>
* Two 3-man instances are added:
** ''Lumul-nar''<ref name="book8"/>
** ''Nala-dum''<ref name="book8"/>
* Continuation of the revamp of the Bree-land Introduction.<ref name="book8"/>
* The Crafting system has been revived.<ref name="book8"/>

===Siege of Mirkwood Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood]]''=
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood|Siege of Mirkwood]]'' was released on 1 December, 2009 in North America and 3 December, 2009 in Europe. Unlike the second expansion this edition was only available via a web-based download. It included Book 9 and the epilogue of Volume II: Mines of Moria.

Kate Paiz, Executive Producer for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'', released a letter on 22 October, 2010 stating that updates will be more frequent but will not always be accompanied with a new book continuing the epic story.<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/866-producers-letter-october-2010 Producer's Letter, October-2010] lotro.com, Dev Diaries</ref>

====Book 1: Oath of the Rangers====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Oath of the Rangers.png|300px|thumb]]=
Book 1 was released on [[1 March]], [[2010]].<ref> [http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?t=320404 Volume III: Allies of the King has arrived!]</ref>

Updates include ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Volume_3_Allies_of_the_King_Official complete release notes]):
* The beginning of Volume III in the epic storyline.
* The ability to solo the Volume I epic storyline.
* A duo mode for most skirmishes.

====Book 2: Ride of the Grey Company====

Book 2 was released on [[10 September]], [[2010]] in North America. ([[8 September]], [[2010]] for subscribers). It was delayed in Europe because of contractual reasons and was finally released on [[2 November]], almost two months after North America.<ref>[http://massively.joystiq.com/ Massively], [http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/v-e-me-day-lotro-europe-announces-launch-date-for-free-to-play/ V-E-ME Day: LotRO Europe announces launch date for free-to-play], dated [[29 October]], [[2010]] (accessed [[11 November]], [[2011]])</ref>

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Volume_3_Book_2_Official complete release notes]):

* New region: [[Enedwaith]].
* ''Lord of the Rings Online'' Free to Play subscription.
* Book 2 in the Volume III epic storyline.
* Scalable instances.
* Improvements to the vault, and a new wardrobe system for cosmetic items.
* Updates to the Captain class.
* The LOTRO store, where players may purchase convenience items. Points either earned through gameplay, through the VIP program or by being purchased.
* The introduction of Lua Scripting.
* DirectX 11 support.
* Ranger session play.

====Update 1: Journey to Winter-Home====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 1 Journey to Winter-Home.png|300px|thumb]]In 2010, LOTRO altered its monetization model and became "free-to-play." The first post Free-to-play update was released in November 2010. Due to changes to how updates work this did not contain an epic book.=

Updates included:

* A Barter Wallet for skirmish marks and anniversary tokens.
* Opening of Moria, Lothlorien, Mirkwood and Enedwaith to free-to-play players. Volume II and Volume III will also be available, as well the legendary item system, and the level 65 level cap all to free-to-play players.
* Vault improvements.
* Tasks: a new quest type for all levels.
* Improved reputation mounts.
* Updates to the Lore-master and Rune-keeper classes.
* Ered Luin starting area revamp.

====Update 2: Echoes of the Dead====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 2 Echoes of the Dead.png|300px|thumb]]The first update of 2011 was released on [[21 March]] in the United States and [[24 March]] for Europe.

Updates included:

* Two 3-man's, two 6-man's, and a 12-person raid were added for level 65 players.
* A special item required to craft a First Age weapon which drops from the above raid.
* Radiance was removed.
* Legendary Items were updated.
* Character panel and cosmetic system were revamped.
* The Minstrel, Hunter and Burglar classes were updated.
* Volume III Book 3: Echoes of the Dead was added.
* Volume II was revamped and made soloable, including three instances which have been converted to skirmishes.
* Improvements to the PvP starter tutorial.
* [[Evendim]] was revamped, with [[Annúminas]] being scaled down to level 40.

====Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 3 Lost Legends of Eriador.png|300px|thumb]]''Lost Legends of Eriador'' was the third update. It was released on [[23 May]], [[2011]] and included: ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Update_3,_Lost_Legends_of_Eriador,_Official complete release notes]):=

* Two new 3-man scalable instances starting mid-game.
* Two new skirmishes.

===Rise of Isengard Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard]]''=
The third expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is entitled ''Rise of Isengard''. The expansion was made available on 27 September, 2011 and only as a digital download.<ref>[http://isengard.lotro.com/ The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard Official Homepage]</ref>

====Update 5: Armies of Isengard====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 5 Armies of Isengard.png|220px|thumb]]''Armies of Isengard'' was the first update published after the release of ''The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard''. It was released on [[12 December]] [[2011]] and included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Update_5,_Armies_of_Isengard,_Official complete release notes]):=

* Four new instances and a 12-man raid in and around [[Isengard]].
* Book 5: The Prince of Rohan of '''Volume III: Allies of the King''' is released.
* A new Instance finder, to form groups more easily.
* Barter currencies of skirmishes, classic and instances are unified.
* Changes to Reputation items.

====Update 6: Shores of the Great River====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 6 The Great River.png|220px|thumb]]''Shores of the Great River'' is the sixth update and was released on [[12 March]] [[2012]].<ref name="Update6&Riders"> {{webcite|author=Justin Olivetti|articleurl=http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/riding-into-rohan-lotro-maps-out-2012/|articlename=Riding into Rohan: LotRO maps out in 2012|dated=25 January 2012|website=Massively|accessed=29 January 2012}}</ref><ref name="Update6">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/game-manual/1775-update-6-great-river|articlename=Update 6 Great River|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>

*A new region, the [[Anduin|The Great River]], was added, featuring seven new areas - including Parth Celebrant - in the upper [[Anduin]]. <ref name="Update6"/>
*Mists of Anduin, Book 6 of Volume III, was released, in which the player seeks the wisdom of [[Galadriel]] about troubling dreams and fights [[Easterlings]], Brigands and an ancient enemy of Rohan.<ref name="Update6"/>
*The ability to summon skirmish warriors outside skirmishes.<ref name="Update6"/>
*Updates to the Instance finder.<ref name="Update6"/>
*Currency-change in Monster Play: "Destiny" will be replaced with "Commendations". Commendations will be available for both Freeps and Creeps.<ref name="MP Currency change">{{webcite|author=Jaret Pruett|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/1776-update-6-commendations-developer-diary|articlename=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/1776-update-6-commendations-developer-diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>

====Update 7: Shades of the Past====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 7 Shades of the Past.png|thumb|220px]]''Shades of the Past'' is the seventh update<ref name="Update 7">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/1966|articlename=Update 7|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=12 May 2012}}</ref> and was released on 14 May, 2012.{{fact}}=

*Continuation of the aforementioned currency-change.<ref name="MP Currency change"/>
*A new skirmish, "Storm on Methedras."<ref name="Update 7"/>
*Revamp of the Fornost instance and Moria region.<ref name="Update 7"/>

===Riders of Rohan Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Riders of Rohan]]''=
The fourth expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is named ''Riders of Rohan''. The expansion was released on October 15, 2012. <ref name="Turbine">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/news/pressreleases/1736-warner-bros-interactive-entertainment-and-turbine-unveil-the-lord-of-the-rings-online-riders-of-rohan|articlename=WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND TURBINE UNVEIL THE LORD OF THE RINGS ONLINE™: RIDERS OF ROHAN™|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=30 January 2012}}</ref>

====Update 9: Against the Shadow====
''Against the Shadow'' is the ninth update and was released 17 December, 2012. <ref name="Update 9">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.tentonhammer.com/lotro/news/lotro-update-9-coming-december-17th|articlename=LOTROs Update 9 Coming December 17th|dated=|website=www.tentonhammer.com|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*Three new three man instances.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-riders-rohan-instance-cluster-part-i|articlename=Riders of Rohan Instance Cluster, Part I|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Scaling of Dol Guldur instances.
*Completion of Moria revamp.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-revisiting-mines-moria-part-ii|articlename=Developer Diary: Revisiting the Mines of Moria, Part II|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Ability to quickly travel to turn in quests.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-travel-quest-location-behind-scenes|articlename=Update 9 - Travel To Quest Location: Behind the Scenes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Update to the Yule Festival.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-yule-festival|articlename=Update 9 - Yule Festival|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Combat revisions.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-combat-revisions|articlename=Update 9 - Combat Revisions|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 10: Against the Shadow, Part II====
''Against the Shadow, Part II'' is the tenth update and was released 6 March, 2013.=

*One six man instance and three twelve man raids.<ref name="Update 10">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-instance-cluster-developer-diary|articlename=Update 10 - Instance Cluster Developer Diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*In Their Absence instance scaling.<ref name="Update 10"/>
*Mithril Coins, a new currency used for special services.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-mithril-coin-qa|articlename=Update 10 Mithril Coin Q&A|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Agility made Wardens' primary stat.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-warden-stat-change-agility-wardens|articlename=Update 10: Warden Stat Change – Agility Wardens!|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Changes to critical defense.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-critical-defence-revision|articlename=Update 10 - Critical Defence Revision|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Unification of currency for scaling instances.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-seals-and-medallion-conversion|articlename=Update 10 - Seals and Medallion Conversion Diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand====
''Treachery of the White Hand'' is the eleventh update and was released 13 May, 2013. <ref name="Update 11">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?511377-Update-11-Treachery-of-the-White-Hand-Release-Notes-Official|articlename=Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand Release Notes - Official|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*A new region, Wildermore, located on the previously-inaccessible plateau in the north of East Rohan.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Book 10: Snows of Wildermore of '''Volume III: Allies of the King''' is released.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Updates to mounted combat.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Hobbit presents, daily free random items with the ability to unlock more rolls with mithril coins.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Lalia's Market, a shop where cosmetic clothing and dyes can be purchased with mithril coins.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/lalias-market|articlename=Lalia’s Market Now Open in Bree-town!|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

===Helm's Deep Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Helm's Deep]]''=
The fourth expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is named ''Helm's Deep''. The expansion was released on 20 November, 2013. <ref name="TenTonHammer">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.tentonhammer.com/lotro/news/turbine-temporarily-delays-lotro-helms-deep-launch|articlename=Updated: Turbine Temporarily Delays LOTROs Helms Deep Launch|dated=|website=www.tentonhammer.com|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref> After the Helm's Deep expansion, Turbine has discontinued for three years paid expansions in favor of quarterly updates with content free to VIPs. <ref name="Looking Ahead to 2014">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?535422-A-letter-from-Executive-Producer-Kate-Paiz-Looking-Ahead-to-2014|articlename=A letter from Executive Producer Kate Paiz - Looking Ahead to 2014|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 13: The Breaking of Isengard====
''The Breaking of Isengard'' is the thirteenth update and was released 14 April, 2014. <ref name="Update 13">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?546315-Update-13-The-Breaking-of-Isengard-%E2%80%93-Official-release-Notes|articlename=Update 13: The Breaking of Isengard – Official release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*Release of a new landscape consisting of post-[[Battle of Isengard]] Nan Curunir as well as the Entwood<ref name="Update 13"/>, an area consisting of the south-western part of Fangorn.
*The fourteenth and final book of Epic Volume III: Allies of the King, The Waters of Isengard.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/dev-diary-%E2%80%93-update-13-quest-notes|articlename=Dev Diary – Update 13 Quest Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Misty Mountains, North Downs and Trollshaws region revamps.<ref name="Update 13"/>
*Resizable inventory bags.<ref name="Update 13"/>
*Level scaling from level 20 up for players in the Ettenmoors and temporary Ettenmoors passes for free-to-play purchasable with Mithril Coins.<ref name="Update 13"/>

====Update 14: Paths of the Dead====
''Paths of the Dead'' is the fourteenth update and was released 14 July, 2014. <ref name="Update 14">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?552272-Update-14-Paths-of-the-Dead-Release-Notes-amp-Known-Issues|articlename=Update 14: Paths of the Dead - Release Notes & Known Issues |dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*Release of the West Gondor region, consisting of the areas the [[Paths of the Dead]], the [[Blackroot Vale]], [[Lamedon]], the Havens of [[Belfalas]], and [[Dol Amroth]]. <ref name="Update 14"/><ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/u14|articlename=Update 14: Paths of the Dead Now Available|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*A new Epic series,<ref name="Update 14"/> Volume IV: The Strength of Sauron, beginning with Book 1: The Road to Gondor.
*The Essence System, allowing specially slotted armors to be fitted with a variety of Essences for customizable stats.<ref name="Update 14"/>.
*Level cap increase to 100.<ref name="Update 14"/>
*The [[Dead Marshes]] region was added later in the minor Update 14.2, released September 15 2014. This area included a Session Play featuring Frodo, Samwise, and Gollum's passage through the marshes, casting the player character as Sam.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?555920-Update-14-2-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 14.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 15: Gondor Aflame====
''Gondor Aflame''<ref name="U15 Announcement">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/u15|articlename=Update 15: Gondor Aflame Now Available|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref> is the fifteeth update and was released 4 November, 2014. <ref name="Update 15">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?558300-Update-15-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 15 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*The region of Central Gondor, consisting of [[Ringló Vale]], [[Dor-en-Ernil]], [[Lebennin]] and [[Pelargir]].<ref name="U15 Announcement"/><ref name="Update 15"/>
*Beorning race and class.<ref name="U15 Announcement"/><ref name="Update 15"/>
*Epic Volume IV Book 2: The Dawnless Day.<ref name="Update 15"/>
*A new Epic Battle, Retaking Pelargir.<ref name="Update 15"/> Initially only available in solo/duo mode, a full fellowship version was released in 4 February, 2015 with Update 15.2.<ref name="Update 15.2">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?&postid=7312886|articlename=Update 15.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>
*Roving Threats, a new type of open landscape group content.<ref name="Update 15"/> Additional Roving Threats were added to other regions of the game beginning with Update 15.2<ref name="Update 15.2"/>

====Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath====
''Ashes of Osgiliath'' is the sixteenth update and was released 1 May, 2015.<ref name="Update 16">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?568045-Update-16-Ashes-of-Osgiliath-%E2%80%93-Official-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath – Official Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*The region of Eastern Gondor, consisting of Upper Lebennin, Lossarnach, South Ithilien and Osgiliath.<ref name="Update 16"/>
*Epic Volume IV Book 3: Voices of the Past.<ref name="Update 16"/>
*Cosmetic weapons and shields, more Roving Threats, and new PvMP map set in Osgiliath were released with Update 16.2 on 17 July, 2015. A new quest series of weekly episodic content, following the adventures of the Hobbit Bingo Boffin, was begun the Wednesday after the update, on 22 July.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?572512-Update-16-2-Release-Notes&p=7404279#post7404279|articlename=Update 16.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 17: The Siege of Minas Tirith====
''The Siege of Minas Tirith'' is the seventeenth update and was released 27 October, 2015.=

*The region of Old Anórien, including [[Minas Tirith]], the [[Pelennor Fields]], and Talath Anor.
*Epic Volume IV Book 4: Siege of the White City
*New crafting tier, hidden cosmetic weapon toggle.
*New Epic Battles: Defence of Minas Tirith, Hammer of the Underworld.

====Update 18: The Battle of Pelennor Fields====
''The Battle of Pelennor fields'' is the eighteenth update and was released 11 April 2016.=

*The region of Far Anórien, including [[Drúadan Forest|Taur Drúadan]], [[Warning beacons of Gondor|Beacon hills]], and the Pelennor Fields during the battle.
*Instance cluster including two 3-man instances (The Quays of the Harlond, The Blood of the Black Serpent), one 6-man instance (The Silent Street) and a 12-man raid (Throne of the Dread Terror).
*Epic Volume IV Book 5: The Ride of the Rohirrim and Book 6: The Battle of Pelennor Fields.

====Update 19: March of the King====
''March of the King'' is the nineteenth update and was released 14 October, 2016.=

*The region March of the King, including [[North Ithilien]], after battle Minas Tirith, after battle Osgiliath, and after battle Pelennor Fields.
*Flora barter system to exchange new gear for flowers.
*Epic Volume IV Book 7: March of the King.

====Update 20: Battle of the Black Gate====
''Battle of the Black Gate'' is the twentieth update and was released 21 March, 2017.=

*The region The Wastes, including Noman-lands, [[Slag-hills]] and [[Dagorlad]] which surround the [[Black Gate]].
*New reputation items to exchange for armour.
*Epic Volume IV Book 8: Battle of the Black Gate.

===Mordor Expansion===
''Mordor'' is the sixth expansion, and the twenty-first update, released on 2 August, 2017.=

*The region Plateau of [[Gorgoroth]] includes five different areas, [[Udûn]], Dor Amarth, Lhingris, Talath Urui, and Agarnaith.
*The conclusion of the Epic Questline (and Volume 4), with Book 9.
*A new series of quests, the "Black Book of Mordor", becomes the main storyline after the conclusion of the Epic Quests. There are four chapters introduced in this update.
*The Allegiance System is introduced, players can pledge to one of four factions to gain greater rewards in [[Mordor]]. They are the Kingdom of [[Gondor]], the Court of [[Lothlórien]], [[Durin's Folk]], and the Hobbits of the Company.
*A new instance cluster is introduced, featuring a 3-man instance (The Court of Seregost), a 6-man instance (The Dungeons of Naerband), and a 12-man raid (The Abyss of Mordath).

====Update 22: Legacy of the Necromancer====
''Legacy of the Necromancer'' is the twenty-second update, released on 6 March, 2018.=

*The new region "[[Eryn Lasgalen]] and the Dale-lands" (otherwise known as the "Strongholds of the North" or "Northern Mirkwood"), features the Forest of Eryn Lasgalen (including the [[Halls of the Elven-king]] (known as Felegoth), The Dale-lands (featuring iconic locations such as The [[Long Lake]], [[Lake-town]], [[Dale]], and [[Ravenhill]]), and [[Erebor]], the Lonely Mountain.
*Three new reputation factions are introduced; the "Elves of Felegoth", the "Men of Dale", and the "Dwarves of Erebor".
*The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new region.

====Update 23: Where Dragons Dwell====
''Where Dragons Dwell'' is the twenty-third update, released on 9 October, 2018.=

* The new area "The Dwarf-holds", consists of two areas; The [[Iron Hills]], and [[Ered Mithrin]]. An expanded area of [[Erebor]] is also opened.
* A new instance cluster is introduced, featuring two 3-man instances (Caverns of Thrumfall and Glimmerdeep), a six-man instance (Thikil-gundu), and a 12-man raid (The Anvil of Winterstith).
* The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new areas.

====Update 24: Vales of Anduin====
''Vales of Anduin'' is the twenty-fourth update, released on 4 June, 2019.=
* A new region, the [[Vales of Anduin]] was released, containing several key locations such as the Beorninghus ([[Beorn's Hall]]), The [[Carrock]], the [[Eagle's Eyrie]], the [[Gladden Fields]], [[Rhosgobel]], and various settlements of the [[Woodmen]].
* Update 24.2 brought the "Gladdenmere" sub-region to the Vales, along with a single six-man instance, "The Depths of Kidzul-kalah.
* The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new area, in addition to a "Prelude" to the Minas Morgul Expansion.

===Minas Morgul Expansion===
''Minas Morgul'' is the seventh expansion, and the twenty-fifth update, released on 5 November, 2019.=

*The expansion consists of two new areas, "Mordor Besieged" consists of the upper half of [[Gorgoroth]] during the final stages of the [[Siege of Barad-dûr]] in the Second Age, and the [[Morgul Vale]], which consists of the areas between [[Ithilien]] to the west, and Gorgoroth to the east. The city of [[Minas Morgul]] is also available for exploration.
*A new playable race, the "Stout-axe dwarves", became available.
*New Crafting updates, including a new tier to crafting guilds.
*A new instance cluster taking place in the Morgul Vale, with four three-man instances, three six-man instances, and a raid, the Remmorchant, featuring battling with [[Shelob]] in [[Torech Ungol]].
*A new level cap of 130 is introduced.

====Update 26: Mists of Wilderland====
''Mists of Wilderland'' is the the twenty-sixth update, released on 23 April, 2020.=
* A new region, the Wells of Langflood was released, featuring the upper-lands of the [[Vales of Anduin]], and the merging of the [[Greylin]] and [[Langwell]] rivers into the Anduin. In addition, there is the [[beorning]] settlement of Limlok, the [[stoor]] village of Lyndelby, and the ruins of [[Framsburg]], once the capital of the [[Eotheod]].
* A new reputation faction, the "Protectors of Wilderland", situated in Limlok was introduced.
* A brand new epic questline, "The Legacy of Durin and the Trials of the Dwarves" is introduced to follow the Black Book of Mordor, and follows Prince Durin's efforts in leading the united dwarves to retake [[Mount Gundabad]] from the orcs who dwell there. Two initial chapters were released.

====Update 27: The Great Wedding====
''The Great Wedding'' is the twenty-seventh update, released on 30 June, 2020.=
* A new area, [[Minas Tirith]] (Midsummer), was introduced, situated after the destruction of the [[One Ring]], situated around the wedding of King [[Aragorn Elessar]] and [[Arwen Undomiel]].
* The [[Midsummer]] Festival was introduced, based in Midsummer Minas Tirith, featuring all new quests, items and deeds for players. In addition, the Summer and Farmer's Faire festivals were merged to make way for the Midsummer Festival.
* The Epic Questline continues with Volume V- The Peace of Middle-earth, in it's first book.

====Update 28: War of the Three Peaks====
''War of the Three Peaks'' is the eighth update, also called a "mini-expansion", released on 20 October, 2020.=
* A new area, Elderslade, is introduced, and features the lands north of the Wells of Langflood and west of the [[Ered Mithrin]], situated before the very gates of [[Mount Gundabad]].
* The Missions mechanic was introduced, allowing players of any level over 20 to aid Durin's war-effort, and gain rewards through one of two new reputation factions: The Gabil'akka.
* "The Legacy of Durin and the Trials of the Dwarves" continues with two new chapters, featuring the Battle of Elderslade, and the challenging of Gorgar the Ruthless, Lord of Gundabad, and son of [[Bolg]].

====Update 29: The Wildwood====
''The Wildwood'' was released on 27 March, 2021.=
* The Wildwood, a new zone, was released as part of the Bree-land starting at level 45. Includes new quests along with two reputation factions.
* New Missions were added for The Wildwood.
* The Bree-land map was updated accordingly.

====Update 30: Blood of Azog====
''Blood of Azog'' was released on 8 June, 2021.
* New Missions for new dwarf factions were released.
* "The Legacy of Durin" storyline continued with a flashback to [[Battle of Azanulbizar]]. The flashback is told by Hersegg, granddaughter of one of the heroes of that battle.
* The Fall of Khazad-dûm raid was also released with new gear to be earned. In this instance, players help the dwarves of Moria in TA 1981 in their final stand against Durin's Bane.
* This is the final content update before the next major expansion, ''Fate of Gundabad'', released on November 10th, 2021.

=====Update 30.3=====
''Update 30.3'' was released on 13 October, 2021.=
* This update did not contain any new quest content for the game, but did release several significant features leading up to The Fate of Gundabad expansion, along with smaller quality of life changes.
* The Brawler class was introduced to the game.
* A fully revamped Legendary Item system released publicly after many months of beta testing
* The housing system saw an update that removed the size signifiers for housing items, making it easier to customise player housing

===Fate of Gundabad Expansion===
''Fate of Gundabad'' was released on 10 November, 2021.

====Update 32: Rangers and Ruins====
''Rangers and Ruins'' was released on 16 February, 2022.

* A new raid, "The Hiddenhoard of Abnankâra", was released, featuring Prince Durin's final confrontation with Hrímil Frost-heart within the ancient treasury of the Greymaul Rebellion.
* A new premium housing area in the Abodes of [[Erebor]] was released, located within one of the last of [[Smaug|Smaug's]] treasure hoards.
* A new sub-region, the [[Angle (Eriador)|Angle of Mitheithel]] was released, filled with elven ruins, and the outposts of the [[Rangers of the North]].
* The new 'Legendary Item Rewards Track' was introduced to compliment the new Legendary Item System. Players use their item XP to gain special rewards to help increase the power of their items.

====Update 33: The Yondershire====
''The Yondershire'' was released on 20 April, 2022.
* This update was released alongside the 15 year celebration of ''Lord of the Rings Online''. This event runs from the 20th of April up until 12th of May.
* A new sub-region, "The Yondershire", was released, connecting the [[Ered Luin]] directly to the rest of Middle-earth for the first time. Hobbit villages such as [[Nobottle]], [[Tighfield]], [[Gamwich]], and [[Long Cleeve]] are also featured.
* All content including and prior to the Helm's Deep Expansion, including the Rune-keeper, Warden, and Beorning classes, as well as the High Elf race were made free and available to all players.

=Added Elements and Deviations from the Book=
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' does not only follow the story as told in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', but also tells original stories about events happening during the same time period as the War of the Ring. These chiefly involve player characters following the trail of the members of the Fellowship and other main characters from the text. As such, there are a number of elements that do not appear in any of the published works. This includes characters, lineages, objects and locations. A selection of these are described below.=

==Major Characters==
* '''[[Amarthiel]]''' served the [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]] during his first reign over [[Angmar]]<ref>In the game the Witch-king reigned over Angmar again shortly before the [[War of the Ring]].</ref> and wore the [[lesser rings|lesser ring]] [[Narchuil]]. She was slain by [[Narmeleth]] at the [[Battle of Fornost]] and her soul wandered [[Middle-earth]] for over a thousand years. She managed to possess Narmeleth and disguised herself as Sara Oakheart. She eventually revealed herself after the defeat of [[Mordirith]] by [[Golodir]] and becomes the Regent of Angmar.=

* '''[[Andraste]]''' was a female [[Men|Man]] who served the [[Witch-king]].

* '''[[Jon Brackenbrook]]''' was a [[Men|Man]] who was captain of [[Archet]].

* '''[[Ronald Dwale]]''' was a [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] from [[Dwalling]]. He was an author and a member of [[The Inklings (LOTRO)|the Inklings]], that meets in the [[The Eagle and Child|Bird and Baby Inn]]. He was based on [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] himself.

* '''[[Éogan]]''' was the second in command of the [[Blackwolds]] and took over leadership of the group after William Skunkwood's death.

*'''Gorgar the Ruthless''' was another descendent of Azog who led the Orcs of Gundabad against the Gabil'akka during the War of Three Peaks.

*'''Gorothul''' was a Black Numenorean sorcerer high in the ranks of [[Dol Guldur]].

* '''The Huntsman''' was a spirit found in [[Enedwaith]] who took the shape of a large man with horns of a stag. Many players thought this was [[Oromë]]. The developers confirmed that it wasn't Oromë but a [[Maiar|Maia]] of Oromë.<ref>[http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?359604-big-D-small-d&p=4996860&highlight=#post4996860 big D, small d] [[Jonathan Rudder]], lotro.com forums</ref>

* '''[[Ivar the Bloodhand]]''' was a Gaunt-lord from the [[First Age]].

*'''Karazgar''' was one of the [[Gúrzyul]] seeking to claim power in Mordor after Sauron's defeat.

*'''Mazog''' was a descendant of [[Azog]] and leader of the Orcs of Moria.

* '''[[Mordirith]]''' was the Steward of Angmar.

* '''[[Narmeleth]]''' was an elf maiden of [[Rivendell]] and daughter of [[Laerdan]]. She slew [[Amarthiel]] during the [[Battle of Fornost]] and became possessed by her soul over a thousand years later.

* '''[[Mundo Sackville-Baggins]]''' was a [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] who was mistakenly identified as having the ring.

* '''[[William Skunkwood]]''' was the leader of the [[Blackwolds]].

* '''[[Skorgrím]]''' was a dwarf and leader of the [[Dourhands]]. He was slain during the Battle of Edhelion. His corpse was used as a vehicle by Ivar the Bloodhand who possessed it with a fell spirit to trick the Dourhands to ally themselves with the forces of [[Angmar]].

* '''[[Sambrog]]''' was the Wight-lord of the [[Barrow-downs]].

==Groups==
* '''The [[Blackwolds]]''' were a group of [[Men|Mannish]] brigands from [[Bree-land]].=

* '''The [[Dourhands]]''' was a clan of dwarves aligned with the forces of [[Angmar]]. They were the dwarves that stayed behind to rebuild the Dwarven Halls in the [[Blue Mountains]] which were destroyed during the [[War of Wrath]].

*The '''Gúrzyul''' were powerful Black Númenoreans who served near the top of the chain of command in Mordor.

* '''The [[Inklings (Shadows of Angmar)|Inklings]]''' are a group of [[Hobbits|Hobbit]]-authors who discuss literature. They meet each other in the [[The Eagle and Child|Bird and Baby Inn]]. Prominent members are [[Ronald Dwale]] ([[J.R.R. Tolkien]]), [[Owen Farfield]] ([[Owen Barfield]]), [[Carlo Williams]] ([[Charles Williams]]) and [[Jack Lewisdown]] ([[C.S. Lewis]]). The group and members are based on the real [[Inklings]]

*'''The Iron Garrison''' was a group of Longbeard Dwarves that sought to find [[Balin]] and retake the Mines of Moria.

*'''The Stout-axes''' were a House of Dwarves lost to slavery in Mordor. They were eventually freed after the demise of Sauron.

*The '''Warriors Three''' were a trio of Rohirrim adventure seekers.

*'''The Zhelruka were an eastern House of Dwarves who migrated westward after the War of the Ring.

==Objects==
* '''[[Narchuil]]''' was one of the [[lesser rings]] forged by the elven-smiths during the [[Second Age]].=

* '''Zigilburk''' was a legendary [[mithril]] axe discovered in Moria by The Iron Garrison.

* '''The Vandassari''' were a set of stones brought from [[Numenor]] to Middle-earth. These are the Oath-stones with the power to hold those who swear upon them to their promises, such as the Stone of [[Erech]].

* '''The Black Book of Mordor''' was a mysterious text discovered in the Iron Hills.

==Locations==
* '''[[Agamaur]]''' was a vast swamp of the [[Lone-lands]]. It was a site of a major battle between [[Arthedain]], [[Cardolan]] and [[Rhudaur]]. To the west were the ruins of Ost Guruth, a fortress of [[Arnor]] claimed by the nomadic Eglain. To the east lay the ruins of Garth Agarwen, a fortress of Rhudaur ruled by [[Hill-men]] loyal to the mysterious Red Maid.=

* '''[[The Eagle and Child|Bird and Baby Inn]]''' was an inn in [[Michel Delving]].

* '''[[Esteldin]]''' was a ruin of Arnor in the [[North Downs]]. At the time of the [[War of the Ring]], it was used as a base of operations by the [[Rangers of the North]].

*'''[[Falathlorn]]''' was a green and beautiful region of the [[Ered Luin]] favored by the Elves. It contained the Elvish havens of Duillond and Celondim. Not far from this region were the chilly Low-lands, site of the Dwarvish cities Gondamon and Kheledul.

*'''[[Galtrev]]''' was one of the largest towns of [[Dunland]], the nominal capitol of the country.

*'''Lhanuch''' was a chief village among the [[Dunlending]] clans of [[Enedwaith]].

*'''Luntil's Ferry''' was a secret crossing of the River Anduin in [[Lossarnach]].

*'''[[Maur Tulhau]]''' was a [[Stoors|Stoorish]] Hobbit village in [[Enedwaith]] located in the forbidding Gloomgens. It was an remnant of the time when the Stoors lived in this region before most of their number moved north to [[The Shire]].

*'''Nar's Peak''' was a cleft along one of the spurs of the [[Misty Mountains]]. Thorin and some other exiles of [[Erebor]] dwelt for a time.

* '''[[Othrongroth]]''' was the oldest and largest Edain mound in the [[Barrow-downs]].

* '''[[Stangard]]''' was a [[Rohirrim]] settlement near the Great River [[Anduin]]. Its inhabitants were mostly exiles sent to protect [[Rohan]]'s outer borders.

* '''[[Tinnudir]]''' was an island in [[Lake Evendim]]. It was used as a headquarters by a group of Rangers called the Wardens of [[Annúminas]], protectors of the ancient capitol of Arnor.

*'''Wildermore''' was a small plateau in the northern portion of [[Eastemnet]]. It suffered an unnatural winter due to the machinations of Saruman.

*'''Woodsedge''' was one of the main towns of the [[Woodmen]] living in the Vales of [[Anduin]] at the edge of [[Mirkwood]].

=Active Worlds=
*[US]Arkenstone (Unofficial Oceanic)=
*[EU]Belegaer [DE-RP]
*[US]Brandywine
*[US]Crickhollow
*[EU]Evernight [EU]
*[US]Gladden
*[EU]Gwaihir [DE]
*[US]Landroval [EN-RE]
*[EU]Laurelin [Global-RP]
*[EU]Sirannon [FR]
*Anor [Legendary]
*Shadowfax [Legendary]
*Treebeard [Legendary]

==European servers==
The European servers were originally created and hosted by [[Codemasters]], but on [[1 June]] [[2011]] LOTRO Europe was taken over by Turbine, who are based in the Easter U.S. This arrangement continued with Standing Stone Games who currently host the European servers.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.casualstrolltomordor.com/2011/04/turbines-lotro-service-goes-global/|articlename=Turbine's LOTRO Service Goes Global|dated=24 April 2011|website=A Casual Stroll to Mordor|accessed=2 January 2012}}</ref>

European servers are further distinguished by language, French and German in particular

==Legendary Servers==
'''Legendary servers''' are special worlds with a progressive level cap. The first legendary server, Anor, was launched in 2018, while Ithil was opened shortly thereafter to accommodate congestion. Due to inactivity, Ithil was eventually closed in 2021.

In fall of 2021, two new Legendary servers were announced. Both would follow the previous legendary model, by starting at the original level cap of 50 and slowly expanding from there, but each had its own take on progression. The Shadowfax server gave players 50% more experience points than the standard servers, while Treebeard slowed experience point gain y 70%. Each server would also receive expansions at a different pace, with Shadowfax gaining expansions more quickly than Treebeard.

==Roleplay Servers==
To encourage players who wish to enjoy the game as their characters, some servers have been designed RP as roleplaying servers. In these worlds, it is expected that most players will interact together as the characters they have made, imagining themselves as actually being in Middle-earth. As a special case Landroval is designed RE, roleplay encouraged.=

==Closed Worlds==
Over time, due to shifting player populations, worlds have been consolidated. Players transfer their characters to a new world and the old server is then closed. Below is a list of closed worlds.
*[RU] Fornost
*[RU] Mirkwood
*[RU] Aglarond
*[US] Vilya
*[EU] Maiar [DE]
*[US] Firefoot
*[US] Meneldor
*[US] Windfola
*[EU] Morthond [DE]
*[EU] Gilrain [UK]
*[US] Nimrodel
*[EU] Withywindle [UK]
*[EU] Vanyar [DE]
*[US] Dwarrowdelf
*[US] Riddermark
*[EU] Anduin [DE]
*[EU] Estel [FR-RP]
*[EU] Eldar
*[US] Imladris
*[US] Silverlode
*[US] Elendilmir (Oceanic)
*[EU] Snowbourn [UK]
*Ithil [Legendary]

=License=
For ''The Lord of the Rings Online'', [[Turbine]] (and subsequently Standing Stone Games) has licensed the rights to the content and lore of ''[[The Hobbit]]'' and ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. Turbine does not have license rights to the [[New Line Cinema]] film trilogy nor ''[[The Silmarillion]]'', ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'', ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'' books or ''[[The Children of Húrin]]''.=

=Reception=
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' has been received very positively thus far, as reviews continue to appear since the game's initial release.<ref>[http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/middleearthonline Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, The - Review] metacritic.com</ref>==

GameDaily awarded the game 9/10, praising its rich, fantasy-themed universe, well-integrated trait and title system, and a story that remains true to the works of Tolkien. Yahoo! Video Games wrote a review with few negative mentions, awarding the game a score of 4/5,<ref>[http://videogames.yahoo.com/gamereview?cid=1990963744&tab=reviews&page=0&eid=513259 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] Yahoo! Games</ref> while ''Computer and Video Games'' called the game an essential purchase for ''Lord of the Rings'' fans, scoring the game a 9.2/10.<ref>[http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=161846&skip=yes PC Review: Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] ''Computer and Video Games''</ref> Eurogamer scored the game a 9.0/10, calling it tough to resist.<ref>[http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=75657 Review - Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] Eurogamer</ref> Gamespy gave it 4.5/5 stars, claiming the game "opened up Middle-Earth to the masses" but commented negatively on its weak PvP content,<ref>[http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/lord-of-the-rings-online-shadows-of-angmar/785884p1.html The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] GameSpy</ref> while GameTrailers awarded it 8.5/10,<ref>[http://www.gametrailers.com/gamepage.php?id=754 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] Game Trailers</ref> citing its interesting tweaks to the MMO genre. IGN.com ranked it a similar 8.6/10, praising it for its solid experience, though criticizing it for its lack of major improvements to the genre.<ref>[http://pc.ign.com/articles/787/787942p3.html The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] IGN</ref> GamerNode.com awarded the game an 8.8/10, calling it the best MMO launch experience since ''Ultima Online''.<ref>[http://www.gamernode.com/PC/Reviews/2848-Lord-of-the-Rings-Online-Review/index.html Lord of the Rings Online] GamerNode</ref> The ''New York Times'' called the game "a major achievement of interactive storytelling, the first game truly worthy of the ‘Lord of the Rings' franchise and a must-play for just about anyone with an interest in Tolkien or the future of online entertainment."<ref>[http://lotro.turbine.com/article/356 Lord of the Rings Online Press Release] Lord of the Rings Online</ref> In a GameSpot review, the product was awarded an 8.3/10, praising its appealing polish and intriguing Monster Play feature.<ref>[http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/middleearthonline/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=topten&tag=topten;all;score;5 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar for PC Review] GameSpot</ref> Gamepro.com's review gave it an overall 4.25/5, pointing out how engaging the epic quests are, as well as how faithful to the novels the game managed to stay.<ref>[http://gamepro.com/computer/pc/games/reviews/112000.shtml Review: The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar for PC] Gamepro</ref> GameSpy declared ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' 'Game of the Month' for May 2007.<ref>[http://uk.gamespy.com/articles/795/795353p2.html Game of the Month: May 2007] GameSpy</ref>

=Awards=

In August 2007, Codemasters announced that ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' had received five Golden Joystick Awards nominations for the five applicable categories for the game,<ref>[http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6925679.stm Music and vice top games awards] BBC News</ref> and in October 2007 that it had won the "PC Game of the Year" at these awards.<ref>[http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7693&Itemid=2 Gears Wins Big at Game Awards] Next-Generation</ref> and again won the same award on October 2008. In December 2007, GameSpy awarded ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' 6th place in the top 10 PC games of 2007.<ref>[http://goty.gamespy.com/2007/pc/6.html GameSpy's Game of the Year 2007] GameSpy</ref> On December 18, Turbine announced it had also won the GameSpy MMO of the Year award.<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/article/476 LOTRO Wins Top Honors from Gamespy!] Lord of the Rings Online</ref> In January 2009, mmorpg.com awarded Turbine both MMORPG studio of the year 2008<ref>[http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/45/feature/2574/Best-MMO-Studio-of-2008-Winner MMORPG.com Best MMO Studo of 2008] mmorpg.com</ref>, and MMO Expansion of the Year for ''Mines of Moria''.<ref>[http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/45/feature/2579 MMORPG.com Best Expansion of 2008] mmorpg.com</ref>

=Subscription Model=
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Free to Play.png|300px|thumb]]=
In North America, players who pre-ordered the game were offered a special founder's offer, a lifetime subscription for $199 or reduced cost of $9.99 per month. Standard monthly fee is $14.99 with three, six, twelve month, and lifetime discounts available. European players had a similar program from Codemasters.

A Holiday subscription was available in December of 2007 and January of 2008 for $9.99/month for a 3 month commitment. A one year anniversary addition includes a $9.99/month subscription or a $199.99 Lifetime subscription, which was again offered during the lead up to the release of Mines of Moria.

Warner Bros. announced on June 4, 2010 that Lord of the Rings Online will offer a free-to-play model starting in the fall of 2010.<ref>[http://turbine.com/news/105-warner-bros-interactive-entertainment-announces-the-lord-of-the-rings-online-to-adopt-global-free-to-play-model.html Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Announces The Lord of the Rings Online™ to Adopt Global Free-to-Play Model] Turbine, Inc</ref> On August 18, 2010, Warner Bros. announced that the free-to-play model would go live on September 10, 2010. On October 21, 2010, [[Codemasters]] announced that a preview of Free-to-Play would be available in Europe on October 25, 2010.<ref>[http://community.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=10839&pagename=news&type=news The Lord of the Rings Online Europe Preview Event]</ref>

=External Links=
* '''[http://lotro.com Official website]'''=
** '''[http://forums.lotro.com/ LOTRO Community Forums]''': The official ''Lord of the Rings Online'' forums
* '''[http://lotro-wiki.com LoTRO-Wiki]''': The most complete source of information for the game
* '''[http://lotroplayers.com LoTRO Players]''': Long-running news site and podcast
* '''[http://www.dadislotroguides.com Dadi's LOTRO Guides]''': Useful guides for various game systems.

{{notes}}
{{references}}

{{lotro}}
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{{title|italics}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lord of the Rings Online}}
[[Category:The Lord of the Rings Online| ]]
[[Category:Open world games]]
[[Category:Role playing games]]
[[Category:Turbine games]]

The Lord of the Rings Online

2022-05-10T00:50:47Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Update 33: Yondershire */

{{cleanup}}
{{disambig-more|The Lord of the Rings|[[The Lord of the Rings (disambiguation)]]}}
{{video game infobox| image=[[Image:Lotro logo.png|250px]]| name=The Lord of the Rings Online| developer=[[Turbine|Turbine, Inc.]] (2007-2016)
[[Standing Stone Games]] (2016-Present)|
publisher=[[Midway Games]]
[[Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment]] (2010-2016)
[[Daybreak Game Company]] (2016-Present)
| platform=Microsoft Windows, OS X (Beta)| releasedate=April 24, [[2007]]| genre=MMORPG| modes=| rating=| distribution=}}
'''''The Lord of the Rings Online''''' (commonly abbreviated to '''LOTRO''' or '''LotRO''') is an MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) for PC and OS X that takes place in the world of [[Arda]] during the time of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]].'' It was originally branded as '''The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar''', but with later updates, that subtitle was dropped.

The players take on the role of adventurers of the [[Free peoples|Free Peoples]] of [[Middle-earth]]. The events of the game are concurrent with the events of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' but most of the game revolves around events that occurred elsewhere or in the wake of events in the books. The game draws inspiration from people, places and events only mentioned in the books, combining these with original concepts to expand on parts of Middle-earth Tolkien did not. The main quest series of the game, known as Epic Quests, are divided into volumes, books and chapters, emulating the structure of ''The Lord of the Rings''.

There have been many expansions to the original game, including: Mines of Moria (2008), Siege of Mirkwood (2009), Rise of Isengard (2011), Riders of Rohan (2012), Helm's Deep (2013) Mordor (2017), Minas Morgul (2019), and Fate of Gundabad (2021) with regular updates, adjustments, and "mini-expansions" in between.

==Development==
{{rewrite}}

Development of ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' began in 1998, when [[Sierra Entertainment|Sierra]] started work on a game called ''Middle-earth Online''. Following [[Vivendi|Vivendi Universal Games]]' takeover of Sierra in 1999, the game's production was shared with [[Turbine]]. Turbine secured the rights of the entire game in March 2004,<ref>[http://www.videogamer.com/news/turbine_spin_into_action_to_secure_tolkien_license.html Turbine spin into action to secure Tolkien license - VideoGamer.com]</ref> and it was renamed to ''The Lord of the Rings Online''. It was originally subscription-based, but later became free-to-play with optional paid subscription and microtransactions.

A closed beta was announced on [[8 September]], [[2006]]. An open beta began on [[30 March]], [[2007]], and was open to all who pre-ordered the game's Founders Club edition. In April [[2007]], the beta opened to the public. In 2010, the monetization model of the game changed to allow a free-to-play experience. Subscribers were given benefits for their patronage, while all players could access the game for free, but with certain limitations. In 2016 development of the game was handed off to a new spin-off company formed specifically to maintain LOTRO and 'Dungeons & Dragons Online': Standing Stone Games.

As an online game, development continues with regular enhancements, additions, and changes to mechanics and game systems.



==Gameplay==
===Characters===
''Main article: [[Character Classes (LOTRO)]]''

Like many RPGs, ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' has a system of character classes and levels. Each character chooses a race and a class on character creation, this cannot be changed. Players are able to play as any of the [[Free Peoples]] - [[Elves]], [[Men]], [[Dwarves]], [[Hobbits]], [[Beornings]], [[Stout-axe]] Dwarves, or [[High Elves]]. Male or female characters can be created, except in the case of Dwarves. As per Tolkien, Dwarf-women are very rare and seldom leave their mountain halls, though the addition of Stout-axe dwarves as a playable race in 2019 allowed players to create dwarf-women. There is no difference in appearance male and female Stout-axes. There are eleven classes: Beorning, Brawler, Burglar, Captain, Champion, Guardian, Hunter, Lore-master, Minstrel, Rune-keeper, and Warden.

Customization of the character's abilities can be done by changing equipment and traits. As of the [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Helm.27s Deep Expansion|Helm's Deep expansion]], class traits work on a tree system, with each class having three "trait trees" where traits can be selected with earned points and unlocking enough traits in a particular tree allows higher-level traits to be selected and applies additional bonus. In addition to class traits are racial traits, such as Men being able to slot a trait to do additional damage with swords or Hobbits being able to slot a trait that allows them to throw a stone, and virtue traits which boost the character's stats.

Levels are significant, with much lower level enemies being extremely easy to defeat and much higher level enemies being nearly impossible to defeat. Each region has enemies and quests with a range of levels usually consecutive to those of an adjacent region. Quests over five levels above the character's level are inaccessible. In addition to being able to complete quest and defeat enemies in more locations, characters gain access to additional equipment, skills, traits and instances as they level up. Levels are increased by gaining experience, which is earned by completing quests and instances, defeating enemies of an appropriate level, and crafting.

===World===
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is an "open-world" game in which most locations that have been released can be freely accessed on an open landscape (although some places, such as Moria, require certain quests to be completed first.) The game world is split into "lands", large areas of Middle-Earth. As of Update 21, the four lands in the game are [[Eriador]], [[Rhovanion]], [[Gondor]], and [[Mordor]]. Each land is in turn divided into regions, e.g. [[Bree-land]] in Eriador, and each region contains areas, e.g. [[Andrath]] within Bree-land.

Although most of the land is available to all for exploration, most regions require non-VIPs to purchase a quest pack to access quests, deeds and instances associated with that region. A few regions, such as East and West Rohan, require expansion packs to be purchased to unlock content, even for VIPs. Each region is generally seen as it was in a certain time in the War of the Ring, for example Lothlórien is visited by the player at the same time as the [[Fellowship of the Ring]] rested there, and [[Pelargir]] just after [[Aragorn]] liberated the city from the [[Corsairs of Umbar]].

Reddit users /u/lallapalalable and /u/exploderator estimated the total size of the map at no more than 250 square km (97 square miles) in 2017, making it one of the largest game maps ever made.<ref>{{webcite|author=/u/lallapalalable|articleurl=http://www.reddit.com/r/lotro/comments/60j1ul/been_trying_to_calculate_the_area_of_the_map/|articlename=Been trying to calculate the area of the map|dated=20 March 2017|website=Reddit|accessed=29 October 2020}}</ref>

===Quests===
Much of the game's completable content is in the form of quests. Quests consist of a series of objectives, often including speaking with NPCs, defeating certain enemies, and recovering certain items from the ground or from defeated enemies. Most quests have a small number of objectives but may unlock additional quests upon completion to form a quest chain. Quests are usually started by started by speaking with a particular Non-Player Character (NPC), indicated with a ring icon above the NPC's head. The forms of ring icons and what they indicate are as follows:

*Gold ring with blue aura: the NPC has a quest that is approximately appropriate for the character's level.
*Gold ring with blue aura and fiery inscription: the NPC must be spoken with to advance the quest.
*Bright gold ring: the NPC has an Epic quest available.
*Gold ring with orange flames: the NPC must be spoken to to advance the Epic quest.
*Blue ring and quill: the NPC has a comment about an active quest, speaking to the NPC will not advance the quest but may give additional information.
*Gold ring with hourglass: the NPC has a quest with a cooldown, the player must wait for the cooldown to expire before accepting the quest.
*Silver ring: the NPC has a quest that is too high level for the player to accept at that level.
*Transparent grey ring: the NPC has a "trivial" quest, one far below the player's level.
*Gold ring with anvil: the NPC has a crafting quest, and involves the crafting system in some way.
*Gold ring with sword: The NPC has an allegiance quest; quests that are unique to the Mordor Expansion.*Gold ring with map: The NPC has a missions quest; quests that are unique to Missions-related quests.

Some quests are started by obtaining unique items dropped from specific enemies. The [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Riders of Rohan Expansion|Riders of Rohan expansion]] introduced auto-bestowed quests, which bring up a quest prompt when the player defeats a specific type of enemy or finds a certain location. Such enemies are marked with ring icons similarly to how NPC quest givers are. Players have the option of accepting these quests automatically or choosing to manually accept or decline each prompt. Most landscape quests can only be completed once, some special landscape quests and most instance quests can be completed once a day any number of times, and a few landscape quests can be repeated at any time up to a certain number of times.

Quests are categorized according to what area, instance or other section they are associated with. Of note are the Epic Quests, a series that tells the main storyline of the game. In imitation of [[The Lord of the Rings|the Lord of the Rings book]], the epic quests are divided into Volumes, which are divided into Books which in turn are divided into Chapters. Each Chapter is usually an individual quest. Epic Quests bring the player through the landscape but are considered apart from it, therefore most Epic Quests are available to all players regardless of whether or not any quest packs are unlocked. A notable exception is the end of Volume III: Allies of the King, which requires purchase of the Helm's Deep expansion to complete. The Black Book of Mordor, the new main storyline for quests after the Epic Books, has eight chapters, all spanning various areas in Middle Earth including [[Mordor]], the Strongholds of the North, the [[Iron Hills]], and the [[Ered Mithrin]].

===Deeds===
Deeds are non-repeatable achievements recorded on an interface window called the Deed Log. Common deed objectives include completing a certain number of quests in a particular area or region (Quest Deeds), defeating a certain number of enemies of a specific type in a particular region (Slayer Deeds), discovering specified locations (Explorer Deeds), and reaching the next tier of reputation with a faction. Most Deeds award Turbine points. Deeds in a particular region usually award reputation in that region's faction. Deeds also commonly reward marks, virtues, and titles.

===Instances===
Instances are locations in the game separated from the open landscape, not accessible through normal travel. Instances can take place in either separate versions of the locations available on the landscape (for example, Pelargir while Aragorn's host retakes it from the corsairs) or in locations not accessible anywhere else (such as Dale). Most instances are private instances, that is, only one player or group of players can enter it and it closes when they complete it, while public instances can be joined at any time by any number of separate players. They are often repeatable, with ones associated with landscape quests being replayable through a Reflecting Pool in the associated region and others accessible through the Instance Finder window. Most private instances have associated quests automatically bestowed upon entering the instance and cancelled upon exiting.

===Fellowships and Kinships===
Most open landscape content and associated instances are designed to be completable by a solo player, while some locations in the game and Instance Finder instances are meant for a team of players. A group of players with a maximum size of six is known as a fellowship. For larger groups, a raid of up to four fellowships can be formed, for a maximum group size of 24 players. Players are free to group on the open landscape and in public instances, but private instances have a limit on how many players may enter.

Players can found and join lasting organizations known as Kinships in the game. Players in a kinship can communicate in their own kinship chat channel to socialize and plan events with their fellow members.

===Monster Play===
The game is primarily Player vs. Environment (PvE), with most combat being player characters against computer controlled enemies found throughout the landscape and instances. However in the [[Ettenmoors]] region, players can participate in Player vs. Monster Player battles (PvMP). Players can create Monster characters that only have access to PvMP areas where they battle standard characters, who fight on the side of the Free Peoples. Each monster player class is limited to a specific race. The monster classes are the Blackarrow (Uruk), Defiler (Orc), Reaver (Orc), Stalker (Warg), Warleader (Uruk), and Weaver (Spider) As of [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath|Update 16.2]] a new PvMP area, set in Osgiliath before Boromir's journey to Rivendell and accessed via a banner in the Ettenmoors, was released.



Towns and settlements provide Vendors where players can purchase or repair their armour, weapons, and supplies. Towns also often include Mailboxes, Auction Halls, Class Trainers, Forge-masters, Relic-masters, and Stable-masters who allow swift travel between regions.

The player interface allows other aspects of gameplay such as Character screens, Quest and Deed Logs, a Social Panel where players can interact, and a Crafting panel where players use skills to craft new items.

==Releases, Updates, and Expansions==
===Shadows of Angmar===
:{{Main|The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar}}
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar|Shadows of Angmar]]'' was released on [[24 April]], [[2007]]. It included books 1 through 8 of Epic Volume I: Shadows of Angmar. Approximately once every two months a major free update was added to ''The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar''. Each update added a new book to the volume.

====Book 9: Shores of Evendim====
{{#ev:youtubehd|VOEcXrbG4OI|200|thumb}}
The first free content update was released on 14 June, 2007.<ref>[http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=3611&pagename=home&search=yes&keyword=Book%209 Book 9: Shores of Evendim Release Date Announced]</ref>

Updates included:
*A new region - [[Evendim]] - is added, including locations like [[Annúminas]].<ref name="book9">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/news/pressreleases/136-book-9-shores-of-evendim-release-date-announced|articlename=Book 9: Shores of Evendim Release Date Announced!|dated=5 June 2007|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
*The epic story is expanded with book 9, Shores of Evendim<ref name="book9"/>
*100 new quests are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*A 24-player raid is added, ''Battle for Helegrod''.<ref name="book9"/>
*Nine new monsters are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*New Collectible armour sets are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*Updates to the music system.<ref name="book9"/>

====Book 10: The City of Kings====

The second free-content update was released on 21 August, 2007 in North America and on 24 August, 2007 in Europe.<ref>| [http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=3949&pagename=home&search=yes&keyword=Book%209 Codemasters Online and Turbine unveil Book 10: The City of the Kings]</ref>

Updates included:
*Continuation of the Story Line.
*Legendary Play – Players can now use Destiny Points to play as a Ranger of the North or as a Troll.
*Critter Play – Players can now explore Middle-earth from a different viewpoint as a chicken.
*New Reputation and Bartering Systems – The Reputation system enables players to earn positive and negative standing with different races and groups in Middle-earth based on both monster kills and quest completions. The Bartering system allows players to trade trophies earned in battle for rewards, such as armour sets or mounts.
*Over 100 new Quests.
*More customizable user interface.

====Book 11: Prisoner of the Free Peoples====

The third free-content update was released on 24 October, 2007 in North America<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/article/430 Turbine and Codemasters Online Gaming to Unveil Book 11: Defenders of Eriador for The Lord of the Rings Online]</ref> and 25 October in Europe.<ref>[http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=4661&articletype=News Codemasters Online and Turbine to unveil Book 11: Defenders of Eriador]</ref>

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_11_Official complete release notes]):
*Continuation of the Epic Story arc, including 13 quests.
*Player housing – players will be able to customize their houses with items such as furniture and doormats.
*Second raid called "The Rift" – 12-player raid in which players encounter a [[Balrogs|Balrog]] for the first time. Turbine has stressed that this is not the [[Durin's Bane|Balrog from Khazad-dûm]].<ref>[http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=287 Book 11 Preview: The Balrogs are Coming]</ref>
*Two new areas – Tâl Bruinen in the Trollshaws, where [[Gollum]] will be introduced for the first time, and Goblin-town in the [[Misty Mountains]], featured in ''The Hobbit''.
*More than 100 new quests.

====Book 12: The Ashen Wastes====

The fourth free content update was released on 13 February, 2008 in North America; and 14 February, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_12_Official complete release notes]):
*Continuation of the Story Line.
*Character customization - Increased character customization "ranging from haircuts, to some (possible) additions to the trait-system." In addition, the Outfit system, along with special social clothing designed just for it, will be introduced where a second or third set of clothing can be slotted and displayed while retaining the statistical bonuses of the currently equipped items.<ref>[http://lotro.stratics.com/content/hoclog/hoc10.php Lord of the Rings Online: House of Commons ]</ref>
*The Delving of Frór - A new Monster Play PVE (and PVMP under certain circumstances) area was introduced: An expanse of caves and catacombs located beneath the Ettenmoors.
*The Great Angmar Revamp - A revamp of the most high-level region of the game's current 9 PvE regions. The revamp included the reworking of many quests, areas and other changes, such as new horse routes.
*Barbershop - You can customize the look of your avatar in-game with around 50 new haircuts and second set of details.
*Updates to the Burglar, Guardian, and Champion classes.

====Book 13: Doom of the Last-King====

The fifth free content update was released on 24 April, 2008 in North America and on 1 May, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_13_Official complete release notes]):
*A new playable map area: the Ice Bay of [[Forochel]].
*Players being able to see the ocean for the first time, confirmed as the Ice Bay of Forochel in recent developer chats.
*Fishing - the first of a new system in ''Lord of the Rings Online'', called 'hobbies'.
*New PVMP Monster Healing Class - Orc Defiler.
*Looking For Fellowship- and Quest-panel improvements.

====Book 14: The Ring-forges of Eregion====

The sixth free content update was released on 22 July, 2008 in North America. It was released on 24 July, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_14_Official complete release notes]):
*Climax of the "Shadows of Angmar" storyline.
*Added selected sections of [[Eregion]] (Region leading towards the Gates of Moria).
*Epic Quest events that will allow interaction between players regardless of server.
*Prelude quests for and leading up to the ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria|Mines of Moria]]'' expansion, which would have updates leading to Lothlórien, Fangorn, Rhovanion and Rohan.

====Book 15: Daughter of Strife====

The seventh free content update was released on 18 November, 2008. This update was released in tandem with the Mines of Moria expansion for players who did not purchase the expansion release.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Category:Epic_-_Vol._I,_Book_15:_Daughter_of_Strife_Quests Epic - Vol. I, Book 15: Daughter of Strife Quests epic]):
*Conclusion of the "Shadows of Angmar" storyline.
*Added the zone of Eregion expanding on the selected sections from Book 14. The zone does not include the Hollin Gate leading to the Black Pool.
*Added UI enhancements

===Mines of Moria Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria]]''
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria|Mines of Moria]]'' was released on [[18 November]], [[2008]]. It included Vol. II books 1 through 6 of the epic quest line. Like ''Shadows of Angmar'', ''Mines of Moria'' continued to regularly release updates. Updates were less frequent than Shadows of Angmar.

====Book 7: Leaves of Lórien====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Leaves of Lórien.png|thumb|300px]]Book 7 was released on [[17 March]] [[2009]]. This update included:
* Continuation of the Epic Storyline in Book 7, Leaves of Lórien.<ref name="book7">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/book-spotlights/342-vol2book7|articlename=Volume II: Book 7: Leaves of Lórien Spotlight|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
* Expansion of the Lothlórien Area, including [[Caras Galadhon]].<ref name="book7"/>
* A new raid, named ''Strange Happenings'', has been added.<ref name="book7"/>
* The [[Galadhrim]] are added as a new reputation faction.<ref name="book7"/>
* Crafting instances enable players to gather resources.<ref name="book7"/>
* The Ered Luin Introduction and, on lesser scale, the Bree-land Introduction are revamped.<ref name="book7"/>
* Several new Monster Play emotes are added.<ref name="book7"/>

====Book 8: Scourge of Khazad-dum====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Scourge of Khazad-Dûm.png|thumb|300px]]Book 8 was released on 23 June, 2009. This update included:
*Book 8, Scourge of Khazad-dûm, continues the epic story.<ref name="book8">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/book-spotlights/421-vol2-book8|articlename=Volume II: Book 8: Scourge of Khazad-dûm|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
* A radiance-gated multi-boss, 12-man raid - named ''Dar Narbugud'' is added.<ref name="book8"/>
* One 6-man instance is added: ''The Halls of Crafting''.<ref name="book8"/>
* Two 3-man instances are added:
** ''Lumul-nar''<ref name="book8"/>
** ''Nala-dum''<ref name="book8"/>
* Continuation of the revamp of the Bree-land Introduction.<ref name="book8"/>
* The Crafting system has been revived.<ref name="book8"/>

===Siege of Mirkwood Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood]]''=
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood|Siege of Mirkwood]]'' was released on 1 December, 2009 in North America and 3 December, 2009 in Europe. Unlike the second expansion this edition was only available via a web-based download. It included Book 9 and the epilogue of Volume II: Mines of Moria.

Kate Paiz, Executive Producer for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'', released a letter on 22 October, 2010 stating that updates will be more frequent but will not always be accompanied with a new book continuing the epic story.<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/866-producers-letter-october-2010 Producer's Letter, October-2010] lotro.com, Dev Diaries</ref>

====Book 1: Oath of the Rangers====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Oath of the Rangers.png|300px|thumb]]=
Book 1 was released on [[1 March]], [[2010]].<ref> [http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?t=320404 Volume III: Allies of the King has arrived!]</ref>

Updates include ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Volume_3_Allies_of_the_King_Official complete release notes]):
* The beginning of Volume III in the epic storyline.
* The ability to solo the Volume I epic storyline.
* A duo mode for most skirmishes.

====Book 2: Ride of the Grey Company====

Book 2 was released on [[10 September]], [[2010]] in North America. ([[8 September]], [[2010]] for subscribers). It was delayed in Europe because of contractual reasons and was finally released on [[2 November]], almost two months after North America.<ref>[http://massively.joystiq.com/ Massively], [http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/v-e-me-day-lotro-europe-announces-launch-date-for-free-to-play/ V-E-ME Day: LotRO Europe announces launch date for free-to-play], dated [[29 October]], [[2010]] (accessed [[11 November]], [[2011]])</ref>

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Volume_3_Book_2_Official complete release notes]):

* New region: [[Enedwaith]].
* ''Lord of the Rings Online'' Free to Play subscription.
* Book 2 in the Volume III epic storyline.
* Scalable instances.
* Improvements to the vault, and a new wardrobe system for cosmetic items.
* Updates to the Captain class.
* The LOTRO store, where players may purchase convenience items. Points either earned through gameplay, through the VIP program or by being purchased.
* The introduction of Lua Scripting.
* DirectX 11 support.
* Ranger session play.

====Update 1: Journey to Winter-Home====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 1 Journey to Winter-Home.png|300px|thumb]]In 2010, LOTRO altered its monetization model and became "free-to-play." The first post Free-to-play update was released in November 2010. Due to changes to how updates work this did not contain an epic book.=

Updates included:

* A Barter Wallet for skirmish marks and anniversary tokens.
* Opening of Moria, Lothlorien, Mirkwood and Enedwaith to free-to-play players. Volume II and Volume III will also be available, as well the legendary item system, and the level 65 level cap all to free-to-play players.
* Vault improvements.
* Tasks: a new quest type for all levels.
* Improved reputation mounts.
* Updates to the Lore-master and Rune-keeper classes.
* Ered Luin starting area revamp.

====Update 2: Echoes of the Dead====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 2 Echoes of the Dead.png|300px|thumb]]The first update of 2011 was released on [[21 March]] in the United States and [[24 March]] for Europe.

Updates included:

* Two 3-man's, two 6-man's, and a 12-person raid were added for level 65 players.
* A special item required to craft a First Age weapon which drops from the above raid.
* Radiance was removed.
* Legendary Items were updated.
* Character panel and cosmetic system were revamped.
* The Minstrel, Hunter and Burglar classes were updated.
* Volume III Book 3: Echoes of the Dead was added.
* Volume II was revamped and made soloable, including three instances which have been converted to skirmishes.
* Improvements to the PvP starter tutorial.
* [[Evendim]] was revamped, with [[Annúminas]] being scaled down to level 40.

====Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 3 Lost Legends of Eriador.png|300px|thumb]]''Lost Legends of Eriador'' was the third update. It was released on [[23 May]], [[2011]] and included: ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Update_3,_Lost_Legends_of_Eriador,_Official complete release notes]):=

* Two new 3-man scalable instances starting mid-game.
* Two new skirmishes.

===Rise of Isengard Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard]]''=
The third expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is entitled ''Rise of Isengard''. The expansion was made available on 27 September, 2011 and only as a digital download.<ref>[http://isengard.lotro.com/ The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard Official Homepage]</ref>

====Update 5: Armies of Isengard====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 5 Armies of Isengard.png|220px|thumb]]''Armies of Isengard'' was the first update published after the release of ''The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard''. It was released on [[12 December]] [[2011]] and included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Update_5,_Armies_of_Isengard,_Official complete release notes]):=

* Four new instances and a 12-man raid in and around [[Isengard]].
* Book 5: The Prince of Rohan of '''Volume III: Allies of the King''' is released.
* A new Instance finder, to form groups more easily.
* Barter currencies of skirmishes, classic and instances are unified.
* Changes to Reputation items.

====Update 6: Shores of the Great River====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 6 The Great River.png|220px|thumb]]''Shores of the Great River'' is the sixth update and was released on [[12 March]] [[2012]].<ref name="Update6&Riders"> {{webcite|author=Justin Olivetti|articleurl=http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/riding-into-rohan-lotro-maps-out-2012/|articlename=Riding into Rohan: LotRO maps out in 2012|dated=25 January 2012|website=Massively|accessed=29 January 2012}}</ref><ref name="Update6">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/game-manual/1775-update-6-great-river|articlename=Update 6 Great River|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>

*A new region, the [[Anduin|The Great River]], was added, featuring seven new areas - including Parth Celebrant - in the upper [[Anduin]]. <ref name="Update6"/>
*Mists of Anduin, Book 6 of Volume III, was released, in which the player seeks the wisdom of [[Galadriel]] about troubling dreams and fights [[Easterlings]], Brigands and an ancient enemy of Rohan.<ref name="Update6"/>
*The ability to summon skirmish warriors outside skirmishes.<ref name="Update6"/>
*Updates to the Instance finder.<ref name="Update6"/>
*Currency-change in Monster Play: "Destiny" will be replaced with "Commendations". Commendations will be available for both Freeps and Creeps.<ref name="MP Currency change">{{webcite|author=Jaret Pruett|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/1776-update-6-commendations-developer-diary|articlename=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/1776-update-6-commendations-developer-diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>

====Update 7: Shades of the Past====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 7 Shades of the Past.png|thumb|220px]]''Shades of the Past'' is the seventh update<ref name="Update 7">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/1966|articlename=Update 7|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=12 May 2012}}</ref> and was released on 14 May, 2012.{{fact}}=

*Continuation of the aforementioned currency-change.<ref name="MP Currency change"/>
*A new skirmish, "Storm on Methedras."<ref name="Update 7"/>
*Revamp of the Fornost instance and Moria region.<ref name="Update 7"/>

===Riders of Rohan Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Riders of Rohan]]''=
The fourth expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is named ''Riders of Rohan''. The expansion was released on October 15, 2012. <ref name="Turbine">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/news/pressreleases/1736-warner-bros-interactive-entertainment-and-turbine-unveil-the-lord-of-the-rings-online-riders-of-rohan|articlename=WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND TURBINE UNVEIL THE LORD OF THE RINGS ONLINE™: RIDERS OF ROHAN™|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=30 January 2012}}</ref>

====Update 9: Against the Shadow====
''Against the Shadow'' is the ninth update and was released 17 December, 2012. <ref name="Update 9">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.tentonhammer.com/lotro/news/lotro-update-9-coming-december-17th|articlename=LOTROs Update 9 Coming December 17th|dated=|website=www.tentonhammer.com|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*Three new three man instances.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-riders-rohan-instance-cluster-part-i|articlename=Riders of Rohan Instance Cluster, Part I|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Scaling of Dol Guldur instances.
*Completion of Moria revamp.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-revisiting-mines-moria-part-ii|articlename=Developer Diary: Revisiting the Mines of Moria, Part II|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Ability to quickly travel to turn in quests.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-travel-quest-location-behind-scenes|articlename=Update 9 - Travel To Quest Location: Behind the Scenes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Update to the Yule Festival.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-yule-festival|articlename=Update 9 - Yule Festival|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Combat revisions.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-combat-revisions|articlename=Update 9 - Combat Revisions|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 10: Against the Shadow, Part II====
''Against the Shadow, Part II'' is the tenth update and was released 6 March, 2013.=

*One six man instance and three twelve man raids.<ref name="Update 10">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-instance-cluster-developer-diary|articlename=Update 10 - Instance Cluster Developer Diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*In Their Absence instance scaling.<ref name="Update 10"/>
*Mithril Coins, a new currency used for special services.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-mithril-coin-qa|articlename=Update 10 Mithril Coin Q&A|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Agility made Wardens' primary stat.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-warden-stat-change-agility-wardens|articlename=Update 10: Warden Stat Change – Agility Wardens!|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Changes to critical defense.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-critical-defence-revision|articlename=Update 10 - Critical Defence Revision|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Unification of currency for scaling instances.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-seals-and-medallion-conversion|articlename=Update 10 - Seals and Medallion Conversion Diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand====
''Treachery of the White Hand'' is the eleventh update and was released 13 May, 2013. <ref name="Update 11">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?511377-Update-11-Treachery-of-the-White-Hand-Release-Notes-Official|articlename=Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand Release Notes - Official|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*A new region, Wildermore, located on the previously-inaccessible plateau in the north of East Rohan.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Book 10: Snows of Wildermore of '''Volume III: Allies of the King''' is released.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Updates to mounted combat.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Hobbit presents, daily free random items with the ability to unlock more rolls with mithril coins.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Lalia's Market, a shop where cosmetic clothing and dyes can be purchased with mithril coins.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/lalias-market|articlename=Lalia’s Market Now Open in Bree-town!|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

===Helm's Deep Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Helm's Deep]]''=
The fourth expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is named ''Helm's Deep''. The expansion was released on 20 November, 2013. <ref name="TenTonHammer">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.tentonhammer.com/lotro/news/turbine-temporarily-delays-lotro-helms-deep-launch|articlename=Updated: Turbine Temporarily Delays LOTROs Helms Deep Launch|dated=|website=www.tentonhammer.com|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref> After the Helm's Deep expansion, Turbine has discontinued for three years paid expansions in favor of quarterly updates with content free to VIPs. <ref name="Looking Ahead to 2014">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?535422-A-letter-from-Executive-Producer-Kate-Paiz-Looking-Ahead-to-2014|articlename=A letter from Executive Producer Kate Paiz - Looking Ahead to 2014|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 13: The Breaking of Isengard====
''The Breaking of Isengard'' is the thirteenth update and was released 14 April, 2014. <ref name="Update 13">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?546315-Update-13-The-Breaking-of-Isengard-%E2%80%93-Official-release-Notes|articlename=Update 13: The Breaking of Isengard – Official release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*Release of a new landscape consisting of post-[[Battle of Isengard]] Nan Curunir as well as the Entwood<ref name="Update 13"/>, an area consisting of the south-western part of Fangorn.
*The fourteenth and final book of Epic Volume III: Allies of the King, The Waters of Isengard.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/dev-diary-%E2%80%93-update-13-quest-notes|articlename=Dev Diary – Update 13 Quest Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Misty Mountains, North Downs and Trollshaws region revamps.<ref name="Update 13"/>
*Resizable inventory bags.<ref name="Update 13"/>
*Level scaling from level 20 up for players in the Ettenmoors and temporary Ettenmoors passes for free-to-play purchasable with Mithril Coins.<ref name="Update 13"/>

====Update 14: Paths of the Dead====
''Paths of the Dead'' is the fourteenth update and was released 14 July, 2014. <ref name="Update 14">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?552272-Update-14-Paths-of-the-Dead-Release-Notes-amp-Known-Issues|articlename=Update 14: Paths of the Dead - Release Notes & Known Issues |dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*Release of the West Gondor region, consisting of the areas the [[Paths of the Dead]], the [[Blackroot Vale]], [[Lamedon]], the Havens of [[Belfalas]], and [[Dol Amroth]]. <ref name="Update 14"/><ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/u14|articlename=Update 14: Paths of the Dead Now Available|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*A new Epic series,<ref name="Update 14"/> Volume IV: The Strength of Sauron, beginning with Book 1: The Road to Gondor.
*The Essence System, allowing specially slotted armors to be fitted with a variety of Essences for customizable stats.<ref name="Update 14"/>.
*Level cap increase to 100.<ref name="Update 14"/>
*The [[Dead Marshes]] region was added later in the minor Update 14.2, released September 15 2014. This area included a Session Play featuring Frodo, Samwise, and Gollum's passage through the marshes, casting the player character as Sam.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?555920-Update-14-2-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 14.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 15: Gondor Aflame====
''Gondor Aflame''<ref name="U15 Announcement">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/u15|articlename=Update 15: Gondor Aflame Now Available|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref> is the fifteeth update and was released 4 November, 2014. <ref name="Update 15">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?558300-Update-15-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 15 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*The region of Central Gondor, consisting of [[Ringló Vale]], [[Dor-en-Ernil]], [[Lebennin]] and [[Pelargir]].<ref name="U15 Announcement"/><ref name="Update 15"/>
*Beorning race and class.<ref name="U15 Announcement"/><ref name="Update 15"/>
*Epic Volume IV Book 2: The Dawnless Day.<ref name="Update 15"/>
*A new Epic Battle, Retaking Pelargir.<ref name="Update 15"/> Initially only available in solo/duo mode, a full fellowship version was released in 4 February, 2015 with Update 15.2.<ref name="Update 15.2">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?&postid=7312886|articlename=Update 15.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>
*Roving Threats, a new type of open landscape group content.<ref name="Update 15"/> Additional Roving Threats were added to other regions of the game beginning with Update 15.2<ref name="Update 15.2"/>

====Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath====
''Ashes of Osgiliath'' is the sixteenth update and was released 1 May, 2015.<ref name="Update 16">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?568045-Update-16-Ashes-of-Osgiliath-%E2%80%93-Official-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath – Official Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*The region of Eastern Gondor, consisting of Upper Lebennin, Lossarnach, South Ithilien and Osgiliath.<ref name="Update 16"/>
*Epic Volume IV Book 3: Voices of the Past.<ref name="Update 16"/>
*Cosmetic weapons and shields, more Roving Threats, and new PvMP map set in Osgiliath were released with Update 16.2 on 17 July, 2015. A new quest series of weekly episodic content, following the adventures of the Hobbit Bingo Boffin, was begun the Wednesday after the update, on 22 July.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?572512-Update-16-2-Release-Notes&p=7404279#post7404279|articlename=Update 16.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 17: The Siege of Minas Tirith====
''The Siege of Minas Tirith'' is the seventeenth update and was released 27 October, 2015.=

*The region of Old Anórien, including [[Minas Tirith]], the [[Pelennor Fields]], and Talath Anor.
*Epic Volume IV Book 4: Siege of the White City
*New crafting tier, hidden cosmetic weapon toggle.
*New Epic Battles: Defence of Minas Tirith, Hammer of the Underworld.

====Update 18: The Battle of Pelennor Fields====
''The Battle of Pelennor fields'' is the eighteenth update and was released 11 April 2016.=

*The region of Far Anórien, including [[Drúadan Forest|Taur Drúadan]], [[Warning beacons of Gondor|Beacon hills]], and the Pelennor Fields during the battle.
*Instance cluster including two 3-man instances (The Quays of the Harlond, The Blood of the Black Serpent), one 6-man instance (The Silent Street) and a 12-man raid (Throne of the Dread Terror).
*Epic Volume IV Book 5: The Ride of the Rohirrim and Book 6: The Battle of Pelennor Fields.

====Update 19: March of the King====
''March of the King'' is the nineteenth update and was released 14 October, 2016.=

*The region March of the King, including [[North Ithilien]], after battle Minas Tirith, after battle Osgiliath, and after battle Pelennor Fields.
*Flora barter system to exchange new gear for flowers.
*Epic Volume IV Book 7: March of the King.

====Update 20: Battle of the Black Gate====
''Battle of the Black Gate'' is the twentieth update and was released 21 March, 2017.=

*The region The Wastes, including Noman-lands, [[Slag-hills]] and [[Dagorlad]] which surround the [[Black Gate]].
*New reputation items to exchange for armour.
*Epic Volume IV Book 8: Battle of the Black Gate.

===Mordor Expansion===
''Mordor'' is the sixth expansion, and the twenty-first update, released on 2 August, 2017.=

*The region Plateau of [[Gorgoroth]] includes five different areas, [[Udûn]], Dor Amarth, Lhingris, Talath Urui, and Agarnaith.
*The conclusion of the Epic Questline (and Volume 4), with Book 9.
*A new series of quests, the "Black Book of Mordor", becomes the main storyline after the conclusion of the Epic Quests. There are four chapters introduced in this update.
*The Allegiance System is introduced, players can pledge to one of four factions to gain greater rewards in [[Mordor]]. They are the Kingdom of [[Gondor]], the Court of [[Lothlórien]], [[Durin's Folk]], and the Hobbits of the Company.
*A new instance cluster is introduced, featuring a 3-man instance (The Court of Seregost), a 6-man instance (The Dungeons of Naerband), and a 12-man raid (The Abyss of Mordath).

====Update 22: Legacy of the Necromancer====
''Legacy of the Necromancer'' is the twenty-second update, released on 6 March, 2018.=

*The new region "[[Eryn Lasgalen]] and the Dale-lands" (otherwise known as the "Strongholds of the North" or "Northern Mirkwood"), features the Forest of Eryn Lasgalen (including the [[Halls of the Elven-king]] (known as Felegoth), The Dale-lands (featuring iconic locations such as The [[Long Lake]], [[Lake-town]], [[Dale]], and [[Ravenhill]]), and [[Erebor]], the Lonely Mountain.
*Three new reputation factions are introduced; the "Elves of Felegoth", the "Men of Dale", and the "Dwarves of Erebor".
*The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new region.

====Update 23: Where Dragons Dwell====
''Where Dragons Dwell'' is the twenty-third update, released on 9 October, 2018.=

* The new area "The Dwarf-holds", consists of two areas; The [[Iron Hills]], and [[Ered Mithrin]]. An expanded area of [[Erebor]] is also opened.
* A new instance cluster is introduced, featuring two 3-man instances (Caverns of Thrumfall and Glimmerdeep), a six-man instance (Thikil-gundu), and a 12-man raid (The Anvil of Winterstith).
* The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new areas.

====Update 24: Vales of Anduin====
''Vales of Anduin'' is the twenty-fourth update, released on 4 June, 2019.=
* A new region, the [[Vales of Anduin]] was released, containing several key locations such as the Beorninghus ([[Beorn's Hall]]), The [[Carrock]], the [[Eagle's Eyrie]], the [[Gladden Fields]], [[Rhosgobel]], and various settlements of the [[Woodmen]].
* Update 24.2 brought the "Gladdenmere" sub-region to the Vales, along with a single six-man instance, "The Depths of Kidzul-kalah.
* The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new area, in addition to a "Prelude" to the Minas Morgul Expansion.

===Minas Morgul Expansion===
''Minas Morgul'' is the seventh expansion, released on 5 November, 2019.=

*The expansion consists of two new areas, "Mordor Besieged" consists of the upper half of [[Gorgoroth]] during the final stages of the [[Siege of Barad-dûr]] in the Second Age, and the [[Morgul Vale]], which consists of the areas between [[Ithilien]] to the west, and Gorgoroth to the east. The city of [[Minas Morgul]] is also available for exploration.
*A new playable race, the "Stout-axe dwarves", became available.
*New Crafting updates, including a new tier to crafting guilds.
*A new instance cluster taking place in the Morgul Vale, with four three-man instances, three six-man instances, and a raid, the Remmorchant, featuring battling with [[Shelob]] in [[Torech Ungol]].
*A new level cap of 130 is introduced.

====Update 26: Mists of Wilderland====
''Mists of Wilderland'' is the the twenty-sixth update, released on 23 April, 2020.=
* A new region, the Wells of Langflood was released, featuring the upper-lands of the [[Vales of Anduin]], and the merging of the [[Greylin]] and [[Langwell]] rivers into the Anduin. In addition, there is the [[beorning]] settlement of Limlok, the [[stoor]] village of Lyndelby, and the ruins of [[Framsburg]], once the capital of the [[Eotheod]].
* A new reputation faction, the "Protectors of Wilderland", situated in Limlok was introduced.
* A brand new epic questline, "The Legacy of Durin and the Trials of the Dwarves" is introduced to follow the Black Book of Mordor, and follows Prince Durin's efforts in leading the united dwarves to retake [[Mount Gundabad]] from the orcs who dwell there. Two initial chapters were released.

====Update 27: The Great Wedding====
''The Great Wedding'' is the twenty-seventh update, released on 30 June, 2020.=
* A new area, [[Minas Tirith]] (Midsummer), was introduced, situated after the destruction of the [[One Ring]], situated around the wedding of King [[Aragorn Elessar]] and [[Arwen Undomiel]].
* The [[Midsummer]] Festival was introduced, based in Midsummer Minas Tirith, featuring all new quests, items and deeds for players. In addition, the Summer and Farmer's Faire festivals were merged to make way for the Midsummer Festival.
* The Epic Questline continues with Volume V- The Peace of Middle-earth, in it's first book.

====Update 28: War of the Three Peaks====
''War of the Three Peaks'' is the eighth update, also called a "mini-expansion", released on 20 October, 2020.=
* A new area, Elderslade, is introduced, and features the lands north of the Wells of Langflood and west of the [[Ered Mithrin]], situated before the very gates of [[Mount Gundabad]].
* The Missions mechanic was introduced, allowing players of any level over 20 to aid Durin's war-effort, and gain rewards through one of two new reputation factions: The Gabil'akka.
* "The Legacy of Durin and the Trials of the Dwarves" continues with two new chapters, featuring the Battle of Elderslade, and the challenging of Gorgar the Ruthless, Lord of Gundabad, and son of [[Bolg]].

====Update 29: The Wildwood====
''The Wildwood'' was released on 27 March, 2021.=
* The Wildwood, a new zone, was released as part of the Bree-land starting at level 45. Includes new quests along with two reputation factions.
* New Missions were added for The Wildwood.
* The Bree-land map was updated accordingly.

====Update 30: Blood of Azog====
''Blood of Azog'' was released on 8 June, 2021.
* New Missions for new dwarf factions were released.
* "The Legacy of Durin" storyline continued with a flashback to [[Battle of Azanulbizar]]. The flashback is told by Hersegg, granddaughter of one of the heroes of that battle.
* The Fall of Khazad-dûm raid was also released with new gear to be earned. In this instance, players help the dwarves of Moria in TA 1981 in their final stand against Durin's Bane.
* This is the final content update before the next major expansion, ''Fate of Gundabad'', released on November 10th, 2021.

=====Update 30.3=====
''Update 30.3'' was released on 13 October, 2021.=
* This update did not contain any new quest content for the game, but did release several significant features leading up to The Fate of Gundabad expansion, along with smaller quality of life changes.
* The Brawler class was introduced to the game.
* A fully revamped Legendary Item system released publicly after many months of beta testing
* The housing system saw an update that removed the size signifiers for housing items, making it easier to customise player housing

===Fate of Gundabad Expansion===
''Fate of Gundabad'' was released on 10 November, 2021.

====Update 32: Rangers and Ruins====
''Rangers and Ruins'' was released on 16 February, 2022.

* A new raid, "The Hiddenhoard of Abnankâra", was released, featuring Prince Durin's final confrontation with Hrímil Frost-heart within the ancient treasury of the Greymaul Rebellion.
* A new premium housing area in the Abodes of [[Erebor]] was released, located within one of the last of [[Smaug|Smaug's]] treasure hoards.
* A new sub-region, the [[Angle (Eriador)|Angle of Mitheithel]] was released, filled with elven ruins, and the outposts of the [[Rangers of the North]].
* The new 'Legendary Item Rewards Track' was introduced to compliment the new Legendary Item System. Players use their item XP to gain special rewards to help increase the power of their items.

====Update 33: The Yondershire====
''The Yondershire'' was released on 20 April, 2022.
* This update was released alongside the 15 year celebration of ''Lord of the Rings Online''. This event runs from the 20th of April up until 12th of May.
* A new sub-region, "The Yondershire", was released, connecting the [[Ered Luin]] directly to the rest of Middle-earth for the first time. Hobbit villages such as [[Nobottle]], [[Tighfield]], [[Gamwich]], and [[Long Cleeve]] are also featured.
* All content including and prior to the Helm's Deep Expansion, including the Rune-keeper, Warden, and Beorning classes, as well as the High Elf race were made free and available to all players.

=Added Elements and Deviations from the Book=
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' does not only follow the story as told in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', but also tells original stories about events happening during the same time period as the War of the Ring. These chiefly involve player characters following the trail of the members of the Fellowship and other main characters from the text. As such, there are a number of elements that do not appear in any of the published works. This includes characters, lineages, objects and locations. A selection of these are described below.=

==Major Characters==
* '''[[Amarthiel]]''' served the [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]] during his first reign over [[Angmar]]<ref>In the game the Witch-king reigned over Angmar again shortly before the [[War of the Ring]].</ref> and wore the [[lesser rings|lesser ring]] [[Narchuil]]. She was slain by [[Narmeleth]] at the [[Battle of Fornost]] and her soul wandered [[Middle-earth]] for over a thousand years. She managed to possess Narmeleth and disguised herself as Sara Oakheart. She eventually revealed herself after the defeat of [[Mordirith]] by [[Golodir]] and becomes the Regent of Angmar.=

* '''[[Andraste]]''' was a female [[Men|Man]] who served the [[Witch-king]].

* '''[[Jon Brackenbrook]]''' was a [[Men|Man]] who was captain of [[Archet]].

* '''[[Ronald Dwale]]''' was a [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] from [[Dwalling]]. He was an author and a member of [[The Inklings (LOTRO)|the Inklings]], that meets in the [[The Eagle and Child|Bird and Baby Inn]]. He was based on [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] himself.

* '''[[Éogan]]''' was the second in command of the [[Blackwolds]] and took over leadership of the group after William Skunkwood's death.

*'''Gorgar the Ruthless''' was another descendent of Azog who led the Orcs of Gundabad against the Gabil'akka during the War of Three Peaks.

*'''Gorothul''' was a Black Numenorean sorcerer high in the ranks of [[Dol Guldur]].

* '''The Huntsman''' was a spirit found in [[Enedwaith]] who took the shape of a large man with horns of a stag. Many players thought this was [[Oromë]]. The developers confirmed that it wasn't Oromë but a [[Maiar|Maia]] of Oromë.<ref>[http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?359604-big-D-small-d&p=4996860&highlight=#post4996860 big D, small d] [[Jonathan Rudder]], lotro.com forums</ref>

* '''[[Ivar the Bloodhand]]''' was a Gaunt-lord from the [[First Age]].

*'''Karazgar''' was one of the [[Gúrzyul]] seeking to claim power in Mordor after Sauron's defeat.

*'''Mazog''' was a descendant of [[Azog]] and leader of the Orcs of Moria.

* '''[[Mordirith]]''' was the Steward of Angmar.

* '''[[Narmeleth]]''' was an elf maiden of [[Rivendell]] and daughter of [[Laerdan]]. She slew [[Amarthiel]] during the [[Battle of Fornost]] and became possessed by her soul over a thousand years later.

* '''[[Mundo Sackville-Baggins]]''' was a [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] who was mistakenly identified as having the ring.

* '''[[William Skunkwood]]''' was the leader of the [[Blackwolds]].

* '''[[Skorgrím]]''' was a dwarf and leader of the [[Dourhands]]. He was slain during the Battle of Edhelion. His corpse was used as a vehicle by Ivar the Bloodhand who possessed it with a fell spirit to trick the Dourhands to ally themselves with the forces of [[Angmar]].

* '''[[Sambrog]]''' was the Wight-lord of the [[Barrow-downs]].

==Groups==
* '''The [[Blackwolds]]''' were a group of [[Men|Mannish]] brigands from [[Bree-land]].=

* '''The [[Dourhands]]''' was a clan of dwarves aligned with the forces of [[Angmar]]. They were the dwarves that stayed behind to rebuild the Dwarven Halls in the [[Blue Mountains]] which were destroyed during the [[War of Wrath]].

*The '''Gúrzyul''' were powerful Black Númenoreans who served near the top of the chain of command in Mordor.

* '''The [[Inklings (Shadows of Angmar)|Inklings]]''' are a group of [[Hobbits|Hobbit]]-authors who discuss literature. They meet each other in the [[The Eagle and Child|Bird and Baby Inn]]. Prominent members are [[Ronald Dwale]] ([[J.R.R. Tolkien]]), [[Owen Farfield]] ([[Owen Barfield]]), [[Carlo Williams]] ([[Charles Williams]]) and [[Jack Lewisdown]] ([[C.S. Lewis]]). The group and members are based on the real [[Inklings]]

*'''The Iron Garrison''' was a group of Longbeard Dwarves that sought to find [[Balin]] and retake the Mines of Moria.

*'''The Stout-axes''' were a House of Dwarves lost to slavery in Mordor. They were eventually freed after the demise of Sauron.

*The '''Warriors Three''' were a trio of Rohirrim adventure seekers.

*'''The Zhelruka were an eastern House of Dwarves who migrated westward after the War of the Ring.

==Objects==
* '''[[Narchuil]]''' was one of the [[lesser rings]] forged by the elven-smiths during the [[Second Age]].=

* '''Zigilburk''' was a legendary [[mithril]] axe discovered in Moria by The Iron Garrison.

* '''The Vandassari''' were a set of stones brought from [[Numenor]] to Middle-earth. These are the Oath-stones with the power to hold those who swear upon them to their promises, such as the Stone of [[Erech]].

* '''The Black Book of Mordor''' was a mysterious text discovered in the Iron Hills.

==Locations==
* '''[[Agamaur]]''' was a vast swamp of the [[Lone-lands]]. It was a site of a major battle between [[Arthedain]], [[Cardolan]] and [[Rhudaur]]. To the west were the ruins of Ost Guruth, a fortress of [[Arnor]] claimed by the nomadic Eglain. To the east lay the ruins of Garth Agarwen, a fortress of Rhudaur ruled by [[Hill-men]] loyal to the mysterious Red Maid.=

* '''[[The Eagle and Child|Bird and Baby Inn]]''' was an inn in [[Michel Delving]].

* '''[[Esteldin]]''' was a ruin of Arnor in the [[North Downs]]. At the time of the [[War of the Ring]], it was used as a base of operations by the [[Rangers of the North]].

*'''[[Falathlorn]]''' was a green and beautiful region of the [[Ered Luin]] favored by the Elves. It contained the Elvish havens of Duillond and Celondim. Not far from this region were the chilly Low-lands, site of the Dwarvish cities Gondamon and Kheledul.

*'''[[Galtrev]]''' was one of the largest towns of [[Dunland]], the nominal capitol of the country.

*'''Lhanuch''' was a chief village among the [[Dunlending]] clans of [[Enedwaith]].

*'''Luntil's Ferry''' was a secret crossing of the River Anduin in [[Lossarnach]].

*'''[[Maur Tulhau]]''' was a [[Stoors|Stoorish]] Hobbit village in [[Enedwaith]] located in the forbidding Gloomgens. It was an remnant of the time when the Stoors lived in this region before most of their number moved north to [[The Shire]].

*'''Nar's Peak''' was a cleft along one of the spurs of the [[Misty Mountains]]. Thorin and some other exiles of [[Erebor]] dwelt for a time.

* '''[[Othrongroth]]''' was the oldest and largest Edain mound in the [[Barrow-downs]].

* '''[[Stangard]]''' was a [[Rohirrim]] settlement near the Great River [[Anduin]]. Its inhabitants were mostly exiles sent to protect [[Rohan]]'s outer borders.

* '''[[Tinnudir]]''' was an island in [[Lake Evendim]]. It was used as a headquarters by a group of Rangers called the Wardens of [[Annúminas]], protectors of the ancient capitol of Arnor.

*'''Wildermore''' was a small plateau in the northern portion of [[Eastemnet]]. It suffered an unnatural winter due to the machinations of Saruman.

*'''Woodsedge''' was one of the main towns of the [[Woodmen]] living in the Vales of [[Anduin]] at the edge of [[Mirkwood]].

=Active Worlds=
*[US]Arkenstone (Unofficial Oceanic)=
*[EU]Belegaer [DE-RP]
*[US]Brandywine
*[US]Crickhollow
*[EU]Evernight [EU]
*[US]Gladden
*[EU]Gwaihir [DE]
*[US]Landroval [EN-RE]
*[EU]Laurelin [Global-RP]
*[EU]Sirannon [FR]
*Anor [Legendary]
*Shadowfax [Legendary]
*Treebeard [Legendary]

==European servers==
The European servers were originally created and hosted by [[Codemasters]], but on [[1 June]] [[2011]] LOTRO Europe was taken over by Turbine, who are based in the Easter U.S. This arrangement continued with Standing Stone Games who currently host the European servers.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.casualstrolltomordor.com/2011/04/turbines-lotro-service-goes-global/|articlename=Turbine's LOTRO Service Goes Global|dated=24 April 2011|website=A Casual Stroll to Mordor|accessed=2 January 2012}}</ref>

European servers are further distinguished by language, French and German in particular

==Legendary Servers==
'''Legendary servers''' are special worlds with a progressive level cap. The first legendary server, Anor, was launched in 2018, while Ithil was opened shortly thereafter to accommodate congestion. Due to inactivity, Ithil was eventually closed in 2021.

In fall of 2021, two new Legendary servers were announced. Both would follow the previous legendary model, by starting at the original level cap of 50 and slowly expanding from there, but each had its own take on progression. The Shadowfax server gave players 50% more experience points than the standard servers, while Treebeard slowed experience point gain y 70%. Each server would also receive expansions at a different pace, with Shadowfax gaining expansions more quickly than Treebeard.

==Roleplay Servers==
To encourage players who wish to enjoy the game as their characters, some servers have been designed RP as roleplaying servers. In these worlds, it is expected that most players will interact together as the characters they have made, imagining themselves as actually being in Middle-earth. As a special case Landroval is designed RE, roleplay encouraged.=

==Closed Worlds==
Over time, due to shifting player populations, worlds have been consolidated. Players transfer their characters to a new world and the old server is then closed. Below is a list of closed worlds.
*[RU] Fornost
*[RU] Mirkwood
*[RU] Aglarond
*[US] Vilya
*[EU] Maiar [DE]
*[US] Firefoot
*[US] Meneldor
*[US] Windfola
*[EU] Morthond [DE]
*[EU] Gilrain [UK]
*[US] Nimrodel
*[EU] Withywindle [UK]
*[EU] Vanyar [DE]
*[US] Dwarrowdelf
*[US] Riddermark
*[EU] Anduin [DE]
*[EU] Estel [FR-RP]
*[EU] Eldar
*[US] Imladris
*[US] Silverlode
*[US] Elendilmir (Oceanic)
*[EU] Snowbourn [UK]
*Ithil [Legendary]

=License=
For ''The Lord of the Rings Online'', [[Turbine]] (and subsequently Standing Stone Games) has licensed the rights to the content and lore of ''[[The Hobbit]]'' and ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. Turbine does not have license rights to the [[New Line Cinema]] film trilogy nor ''[[The Silmarillion]]'', ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'', ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'' books or ''[[The Children of Húrin]]''.=

=Reception=
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' has been received very positively thus far, as reviews continue to appear since the game's initial release.<ref>[http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/middleearthonline Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, The - Review] metacritic.com</ref>==

GameDaily awarded the game 9/10, praising its rich, fantasy-themed universe, well-integrated trait and title system, and a story that remains true to the works of Tolkien. Yahoo! Video Games wrote a review with few negative mentions, awarding the game a score of 4/5,<ref>[http://videogames.yahoo.com/gamereview?cid=1990963744&tab=reviews&page=0&eid=513259 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] Yahoo! Games</ref> while ''Computer and Video Games'' called the game an essential purchase for ''Lord of the Rings'' fans, scoring the game a 9.2/10.<ref>[http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=161846&skip=yes PC Review: Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] ''Computer and Video Games''</ref> Eurogamer scored the game a 9.0/10, calling it tough to resist.<ref>[http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=75657 Review - Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] Eurogamer</ref> Gamespy gave it 4.5/5 stars, claiming the game "opened up Middle-Earth to the masses" but commented negatively on its weak PvP content,<ref>[http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/lord-of-the-rings-online-shadows-of-angmar/785884p1.html The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] GameSpy</ref> while GameTrailers awarded it 8.5/10,<ref>[http://www.gametrailers.com/gamepage.php?id=754 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] Game Trailers</ref> citing its interesting tweaks to the MMO genre. IGN.com ranked it a similar 8.6/10, praising it for its solid experience, though criticizing it for its lack of major improvements to the genre.<ref>[http://pc.ign.com/articles/787/787942p3.html The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] IGN</ref> GamerNode.com awarded the game an 8.8/10, calling it the best MMO launch experience since ''Ultima Online''.<ref>[http://www.gamernode.com/PC/Reviews/2848-Lord-of-the-Rings-Online-Review/index.html Lord of the Rings Online] GamerNode</ref> The ''New York Times'' called the game "a major achievement of interactive storytelling, the first game truly worthy of the ‘Lord of the Rings' franchise and a must-play for just about anyone with an interest in Tolkien or the future of online entertainment."<ref>[http://lotro.turbine.com/article/356 Lord of the Rings Online Press Release] Lord of the Rings Online</ref> In a GameSpot review, the product was awarded an 8.3/10, praising its appealing polish and intriguing Monster Play feature.<ref>[http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/middleearthonline/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=topten&tag=topten;all;score;5 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar for PC Review] GameSpot</ref> Gamepro.com's review gave it an overall 4.25/5, pointing out how engaging the epic quests are, as well as how faithful to the novels the game managed to stay.<ref>[http://gamepro.com/computer/pc/games/reviews/112000.shtml Review: The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar for PC] Gamepro</ref> GameSpy declared ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' 'Game of the Month' for May 2007.<ref>[http://uk.gamespy.com/articles/795/795353p2.html Game of the Month: May 2007] GameSpy</ref>

=Awards=

In August 2007, Codemasters announced that ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' had received five Golden Joystick Awards nominations for the five applicable categories for the game,<ref>[http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6925679.stm Music and vice top games awards] BBC News</ref> and in October 2007 that it had won the "PC Game of the Year" at these awards.<ref>[http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7693&Itemid=2 Gears Wins Big at Game Awards] Next-Generation</ref> and again won the same award on October 2008. In December 2007, GameSpy awarded ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' 6th place in the top 10 PC games of 2007.<ref>[http://goty.gamespy.com/2007/pc/6.html GameSpy's Game of the Year 2007] GameSpy</ref> On December 18, Turbine announced it had also won the GameSpy MMO of the Year award.<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/article/476 LOTRO Wins Top Honors from Gamespy!] Lord of the Rings Online</ref> In January 2009, mmorpg.com awarded Turbine both MMORPG studio of the year 2008<ref>[http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/45/feature/2574/Best-MMO-Studio-of-2008-Winner MMORPG.com Best MMO Studo of 2008] mmorpg.com</ref>, and MMO Expansion of the Year for ''Mines of Moria''.<ref>[http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/45/feature/2579 MMORPG.com Best Expansion of 2008] mmorpg.com</ref>

=Subscription Model=
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Free to Play.png|300px|thumb]]=
In North America, players who pre-ordered the game were offered a special founder's offer, a lifetime subscription for $199 or reduced cost of $9.99 per month. Standard monthly fee is $14.99 with three, six, twelve month, and lifetime discounts available. European players had a similar program from Codemasters.

A Holiday subscription was available in December of 2007 and January of 2008 for $9.99/month for a 3 month commitment. A one year anniversary addition includes a $9.99/month subscription or a $199.99 Lifetime subscription, which was again offered during the lead up to the release of Mines of Moria.

Warner Bros. announced on June 4, 2010 that Lord of the Rings Online will offer a free-to-play model starting in the fall of 2010.<ref>[http://turbine.com/news/105-warner-bros-interactive-entertainment-announces-the-lord-of-the-rings-online-to-adopt-global-free-to-play-model.html Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Announces The Lord of the Rings Online™ to Adopt Global Free-to-Play Model] Turbine, Inc</ref> On August 18, 2010, Warner Bros. announced that the free-to-play model would go live on September 10, 2010. On October 21, 2010, [[Codemasters]] announced that a preview of Free-to-Play would be available in Europe on October 25, 2010.<ref>[http://community.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=10839&pagename=news&type=news The Lord of the Rings Online Europe Preview Event]</ref>

=External Links=
* '''[http://lotro.com Official website]'''=
** '''[http://forums.lotro.com/ LOTRO Community Forums]''': The official ''Lord of the Rings Online'' forums
* '''[http://lotro-wiki.com LoTRO-Wiki]''': The most complete source of information for the game
* '''[http://lotroplayers.com LoTRO Players]''': Long-running news site and podcast
* '''[http://www.dadislotroguides.com Dadi's LOTRO Guides]''': Useful guides for various game systems.

{{notes}}
{{references}}

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[[Category:The Lord of the Rings Online| ]]
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The Lord of the Rings Online

2022-05-10T00:50:17Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Update 32: Rangers and Ruins */

{{cleanup}}
{{disambig-more|The Lord of the Rings|[[The Lord of the Rings (disambiguation)]]}}
{{video game infobox| image=[[Image:Lotro logo.png|250px]]| name=The Lord of the Rings Online| developer=[[Turbine|Turbine, Inc.]] (2007-2016)
[[Standing Stone Games]] (2016-Present)|
publisher=[[Midway Games]]
[[Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment]] (2010-2016)
[[Daybreak Game Company]] (2016-Present)
| platform=Microsoft Windows, OS X (Beta)| releasedate=April 24, [[2007]]| genre=MMORPG| modes=| rating=| distribution=}}
'''''The Lord of the Rings Online''''' (commonly abbreviated to '''LOTRO''' or '''LotRO''') is an MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) for PC and OS X that takes place in the world of [[Arda]] during the time of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]].'' It was originally branded as '''The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar''', but with later updates, that subtitle was dropped.

The players take on the role of adventurers of the [[Free peoples|Free Peoples]] of [[Middle-earth]]. The events of the game are concurrent with the events of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' but most of the game revolves around events that occurred elsewhere or in the wake of events in the books. The game draws inspiration from people, places and events only mentioned in the books, combining these with original concepts to expand on parts of Middle-earth Tolkien did not. The main quest series of the game, known as Epic Quests, are divided into volumes, books and chapters, emulating the structure of ''The Lord of the Rings''.

There have been many expansions to the original game, including: Mines of Moria (2008), Siege of Mirkwood (2009), Rise of Isengard (2011), Riders of Rohan (2012), Helm's Deep (2013) Mordor (2017), Minas Morgul (2019), and Fate of Gundabad (2021) with regular updates, adjustments, and "mini-expansions" in between.

==Development==
{{rewrite}}

Development of ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' began in 1998, when [[Sierra Entertainment|Sierra]] started work on a game called ''Middle-earth Online''. Following [[Vivendi|Vivendi Universal Games]]' takeover of Sierra in 1999, the game's production was shared with [[Turbine]]. Turbine secured the rights of the entire game in March 2004,<ref>[http://www.videogamer.com/news/turbine_spin_into_action_to_secure_tolkien_license.html Turbine spin into action to secure Tolkien license - VideoGamer.com]</ref> and it was renamed to ''The Lord of the Rings Online''. It was originally subscription-based, but later became free-to-play with optional paid subscription and microtransactions.

A closed beta was announced on [[8 September]], [[2006]]. An open beta began on [[30 March]], [[2007]], and was open to all who pre-ordered the game's Founders Club edition. In April [[2007]], the beta opened to the public. In 2010, the monetization model of the game changed to allow a free-to-play experience. Subscribers were given benefits for their patronage, while all players could access the game for free, but with certain limitations. In 2016 development of the game was handed off to a new spin-off company formed specifically to maintain LOTRO and 'Dungeons & Dragons Online': Standing Stone Games.

As an online game, development continues with regular enhancements, additions, and changes to mechanics and game systems.



==Gameplay==
===Characters===
''Main article: [[Character Classes (LOTRO)]]''

Like many RPGs, ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' has a system of character classes and levels. Each character chooses a race and a class on character creation, this cannot be changed. Players are able to play as any of the [[Free Peoples]] - [[Elves]], [[Men]], [[Dwarves]], [[Hobbits]], [[Beornings]], [[Stout-axe]] Dwarves, or [[High Elves]]. Male or female characters can be created, except in the case of Dwarves. As per Tolkien, Dwarf-women are very rare and seldom leave their mountain halls, though the addition of Stout-axe dwarves as a playable race in 2019 allowed players to create dwarf-women. There is no difference in appearance male and female Stout-axes. There are eleven classes: Beorning, Brawler, Burglar, Captain, Champion, Guardian, Hunter, Lore-master, Minstrel, Rune-keeper, and Warden.

Customization of the character's abilities can be done by changing equipment and traits. As of the [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Helm.27s Deep Expansion|Helm's Deep expansion]], class traits work on a tree system, with each class having three "trait trees" where traits can be selected with earned points and unlocking enough traits in a particular tree allows higher-level traits to be selected and applies additional bonus. In addition to class traits are racial traits, such as Men being able to slot a trait to do additional damage with swords or Hobbits being able to slot a trait that allows them to throw a stone, and virtue traits which boost the character's stats.

Levels are significant, with much lower level enemies being extremely easy to defeat and much higher level enemies being nearly impossible to defeat. Each region has enemies and quests with a range of levels usually consecutive to those of an adjacent region. Quests over five levels above the character's level are inaccessible. In addition to being able to complete quest and defeat enemies in more locations, characters gain access to additional equipment, skills, traits and instances as they level up. Levels are increased by gaining experience, which is earned by completing quests and instances, defeating enemies of an appropriate level, and crafting.

===World===
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is an "open-world" game in which most locations that have been released can be freely accessed on an open landscape (although some places, such as Moria, require certain quests to be completed first.) The game world is split into "lands", large areas of Middle-Earth. As of Update 21, the four lands in the game are [[Eriador]], [[Rhovanion]], [[Gondor]], and [[Mordor]]. Each land is in turn divided into regions, e.g. [[Bree-land]] in Eriador, and each region contains areas, e.g. [[Andrath]] within Bree-land.

Although most of the land is available to all for exploration, most regions require non-VIPs to purchase a quest pack to access quests, deeds and instances associated with that region. A few regions, such as East and West Rohan, require expansion packs to be purchased to unlock content, even for VIPs. Each region is generally seen as it was in a certain time in the War of the Ring, for example Lothlórien is visited by the player at the same time as the [[Fellowship of the Ring]] rested there, and [[Pelargir]] just after [[Aragorn]] liberated the city from the [[Corsairs of Umbar]].

Reddit users /u/lallapalalable and /u/exploderator estimated the total size of the map at no more than 250 square km (97 square miles) in 2017, making it one of the largest game maps ever made.<ref>{{webcite|author=/u/lallapalalable|articleurl=http://www.reddit.com/r/lotro/comments/60j1ul/been_trying_to_calculate_the_area_of_the_map/|articlename=Been trying to calculate the area of the map|dated=20 March 2017|website=Reddit|accessed=29 October 2020}}</ref>

===Quests===
Much of the game's completable content is in the form of quests. Quests consist of a series of objectives, often including speaking with NPCs, defeating certain enemies, and recovering certain items from the ground or from defeated enemies. Most quests have a small number of objectives but may unlock additional quests upon completion to form a quest chain. Quests are usually started by started by speaking with a particular Non-Player Character (NPC), indicated with a ring icon above the NPC's head. The forms of ring icons and what they indicate are as follows:

*Gold ring with blue aura: the NPC has a quest that is approximately appropriate for the character's level.
*Gold ring with blue aura and fiery inscription: the NPC must be spoken with to advance the quest.
*Bright gold ring: the NPC has an Epic quest available.
*Gold ring with orange flames: the NPC must be spoken to to advance the Epic quest.
*Blue ring and quill: the NPC has a comment about an active quest, speaking to the NPC will not advance the quest but may give additional information.
*Gold ring with hourglass: the NPC has a quest with a cooldown, the player must wait for the cooldown to expire before accepting the quest.
*Silver ring: the NPC has a quest that is too high level for the player to accept at that level.
*Transparent grey ring: the NPC has a "trivial" quest, one far below the player's level.
*Gold ring with anvil: the NPC has a crafting quest, and involves the crafting system in some way.
*Gold ring with sword: The NPC has an allegiance quest; quests that are unique to the Mordor Expansion.*Gold ring with map: The NPC has a missions quest; quests that are unique to Missions-related quests.

Some quests are started by obtaining unique items dropped from specific enemies. The [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Riders of Rohan Expansion|Riders of Rohan expansion]] introduced auto-bestowed quests, which bring up a quest prompt when the player defeats a specific type of enemy or finds a certain location. Such enemies are marked with ring icons similarly to how NPC quest givers are. Players have the option of accepting these quests automatically or choosing to manually accept or decline each prompt. Most landscape quests can only be completed once, some special landscape quests and most instance quests can be completed once a day any number of times, and a few landscape quests can be repeated at any time up to a certain number of times.

Quests are categorized according to what area, instance or other section they are associated with. Of note are the Epic Quests, a series that tells the main storyline of the game. In imitation of [[The Lord of the Rings|the Lord of the Rings book]], the epic quests are divided into Volumes, which are divided into Books which in turn are divided into Chapters. Each Chapter is usually an individual quest. Epic Quests bring the player through the landscape but are considered apart from it, therefore most Epic Quests are available to all players regardless of whether or not any quest packs are unlocked. A notable exception is the end of Volume III: Allies of the King, which requires purchase of the Helm's Deep expansion to complete. The Black Book of Mordor, the new main storyline for quests after the Epic Books, has eight chapters, all spanning various areas in Middle Earth including [[Mordor]], the Strongholds of the North, the [[Iron Hills]], and the [[Ered Mithrin]].

===Deeds===
Deeds are non-repeatable achievements recorded on an interface window called the Deed Log. Common deed objectives include completing a certain number of quests in a particular area or region (Quest Deeds), defeating a certain number of enemies of a specific type in a particular region (Slayer Deeds), discovering specified locations (Explorer Deeds), and reaching the next tier of reputation with a faction. Most Deeds award Turbine points. Deeds in a particular region usually award reputation in that region's faction. Deeds also commonly reward marks, virtues, and titles.

===Instances===
Instances are locations in the game separated from the open landscape, not accessible through normal travel. Instances can take place in either separate versions of the locations available on the landscape (for example, Pelargir while Aragorn's host retakes it from the corsairs) or in locations not accessible anywhere else (such as Dale). Most instances are private instances, that is, only one player or group of players can enter it and it closes when they complete it, while public instances can be joined at any time by any number of separate players. They are often repeatable, with ones associated with landscape quests being replayable through a Reflecting Pool in the associated region and others accessible through the Instance Finder window. Most private instances have associated quests automatically bestowed upon entering the instance and cancelled upon exiting.

===Fellowships and Kinships===
Most open landscape content and associated instances are designed to be completable by a solo player, while some locations in the game and Instance Finder instances are meant for a team of players. A group of players with a maximum size of six is known as a fellowship. For larger groups, a raid of up to four fellowships can be formed, for a maximum group size of 24 players. Players are free to group on the open landscape and in public instances, but private instances have a limit on how many players may enter.

Players can found and join lasting organizations known as Kinships in the game. Players in a kinship can communicate in their own kinship chat channel to socialize and plan events with their fellow members.

===Monster Play===
The game is primarily Player vs. Environment (PvE), with most combat being player characters against computer controlled enemies found throughout the landscape and instances. However in the [[Ettenmoors]] region, players can participate in Player vs. Monster Player battles (PvMP). Players can create Monster characters that only have access to PvMP areas where they battle standard characters, who fight on the side of the Free Peoples. Each monster player class is limited to a specific race. The monster classes are the Blackarrow (Uruk), Defiler (Orc), Reaver (Orc), Stalker (Warg), Warleader (Uruk), and Weaver (Spider) As of [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath|Update 16.2]] a new PvMP area, set in Osgiliath before Boromir's journey to Rivendell and accessed via a banner in the Ettenmoors, was released.



Towns and settlements provide Vendors where players can purchase or repair their armour, weapons, and supplies. Towns also often include Mailboxes, Auction Halls, Class Trainers, Forge-masters, Relic-masters, and Stable-masters who allow swift travel between regions.

The player interface allows other aspects of gameplay such as Character screens, Quest and Deed Logs, a Social Panel where players can interact, and a Crafting panel where players use skills to craft new items.

==Releases, Updates, and Expansions==
===Shadows of Angmar===
:{{Main|The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar}}
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar|Shadows of Angmar]]'' was released on [[24 April]], [[2007]]. It included books 1 through 8 of Epic Volume I: Shadows of Angmar. Approximately once every two months a major free update was added to ''The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar''. Each update added a new book to the volume.

====Book 9: Shores of Evendim====
{{#ev:youtubehd|VOEcXrbG4OI|200|thumb}}
The first free content update was released on 14 June, 2007.<ref>[http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=3611&pagename=home&search=yes&keyword=Book%209 Book 9: Shores of Evendim Release Date Announced]</ref>

Updates included:
*A new region - [[Evendim]] - is added, including locations like [[Annúminas]].<ref name="book9">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/news/pressreleases/136-book-9-shores-of-evendim-release-date-announced|articlename=Book 9: Shores of Evendim Release Date Announced!|dated=5 June 2007|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
*The epic story is expanded with book 9, Shores of Evendim<ref name="book9"/>
*100 new quests are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*A 24-player raid is added, ''Battle for Helegrod''.<ref name="book9"/>
*Nine new monsters are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*New Collectible armour sets are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*Updates to the music system.<ref name="book9"/>

====Book 10: The City of Kings====

The second free-content update was released on 21 August, 2007 in North America and on 24 August, 2007 in Europe.<ref>| [http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=3949&pagename=home&search=yes&keyword=Book%209 Codemasters Online and Turbine unveil Book 10: The City of the Kings]</ref>

Updates included:
*Continuation of the Story Line.
*Legendary Play – Players can now use Destiny Points to play as a Ranger of the North or as a Troll.
*Critter Play – Players can now explore Middle-earth from a different viewpoint as a chicken.
*New Reputation and Bartering Systems – The Reputation system enables players to earn positive and negative standing with different races and groups in Middle-earth based on both monster kills and quest completions. The Bartering system allows players to trade trophies earned in battle for rewards, such as armour sets or mounts.
*Over 100 new Quests.
*More customizable user interface.

====Book 11: Prisoner of the Free Peoples====

The third free-content update was released on 24 October, 2007 in North America<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/article/430 Turbine and Codemasters Online Gaming to Unveil Book 11: Defenders of Eriador for The Lord of the Rings Online]</ref> and 25 October in Europe.<ref>[http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=4661&articletype=News Codemasters Online and Turbine to unveil Book 11: Defenders of Eriador]</ref>

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_11_Official complete release notes]):
*Continuation of the Epic Story arc, including 13 quests.
*Player housing – players will be able to customize their houses with items such as furniture and doormats.
*Second raid called "The Rift" – 12-player raid in which players encounter a [[Balrogs|Balrog]] for the first time. Turbine has stressed that this is not the [[Durin's Bane|Balrog from Khazad-dûm]].<ref>[http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=287 Book 11 Preview: The Balrogs are Coming]</ref>
*Two new areas – Tâl Bruinen in the Trollshaws, where [[Gollum]] will be introduced for the first time, and Goblin-town in the [[Misty Mountains]], featured in ''The Hobbit''.
*More than 100 new quests.

====Book 12: The Ashen Wastes====

The fourth free content update was released on 13 February, 2008 in North America; and 14 February, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_12_Official complete release notes]):
*Continuation of the Story Line.
*Character customization - Increased character customization "ranging from haircuts, to some (possible) additions to the trait-system." In addition, the Outfit system, along with special social clothing designed just for it, will be introduced where a second or third set of clothing can be slotted and displayed while retaining the statistical bonuses of the currently equipped items.<ref>[http://lotro.stratics.com/content/hoclog/hoc10.php Lord of the Rings Online: House of Commons ]</ref>
*The Delving of Frór - A new Monster Play PVE (and PVMP under certain circumstances) area was introduced: An expanse of caves and catacombs located beneath the Ettenmoors.
*The Great Angmar Revamp - A revamp of the most high-level region of the game's current 9 PvE regions. The revamp included the reworking of many quests, areas and other changes, such as new horse routes.
*Barbershop - You can customize the look of your avatar in-game with around 50 new haircuts and second set of details.
*Updates to the Burglar, Guardian, and Champion classes.

====Book 13: Doom of the Last-King====

The fifth free content update was released on 24 April, 2008 in North America and on 1 May, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_13_Official complete release notes]):
*A new playable map area: the Ice Bay of [[Forochel]].
*Players being able to see the ocean for the first time, confirmed as the Ice Bay of Forochel in recent developer chats.
*Fishing - the first of a new system in ''Lord of the Rings Online'', called 'hobbies'.
*New PVMP Monster Healing Class - Orc Defiler.
*Looking For Fellowship- and Quest-panel improvements.

====Book 14: The Ring-forges of Eregion====

The sixth free content update was released on 22 July, 2008 in North America. It was released on 24 July, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_14_Official complete release notes]):
*Climax of the "Shadows of Angmar" storyline.
*Added selected sections of [[Eregion]] (Region leading towards the Gates of Moria).
*Epic Quest events that will allow interaction between players regardless of server.
*Prelude quests for and leading up to the ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria|Mines of Moria]]'' expansion, which would have updates leading to Lothlórien, Fangorn, Rhovanion and Rohan.

====Book 15: Daughter of Strife====

The seventh free content update was released on 18 November, 2008. This update was released in tandem with the Mines of Moria expansion for players who did not purchase the expansion release.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Category:Epic_-_Vol._I,_Book_15:_Daughter_of_Strife_Quests Epic - Vol. I, Book 15: Daughter of Strife Quests epic]):
*Conclusion of the "Shadows of Angmar" storyline.
*Added the zone of Eregion expanding on the selected sections from Book 14. The zone does not include the Hollin Gate leading to the Black Pool.
*Added UI enhancements

===Mines of Moria Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria]]''
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria|Mines of Moria]]'' was released on [[18 November]], [[2008]]. It included Vol. II books 1 through 6 of the epic quest line. Like ''Shadows of Angmar'', ''Mines of Moria'' continued to regularly release updates. Updates were less frequent than Shadows of Angmar.

====Book 7: Leaves of Lórien====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Leaves of Lórien.png|thumb|300px]]Book 7 was released on [[17 March]] [[2009]]. This update included:
* Continuation of the Epic Storyline in Book 7, Leaves of Lórien.<ref name="book7">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/book-spotlights/342-vol2book7|articlename=Volume II: Book 7: Leaves of Lórien Spotlight|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
* Expansion of the Lothlórien Area, including [[Caras Galadhon]].<ref name="book7"/>
* A new raid, named ''Strange Happenings'', has been added.<ref name="book7"/>
* The [[Galadhrim]] are added as a new reputation faction.<ref name="book7"/>
* Crafting instances enable players to gather resources.<ref name="book7"/>
* The Ered Luin Introduction and, on lesser scale, the Bree-land Introduction are revamped.<ref name="book7"/>
* Several new Monster Play emotes are added.<ref name="book7"/>

====Book 8: Scourge of Khazad-dum====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Scourge of Khazad-Dûm.png|thumb|300px]]Book 8 was released on 23 June, 2009. This update included:
*Book 8, Scourge of Khazad-dûm, continues the epic story.<ref name="book8">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/book-spotlights/421-vol2-book8|articlename=Volume II: Book 8: Scourge of Khazad-dûm|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
* A radiance-gated multi-boss, 12-man raid - named ''Dar Narbugud'' is added.<ref name="book8"/>
* One 6-man instance is added: ''The Halls of Crafting''.<ref name="book8"/>
* Two 3-man instances are added:
** ''Lumul-nar''<ref name="book8"/>
** ''Nala-dum''<ref name="book8"/>
* Continuation of the revamp of the Bree-land Introduction.<ref name="book8"/>
* The Crafting system has been revived.<ref name="book8"/>

===Siege of Mirkwood Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood]]''=
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood|Siege of Mirkwood]]'' was released on 1 December, 2009 in North America and 3 December, 2009 in Europe. Unlike the second expansion this edition was only available via a web-based download. It included Book 9 and the epilogue of Volume II: Mines of Moria.

Kate Paiz, Executive Producer for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'', released a letter on 22 October, 2010 stating that updates will be more frequent but will not always be accompanied with a new book continuing the epic story.<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/866-producers-letter-october-2010 Producer's Letter, October-2010] lotro.com, Dev Diaries</ref>

====Book 1: Oath of the Rangers====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Oath of the Rangers.png|300px|thumb]]=
Book 1 was released on [[1 March]], [[2010]].<ref> [http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?t=320404 Volume III: Allies of the King has arrived!]</ref>

Updates include ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Volume_3_Allies_of_the_King_Official complete release notes]):
* The beginning of Volume III in the epic storyline.
* The ability to solo the Volume I epic storyline.
* A duo mode for most skirmishes.

====Book 2: Ride of the Grey Company====

Book 2 was released on [[10 September]], [[2010]] in North America. ([[8 September]], [[2010]] for subscribers). It was delayed in Europe because of contractual reasons and was finally released on [[2 November]], almost two months after North America.<ref>[http://massively.joystiq.com/ Massively], [http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/v-e-me-day-lotro-europe-announces-launch-date-for-free-to-play/ V-E-ME Day: LotRO Europe announces launch date for free-to-play], dated [[29 October]], [[2010]] (accessed [[11 November]], [[2011]])</ref>

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Volume_3_Book_2_Official complete release notes]):

* New region: [[Enedwaith]].
* ''Lord of the Rings Online'' Free to Play subscription.
* Book 2 in the Volume III epic storyline.
* Scalable instances.
* Improvements to the vault, and a new wardrobe system for cosmetic items.
* Updates to the Captain class.
* The LOTRO store, where players may purchase convenience items. Points either earned through gameplay, through the VIP program or by being purchased.
* The introduction of Lua Scripting.
* DirectX 11 support.
* Ranger session play.

====Update 1: Journey to Winter-Home====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 1 Journey to Winter-Home.png|300px|thumb]]In 2010, LOTRO altered its monetization model and became "free-to-play." The first post Free-to-play update was released in November 2010. Due to changes to how updates work this did not contain an epic book.=

Updates included:

* A Barter Wallet for skirmish marks and anniversary tokens.
* Opening of Moria, Lothlorien, Mirkwood and Enedwaith to free-to-play players. Volume II and Volume III will also be available, as well the legendary item system, and the level 65 level cap all to free-to-play players.
* Vault improvements.
* Tasks: a new quest type for all levels.
* Improved reputation mounts.
* Updates to the Lore-master and Rune-keeper classes.
* Ered Luin starting area revamp.

====Update 2: Echoes of the Dead====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 2 Echoes of the Dead.png|300px|thumb]]The first update of 2011 was released on [[21 March]] in the United States and [[24 March]] for Europe.

Updates included:

* Two 3-man's, two 6-man's, and a 12-person raid were added for level 65 players.
* A special item required to craft a First Age weapon which drops from the above raid.
* Radiance was removed.
* Legendary Items were updated.
* Character panel and cosmetic system were revamped.
* The Minstrel, Hunter and Burglar classes were updated.
* Volume III Book 3: Echoes of the Dead was added.
* Volume II was revamped and made soloable, including three instances which have been converted to skirmishes.
* Improvements to the PvP starter tutorial.
* [[Evendim]] was revamped, with [[Annúminas]] being scaled down to level 40.

====Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 3 Lost Legends of Eriador.png|300px|thumb]]''Lost Legends of Eriador'' was the third update. It was released on [[23 May]], [[2011]] and included: ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Update_3,_Lost_Legends_of_Eriador,_Official complete release notes]):=

* Two new 3-man scalable instances starting mid-game.
* Two new skirmishes.

===Rise of Isengard Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard]]''=
The third expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is entitled ''Rise of Isengard''. The expansion was made available on 27 September, 2011 and only as a digital download.<ref>[http://isengard.lotro.com/ The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard Official Homepage]</ref>

====Update 5: Armies of Isengard====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 5 Armies of Isengard.png|220px|thumb]]''Armies of Isengard'' was the first update published after the release of ''The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard''. It was released on [[12 December]] [[2011]] and included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Update_5,_Armies_of_Isengard,_Official complete release notes]):=

* Four new instances and a 12-man raid in and around [[Isengard]].
* Book 5: The Prince of Rohan of '''Volume III: Allies of the King''' is released.
* A new Instance finder, to form groups more easily.
* Barter currencies of skirmishes, classic and instances are unified.
* Changes to Reputation items.

====Update 6: Shores of the Great River====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 6 The Great River.png|220px|thumb]]''Shores of the Great River'' is the sixth update and was released on [[12 March]] [[2012]].<ref name="Update6&Riders"> {{webcite|author=Justin Olivetti|articleurl=http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/riding-into-rohan-lotro-maps-out-2012/|articlename=Riding into Rohan: LotRO maps out in 2012|dated=25 January 2012|website=Massively|accessed=29 January 2012}}</ref><ref name="Update6">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/game-manual/1775-update-6-great-river|articlename=Update 6 Great River|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>

*A new region, the [[Anduin|The Great River]], was added, featuring seven new areas - including Parth Celebrant - in the upper [[Anduin]]. <ref name="Update6"/>
*Mists of Anduin, Book 6 of Volume III, was released, in which the player seeks the wisdom of [[Galadriel]] about troubling dreams and fights [[Easterlings]], Brigands and an ancient enemy of Rohan.<ref name="Update6"/>
*The ability to summon skirmish warriors outside skirmishes.<ref name="Update6"/>
*Updates to the Instance finder.<ref name="Update6"/>
*Currency-change in Monster Play: "Destiny" will be replaced with "Commendations". Commendations will be available for both Freeps and Creeps.<ref name="MP Currency change">{{webcite|author=Jaret Pruett|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/1776-update-6-commendations-developer-diary|articlename=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/1776-update-6-commendations-developer-diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>

====Update 7: Shades of the Past====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 7 Shades of the Past.png|thumb|220px]]''Shades of the Past'' is the seventh update<ref name="Update 7">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/1966|articlename=Update 7|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=12 May 2012}}</ref> and was released on 14 May, 2012.{{fact}}=

*Continuation of the aforementioned currency-change.<ref name="MP Currency change"/>
*A new skirmish, "Storm on Methedras."<ref name="Update 7"/>
*Revamp of the Fornost instance and Moria region.<ref name="Update 7"/>

===Riders of Rohan Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Riders of Rohan]]''=
The fourth expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is named ''Riders of Rohan''. The expansion was released on October 15, 2012. <ref name="Turbine">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/news/pressreleases/1736-warner-bros-interactive-entertainment-and-turbine-unveil-the-lord-of-the-rings-online-riders-of-rohan|articlename=WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND TURBINE UNVEIL THE LORD OF THE RINGS ONLINE™: RIDERS OF ROHAN™|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=30 January 2012}}</ref>

====Update 9: Against the Shadow====
''Against the Shadow'' is the ninth update and was released 17 December, 2012. <ref name="Update 9">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.tentonhammer.com/lotro/news/lotro-update-9-coming-december-17th|articlename=LOTROs Update 9 Coming December 17th|dated=|website=www.tentonhammer.com|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*Three new three man instances.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-riders-rohan-instance-cluster-part-i|articlename=Riders of Rohan Instance Cluster, Part I|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Scaling of Dol Guldur instances.
*Completion of Moria revamp.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-revisiting-mines-moria-part-ii|articlename=Developer Diary: Revisiting the Mines of Moria, Part II|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Ability to quickly travel to turn in quests.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-travel-quest-location-behind-scenes|articlename=Update 9 - Travel To Quest Location: Behind the Scenes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Update to the Yule Festival.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-yule-festival|articlename=Update 9 - Yule Festival|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Combat revisions.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-combat-revisions|articlename=Update 9 - Combat Revisions|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 10: Against the Shadow, Part II====
''Against the Shadow, Part II'' is the tenth update and was released 6 March, 2013.=

*One six man instance and three twelve man raids.<ref name="Update 10">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-instance-cluster-developer-diary|articlename=Update 10 - Instance Cluster Developer Diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*In Their Absence instance scaling.<ref name="Update 10"/>
*Mithril Coins, a new currency used for special services.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-mithril-coin-qa|articlename=Update 10 Mithril Coin Q&A|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Agility made Wardens' primary stat.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-warden-stat-change-agility-wardens|articlename=Update 10: Warden Stat Change – Agility Wardens!|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Changes to critical defense.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-critical-defence-revision|articlename=Update 10 - Critical Defence Revision|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Unification of currency for scaling instances.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-seals-and-medallion-conversion|articlename=Update 10 - Seals and Medallion Conversion Diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand====
''Treachery of the White Hand'' is the eleventh update and was released 13 May, 2013. <ref name="Update 11">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?511377-Update-11-Treachery-of-the-White-Hand-Release-Notes-Official|articlename=Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand Release Notes - Official|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*A new region, Wildermore, located on the previously-inaccessible plateau in the north of East Rohan.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Book 10: Snows of Wildermore of '''Volume III: Allies of the King''' is released.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Updates to mounted combat.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Hobbit presents, daily free random items with the ability to unlock more rolls with mithril coins.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Lalia's Market, a shop where cosmetic clothing and dyes can be purchased with mithril coins.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/lalias-market|articlename=Lalia’s Market Now Open in Bree-town!|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

===Helm's Deep Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Helm's Deep]]''=
The fourth expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is named ''Helm's Deep''. The expansion was released on 20 November, 2013. <ref name="TenTonHammer">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.tentonhammer.com/lotro/news/turbine-temporarily-delays-lotro-helms-deep-launch|articlename=Updated: Turbine Temporarily Delays LOTROs Helms Deep Launch|dated=|website=www.tentonhammer.com|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref> After the Helm's Deep expansion, Turbine has discontinued for three years paid expansions in favor of quarterly updates with content free to VIPs. <ref name="Looking Ahead to 2014">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?535422-A-letter-from-Executive-Producer-Kate-Paiz-Looking-Ahead-to-2014|articlename=A letter from Executive Producer Kate Paiz - Looking Ahead to 2014|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 13: The Breaking of Isengard====
''The Breaking of Isengard'' is the thirteenth update and was released 14 April, 2014. <ref name="Update 13">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?546315-Update-13-The-Breaking-of-Isengard-%E2%80%93-Official-release-Notes|articlename=Update 13: The Breaking of Isengard – Official release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*Release of a new landscape consisting of post-[[Battle of Isengard]] Nan Curunir as well as the Entwood<ref name="Update 13"/>, an area consisting of the south-western part of Fangorn.
*The fourteenth and final book of Epic Volume III: Allies of the King, The Waters of Isengard.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/dev-diary-%E2%80%93-update-13-quest-notes|articlename=Dev Diary – Update 13 Quest Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Misty Mountains, North Downs and Trollshaws region revamps.<ref name="Update 13"/>
*Resizable inventory bags.<ref name="Update 13"/>
*Level scaling from level 20 up for players in the Ettenmoors and temporary Ettenmoors passes for free-to-play purchasable with Mithril Coins.<ref name="Update 13"/>

====Update 14: Paths of the Dead====
''Paths of the Dead'' is the fourteenth update and was released 14 July, 2014. <ref name="Update 14">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?552272-Update-14-Paths-of-the-Dead-Release-Notes-amp-Known-Issues|articlename=Update 14: Paths of the Dead - Release Notes & Known Issues |dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*Release of the West Gondor region, consisting of the areas the [[Paths of the Dead]], the [[Blackroot Vale]], [[Lamedon]], the Havens of [[Belfalas]], and [[Dol Amroth]]. <ref name="Update 14"/><ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/u14|articlename=Update 14: Paths of the Dead Now Available|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*A new Epic series,<ref name="Update 14"/> Volume IV: The Strength of Sauron, beginning with Book 1: The Road to Gondor.
*The Essence System, allowing specially slotted armors to be fitted with a variety of Essences for customizable stats.<ref name="Update 14"/>.
*Level cap increase to 100.<ref name="Update 14"/>
*The [[Dead Marshes]] region was added later in the minor Update 14.2, released September 15 2014. This area included a Session Play featuring Frodo, Samwise, and Gollum's passage through the marshes, casting the player character as Sam.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?555920-Update-14-2-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 14.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 15: Gondor Aflame====
''Gondor Aflame''<ref name="U15 Announcement">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/u15|articlename=Update 15: Gondor Aflame Now Available|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref> is the fifteeth update and was released 4 November, 2014. <ref name="Update 15">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?558300-Update-15-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 15 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*The region of Central Gondor, consisting of [[Ringló Vale]], [[Dor-en-Ernil]], [[Lebennin]] and [[Pelargir]].<ref name="U15 Announcement"/><ref name="Update 15"/>
*Beorning race and class.<ref name="U15 Announcement"/><ref name="Update 15"/>
*Epic Volume IV Book 2: The Dawnless Day.<ref name="Update 15"/>
*A new Epic Battle, Retaking Pelargir.<ref name="Update 15"/> Initially only available in solo/duo mode, a full fellowship version was released in 4 February, 2015 with Update 15.2.<ref name="Update 15.2">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?&postid=7312886|articlename=Update 15.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>
*Roving Threats, a new type of open landscape group content.<ref name="Update 15"/> Additional Roving Threats were added to other regions of the game beginning with Update 15.2<ref name="Update 15.2"/>

====Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath====
''Ashes of Osgiliath'' is the sixteenth update and was released 1 May, 2015.<ref name="Update 16">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?568045-Update-16-Ashes-of-Osgiliath-%E2%80%93-Official-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath – Official Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*The region of Eastern Gondor, consisting of Upper Lebennin, Lossarnach, South Ithilien and Osgiliath.<ref name="Update 16"/>
*Epic Volume IV Book 3: Voices of the Past.<ref name="Update 16"/>
*Cosmetic weapons and shields, more Roving Threats, and new PvMP map set in Osgiliath were released with Update 16.2 on 17 July, 2015. A new quest series of weekly episodic content, following the adventures of the Hobbit Bingo Boffin, was begun the Wednesday after the update, on 22 July.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?572512-Update-16-2-Release-Notes&p=7404279#post7404279|articlename=Update 16.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 17: The Siege of Minas Tirith====
''The Siege of Minas Tirith'' is the seventeenth update and was released 27 October, 2015.=

*The region of Old Anórien, including [[Minas Tirith]], the [[Pelennor Fields]], and Talath Anor.
*Epic Volume IV Book 4: Siege of the White City
*New crafting tier, hidden cosmetic weapon toggle.
*New Epic Battles: Defence of Minas Tirith, Hammer of the Underworld.

====Update 18: The Battle of Pelennor Fields====
''The Battle of Pelennor fields'' is the eighteenth update and was released 11 April 2016.=

*The region of Far Anórien, including [[Drúadan Forest|Taur Drúadan]], [[Warning beacons of Gondor|Beacon hills]], and the Pelennor Fields during the battle.
*Instance cluster including two 3-man instances (The Quays of the Harlond, The Blood of the Black Serpent), one 6-man instance (The Silent Street) and a 12-man raid (Throne of the Dread Terror).
*Epic Volume IV Book 5: The Ride of the Rohirrim and Book 6: The Battle of Pelennor Fields.

====Update 19: March of the King====
''March of the King'' is the nineteenth update and was released 14 October, 2016.=

*The region March of the King, including [[North Ithilien]], after battle Minas Tirith, after battle Osgiliath, and after battle Pelennor Fields.
*Flora barter system to exchange new gear for flowers.
*Epic Volume IV Book 7: March of the King.

====Update 20: Battle of the Black Gate====
''Battle of the Black Gate'' is the twentieth update and was released 21 March, 2017.=

*The region The Wastes, including Noman-lands, [[Slag-hills]] and [[Dagorlad]] which surround the [[Black Gate]].
*New reputation items to exchange for armour.
*Epic Volume IV Book 8: Battle of the Black Gate.

===Mordor Expansion===
''Mordor'' is the sixth expansion, and the twenty-first update, released on 2 August, 2017.=

*The region Plateau of [[Gorgoroth]] includes five different areas, [[Udûn]], Dor Amarth, Lhingris, Talath Urui, and Agarnaith.
*The conclusion of the Epic Questline (and Volume 4), with Book 9.
*A new series of quests, the "Black Book of Mordor", becomes the main storyline after the conclusion of the Epic Quests. There are four chapters introduced in this update.
*The Allegiance System is introduced, players can pledge to one of four factions to gain greater rewards in [[Mordor]]. They are the Kingdom of [[Gondor]], the Court of [[Lothlórien]], [[Durin's Folk]], and the Hobbits of the Company.
*A new instance cluster is introduced, featuring a 3-man instance (The Court of Seregost), a 6-man instance (The Dungeons of Naerband), and a 12-man raid (The Abyss of Mordath).

====Update 22: Legacy of the Necromancer====
''Legacy of the Necromancer'' is the twenty-second update, released on 6 March, 2018.=

*The new region "[[Eryn Lasgalen]] and the Dale-lands" (otherwise known as the "Strongholds of the North" or "Northern Mirkwood"), features the Forest of Eryn Lasgalen (including the [[Halls of the Elven-king]] (known as Felegoth), The Dale-lands (featuring iconic locations such as The [[Long Lake]], [[Lake-town]], [[Dale]], and [[Ravenhill]]), and [[Erebor]], the Lonely Mountain.
*Three new reputation factions are introduced; the "Elves of Felegoth", the "Men of Dale", and the "Dwarves of Erebor".
*The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new region.

====Update 23: Where Dragons Dwell====
''Where Dragons Dwell'' is the twenty-third update, released on 9 October, 2018.=

* The new area "The Dwarf-holds", consists of two areas; The [[Iron Hills]], and [[Ered Mithrin]]. An expanded area of [[Erebor]] is also opened.
* A new instance cluster is introduced, featuring two 3-man instances (Caverns of Thrumfall and Glimmerdeep), a six-man instance (Thikil-gundu), and a 12-man raid (The Anvil of Winterstith).
* The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new areas.

====Update 24: Vales of Anduin====
''Vales of Anduin'' is the twenty-fourth update, released on 4 June, 2019.=
* A new region, the [[Vales of Anduin]] was released, containing several key locations such as the Beorninghus ([[Beorn's Hall]]), The [[Carrock]], the [[Eagle's Eyrie]], the [[Gladden Fields]], [[Rhosgobel]], and various settlements of the [[Woodmen]].
* Update 24.2 brought the "Gladdenmere" sub-region to the Vales, along with a single six-man instance, "The Depths of Kidzul-kalah.
* The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new area, in addition to a "Prelude" to the Minas Morgul Expansion.

===Minas Morgul Expansion===
''Minas Morgul'' is the seventh expansion, released on 5 November, 2019.=

*The expansion consists of two new areas, "Mordor Besieged" consists of the upper half of [[Gorgoroth]] during the final stages of the [[Siege of Barad-dûr]] in the Second Age, and the [[Morgul Vale]], which consists of the areas between [[Ithilien]] to the west, and Gorgoroth to the east. The city of [[Minas Morgul]] is also available for exploration.
*A new playable race, the "Stout-axe dwarves", became available.
*New Crafting updates, including a new tier to crafting guilds.
*A new instance cluster taking place in the Morgul Vale, with four three-man instances, three six-man instances, and a raid, the Remmorchant, featuring battling with [[Shelob]] in [[Torech Ungol]].
*A new level cap of 130 is introduced.

====Update 26: Mists of Wilderland====
''Mists of Wilderland'' is the the twenty-sixth update, released on 23 April, 2020.=
* A new region, the Wells of Langflood was released, featuring the upper-lands of the [[Vales of Anduin]], and the merging of the [[Greylin]] and [[Langwell]] rivers into the Anduin. In addition, there is the [[beorning]] settlement of Limlok, the [[stoor]] village of Lyndelby, and the ruins of [[Framsburg]], once the capital of the [[Eotheod]].
* A new reputation faction, the "Protectors of Wilderland", situated in Limlok was introduced.
* A brand new epic questline, "The Legacy of Durin and the Trials of the Dwarves" is introduced to follow the Black Book of Mordor, and follows Prince Durin's efforts in leading the united dwarves to retake [[Mount Gundabad]] from the orcs who dwell there. Two initial chapters were released.

====Update 27: The Great Wedding====
''The Great Wedding'' is the twenty-seventh update, released on 30 June, 2020.=
* A new area, [[Minas Tirith]] (Midsummer), was introduced, situated after the destruction of the [[One Ring]], situated around the wedding of King [[Aragorn Elessar]] and [[Arwen Undomiel]].
* The [[Midsummer]] Festival was introduced, based in Midsummer Minas Tirith, featuring all new quests, items and deeds for players. In addition, the Summer and Farmer's Faire festivals were merged to make way for the Midsummer Festival.
* The Epic Questline continues with Volume V- The Peace of Middle-earth, in it's first book.

====Update 28: War of the Three Peaks====
''War of the Three Peaks'' is the eighth update, also called a "mini-expansion", released on 20 October, 2020.=
* A new area, Elderslade, is introduced, and features the lands north of the Wells of Langflood and west of the [[Ered Mithrin]], situated before the very gates of [[Mount Gundabad]].
* The Missions mechanic was introduced, allowing players of any level over 20 to aid Durin's war-effort, and gain rewards through one of two new reputation factions: The Gabil'akka.
* "The Legacy of Durin and the Trials of the Dwarves" continues with two new chapters, featuring the Battle of Elderslade, and the challenging of Gorgar the Ruthless, Lord of Gundabad, and son of [[Bolg]].

====Update 29: The Wildwood====
''The Wildwood'' was released on 27 March, 2021.=
* The Wildwood, a new zone, was released as part of the Bree-land starting at level 45. Includes new quests along with two reputation factions.
* New Missions were added for The Wildwood.
* The Bree-land map was updated accordingly.

====Update 30: Blood of Azog====
''Blood of Azog'' was released on 8 June, 2021.
* New Missions for new dwarf factions were released.
* "The Legacy of Durin" storyline continued with a flashback to [[Battle of Azanulbizar]]. The flashback is told by Hersegg, granddaughter of one of the heroes of that battle.
* The Fall of Khazad-dûm raid was also released with new gear to be earned. In this instance, players help the dwarves of Moria in TA 1981 in their final stand against Durin's Bane.
* This is the final content update before the next major expansion, ''Fate of Gundabad'', released on November 10th, 2021.

=====Update 30.3=====
''Update 30.3'' was released on 13 October, 2021.=
* This update did not contain any new quest content for the game, but did release several significant features leading up to The Fate of Gundabad expansion, along with smaller quality of life changes.
* The Brawler class was introduced to the game.
* A fully revamped Legendary Item system released publicly after many months of beta testing
* The housing system saw an update that removed the size signifiers for housing items, making it easier to customise player housing

===Fate of Gundabad Expansion===
''Fate of Gundabad'' was released on 10 November, 2021.

====Update 32: Rangers and Ruins====
''Rangers and Ruins'' was released on 16 February, 2022.

* A new raid, "The Hiddenhoard of Abnankâra", was released, featuring Prince Durin's final confrontation with Hrímil Frost-heart within the ancient treasury of the Greymaul Rebellion.
* A new premium housing area in the Abodes of [[Erebor]] was released, located within one of the last of [[Smaug|Smaug's]] treasure hoards.
* A new sub-region, the [[Angle (Eriador)|Angle of Mitheithel]] was released, filled with elven ruins, and the outposts of the [[Rangers of the North]].
* The new 'Legendary Item Rewards Track' was introduced to compliment the new Legendary Item System. Players use their item XP to gain special rewards to help increase the power of their items.

====Update 33: Yondershire====
''Yondershire'' was released on 20 April, 2022.
* This update was released alongside the 15 year celebration of ''Lord of the Rings Online''. This event runs from the 20th of April up until 12th of May.
* A new sub-region, "The Yondershire", was released, connecting the [[Ered Luin]] directly to the rest of Middle-earth for the first time. Hobbit villages such as [[Nobottle]], [[Tighfield]], [[Gamwich]], and [[Long Cleeve]] are also featured.
* All content including and prior to the Helm's Deep Expansion, including the Rune-keeper, Warden, and Beorning classes, as well as the High Elf race were made free and available to all players.

=Added Elements and Deviations from the Book=
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' does not only follow the story as told in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', but also tells original stories about events happening during the same time period as the War of the Ring. These chiefly involve player characters following the trail of the members of the Fellowship and other main characters from the text. As such, there are a number of elements that do not appear in any of the published works. This includes characters, lineages, objects and locations. A selection of these are described below.=

==Major Characters==
* '''[[Amarthiel]]''' served the [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]] during his first reign over [[Angmar]]<ref>In the game the Witch-king reigned over Angmar again shortly before the [[War of the Ring]].</ref> and wore the [[lesser rings|lesser ring]] [[Narchuil]]. She was slain by [[Narmeleth]] at the [[Battle of Fornost]] and her soul wandered [[Middle-earth]] for over a thousand years. She managed to possess Narmeleth and disguised herself as Sara Oakheart. She eventually revealed herself after the defeat of [[Mordirith]] by [[Golodir]] and becomes the Regent of Angmar.=

* '''[[Andraste]]''' was a female [[Men|Man]] who served the [[Witch-king]].

* '''[[Jon Brackenbrook]]''' was a [[Men|Man]] who was captain of [[Archet]].

* '''[[Ronald Dwale]]''' was a [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] from [[Dwalling]]. He was an author and a member of [[The Inklings (LOTRO)|the Inklings]], that meets in the [[The Eagle and Child|Bird and Baby Inn]]. He was based on [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] himself.

* '''[[Éogan]]''' was the second in command of the [[Blackwolds]] and took over leadership of the group after William Skunkwood's death.

*'''Gorgar the Ruthless''' was another descendent of Azog who led the Orcs of Gundabad against the Gabil'akka during the War of Three Peaks.

*'''Gorothul''' was a Black Numenorean sorcerer high in the ranks of [[Dol Guldur]].

* '''The Huntsman''' was a spirit found in [[Enedwaith]] who took the shape of a large man with horns of a stag. Many players thought this was [[Oromë]]. The developers confirmed that it wasn't Oromë but a [[Maiar|Maia]] of Oromë.<ref>[http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?359604-big-D-small-d&p=4996860&highlight=#post4996860 big D, small d] [[Jonathan Rudder]], lotro.com forums</ref>

* '''[[Ivar the Bloodhand]]''' was a Gaunt-lord from the [[First Age]].

*'''Karazgar''' was one of the [[Gúrzyul]] seeking to claim power in Mordor after Sauron's defeat.

*'''Mazog''' was a descendant of [[Azog]] and leader of the Orcs of Moria.

* '''[[Mordirith]]''' was the Steward of Angmar.

* '''[[Narmeleth]]''' was an elf maiden of [[Rivendell]] and daughter of [[Laerdan]]. She slew [[Amarthiel]] during the [[Battle of Fornost]] and became possessed by her soul over a thousand years later.

* '''[[Mundo Sackville-Baggins]]''' was a [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] who was mistakenly identified as having the ring.

* '''[[William Skunkwood]]''' was the leader of the [[Blackwolds]].

* '''[[Skorgrím]]''' was a dwarf and leader of the [[Dourhands]]. He was slain during the Battle of Edhelion. His corpse was used as a vehicle by Ivar the Bloodhand who possessed it with a fell spirit to trick the Dourhands to ally themselves with the forces of [[Angmar]].

* '''[[Sambrog]]''' was the Wight-lord of the [[Barrow-downs]].

==Groups==
* '''The [[Blackwolds]]''' were a group of [[Men|Mannish]] brigands from [[Bree-land]].=

* '''The [[Dourhands]]''' was a clan of dwarves aligned with the forces of [[Angmar]]. They were the dwarves that stayed behind to rebuild the Dwarven Halls in the [[Blue Mountains]] which were destroyed during the [[War of Wrath]].

*The '''Gúrzyul''' were powerful Black Númenoreans who served near the top of the chain of command in Mordor.

* '''The [[Inklings (Shadows of Angmar)|Inklings]]''' are a group of [[Hobbits|Hobbit]]-authors who discuss literature. They meet each other in the [[The Eagle and Child|Bird and Baby Inn]]. Prominent members are [[Ronald Dwale]] ([[J.R.R. Tolkien]]), [[Owen Farfield]] ([[Owen Barfield]]), [[Carlo Williams]] ([[Charles Williams]]) and [[Jack Lewisdown]] ([[C.S. Lewis]]). The group and members are based on the real [[Inklings]]

*'''The Iron Garrison''' was a group of Longbeard Dwarves that sought to find [[Balin]] and retake the Mines of Moria.

*'''The Stout-axes''' were a House of Dwarves lost to slavery in Mordor. They were eventually freed after the demise of Sauron.

*The '''Warriors Three''' were a trio of Rohirrim adventure seekers.

*'''The Zhelruka were an eastern House of Dwarves who migrated westward after the War of the Ring.

==Objects==
* '''[[Narchuil]]''' was one of the [[lesser rings]] forged by the elven-smiths during the [[Second Age]].=

* '''Zigilburk''' was a legendary [[mithril]] axe discovered in Moria by The Iron Garrison.

* '''The Vandassari''' were a set of stones brought from [[Numenor]] to Middle-earth. These are the Oath-stones with the power to hold those who swear upon them to their promises, such as the Stone of [[Erech]].

* '''The Black Book of Mordor''' was a mysterious text discovered in the Iron Hills.

==Locations==
* '''[[Agamaur]]''' was a vast swamp of the [[Lone-lands]]. It was a site of a major battle between [[Arthedain]], [[Cardolan]] and [[Rhudaur]]. To the west were the ruins of Ost Guruth, a fortress of [[Arnor]] claimed by the nomadic Eglain. To the east lay the ruins of Garth Agarwen, a fortress of Rhudaur ruled by [[Hill-men]] loyal to the mysterious Red Maid.=

* '''[[The Eagle and Child|Bird and Baby Inn]]''' was an inn in [[Michel Delving]].

* '''[[Esteldin]]''' was a ruin of Arnor in the [[North Downs]]. At the time of the [[War of the Ring]], it was used as a base of operations by the [[Rangers of the North]].

*'''[[Falathlorn]]''' was a green and beautiful region of the [[Ered Luin]] favored by the Elves. It contained the Elvish havens of Duillond and Celondim. Not far from this region were the chilly Low-lands, site of the Dwarvish cities Gondamon and Kheledul.

*'''[[Galtrev]]''' was one of the largest towns of [[Dunland]], the nominal capitol of the country.

*'''Lhanuch''' was a chief village among the [[Dunlending]] clans of [[Enedwaith]].

*'''Luntil's Ferry''' was a secret crossing of the River Anduin in [[Lossarnach]].

*'''[[Maur Tulhau]]''' was a [[Stoors|Stoorish]] Hobbit village in [[Enedwaith]] located in the forbidding Gloomgens. It was an remnant of the time when the Stoors lived in this region before most of their number moved north to [[The Shire]].

*'''Nar's Peak''' was a cleft along one of the spurs of the [[Misty Mountains]]. Thorin and some other exiles of [[Erebor]] dwelt for a time.

* '''[[Othrongroth]]''' was the oldest and largest Edain mound in the [[Barrow-downs]].

* '''[[Stangard]]''' was a [[Rohirrim]] settlement near the Great River [[Anduin]]. Its inhabitants were mostly exiles sent to protect [[Rohan]]'s outer borders.

* '''[[Tinnudir]]''' was an island in [[Lake Evendim]]. It was used as a headquarters by a group of Rangers called the Wardens of [[Annúminas]], protectors of the ancient capitol of Arnor.

*'''Wildermore''' was a small plateau in the northern portion of [[Eastemnet]]. It suffered an unnatural winter due to the machinations of Saruman.

*'''Woodsedge''' was one of the main towns of the [[Woodmen]] living in the Vales of [[Anduin]] at the edge of [[Mirkwood]].

=Active Worlds=
*[US]Arkenstone (Unofficial Oceanic)=
*[EU]Belegaer [DE-RP]
*[US]Brandywine
*[US]Crickhollow
*[EU]Evernight [EU]
*[US]Gladden
*[EU]Gwaihir [DE]
*[US]Landroval [EN-RE]
*[EU]Laurelin [Global-RP]
*[EU]Sirannon [FR]
*Anor [Legendary]
*Shadowfax [Legendary]
*Treebeard [Legendary]

==European servers==
The European servers were originally created and hosted by [[Codemasters]], but on [[1 June]] [[2011]] LOTRO Europe was taken over by Turbine, who are based in the Easter U.S. This arrangement continued with Standing Stone Games who currently host the European servers.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.casualstrolltomordor.com/2011/04/turbines-lotro-service-goes-global/|articlename=Turbine's LOTRO Service Goes Global|dated=24 April 2011|website=A Casual Stroll to Mordor|accessed=2 January 2012}}</ref>

European servers are further distinguished by language, French and German in particular

==Legendary Servers==
'''Legendary servers''' are special worlds with a progressive level cap. The first legendary server, Anor, was launched in 2018, while Ithil was opened shortly thereafter to accommodate congestion. Due to inactivity, Ithil was eventually closed in 2021.

In fall of 2021, two new Legendary servers were announced. Both would follow the previous legendary model, by starting at the original level cap of 50 and slowly expanding from there, but each had its own take on progression. The Shadowfax server gave players 50% more experience points than the standard servers, while Treebeard slowed experience point gain y 70%. Each server would also receive expansions at a different pace, with Shadowfax gaining expansions more quickly than Treebeard.

==Roleplay Servers==
To encourage players who wish to enjoy the game as their characters, some servers have been designed RP as roleplaying servers. In these worlds, it is expected that most players will interact together as the characters they have made, imagining themselves as actually being in Middle-earth. As a special case Landroval is designed RE, roleplay encouraged.=

==Closed Worlds==
Over time, due to shifting player populations, worlds have been consolidated. Players transfer their characters to a new world and the old server is then closed. Below is a list of closed worlds.
*[RU] Fornost
*[RU] Mirkwood
*[RU] Aglarond
*[US] Vilya
*[EU] Maiar [DE]
*[US] Firefoot
*[US] Meneldor
*[US] Windfola
*[EU] Morthond [DE]
*[EU] Gilrain [UK]
*[US] Nimrodel
*[EU] Withywindle [UK]
*[EU] Vanyar [DE]
*[US] Dwarrowdelf
*[US] Riddermark
*[EU] Anduin [DE]
*[EU] Estel [FR-RP]
*[EU] Eldar
*[US] Imladris
*[US] Silverlode
*[US] Elendilmir (Oceanic)
*[EU] Snowbourn [UK]
*Ithil [Legendary]

=License=
For ''The Lord of the Rings Online'', [[Turbine]] (and subsequently Standing Stone Games) has licensed the rights to the content and lore of ''[[The Hobbit]]'' and ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. Turbine does not have license rights to the [[New Line Cinema]] film trilogy nor ''[[The Silmarillion]]'', ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'', ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'' books or ''[[The Children of Húrin]]''.=

=Reception=
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' has been received very positively thus far, as reviews continue to appear since the game's initial release.<ref>[http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/middleearthonline Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, The - Review] metacritic.com</ref>==

GameDaily awarded the game 9/10, praising its rich, fantasy-themed universe, well-integrated trait and title system, and a story that remains true to the works of Tolkien. Yahoo! Video Games wrote a review with few negative mentions, awarding the game a score of 4/5,<ref>[http://videogames.yahoo.com/gamereview?cid=1990963744&tab=reviews&page=0&eid=513259 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] Yahoo! Games</ref> while ''Computer and Video Games'' called the game an essential purchase for ''Lord of the Rings'' fans, scoring the game a 9.2/10.<ref>[http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=161846&skip=yes PC Review: Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] ''Computer and Video Games''</ref> Eurogamer scored the game a 9.0/10, calling it tough to resist.<ref>[http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=75657 Review - Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] Eurogamer</ref> Gamespy gave it 4.5/5 stars, claiming the game "opened up Middle-Earth to the masses" but commented negatively on its weak PvP content,<ref>[http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/lord-of-the-rings-online-shadows-of-angmar/785884p1.html The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] GameSpy</ref> while GameTrailers awarded it 8.5/10,<ref>[http://www.gametrailers.com/gamepage.php?id=754 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] Game Trailers</ref> citing its interesting tweaks to the MMO genre. IGN.com ranked it a similar 8.6/10, praising it for its solid experience, though criticizing it for its lack of major improvements to the genre.<ref>[http://pc.ign.com/articles/787/787942p3.html The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] IGN</ref> GamerNode.com awarded the game an 8.8/10, calling it the best MMO launch experience since ''Ultima Online''.<ref>[http://www.gamernode.com/PC/Reviews/2848-Lord-of-the-Rings-Online-Review/index.html Lord of the Rings Online] GamerNode</ref> The ''New York Times'' called the game "a major achievement of interactive storytelling, the first game truly worthy of the ‘Lord of the Rings' franchise and a must-play for just about anyone with an interest in Tolkien or the future of online entertainment."<ref>[http://lotro.turbine.com/article/356 Lord of the Rings Online Press Release] Lord of the Rings Online</ref> In a GameSpot review, the product was awarded an 8.3/10, praising its appealing polish and intriguing Monster Play feature.<ref>[http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/middleearthonline/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=topten&tag=topten;all;score;5 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar for PC Review] GameSpot</ref> Gamepro.com's review gave it an overall 4.25/5, pointing out how engaging the epic quests are, as well as how faithful to the novels the game managed to stay.<ref>[http://gamepro.com/computer/pc/games/reviews/112000.shtml Review: The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar for PC] Gamepro</ref> GameSpy declared ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' 'Game of the Month' for May 2007.<ref>[http://uk.gamespy.com/articles/795/795353p2.html Game of the Month: May 2007] GameSpy</ref>

=Awards=

In August 2007, Codemasters announced that ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' had received five Golden Joystick Awards nominations for the five applicable categories for the game,<ref>[http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6925679.stm Music and vice top games awards] BBC News</ref> and in October 2007 that it had won the "PC Game of the Year" at these awards.<ref>[http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7693&Itemid=2 Gears Wins Big at Game Awards] Next-Generation</ref> and again won the same award on October 2008. In December 2007, GameSpy awarded ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' 6th place in the top 10 PC games of 2007.<ref>[http://goty.gamespy.com/2007/pc/6.html GameSpy's Game of the Year 2007] GameSpy</ref> On December 18, Turbine announced it had also won the GameSpy MMO of the Year award.<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/article/476 LOTRO Wins Top Honors from Gamespy!] Lord of the Rings Online</ref> In January 2009, mmorpg.com awarded Turbine both MMORPG studio of the year 2008<ref>[http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/45/feature/2574/Best-MMO-Studio-of-2008-Winner MMORPG.com Best MMO Studo of 2008] mmorpg.com</ref>, and MMO Expansion of the Year for ''Mines of Moria''.<ref>[http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/45/feature/2579 MMORPG.com Best Expansion of 2008] mmorpg.com</ref>

=Subscription Model=
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Free to Play.png|300px|thumb]]=
In North America, players who pre-ordered the game were offered a special founder's offer, a lifetime subscription for $199 or reduced cost of $9.99 per month. Standard monthly fee is $14.99 with three, six, twelve month, and lifetime discounts available. European players had a similar program from Codemasters.

A Holiday subscription was available in December of 2007 and January of 2008 for $9.99/month for a 3 month commitment. A one year anniversary addition includes a $9.99/month subscription or a $199.99 Lifetime subscription, which was again offered during the lead up to the release of Mines of Moria.

Warner Bros. announced on June 4, 2010 that Lord of the Rings Online will offer a free-to-play model starting in the fall of 2010.<ref>[http://turbine.com/news/105-warner-bros-interactive-entertainment-announces-the-lord-of-the-rings-online-to-adopt-global-free-to-play-model.html Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Announces The Lord of the Rings Online™ to Adopt Global Free-to-Play Model] Turbine, Inc</ref> On August 18, 2010, Warner Bros. announced that the free-to-play model would go live on September 10, 2010. On October 21, 2010, [[Codemasters]] announced that a preview of Free-to-Play would be available in Europe on October 25, 2010.<ref>[http://community.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=10839&pagename=news&type=news The Lord of the Rings Online Europe Preview Event]</ref>

=External Links=
* '''[http://lotro.com Official website]'''=
** '''[http://forums.lotro.com/ LOTRO Community Forums]''': The official ''Lord of the Rings Online'' forums
* '''[http://lotro-wiki.com LoTRO-Wiki]''': The most complete source of information for the game
* '''[http://lotroplayers.com LoTRO Players]''': Long-running news site and podcast
* '''[http://www.dadislotroguides.com Dadi's LOTRO Guides]''': Useful guides for various game systems.

{{notes}}
{{references}}

{{lotro}}
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{{title|italics}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lord of the Rings Online}}
[[Category:The Lord of the Rings Online| ]]
[[Category:Open world games]]
[[Category:Role playing games]]
[[Category:Turbine games]]

The Lord of the Rings Online

2022-05-10T00:33:13Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Update 33: Yondershire */

{{cleanup}}
{{disambig-more|The Lord of the Rings|[[The Lord of the Rings (disambiguation)]]}}
{{video game infobox| image=[[Image:Lotro logo.png|250px]]| name=The Lord of the Rings Online| developer=[[Turbine|Turbine, Inc.]] (2007-2016)
[[Standing Stone Games]] (2016-Present)|
publisher=[[Midway Games]]
[[Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment]] (2010-2016)
[[Daybreak Game Company]] (2016-Present)
| platform=Microsoft Windows, OS X (Beta)| releasedate=April 24, [[2007]]| genre=MMORPG| modes=| rating=| distribution=}}
'''''The Lord of the Rings Online''''' (commonly abbreviated to '''LOTRO''' or '''LotRO''') is an MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) for PC and OS X that takes place in the world of [[Arda]] during the time of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]].'' It was originally branded as '''The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar''', but with later updates, that subtitle was dropped.

The players take on the role of adventurers of the [[Free peoples|Free Peoples]] of [[Middle-earth]]. The events of the game are concurrent with the events of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' but most of the game revolves around events that occurred elsewhere or in the wake of events in the books. The game draws inspiration from people, places and events only mentioned in the books, combining these with original concepts to expand on parts of Middle-earth Tolkien did not. The main quest series of the game, known as Epic Quests, are divided into volumes, books and chapters, emulating the structure of ''The Lord of the Rings''.

There have been many expansions to the original game, including: Mines of Moria (2008), Siege of Mirkwood (2009), Rise of Isengard (2011), Riders of Rohan (2012), Helm's Deep (2013) Mordor (2017), Minas Morgul (2019), and Fate of Gundabad (2021) with regular updates, adjustments, and "mini-expansions" in between.

==Development==
{{rewrite}}

Development of ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' began in 1998, when [[Sierra Entertainment|Sierra]] started work on a game called ''Middle-earth Online''. Following [[Vivendi|Vivendi Universal Games]]' takeover of Sierra in 1999, the game's production was shared with [[Turbine]]. Turbine secured the rights of the entire game in March 2004,<ref>[http://www.videogamer.com/news/turbine_spin_into_action_to_secure_tolkien_license.html Turbine spin into action to secure Tolkien license - VideoGamer.com]</ref> and it was renamed to ''The Lord of the Rings Online''. It was originally subscription-based, but later became free-to-play with optional paid subscription and microtransactions.

A closed beta was announced on [[8 September]], [[2006]]. An open beta began on [[30 March]], [[2007]], and was open to all who pre-ordered the game's Founders Club edition. In April [[2007]], the beta opened to the public. In 2010, the monetization model of the game changed to allow a free-to-play experience. Subscribers were given benefits for their patronage, while all players could access the game for free, but with certain limitations. In 2016 development of the game was handed off to a new spin-off company formed specifically to maintain LOTRO and 'Dungeons & Dragons Online': Standing Stone Games.

As an online game, development continues with regular enhancements, additions, and changes to mechanics and game systems.



==Gameplay==
===Characters===
''Main article: [[Character Classes (LOTRO)]]''

Like many RPGs, ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' has a system of character classes and levels. Each character chooses a race and a class on character creation, this cannot be changed. Players are able to play as any of the [[Free Peoples]] - [[Elves]], [[Men]], [[Dwarves]], [[Hobbits]], [[Beornings]], [[Stout-axe]] Dwarves, or [[High Elves]]. Male or female characters can be created, except in the case of Dwarves. As per Tolkien, Dwarf-women are very rare and seldom leave their mountain halls, though the addition of Stout-axe dwarves as a playable race in 2019 allowed players to create dwarf-women. There is no difference in appearance male and female Stout-axes. There are eleven classes: Beorning, Brawler, Burglar, Captain, Champion, Guardian, Hunter, Lore-master, Minstrel, Rune-keeper, and Warden.

Customization of the character's abilities can be done by changing equipment and traits. As of the [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Helm.27s Deep Expansion|Helm's Deep expansion]], class traits work on a tree system, with each class having three "trait trees" where traits can be selected with earned points and unlocking enough traits in a particular tree allows higher-level traits to be selected and applies additional bonus. In addition to class traits are racial traits, such as Men being able to slot a trait to do additional damage with swords or Hobbits being able to slot a trait that allows them to throw a stone, and virtue traits which boost the character's stats.

Levels are significant, with much lower level enemies being extremely easy to defeat and much higher level enemies being nearly impossible to defeat. Each region has enemies and quests with a range of levels usually consecutive to those of an adjacent region. Quests over five levels above the character's level are inaccessible. In addition to being able to complete quest and defeat enemies in more locations, characters gain access to additional equipment, skills, traits and instances as they level up. Levels are increased by gaining experience, which is earned by completing quests and instances, defeating enemies of an appropriate level, and crafting.

===World===
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is an "open-world" game in which most locations that have been released can be freely accessed on an open landscape (although some places, such as Moria, require certain quests to be completed first.) The game world is split into "lands", large areas of Middle-Earth. As of Update 21, the four lands in the game are [[Eriador]], [[Rhovanion]], [[Gondor]], and [[Mordor]]. Each land is in turn divided into regions, e.g. [[Bree-land]] in Eriador, and each region contains areas, e.g. [[Andrath]] within Bree-land.

Although most of the land is available to all for exploration, most regions require non-VIPs to purchase a quest pack to access quests, deeds and instances associated with that region. A few regions, such as East and West Rohan, require expansion packs to be purchased to unlock content, even for VIPs. Each region is generally seen as it was in a certain time in the War of the Ring, for example Lothlórien is visited by the player at the same time as the [[Fellowship of the Ring]] rested there, and [[Pelargir]] just after [[Aragorn]] liberated the city from the [[Corsairs of Umbar]].

Reddit users /u/lallapalalable and /u/exploderator estimated the total size of the map at no more than 250 square km (97 square miles) in 2017, making it one of the largest game maps ever made.<ref>{{webcite|author=/u/lallapalalable|articleurl=http://www.reddit.com/r/lotro/comments/60j1ul/been_trying_to_calculate_the_area_of_the_map/|articlename=Been trying to calculate the area of the map|dated=20 March 2017|website=Reddit|accessed=29 October 2020}}</ref>

===Quests===
Much of the game's completable content is in the form of quests. Quests consist of a series of objectives, often including speaking with NPCs, defeating certain enemies, and recovering certain items from the ground or from defeated enemies. Most quests have a small number of objectives but may unlock additional quests upon completion to form a quest chain. Quests are usually started by started by speaking with a particular Non-Player Character (NPC), indicated with a ring icon above the NPC's head. The forms of ring icons and what they indicate are as follows:

*Gold ring with blue aura: the NPC has a quest that is approximately appropriate for the character's level.
*Gold ring with blue aura and fiery inscription: the NPC must be spoken with to advance the quest.
*Bright gold ring: the NPC has an Epic quest available.
*Gold ring with orange flames: the NPC must be spoken to to advance the Epic quest.
*Blue ring and quill: the NPC has a comment about an active quest, speaking to the NPC will not advance the quest but may give additional information.
*Gold ring with hourglass: the NPC has a quest with a cooldown, the player must wait for the cooldown to expire before accepting the quest.
*Silver ring: the NPC has a quest that is too high level for the player to accept at that level.
*Transparent grey ring: the NPC has a "trivial" quest, one far below the player's level.
*Gold ring with anvil: the NPC has a crafting quest, and involves the crafting system in some way.
*Gold ring with sword: The NPC has an allegiance quest; quests that are unique to the Mordor Expansion.*Gold ring with map: The NPC has a missions quest; quests that are unique to Missions-related quests.

Some quests are started by obtaining unique items dropped from specific enemies. The [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Riders of Rohan Expansion|Riders of Rohan expansion]] introduced auto-bestowed quests, which bring up a quest prompt when the player defeats a specific type of enemy or finds a certain location. Such enemies are marked with ring icons similarly to how NPC quest givers are. Players have the option of accepting these quests automatically or choosing to manually accept or decline each prompt. Most landscape quests can only be completed once, some special landscape quests and most instance quests can be completed once a day any number of times, and a few landscape quests can be repeated at any time up to a certain number of times.

Quests are categorized according to what area, instance or other section they are associated with. Of note are the Epic Quests, a series that tells the main storyline of the game. In imitation of [[The Lord of the Rings|the Lord of the Rings book]], the epic quests are divided into Volumes, which are divided into Books which in turn are divided into Chapters. Each Chapter is usually an individual quest. Epic Quests bring the player through the landscape but are considered apart from it, therefore most Epic Quests are available to all players regardless of whether or not any quest packs are unlocked. A notable exception is the end of Volume III: Allies of the King, which requires purchase of the Helm's Deep expansion to complete. The Black Book of Mordor, the new main storyline for quests after the Epic Books, has eight chapters, all spanning various areas in Middle Earth including [[Mordor]], the Strongholds of the North, the [[Iron Hills]], and the [[Ered Mithrin]].

===Deeds===
Deeds are non-repeatable achievements recorded on an interface window called the Deed Log. Common deed objectives include completing a certain number of quests in a particular area or region (Quest Deeds), defeating a certain number of enemies of a specific type in a particular region (Slayer Deeds), discovering specified locations (Explorer Deeds), and reaching the next tier of reputation with a faction. Most Deeds award Turbine points. Deeds in a particular region usually award reputation in that region's faction. Deeds also commonly reward marks, virtues, and titles.

===Instances===
Instances are locations in the game separated from the open landscape, not accessible through normal travel. Instances can take place in either separate versions of the locations available on the landscape (for example, Pelargir while Aragorn's host retakes it from the corsairs) or in locations not accessible anywhere else (such as Dale). Most instances are private instances, that is, only one player or group of players can enter it and it closes when they complete it, while public instances can be joined at any time by any number of separate players. They are often repeatable, with ones associated with landscape quests being replayable through a Reflecting Pool in the associated region and others accessible through the Instance Finder window. Most private instances have associated quests automatically bestowed upon entering the instance and cancelled upon exiting.

===Fellowships and Kinships===
Most open landscape content and associated instances are designed to be completable by a solo player, while some locations in the game and Instance Finder instances are meant for a team of players. A group of players with a maximum size of six is known as a fellowship. For larger groups, a raid of up to four fellowships can be formed, for a maximum group size of 24 players. Players are free to group on the open landscape and in public instances, but private instances have a limit on how many players may enter.

Players can found and join lasting organizations known as Kinships in the game. Players in a kinship can communicate in their own kinship chat channel to socialize and plan events with their fellow members.

===Monster Play===
The game is primarily Player vs. Environment (PvE), with most combat being player characters against computer controlled enemies found throughout the landscape and instances. However in the [[Ettenmoors]] region, players can participate in Player vs. Monster Player battles (PvMP). Players can create Monster characters that only have access to PvMP areas where they battle standard characters, who fight on the side of the Free Peoples. Each monster player class is limited to a specific race. The monster classes are the Blackarrow (Uruk), Defiler (Orc), Reaver (Orc), Stalker (Warg), Warleader (Uruk), and Weaver (Spider) As of [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath|Update 16.2]] a new PvMP area, set in Osgiliath before Boromir's journey to Rivendell and accessed via a banner in the Ettenmoors, was released.



Towns and settlements provide Vendors where players can purchase or repair their armour, weapons, and supplies. Towns also often include Mailboxes, Auction Halls, Class Trainers, Forge-masters, Relic-masters, and Stable-masters who allow swift travel between regions.

The player interface allows other aspects of gameplay such as Character screens, Quest and Deed Logs, a Social Panel where players can interact, and a Crafting panel where players use skills to craft new items.

==Releases, Updates, and Expansions==
===Shadows of Angmar===
:{{Main|The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar}}
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar|Shadows of Angmar]]'' was released on [[24 April]], [[2007]]. It included books 1 through 8 of Epic Volume I: Shadows of Angmar. Approximately once every two months a major free update was added to ''The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar''. Each update added a new book to the volume.

====Book 9: Shores of Evendim====
{{#ev:youtubehd|VOEcXrbG4OI|200|thumb}}
The first free content update was released on 14 June, 2007.<ref>[http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=3611&pagename=home&search=yes&keyword=Book%209 Book 9: Shores of Evendim Release Date Announced]</ref>

Updates included:
*A new region - [[Evendim]] - is added, including locations like [[Annúminas]].<ref name="book9">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/news/pressreleases/136-book-9-shores-of-evendim-release-date-announced|articlename=Book 9: Shores of Evendim Release Date Announced!|dated=5 June 2007|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
*The epic story is expanded with book 9, Shores of Evendim<ref name="book9"/>
*100 new quests are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*A 24-player raid is added, ''Battle for Helegrod''.<ref name="book9"/>
*Nine new monsters are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*New Collectible armour sets are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*Updates to the music system.<ref name="book9"/>

====Book 10: The City of Kings====

The second free-content update was released on 21 August, 2007 in North America and on 24 August, 2007 in Europe.<ref>| [http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=3949&pagename=home&search=yes&keyword=Book%209 Codemasters Online and Turbine unveil Book 10: The City of the Kings]</ref>

Updates included:
*Continuation of the Story Line.
*Legendary Play – Players can now use Destiny Points to play as a Ranger of the North or as a Troll.
*Critter Play – Players can now explore Middle-earth from a different viewpoint as a chicken.
*New Reputation and Bartering Systems – The Reputation system enables players to earn positive and negative standing with different races and groups in Middle-earth based on both monster kills and quest completions. The Bartering system allows players to trade trophies earned in battle for rewards, such as armour sets or mounts.
*Over 100 new Quests.
*More customizable user interface.

====Book 11: Prisoner of the Free Peoples====

The third free-content update was released on 24 October, 2007 in North America<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/article/430 Turbine and Codemasters Online Gaming to Unveil Book 11: Defenders of Eriador for The Lord of the Rings Online]</ref> and 25 October in Europe.<ref>[http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=4661&articletype=News Codemasters Online and Turbine to unveil Book 11: Defenders of Eriador]</ref>

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_11_Official complete release notes]):
*Continuation of the Epic Story arc, including 13 quests.
*Player housing – players will be able to customize their houses with items such as furniture and doormats.
*Second raid called "The Rift" – 12-player raid in which players encounter a [[Balrogs|Balrog]] for the first time. Turbine has stressed that this is not the [[Durin's Bane|Balrog from Khazad-dûm]].<ref>[http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=287 Book 11 Preview: The Balrogs are Coming]</ref>
*Two new areas – Tâl Bruinen in the Trollshaws, where [[Gollum]] will be introduced for the first time, and Goblin-town in the [[Misty Mountains]], featured in ''The Hobbit''.
*More than 100 new quests.

====Book 12: The Ashen Wastes====

The fourth free content update was released on 13 February, 2008 in North America; and 14 February, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_12_Official complete release notes]):
*Continuation of the Story Line.
*Character customization - Increased character customization "ranging from haircuts, to some (possible) additions to the trait-system." In addition, the Outfit system, along with special social clothing designed just for it, will be introduced where a second or third set of clothing can be slotted and displayed while retaining the statistical bonuses of the currently equipped items.<ref>[http://lotro.stratics.com/content/hoclog/hoc10.php Lord of the Rings Online: House of Commons ]</ref>
*The Delving of Frór - A new Monster Play PVE (and PVMP under certain circumstances) area was introduced: An expanse of caves and catacombs located beneath the Ettenmoors.
*The Great Angmar Revamp - A revamp of the most high-level region of the game's current 9 PvE regions. The revamp included the reworking of many quests, areas and other changes, such as new horse routes.
*Barbershop - You can customize the look of your avatar in-game with around 50 new haircuts and second set of details.
*Updates to the Burglar, Guardian, and Champion classes.

====Book 13: Doom of the Last-King====

The fifth free content update was released on 24 April, 2008 in North America and on 1 May, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_13_Official complete release notes]):
*A new playable map area: the Ice Bay of [[Forochel]].
*Players being able to see the ocean for the first time, confirmed as the Ice Bay of Forochel in recent developer chats.
*Fishing - the first of a new system in ''Lord of the Rings Online'', called 'hobbies'.
*New PVMP Monster Healing Class - Orc Defiler.
*Looking For Fellowship- and Quest-panel improvements.

====Book 14: The Ring-forges of Eregion====

The sixth free content update was released on 22 July, 2008 in North America. It was released on 24 July, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_14_Official complete release notes]):
*Climax of the "Shadows of Angmar" storyline.
*Added selected sections of [[Eregion]] (Region leading towards the Gates of Moria).
*Epic Quest events that will allow interaction between players regardless of server.
*Prelude quests for and leading up to the ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria|Mines of Moria]]'' expansion, which would have updates leading to Lothlórien, Fangorn, Rhovanion and Rohan.

====Book 15: Daughter of Strife====

The seventh free content update was released on 18 November, 2008. This update was released in tandem with the Mines of Moria expansion for players who did not purchase the expansion release.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Category:Epic_-_Vol._I,_Book_15:_Daughter_of_Strife_Quests Epic - Vol. I, Book 15: Daughter of Strife Quests epic]):
*Conclusion of the "Shadows of Angmar" storyline.
*Added the zone of Eregion expanding on the selected sections from Book 14. The zone does not include the Hollin Gate leading to the Black Pool.
*Added UI enhancements

===Mines of Moria Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria]]''
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria|Mines of Moria]]'' was released on [[18 November]], [[2008]]. It included Vol. II books 1 through 6 of the epic quest line. Like ''Shadows of Angmar'', ''Mines of Moria'' continued to regularly release updates. Updates were less frequent than Shadows of Angmar.

====Book 7: Leaves of Lórien====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Leaves of Lórien.png|thumb|300px]]Book 7 was released on [[17 March]] [[2009]]. This update included:
* Continuation of the Epic Storyline in Book 7, Leaves of Lórien.<ref name="book7">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/book-spotlights/342-vol2book7|articlename=Volume II: Book 7: Leaves of Lórien Spotlight|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
* Expansion of the Lothlórien Area, including [[Caras Galadhon]].<ref name="book7"/>
* A new raid, named ''Strange Happenings'', has been added.<ref name="book7"/>
* The [[Galadhrim]] are added as a new reputation faction.<ref name="book7"/>
* Crafting instances enable players to gather resources.<ref name="book7"/>
* The Ered Luin Introduction and, on lesser scale, the Bree-land Introduction are revamped.<ref name="book7"/>
* Several new Monster Play emotes are added.<ref name="book7"/>

====Book 8: Scourge of Khazad-dum====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Scourge of Khazad-Dûm.png|thumb|300px]]Book 8 was released on 23 June, 2009. This update included:
*Book 8, Scourge of Khazad-dûm, continues the epic story.<ref name="book8">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/book-spotlights/421-vol2-book8|articlename=Volume II: Book 8: Scourge of Khazad-dûm|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
* A radiance-gated multi-boss, 12-man raid - named ''Dar Narbugud'' is added.<ref name="book8"/>
* One 6-man instance is added: ''The Halls of Crafting''.<ref name="book8"/>
* Two 3-man instances are added:
** ''Lumul-nar''<ref name="book8"/>
** ''Nala-dum''<ref name="book8"/>
* Continuation of the revamp of the Bree-land Introduction.<ref name="book8"/>
* The Crafting system has been revived.<ref name="book8"/>

===Siege of Mirkwood Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood]]''=
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood|Siege of Mirkwood]]'' was released on 1 December, 2009 in North America and 3 December, 2009 in Europe. Unlike the second expansion this edition was only available via a web-based download. It included Book 9 and the epilogue of Volume II: Mines of Moria.

Kate Paiz, Executive Producer for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'', released a letter on 22 October, 2010 stating that updates will be more frequent but will not always be accompanied with a new book continuing the epic story.<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/866-producers-letter-october-2010 Producer's Letter, October-2010] lotro.com, Dev Diaries</ref>

====Book 1: Oath of the Rangers====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Oath of the Rangers.png|300px|thumb]]=
Book 1 was released on [[1 March]], [[2010]].<ref> [http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?t=320404 Volume III: Allies of the King has arrived!]</ref>

Updates include ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Volume_3_Allies_of_the_King_Official complete release notes]):
* The beginning of Volume III in the epic storyline.
* The ability to solo the Volume I epic storyline.
* A duo mode for most skirmishes.

====Book 2: Ride of the Grey Company====

Book 2 was released on [[10 September]], [[2010]] in North America. ([[8 September]], [[2010]] for subscribers). It was delayed in Europe because of contractual reasons and was finally released on [[2 November]], almost two months after North America.<ref>[http://massively.joystiq.com/ Massively], [http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/v-e-me-day-lotro-europe-announces-launch-date-for-free-to-play/ V-E-ME Day: LotRO Europe announces launch date for free-to-play], dated [[29 October]], [[2010]] (accessed [[11 November]], [[2011]])</ref>

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Volume_3_Book_2_Official complete release notes]):

* New region: [[Enedwaith]].
* ''Lord of the Rings Online'' Free to Play subscription.
* Book 2 in the Volume III epic storyline.
* Scalable instances.
* Improvements to the vault, and a new wardrobe system for cosmetic items.
* Updates to the Captain class.
* The LOTRO store, where players may purchase convenience items. Points either earned through gameplay, through the VIP program or by being purchased.
* The introduction of Lua Scripting.
* DirectX 11 support.
* Ranger session play.

====Update 1: Journey to Winter-Home====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 1 Journey to Winter-Home.png|300px|thumb]]In 2010, LOTRO altered its monetization model and became "free-to-play." The first post Free-to-play update was released in November 2010. Due to changes to how updates work this did not contain an epic book.=

Updates included:

* A Barter Wallet for skirmish marks and anniversary tokens.
* Opening of Moria, Lothlorien, Mirkwood and Enedwaith to free-to-play players. Volume II and Volume III will also be available, as well the legendary item system, and the level 65 level cap all to free-to-play players.
* Vault improvements.
* Tasks: a new quest type for all levels.
* Improved reputation mounts.
* Updates to the Lore-master and Rune-keeper classes.
* Ered Luin starting area revamp.

====Update 2: Echoes of the Dead====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 2 Echoes of the Dead.png|300px|thumb]]The first update of 2011 was released on [[21 March]] in the United States and [[24 March]] for Europe.

Updates included:

* Two 3-man's, two 6-man's, and a 12-person raid were added for level 65 players.
* A special item required to craft a First Age weapon which drops from the above raid.
* Radiance was removed.
* Legendary Items were updated.
* Character panel and cosmetic system were revamped.
* The Minstrel, Hunter and Burglar classes were updated.
* Volume III Book 3: Echoes of the Dead was added.
* Volume II was revamped and made soloable, including three instances which have been converted to skirmishes.
* Improvements to the PvP starter tutorial.
* [[Evendim]] was revamped, with [[Annúminas]] being scaled down to level 40.

====Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 3 Lost Legends of Eriador.png|300px|thumb]]''Lost Legends of Eriador'' was the third update. It was released on [[23 May]], [[2011]] and included: ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Update_3,_Lost_Legends_of_Eriador,_Official complete release notes]):=

* Two new 3-man scalable instances starting mid-game.
* Two new skirmishes.

===Rise of Isengard Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard]]''=
The third expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is entitled ''Rise of Isengard''. The expansion was made available on 27 September, 2011 and only as a digital download.<ref>[http://isengard.lotro.com/ The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard Official Homepage]</ref>

====Update 5: Armies of Isengard====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 5 Armies of Isengard.png|220px|thumb]]''Armies of Isengard'' was the first update published after the release of ''The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard''. It was released on [[12 December]] [[2011]] and included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Update_5,_Armies_of_Isengard,_Official complete release notes]):=

* Four new instances and a 12-man raid in and around [[Isengard]].
* Book 5: The Prince of Rohan of '''Volume III: Allies of the King''' is released.
* A new Instance finder, to form groups more easily.
* Barter currencies of skirmishes, classic and instances are unified.
* Changes to Reputation items.

====Update 6: Shores of the Great River====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 6 The Great River.png|220px|thumb]]''Shores of the Great River'' is the sixth update and was released on [[12 March]] [[2012]].<ref name="Update6&Riders"> {{webcite|author=Justin Olivetti|articleurl=http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/riding-into-rohan-lotro-maps-out-2012/|articlename=Riding into Rohan: LotRO maps out in 2012|dated=25 January 2012|website=Massively|accessed=29 January 2012}}</ref><ref name="Update6">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/game-manual/1775-update-6-great-river|articlename=Update 6 Great River|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>

*A new region, the [[Anduin|The Great River]], was added, featuring seven new areas - including Parth Celebrant - in the upper [[Anduin]]. <ref name="Update6"/>
*Mists of Anduin, Book 6 of Volume III, was released, in which the player seeks the wisdom of [[Galadriel]] about troubling dreams and fights [[Easterlings]], Brigands and an ancient enemy of Rohan.<ref name="Update6"/>
*The ability to summon skirmish warriors outside skirmishes.<ref name="Update6"/>
*Updates to the Instance finder.<ref name="Update6"/>
*Currency-change in Monster Play: "Destiny" will be replaced with "Commendations". Commendations will be available for both Freeps and Creeps.<ref name="MP Currency change">{{webcite|author=Jaret Pruett|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/1776-update-6-commendations-developer-diary|articlename=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/1776-update-6-commendations-developer-diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>

====Update 7: Shades of the Past====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 7 Shades of the Past.png|thumb|220px]]''Shades of the Past'' is the seventh update<ref name="Update 7">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/1966|articlename=Update 7|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=12 May 2012}}</ref> and was released on 14 May, 2012.{{fact}}=

*Continuation of the aforementioned currency-change.<ref name="MP Currency change"/>
*A new skirmish, "Storm on Methedras."<ref name="Update 7"/>
*Revamp of the Fornost instance and Moria region.<ref name="Update 7"/>

===Riders of Rohan Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Riders of Rohan]]''=
The fourth expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is named ''Riders of Rohan''. The expansion was released on October 15, 2012. <ref name="Turbine">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/news/pressreleases/1736-warner-bros-interactive-entertainment-and-turbine-unveil-the-lord-of-the-rings-online-riders-of-rohan|articlename=WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND TURBINE UNVEIL THE LORD OF THE RINGS ONLINE™: RIDERS OF ROHAN™|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=30 January 2012}}</ref>

====Update 9: Against the Shadow====
''Against the Shadow'' is the ninth update and was released 17 December, 2012. <ref name="Update 9">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.tentonhammer.com/lotro/news/lotro-update-9-coming-december-17th|articlename=LOTROs Update 9 Coming December 17th|dated=|website=www.tentonhammer.com|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*Three new three man instances.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-riders-rohan-instance-cluster-part-i|articlename=Riders of Rohan Instance Cluster, Part I|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Scaling of Dol Guldur instances.
*Completion of Moria revamp.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-revisiting-mines-moria-part-ii|articlename=Developer Diary: Revisiting the Mines of Moria, Part II|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Ability to quickly travel to turn in quests.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-travel-quest-location-behind-scenes|articlename=Update 9 - Travel To Quest Location: Behind the Scenes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Update to the Yule Festival.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-yule-festival|articlename=Update 9 - Yule Festival|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Combat revisions.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-combat-revisions|articlename=Update 9 - Combat Revisions|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 10: Against the Shadow, Part II====
''Against the Shadow, Part II'' is the tenth update and was released 6 March, 2013.=

*One six man instance and three twelve man raids.<ref name="Update 10">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-instance-cluster-developer-diary|articlename=Update 10 - Instance Cluster Developer Diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*In Their Absence instance scaling.<ref name="Update 10"/>
*Mithril Coins, a new currency used for special services.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-mithril-coin-qa|articlename=Update 10 Mithril Coin Q&A|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Agility made Wardens' primary stat.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-warden-stat-change-agility-wardens|articlename=Update 10: Warden Stat Change – Agility Wardens!|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Changes to critical defense.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-critical-defence-revision|articlename=Update 10 - Critical Defence Revision|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Unification of currency for scaling instances.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-seals-and-medallion-conversion|articlename=Update 10 - Seals and Medallion Conversion Diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand====
''Treachery of the White Hand'' is the eleventh update and was released 13 May, 2013. <ref name="Update 11">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?511377-Update-11-Treachery-of-the-White-Hand-Release-Notes-Official|articlename=Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand Release Notes - Official|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*A new region, Wildermore, located on the previously-inaccessible plateau in the north of East Rohan.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Book 10: Snows of Wildermore of '''Volume III: Allies of the King''' is released.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Updates to mounted combat.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Hobbit presents, daily free random items with the ability to unlock more rolls with mithril coins.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Lalia's Market, a shop where cosmetic clothing and dyes can be purchased with mithril coins.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/lalias-market|articlename=Lalia’s Market Now Open in Bree-town!|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

===Helm's Deep Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Helm's Deep]]''=
The fourth expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is named ''Helm's Deep''. The expansion was released on 20 November, 2013. <ref name="TenTonHammer">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.tentonhammer.com/lotro/news/turbine-temporarily-delays-lotro-helms-deep-launch|articlename=Updated: Turbine Temporarily Delays LOTROs Helms Deep Launch|dated=|website=www.tentonhammer.com|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref> After the Helm's Deep expansion, Turbine has discontinued for three years paid expansions in favor of quarterly updates with content free to VIPs. <ref name="Looking Ahead to 2014">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?535422-A-letter-from-Executive-Producer-Kate-Paiz-Looking-Ahead-to-2014|articlename=A letter from Executive Producer Kate Paiz - Looking Ahead to 2014|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 13: The Breaking of Isengard====
''The Breaking of Isengard'' is the thirteenth update and was released 14 April, 2014. <ref name="Update 13">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?546315-Update-13-The-Breaking-of-Isengard-%E2%80%93-Official-release-Notes|articlename=Update 13: The Breaking of Isengard – Official release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*Release of a new landscape consisting of post-[[Battle of Isengard]] Nan Curunir as well as the Entwood<ref name="Update 13"/>, an area consisting of the south-western part of Fangorn.
*The fourteenth and final book of Epic Volume III: Allies of the King, The Waters of Isengard.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/dev-diary-%E2%80%93-update-13-quest-notes|articlename=Dev Diary – Update 13 Quest Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Misty Mountains, North Downs and Trollshaws region revamps.<ref name="Update 13"/>
*Resizable inventory bags.<ref name="Update 13"/>
*Level scaling from level 20 up for players in the Ettenmoors and temporary Ettenmoors passes for free-to-play purchasable with Mithril Coins.<ref name="Update 13"/>

====Update 14: Paths of the Dead====
''Paths of the Dead'' is the fourteenth update and was released 14 July, 2014. <ref name="Update 14">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?552272-Update-14-Paths-of-the-Dead-Release-Notes-amp-Known-Issues|articlename=Update 14: Paths of the Dead - Release Notes & Known Issues |dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*Release of the West Gondor region, consisting of the areas the [[Paths of the Dead]], the [[Blackroot Vale]], [[Lamedon]], the Havens of [[Belfalas]], and [[Dol Amroth]]. <ref name="Update 14"/><ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/u14|articlename=Update 14: Paths of the Dead Now Available|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*A new Epic series,<ref name="Update 14"/> Volume IV: The Strength of Sauron, beginning with Book 1: The Road to Gondor.
*The Essence System, allowing specially slotted armors to be fitted with a variety of Essences for customizable stats.<ref name="Update 14"/>.
*Level cap increase to 100.<ref name="Update 14"/>
*The [[Dead Marshes]] region was added later in the minor Update 14.2, released September 15 2014. This area included a Session Play featuring Frodo, Samwise, and Gollum's passage through the marshes, casting the player character as Sam.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?555920-Update-14-2-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 14.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 15: Gondor Aflame====
''Gondor Aflame''<ref name="U15 Announcement">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/u15|articlename=Update 15: Gondor Aflame Now Available|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref> is the fifteeth update and was released 4 November, 2014. <ref name="Update 15">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?558300-Update-15-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 15 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*The region of Central Gondor, consisting of [[Ringló Vale]], [[Dor-en-Ernil]], [[Lebennin]] and [[Pelargir]].<ref name="U15 Announcement"/><ref name="Update 15"/>
*Beorning race and class.<ref name="U15 Announcement"/><ref name="Update 15"/>
*Epic Volume IV Book 2: The Dawnless Day.<ref name="Update 15"/>
*A new Epic Battle, Retaking Pelargir.<ref name="Update 15"/> Initially only available in solo/duo mode, a full fellowship version was released in 4 February, 2015 with Update 15.2.<ref name="Update 15.2">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?&postid=7312886|articlename=Update 15.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>
*Roving Threats, a new type of open landscape group content.<ref name="Update 15"/> Additional Roving Threats were added to other regions of the game beginning with Update 15.2<ref name="Update 15.2"/>

====Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath====
''Ashes of Osgiliath'' is the sixteenth update and was released 1 May, 2015.<ref name="Update 16">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?568045-Update-16-Ashes-of-Osgiliath-%E2%80%93-Official-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath – Official Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*The region of Eastern Gondor, consisting of Upper Lebennin, Lossarnach, South Ithilien and Osgiliath.<ref name="Update 16"/>
*Epic Volume IV Book 3: Voices of the Past.<ref name="Update 16"/>
*Cosmetic weapons and shields, more Roving Threats, and new PvMP map set in Osgiliath were released with Update 16.2 on 17 July, 2015. A new quest series of weekly episodic content, following the adventures of the Hobbit Bingo Boffin, was begun the Wednesday after the update, on 22 July.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?572512-Update-16-2-Release-Notes&p=7404279#post7404279|articlename=Update 16.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 17: The Siege of Minas Tirith====
''The Siege of Minas Tirith'' is the seventeenth update and was released 27 October, 2015.=

*The region of Old Anórien, including [[Minas Tirith]], the [[Pelennor Fields]], and Talath Anor.
*Epic Volume IV Book 4: Siege of the White City
*New crafting tier, hidden cosmetic weapon toggle.
*New Epic Battles: Defence of Minas Tirith, Hammer of the Underworld.

====Update 18: The Battle of Pelennor Fields====
''The Battle of Pelennor fields'' is the eighteenth update and was released 11 April 2016.=

*The region of Far Anórien, including [[Drúadan Forest|Taur Drúadan]], [[Warning beacons of Gondor|Beacon hills]], and the Pelennor Fields during the battle.
*Instance cluster including two 3-man instances (The Quays of the Harlond, The Blood of the Black Serpent), one 6-man instance (The Silent Street) and a 12-man raid (Throne of the Dread Terror).
*Epic Volume IV Book 5: The Ride of the Rohirrim and Book 6: The Battle of Pelennor Fields.

====Update 19: March of the King====
''March of the King'' is the nineteenth update and was released 14 October, 2016.=

*The region March of the King, including [[North Ithilien]], after battle Minas Tirith, after battle Osgiliath, and after battle Pelennor Fields.
*Flora barter system to exchange new gear for flowers.
*Epic Volume IV Book 7: March of the King.

====Update 20: Battle of the Black Gate====
''Battle of the Black Gate'' is the twentieth update and was released 21 March, 2017.=

*The region The Wastes, including Noman-lands, [[Slag-hills]] and [[Dagorlad]] which surround the [[Black Gate]].
*New reputation items to exchange for armour.
*Epic Volume IV Book 8: Battle of the Black Gate.

===Mordor Expansion===
''Mordor'' is the sixth expansion, and the twenty-first update, released on 2 August, 2017.=

*The region Plateau of [[Gorgoroth]] includes five different areas, [[Udûn]], Dor Amarth, Lhingris, Talath Urui, and Agarnaith.
*The conclusion of the Epic Questline (and Volume 4), with Book 9.
*A new series of quests, the "Black Book of Mordor", becomes the main storyline after the conclusion of the Epic Quests. There are four chapters introduced in this update.
*The Allegiance System is introduced, players can pledge to one of four factions to gain greater rewards in [[Mordor]]. They are the Kingdom of [[Gondor]], the Court of [[Lothlórien]], [[Durin's Folk]], and the Hobbits of the Company.
*A new instance cluster is introduced, featuring a 3-man instance (The Court of Seregost), a 6-man instance (The Dungeons of Naerband), and a 12-man raid (The Abyss of Mordath).

====Update 22: Legacy of the Necromancer====
''Legacy of the Necromancer'' is the twenty-second update, released on 6 March, 2018.=

*The new region "[[Eryn Lasgalen]] and the Dale-lands" (otherwise known as the "Strongholds of the North" or "Northern Mirkwood"), features the Forest of Eryn Lasgalen (including the [[Halls of the Elven-king]] (known as Felegoth), The Dale-lands (featuring iconic locations such as The [[Long Lake]], [[Lake-town]], [[Dale]], and [[Ravenhill]]), and [[Erebor]], the Lonely Mountain.
*Three new reputation factions are introduced; the "Elves of Felegoth", the "Men of Dale", and the "Dwarves of Erebor".
*The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new region.

====Update 23: Where Dragons Dwell====
''Where Dragons Dwell'' is the twenty-third update, released on 9 October, 2018.=

* The new area "The Dwarf-holds", consists of two areas; The [[Iron Hills]], and [[Ered Mithrin]]. An expanded area of [[Erebor]] is also opened.
* A new instance cluster is introduced, featuring two 3-man instances (Caverns of Thrumfall and Glimmerdeep), a six-man instance (Thikil-gundu), and a 12-man raid (The Anvil of Winterstith).
* The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new areas.

====Update 24: Vales of Anduin====
''Vales of Anduin'' is the twenty-fourth update, released on 4 June, 2019.=
* A new region, the [[Vales of Anduin]] was released, containing several key locations such as the Beorninghus ([[Beorn's Hall]]), The [[Carrock]], the [[Eagle's Eyrie]], the [[Gladden Fields]], [[Rhosgobel]], and various settlements of the [[Woodmen]].
* Update 24.2 brought the "Gladdenmere" sub-region to the Vales, along with a single six-man instance, "The Depths of Kidzul-kalah.
* The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new area, in addition to a "Prelude" to the Minas Morgul Expansion.

===Minas Morgul Expansion===
''Minas Morgul'' is the seventh expansion, released on 5 November, 2019.=

*The expansion consists of two new areas, "Mordor Besieged" consists of the upper half of [[Gorgoroth]] during the final stages of the [[Siege of Barad-dûr]] in the Second Age, and the [[Morgul Vale]], which consists of the areas between [[Ithilien]] to the west, and Gorgoroth to the east. The city of [[Minas Morgul]] is also available for exploration.
*A new playable race, the "Stout-axe dwarves", became available.
*New Crafting updates, including a new tier to crafting guilds.
*A new instance cluster taking place in the Morgul Vale, with four three-man instances, three six-man instances, and a raid, the Remmorchant, featuring battling with [[Shelob]] in [[Torech Ungol]].
*A new level cap of 130 is introduced.

====Update 26: Mists of Wilderland====
''Mists of Wilderland'' is the the twenty-sixth update, released on 23 April, 2020.=
* A new region, the Wells of Langflood was released, featuring the upper-lands of the [[Vales of Anduin]], and the merging of the [[Greylin]] and [[Langwell]] rivers into the Anduin. In addition, there is the [[beorning]] settlement of Limlok, the [[stoor]] village of Lyndelby, and the ruins of [[Framsburg]], once the capital of the [[Eotheod]].
* A new reputation faction, the "Protectors of Wilderland", situated in Limlok was introduced.
* A brand new epic questline, "The Legacy of Durin and the Trials of the Dwarves" is introduced to follow the Black Book of Mordor, and follows Prince Durin's efforts in leading the united dwarves to retake [[Mount Gundabad]] from the orcs who dwell there. Two initial chapters were released.

====Update 27: The Great Wedding====
''The Great Wedding'' is the twenty-seventh update, released on 30 June, 2020.=
* A new area, [[Minas Tirith]] (Midsummer), was introduced, situated after the destruction of the [[One Ring]], situated around the wedding of King [[Aragorn Elessar]] and [[Arwen Undomiel]].
* The [[Midsummer]] Festival was introduced, based in Midsummer Minas Tirith, featuring all new quests, items and deeds for players. In addition, the Summer and Farmer's Faire festivals were merged to make way for the Midsummer Festival.
* The Epic Questline continues with Volume V- The Peace of Middle-earth, in it's first book.

====Update 28: War of the Three Peaks====
''War of the Three Peaks'' is the eighth update, also called a "mini-expansion", released on 20 October, 2020.=
* A new area, Elderslade, is introduced, and features the lands north of the Wells of Langflood and west of the [[Ered Mithrin]], situated before the very gates of [[Mount Gundabad]].
* The Missions mechanic was introduced, allowing players of any level over 20 to aid Durin's war-effort, and gain rewards through one of two new reputation factions: The Gabil'akka.
* "The Legacy of Durin and the Trials of the Dwarves" continues with two new chapters, featuring the Battle of Elderslade, and the challenging of Gorgar the Ruthless, Lord of Gundabad, and son of [[Bolg]].

====Update 29: The Wildwood====
''The Wildwood'' was released on 27 March, 2021.=
* The Wildwood, a new zone, was released as part of the Bree-land starting at level 45. Includes new quests along with two reputation factions.
* New Missions were added for The Wildwood.
* The Bree-land map was updated accordingly.

====Update 30: Blood of Azog====
''Blood of Azog'' was released on 8 June, 2021.
* New Missions for new dwarf factions were released.
* "The Legacy of Durin" storyline continued with a flashback to [[Battle of Azanulbizar]]. The flashback is told by Hersegg, granddaughter of one of the heroes of that battle.
* The Fall of Khazad-dûm raid was also released with new gear to be earned. In this instance, players help the dwarves of Moria in TA 1981 in their final stand against Durin's Bane.
* This is the final content update before the next major expansion, ''Fate of Gundabad'', released on November 10th, 2021.

=====Update 30.3=====
''Update 30.3'' was released on 13 October, 2021.=
* This update did not contain any new quest content for the game, but did release several significant features leading up to The Fate of Gundabad expansion, along with smaller quality of life changes.
* The Brawler class was introduced to the game.
* A fully revamped Legendary Item system released publicly after many months of beta testing
* The housing system saw an update that removed the size signifiers for housing items, making it easier to customise player housing

===Fate of Gundabad Expansion===
''Fate of Gundabad'' was released on 10 November, 2021.

====Update 32: Rangers and Ruins====
''Rangers and Ruins'' was released on 16 February, 2022.

====Update 33: Yondershire====
''Yondershire'' was released on 20 April, 2022.
* This update was released alongside the 15 year celebration of ''Lord of the Rings Online''. This event runs from the 20th of April up until 12th of May.
* A new sub-region, "The Yondershire", was released, connecting the [[Ered Luin]] directly to the rest of Middle-earth for the first time. Hobbit villages such as [[Nobottle]], [[Tighfield]], [[Gamwich]], and [[Long Cleeve]] are also featured.
* All content including and prior to the Helm's Deep Expansion, including the Rune-keeper, Warden, and Beorning classes, as well as the High Elf race were made free and available to all players.

=Added Elements and Deviations from the Book=
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' does not only follow the story as told in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', but also tells original stories about events happening during the same time period as the War of the Ring. These chiefly involve player characters following the trail of the members of the Fellowship and other main characters from the text. As such, there are a number of elements that do not appear in any of the published works. This includes characters, lineages, objects and locations. A selection of these are described below.=

==Major Characters==
* '''[[Amarthiel]]''' served the [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]] during his first reign over [[Angmar]]<ref>In the game the Witch-king reigned over Angmar again shortly before the [[War of the Ring]].</ref> and wore the [[lesser rings|lesser ring]] [[Narchuil]]. She was slain by [[Narmeleth]] at the [[Battle of Fornost]] and her soul wandered [[Middle-earth]] for over a thousand years. She managed to possess Narmeleth and disguised herself as Sara Oakheart. She eventually revealed herself after the defeat of [[Mordirith]] by [[Golodir]] and becomes the Regent of Angmar.=

* '''[[Andraste]]''' was a female [[Men|Man]] who served the [[Witch-king]].

* '''[[Jon Brackenbrook]]''' was a [[Men|Man]] who was captain of [[Archet]].

* '''[[Ronald Dwale]]''' was a [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] from [[Dwalling]]. He was an author and a member of [[The Inklings (LOTRO)|the Inklings]], that meets in the [[The Eagle and Child|Bird and Baby Inn]]. He was based on [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] himself.

* '''[[Éogan]]''' was the second in command of the [[Blackwolds]] and took over leadership of the group after William Skunkwood's death.

*'''Gorgar the Ruthless''' was another descendent of Azog who led the Orcs of Gundabad against the Gabil'akka during the War of Three Peaks.

*'''Gorothul''' was a Black Numenorean sorcerer high in the ranks of [[Dol Guldur]].

* '''The Huntsman''' was a spirit found in [[Enedwaith]] who took the shape of a large man with horns of a stag. Many players thought this was [[Oromë]]. The developers confirmed that it wasn't Oromë but a [[Maiar|Maia]] of Oromë.<ref>[http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?359604-big-D-small-d&p=4996860&highlight=#post4996860 big D, small d] [[Jonathan Rudder]], lotro.com forums</ref>

* '''[[Ivar the Bloodhand]]''' was a Gaunt-lord from the [[First Age]].

*'''Karazgar''' was one of the [[Gúrzyul]] seeking to claim power in Mordor after Sauron's defeat.

*'''Mazog''' was a descendant of [[Azog]] and leader of the Orcs of Moria.

* '''[[Mordirith]]''' was the Steward of Angmar.

* '''[[Narmeleth]]''' was an elf maiden of [[Rivendell]] and daughter of [[Laerdan]]. She slew [[Amarthiel]] during the [[Battle of Fornost]] and became possessed by her soul over a thousand years later.

* '''[[Mundo Sackville-Baggins]]''' was a [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] who was mistakenly identified as having the ring.

* '''[[William Skunkwood]]''' was the leader of the [[Blackwolds]].

* '''[[Skorgrím]]''' was a dwarf and leader of the [[Dourhands]]. He was slain during the Battle of Edhelion. His corpse was used as a vehicle by Ivar the Bloodhand who possessed it with a fell spirit to trick the Dourhands to ally themselves with the forces of [[Angmar]].

* '''[[Sambrog]]''' was the Wight-lord of the [[Barrow-downs]].

==Groups==
* '''The [[Blackwolds]]''' were a group of [[Men|Mannish]] brigands from [[Bree-land]].=

* '''The [[Dourhands]]''' was a clan of dwarves aligned with the forces of [[Angmar]]. They were the dwarves that stayed behind to rebuild the Dwarven Halls in the [[Blue Mountains]] which were destroyed during the [[War of Wrath]].

*The '''Gúrzyul''' were powerful Black Númenoreans who served near the top of the chain of command in Mordor.

* '''The [[Inklings (Shadows of Angmar)|Inklings]]''' are a group of [[Hobbits|Hobbit]]-authors who discuss literature. They meet each other in the [[The Eagle and Child|Bird and Baby Inn]]. Prominent members are [[Ronald Dwale]] ([[J.R.R. Tolkien]]), [[Owen Farfield]] ([[Owen Barfield]]), [[Carlo Williams]] ([[Charles Williams]]) and [[Jack Lewisdown]] ([[C.S. Lewis]]). The group and members are based on the real [[Inklings]]

*'''The Iron Garrison''' was a group of Longbeard Dwarves that sought to find [[Balin]] and retake the Mines of Moria.

*'''The Stout-axes''' were a House of Dwarves lost to slavery in Mordor. They were eventually freed after the demise of Sauron.

*The '''Warriors Three''' were a trio of Rohirrim adventure seekers.

*'''The Zhelruka were an eastern House of Dwarves who migrated westward after the War of the Ring.

==Objects==
* '''[[Narchuil]]''' was one of the [[lesser rings]] forged by the elven-smiths during the [[Second Age]].=

* '''Zigilburk''' was a legendary [[mithril]] axe discovered in Moria by The Iron Garrison.

* '''The Vandassari''' were a set of stones brought from [[Numenor]] to Middle-earth. These are the Oath-stones with the power to hold those who swear upon them to their promises, such as the Stone of [[Erech]].

* '''The Black Book of Mordor''' was a mysterious text discovered in the Iron Hills.

==Locations==
* '''[[Agamaur]]''' was a vast swamp of the [[Lone-lands]]. It was a site of a major battle between [[Arthedain]], [[Cardolan]] and [[Rhudaur]]. To the west were the ruins of Ost Guruth, a fortress of [[Arnor]] claimed by the nomadic Eglain. To the east lay the ruins of Garth Agarwen, a fortress of Rhudaur ruled by [[Hill-men]] loyal to the mysterious Red Maid.=

* '''[[The Eagle and Child|Bird and Baby Inn]]''' was an inn in [[Michel Delving]].

* '''[[Esteldin]]''' was a ruin of Arnor in the [[North Downs]]. At the time of the [[War of the Ring]], it was used as a base of operations by the [[Rangers of the North]].

*'''[[Falathlorn]]''' was a green and beautiful region of the [[Ered Luin]] favored by the Elves. It contained the Elvish havens of Duillond and Celondim. Not far from this region were the chilly Low-lands, site of the Dwarvish cities Gondamon and Kheledul.

*'''[[Galtrev]]''' was one of the largest towns of [[Dunland]], the nominal capitol of the country.

*'''Lhanuch''' was a chief village among the [[Dunlending]] clans of [[Enedwaith]].

*'''Luntil's Ferry''' was a secret crossing of the River Anduin in [[Lossarnach]].

*'''[[Maur Tulhau]]''' was a [[Stoors|Stoorish]] Hobbit village in [[Enedwaith]] located in the forbidding Gloomgens. It was an remnant of the time when the Stoors lived in this region before most of their number moved north to [[The Shire]].

*'''Nar's Peak''' was a cleft along one of the spurs of the [[Misty Mountains]]. Thorin and some other exiles of [[Erebor]] dwelt for a time.

* '''[[Othrongroth]]''' was the oldest and largest Edain mound in the [[Barrow-downs]].

* '''[[Stangard]]''' was a [[Rohirrim]] settlement near the Great River [[Anduin]]. Its inhabitants were mostly exiles sent to protect [[Rohan]]'s outer borders.

* '''[[Tinnudir]]''' was an island in [[Lake Evendim]]. It was used as a headquarters by a group of Rangers called the Wardens of [[Annúminas]], protectors of the ancient capitol of Arnor.

*'''Wildermore''' was a small plateau in the northern portion of [[Eastemnet]]. It suffered an unnatural winter due to the machinations of Saruman.

*'''Woodsedge''' was one of the main towns of the [[Woodmen]] living in the Vales of [[Anduin]] at the edge of [[Mirkwood]].

=Active Worlds=
*[US]Arkenstone (Unofficial Oceanic)=
*[EU]Belegaer [DE-RP]
*[US]Brandywine
*[US]Crickhollow
*[EU]Evernight [EU]
*[US]Gladden
*[EU]Gwaihir [DE]
*[US]Landroval [EN-RE]
*[EU]Laurelin [Global-RP]
*[EU]Sirannon [FR]
*Anor [Legendary]
*Shadowfax [Legendary]
*Treebeard [Legendary]

==European servers==
The European servers were originally created and hosted by [[Codemasters]], but on [[1 June]] [[2011]] LOTRO Europe was taken over by Turbine, who are based in the Easter U.S. This arrangement continued with Standing Stone Games who currently host the European servers.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.casualstrolltomordor.com/2011/04/turbines-lotro-service-goes-global/|articlename=Turbine's LOTRO Service Goes Global|dated=24 April 2011|website=A Casual Stroll to Mordor|accessed=2 January 2012}}</ref>

European servers are further distinguished by language, French and German in particular

==Legendary Servers==
'''Legendary servers''' are special worlds with a progressive level cap. The first legendary server, Anor, was launched in 2018, while Ithil was opened shortly thereafter to accommodate congestion. Due to inactivity, Ithil was eventually closed in 2021.

In fall of 2021, two new Legendary servers were announced. Both would follow the previous legendary model, by starting at the original level cap of 50 and slowly expanding from there, but each had its own take on progression. The Shadowfax server gave players 50% more experience points than the standard servers, while Treebeard slowed experience point gain y 70%. Each server would also receive expansions at a different pace, with Shadowfax gaining expansions more quickly than Treebeard.

==Roleplay Servers==
To encourage players who wish to enjoy the game as their characters, some servers have been designed RP as roleplaying servers. In these worlds, it is expected that most players will interact together as the characters they have made, imagining themselves as actually being in Middle-earth. As a special case Landroval is designed RE, roleplay encouraged.=

==Closed Worlds==
Over time, due to shifting player populations, worlds have been consolidated. Players transfer their characters to a new world and the old server is then closed. Below is a list of closed worlds.
*[RU] Fornost
*[RU] Mirkwood
*[RU] Aglarond
*[US] Vilya
*[EU] Maiar [DE]
*[US] Firefoot
*[US] Meneldor
*[US] Windfola
*[EU] Morthond [DE]
*[EU] Gilrain [UK]
*[US] Nimrodel
*[EU] Withywindle [UK]
*[EU] Vanyar [DE]
*[US] Dwarrowdelf
*[US] Riddermark
*[EU] Anduin [DE]
*[EU] Estel [FR-RP]
*[EU] Eldar
*[US] Imladris
*[US] Silverlode
*[US] Elendilmir (Oceanic)
*[EU] Snowbourn [UK]
*Ithil [Legendary]

=License=
For ''The Lord of the Rings Online'', [[Turbine]] (and subsequently Standing Stone Games) has licensed the rights to the content and lore of ''[[The Hobbit]]'' and ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. Turbine does not have license rights to the [[New Line Cinema]] film trilogy nor ''[[The Silmarillion]]'', ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'', ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'' books or ''[[The Children of Húrin]]''.=

=Reception=
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' has been received very positively thus far, as reviews continue to appear since the game's initial release.<ref>[http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/middleearthonline Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, The - Review] metacritic.com</ref>==

GameDaily awarded the game 9/10, praising its rich, fantasy-themed universe, well-integrated trait and title system, and a story that remains true to the works of Tolkien. Yahoo! Video Games wrote a review with few negative mentions, awarding the game a score of 4/5,<ref>[http://videogames.yahoo.com/gamereview?cid=1990963744&tab=reviews&page=0&eid=513259 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] Yahoo! Games</ref> while ''Computer and Video Games'' called the game an essential purchase for ''Lord of the Rings'' fans, scoring the game a 9.2/10.<ref>[http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=161846&skip=yes PC Review: Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] ''Computer and Video Games''</ref> Eurogamer scored the game a 9.0/10, calling it tough to resist.<ref>[http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=75657 Review - Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] Eurogamer</ref> Gamespy gave it 4.5/5 stars, claiming the game "opened up Middle-Earth to the masses" but commented negatively on its weak PvP content,<ref>[http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/lord-of-the-rings-online-shadows-of-angmar/785884p1.html The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] GameSpy</ref> while GameTrailers awarded it 8.5/10,<ref>[http://www.gametrailers.com/gamepage.php?id=754 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] Game Trailers</ref> citing its interesting tweaks to the MMO genre. IGN.com ranked it a similar 8.6/10, praising it for its solid experience, though criticizing it for its lack of major improvements to the genre.<ref>[http://pc.ign.com/articles/787/787942p3.html The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] IGN</ref> GamerNode.com awarded the game an 8.8/10, calling it the best MMO launch experience since ''Ultima Online''.<ref>[http://www.gamernode.com/PC/Reviews/2848-Lord-of-the-Rings-Online-Review/index.html Lord of the Rings Online] GamerNode</ref> The ''New York Times'' called the game "a major achievement of interactive storytelling, the first game truly worthy of the ‘Lord of the Rings' franchise and a must-play for just about anyone with an interest in Tolkien or the future of online entertainment."<ref>[http://lotro.turbine.com/article/356 Lord of the Rings Online Press Release] Lord of the Rings Online</ref> In a GameSpot review, the product was awarded an 8.3/10, praising its appealing polish and intriguing Monster Play feature.<ref>[http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/middleearthonline/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=topten&tag=topten;all;score;5 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar for PC Review] GameSpot</ref> Gamepro.com's review gave it an overall 4.25/5, pointing out how engaging the epic quests are, as well as how faithful to the novels the game managed to stay.<ref>[http://gamepro.com/computer/pc/games/reviews/112000.shtml Review: The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar for PC] Gamepro</ref> GameSpy declared ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' 'Game of the Month' for May 2007.<ref>[http://uk.gamespy.com/articles/795/795353p2.html Game of the Month: May 2007] GameSpy</ref>

=Awards=

In August 2007, Codemasters announced that ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' had received five Golden Joystick Awards nominations for the five applicable categories for the game,<ref>[http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6925679.stm Music and vice top games awards] BBC News</ref> and in October 2007 that it had won the "PC Game of the Year" at these awards.<ref>[http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7693&Itemid=2 Gears Wins Big at Game Awards] Next-Generation</ref> and again won the same award on October 2008. In December 2007, GameSpy awarded ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' 6th place in the top 10 PC games of 2007.<ref>[http://goty.gamespy.com/2007/pc/6.html GameSpy's Game of the Year 2007] GameSpy</ref> On December 18, Turbine announced it had also won the GameSpy MMO of the Year award.<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/article/476 LOTRO Wins Top Honors from Gamespy!] Lord of the Rings Online</ref> In January 2009, mmorpg.com awarded Turbine both MMORPG studio of the year 2008<ref>[http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/45/feature/2574/Best-MMO-Studio-of-2008-Winner MMORPG.com Best MMO Studo of 2008] mmorpg.com</ref>, and MMO Expansion of the Year for ''Mines of Moria''.<ref>[http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/45/feature/2579 MMORPG.com Best Expansion of 2008] mmorpg.com</ref>

=Subscription Model=
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Free to Play.png|300px|thumb]]=
In North America, players who pre-ordered the game were offered a special founder's offer, a lifetime subscription for $199 or reduced cost of $9.99 per month. Standard monthly fee is $14.99 with three, six, twelve month, and lifetime discounts available. European players had a similar program from Codemasters.

A Holiday subscription was available in December of 2007 and January of 2008 for $9.99/month for a 3 month commitment. A one year anniversary addition includes a $9.99/month subscription or a $199.99 Lifetime subscription, which was again offered during the lead up to the release of Mines of Moria.

Warner Bros. announced on June 4, 2010 that Lord of the Rings Online will offer a free-to-play model starting in the fall of 2010.<ref>[http://turbine.com/news/105-warner-bros-interactive-entertainment-announces-the-lord-of-the-rings-online-to-adopt-global-free-to-play-model.html Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Announces The Lord of the Rings Online™ to Adopt Global Free-to-Play Model] Turbine, Inc</ref> On August 18, 2010, Warner Bros. announced that the free-to-play model would go live on September 10, 2010. On October 21, 2010, [[Codemasters]] announced that a preview of Free-to-Play would be available in Europe on October 25, 2010.<ref>[http://community.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=10839&pagename=news&type=news The Lord of the Rings Online Europe Preview Event]</ref>

=External Links=
* '''[http://lotro.com Official website]'''=
** '''[http://forums.lotro.com/ LOTRO Community Forums]''': The official ''Lord of the Rings Online'' forums
* '''[http://lotro-wiki.com LoTRO-Wiki]''': The most complete source of information for the game
* '''[http://lotroplayers.com LoTRO Players]''': Long-running news site and podcast
* '''[http://www.dadislotroguides.com Dadi's LOTRO Guides]''': Useful guides for various game systems.

{{notes}}
{{references}}

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[[Category:The Lord of the Rings Online| ]]
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The Lord of the Rings Online

2022-05-10T00:24:13Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Update 30: Blood of Azog */

{{cleanup}}
{{disambig-more|The Lord of the Rings|[[The Lord of the Rings (disambiguation)]]}}
{{video game infobox| image=[[Image:Lotro logo.png|250px]]| name=The Lord of the Rings Online| developer=[[Turbine|Turbine, Inc.]] (2007-2016)
[[Standing Stone Games]] (2016-Present)|
publisher=[[Midway Games]]
[[Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment]] (2010-2016)
[[Daybreak Game Company]] (2016-Present)
| platform=Microsoft Windows, OS X (Beta)| releasedate=April 24, [[2007]]| genre=MMORPG| modes=| rating=| distribution=}}
'''''The Lord of the Rings Online''''' (commonly abbreviated to '''LOTRO''' or '''LotRO''') is an MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) for PC and OS X that takes place in the world of [[Arda]] during the time of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]].'' It was originally branded as '''The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar''', but with later updates, that subtitle was dropped.

The players take on the role of adventurers of the [[Free peoples|Free Peoples]] of [[Middle-earth]]. The events of the game are concurrent with the events of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' but most of the game revolves around events that occurred elsewhere or in the wake of events in the books. The game draws inspiration from people, places and events only mentioned in the books, combining these with original concepts to expand on parts of Middle-earth Tolkien did not. The main quest series of the game, known as Epic Quests, are divided into volumes, books and chapters, emulating the structure of ''The Lord of the Rings''.

There have been many expansions to the original game, including: Mines of Moria (2008), Siege of Mirkwood (2009), Rise of Isengard (2011), Riders of Rohan (2012), Helm's Deep (2013) Mordor (2017), Minas Morgul (2019), and Fate of Gundabad (2021) with regular updates, adjustments, and "mini-expansions" in between.

==Development==
{{rewrite}}

Development of ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' began in 1998, when [[Sierra Entertainment|Sierra]] started work on a game called ''Middle-earth Online''. Following [[Vivendi|Vivendi Universal Games]]' takeover of Sierra in 1999, the game's production was shared with [[Turbine]]. Turbine secured the rights of the entire game in March 2004,<ref>[http://www.videogamer.com/news/turbine_spin_into_action_to_secure_tolkien_license.html Turbine spin into action to secure Tolkien license - VideoGamer.com]</ref> and it was renamed to ''The Lord of the Rings Online''. It was originally subscription-based, but later became free-to-play with optional paid subscription and microtransactions.

A closed beta was announced on [[8 September]], [[2006]]. An open beta began on [[30 March]], [[2007]], and was open to all who pre-ordered the game's Founders Club edition. In April [[2007]], the beta opened to the public. In 2010, the monetization model of the game changed to allow a free-to-play experience. Subscribers were given benefits for their patronage, while all players could access the game for free, but with certain limitations. In 2016 development of the game was handed off to a new spin-off company formed specifically to maintain LOTRO and 'Dungeons & Dragons Online': Standing Stone Games.

As an online game, development continues with regular enhancements, additions, and changes to mechanics and game systems.



==Gameplay==
===Characters===
''Main article: [[Character Classes (LOTRO)]]''

Like many RPGs, ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' has a system of character classes and levels. Each character chooses a race and a class on character creation, this cannot be changed. Players are able to play as any of the [[Free Peoples]] - [[Elves]], [[Men]], [[Dwarves]], [[Hobbits]], [[Beornings]], [[Stout-axe]] Dwarves, or [[High Elves]]. Male or female characters can be created, except in the case of Dwarves. As per Tolkien, Dwarf-women are very rare and seldom leave their mountain halls, though the addition of Stout-axe dwarves as a playable race in 2019 allowed players to create dwarf-women. There is no difference in appearance male and female Stout-axes. There are eleven classes: Beorning, Brawler, Burglar, Captain, Champion, Guardian, Hunter, Lore-master, Minstrel, Rune-keeper, and Warden.

Customization of the character's abilities can be done by changing equipment and traits. As of the [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Helm.27s Deep Expansion|Helm's Deep expansion]], class traits work on a tree system, with each class having three "trait trees" where traits can be selected with earned points and unlocking enough traits in a particular tree allows higher-level traits to be selected and applies additional bonus. In addition to class traits are racial traits, such as Men being able to slot a trait to do additional damage with swords or Hobbits being able to slot a trait that allows them to throw a stone, and virtue traits which boost the character's stats.

Levels are significant, with much lower level enemies being extremely easy to defeat and much higher level enemies being nearly impossible to defeat. Each region has enemies and quests with a range of levels usually consecutive to those of an adjacent region. Quests over five levels above the character's level are inaccessible. In addition to being able to complete quest and defeat enemies in more locations, characters gain access to additional equipment, skills, traits and instances as they level up. Levels are increased by gaining experience, which is earned by completing quests and instances, defeating enemies of an appropriate level, and crafting.

===World===
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is an "open-world" game in which most locations that have been released can be freely accessed on an open landscape (although some places, such as Moria, require certain quests to be completed first.) The game world is split into "lands", large areas of Middle-Earth. As of Update 21, the four lands in the game are [[Eriador]], [[Rhovanion]], [[Gondor]], and [[Mordor]]. Each land is in turn divided into regions, e.g. [[Bree-land]] in Eriador, and each region contains areas, e.g. [[Andrath]] within Bree-land.

Although most of the land is available to all for exploration, most regions require non-VIPs to purchase a quest pack to access quests, deeds and instances associated with that region. A few regions, such as East and West Rohan, require expansion packs to be purchased to unlock content, even for VIPs. Each region is generally seen as it was in a certain time in the War of the Ring, for example Lothlórien is visited by the player at the same time as the [[Fellowship of the Ring]] rested there, and [[Pelargir]] just after [[Aragorn]] liberated the city from the [[Corsairs of Umbar]].

Reddit users /u/lallapalalable and /u/exploderator estimated the total size of the map at no more than 250 square km (97 square miles) in 2017, making it one of the largest game maps ever made.<ref>{{webcite|author=/u/lallapalalable|articleurl=http://www.reddit.com/r/lotro/comments/60j1ul/been_trying_to_calculate_the_area_of_the_map/|articlename=Been trying to calculate the area of the map|dated=20 March 2017|website=Reddit|accessed=29 October 2020}}</ref>

===Quests===
Much of the game's completable content is in the form of quests. Quests consist of a series of objectives, often including speaking with NPCs, defeating certain enemies, and recovering certain items from the ground or from defeated enemies. Most quests have a small number of objectives but may unlock additional quests upon completion to form a quest chain. Quests are usually started by started by speaking with a particular Non-Player Character (NPC), indicated with a ring icon above the NPC's head. The forms of ring icons and what they indicate are as follows:

*Gold ring with blue aura: the NPC has a quest that is approximately appropriate for the character's level.
*Gold ring with blue aura and fiery inscription: the NPC must be spoken with to advance the quest.
*Bright gold ring: the NPC has an Epic quest available.
*Gold ring with orange flames: the NPC must be spoken to to advance the Epic quest.
*Blue ring and quill: the NPC has a comment about an active quest, speaking to the NPC will not advance the quest but may give additional information.
*Gold ring with hourglass: the NPC has a quest with a cooldown, the player must wait for the cooldown to expire before accepting the quest.
*Silver ring: the NPC has a quest that is too high level for the player to accept at that level.
*Transparent grey ring: the NPC has a "trivial" quest, one far below the player's level.
*Gold ring with anvil: the NPC has a crafting quest, and involves the crafting system in some way.
*Gold ring with sword: The NPC has an allegiance quest; quests that are unique to the Mordor Expansion.*Gold ring with map: The NPC has a missions quest; quests that are unique to Missions-related quests.

Some quests are started by obtaining unique items dropped from specific enemies. The [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Riders of Rohan Expansion|Riders of Rohan expansion]] introduced auto-bestowed quests, which bring up a quest prompt when the player defeats a specific type of enemy or finds a certain location. Such enemies are marked with ring icons similarly to how NPC quest givers are. Players have the option of accepting these quests automatically or choosing to manually accept or decline each prompt. Most landscape quests can only be completed once, some special landscape quests and most instance quests can be completed once a day any number of times, and a few landscape quests can be repeated at any time up to a certain number of times.

Quests are categorized according to what area, instance or other section they are associated with. Of note are the Epic Quests, a series that tells the main storyline of the game. In imitation of [[The Lord of the Rings|the Lord of the Rings book]], the epic quests are divided into Volumes, which are divided into Books which in turn are divided into Chapters. Each Chapter is usually an individual quest. Epic Quests bring the player through the landscape but are considered apart from it, therefore most Epic Quests are available to all players regardless of whether or not any quest packs are unlocked. A notable exception is the end of Volume III: Allies of the King, which requires purchase of the Helm's Deep expansion to complete. The Black Book of Mordor, the new main storyline for quests after the Epic Books, has eight chapters, all spanning various areas in Middle Earth including [[Mordor]], the Strongholds of the North, the [[Iron Hills]], and the [[Ered Mithrin]].

===Deeds===
Deeds are non-repeatable achievements recorded on an interface window called the Deed Log. Common deed objectives include completing a certain number of quests in a particular area or region (Quest Deeds), defeating a certain number of enemies of a specific type in a particular region (Slayer Deeds), discovering specified locations (Explorer Deeds), and reaching the next tier of reputation with a faction. Most Deeds award Turbine points. Deeds in a particular region usually award reputation in that region's faction. Deeds also commonly reward marks, virtues, and titles.

===Instances===
Instances are locations in the game separated from the open landscape, not accessible through normal travel. Instances can take place in either separate versions of the locations available on the landscape (for example, Pelargir while Aragorn's host retakes it from the corsairs) or in locations not accessible anywhere else (such as Dale). Most instances are private instances, that is, only one player or group of players can enter it and it closes when they complete it, while public instances can be joined at any time by any number of separate players. They are often repeatable, with ones associated with landscape quests being replayable through a Reflecting Pool in the associated region and others accessible through the Instance Finder window. Most private instances have associated quests automatically bestowed upon entering the instance and cancelled upon exiting.

===Fellowships and Kinships===
Most open landscape content and associated instances are designed to be completable by a solo player, while some locations in the game and Instance Finder instances are meant for a team of players. A group of players with a maximum size of six is known as a fellowship. For larger groups, a raid of up to four fellowships can be formed, for a maximum group size of 24 players. Players are free to group on the open landscape and in public instances, but private instances have a limit on how many players may enter.

Players can found and join lasting organizations known as Kinships in the game. Players in a kinship can communicate in their own kinship chat channel to socialize and plan events with their fellow members.

===Monster Play===
The game is primarily Player vs. Environment (PvE), with most combat being player characters against computer controlled enemies found throughout the landscape and instances. However in the [[Ettenmoors]] region, players can participate in Player vs. Monster Player battles (PvMP). Players can create Monster characters that only have access to PvMP areas where they battle standard characters, who fight on the side of the Free Peoples. Each monster player class is limited to a specific race. The monster classes are the Blackarrow (Uruk), Defiler (Orc), Reaver (Orc), Stalker (Warg), Warleader (Uruk), and Weaver (Spider) As of [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath|Update 16.2]] a new PvMP area, set in Osgiliath before Boromir's journey to Rivendell and accessed via a banner in the Ettenmoors, was released.



Towns and settlements provide Vendors where players can purchase or repair their armour, weapons, and supplies. Towns also often include Mailboxes, Auction Halls, Class Trainers, Forge-masters, Relic-masters, and Stable-masters who allow swift travel between regions.

The player interface allows other aspects of gameplay such as Character screens, Quest and Deed Logs, a Social Panel where players can interact, and a Crafting panel where players use skills to craft new items.

==Releases, Updates, and Expansions==
===Shadows of Angmar===
:{{Main|The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar}}
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar|Shadows of Angmar]]'' was released on [[24 April]], [[2007]]. It included books 1 through 8 of Epic Volume I: Shadows of Angmar. Approximately once every two months a major free update was added to ''The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar''. Each update added a new book to the volume.

====Book 9: Shores of Evendim====
{{#ev:youtubehd|VOEcXrbG4OI|200|thumb}}
The first free content update was released on 14 June, 2007.<ref>[http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=3611&pagename=home&search=yes&keyword=Book%209 Book 9: Shores of Evendim Release Date Announced]</ref>

Updates included:
*A new region - [[Evendim]] - is added, including locations like [[Annúminas]].<ref name="book9">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/news/pressreleases/136-book-9-shores-of-evendim-release-date-announced|articlename=Book 9: Shores of Evendim Release Date Announced!|dated=5 June 2007|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
*The epic story is expanded with book 9, Shores of Evendim<ref name="book9"/>
*100 new quests are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*A 24-player raid is added, ''Battle for Helegrod''.<ref name="book9"/>
*Nine new monsters are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*New Collectible armour sets are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*Updates to the music system.<ref name="book9"/>

====Book 10: The City of Kings====

The second free-content update was released on 21 August, 2007 in North America and on 24 August, 2007 in Europe.<ref>| [http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=3949&pagename=home&search=yes&keyword=Book%209 Codemasters Online and Turbine unveil Book 10: The City of the Kings]</ref>

Updates included:
*Continuation of the Story Line.
*Legendary Play – Players can now use Destiny Points to play as a Ranger of the North or as a Troll.
*Critter Play – Players can now explore Middle-earth from a different viewpoint as a chicken.
*New Reputation and Bartering Systems – The Reputation system enables players to earn positive and negative standing with different races and groups in Middle-earth based on both monster kills and quest completions. The Bartering system allows players to trade trophies earned in battle for rewards, such as armour sets or mounts.
*Over 100 new Quests.
*More customizable user interface.

====Book 11: Prisoner of the Free Peoples====

The third free-content update was released on 24 October, 2007 in North America<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/article/430 Turbine and Codemasters Online Gaming to Unveil Book 11: Defenders of Eriador for The Lord of the Rings Online]</ref> and 25 October in Europe.<ref>[http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=4661&articletype=News Codemasters Online and Turbine to unveil Book 11: Defenders of Eriador]</ref>

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_11_Official complete release notes]):
*Continuation of the Epic Story arc, including 13 quests.
*Player housing – players will be able to customize their houses with items such as furniture and doormats.
*Second raid called "The Rift" – 12-player raid in which players encounter a [[Balrogs|Balrog]] for the first time. Turbine has stressed that this is not the [[Durin's Bane|Balrog from Khazad-dûm]].<ref>[http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=287 Book 11 Preview: The Balrogs are Coming]</ref>
*Two new areas – Tâl Bruinen in the Trollshaws, where [[Gollum]] will be introduced for the first time, and Goblin-town in the [[Misty Mountains]], featured in ''The Hobbit''.
*More than 100 new quests.

====Book 12: The Ashen Wastes====

The fourth free content update was released on 13 February, 2008 in North America; and 14 February, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_12_Official complete release notes]):
*Continuation of the Story Line.
*Character customization - Increased character customization "ranging from haircuts, to some (possible) additions to the trait-system." In addition, the Outfit system, along with special social clothing designed just for it, will be introduced where a second or third set of clothing can be slotted and displayed while retaining the statistical bonuses of the currently equipped items.<ref>[http://lotro.stratics.com/content/hoclog/hoc10.php Lord of the Rings Online: House of Commons ]</ref>
*The Delving of Frór - A new Monster Play PVE (and PVMP under certain circumstances) area was introduced: An expanse of caves and catacombs located beneath the Ettenmoors.
*The Great Angmar Revamp - A revamp of the most high-level region of the game's current 9 PvE regions. The revamp included the reworking of many quests, areas and other changes, such as new horse routes.
*Barbershop - You can customize the look of your avatar in-game with around 50 new haircuts and second set of details.
*Updates to the Burglar, Guardian, and Champion classes.

====Book 13: Doom of the Last-King====

The fifth free content update was released on 24 April, 2008 in North America and on 1 May, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_13_Official complete release notes]):
*A new playable map area: the Ice Bay of [[Forochel]].
*Players being able to see the ocean for the first time, confirmed as the Ice Bay of Forochel in recent developer chats.
*Fishing - the first of a new system in ''Lord of the Rings Online'', called 'hobbies'.
*New PVMP Monster Healing Class - Orc Defiler.
*Looking For Fellowship- and Quest-panel improvements.

====Book 14: The Ring-forges of Eregion====

The sixth free content update was released on 22 July, 2008 in North America. It was released on 24 July, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_14_Official complete release notes]):
*Climax of the "Shadows of Angmar" storyline.
*Added selected sections of [[Eregion]] (Region leading towards the Gates of Moria).
*Epic Quest events that will allow interaction between players regardless of server.
*Prelude quests for and leading up to the ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria|Mines of Moria]]'' expansion, which would have updates leading to Lothlórien, Fangorn, Rhovanion and Rohan.

====Book 15: Daughter of Strife====

The seventh free content update was released on 18 November, 2008. This update was released in tandem with the Mines of Moria expansion for players who did not purchase the expansion release.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Category:Epic_-_Vol._I,_Book_15:_Daughter_of_Strife_Quests Epic - Vol. I, Book 15: Daughter of Strife Quests epic]):
*Conclusion of the "Shadows of Angmar" storyline.
*Added the zone of Eregion expanding on the selected sections from Book 14. The zone does not include the Hollin Gate leading to the Black Pool.
*Added UI enhancements

===Mines of Moria Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria]]''
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria|Mines of Moria]]'' was released on [[18 November]], [[2008]]. It included Vol. II books 1 through 6 of the epic quest line. Like ''Shadows of Angmar'', ''Mines of Moria'' continued to regularly release updates. Updates were less frequent than Shadows of Angmar.

====Book 7: Leaves of Lórien====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Leaves of Lórien.png|thumb|300px]]Book 7 was released on [[17 March]] [[2009]]. This update included:
* Continuation of the Epic Storyline in Book 7, Leaves of Lórien.<ref name="book7">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/book-spotlights/342-vol2book7|articlename=Volume II: Book 7: Leaves of Lórien Spotlight|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
* Expansion of the Lothlórien Area, including [[Caras Galadhon]].<ref name="book7"/>
* A new raid, named ''Strange Happenings'', has been added.<ref name="book7"/>
* The [[Galadhrim]] are added as a new reputation faction.<ref name="book7"/>
* Crafting instances enable players to gather resources.<ref name="book7"/>
* The Ered Luin Introduction and, on lesser scale, the Bree-land Introduction are revamped.<ref name="book7"/>
* Several new Monster Play emotes are added.<ref name="book7"/>

====Book 8: Scourge of Khazad-dum====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Scourge of Khazad-Dûm.png|thumb|300px]]Book 8 was released on 23 June, 2009. This update included:
*Book 8, Scourge of Khazad-dûm, continues the epic story.<ref name="book8">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/book-spotlights/421-vol2-book8|articlename=Volume II: Book 8: Scourge of Khazad-dûm|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
* A radiance-gated multi-boss, 12-man raid - named ''Dar Narbugud'' is added.<ref name="book8"/>
* One 6-man instance is added: ''The Halls of Crafting''.<ref name="book8"/>
* Two 3-man instances are added:
** ''Lumul-nar''<ref name="book8"/>
** ''Nala-dum''<ref name="book8"/>
* Continuation of the revamp of the Bree-land Introduction.<ref name="book8"/>
* The Crafting system has been revived.<ref name="book8"/>

===Siege of Mirkwood Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood]]''=
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood|Siege of Mirkwood]]'' was released on 1 December, 2009 in North America and 3 December, 2009 in Europe. Unlike the second expansion this edition was only available via a web-based download. It included Book 9 and the epilogue of Volume II: Mines of Moria.

Kate Paiz, Executive Producer for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'', released a letter on 22 October, 2010 stating that updates will be more frequent but will not always be accompanied with a new book continuing the epic story.<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/866-producers-letter-october-2010 Producer's Letter, October-2010] lotro.com, Dev Diaries</ref>

====Book 1: Oath of the Rangers====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Oath of the Rangers.png|300px|thumb]]=
Book 1 was released on [[1 March]], [[2010]].<ref> [http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?t=320404 Volume III: Allies of the King has arrived!]</ref>

Updates include ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Volume_3_Allies_of_the_King_Official complete release notes]):
* The beginning of Volume III in the epic storyline.
* The ability to solo the Volume I epic storyline.
* A duo mode for most skirmishes.

====Book 2: Ride of the Grey Company====

Book 2 was released on [[10 September]], [[2010]] in North America. ([[8 September]], [[2010]] for subscribers). It was delayed in Europe because of contractual reasons and was finally released on [[2 November]], almost two months after North America.<ref>[http://massively.joystiq.com/ Massively], [http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/v-e-me-day-lotro-europe-announces-launch-date-for-free-to-play/ V-E-ME Day: LotRO Europe announces launch date for free-to-play], dated [[29 October]], [[2010]] (accessed [[11 November]], [[2011]])</ref>

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Volume_3_Book_2_Official complete release notes]):

* New region: [[Enedwaith]].
* ''Lord of the Rings Online'' Free to Play subscription.
* Book 2 in the Volume III epic storyline.
* Scalable instances.
* Improvements to the vault, and a new wardrobe system for cosmetic items.
* Updates to the Captain class.
* The LOTRO store, where players may purchase convenience items. Points either earned through gameplay, through the VIP program or by being purchased.
* The introduction of Lua Scripting.
* DirectX 11 support.
* Ranger session play.

====Update 1: Journey to Winter-Home====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 1 Journey to Winter-Home.png|300px|thumb]]In 2010, LOTRO altered its monetization model and became "free-to-play." The first post Free-to-play update was released in November 2010. Due to changes to how updates work this did not contain an epic book.=

Updates included:

* A Barter Wallet for skirmish marks and anniversary tokens.
* Opening of Moria, Lothlorien, Mirkwood and Enedwaith to free-to-play players. Volume II and Volume III will also be available, as well the legendary item system, and the level 65 level cap all to free-to-play players.
* Vault improvements.
* Tasks: a new quest type for all levels.
* Improved reputation mounts.
* Updates to the Lore-master and Rune-keeper classes.
* Ered Luin starting area revamp.

====Update 2: Echoes of the Dead====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 2 Echoes of the Dead.png|300px|thumb]]The first update of 2011 was released on [[21 March]] in the United States and [[24 March]] for Europe.

Updates included:

* Two 3-man's, two 6-man's, and a 12-person raid were added for level 65 players.
* A special item required to craft a First Age weapon which drops from the above raid.
* Radiance was removed.
* Legendary Items were updated.
* Character panel and cosmetic system were revamped.
* The Minstrel, Hunter and Burglar classes were updated.
* Volume III Book 3: Echoes of the Dead was added.
* Volume II was revamped and made soloable, including three instances which have been converted to skirmishes.
* Improvements to the PvP starter tutorial.
* [[Evendim]] was revamped, with [[Annúminas]] being scaled down to level 40.

====Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 3 Lost Legends of Eriador.png|300px|thumb]]''Lost Legends of Eriador'' was the third update. It was released on [[23 May]], [[2011]] and included: ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Update_3,_Lost_Legends_of_Eriador,_Official complete release notes]):=

* Two new 3-man scalable instances starting mid-game.
* Two new skirmishes.

===Rise of Isengard Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard]]''=
The third expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is entitled ''Rise of Isengard''. The expansion was made available on 27 September, 2011 and only as a digital download.<ref>[http://isengard.lotro.com/ The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard Official Homepage]</ref>

====Update 5: Armies of Isengard====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 5 Armies of Isengard.png|220px|thumb]]''Armies of Isengard'' was the first update published after the release of ''The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard''. It was released on [[12 December]] [[2011]] and included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Update_5,_Armies_of_Isengard,_Official complete release notes]):=

* Four new instances and a 12-man raid in and around [[Isengard]].
* Book 5: The Prince of Rohan of '''Volume III: Allies of the King''' is released.
* A new Instance finder, to form groups more easily.
* Barter currencies of skirmishes, classic and instances are unified.
* Changes to Reputation items.

====Update 6: Shores of the Great River====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 6 The Great River.png|220px|thumb]]''Shores of the Great River'' is the sixth update and was released on [[12 March]] [[2012]].<ref name="Update6&Riders"> {{webcite|author=Justin Olivetti|articleurl=http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/riding-into-rohan-lotro-maps-out-2012/|articlename=Riding into Rohan: LotRO maps out in 2012|dated=25 January 2012|website=Massively|accessed=29 January 2012}}</ref><ref name="Update6">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/game-manual/1775-update-6-great-river|articlename=Update 6 Great River|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>

*A new region, the [[Anduin|The Great River]], was added, featuring seven new areas - including Parth Celebrant - in the upper [[Anduin]]. <ref name="Update6"/>
*Mists of Anduin, Book 6 of Volume III, was released, in which the player seeks the wisdom of [[Galadriel]] about troubling dreams and fights [[Easterlings]], Brigands and an ancient enemy of Rohan.<ref name="Update6"/>
*The ability to summon skirmish warriors outside skirmishes.<ref name="Update6"/>
*Updates to the Instance finder.<ref name="Update6"/>
*Currency-change in Monster Play: "Destiny" will be replaced with "Commendations". Commendations will be available for both Freeps and Creeps.<ref name="MP Currency change">{{webcite|author=Jaret Pruett|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/1776-update-6-commendations-developer-diary|articlename=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/1776-update-6-commendations-developer-diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>

====Update 7: Shades of the Past====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 7 Shades of the Past.png|thumb|220px]]''Shades of the Past'' is the seventh update<ref name="Update 7">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/1966|articlename=Update 7|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=12 May 2012}}</ref> and was released on 14 May, 2012.{{fact}}=

*Continuation of the aforementioned currency-change.<ref name="MP Currency change"/>
*A new skirmish, "Storm on Methedras."<ref name="Update 7"/>
*Revamp of the Fornost instance and Moria region.<ref name="Update 7"/>

===Riders of Rohan Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Riders of Rohan]]''=
The fourth expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is named ''Riders of Rohan''. The expansion was released on October 15, 2012. <ref name="Turbine">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/news/pressreleases/1736-warner-bros-interactive-entertainment-and-turbine-unveil-the-lord-of-the-rings-online-riders-of-rohan|articlename=WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND TURBINE UNVEIL THE LORD OF THE RINGS ONLINE™: RIDERS OF ROHAN™|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=30 January 2012}}</ref>

====Update 9: Against the Shadow====
''Against the Shadow'' is the ninth update and was released 17 December, 2012. <ref name="Update 9">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.tentonhammer.com/lotro/news/lotro-update-9-coming-december-17th|articlename=LOTROs Update 9 Coming December 17th|dated=|website=www.tentonhammer.com|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*Three new three man instances.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-riders-rohan-instance-cluster-part-i|articlename=Riders of Rohan Instance Cluster, Part I|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Scaling of Dol Guldur instances.
*Completion of Moria revamp.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-revisiting-mines-moria-part-ii|articlename=Developer Diary: Revisiting the Mines of Moria, Part II|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Ability to quickly travel to turn in quests.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-travel-quest-location-behind-scenes|articlename=Update 9 - Travel To Quest Location: Behind the Scenes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Update to the Yule Festival.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-yule-festival|articlename=Update 9 - Yule Festival|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Combat revisions.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-combat-revisions|articlename=Update 9 - Combat Revisions|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 10: Against the Shadow, Part II====
''Against the Shadow, Part II'' is the tenth update and was released 6 March, 2013.=

*One six man instance and three twelve man raids.<ref name="Update 10">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-instance-cluster-developer-diary|articlename=Update 10 - Instance Cluster Developer Diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*In Their Absence instance scaling.<ref name="Update 10"/>
*Mithril Coins, a new currency used for special services.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-mithril-coin-qa|articlename=Update 10 Mithril Coin Q&A|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Agility made Wardens' primary stat.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-warden-stat-change-agility-wardens|articlename=Update 10: Warden Stat Change – Agility Wardens!|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Changes to critical defense.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-critical-defence-revision|articlename=Update 10 - Critical Defence Revision|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Unification of currency for scaling instances.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-seals-and-medallion-conversion|articlename=Update 10 - Seals and Medallion Conversion Diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand====
''Treachery of the White Hand'' is the eleventh update and was released 13 May, 2013. <ref name="Update 11">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?511377-Update-11-Treachery-of-the-White-Hand-Release-Notes-Official|articlename=Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand Release Notes - Official|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*A new region, Wildermore, located on the previously-inaccessible plateau in the north of East Rohan.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Book 10: Snows of Wildermore of '''Volume III: Allies of the King''' is released.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Updates to mounted combat.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Hobbit presents, daily free random items with the ability to unlock more rolls with mithril coins.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Lalia's Market, a shop where cosmetic clothing and dyes can be purchased with mithril coins.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/lalias-market|articlename=Lalia’s Market Now Open in Bree-town!|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

===Helm's Deep Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Helm's Deep]]''=
The fourth expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is named ''Helm's Deep''. The expansion was released on 20 November, 2013. <ref name="TenTonHammer">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.tentonhammer.com/lotro/news/turbine-temporarily-delays-lotro-helms-deep-launch|articlename=Updated: Turbine Temporarily Delays LOTROs Helms Deep Launch|dated=|website=www.tentonhammer.com|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref> After the Helm's Deep expansion, Turbine has discontinued for three years paid expansions in favor of quarterly updates with content free to VIPs. <ref name="Looking Ahead to 2014">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?535422-A-letter-from-Executive-Producer-Kate-Paiz-Looking-Ahead-to-2014|articlename=A letter from Executive Producer Kate Paiz - Looking Ahead to 2014|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 13: The Breaking of Isengard====
''The Breaking of Isengard'' is the thirteenth update and was released 14 April, 2014. <ref name="Update 13">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?546315-Update-13-The-Breaking-of-Isengard-%E2%80%93-Official-release-Notes|articlename=Update 13: The Breaking of Isengard – Official release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*Release of a new landscape consisting of post-[[Battle of Isengard]] Nan Curunir as well as the Entwood<ref name="Update 13"/>, an area consisting of the south-western part of Fangorn.
*The fourteenth and final book of Epic Volume III: Allies of the King, The Waters of Isengard.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/dev-diary-%E2%80%93-update-13-quest-notes|articlename=Dev Diary – Update 13 Quest Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Misty Mountains, North Downs and Trollshaws region revamps.<ref name="Update 13"/>
*Resizable inventory bags.<ref name="Update 13"/>
*Level scaling from level 20 up for players in the Ettenmoors and temporary Ettenmoors passes for free-to-play purchasable with Mithril Coins.<ref name="Update 13"/>

====Update 14: Paths of the Dead====
''Paths of the Dead'' is the fourteenth update and was released 14 July, 2014. <ref name="Update 14">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?552272-Update-14-Paths-of-the-Dead-Release-Notes-amp-Known-Issues|articlename=Update 14: Paths of the Dead - Release Notes & Known Issues |dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*Release of the West Gondor region, consisting of the areas the [[Paths of the Dead]], the [[Blackroot Vale]], [[Lamedon]], the Havens of [[Belfalas]], and [[Dol Amroth]]. <ref name="Update 14"/><ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/u14|articlename=Update 14: Paths of the Dead Now Available|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*A new Epic series,<ref name="Update 14"/> Volume IV: The Strength of Sauron, beginning with Book 1: The Road to Gondor.
*The Essence System, allowing specially slotted armors to be fitted with a variety of Essences for customizable stats.<ref name="Update 14"/>.
*Level cap increase to 100.<ref name="Update 14"/>
*The [[Dead Marshes]] region was added later in the minor Update 14.2, released September 15 2014. This area included a Session Play featuring Frodo, Samwise, and Gollum's passage through the marshes, casting the player character as Sam.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?555920-Update-14-2-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 14.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 15: Gondor Aflame====
''Gondor Aflame''<ref name="U15 Announcement">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/u15|articlename=Update 15: Gondor Aflame Now Available|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref> is the fifteeth update and was released 4 November, 2014. <ref name="Update 15">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?558300-Update-15-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 15 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*The region of Central Gondor, consisting of [[Ringló Vale]], [[Dor-en-Ernil]], [[Lebennin]] and [[Pelargir]].<ref name="U15 Announcement"/><ref name="Update 15"/>
*Beorning race and class.<ref name="U15 Announcement"/><ref name="Update 15"/>
*Epic Volume IV Book 2: The Dawnless Day.<ref name="Update 15"/>
*A new Epic Battle, Retaking Pelargir.<ref name="Update 15"/> Initially only available in solo/duo mode, a full fellowship version was released in 4 February, 2015 with Update 15.2.<ref name="Update 15.2">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?&postid=7312886|articlename=Update 15.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>
*Roving Threats, a new type of open landscape group content.<ref name="Update 15"/> Additional Roving Threats were added to other regions of the game beginning with Update 15.2<ref name="Update 15.2"/>

====Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath====
''Ashes of Osgiliath'' is the sixteenth update and was released 1 May, 2015.<ref name="Update 16">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?568045-Update-16-Ashes-of-Osgiliath-%E2%80%93-Official-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath – Official Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>=

*The region of Eastern Gondor, consisting of Upper Lebennin, Lossarnach, South Ithilien and Osgiliath.<ref name="Update 16"/>
*Epic Volume IV Book 3: Voices of the Past.<ref name="Update 16"/>
*Cosmetic weapons and shields, more Roving Threats, and new PvMP map set in Osgiliath were released with Update 16.2 on 17 July, 2015. A new quest series of weekly episodic content, following the adventures of the Hobbit Bingo Boffin, was begun the Wednesday after the update, on 22 July.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?572512-Update-16-2-Release-Notes&p=7404279#post7404279|articlename=Update 16.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 17: The Siege of Minas Tirith====
''The Siege of Minas Tirith'' is the seventeenth update and was released 27 October, 2015.=

*The region of Old Anórien, including [[Minas Tirith]], the [[Pelennor Fields]], and Talath Anor.
*Epic Volume IV Book 4: Siege of the White City
*New crafting tier, hidden cosmetic weapon toggle.
*New Epic Battles: Defence of Minas Tirith, Hammer of the Underworld.

====Update 18: The Battle of Pelennor Fields====
''The Battle of Pelennor fields'' is the eighteenth update and was released 11 April 2016.=

*The region of Far Anórien, including [[Drúadan Forest|Taur Drúadan]], [[Warning beacons of Gondor|Beacon hills]], and the Pelennor Fields during the battle.
*Instance cluster including two 3-man instances (The Quays of the Harlond, The Blood of the Black Serpent), one 6-man instance (The Silent Street) and a 12-man raid (Throne of the Dread Terror).
*Epic Volume IV Book 5: The Ride of the Rohirrim and Book 6: The Battle of Pelennor Fields.

====Update 19: March of the King====
''March of the King'' is the nineteenth update and was released 14 October, 2016.=

*The region March of the King, including [[North Ithilien]], after battle Minas Tirith, after battle Osgiliath, and after battle Pelennor Fields.
*Flora barter system to exchange new gear for flowers.
*Epic Volume IV Book 7: March of the King.

====Update 20: Battle of the Black Gate====
''Battle of the Black Gate'' is the twentieth update and was released 21 March, 2017.=

*The region The Wastes, including Noman-lands, [[Slag-hills]] and [[Dagorlad]] which surround the [[Black Gate]].
*New reputation items to exchange for armour.
*Epic Volume IV Book 8: Battle of the Black Gate.

===Mordor Expansion===
''Mordor'' is the sixth expansion, and the twenty-first update, released on 2 August, 2017.=

*The region Plateau of [[Gorgoroth]] includes five different areas, [[Udûn]], Dor Amarth, Lhingris, Talath Urui, and Agarnaith.
*The conclusion of the Epic Questline (and Volume 4), with Book 9.
*A new series of quests, the "Black Book of Mordor", becomes the main storyline after the conclusion of the Epic Quests. There are four chapters introduced in this update.
*The Allegiance System is introduced, players can pledge to one of four factions to gain greater rewards in [[Mordor]]. They are the Kingdom of [[Gondor]], the Court of [[Lothlórien]], [[Durin's Folk]], and the Hobbits of the Company.
*A new instance cluster is introduced, featuring a 3-man instance (The Court of Seregost), a 6-man instance (The Dungeons of Naerband), and a 12-man raid (The Abyss of Mordath).

====Update 22: Legacy of the Necromancer====
''Legacy of the Necromancer'' is the twenty-second update, released on 6 March, 2018.=

*The new region "[[Eryn Lasgalen]] and the Dale-lands" (otherwise known as the "Strongholds of the North" or "Northern Mirkwood"), features the Forest of Eryn Lasgalen (including the [[Halls of the Elven-king]] (known as Felegoth), The Dale-lands (featuring iconic locations such as The [[Long Lake]], [[Lake-town]], [[Dale]], and [[Ravenhill]]), and [[Erebor]], the Lonely Mountain.
*Three new reputation factions are introduced; the "Elves of Felegoth", the "Men of Dale", and the "Dwarves of Erebor".
*The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new region.

====Update 23: Where Dragons Dwell====
''Where Dragons Dwell'' is the twenty-third update, released on 9 October, 2018.=

* The new area "The Dwarf-holds", consists of two areas; The [[Iron Hills]], and [[Ered Mithrin]]. An expanded area of [[Erebor]] is also opened.
* A new instance cluster is introduced, featuring two 3-man instances (Caverns of Thrumfall and Glimmerdeep), a six-man instance (Thikil-gundu), and a 12-man raid (The Anvil of Winterstith).
* The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new areas.

====Update 24: Vales of Anduin====
''Vales of Anduin'' is the twenty-fourth update, released on 4 June, 2019.=
* A new region, the [[Vales of Anduin]] was released, containing several key locations such as the Beorninghus ([[Beorn's Hall]]), The [[Carrock]], the [[Eagle's Eyrie]], the [[Gladden Fields]], [[Rhosgobel]], and various settlements of the [[Woodmen]].
* Update 24.2 brought the "Gladdenmere" sub-region to the Vales, along with a single six-man instance, "The Depths of Kidzul-kalah.
* The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new area, in addition to a "Prelude" to the Minas Morgul Expansion.

===Minas Morgul Expansion===
''Minas Morgul'' is the seventh expansion, released on 5 November, 2019.=

*The expansion consists of two new areas, "Mordor Besieged" consists of the upper half of [[Gorgoroth]] during the final stages of the [[Siege of Barad-dûr]] in the Second Age, and the [[Morgul Vale]], which consists of the areas between [[Ithilien]] to the west, and Gorgoroth to the east. The city of [[Minas Morgul]] is also available for exploration.
*A new playable race, the "Stout-axe dwarves", became available.
*New Crafting updates, including a new tier to crafting guilds.
*A new instance cluster taking place in the Morgul Vale, with four three-man instances, three six-man instances, and a raid, the Remmorchant, featuring battling with [[Shelob]] in [[Torech Ungol]].
*A new level cap of 130 is introduced.

====Update 26: Mists of Wilderland====
''Mists of Wilderland'' is the the twenty-sixth update, released on 23 April, 2020.=
* A new region, the Wells of Langflood was released, featuring the upper-lands of the [[Vales of Anduin]], and the merging of the [[Greylin]] and [[Langwell]] rivers into the Anduin. In addition, there is the [[beorning]] settlement of Limlok, the [[stoor]] village of Lyndelby, and the ruins of [[Framsburg]], once the capital of the [[Eotheod]].
* A new reputation faction, the "Protectors of Wilderland", situated in Limlok was introduced.
* A brand new epic questline, "The Legacy of Durin and the Trials of the Dwarves" is introduced to follow the Black Book of Mordor, and follows Prince Durin's efforts in leading the united dwarves to retake [[Mount Gundabad]] from the orcs who dwell there. Two initial chapters were released.

====Update 27: The Great Wedding====
''The Great Wedding'' is the twenty-seventh update, released on 30 June, 2020.=
* A new area, [[Minas Tirith]] (Midsummer), was introduced, situated after the destruction of the [[One Ring]], situated around the wedding of King [[Aragorn Elessar]] and [[Arwen Undomiel]].
* The [[Midsummer]] Festival was introduced, based in Midsummer Minas Tirith, featuring all new quests, items and deeds for players. In addition, the Summer and Farmer's Faire festivals were merged to make way for the Midsummer Festival.
* The Epic Questline continues with Volume V- The Peace of Middle-earth, in it's first book.

====Update 28: War of the Three Peaks====
''War of the Three Peaks'' is the eighth update, also called a "mini-expansion", released on 20 October, 2020.=
* A new area, Elderslade, is introduced, and features the lands north of the Wells of Langflood and west of the [[Ered Mithrin]], situated before the very gates of [[Mount Gundabad]].
* The Missions mechanic was introduced, allowing players of any level over 20 to aid Durin's war-effort, and gain rewards through one of two new reputation factions: The Gabil'akka.
* "The Legacy of Durin and the Trials of the Dwarves" continues with two new chapters, featuring the Battle of Elderslade, and the challenging of Gorgar the Ruthless, Lord of Gundabad, and son of [[Bolg]].

====Update 29: The Wildwood====
''The Wildwood'' was released on 27 March, 2021.=
* The Wildwood, a new zone, was released as part of the Bree-land starting at level 45. Includes new quests along with two reputation factions.
* New Missions were added for The Wildwood.
* The Bree-land map was updated accordingly.

====Update 30: Blood of Azog====
''Blood of Azog'' was released on 8 June, 2021.
* New Missions for new dwarf factions were released.
* "The Legacy of Durin" storyline continued with a flashback to [[Battle of Azanulbizar]]. The flashback is told by Hersegg, granddaughter of one of the heroes of that battle.
* The Fall of Khazad-dûm raid was also released with new gear to be earned. In this instance, players help the dwarves of Moria in TA 1981 in their final stand against Durin's Bane.
* This is the final content update before the next major expansion, ''Fate of Gundabad'', released on November 10th, 2021.

=====Update 30.3=====
''Update 30.3'' was released on 13 October, 2021.=
* This update did not contain any new quest content for the game, but did release several significant features leading up to The Fate of Gundabad expansion, along with smaller quality of life changes.
* The Brawler class was introduced to the game.
* A fully revamped Legendary Item system released publicly after many months of beta testing
* The housing system saw an update that removed the size signifiers for housing items, making it easier to customise player housing

===Fate of Gundabad Expansion===
''Fate of Gundabad'' was released on 10 November, 2021.

====Update 32: Rangers and Ruins====
''Rangers and Ruins'' was released on 16 February, 2022.

====Update 33: Yondershire====
''Yondershire'' was released on 20 April, 2022.
* This update was released alongside the 15 year celebration of ''Lord of the Rings Online''. This event runs from the 20th of April up until 12th of May.

=Added Elements and Deviations from the Book=
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' does not only follow the story as told in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', but also tells original stories about events happening during the same time period as the War of the Ring. These chiefly involve player characters following the trail of the members of the Fellowship and other main characters from the text. As such, there are a number of elements that do not appear in any of the published works. This includes characters, lineages, objects and locations. A selection of these are described below.=

==Major Characters==
* '''[[Amarthiel]]''' served the [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]] during his first reign over [[Angmar]]<ref>In the game the Witch-king reigned over Angmar again shortly before the [[War of the Ring]].</ref> and wore the [[lesser rings|lesser ring]] [[Narchuil]]. She was slain by [[Narmeleth]] at the [[Battle of Fornost]] and her soul wandered [[Middle-earth]] for over a thousand years. She managed to possess Narmeleth and disguised herself as Sara Oakheart. She eventually revealed herself after the defeat of [[Mordirith]] by [[Golodir]] and becomes the Regent of Angmar.=

* '''[[Andraste]]''' was a female [[Men|Man]] who served the [[Witch-king]].

* '''[[Jon Brackenbrook]]''' was a [[Men|Man]] who was captain of [[Archet]].

* '''[[Ronald Dwale]]''' was a [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] from [[Dwalling]]. He was an author and a member of [[The Inklings (LOTRO)|the Inklings]], that meets in the [[The Eagle and Child|Bird and Baby Inn]]. He was based on [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] himself.

* '''[[Éogan]]''' was the second in command of the [[Blackwolds]] and took over leadership of the group after William Skunkwood's death.

*'''Gorgar the Ruthless''' was another descendent of Azog who led the Orcs of Gundabad against the Gabil'akka during the War of Three Peaks.

*'''Gorothul''' was a Black Numenorean sorcerer high in the ranks of [[Dol Guldur]].

* '''The Huntsman''' was a spirit found in [[Enedwaith]] who took the shape of a large man with horns of a stag. Many players thought this was [[Oromë]]. The developers confirmed that it wasn't Oromë but a [[Maiar|Maia]] of Oromë.<ref>[http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?359604-big-D-small-d&p=4996860&highlight=#post4996860 big D, small d] [[Jonathan Rudder]], lotro.com forums</ref>

* '''[[Ivar the Bloodhand]]''' was a Gaunt-lord from the [[First Age]].

*'''Karazgar''' was one of the [[Gúrzyul]] seeking to claim power in Mordor after Sauron's defeat.

*'''Mazog''' was a descendant of [[Azog]] and leader of the Orcs of Moria.

* '''[[Mordirith]]''' was the Steward of Angmar.

* '''[[Narmeleth]]''' was an elf maiden of [[Rivendell]] and daughter of [[Laerdan]]. She slew [[Amarthiel]] during the [[Battle of Fornost]] and became possessed by her soul over a thousand years later.

* '''[[Mundo Sackville-Baggins]]''' was a [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] who was mistakenly identified as having the ring.

* '''[[William Skunkwood]]''' was the leader of the [[Blackwolds]].

* '''[[Skorgrím]]''' was a dwarf and leader of the [[Dourhands]]. He was slain during the Battle of Edhelion. His corpse was used as a vehicle by Ivar the Bloodhand who possessed it with a fell spirit to trick the Dourhands to ally themselves with the forces of [[Angmar]].

* '''[[Sambrog]]''' was the Wight-lord of the [[Barrow-downs]].

==Groups==
* '''The [[Blackwolds]]''' were a group of [[Men|Mannish]] brigands from [[Bree-land]].=

* '''The [[Dourhands]]''' was a clan of dwarves aligned with the forces of [[Angmar]]. They were the dwarves that stayed behind to rebuild the Dwarven Halls in the [[Blue Mountains]] which were destroyed during the [[War of Wrath]].

*The '''Gúrzyul''' were powerful Black Númenoreans who served near the top of the chain of command in Mordor.

* '''The [[Inklings (Shadows of Angmar)|Inklings]]''' are a group of [[Hobbits|Hobbit]]-authors who discuss literature. They meet each other in the [[The Eagle and Child|Bird and Baby Inn]]. Prominent members are [[Ronald Dwale]] ([[J.R.R. Tolkien]]), [[Owen Farfield]] ([[Owen Barfield]]), [[Carlo Williams]] ([[Charles Williams]]) and [[Jack Lewisdown]] ([[C.S. Lewis]]). The group and members are based on the real [[Inklings]]

*'''The Iron Garrison''' was a group of Longbeard Dwarves that sought to find [[Balin]] and retake the Mines of Moria.

*'''The Stout-axes''' were a House of Dwarves lost to slavery in Mordor. They were eventually freed after the demise of Sauron.

*The '''Warriors Three''' were a trio of Rohirrim adventure seekers.

*'''The Zhelruka were an eastern House of Dwarves who migrated westward after the War of the Ring.

==Objects==
* '''[[Narchuil]]''' was one of the [[lesser rings]] forged by the elven-smiths during the [[Second Age]].=

* '''Zigilburk''' was a legendary [[mithril]] axe discovered in Moria by The Iron Garrison.

* '''The Vandassari''' were a set of stones brought from [[Numenor]] to Middle-earth. These are the Oath-stones with the power to hold those who swear upon them to their promises, such as the Stone of [[Erech]].

* '''The Black Book of Mordor''' was a mysterious text discovered in the Iron Hills.

==Locations==
* '''[[Agamaur]]''' was a vast swamp of the [[Lone-lands]]. It was a site of a major battle between [[Arthedain]], [[Cardolan]] and [[Rhudaur]]. To the west were the ruins of Ost Guruth, a fortress of [[Arnor]] claimed by the nomadic Eglain. To the east lay the ruins of Garth Agarwen, a fortress of Rhudaur ruled by [[Hill-men]] loyal to the mysterious Red Maid.=

* '''[[The Eagle and Child|Bird and Baby Inn]]''' was an inn in [[Michel Delving]].

* '''[[Esteldin]]''' was a ruin of Arnor in the [[North Downs]]. At the time of the [[War of the Ring]], it was used as a base of operations by the [[Rangers of the North]].

*'''[[Falathlorn]]''' was a green and beautiful region of the [[Ered Luin]] favored by the Elves. It contained the Elvish havens of Duillond and Celondim. Not far from this region were the chilly Low-lands, site of the Dwarvish cities Gondamon and Kheledul.

*'''[[Galtrev]]''' was one of the largest towns of [[Dunland]], the nominal capitol of the country.

*'''Lhanuch''' was a chief village among the [[Dunlending]] clans of [[Enedwaith]].

*'''Luntil's Ferry''' was a secret crossing of the River Anduin in [[Lossarnach]].

*'''[[Maur Tulhau]]''' was a [[Stoors|Stoorish]] Hobbit village in [[Enedwaith]] located in the forbidding Gloomgens. It was an remnant of the time when the Stoors lived in this region before most of their number moved north to [[The Shire]].

*'''Nar's Peak''' was a cleft along one of the spurs of the [[Misty Mountains]]. Thorin and some other exiles of [[Erebor]] dwelt for a time.

* '''[[Othrongroth]]''' was the oldest and largest Edain mound in the [[Barrow-downs]].

* '''[[Stangard]]''' was a [[Rohirrim]] settlement near the Great River [[Anduin]]. Its inhabitants were mostly exiles sent to protect [[Rohan]]'s outer borders.

* '''[[Tinnudir]]''' was an island in [[Lake Evendim]]. It was used as a headquarters by a group of Rangers called the Wardens of [[Annúminas]], protectors of the ancient capitol of Arnor.

*'''Wildermore''' was a small plateau in the northern portion of [[Eastemnet]]. It suffered an unnatural winter due to the machinations of Saruman.

*'''Woodsedge''' was one of the main towns of the [[Woodmen]] living in the Vales of [[Anduin]] at the edge of [[Mirkwood]].

=Active Worlds=
*[US]Arkenstone (Unofficial Oceanic)=
*[EU]Belegaer [DE-RP]
*[US]Brandywine
*[US]Crickhollow
*[EU]Evernight [EU]
*[US]Gladden
*[EU]Gwaihir [DE]
*[US]Landroval [EN-RE]
*[EU]Laurelin [Global-RP]
*[EU]Sirannon [FR]
*Anor [Legendary]
*Shadowfax [Legendary]
*Treebeard [Legendary]

==European servers==
The European servers were originally created and hosted by [[Codemasters]], but on [[1 June]] [[2011]] LOTRO Europe was taken over by Turbine, who are based in the Easter U.S. This arrangement continued with Standing Stone Games who currently host the European servers.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.casualstrolltomordor.com/2011/04/turbines-lotro-service-goes-global/|articlename=Turbine's LOTRO Service Goes Global|dated=24 April 2011|website=A Casual Stroll to Mordor|accessed=2 January 2012}}</ref>

European servers are further distinguished by language, French and German in particular

==Legendary Servers==
'''Legendary servers''' are special worlds with a progressive level cap. The first legendary server, Anor, was launched in 2018, while Ithil was opened shortly thereafter to accommodate congestion. Due to inactivity, Ithil was eventually closed in 2021.

In fall of 2021, two new Legendary servers were announced. Both would follow the previous legendary model, by starting at the original level cap of 50 and slowly expanding from there, but each had its own take on progression. The Shadowfax server gave players 50% more experience points than the standard servers, while Treebeard slowed experience point gain y 70%. Each server would also receive expansions at a different pace, with Shadowfax gaining expansions more quickly than Treebeard.

==Roleplay Servers==
To encourage players who wish to enjoy the game as their characters, some servers have been designed RP as roleplaying servers. In these worlds, it is expected that most players will interact together as the characters they have made, imagining themselves as actually being in Middle-earth. As a special case Landroval is designed RE, roleplay encouraged.=

==Closed Worlds==
Over time, due to shifting player populations, worlds have been consolidated. Players transfer their characters to a new world and the old server is then closed. Below is a list of closed worlds.
*[RU] Fornost
*[RU] Mirkwood
*[RU] Aglarond
*[US] Vilya
*[EU] Maiar [DE]
*[US] Firefoot
*[US] Meneldor
*[US] Windfola
*[EU] Morthond [DE]
*[EU] Gilrain [UK]
*[US] Nimrodel
*[EU] Withywindle [UK]
*[EU] Vanyar [DE]
*[US] Dwarrowdelf
*[US] Riddermark
*[EU] Anduin [DE]
*[EU] Estel [FR-RP]
*[EU] Eldar
*[US] Imladris
*[US] Silverlode
*[US] Elendilmir (Oceanic)
*[EU] Snowbourn [UK]
*Ithil [Legendary]

=License=
For ''The Lord of the Rings Online'', [[Turbine]] (and subsequently Standing Stone Games) has licensed the rights to the content and lore of ''[[The Hobbit]]'' and ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. Turbine does not have license rights to the [[New Line Cinema]] film trilogy nor ''[[The Silmarillion]]'', ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'', ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'' books or ''[[The Children of Húrin]]''.=

=Reception=
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' has been received very positively thus far, as reviews continue to appear since the game's initial release.<ref>[http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/middleearthonline Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, The - Review] metacritic.com</ref>==

GameDaily awarded the game 9/10, praising its rich, fantasy-themed universe, well-integrated trait and title system, and a story that remains true to the works of Tolkien. Yahoo! Video Games wrote a review with few negative mentions, awarding the game a score of 4/5,<ref>[http://videogames.yahoo.com/gamereview?cid=1990963744&tab=reviews&page=0&eid=513259 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] Yahoo! Games</ref> while ''Computer and Video Games'' called the game an essential purchase for ''Lord of the Rings'' fans, scoring the game a 9.2/10.<ref>[http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=161846&skip=yes PC Review: Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] ''Computer and Video Games''</ref> Eurogamer scored the game a 9.0/10, calling it tough to resist.<ref>[http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=75657 Review - Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] Eurogamer</ref> Gamespy gave it 4.5/5 stars, claiming the game "opened up Middle-Earth to the masses" but commented negatively on its weak PvP content,<ref>[http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/lord-of-the-rings-online-shadows-of-angmar/785884p1.html The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] GameSpy</ref> while GameTrailers awarded it 8.5/10,<ref>[http://www.gametrailers.com/gamepage.php?id=754 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] Game Trailers</ref> citing its interesting tweaks to the MMO genre. IGN.com ranked it a similar 8.6/10, praising it for its solid experience, though criticizing it for its lack of major improvements to the genre.<ref>[http://pc.ign.com/articles/787/787942p3.html The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] IGN</ref> GamerNode.com awarded the game an 8.8/10, calling it the best MMO launch experience since ''Ultima Online''.<ref>[http://www.gamernode.com/PC/Reviews/2848-Lord-of-the-Rings-Online-Review/index.html Lord of the Rings Online] GamerNode</ref> The ''New York Times'' called the game "a major achievement of interactive storytelling, the first game truly worthy of the ‘Lord of the Rings' franchise and a must-play for just about anyone with an interest in Tolkien or the future of online entertainment."<ref>[http://lotro.turbine.com/article/356 Lord of the Rings Online Press Release] Lord of the Rings Online</ref> In a GameSpot review, the product was awarded an 8.3/10, praising its appealing polish and intriguing Monster Play feature.<ref>[http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/middleearthonline/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=topten&tag=topten;all;score;5 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar for PC Review] GameSpot</ref> Gamepro.com's review gave it an overall 4.25/5, pointing out how engaging the epic quests are, as well as how faithful to the novels the game managed to stay.<ref>[http://gamepro.com/computer/pc/games/reviews/112000.shtml Review: The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar for PC] Gamepro</ref> GameSpy declared ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' 'Game of the Month' for May 2007.<ref>[http://uk.gamespy.com/articles/795/795353p2.html Game of the Month: May 2007] GameSpy</ref>

=Awards=

In August 2007, Codemasters announced that ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' had received five Golden Joystick Awards nominations for the five applicable categories for the game,<ref>[http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6925679.stm Music and vice top games awards] BBC News</ref> and in October 2007 that it had won the "PC Game of the Year" at these awards.<ref>[http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7693&Itemid=2 Gears Wins Big at Game Awards] Next-Generation</ref> and again won the same award on October 2008. In December 2007, GameSpy awarded ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' 6th place in the top 10 PC games of 2007.<ref>[http://goty.gamespy.com/2007/pc/6.html GameSpy's Game of the Year 2007] GameSpy</ref> On December 18, Turbine announced it had also won the GameSpy MMO of the Year award.<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/article/476 LOTRO Wins Top Honors from Gamespy!] Lord of the Rings Online</ref> In January 2009, mmorpg.com awarded Turbine both MMORPG studio of the year 2008<ref>[http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/45/feature/2574/Best-MMO-Studio-of-2008-Winner MMORPG.com Best MMO Studo of 2008] mmorpg.com</ref>, and MMO Expansion of the Year for ''Mines of Moria''.<ref>[http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/45/feature/2579 MMORPG.com Best Expansion of 2008] mmorpg.com</ref>

=Subscription Model=
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Free to Play.png|300px|thumb]]=
In North America, players who pre-ordered the game were offered a special founder's offer, a lifetime subscription for $199 or reduced cost of $9.99 per month. Standard monthly fee is $14.99 with three, six, twelve month, and lifetime discounts available. European players had a similar program from Codemasters.

A Holiday subscription was available in December of 2007 and January of 2008 for $9.99/month for a 3 month commitment. A one year anniversary addition includes a $9.99/month subscription or a $199.99 Lifetime subscription, which was again offered during the lead up to the release of Mines of Moria.

Warner Bros. announced on June 4, 2010 that Lord of the Rings Online will offer a free-to-play model starting in the fall of 2010.<ref>[http://turbine.com/news/105-warner-bros-interactive-entertainment-announces-the-lord-of-the-rings-online-to-adopt-global-free-to-play-model.html Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Announces The Lord of the Rings Online™ to Adopt Global Free-to-Play Model] Turbine, Inc</ref> On August 18, 2010, Warner Bros. announced that the free-to-play model would go live on September 10, 2010. On October 21, 2010, [[Codemasters]] announced that a preview of Free-to-Play would be available in Europe on October 25, 2010.<ref>[http://community.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=10839&pagename=news&type=news The Lord of the Rings Online Europe Preview Event]</ref>

=External Links=
* '''[http://lotro.com Official website]'''=
** '''[http://forums.lotro.com/ LOTRO Community Forums]''': The official ''Lord of the Rings Online'' forums
* '''[http://lotro-wiki.com LoTRO-Wiki]''': The most complete source of information for the game
* '''[http://lotroplayers.com LoTRO Players]''': Long-running news site and podcast
* '''[http://www.dadislotroguides.com Dadi's LOTRO Guides]''': Useful guides for various game systems.

{{notes}}
{{references}}

{{lotro}}
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{{title|italics}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lord of the Rings Online}}
[[Category:The Lord of the Rings Online| ]]
[[Category:Open world games]]
[[Category:Role playing games]]
[[Category:Turbine games]]

The Lord of the Rings Online

2020-11-09T06:23:10Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Update 26: Mists of Wilderland===Mists of Wilderland is the the twenty-sixth update, released on April 23rd, 2020.*A new region, the Wells of Langflood was released, featuring the upper-lands of the Vales of Anduin, and the merging of the Greylin

{{cleanup}}
{{disambig-more|The Lord of the Rings|[[The Lord of the Rings (disambiguation)]]}}
{{video game infobox| image=[[Image:Lotro logo.png|250px]]| name=The Lord of the Rings Online| developer=[[Turbine|Turbine, Inc.]]| publisher=[[Turbine|Turbine, Inc.]]
[[Midway Games]]
[[Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment]] (2010-)
| platform=Microsoft Windows, OS X (Beta)| releasedate=April 24, [[2007]]| genre=MMORPG| modes=| rating=| distribution=}}
'''''The Lord of the Rings Online''''' (commonly abbreviated to '''LOTRO''' or '''LotRO''') is an MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) for PC and OS X that takes place in the world of [[Arda]] during the time of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]].'' It was originally branded as '''The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar''', but with later updates, that subtitle was dropped.

The players take on the role of adventurers of the [[Free peoples|Free Peoples]] of [[Middle-earth]]. The events of the game are concurrent with the events of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' but most of the game revolves around events that occurred elsewhere or in the wake of events in the books. The game draws inspiration from people, places and events only mentioned in the books, combining these with original concepts to expand on parts of Middle-earth Tolkien did not. The main quest series of the game, known as Epic Quests, are divided into volumes, books and chapters, emulating the structure of ''The Lord of the Rings''.

To date, there have been seven purchasable expansions: Mines of Moria (2008), Siege of Mirkwood (2009), Rise of Isengard (2011), Riders of Rohan (2012), Helm's Deep (2013) Mordor (2017), and Minas Morgul (2019), with many smaller updates in between.

==Development==
{{rewrite}}

Development began in 1998, when [[Sierra Entertainment|Sierra]] started work on a game called ''Middle-earth Online''. Following [[Vivendi|Vivendi Universal Games]]' takeover of Sierra in 1999, the game's production was shared with [[Turbine]]. Turbine secured the rights of the entire game in March 2004,<ref>[http://www.videogamer.com/news/turbine_spin_into_action_to_secure_tolkien_license.html Turbine spin into action to secure Tolkien license - VideoGamer.com]</ref> and it was renamed to ''The Lord of the Rings Online''. It was originally subscription-based, but later became free-to-play with optional paid subscription and microtransactions.

A closed beta was announced on [[8 September|September 8]], [[2006]]. An open beta began on [[30 March|March 30]], [[2007]], and was open to all who pre-ordered the game's Founders Club edition. In April [[2007]], the beta opened to the public.



==Gameplay==
===Characters===
''Main article: [[Character Classes (LOTRO)]]''
Like many RPGs, ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' has a system of character classes and levels. Each character chooses a race and a class on character creation, this cannot be changed. Players are able to play as any of the [[Free Peoples]] - [[Elves]], [[Men]], [[Dwarves]], [[Hobbits]], [[Beornings]], or [[High Elves]]. Male or female characters can be created, except in the case of Dwarves. As per Tolkien, Dwarf women are very rare and seldom leave their mountain halls. There are ten classes: Beorning, Burglar, Captain, Champion, Guardian, Hunter, Lore-master, Minstrel, Rune-keeper, and Warden.

Customization of the character's abilities can be done by changing equipment and traits. As of the [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Helm.27s Deep Expansion|Helm's Deep expansion]], class traits work on a tree system, with each class having three "trait trees" where traits can be selected with earned points and unlocking enough traits in a particular tree allows higher-level traits to be selected and applies additional bonus. In addition to class traits are racial traits, such as Men being able to slot a trait to do additional damage with swords or Hobbits being able to slot a trait that allows them to throw a stone, and virtue traits which boost the character's stats.

Levels are significant, with much lower level enemies being extremely easy to defeat and much higher level enemies being nearly impossible to defeat. Each region has enemies and quests with a range of levels usually consecutive to those of an adjacent region. Quests over five levels above the character's level are inaccessible. In addition to being able to complete quest and defeat enemies in more locations, characters gain access to additional equipment, skills, traits and instances as they level up. Levels are increased by gaining experience, which is earned by completing quests and instances, defeating enemies of an appropriate level, and crafting.

===World===
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is an "open-world" game in which most locations that have been released can be freely accessed on an open landscape (although some places, such as Moria, require certain quests to be completed first.) The game world is split into "lands", large areas of Middle-Earth. As of Update 21, the four lands in the game are [[Eriador]], [[Rhovanion]], [[Gondor]], and [[Mordor]]. Each land is in turn divided into regions, e.g. [[Bree-land]] in Eriador, and each region contains areas, e.g. [[Andrath]] within Bree-land.

Although most of the land is available to all for exploration, most regions require non-VIPs to purchase a quest pack to access quests, deeds and instances associated with that region. A few regions, such as East and West Rohan, require expansion packs to be purchased to unlock content, even for VIPs. Each region is generally seen as it was in a certain time in the War of the Ring, for example Lothlórien is visited by the player at the same time as the [[Fellowship of the Ring]] rested there, and [[Pelargir]] just after [[Aragorn]] liberated the city from the [[Corsairs of Umbar]].

Reddit users /u/lallapalalable and /u/exploderator estimated the total size of the map at no more than 250 square km (97 square miles) in 2017, making it one of the largest game maps ever made.<ref>{{webcite|author=/u/lallapalalable|articleurl=http://www.reddit.com/r/lotro/comments/60j1ul/been_trying_to_calculate_the_area_of_the_map/|articlename=Been trying to calculate the area of the map|dated=20 March 2017|website=Reddit|accessed=29 October 2020}}</ref>

===Quests===
Much of the game's completable content is in the form of quests. Quests consist of a series of objectives, often including speaking with NPCs, defeating certain enemies, and recovering certain items from the ground or from defeated enemies. Most quests have a small number of objectives but may unlock additional quests upon completion to form a quest chain. Quests are usually started by started by speaking with a particular Non-Player Character (NPC), indicated with a ring icon above the NPC's head. The forms of ring icons and what they indicate are as follows:

*Gold ring with blue aura: the NPC has a quest that is approximately appropriate for the character's level.
*Gold ring with blue aura and fiery inscription: the NPC must be spoken with to advance the quest.
*Bright gold ring: the NPC has an Epic quest available.
*Gold ring with orange flames: the NPC must be spoken to to advance the Epic quest.
*Blue ring and quill: the NPC has a comment about an active quest, speaking to the NPC will not advance the quest but may give additional information.
*Gold ring with hourglass: the NPC has a quest with a cooldown, the player must wait for the cooldown to expire before accepting the quest.
*Silver ring: the NPC has a quest that is too high level for the player to accept at that level.
*Transparent grey ring: the NPC has a "trivial" quest, one far below the player's level.
*Gold ring with anvil: the NPC has a crafting quest, and involves the crafting system in some way.
*Gold ring with sword: The NPC has an allegiance quest; quests that are unique to the Mordor Expansion.*Gold ring with map: The NPC has a missions quest; quests that are unique to Missions-related quests.

Some quests are started by obtaining unique items dropped from specific enemies. The [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Riders of Rohan Expansion|Riders of Rohan expansion]] introduced auto-bestowed quests, which bring up a quest prompt when the player defeats a specific type of enemy or finds a certain location. Such enemies are marked with ring icons similarly to how NPC quest givers are. Players have the option of accepting these quests automatically or choosing to manually accept or decline each prompt. Most landscape quests can only be completed once, some special landscape quests and most instance quests can be completed once a day any number of times, and a few landscape quests can be repeated at any time up to a certain number of times.

Quests are categorized according to what area, instance or other section they are associated with. Of note are the Epic Quests, a series that tells the main storyline of the game. In imitation of [[The Lord of the Rings|the Lord of the Rings book]], the epic quests are divided into Volumes, which are divided into Books which in turn are divided into Chapters. Each Chapter is usually an individual quest. Epic Quests bring the player through the landscape but are considered apart from it, therefore most Epic Quests are available to all players regardless of whether or not any quest packs are unlocked. A notable exception is the end of Volume III: Allies of the King, which requires purchase of the Helm's Deep expansion to complete. The Black Book of Mordor, the new main storyline for quests after the Epic Books, has eight chapters, all spanning various areas in Middle Earth including [[Mordor]], the Strongholds of the North, the [[Iron Hills]], and the [[Ered Mithrin]].

===Deeds===
Deeds are non-repeatable achievements recorded on an interface window called the Deed Log. Common deed objectives include completing a certain number of quests in a particular area or region (Quest Deeds), defeating a certain number of enemies of a specific type in a particular region (Slayer Deeds), discovering specified locations (Explorer Deeds), and reaching the next tier of reputation with a faction. Most Deeds award Turbine points. Deeds in a particular region usually award reputation in that region's faction. Deeds also commonly reward marks, virtues, and titles.

===Instances===
Instances are locations in the game separated from the open landscape, not accessible through normal travel. Instances can take place in either separate versions of the locations available on the landscape (for example, Pelargir while Aragorn's host retakes it from the corsairs) or in locations not accessible anywhere else (such as Dale). Most instances are private instances, that is, only one player or group of players can enter it and it closes when they complete it, while public instances can be joined at any time by any number of separate players. They are often repeatable, with ones associated with landscape quests being replayable through a Reflecting Pool in the associated region and others accessible through the Instance Finder window. Most private instances have associated quests automatically bestowed upon entering the instance and cancelled upon exiting.

===Fellowships and Kinships===
Most open landscape content and associated instances are designed to be completable by a solo player, while some locations in the game and Instance Finder instances are meant for a team of players. A group of players with a maximum size of six is known as a fellowship. For larger groups, a raid of up to four fellowships can be formed, for a maximum group size of 24 players. Players are free to group on the open landscape and in public instances, but private instances have a limit on how many players may enter.

Players can found and join lasting organizations known as Kinships in the game. Players in a kinship can communicate in their own kinship chat channel to socialize and plan events with their fellow members.

===Monster Play===
The game is primarily Player vs. Environment (PvE), with most combat being player characters against computer controlled enemies found throughout the landscape and instances. However in the [[Ettenmoors]] region, players can participate in Player vs. Monster Player battles (PvMP). Players can create Monster characters that only have access to PvMP areas where they battle standard characters, who fight on the side of the Free Peoples. Each monster player class is limited to a specific race. The monster classes are the Blackarrow (Uruk), Defiler (Orc), Reaver (Orc), Stalker (Warg), Warleader (Uruk), and Weaver (Spider) As of [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath|Update 16.2]] a new PvMP area, set in Osgiliath before Boromir's journey to Rivendell and accessed via a banner in the Ettenmoors, was released.



Towns and settlements provide Vendors where players can purchase or repair their armour, weapons, and supplies. Towns also often include Mailboxes, Auction Halls, Class Trainers, Forge-masters, Relic-masters, and Stable-masters who allow swift travel between regions.

The player interface allows other aspects of gameplay such as Character screens, Quest and Deed Logs, a Social Panel where players can interact, and a Crafting panel where players use skills to craft new items.

==Releases==
===Shadows of Angmar===
:{{Main|The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar}}
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar|Shadows of Angmar]]'' was released on [[24 April|April 24]], [[2007]]. It included books 1 through 8 of Epic Volume I: Shadows of Angmar. Approximately once every two months a major free update was added to ''The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar''. Each update added a new book to the volume.

====Book 9: Shores of Evendim====
{{#ev:youtubehd|VOEcXrbG4OI|200|thumb}}
The first free content update was released on June 14, 2007.<ref>[http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=3611&pagename=home&search=yes&keyword=Book%209 Book 9: Shores of Evendim Release Date Announced]</ref>

Updates included:
*A new region - [[Evendim]] - is added, including locations like [[Annúminas]].<ref name="book9">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/news/pressreleases/136-book-9-shores-of-evendim-release-date-announced|articlename=Book 9: Shores of Evendim Release Date Announced!|dated=5 June 2007|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
*The epic story is expanded with book 9, Shores of Evendim<ref name="book9"/>
*100 new quests are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*A 24-player raid is added, ''Battle for Helegrod''.<ref name="book9"/>
*Nine new monsters are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*New Collectible armour sets are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*Updates to the music system.<ref name="book9"/>

====Book 10: The City of Kings====

The second free-content update was released on August 21, 2007 in North America and on August 24, 2007 in Europe.<ref>| [http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=3949&pagename=home&search=yes&keyword=Book%209 Codemasters Online and Turbine unveil Book 10: The City of the Kings]</ref>

Updates included:
*Continuation of the Story Line.
*Legendary Play – Players can now use Destiny Points to play as a Ranger of the North or as a Troll.
*Critter Play – Players can now explore Middle-earth from a different viewpoint as a chicken.
*New Reputation and Bartering Systems – The Reputation system enables players to earn positive and negative standing with different races and groups in Middle-earth based on both monster kills and quest completions. The Bartering system allows players to trade trophies earned in battle for rewards, such as armour sets or mounts.
*Over 100 new Quests.
*More customizable user interface.

====Book 11: Prisoner of the Free Peoples====

The third free-content update was released on October 24, 2007 in North America<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/article/430 Turbine and Codemasters Online Gaming to Unveil Book 11: Defenders of Eriador for The Lord of the Rings Online]</ref> and October 25 in Europe.<ref>[http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=4661&articletype=News Codemasters Online and Turbine to unveil Book 11: Defenders of Eriador]</ref>

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_11_Official complete release notes]):
*Continuation of the Epic Story arc, including 13 quests.
*Player housing – players will be able to customize their houses with items such as furniture and doormats.
*Second raid called "The Rift" – 12-player raid in which players encounter a [[Balrogs|Balrog]] for the first time. Turbine has stressed that this is not the [[Durin's Bane|Balrog from Khazad-dûm]].<ref>[http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=287 Book 11 Preview: The Balrogs are Coming]</ref>
*Two new areas – Tâl Bruinen in the Trollshaws, where [[Gollum]] will be introduced for the first time, and Goblin-town in the [[Misty Mountains]], featured in ''The Hobbit''.
*More than 100 new quests.

====Book 12: The Ashen Wastes====

The fourth free content update was released on February 13, 2008 in North America; and February 14, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_12_Official complete release notes]):
*Continuation of the Story Line.
*Character customization - Increased character customization "ranging from haircuts, to some (possible) additions to the trait-system." In addition, the Outfit system, along with special social clothing designed just for it, will be introduced where a second or third set of clothing can be slotted and displayed while retaining the statistical bonuses of the currently equipped items.<ref>[http://lotro.stratics.com/content/hoclog/hoc10.php Lord of the Rings Online: House of Commons ]</ref>
*The Delving of Frór - A new Monster Play PVE (and PVMP under certain circumstances) area was introduced: An expanse of caves and catacombs located beneath the Ettenmoors.
*The Great Angmar Revamp - A revamp of the most high-level region of the game's current 9 PvE regions. The revamp included the reworking of many quests, areas and other changes, such as new horse routes.
*Barbershop - You can customize the look of your avatar in-game with around 50 new haircuts and second set of details.
*Updates to the Burglar, Guardian, and Champion classes.

====Book 13: Doom of the Last-King====

The fifth free content update was released on April 24, 2008 in North America and on May 1, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_13_Official complete release notes]):
*A new playable map area: the Ice Bay of [[Forochel]].
*Players being able to see the ocean for the first time, confirmed as the Ice Bay of Forochel in recent developer chats.
*Fishing - the first of a new system in ''Lord of the Rings Online'', called 'hobbies'.
*New PVMP Monster Healing Class - Orc Defiler.
*Looking For Fellowship- and Quest-panel improvements.

====Book 14: The Ring-forges of Eregion====

The sixth free content update was released on July 22, 2008 in North America. It was released on July 24, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_14_Official complete release notes]):
*Climax of the "Shadows of Angmar" storyline.
*Added selected sections of [[Eregion]] (Region leading towards the Gates of Moria).
*Epic Quest events that will allow interaction between players regardless of server.
*Prelude quests for and leading up to the ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria|Mines of Moria]]'' expansion, which would have updates leading to Lothlórien, Fangorn, Rhovanion and Rohan.

====Book 15: Daughter of Strife====

The seventh free content update was released on November 18, 2008. This update was released in tandem with the Mines of Moria expansion for players who did not purchase the expansion release.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Category:Epic_-_Vol._I,_Book_15:_Daughter_of_Strife_Quests Epic - Vol. I, Book 15: Daughter of Strife Quests epic]):
*Conclusion of the "Shadows of Angmar" storyline.
*Added the zone of Eregion expanding on the selected sections from Book 14. The zone does not include the Hollin Gate leading to the Black Pool.
*Added UI enhancements

===Mines of Moria Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria]]''
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria|Mines of Moria]]'' was released on [[18 November|November 18]], [[2008]]. It included Vol. II books 1 through 6 of the epic quest line. Like ''Shadows of Angmar'', ''Mines of Moria'' continued to regularly release updates. Updates were less frequent than Shadows of Angmar.

====Book 7: Leaves of Lórien====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Leaves of Lórien.png|thumb|300px]]Book 7 was released on [[17 March]] [[2009]]. This update included:
* Continuation of the Epic Storyline in Book 7, Leaves of Lórien.<ref name="book7">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/book-spotlights/342-vol2book7|articlename=Volume II: Book 7: Leaves of Lórien Spotlight|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
* Expansion of the Lothlórien Area, including [[Caras Galadhon]].<ref name="book7"/>
* A new raid, named ''Strange Happenings'', has been added.<ref name="book7"/>
* The [[Galadhrim]] are added as a new reputation faction.<ref name="book7"/>
* Crafting instances enable players to gather resources.<ref name="book7"/>
* The Ered Luin Introduction and, on lesser scale, the Bree-land Introduction are revamped.<ref name="book7"/>
* Several new Monster Play emotes are added.<ref name="book7"/>

====Book 8: Scourge of Khazad-dum====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Scourge of Khazad-Dûm.png|thumb|300px]]Book 8 was released on June 23, 2009. This update included:
*Book 8, Scourge of Khazad-dûm, continues the epic story.<ref name="book8">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/book-spotlights/421-vol2-book8|articlename=Volume II: Book 8: Scourge of Khazad-dûm|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
* A radiance-gated multi-boss, 12-man raid - named ''Dar Narbugud'' is added.<ref name="book8"/>
* One 6-man instance is added: ''The Halls of Crafting''.<ref name="book8"/>
* Two 3-man instances are added:
** ''Lumul-nar''<ref name="book8"/>
** ''Nala-dum''<ref name="book8"/>
* Continuation of the revamp of the Bree-land Introduction.<ref name="book8"/>
* The Crafting system has been revived.<ref name="book8"/>

===Siege of Mirkwood Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood]]''
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood|Siege of Mirkwood]]'' was released on December 1, 2009 in North America and December 3, 2009 in Europe. Unlike the second expansion this edition was only available via a web-based download. It included Book 9 and the epilogue of Volume II: Mines of Moria.

Kate Paiz, Executive Producer for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'', released a letter on October 22, 2010 stating that updates will be more frequent but will not always be accompanied with a new book continuing the epic story.<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/866-producers-letter-october-2010 Producer's Letter, October-2010] lotro.com, Dev Diaries</ref>

====Book 1: Oath of the Rangers====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Oath of the Rangers.png|300px|thumb]]
Book 1 was released on [[1 March|March 1]], [[2010]].<ref> [http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?t=320404 Volume III: Allies of the King has arrived!]</ref>

Updates include ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Volume_3_Allies_of_the_King_Official complete release notes]):
* The beginning of Volume III in the epic storyline.
* The ability to solo the Volume I epic storyline.
* A duo mode for most skirmishes.

====Book 2: Ride of the Grey Company====

Book 2 was released on [[10 September|September 10]], [[2010]] in North America. ([[8 September|September 8]], [[2010]] for subscribers). It was delayed in Europe because of contractual reasons and was finally released on [[2 November]], almost two months after North America.<ref>[http://massively.joystiq.com/ Massively], [http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/v-e-me-day-lotro-europe-announces-launch-date-for-free-to-play/ V-E-ME Day: LotRO Europe announces launch date for free-to-play], dated [[29 October]], [[2010]] (accessed [[11 November]], [[2011]])</ref>

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Volume_3_Book_2_Official complete release notes]):

* New region: [[Enedwaith]].
* ''Lord of the Rings Online'' Free to Play subscription.
* Book 2 in the Volume III epic storyline.
* Scalable instances.
* Improvements to the vault, and a new wardrobe system for cosmetic items.
* Updates to the Captain class.
* The LOTRO store, where players may purchase convenience items. Points either earned through gameplay, through the VIP program or by being purchased.
* The introduction of Lua Scripting.
* DirectX 11 support.
* Ranger session play.

====Update 1: Journey to Winter-Home====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 1 Journey to Winter-Home.png|300px|thumb]]The first post Free-to-play update was released in November 2010. Due to changes to how updates work this did not contain an epic book.

Updates included:

* A Barter Wallet for skirmish marks and anniversary tokens.
* Opening of Moria, Lothlorien, Mirkwood and Enedwaith to free-to-play players. Volume II and Volume III will also be available, as well the legendary item system, and the level 65 level cap all to free-to-play players.
* Vault improvements.
* Tasks: a new quest type for all levels.
* Improved reputation mounts.
* Updates to the Lore-master and Rune-keeper classes.
* Ered Luin starting area revamp.

====Update 2: Echoes of the Dead====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 2 Echoes of the Dead.png|300px|thumb]]The first update of 2011 was released on [[21 March|March 21]] in the United States and [[24 March|March 24]] for Europe.

Updates included:

* Two 3-man's, two 6-man's, and a 12-person raid were added for level 65 players.
* A special item required to craft a First Age weapon which drops from the above raid.
* Radiance was removed.
* Legendary Items were updated.
* Character panel and cosmetic system were revamped.
* The Minstrel, Hunter and Burglar classes were updated.
* Volume III Book 3: Echoes of the Dead was added.
* Volume II was revamped and made soloable, including three instances which have been converted to skirmishes.
* Improvements to the PvP starter tutorial.
* [[Evendim]] was revamped, with [[Annúminas]] being scaled down to level 40.

====Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 3 Lost Legends of Eriador.png|300px|thumb]]''Lost Legends of Eriador'' was the third update. It was released on [[23 May|May 23]], [[2011]] and included: ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Update_3,_Lost_Legends_of_Eriador,_Official complete release notes]):

* Two new 3-man scalable instances starting mid-game.
* Two new skirmishes.

===Rise of Isengard Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard]]''
The third expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is entitled ''Rise of Isengard''. The expansion was made available on September 27, 2011 and only as a digital download.<ref>[http://isengard.lotro.com/ The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard Official Homepage]</ref>

====Update 5: Armies of Isengard====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 5 Armies of Isengard.png|220px|thumb]]''Armies of Isengard'' was the first update published after the release of ''The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard''. It was released on [[12 December]] [[2011]] and included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Update_5,_Armies_of_Isengard,_Official complete release notes]):

* Four new instances and a 12-man raid in and around [[Isengard]].
* Book 5: The Prince of Rohan of '''Volume III: Allies of the King''' is released.
* A new Instance finder, to form groups more easily.
* Barter currencies of skirmishes, classic and instances are unified.
* Changes to Reputation items.

====Update 6: Shores of the Great River====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 6 The Great River.png|220px|thumb]]''Shores of the Great River'' is the sixth update and was released on [[12 March]] [[2012]].<ref name="Update6&Riders"> {{webcite|author=Justin Olivetti|articleurl=http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/riding-into-rohan-lotro-maps-out-2012/|articlename=Riding into Rohan: LotRO maps out in 2012|dated=25 January 2012|website=Massively|accessed=29 January 2012}}</ref><ref name="Update6">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/game-manual/1775-update-6-great-river|articlename=Update 6 Great River|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>

*A new region, the [[Anduin|The Great River]], was added, featuring seven new areas - including Parth Celebrant - in the upper [[Anduin]]. <ref name="Update6"/>
*Mists of Anduin, Book 6 of Volume III, was released, in which the player seeks the wisdom of [[Galadriel]] about troubling dreams and fights [[Easterlings]], Brigands and an ancient enemy of Rohan.<ref name="Update6"/>
*The ability to summon skirmish warriors outside skirmishes.<ref name="Update6"/>
*Updates to the Instance finder.<ref name="Update6"/>
*Currency-change in Monster Play: "Destiny" will be replaced with "Commendations". Commendations will be available for both Freeps and Creeps.<ref name="MP Currency change">{{webcite|author=Jaret Pruett|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/1776-update-6-commendations-developer-diary|articlename=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/1776-update-6-commendations-developer-diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>

====Update 7: Shades of the Past====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 7 Shades of the Past.png|thumb|220px]]''Shades of the Past'' is the seventh update<ref name="Update 7">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/1966|articlename=Update 7|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=12 May 2012}}</ref> and was released on 14 May, 2012.{{fact}}

*Continuation of the aforementioned currency-change.<ref name="MP Currency change"/>
*A new skirmish, "Storm on Methedras".<ref name="Update 7"/>
*Revamp of the Fornost instance and Moria region.<ref name="Update 7"/>

===Riders of Rohan Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Riders of Rohan]]''
The fourth expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is named ''Riders of Rohan''. The expansion was released on October 15, 2012. <ref name="Turbine">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/news/pressreleases/1736-warner-bros-interactive-entertainment-and-turbine-unveil-the-lord-of-the-rings-online-riders-of-rohan|articlename=WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND TURBINE UNVEIL THE LORD OF THE RINGS ONLINE™: RIDERS OF ROHAN™|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=30 January 2012}}</ref>

====Update 9: Against the Shadow====
''Against the Shadow'' is the ninth update and was released December 17, 2012. <ref name="Update 9">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.tentonhammer.com/lotro/news/lotro-update-9-coming-december-17th|articlename=LOTROs Update 9 Coming December 17th|dated=|website=www.tentonhammer.com|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*Three new three man instances.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-riders-rohan-instance-cluster-part-i|articlename=Riders of Rohan Instance Cluster, Part I|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Scaling of Dol Guldur instances.
*Completion of Moria revamp.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-revisiting-mines-moria-part-ii|articlename=Developer Diary: Revisiting the Mines of Moria, Part II|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Ability to quickly travel to turn in quests.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-travel-quest-location-behind-scenes|articlename=Update 9 - Travel To Quest Location: Behind the Scenes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Update to the Yule Festival.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-yule-festival|articlename=Update 9 - Yule Festival|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Combat revisions.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-combat-revisions|articlename=Update 9 - Combat Revisions|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 10: Against the Shadow, Part II====
''Against the Shadow, Part II'' is the tenth update and was released March 6, 2013.

*One six man instance and three twelve man raids.<ref name="Update 10">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-instance-cluster-developer-diary|articlename=Update 10 - Instance Cluster Developer Diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*In Their Absence instance scaling.<ref name="Update 10"/>
*Mithril Coins, a new currency used for special services.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-mithril-coin-qa|articlename=Update 10 Mithril Coin Q&A|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Agility made Wardens' primary stat.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-warden-stat-change-agility-wardens|articlename=Update 10: Warden Stat Change – Agility Wardens!|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Changes to critical defense.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-critical-defence-revision|articlename=Update 10 - Critical Defence Revision|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Unification of currency for scaling instances.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-seals-and-medallion-conversion|articlename=Update 10 - Seals and Medallion Conversion Diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand====
''Treachery of the White Hand'' is the eleventh update and was released May 13, 2013. <ref name="Update 11">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?511377-Update-11-Treachery-of-the-White-Hand-Release-Notes-Official|articlename=Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand Release Notes - Official|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*A new region, Wildermore, located on the previously-inaccessible plateau in the north of East Rohan.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Book 10: Snows of Wildermore of '''Volume III: Allies of the King''' is released.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Updates to mounted combat.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Hobbit presents, daily free random items with the ability to unlock more rolls with mithril coins.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Lalia's Market, a shop where cosmetic clothing and dyes can be purchased with mithril coins.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/lalias-market|articlename=Lalia’s Market Now Open in Bree-town!|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

===Helm's Deep Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Helm's Deep]]''
The fourth expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is named ''Helm's Deep''. The expansion was released on November 20, 2013. <ref name="TenTonHammer">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.tentonhammer.com/lotro/news/turbine-temporarily-delays-lotro-helms-deep-launch|articlename=Updated: Turbine Temporarily Delays LOTROs Helms Deep Launch|dated=|website=www.tentonhammer.com|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref> After the Helm's Deep expansion, Turbine has discontinued for three years paid expansions in favor of quarterly updates with content free to VIPs. <ref name="Looking Ahead to 2014">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?535422-A-letter-from-Executive-Producer-Kate-Paiz-Looking-Ahead-to-2014|articlename=A letter from Executive Producer Kate Paiz - Looking Ahead to 2014|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 13: The Breaking of Isengard====
''The Breaking of Isengard'' is the thirteenth update and was released April 14, 2014. <ref name="Update 13">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?546315-Update-13-The-Breaking-of-Isengard-%E2%80%93-Official-release-Notes|articlename=Update 13: The Breaking of Isengard – Official release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*Release of a new landscape consisting of post-[[Battle of Isengard]] Nan Curunir as well as the Entwood<ref name="Update 13"/>, an area consisting of the south-western part of Fangorn.
*The fourteenth and final book of Epic Volume III: Allies of the King, The Waters of Isengard.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/dev-diary-%E2%80%93-update-13-quest-notes|articlename=Dev Diary – Update 13 Quest Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Misty Mountains, North Downs and Trollshaws region revamps.<ref name="Update 13"/>
*Resizable inventory bags.<ref name="Update 13"/>
*Level scaling from level 20 up for players in the Ettenmoors and temporary Ettenmoors passes for free-to-play purchasable with Mithril Coins.<ref name="Update 13"/>

====Update 14: Paths of the Dead====
''Paths of the Dead'' is the fourteenth update and was released July 14, 2014. <ref name="Update 14">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?552272-Update-14-Paths-of-the-Dead-Release-Notes-amp-Known-Issues|articlename=Update 14: Paths of the Dead - Release Notes & Known Issues |dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*Release of the West Gondor region, consisting of the areas the [[Paths of the Dead]], the [[Blackroot Vale]], [[Lamedon]], the Havens of [[Belfalas]], and [[Dol Amroth]]. <ref name="Update 14"/><ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/u14|articlename=Update 14: Paths of the Dead Now Available|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*A new Epic series,<ref name="Update 14"/> Volume IV: The Strength of Sauron, beginning with Book 1: The Road to Gondor.
*The Essence System, allowing specially slotted armors to be fitted with a variety of Essences for customizable stats.<ref name="Update 14"/>.
*Level cap increase to 100.<ref name="Update 14"/>
*The [[Dead Marshes]] region was added later in the minor Update 14.2, released September 15 2014. This area included a Session Play featuring Frodo, Samwise, and Gollum's passage through the marshes, casting the player character as Sam.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?555920-Update-14-2-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 14.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 15: Gondor Aflame====
''Gondor Aflame''<ref name="U15 Announcement">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/u15|articlename=Update 15: Gondor Aflame Now Available|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref> is the fifteeth update and was released November 4, 2014. <ref name="Update 15">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?558300-Update-15-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 15 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*The region of Central Gondor, consisting of [[Ringló Vale]], [[Dor-en-Ernil]], [[Lebennin]] and [[Pelargir]].<ref name="U15 Announcement"/><ref name="Update 15"/>
*Beorning race and class.<ref name="U15 Announcement"/><ref name="Update 15"/>
*Epic Volume IV Book 2: The Dawnless Day.<ref name="Update 15"/>
*A new Epic Battle, Retaking Pelargir.<ref name="Update 15"/> Initially only available in solo/duo mode, a full fellowship version was released in February 4, 2015 with Update 15.2.<ref name="Update 15.2">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?&postid=7312886|articlename=Update 15.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>
*Roving Threats, a new type of open landscape group content.<ref name="Update 15"/> Additional Roving Threats were added to other regions of the game beginning with Update 15.2<ref name="Update 15.2"/>

====Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath====
''Ashes of Osgiliath'' is the sixteenth update and was released May 1, 2015.<ref name="Update 16">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?568045-Update-16-Ashes-of-Osgiliath-%E2%80%93-Official-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath – Official Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*The region of Eastern Gondor, consisting of Upper Lebennin, Lossarnach, South Ithilien and Osgiliath.<ref name="Update 16"/>
*Epic Volume IV Book 3: Voices of the Past.<ref name="Update 16"/>
*Cosmetic weapons and shields, more Roving Threats, and new PvMP map set in Osgiliath were released with Update 16.2 in July 17, 2015. A new quest series of weekly episodic content, following the adventures of the Hobbit Bingo Boffin, was begun the Wednesday after the update, on July 22.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?572512-Update-16-2-Release-Notes&p=7404279#post7404279|articlename=Update 16.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 17: The Siege of Minas Tirith====
''The Siege of Minas Tirith'' is the seventeenth update and was released 27 October 2015.

*The region of Old Anórien, including [[Minas Tirith]], the [[Pelennor Fields]], and Talath Anor.
*Epic Volume IV Book 4: Siege of the White City
*New crafting tier, hidden cosmetic weapon toggle.
*New Epic Battles: Defence of Minas Tirith, Hammer of the Underworld.

====Update 18: The Battle of Pelennor Fields====
''The Battle of Pelennor fields'' is the eighteenth update and was released 11 April 2016.

*The region of Far Anórien, including [[Drúadan Forest|Taur Drúadan]], [[Warning beacons of Gondor|Beacon hills]], and the Pelennor Fields during the battle.
*Instance cluster including two 3-man instances (The Quays of the Harlond, The Blood of the Black Serpent), one 6-man instance (The Silent Street) and a 12-man raid (Throne of the Dread Terror).
*Epic Volume IV Book 5: The Ride of the Rohirrim and Book 6: The Battle of Pelennor Fields.

====Update 19: March of the King====
''March of the King'' is the nineteenth update and was released 14 October 2016.

*The region March of the King, including [[North Ithilien]], after battle Minas Tirith, after battle Osgiliath, and after battle Pelennor Fields.
*Flora barter system to exchange new gear for flowers.
*Epic Volume IV Book 7: March of the King.

====Update 20: Battle of the Black Gate====
''Battle of the Black Gate'' is the twentieth update and was released 21 March 2017.

*The region The Wastes, including Noman-lands, [[Slag-hills]] and [[Dagorlad]] which surround the [[Black Gate]].
*New reputation items to exchange for armour.
*Epic Volume IV Book 8: Battle of the Black Gate.

===Mordor Expansion===
''Mordor'' is the sixth expansion, and the twenty-first update, released on August 2nd, 2017.

*The region Plateau of [[Gorgoroth]] includes five different areas, [[Udûn]], Dor Amarth, Lhingris, Talath Urui, and Agarnaith.
*The conclusion of the Epic Questline (and Volume 4), with Book 9.
*A new series of quests, the "Black Book of Mordor", becomes the main storyline after the conclusion of the Epic Quests. There are four chapters introduced in this update.
*The Allegiance System is introduced, players can pledge to one of four factions to gain greater rewards in [[Mordor]]. They are the Kingdom of [[Gondor]], the Court of [[Lothlórien]], [[Durin's Folk]], and the Hobbits of the Company.
*A new instance cluster is introduced, featuring a 3-man instance (The Court of Seregost), a 6-man instance (The Dungeons of Naerband), and a 12-man raid (The Abyss of Mordath).

====Update 22: Legacy of the Necromancer====
''Legacy of the Necromancer'' is the twenty-second update, released on March 6th, 2018.

*The new region "[[Eryn Lasgalen]] and the Dale-lands" (otherwise known as the "Strongholds of the North" or "Northern Mirkwood"), features the Forest of Eryn Lasgalen (including the [[Halls of the Elven-king]] (known as Felegoth), The Dale-lands (featuring iconic locations such as The [[Long Lake]], [[Lake-town]], [[Dale]], and [[Ravenhill]]), and [[Erebor]], the Lonely Mountain.
*Three new reputation factions are introduced; the "Elves of Felegoth", the "Men of Dale", and the "Dwarves of Erebor".
*The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new region.

====Update 23: Where Dragons Dwell====
''Where Dragons Dwell'' is the twenty-third update, released on October 9th, 2018.

*The new area "The Dwarf-holds", consists of two areas; The [[Iron Hills]], and [[Ered Mithrin]]. An expanded area of [[Erebor]] is also opened.
*A new instance cluster is introduced, featuring two 3-man instances (Caverns of Thrumfall and Glimmerdeep), a six-man instance (Thikil-gundu), and a 12-man raid (The Anvil of Winterstith).
*The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new areas.

====Update 24: Vales of Anduin====
''Vales of Anduin'' is the twenty-fourth update, released on June 4th, 2019.
*A new region, the [[Vales of Anduin]] was released, containing several key locations such as the Beorninghus ([[Beorn's Hall]]), The [[Carrock]], the [[Eagle's Eyrie]], the [[Gladden Fields]], [[Rhosgobel]], and various settlements of the [[Woodmen]].
*Update 24.2 brought the "Gladdenmere" sub-region to the Vales, along with a single six-man instance, "The Depths of Kidzul-kalah.
*The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new area, in addition to a "Prelude" to the Minas Morgul Expansion.

===Minas Morgul Expansion===
''Minas Morgul'' is the seventh expansion, released on November 5th, 2019.*The expansion consists of two new areas, "Mordor Besieged" consists of the upper half of [[Gorgoroth]] during the final stages of the [[Siege of Barad-dûr]] in the Second Age, and the [[Morgul Vale]], which consists of the areas between [[Ithilien]] to the west, and Gorgoroth to the east. The city of [[Minas Morgul]] is also available for exploration.*A new playable race, the "Stout-axe dwarves", became available.*New Crafting updates, including a new tier to crafting guilds.*A new instance cluster taking place in the Morgul Vale, with four three-man instances, three six-man instances, and a raid, the Remmorchant, featuring battling with [[Shelob]] in [[Torech Ungol]].*A new level cap of 130 is introduced.

===Update 26: Mists of Wilderland===''Mists of Wilderland'' is the the twenty-sixth update, released on April 23rd, 2020.*A new region, the Wells of Langflood was released, featuring the upper-lands of the [[Vales of Anduin]], and the merging of the [[Greylin]] and [[Langwell]] rivers into the Anduin. In addition, there is the [[beorning]] settlement of Limlok, the [[stoor]] village of Lyndelby, and the ruins of [[Framsburg]], once the capital of the [[Eotheod]].*A new reputation faction, the "Protectors of Wilderland", situated in Limlok was introduced.*A brand new epic questline, "The Legacy of Durin and the Trials of the Dwarves" is introduced to follow the Black Book of Mordor, and follows Prince Durin's efforts in leading the united dwarves to retake [[Mount Gundabad]] from the orcs who dwell there. Two initial chapters were released.===Update 27: The Great Wedding===''The Great Wedding'' is the twenty-seventh update, released on June 30th, 2020.*A new area, [[Minas Tirith]] (Midsummer), was introduced, situated after the destruction of the [[One Ring]], situated around the wedding of King [[Aragorn Elessar]] and [[Arwen Undomiel]].*The [[Midsummer]] Festival was introduced, based in Midsummer Minas Tirith, featuring all new quests, items and deeds for players. In addition, the Summer and Farmer's Faire festivals were merged to make way for the Midsummer Festival.*The Epic Questline continues with Volume V- The Peace of Middle-earth, in it's first book.===Update 28: War of the Three Peaks===''War of the Three Peaks'' is the eighth update, also called a "mini-expansion", released on October 20th, 2020.*A new area, Elderslade, is introduced, and features the lands north of the Wells of Langflood and west of the [[Ered Mithrin]], situated before the very gates of [[Mount Gundabad]].*The Missions mechanic was introduced, allowing players of any level over 20 to aid Durin's war-effort, and gain rewards through one of two new reputation factions: The Gabil'akka.*"The Legacy of Durin and the Trials of the Dwarves" continues with two new chapters, featuring the Battle of Elderslade, and the challenging of Gorgar the Ruthless, Lord of Gundabad, and son of [[Bolg]].==Added Elements==
There are a number of elements that do not appear in any of the published works. This includes characters, lineages, objects and locations.

===Characters===
* '''[[Amarthiel]]''' served the [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]] during his first reign over [[Angmar]]<ref>In the game the Witch-king reigned over Angmar again shortly before the [[War of the Ring]].</ref> and wore the [[lesser rings|lesser ring]] [[Narchuil]]. She was slain by [[Narmeleth]] at the [[Battle of Fornost]] and her soul wandered [[Middle-earth]] for over a thousand years. She managed to possess Narmeleth and disguised herself as Sara Oakheart. She eventually revealed herself after the defeat of [[Mordirith]] by [[Golodir]] and becomes the Regent of Angmar.

* '''[[Andraste]]''' was a female [[Men|Man]] who served the [[Witch-king]].

* '''[[Jon Brackenbrook]]''' was a [[Men|Man]] who was captain of [[Archet]].

* '''[[Ronald Dwale]]''' was a [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] from [[Dwalling]]. He was an author and a member of [[The Inklings (LOTRO)|the Inklings]], that meets in the [[The Eagle and Child|Bird and Baby Inn]]. He was based on [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] himself.

* '''[[Éogan]]''' was the second in command of the [[Blackwolds]] and took over leadership of the group after William Skunkwood's death.

* '''The Huntsman''' was a spirit found in [[Enedwaith]] who took the shape of a large man with horns of a stag. Many players thought this was [[Oromë]]. The developers confirmed that it wasn't Oromë but a [[Maiar|Maia]] of Oromë.<ref>[http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?359604-big-D-small-d&p=4996860&highlight=#post4996860 big D, small d] [[Jonathan Rudder]], lotro.com forums</ref>

* '''[[Ivar the Bloodhand]]''' was a Gaunt-lord from the [[First Age]].

* '''[[Mordirith]]''' was the Steward of Angmar.

* '''[[Narmeleth]]''' was an elf maiden of [[Rivendell]] and daughter of [[Laerdan]]. She slew [[Amarthiel]] during the [[Battle of Fornost]] and became possessed by her soul over a thousand years later.

* '''[[Mundo Sackville-Baggins]]''' was a [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] who was mistakenly identified as having the ring.

* '''[[William Skunkwood]]''' was the leader of the [[Blackwolds]].

* '''[[Skorgrím]]''' was a dwarf and leader of the [[Dourhands]]. He was slain during the Battle of Edhelion. His corpse was used as a vehicle by Ivar the Bloodhand who possessed it with a fell spirit to trick the Dourhands to ally themselves with the forces of [[Angmar]].

* '''[[Sambrog]]''' was the Wight-lord of the [[Barrow-downs]].

===Groups===
* '''The [[Blackwolds]]''' were a group of [[Men|Mannish]] brigands from [[Bree-land]].

* '''The [[Dourhands]]''' was a clan of dwarves aligned with the forces of [[Angmar]]. They were the dwarves that stayed behind to rebuild the Dwarven Halls in the [[Blue Mountains]] which were destroyed during the [[War of Wrath]].

* '''The [[Inklings (Shadows of Angmar)|Inklings]]''' are a group of [[Hobbits|Hobbit]]-authors who discuss literature. They meet each other in the [[The Eagle and Child|Bird and Baby Inn]]. Prominent members are [[Ronald Dwale]] ([[J.R.R. Tolkien]]), [[Owen Farfield]] ([[Owen Barfield]]), [[Carlo Williams]] ([[Charles Williams]]) and [[Jack Lewisdown]] ([[C.S. Lewis]]). The group and members are based on the real [[Inklings]]

===Objects===
* '''[[Narchuil]]''' was one of the [[lesser rings]] forged by the elven-smiths during the [[Second Age]].

===Locations===
* '''[[Agamaur]]''' was a vast swamp of the [[Lone-lands]]. It was a site of a major battle between [[Arthedain]], [[Cardolan]] and [[Rhudaur]]. To the west were the ruins of Ost Guruth, a fortress of [[Arnor]] claimed by the nomadic Eglain. To the east lay the ruins of Garth Agarwen, a fortress of Rhudaur ruled by [[Hill-men]] loyal to the mysterious Red Maid.

* '''[[Esteldin]]''' was a ruin of Arnor in the [[North Downs]]. At the time of the [[War of the Ring]], it was used as a base of operations by the [[Rangers of the North]].

*'''[[Falathlorn]]''' was a green and beautiful region of the [[Ered Luin]] favored by the Elves. It contained the Elvish havens of Duillond and Celondim. Not far from this region were the chilly Low-lands, site of the Dwarvish cities Gondamon and Kheledul.

*'''[[Galtrev]]''' was one of the largest towns of [[Dunland]], the nominal capitol of the country.

*'''[[Maur Tulhau]]''' was a [[Stoors|Stoorish]] Hobbit village in [[Enedwaith]] located in the forbidding Gloomgens. It was an remnant of the time when the Stoors lived in this region before most of their number moved north to [[The Shire]].

* '''[[Othrongroth]]''' was the oldest and largest Edain mound in the [[Barrow-downs]].

*'''[[Stangard]]''' was a [[Rohirrim]] settlement near the Great River [[Anduin]]. Its inhabitants were mostly exiles sent to protect [[Rohan]]'s outer borders.

* '''[[Tinnudir]]''' was an island in [[Lake Evendim]]. It was used as a headquarters by a group of Rangers called the Wardens of [[Annúminas]], protectors of the ancient capitol of Arnor.

===Structures===
* '''[[The Eagle and Child|Bird and Baby Inn]]''' was an inn in [[Michel Delving]].

==Servers=
===American servers====
All American servers are hosted by [[Turbine]].
*[[Arkenstone]]
*[[Moria|Dwarrowdelf]]
*[[Gladden River|Gladden]]
*[[Meneldor]]
*[[Celebrant|Silverlode]]
*[[Brandywine]]
*[[Elendilmir]]
*[[Rivendell|Imladris]]
*[[Nimrodel]]
*[[Landroval]]
*[[Rohan|Riddermark]]
*[[Windfola]]

===European servers===
The European servers were originally created and hosted by [[Codemasters]], but on [[1 June]] [[2011]] Lotro Europe was taken over by Turbine, who currently host the European servers.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.casualstrolltomordor.com/2011/04/turbines-lotro-service-goes-global/|articlename=Turbine's LOTRO Service Goes Global|dated=24 April 2011|website=A Casual Stroll to Mordor|accessed=2 January 2012}}</ref>

==License==

For ''The Lord of the Rings Online'', [[Turbine]] has licensed the rights to the content and lore of ''[[The Hobbit]]'' and ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. Turbine does not have license rights to the [[New Line Cinema]] film trilogy nor ''[[The Silmarillion]]'', ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'', ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'' books or ''[[The Children of Húrin]]''.

==Discrepancies from the source material==
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' does not follow the story as told in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', but rather tells stories about events that happened during the same time period as the events told in J.R.R. Tolkien's book

==Reception==
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' has been received very positively thus far, as reviews continue to appear since the game's initial release.<ref>[http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/middleearthonline Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, The - Review] metacritic.com</ref>

GameDaily awarded the game 9/10, praising its rich, fantasy-themed universe, well-integrated trait and title system, and a story that remains true to the works of Tolkien. Yahoo! Video Games wrote a review with few negative mentions, awarding the game a score of 4/5,<ref>[http://videogames.yahoo.com/gamereview?cid=1990963744&tab=reviews&page=0&eid=513259 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] Yahoo! Games</ref> while ''Computer and Video Games'' called the game an essential purchase for ''Lord of the Rings'' fans, scoring the game a 9.2/10.<ref>[http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=161846&skip=yes PC Review: Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] ''Computer and Video Games''</ref> Eurogamer scored the game a 9.0/10, calling it tough to resist.<ref>[http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=75657 Review - Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] Eurogamer</ref> Gamespy gave it 4.5/5 stars, claiming the game "opened up Middle-Earth to the masses" but commented negatively on its weak PvP content,<ref>[http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/lord-of-the-rings-online-shadows-of-angmar/785884p1.html The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] GameSpy</ref> while GameTrailers awarded it 8.5/10,<ref>[http://www.gametrailers.com/gamepage.php?id=754 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] Game Trailers</ref> citing its interesting tweaks to the MMO genre. IGN.com ranked it a similar 8.6/10, praising it for its solid experience, though criticizing it for its lack of major improvements to the genre.<ref>[http://pc.ign.com/articles/787/787942p3.html The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] IGN</ref> GamerNode.com awarded the game an 8.8/10, calling it the best MMO launch experience since ''Ultima Online''.<ref>[http://www.gamernode.com/PC/Reviews/2848-Lord-of-the-Rings-Online-Review/index.html Lord of the Rings Online] GamerNode</ref> The ''New York Times'' called the game "a major achievement of interactive storytelling, the first game truly worthy of the ‘Lord of the Rings' franchise and a must-play for just about anyone with an interest in Tolkien or the future of online entertainment."<ref>[http://lotro.turbine.com/article/356 Lord of the Rings Online Press Release] Lord of the Rings Online</ref> In a GameSpot review, the product was awarded an 8.3/10, praising its appealing polish and intriguing Monster Play feature.<ref>[http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/middleearthonline/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=topten&tag=topten;all;score;5 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar for PC Review] GameSpot</ref> Gamepro.com's review gave it an overall 4.25/5, pointing out how engaging the epic quests are, as well as how faithful to the novels the game managed to stay.<ref>[http://gamepro.com/computer/pc/games/reviews/112000.shtml Review: The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar for PC] Gamepro</ref> GameSpy declared ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' 'Game of the Month' for May 2007.<ref>[http://uk.gamespy.com/articles/795/795353p2.html Game of the Month: May 2007] GameSpy</ref>

==Awards==

In August 2007, Codemasters announced that ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' had received five Golden Joystick Awards nominations for the five applicable categories for the game,<ref>[http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6925679.stm Music and vice top games awards] BBC News</ref> and in October 2007 that it had won the "PC Game of the Year" at these awards.<ref>[http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7693&Itemid=2 Gears Wins Big at Game Awards] Next-Generation</ref> and again won the same award on October 2008. In December 2007, GameSpy awarded ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' 6th place in the top 10 PC games of 2007.<ref>[http://goty.gamespy.com/2007/pc/6.html GameSpy's Game of the Year 2007] GameSpy</ref> On December 18, Turbine announced it had also won the GameSpy MMO of the Year award.<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/article/476 LOTRO Wins Top Honors from Gamespy!] Lord of the Rings Online</ref> In January 2009, mmorpg.com awarded Turbine both MMORPG studio of the year 2008<ref>[http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/45/feature/2574/Best-MMO-Studio-of-2008-Winner MMORPG.com Best MMO Studo of 2008] mmorpg.com</ref>, and MMO Expansion of the Year for ''Mines of Moria''.<ref>[http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/45/feature/2579 MMORPG.com Best Expansion of 2008] mmorpg.com</ref>

==Subscription Model==
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Free to Play.png|300px|thumb]]
In North America, players who pre-ordered the game were offered a special founder's offer, a lifetime subscription for $199 or reduced cost of $9.99 per month. Standard monthly fee is $14.99 with three, six, twelve month, and lifetime discounts available. European players had a similar program from Codemasters.

A Holiday subscription was available in December of 2007 and January of 2008 for $9.99/month for a 3 month commitment. A one year anniversary addition includes a $9.99/month subscription or a $199.99 Lifetime subscription, which was again offered during the lead up to the release of Mines of Moria.

Warner Bros. announced on June 4, 2010 that Lord of the Rings Online will offer a free-to-play model starting in the fall of 2010.<ref>[http://turbine.com/news/105-warner-bros-interactive-entertainment-announces-the-lord-of-the-rings-online-to-adopt-global-free-to-play-model.html Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Announces The Lord of the Rings Online™ to Adopt Global Free-to-Play Model] Turbine, Inc</ref> On August 18, 2010, Warner Bros. announced that the free-to-play model would go live on September 10, 2010. On October 21, 2010, [[Codemasters]] announced that a preview of Free-to-Play would be available in Europe on October 25, 2010.<ref>[http://community.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=10839&pagename=news&type=news The Lord of the Rings Online Europe Preview Event]</ref>

==External Links==
* '''[http://lotro.com Official website]'''
** '''[http://forums.lotro.com/ LOTRO Community Website]''' , the official ''Lord of the Rings Online'' forums

{{notes}}
{{references}}

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[[Category:The Lord of the Rings Online| ]]
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The Lord of the Rings Online

2020-11-09T06:21:03Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Minas Morgul Expansion */

{{cleanup}}
{{disambig-more|The Lord of the Rings|[[The Lord of the Rings (disambiguation)]]}}
{{video game infobox| image=[[Image:Lotro logo.png|250px]]| name=The Lord of the Rings Online| developer=[[Turbine|Turbine, Inc.]]| publisher=[[Turbine|Turbine, Inc.]]
[[Midway Games]]
[[Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment]] (2010-)
| platform=Microsoft Windows, OS X (Beta)| releasedate=April 24, [[2007]]| genre=MMORPG| modes=| rating=| distribution=}}
'''''The Lord of the Rings Online''''' (commonly abbreviated to '''LOTRO''' or '''LotRO''') is an MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) for PC and OS X that takes place in the world of [[Arda]] during the time of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]].'' It was originally branded as '''The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar''', but with later updates, that subtitle was dropped.

The players take on the role of adventurers of the [[Free peoples|Free Peoples]] of [[Middle-earth]]. The events of the game are concurrent with the events of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' but most of the game revolves around events that occurred elsewhere or in the wake of events in the books. The game draws inspiration from people, places and events only mentioned in the books, combining these with original concepts to expand on parts of Middle-earth Tolkien did not. The main quest series of the game, known as Epic Quests, are divided into volumes, books and chapters, emulating the structure of ''The Lord of the Rings''.

To date, there have been seven purchasable expansions: Mines of Moria (2008), Siege of Mirkwood (2009), Rise of Isengard (2011), Riders of Rohan (2012), Helm's Deep (2013) Mordor (2017), and Minas Morgul (2019), with many smaller updates in between.

==Development==
{{rewrite}}

Development began in 1998, when [[Sierra Entertainment|Sierra]] started work on a game called ''Middle-earth Online''. Following [[Vivendi|Vivendi Universal Games]]' takeover of Sierra in 1999, the game's production was shared with [[Turbine]]. Turbine secured the rights of the entire game in March 2004,<ref>[http://www.videogamer.com/news/turbine_spin_into_action_to_secure_tolkien_license.html Turbine spin into action to secure Tolkien license - VideoGamer.com]</ref> and it was renamed to ''The Lord of the Rings Online''. It was originally subscription-based, but later became free-to-play with optional paid subscription and microtransactions.

A closed beta was announced on [[8 September|September 8]], [[2006]]. An open beta began on [[30 March|March 30]], [[2007]], and was open to all who pre-ordered the game's Founders Club edition. In April [[2007]], the beta opened to the public.



==Gameplay==
===Characters===
''Main article: [[Character Classes (LOTRO)]]''
Like many RPGs, ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' has a system of character classes and levels. Each character chooses a race and a class on character creation, this cannot be changed. Players are able to play as any of the [[Free Peoples]] - [[Elves]], [[Men]], [[Dwarves]], [[Hobbits]], [[Beornings]], or [[High Elves]]. Male or female characters can be created, except in the case of Dwarves. As per Tolkien, Dwarf women are very rare and seldom leave their mountain halls. There are ten classes: Beorning, Burglar, Captain, Champion, Guardian, Hunter, Lore-master, Minstrel, Rune-keeper, and Warden.

Customization of the character's abilities can be done by changing equipment and traits. As of the [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Helm.27s Deep Expansion|Helm's Deep expansion]], class traits work on a tree system, with each class having three "trait trees" where traits can be selected with earned points and unlocking enough traits in a particular tree allows higher-level traits to be selected and applies additional bonus. In addition to class traits are racial traits, such as Men being able to slot a trait to do additional damage with swords or Hobbits being able to slot a trait that allows them to throw a stone, and virtue traits which boost the character's stats.

Levels are significant, with much lower level enemies being extremely easy to defeat and much higher level enemies being nearly impossible to defeat. Each region has enemies and quests with a range of levels usually consecutive to those of an adjacent region. Quests over five levels above the character's level are inaccessible. In addition to being able to complete quest and defeat enemies in more locations, characters gain access to additional equipment, skills, traits and instances as they level up. Levels are increased by gaining experience, which is earned by completing quests and instances, defeating enemies of an appropriate level, and crafting.

===World===
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is an "open-world" game in which most locations that have been released can be freely accessed on an open landscape (although some places, such as Moria, require certain quests to be completed first.) The game world is split into "lands", large areas of Middle-Earth. As of Update 21, the four lands in the game are [[Eriador]], [[Rhovanion]], [[Gondor]], and [[Mordor]]. Each land is in turn divided into regions, e.g. [[Bree-land]] in Eriador, and each region contains areas, e.g. [[Andrath]] within Bree-land.

Although most of the land is available to all for exploration, most regions require non-VIPs to purchase a quest pack to access quests, deeds and instances associated with that region. A few regions, such as East and West Rohan, require expansion packs to be purchased to unlock content, even for VIPs. Each region is generally seen as it was in a certain time in the War of the Ring, for example Lothlórien is visited by the player at the same time as the [[Fellowship of the Ring]] rested there, and [[Pelargir]] just after [[Aragorn]] liberated the city from the [[Corsairs of Umbar]].

Reddit users /u/lallapalalable and /u/exploderator estimated the total size of the map at no more than 250 square km (97 square miles) in 2017, making it one of the largest game maps ever made.<ref>{{webcite|author=/u/lallapalalable|articleurl=http://www.reddit.com/r/lotro/comments/60j1ul/been_trying_to_calculate_the_area_of_the_map/|articlename=Been trying to calculate the area of the map|dated=20 March 2017|website=Reddit|accessed=29 October 2020}}</ref>

===Quests===
Much of the game's completable content is in the form of quests. Quests consist of a series of objectives, often including speaking with NPCs, defeating certain enemies, and recovering certain items from the ground or from defeated enemies. Most quests have a small number of objectives but may unlock additional quests upon completion to form a quest chain. Quests are usually started by started by speaking with a particular Non-Player Character (NPC), indicated with a ring icon above the NPC's head. The forms of ring icons and what they indicate are as follows:

*Gold ring with blue aura: the NPC has a quest that is approximately appropriate for the character's level.
*Gold ring with blue aura and fiery inscription: the NPC must be spoken with to advance the quest.
*Bright gold ring: the NPC has an Epic quest available.
*Gold ring with orange flames: the NPC must be spoken to to advance the Epic quest.
*Blue ring and quill: the NPC has a comment about an active quest, speaking to the NPC will not advance the quest but may give additional information.
*Gold ring with hourglass: the NPC has a quest with a cooldown, the player must wait for the cooldown to expire before accepting the quest.
*Silver ring: the NPC has a quest that is too high level for the player to accept at that level.
*Transparent grey ring: the NPC has a "trivial" quest, one far below the player's level.
*Gold ring with anvil: the NPC has a crafting quest, and involves the crafting system in some way.
*Gold ring with sword: The NPC has an allegiance quest; quests that are unique to the Mordor Expansion.*Gold ring with map: The NPC has a missions quest; quests that are unique to Missions-related quests.

Some quests are started by obtaining unique items dropped from specific enemies. The [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Riders of Rohan Expansion|Riders of Rohan expansion]] introduced auto-bestowed quests, which bring up a quest prompt when the player defeats a specific type of enemy or finds a certain location. Such enemies are marked with ring icons similarly to how NPC quest givers are. Players have the option of accepting these quests automatically or choosing to manually accept or decline each prompt. Most landscape quests can only be completed once, some special landscape quests and most instance quests can be completed once a day any number of times, and a few landscape quests can be repeated at any time up to a certain number of times.

Quests are categorized according to what area, instance or other section they are associated with. Of note are the Epic Quests, a series that tells the main storyline of the game. In imitation of [[The Lord of the Rings|the Lord of the Rings book]], the epic quests are divided into Volumes, which are divided into Books which in turn are divided into Chapters. Each Chapter is usually an individual quest. Epic Quests bring the player through the landscape but are considered apart from it, therefore most Epic Quests are available to all players regardless of whether or not any quest packs are unlocked. A notable exception is the end of Volume III: Allies of the King, which requires purchase of the Helm's Deep expansion to complete. The Black Book of Mordor, the new main storyline for quests after the Epic Books, has eight chapters, all spanning various areas in Middle Earth including [[Mordor]], the Strongholds of the North, the [[Iron Hills]], and the [[Ered Mithrin]].

===Deeds===
Deeds are non-repeatable achievements recorded on an interface window called the Deed Log. Common deed objectives include completing a certain number of quests in a particular area or region (Quest Deeds), defeating a certain number of enemies of a specific type in a particular region (Slayer Deeds), discovering specified locations (Explorer Deeds), and reaching the next tier of reputation with a faction. Most Deeds award Turbine points. Deeds in a particular region usually award reputation in that region's faction. Deeds also commonly reward marks, virtues, and titles.

===Instances===
Instances are locations in the game separated from the open landscape, not accessible through normal travel. Instances can take place in either separate versions of the locations available on the landscape (for example, Pelargir while Aragorn's host retakes it from the corsairs) or in locations not accessible anywhere else (such as Dale). Most instances are private instances, that is, only one player or group of players can enter it and it closes when they complete it, while public instances can be joined at any time by any number of separate players. They are often repeatable, with ones associated with landscape quests being replayable through a Reflecting Pool in the associated region and others accessible through the Instance Finder window. Most private instances have associated quests automatically bestowed upon entering the instance and cancelled upon exiting.

===Fellowships and Kinships===
Most open landscape content and associated instances are designed to be completable by a solo player, while some locations in the game and Instance Finder instances are meant for a team of players. A group of players with a maximum size of six is known as a fellowship. For larger groups, a raid of up to four fellowships can be formed, for a maximum group size of 24 players. Players are free to group on the open landscape and in public instances, but private instances have a limit on how many players may enter.

Players can found and join lasting organizations known as Kinships in the game. Players in a kinship can communicate in their own kinship chat channel to socialize and plan events with their fellow members.

===Monster Play===
The game is primarily Player vs. Environment (PvE), with most combat being player characters against computer controlled enemies found throughout the landscape and instances. However in the [[Ettenmoors]] region, players can participate in Player vs. Monster Player battles (PvMP). Players can create Monster characters that only have access to PvMP areas where they battle standard characters, who fight on the side of the Free Peoples. Each monster player class is limited to a specific race. The monster classes are the Blackarrow (Uruk), Defiler (Orc), Reaver (Orc), Stalker (Warg), Warleader (Uruk), and Weaver (Spider) As of [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath|Update 16.2]] a new PvMP area, set in Osgiliath before Boromir's journey to Rivendell and accessed via a banner in the Ettenmoors, was released.



Towns and settlements provide Vendors where players can purchase or repair their armour, weapons, and supplies. Towns also often include Mailboxes, Auction Halls, Class Trainers, Forge-masters, Relic-masters, and Stable-masters who allow swift travel between regions.

The player interface allows other aspects of gameplay such as Character screens, Quest and Deed Logs, a Social Panel where players can interact, and a Crafting panel where players use skills to craft new items.

==Releases==
===Shadows of Angmar===
:{{Main|The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar}}
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar|Shadows of Angmar]]'' was released on [[24 April|April 24]], [[2007]]. It included books 1 through 8 of Epic Volume I: Shadows of Angmar. Approximately once every two months a major free update was added to ''The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar''. Each update added a new book to the volume.

====Book 9: Shores of Evendim====
{{#ev:youtubehd|VOEcXrbG4OI|200|thumb}}
The first free content update was released on June 14, 2007.<ref>[http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=3611&pagename=home&search=yes&keyword=Book%209 Book 9: Shores of Evendim Release Date Announced]</ref>

Updates included:
*A new region - [[Evendim]] - is added, including locations like [[Annúminas]].<ref name="book9">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/news/pressreleases/136-book-9-shores-of-evendim-release-date-announced|articlename=Book 9: Shores of Evendim Release Date Announced!|dated=5 June 2007|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
*The epic story is expanded with book 9, Shores of Evendim<ref name="book9"/>
*100 new quests are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*A 24-player raid is added, ''Battle for Helegrod''.<ref name="book9"/>
*Nine new monsters are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*New Collectible armour sets are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*Updates to the music system.<ref name="book9"/>

====Book 10: The City of Kings====

The second free-content update was released on August 21, 2007 in North America and on August 24, 2007 in Europe.<ref>| [http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=3949&pagename=home&search=yes&keyword=Book%209 Codemasters Online and Turbine unveil Book 10: The City of the Kings]</ref>

Updates included:
*Continuation of the Story Line.
*Legendary Play – Players can now use Destiny Points to play as a Ranger of the North or as a Troll.
*Critter Play – Players can now explore Middle-earth from a different viewpoint as a chicken.
*New Reputation and Bartering Systems – The Reputation system enables players to earn positive and negative standing with different races and groups in Middle-earth based on both monster kills and quest completions. The Bartering system allows players to trade trophies earned in battle for rewards, such as armour sets or mounts.
*Over 100 new Quests.
*More customizable user interface.

====Book 11: Prisoner of the Free Peoples====

The third free-content update was released on October 24, 2007 in North America<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/article/430 Turbine and Codemasters Online Gaming to Unveil Book 11: Defenders of Eriador for The Lord of the Rings Online]</ref> and October 25 in Europe.<ref>[http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=4661&articletype=News Codemasters Online and Turbine to unveil Book 11: Defenders of Eriador]</ref>

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_11_Official complete release notes]):
*Continuation of the Epic Story arc, including 13 quests.
*Player housing – players will be able to customize their houses with items such as furniture and doormats.
*Second raid called "The Rift" – 12-player raid in which players encounter a [[Balrogs|Balrog]] for the first time. Turbine has stressed that this is not the [[Durin's Bane|Balrog from Khazad-dûm]].<ref>[http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=287 Book 11 Preview: The Balrogs are Coming]</ref>
*Two new areas – Tâl Bruinen in the Trollshaws, where [[Gollum]] will be introduced for the first time, and Goblin-town in the [[Misty Mountains]], featured in ''The Hobbit''.
*More than 100 new quests.

====Book 12: The Ashen Wastes====

The fourth free content update was released on February 13, 2008 in North America; and February 14, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_12_Official complete release notes]):
*Continuation of the Story Line.
*Character customization - Increased character customization "ranging from haircuts, to some (possible) additions to the trait-system." In addition, the Outfit system, along with special social clothing designed just for it, will be introduced where a second or third set of clothing can be slotted and displayed while retaining the statistical bonuses of the currently equipped items.<ref>[http://lotro.stratics.com/content/hoclog/hoc10.php Lord of the Rings Online: House of Commons ]</ref>
*The Delving of Frór - A new Monster Play PVE (and PVMP under certain circumstances) area was introduced: An expanse of caves and catacombs located beneath the Ettenmoors.
*The Great Angmar Revamp - A revamp of the most high-level region of the game's current 9 PvE regions. The revamp included the reworking of many quests, areas and other changes, such as new horse routes.
*Barbershop - You can customize the look of your avatar in-game with around 50 new haircuts and second set of details.
*Updates to the Burglar, Guardian, and Champion classes.

====Book 13: Doom of the Last-King====

The fifth free content update was released on April 24, 2008 in North America and on May 1, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_13_Official complete release notes]):
*A new playable map area: the Ice Bay of [[Forochel]].
*Players being able to see the ocean for the first time, confirmed as the Ice Bay of Forochel in recent developer chats.
*Fishing - the first of a new system in ''Lord of the Rings Online'', called 'hobbies'.
*New PVMP Monster Healing Class - Orc Defiler.
*Looking For Fellowship- and Quest-panel improvements.

====Book 14: The Ring-forges of Eregion====

The sixth free content update was released on July 22, 2008 in North America. It was released on July 24, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_14_Official complete release notes]):
*Climax of the "Shadows of Angmar" storyline.
*Added selected sections of [[Eregion]] (Region leading towards the Gates of Moria).
*Epic Quest events that will allow interaction between players regardless of server.
*Prelude quests for and leading up to the ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria|Mines of Moria]]'' expansion, which would have updates leading to Lothlórien, Fangorn, Rhovanion and Rohan.

====Book 15: Daughter of Strife====

The seventh free content update was released on November 18, 2008. This update was released in tandem with the Mines of Moria expansion for players who did not purchase the expansion release.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Category:Epic_-_Vol._I,_Book_15:_Daughter_of_Strife_Quests Epic - Vol. I, Book 15: Daughter of Strife Quests epic]):
*Conclusion of the "Shadows of Angmar" storyline.
*Added the zone of Eregion expanding on the selected sections from Book 14. The zone does not include the Hollin Gate leading to the Black Pool.
*Added UI enhancements

===Mines of Moria Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria]]''
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria|Mines of Moria]]'' was released on [[18 November|November 18]], [[2008]]. It included Vol. II books 1 through 6 of the epic quest line. Like ''Shadows of Angmar'', ''Mines of Moria'' continued to regularly release updates. Updates were less frequent than Shadows of Angmar.

====Book 7: Leaves of Lórien====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Leaves of Lórien.png|thumb|300px]]Book 7 was released on [[17 March]] [[2009]]. This update included:
* Continuation of the Epic Storyline in Book 7, Leaves of Lórien.<ref name="book7">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/book-spotlights/342-vol2book7|articlename=Volume II: Book 7: Leaves of Lórien Spotlight|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
* Expansion of the Lothlórien Area, including [[Caras Galadhon]].<ref name="book7"/>
* A new raid, named ''Strange Happenings'', has been added.<ref name="book7"/>
* The [[Galadhrim]] are added as a new reputation faction.<ref name="book7"/>
* Crafting instances enable players to gather resources.<ref name="book7"/>
* The Ered Luin Introduction and, on lesser scale, the Bree-land Introduction are revamped.<ref name="book7"/>
* Several new Monster Play emotes are added.<ref name="book7"/>

====Book 8: Scourge of Khazad-dum====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Scourge of Khazad-Dûm.png|thumb|300px]]Book 8 was released on June 23, 2009. This update included:
*Book 8, Scourge of Khazad-dûm, continues the epic story.<ref name="book8">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/book-spotlights/421-vol2-book8|articlename=Volume II: Book 8: Scourge of Khazad-dûm|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
* A radiance-gated multi-boss, 12-man raid - named ''Dar Narbugud'' is added.<ref name="book8"/>
* One 6-man instance is added: ''The Halls of Crafting''.<ref name="book8"/>
* Two 3-man instances are added:
** ''Lumul-nar''<ref name="book8"/>
** ''Nala-dum''<ref name="book8"/>
* Continuation of the revamp of the Bree-land Introduction.<ref name="book8"/>
* The Crafting system has been revived.<ref name="book8"/>

===Siege of Mirkwood Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood]]''
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood|Siege of Mirkwood]]'' was released on December 1, 2009 in North America and December 3, 2009 in Europe. Unlike the second expansion this edition was only available via a web-based download. It included Book 9 and the epilogue of Volume II: Mines of Moria.

Kate Paiz, Executive Producer for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'', released a letter on October 22, 2010 stating that updates will be more frequent but will not always be accompanied with a new book continuing the epic story.<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/866-producers-letter-october-2010 Producer's Letter, October-2010] lotro.com, Dev Diaries</ref>

====Book 1: Oath of the Rangers====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Oath of the Rangers.png|300px|thumb]]
Book 1 was released on [[1 March|March 1]], [[2010]].<ref> [http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?t=320404 Volume III: Allies of the King has arrived!]</ref>

Updates include ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Volume_3_Allies_of_the_King_Official complete release notes]):
* The beginning of Volume III in the epic storyline.
* The ability to solo the Volume I epic storyline.
* A duo mode for most skirmishes.

====Book 2: Ride of the Grey Company====

Book 2 was released on [[10 September|September 10]], [[2010]] in North America. ([[8 September|September 8]], [[2010]] for subscribers). It was delayed in Europe because of contractual reasons and was finally released on [[2 November]], almost two months after North America.<ref>[http://massively.joystiq.com/ Massively], [http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/v-e-me-day-lotro-europe-announces-launch-date-for-free-to-play/ V-E-ME Day: LotRO Europe announces launch date for free-to-play], dated [[29 October]], [[2010]] (accessed [[11 November]], [[2011]])</ref>

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Volume_3_Book_2_Official complete release notes]):

* New region: [[Enedwaith]].
* ''Lord of the Rings Online'' Free to Play subscription.
* Book 2 in the Volume III epic storyline.
* Scalable instances.
* Improvements to the vault, and a new wardrobe system for cosmetic items.
* Updates to the Captain class.
* The LOTRO store, where players may purchase convenience items. Points either earned through gameplay, through the VIP program or by being purchased.
* The introduction of Lua Scripting.
* DirectX 11 support.
* Ranger session play.

====Update 1: Journey to Winter-Home====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 1 Journey to Winter-Home.png|300px|thumb]]The first post Free-to-play update was released in November 2010. Due to changes to how updates work this did not contain an epic book.

Updates included:

* A Barter Wallet for skirmish marks and anniversary tokens.
* Opening of Moria, Lothlorien, Mirkwood and Enedwaith to free-to-play players. Volume II and Volume III will also be available, as well the legendary item system, and the level 65 level cap all to free-to-play players.
* Vault improvements.
* Tasks: a new quest type for all levels.
* Improved reputation mounts.
* Updates to the Lore-master and Rune-keeper classes.
* Ered Luin starting area revamp.

====Update 2: Echoes of the Dead====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 2 Echoes of the Dead.png|300px|thumb]]The first update of 2011 was released on [[21 March|March 21]] in the United States and [[24 March|March 24]] for Europe.

Updates included:

* Two 3-man's, two 6-man's, and a 12-person raid were added for level 65 players.
* A special item required to craft a First Age weapon which drops from the above raid.
* Radiance was removed.
* Legendary Items were updated.
* Character panel and cosmetic system were revamped.
* The Minstrel, Hunter and Burglar classes were updated.
* Volume III Book 3: Echoes of the Dead was added.
* Volume II was revamped and made soloable, including three instances which have been converted to skirmishes.
* Improvements to the PvP starter tutorial.
* [[Evendim]] was revamped, with [[Annúminas]] being scaled down to level 40.

====Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 3 Lost Legends of Eriador.png|300px|thumb]]''Lost Legends of Eriador'' was the third update. It was released on [[23 May|May 23]], [[2011]] and included: ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Update_3,_Lost_Legends_of_Eriador,_Official complete release notes]):

* Two new 3-man scalable instances starting mid-game.
* Two new skirmishes.

===Rise of Isengard Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard]]''
The third expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is entitled ''Rise of Isengard''. The expansion was made available on September 27, 2011 and only as a digital download.<ref>[http://isengard.lotro.com/ The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard Official Homepage]</ref>

====Update 5: Armies of Isengard====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 5 Armies of Isengard.png|220px|thumb]]''Armies of Isengard'' was the first update published after the release of ''The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard''. It was released on [[12 December]] [[2011]] and included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Update_5,_Armies_of_Isengard,_Official complete release notes]):

* Four new instances and a 12-man raid in and around [[Isengard]].
* Book 5: The Prince of Rohan of '''Volume III: Allies of the King''' is released.
* A new Instance finder, to form groups more easily.
* Barter currencies of skirmishes, classic and instances are unified.
* Changes to Reputation items.

====Update 6: Shores of the Great River====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 6 The Great River.png|220px|thumb]]''Shores of the Great River'' is the sixth update and was released on [[12 March]] [[2012]].<ref name="Update6&Riders"> {{webcite|author=Justin Olivetti|articleurl=http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/riding-into-rohan-lotro-maps-out-2012/|articlename=Riding into Rohan: LotRO maps out in 2012|dated=25 January 2012|website=Massively|accessed=29 January 2012}}</ref><ref name="Update6">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/game-manual/1775-update-6-great-river|articlename=Update 6 Great River|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>

*A new region, the [[Anduin|The Great River]], was added, featuring seven new areas - including Parth Celebrant - in the upper [[Anduin]]. <ref name="Update6"/>
*Mists of Anduin, Book 6 of Volume III, was released, in which the player seeks the wisdom of [[Galadriel]] about troubling dreams and fights [[Easterlings]], Brigands and an ancient enemy of Rohan.<ref name="Update6"/>
*The ability to summon skirmish warriors outside skirmishes.<ref name="Update6"/>
*Updates to the Instance finder.<ref name="Update6"/>
*Currency-change in Monster Play: "Destiny" will be replaced with "Commendations". Commendations will be available for both Freeps and Creeps.<ref name="MP Currency change">{{webcite|author=Jaret Pruett|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/1776-update-6-commendations-developer-diary|articlename=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/1776-update-6-commendations-developer-diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>

====Update 7: Shades of the Past====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 7 Shades of the Past.png|thumb|220px]]''Shades of the Past'' is the seventh update<ref name="Update 7">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/1966|articlename=Update 7|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=12 May 2012}}</ref> and was released on 14 May, 2012.{{fact}}

*Continuation of the aforementioned currency-change.<ref name="MP Currency change"/>
*A new skirmish, "Storm on Methedras".<ref name="Update 7"/>
*Revamp of the Fornost instance and Moria region.<ref name="Update 7"/>

===Riders of Rohan Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Riders of Rohan]]''
The fourth expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is named ''Riders of Rohan''. The expansion was released on October 15, 2012. <ref name="Turbine">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/news/pressreleases/1736-warner-bros-interactive-entertainment-and-turbine-unveil-the-lord-of-the-rings-online-riders-of-rohan|articlename=WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND TURBINE UNVEIL THE LORD OF THE RINGS ONLINE™: RIDERS OF ROHAN™|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=30 January 2012}}</ref>

====Update 9: Against the Shadow====
''Against the Shadow'' is the ninth update and was released December 17, 2012. <ref name="Update 9">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.tentonhammer.com/lotro/news/lotro-update-9-coming-december-17th|articlename=LOTROs Update 9 Coming December 17th|dated=|website=www.tentonhammer.com|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*Three new three man instances.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-riders-rohan-instance-cluster-part-i|articlename=Riders of Rohan Instance Cluster, Part I|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Scaling of Dol Guldur instances.
*Completion of Moria revamp.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-revisiting-mines-moria-part-ii|articlename=Developer Diary: Revisiting the Mines of Moria, Part II|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Ability to quickly travel to turn in quests.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-travel-quest-location-behind-scenes|articlename=Update 9 - Travel To Quest Location: Behind the Scenes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Update to the Yule Festival.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-yule-festival|articlename=Update 9 - Yule Festival|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Combat revisions.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-combat-revisions|articlename=Update 9 - Combat Revisions|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 10: Against the Shadow, Part II====
''Against the Shadow, Part II'' is the tenth update and was released March 6, 2013.

*One six man instance and three twelve man raids.<ref name="Update 10">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-instance-cluster-developer-diary|articlename=Update 10 - Instance Cluster Developer Diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*In Their Absence instance scaling.<ref name="Update 10"/>
*Mithril Coins, a new currency used for special services.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-mithril-coin-qa|articlename=Update 10 Mithril Coin Q&A|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Agility made Wardens' primary stat.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-warden-stat-change-agility-wardens|articlename=Update 10: Warden Stat Change – Agility Wardens!|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Changes to critical defense.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-critical-defence-revision|articlename=Update 10 - Critical Defence Revision|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Unification of currency for scaling instances.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-seals-and-medallion-conversion|articlename=Update 10 - Seals and Medallion Conversion Diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand====
''Treachery of the White Hand'' is the eleventh update and was released May 13, 2013. <ref name="Update 11">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?511377-Update-11-Treachery-of-the-White-Hand-Release-Notes-Official|articlename=Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand Release Notes - Official|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*A new region, Wildermore, located on the previously-inaccessible plateau in the north of East Rohan.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Book 10: Snows of Wildermore of '''Volume III: Allies of the King''' is released.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Updates to mounted combat.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Hobbit presents, daily free random items with the ability to unlock more rolls with mithril coins.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Lalia's Market, a shop where cosmetic clothing and dyes can be purchased with mithril coins.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/lalias-market|articlename=Lalia’s Market Now Open in Bree-town!|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

===Helm's Deep Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Helm's Deep]]''
The fourth expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is named ''Helm's Deep''. The expansion was released on November 20, 2013. <ref name="TenTonHammer">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.tentonhammer.com/lotro/news/turbine-temporarily-delays-lotro-helms-deep-launch|articlename=Updated: Turbine Temporarily Delays LOTROs Helms Deep Launch|dated=|website=www.tentonhammer.com|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref> After the Helm's Deep expansion, Turbine has discontinued for three years paid expansions in favor of quarterly updates with content free to VIPs. <ref name="Looking Ahead to 2014">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?535422-A-letter-from-Executive-Producer-Kate-Paiz-Looking-Ahead-to-2014|articlename=A letter from Executive Producer Kate Paiz - Looking Ahead to 2014|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 13: The Breaking of Isengard====
''The Breaking of Isengard'' is the thirteenth update and was released April 14, 2014. <ref name="Update 13">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?546315-Update-13-The-Breaking-of-Isengard-%E2%80%93-Official-release-Notes|articlename=Update 13: The Breaking of Isengard – Official release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*Release of a new landscape consisting of post-[[Battle of Isengard]] Nan Curunir as well as the Entwood<ref name="Update 13"/>, an area consisting of the south-western part of Fangorn.
*The fourteenth and final book of Epic Volume III: Allies of the King, The Waters of Isengard.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/dev-diary-%E2%80%93-update-13-quest-notes|articlename=Dev Diary – Update 13 Quest Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Misty Mountains, North Downs and Trollshaws region revamps.<ref name="Update 13"/>
*Resizable inventory bags.<ref name="Update 13"/>
*Level scaling from level 20 up for players in the Ettenmoors and temporary Ettenmoors passes for free-to-play purchasable with Mithril Coins.<ref name="Update 13"/>

====Update 14: Paths of the Dead====
''Paths of the Dead'' is the fourteenth update and was released July 14, 2014. <ref name="Update 14">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?552272-Update-14-Paths-of-the-Dead-Release-Notes-amp-Known-Issues|articlename=Update 14: Paths of the Dead - Release Notes & Known Issues |dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*Release of the West Gondor region, consisting of the areas the [[Paths of the Dead]], the [[Blackroot Vale]], [[Lamedon]], the Havens of [[Belfalas]], and [[Dol Amroth]]. <ref name="Update 14"/><ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/u14|articlename=Update 14: Paths of the Dead Now Available|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*A new Epic series,<ref name="Update 14"/> Volume IV: The Strength of Sauron, beginning with Book 1: The Road to Gondor.
*The Essence System, allowing specially slotted armors to be fitted with a variety of Essences for customizable stats.<ref name="Update 14"/>.
*Level cap increase to 100.<ref name="Update 14"/>
*The [[Dead Marshes]] region was added later in the minor Update 14.2, released September 15 2014. This area included a Session Play featuring Frodo, Samwise, and Gollum's passage through the marshes, casting the player character as Sam.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?555920-Update-14-2-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 14.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 15: Gondor Aflame====
''Gondor Aflame''<ref name="U15 Announcement">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/u15|articlename=Update 15: Gondor Aflame Now Available|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref> is the fifteeth update and was released November 4, 2014. <ref name="Update 15">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?558300-Update-15-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 15 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*The region of Central Gondor, consisting of [[Ringló Vale]], [[Dor-en-Ernil]], [[Lebennin]] and [[Pelargir]].<ref name="U15 Announcement"/><ref name="Update 15"/>
*Beorning race and class.<ref name="U15 Announcement"/><ref name="Update 15"/>
*Epic Volume IV Book 2: The Dawnless Day.<ref name="Update 15"/>
*A new Epic Battle, Retaking Pelargir.<ref name="Update 15"/> Initially only available in solo/duo mode, a full fellowship version was released in February 4, 2015 with Update 15.2.<ref name="Update 15.2">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?&postid=7312886|articlename=Update 15.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>
*Roving Threats, a new type of open landscape group content.<ref name="Update 15"/> Additional Roving Threats were added to other regions of the game beginning with Update 15.2<ref name="Update 15.2"/>

====Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath====
''Ashes of Osgiliath'' is the sixteenth update and was released May 1, 2015.<ref name="Update 16">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?568045-Update-16-Ashes-of-Osgiliath-%E2%80%93-Official-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath – Official Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*The region of Eastern Gondor, consisting of Upper Lebennin, Lossarnach, South Ithilien and Osgiliath.<ref name="Update 16"/>
*Epic Volume IV Book 3: Voices of the Past.<ref name="Update 16"/>
*Cosmetic weapons and shields, more Roving Threats, and new PvMP map set in Osgiliath were released with Update 16.2 in July 17, 2015. A new quest series of weekly episodic content, following the adventures of the Hobbit Bingo Boffin, was begun the Wednesday after the update, on July 22.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?572512-Update-16-2-Release-Notes&p=7404279#post7404279|articlename=Update 16.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 17: The Siege of Minas Tirith====
''The Siege of Minas Tirith'' is the seventeenth update and was released 27 October 2015.

*The region of Old Anórien, including [[Minas Tirith]], the [[Pelennor Fields]], and Talath Anor.
*Epic Volume IV Book 4: Siege of the White City
*New crafting tier, hidden cosmetic weapon toggle.
*New Epic Battles: Defence of Minas Tirith, Hammer of the Underworld.

====Update 18: The Battle of Pelennor Fields====
''The Battle of Pelennor fields'' is the eighteenth update and was released 11 April 2016.

*The region of Far Anórien, including [[Drúadan Forest|Taur Drúadan]], [[Warning beacons of Gondor|Beacon hills]], and the Pelennor Fields during the battle.
*Instance cluster including two 3-man instances (The Quays of the Harlond, The Blood of the Black Serpent), one 6-man instance (The Silent Street) and a 12-man raid (Throne of the Dread Terror).
*Epic Volume IV Book 5: The Ride of the Rohirrim and Book 6: The Battle of Pelennor Fields.

====Update 19: March of the King====
''March of the King'' is the nineteenth update and was released 14 October 2016.

*The region March of the King, including [[North Ithilien]], after battle Minas Tirith, after battle Osgiliath, and after battle Pelennor Fields.
*Flora barter system to exchange new gear for flowers.
*Epic Volume IV Book 7: March of the King.

====Update 20: Battle of the Black Gate====
''Battle of the Black Gate'' is the twentieth update and was released 21 March 2017.

*The region The Wastes, including Noman-lands, [[Slag-hills]] and [[Dagorlad]] which surround the [[Black Gate]].
*New reputation items to exchange for armour.
*Epic Volume IV Book 8: Battle of the Black Gate.

===Mordor Expansion===
''Mordor'' is the sixth expansion, and the twenty-first update, released on August 2nd, 2017.

*The region Plateau of [[Gorgoroth]] includes five different areas, [[Udûn]], Dor Amarth, Lhingris, Talath Urui, and Agarnaith.
*The conclusion of the Epic Questline (and Volume 4), with Book 9.
*A new series of quests, the "Black Book of Mordor", becomes the main storyline after the conclusion of the Epic Quests. There are four chapters introduced in this update.
*The Allegiance System is introduced, players can pledge to one of four factions to gain greater rewards in [[Mordor]]. They are the Kingdom of [[Gondor]], the Court of [[Lothlórien]], [[Durin's Folk]], and the Hobbits of the Company.
*A new instance cluster is introduced, featuring a 3-man instance (The Court of Seregost), a 6-man instance (The Dungeons of Naerband), and a 12-man raid (The Abyss of Mordath).

====Update 22: Legacy of the Necromancer====
''Legacy of the Necromancer'' is the twenty-second update, released on March 6th, 2018.

*The new region "[[Eryn Lasgalen]] and the Dale-lands" (otherwise known as the "Strongholds of the North" or "Northern Mirkwood"), features the Forest of Eryn Lasgalen (including the [[Halls of the Elven-king]] (known as Felegoth), The Dale-lands (featuring iconic locations such as The [[Long Lake]], [[Lake-town]], [[Dale]], and [[Ravenhill]]), and [[Erebor]], the Lonely Mountain.
*Three new reputation factions are introduced; the "Elves of Felegoth", the "Men of Dale", and the "Dwarves of Erebor".
*The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new region.

====Update 23: Where Dragons Dwell====
''Where Dragons Dwell'' is the twenty-third update, released on October 9th, 2018.

*The new area "The Dwarf-holds", consists of two areas; The [[Iron Hills]], and [[Ered Mithrin]]. An expanded area of [[Erebor]] is also opened.
*A new instance cluster is introduced, featuring two 3-man instances (Caverns of Thrumfall and Glimmerdeep), a six-man instance (Thikil-gundu), and a 12-man raid (The Anvil of Winterstith).
*The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new areas.

====Update 24: Vales of Anduin====
''Vales of Anduin'' is the twenty-fourth update, released on June 4th, 2019.
*A new region, the [[Vales of Anduin]] was released, containing several key locations such as the Beorninghus ([[Beorn's Hall]]), The [[Carrock]], the [[Eagle's Eyrie]], the [[Gladden Fields]], [[Rhosgobel]], and various settlements of the [[Woodmen]].
*Update 24.2 brought the "Gladdenmere" sub-region to the Vales, along with a single six-man instance, "The Depths of Kidzul-kalah.
*The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new area, in addition to a "Prelude" to the Minas Morgul Expansion.

===Minas Morgul Expansion===
''Minas Morgul'' is the seventh expansion, released on November 5th, 2019.*The expansion consists of two new areas, "Mordor Besieged" consists of the upper half of [[Gorgoroth]] during the final stages of the [[Siege of Barad-dûr]] in the Second Age, and the [[Morgul Vale]], which consists of the areas between [[Ithilien]] to the west, and Gorgoroth to the east. The city of [[Minas Morgul]] is also available for exploration.*A new playable race, the "Stout-axe dwarves", became available.*New Crafting updates, including a new tier to crafting guilds.*A new instance cluster taking place in the Morgul Vale, with four three-man instances, three six-man instances, and a raid, the Remmorchant, featuring battling with [[Shelob]] in [[Torech Ungol]].*A new level cap of 130 is introduced.

===Update 26: Mists of Wilderland===''Mists of Wilderland'' is the the twenty-sixth update, released on April 23rd, 2020.*A new region, the Wells of Langflood was released, featuring the upper-lands of the [[Vales of Anduin]], and the merging of the [[Greylin]] and [[Langwell]] rivers into the Anduin. In addition, there is the [[beorning]] settlement of Limlok, the [[stoor]] village of Lyndelby, and the ruins of [[Framsburg]], once the capital of the [[Eotheod]].*A new reputation faction, the "Protectors of Wilderland", situated in Limlok was introduced.*A brand new epic questline, "The Legacy of Durin and the Trials of the Dwarves" is introduced to follow the Black Book of Mordor, and follows Prince Durin's efforts in leading the united dwarves to retake [[Mount Gundabad]] from the orcs who dwell there. Two initial chapters were released.==Update 27: The Great Wedding===''The Great Wedding'' is the twenty-seventh update, released on June 30th, 2020.*A new area, [[Minas Tirith]] (Midsummer), was introduced, situated after the destruction of the [[One Ring]], situated around the wedding of King [[Aragorn Elessar]] and [[Arwen Undomiel]].*The [[Midsummer]] Festival was introduced, based in Midsummer Minas Tirith, featuring all new quests, items and deeds for players. In addition, the Summer and Farmer's Faire festivals were merged to make way for the Midsummer Festival.*The Epic Questline continues with Volume V- The Peace of Middle-earth, in it's first book.===Update 28: War of the Three Peaks===''War of the Three Peaks'' is the eighth update, also called a "mini-expansion", released on October 20th, 2020.*A new area, Elderslade, is introduced, and features the lands north of the Wells of Langflood and west of the [[Ered Mithrin]], situated before the very gates of [[Mount Gundabad]].*The Missions mechanic was introduced, allowing players of any level over 20 to aid Durin's war-effort, and gain rewards through one of two new reputation factions: The Gabil'akka.*"The Legacy of Durin and the Trials of the Dwarves" continues with two new chapters, featuring the Battle of Elderslade, and the challenging of Gorgar the Ruthless, Lord of Gundabad, and son of [[Bolg]].==Added Elements==
There are a number of elements that do not appear in any of the published works. This includes characters, lineages, objects and locations.

===Characters===
* '''[[Amarthiel]]''' served the [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]] during his first reign over [[Angmar]]<ref>In the game the Witch-king reigned over Angmar again shortly before the [[War of the Ring]].</ref> and wore the [[lesser rings|lesser ring]] [[Narchuil]]. She was slain by [[Narmeleth]] at the [[Battle of Fornost]] and her soul wandered [[Middle-earth]] for over a thousand years. She managed to possess Narmeleth and disguised herself as Sara Oakheart. She eventually revealed herself after the defeat of [[Mordirith]] by [[Golodir]] and becomes the Regent of Angmar.

* '''[[Andraste]]''' was a female [[Men|Man]] who served the [[Witch-king]].

* '''[[Jon Brackenbrook]]''' was a [[Men|Man]] who was captain of [[Archet]].

* '''[[Ronald Dwale]]''' was a [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] from [[Dwalling]]. He was an author and a member of [[The Inklings (LOTRO)|the Inklings]], that meets in the [[The Eagle and Child|Bird and Baby Inn]]. He was based on [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] himself.

* '''[[Éogan]]''' was the second in command of the [[Blackwolds]] and took over leadership of the group after William Skunkwood's death.

* '''The Huntsman''' was a spirit found in [[Enedwaith]] who took the shape of a large man with horns of a stag. Many players thought this was [[Oromë]]. The developers confirmed that it wasn't Oromë but a [[Maiar|Maia]] of Oromë.<ref>[http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?359604-big-D-small-d&p=4996860&highlight=#post4996860 big D, small d] [[Jonathan Rudder]], lotro.com forums</ref>

* '''[[Ivar the Bloodhand]]''' was a Gaunt-lord from the [[First Age]].

* '''[[Mordirith]]''' was the Steward of Angmar.

* '''[[Narmeleth]]''' was an elf maiden of [[Rivendell]] and daughter of [[Laerdan]]. She slew [[Amarthiel]] during the [[Battle of Fornost]] and became possessed by her soul over a thousand years later.

* '''[[Mundo Sackville-Baggins]]''' was a [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] who was mistakenly identified as having the ring.

* '''[[William Skunkwood]]''' was the leader of the [[Blackwolds]].

* '''[[Skorgrím]]''' was a dwarf and leader of the [[Dourhands]]. He was slain during the Battle of Edhelion. His corpse was used as a vehicle by Ivar the Bloodhand who possessed it with a fell spirit to trick the Dourhands to ally themselves with the forces of [[Angmar]].

* '''[[Sambrog]]''' was the Wight-lord of the [[Barrow-downs]].

===Groups===
* '''The [[Blackwolds]]''' were a group of [[Men|Mannish]] brigands from [[Bree-land]].

* '''The [[Dourhands]]''' was a clan of dwarves aligned with the forces of [[Angmar]]. They were the dwarves that stayed behind to rebuild the Dwarven Halls in the [[Blue Mountains]] which were destroyed during the [[War of Wrath]].

* '''The [[Inklings (Shadows of Angmar)|Inklings]]''' are a group of [[Hobbits|Hobbit]]-authors who discuss literature. They meet each other in the [[The Eagle and Child|Bird and Baby Inn]]. Prominent members are [[Ronald Dwale]] ([[J.R.R. Tolkien]]), [[Owen Farfield]] ([[Owen Barfield]]), [[Carlo Williams]] ([[Charles Williams]]) and [[Jack Lewisdown]] ([[C.S. Lewis]]). The group and members are based on the real [[Inklings]]

===Objects===
* '''[[Narchuil]]''' was one of the [[lesser rings]] forged by the elven-smiths during the [[Second Age]].

===Locations===
* '''[[Agamaur]]''' was a vast swamp of the [[Lone-lands]]. It was a site of a major battle between [[Arthedain]], [[Cardolan]] and [[Rhudaur]]. To the west were the ruins of Ost Guruth, a fortress of [[Arnor]] claimed by the nomadic Eglain. To the east lay the ruins of Garth Agarwen, a fortress of Rhudaur ruled by [[Hill-men]] loyal to the mysterious Red Maid.

* '''[[Esteldin]]''' was a ruin of Arnor in the [[North Downs]]. At the time of the [[War of the Ring]], it was used as a base of operations by the [[Rangers of the North]].

*'''[[Falathlorn]]''' was a green and beautiful region of the [[Ered Luin]] favored by the Elves. It contained the Elvish havens of Duillond and Celondim. Not far from this region were the chilly Low-lands, site of the Dwarvish cities Gondamon and Kheledul.

*'''[[Galtrev]]''' was one of the largest towns of [[Dunland]], the nominal capitol of the country.

*'''[[Maur Tulhau]]''' was a [[Stoors|Stoorish]] Hobbit village in [[Enedwaith]] located in the forbidding Gloomgens. It was an remnant of the time when the Stoors lived in this region before most of their number moved north to [[The Shire]].

* '''[[Othrongroth]]''' was the oldest and largest Edain mound in the [[Barrow-downs]].

*'''[[Stangard]]''' was a [[Rohirrim]] settlement near the Great River [[Anduin]]. Its inhabitants were mostly exiles sent to protect [[Rohan]]'s outer borders.

* '''[[Tinnudir]]''' was an island in [[Lake Evendim]]. It was used as a headquarters by a group of Rangers called the Wardens of [[Annúminas]], protectors of the ancient capitol of Arnor.

===Structures===
* '''[[The Eagle and Child|Bird and Baby Inn]]''' was an inn in [[Michel Delving]].

==Servers=
===American servers====
All American servers are hosted by [[Turbine]].
*[[Arkenstone]]
*[[Moria|Dwarrowdelf]]
*[[Gladden River|Gladden]]
*[[Meneldor]]
*[[Celebrant|Silverlode]]
*[[Brandywine]]
*[[Elendilmir]]
*[[Rivendell|Imladris]]
*[[Nimrodel]]
*[[Landroval]]
*[[Rohan|Riddermark]]
*[[Windfola]]

===European servers===
The European servers were originally created and hosted by [[Codemasters]], but on [[1 June]] [[2011]] Lotro Europe was taken over by Turbine, who currently host the European servers.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.casualstrolltomordor.com/2011/04/turbines-lotro-service-goes-global/|articlename=Turbine's LOTRO Service Goes Global|dated=24 April 2011|website=A Casual Stroll to Mordor|accessed=2 January 2012}}</ref>

==License==

For ''The Lord of the Rings Online'', [[Turbine]] has licensed the rights to the content and lore of ''[[The Hobbit]]'' and ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. Turbine does not have license rights to the [[New Line Cinema]] film trilogy nor ''[[The Silmarillion]]'', ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'', ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'' books or ''[[The Children of Húrin]]''.

==Discrepancies from the source material==
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' does not follow the story as told in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', but rather tells stories about events that happened during the same time period as the events told in J.R.R. Tolkien's book

==Reception==
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' has been received very positively thus far, as reviews continue to appear since the game's initial release.<ref>[http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/middleearthonline Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, The - Review] metacritic.com</ref>

GameDaily awarded the game 9/10, praising its rich, fantasy-themed universe, well-integrated trait and title system, and a story that remains true to the works of Tolkien. Yahoo! Video Games wrote a review with few negative mentions, awarding the game a score of 4/5,<ref>[http://videogames.yahoo.com/gamereview?cid=1990963744&tab=reviews&page=0&eid=513259 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] Yahoo! Games</ref> while ''Computer and Video Games'' called the game an essential purchase for ''Lord of the Rings'' fans, scoring the game a 9.2/10.<ref>[http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=161846&skip=yes PC Review: Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] ''Computer and Video Games''</ref> Eurogamer scored the game a 9.0/10, calling it tough to resist.<ref>[http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=75657 Review - Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] Eurogamer</ref> Gamespy gave it 4.5/5 stars, claiming the game "opened up Middle-Earth to the masses" but commented negatively on its weak PvP content,<ref>[http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/lord-of-the-rings-online-shadows-of-angmar/785884p1.html The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] GameSpy</ref> while GameTrailers awarded it 8.5/10,<ref>[http://www.gametrailers.com/gamepage.php?id=754 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] Game Trailers</ref> citing its interesting tweaks to the MMO genre. IGN.com ranked it a similar 8.6/10, praising it for its solid experience, though criticizing it for its lack of major improvements to the genre.<ref>[http://pc.ign.com/articles/787/787942p3.html The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] IGN</ref> GamerNode.com awarded the game an 8.8/10, calling it the best MMO launch experience since ''Ultima Online''.<ref>[http://www.gamernode.com/PC/Reviews/2848-Lord-of-the-Rings-Online-Review/index.html Lord of the Rings Online] GamerNode</ref> The ''New York Times'' called the game "a major achievement of interactive storytelling, the first game truly worthy of the ‘Lord of the Rings' franchise and a must-play for just about anyone with an interest in Tolkien or the future of online entertainment."<ref>[http://lotro.turbine.com/article/356 Lord of the Rings Online Press Release] Lord of the Rings Online</ref> In a GameSpot review, the product was awarded an 8.3/10, praising its appealing polish and intriguing Monster Play feature.<ref>[http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/middleearthonline/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=topten&tag=topten;all;score;5 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar for PC Review] GameSpot</ref> Gamepro.com's review gave it an overall 4.25/5, pointing out how engaging the epic quests are, as well as how faithful to the novels the game managed to stay.<ref>[http://gamepro.com/computer/pc/games/reviews/112000.shtml Review: The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar for PC] Gamepro</ref> GameSpy declared ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' 'Game of the Month' for May 2007.<ref>[http://uk.gamespy.com/articles/795/795353p2.html Game of the Month: May 2007] GameSpy</ref>

==Awards==

In August 2007, Codemasters announced that ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' had received five Golden Joystick Awards nominations for the five applicable categories for the game,<ref>[http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6925679.stm Music and vice top games awards] BBC News</ref> and in October 2007 that it had won the "PC Game of the Year" at these awards.<ref>[http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7693&Itemid=2 Gears Wins Big at Game Awards] Next-Generation</ref> and again won the same award on October 2008. In December 2007, GameSpy awarded ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' 6th place in the top 10 PC games of 2007.<ref>[http://goty.gamespy.com/2007/pc/6.html GameSpy's Game of the Year 2007] GameSpy</ref> On December 18, Turbine announced it had also won the GameSpy MMO of the Year award.<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/article/476 LOTRO Wins Top Honors from Gamespy!] Lord of the Rings Online</ref> In January 2009, mmorpg.com awarded Turbine both MMORPG studio of the year 2008<ref>[http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/45/feature/2574/Best-MMO-Studio-of-2008-Winner MMORPG.com Best MMO Studo of 2008] mmorpg.com</ref>, and MMO Expansion of the Year for ''Mines of Moria''.<ref>[http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/45/feature/2579 MMORPG.com Best Expansion of 2008] mmorpg.com</ref>

==Subscription Model==
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Free to Play.png|300px|thumb]]
In North America, players who pre-ordered the game were offered a special founder's offer, a lifetime subscription for $199 or reduced cost of $9.99 per month. Standard monthly fee is $14.99 with three, six, twelve month, and lifetime discounts available. European players had a similar program from Codemasters.

A Holiday subscription was available in December of 2007 and January of 2008 for $9.99/month for a 3 month commitment. A one year anniversary addition includes a $9.99/month subscription or a $199.99 Lifetime subscription, which was again offered during the lead up to the release of Mines of Moria.

Warner Bros. announced on June 4, 2010 that Lord of the Rings Online will offer a free-to-play model starting in the fall of 2010.<ref>[http://turbine.com/news/105-warner-bros-interactive-entertainment-announces-the-lord-of-the-rings-online-to-adopt-global-free-to-play-model.html Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Announces The Lord of the Rings Online™ to Adopt Global Free-to-Play Model] Turbine, Inc</ref> On August 18, 2010, Warner Bros. announced that the free-to-play model would go live on September 10, 2010. On October 21, 2010, [[Codemasters]] announced that a preview of Free-to-Play would be available in Europe on October 25, 2010.<ref>[http://community.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=10839&pagename=news&type=news The Lord of the Rings Online Europe Preview Event]</ref>

==External Links==
* '''[http://lotro.com Official website]'''
** '''[http://forums.lotro.com/ LOTRO Community Website]''' , the official ''Lord of the Rings Online'' forums

{{notes}}
{{references}}

{{lotro}}
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[[Category:The Lord of the Rings Online| ]]
[[Category:Open world games]]
[[Category:Role playing games]]
[[Category:Turbine games]]

The Lord of the Rings Online

2020-11-09T06:19:49Z

Sinordloresearcher: Updated with new info.

{{cleanup}}
{{disambig-more|The Lord of the Rings|[[The Lord of the Rings (disambiguation)]]}}
{{video game infobox| image=[[Image:Lotro logo.png|250px]]| name=The Lord of the Rings Online| developer=[[Turbine|Turbine, Inc.]]| publisher=[[Turbine|Turbine, Inc.]]
[[Midway Games]]
[[Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment]] (2010-)
| platform=Microsoft Windows, OS X (Beta)| releasedate=April 24, [[2007]]| genre=MMORPG| modes=| rating=| distribution=}}
'''''The Lord of the Rings Online''''' (commonly abbreviated to '''LOTRO''' or '''LotRO''') is an MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) for PC and OS X that takes place in the world of [[Arda]] during the time of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]].'' It was originally branded as '''The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar''', but with later updates, that subtitle was dropped.

The players take on the role of adventurers of the [[Free peoples|Free Peoples]] of [[Middle-earth]]. The events of the game are concurrent with the events of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' but most of the game revolves around events that occurred elsewhere or in the wake of events in the books. The game draws inspiration from people, places and events only mentioned in the books, combining these with original concepts to expand on parts of Middle-earth Tolkien did not. The main quest series of the game, known as Epic Quests, are divided into volumes, books and chapters, emulating the structure of ''The Lord of the Rings''.

To date, there have been seven purchasable expansions: Mines of Moria (2008), Siege of Mirkwood (2009), Rise of Isengard (2011), Riders of Rohan (2012), Helm's Deep (2013) Mordor (2017), and Minas Morgul (2019), with many smaller updates in between.

==Development==
{{rewrite}}

Development began in 1998, when [[Sierra Entertainment|Sierra]] started work on a game called ''Middle-earth Online''. Following [[Vivendi|Vivendi Universal Games]]' takeover of Sierra in 1999, the game's production was shared with [[Turbine]]. Turbine secured the rights of the entire game in March 2004,<ref>[http://www.videogamer.com/news/turbine_spin_into_action_to_secure_tolkien_license.html Turbine spin into action to secure Tolkien license - VideoGamer.com]</ref> and it was renamed to ''The Lord of the Rings Online''. It was originally subscription-based, but later became free-to-play with optional paid subscription and microtransactions.

A closed beta was announced on [[8 September|September 8]], [[2006]]. An open beta began on [[30 March|March 30]], [[2007]], and was open to all who pre-ordered the game's Founders Club edition. In April [[2007]], the beta opened to the public.



==Gameplay==
===Characters===
''Main article: [[Character Classes (LOTRO)]]''
Like many RPGs, ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' has a system of character classes and levels. Each character chooses a race and a class on character creation, this cannot be changed. Players are able to play as any of the [[Free Peoples]] - [[Elves]], [[Men]], [[Dwarves]], [[Hobbits]], [[Beornings]], or [[High Elves]]. Male or female characters can be created, except in the case of Dwarves. As per Tolkien, Dwarf women are very rare and seldom leave their mountain halls. There are ten classes: Beorning, Burglar, Captain, Champion, Guardian, Hunter, Lore-master, Minstrel, Rune-keeper, and Warden.

Customization of the character's abilities can be done by changing equipment and traits. As of the [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Helm.27s Deep Expansion|Helm's Deep expansion]], class traits work on a tree system, with each class having three "trait trees" where traits can be selected with earned points and unlocking enough traits in a particular tree allows higher-level traits to be selected and applies additional bonus. In addition to class traits are racial traits, such as Men being able to slot a trait to do additional damage with swords or Hobbits being able to slot a trait that allows them to throw a stone, and virtue traits which boost the character's stats.

Levels are significant, with much lower level enemies being extremely easy to defeat and much higher level enemies being nearly impossible to defeat. Each region has enemies and quests with a range of levels usually consecutive to those of an adjacent region. Quests over five levels above the character's level are inaccessible. In addition to being able to complete quest and defeat enemies in more locations, characters gain access to additional equipment, skills, traits and instances as they level up. Levels are increased by gaining experience, which is earned by completing quests and instances, defeating enemies of an appropriate level, and crafting.

===World===
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is an "open-world" game in which most locations that have been released can be freely accessed on an open landscape (although some places, such as Moria, require certain quests to be completed first.) The game world is split into "lands", large areas of Middle-Earth. As of Update 21, the four lands in the game are [[Eriador]], [[Rhovanion]], [[Gondor]], and [[Mordor]]. Each land is in turn divided into regions, e.g. [[Bree-land]] in Eriador, and each region contains areas, e.g. [[Andrath]] within Bree-land.

Although most of the land is available to all for exploration, most regions require non-VIPs to purchase a quest pack to access quests, deeds and instances associated with that region. A few regions, such as East and West Rohan, require expansion packs to be purchased to unlock content, even for VIPs. Each region is generally seen as it was in a certain time in the War of the Ring, for example Lothlórien is visited by the player at the same time as the [[Fellowship of the Ring]] rested there, and [[Pelargir]] just after [[Aragorn]] liberated the city from the [[Corsairs of Umbar]].

Reddit users /u/lallapalalable and /u/exploderator estimated the total size of the map at no more than 250 square km (97 square miles) in 2017, making it one of the largest game maps ever made.<ref>{{webcite|author=/u/lallapalalable|articleurl=http://www.reddit.com/r/lotro/comments/60j1ul/been_trying_to_calculate_the_area_of_the_map/|articlename=Been trying to calculate the area of the map|dated=20 March 2017|website=Reddit|accessed=29 October 2020}}</ref>

===Quests===
Much of the game's completable content is in the form of quests. Quests consist of a series of objectives, often including speaking with NPCs, defeating certain enemies, and recovering certain items from the ground or from defeated enemies. Most quests have a small number of objectives but may unlock additional quests upon completion to form a quest chain. Quests are usually started by started by speaking with a particular Non-Player Character (NPC), indicated with a ring icon above the NPC's head. The forms of ring icons and what they indicate are as follows:

*Gold ring with blue aura: the NPC has a quest that is approximately appropriate for the character's level.
*Gold ring with blue aura and fiery inscription: the NPC must be spoken with to advance the quest.
*Bright gold ring: the NPC has an Epic quest available.
*Gold ring with orange flames: the NPC must be spoken to to advance the Epic quest.
*Blue ring and quill: the NPC has a comment about an active quest, speaking to the NPC will not advance the quest but may give additional information.
*Gold ring with hourglass: the NPC has a quest with a cooldown, the player must wait for the cooldown to expire before accepting the quest.
*Silver ring: the NPC has a quest that is too high level for the player to accept at that level.
*Transparent grey ring: the NPC has a "trivial" quest, one far below the player's level.
*Gold ring with anvil: the NPC has a crafting quest, and involves the crafting system in some way.
*Gold ring with sword: The NPC has an allegiance quest; quests that are unique to the Mordor Expansion.*Gold ring with map: The NPC has a missions quest; quests that are unique to Missions-related quests.

Some quests are started by obtaining unique items dropped from specific enemies. The [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Riders of Rohan Expansion|Riders of Rohan expansion]] introduced auto-bestowed quests, which bring up a quest prompt when the player defeats a specific type of enemy or finds a certain location. Such enemies are marked with ring icons similarly to how NPC quest givers are. Players have the option of accepting these quests automatically or choosing to manually accept or decline each prompt. Most landscape quests can only be completed once, some special landscape quests and most instance quests can be completed once a day any number of times, and a few landscape quests can be repeated at any time up to a certain number of times.

Quests are categorized according to what area, instance or other section they are associated with. Of note are the Epic Quests, a series that tells the main storyline of the game. In imitation of [[The Lord of the Rings|the Lord of the Rings book]], the epic quests are divided into Volumes, which are divided into Books which in turn are divided into Chapters. Each Chapter is usually an individual quest. Epic Quests bring the player through the landscape but are considered apart from it, therefore most Epic Quests are available to all players regardless of whether or not any quest packs are unlocked. A notable exception is the end of Volume III: Allies of the King, which requires purchase of the Helm's Deep expansion to complete. The Black Book of Mordor, the new main storyline for quests after the Epic Books, has eight chapters, all spanning various areas in Middle Earth including [[Mordor]], the Strongholds of the North, the [[Iron Hills]], and the [[Ered Mithrin]].

===Deeds===
Deeds are non-repeatable achievements recorded on an interface window called the Deed Log. Common deed objectives include completing a certain number of quests in a particular area or region (Quest Deeds), defeating a certain number of enemies of a specific type in a particular region (Slayer Deeds), discovering specified locations (Explorer Deeds), and reaching the next tier of reputation with a faction. Most Deeds award Turbine points. Deeds in a particular region usually award reputation in that region's faction. Deeds also commonly reward marks, virtues, and titles.

===Instances===
Instances are locations in the game separated from the open landscape, not accessible through normal travel. Instances can take place in either separate versions of the locations available on the landscape (for example, Pelargir while Aragorn's host retakes it from the corsairs) or in locations not accessible anywhere else (such as Dale). Most instances are private instances, that is, only one player or group of players can enter it and it closes when they complete it, while public instances can be joined at any time by any number of separate players. They are often repeatable, with ones associated with landscape quests being replayable through a Reflecting Pool in the associated region and others accessible through the Instance Finder window. Most private instances have associated quests automatically bestowed upon entering the instance and cancelled upon exiting.

===Fellowships and Kinships===
Most open landscape content and associated instances are designed to be completable by a solo player, while some locations in the game and Instance Finder instances are meant for a team of players. A group of players with a maximum size of six is known as a fellowship. For larger groups, a raid of up to four fellowships can be formed, for a maximum group size of 24 players. Players are free to group on the open landscape and in public instances, but private instances have a limit on how many players may enter.

Players can found and join lasting organizations known as Kinships in the game. Players in a kinship can communicate in their own kinship chat channel to socialize and plan events with their fellow members.

===Monster Play===
The game is primarily Player vs. Environment (PvE), with most combat being player characters against computer controlled enemies found throughout the landscape and instances. However in the [[Ettenmoors]] region, players can participate in Player vs. Monster Player battles (PvMP). Players can create Monster characters that only have access to PvMP areas where they battle standard characters, who fight on the side of the Free Peoples. Each monster player class is limited to a specific race. The monster classes are the Blackarrow (Uruk), Defiler (Orc), Reaver (Orc), Stalker (Warg), Warleader (Uruk), and Weaver (Spider) As of [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath|Update 16.2]] a new PvMP area, set in Osgiliath before Boromir's journey to Rivendell and accessed via a banner in the Ettenmoors, was released.



Towns and settlements provide Vendors where players can purchase or repair their armour, weapons, and supplies. Towns also often include Mailboxes, Auction Halls, Class Trainers, Forge-masters, Relic-masters, and Stable-masters who allow swift travel between regions.

The player interface allows other aspects of gameplay such as Character screens, Quest and Deed Logs, a Social Panel where players can interact, and a Crafting panel where players use skills to craft new items.

==Releases==
===Shadows of Angmar===
:{{Main|The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar}}
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar|Shadows of Angmar]]'' was released on [[24 April|April 24]], [[2007]]. It included books 1 through 8 of Epic Volume I: Shadows of Angmar. Approximately once every two months a major free update was added to ''The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar''. Each update added a new book to the volume.

====Book 9: Shores of Evendim====
{{#ev:youtubehd|VOEcXrbG4OI|200|thumb}}
The first free content update was released on June 14, 2007.<ref>[http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=3611&pagename=home&search=yes&keyword=Book%209 Book 9: Shores of Evendim Release Date Announced]</ref>

Updates included:
*A new region - [[Evendim]] - is added, including locations like [[Annúminas]].<ref name="book9">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/news/pressreleases/136-book-9-shores-of-evendim-release-date-announced|articlename=Book 9: Shores of Evendim Release Date Announced!|dated=5 June 2007|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
*The epic story is expanded with book 9, Shores of Evendim<ref name="book9"/>
*100 new quests are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*A 24-player raid is added, ''Battle for Helegrod''.<ref name="book9"/>
*Nine new monsters are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*New Collectible armour sets are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*Updates to the music system.<ref name="book9"/>

====Book 10: The City of Kings====

The second free-content update was released on August 21, 2007 in North America and on August 24, 2007 in Europe.<ref>| [http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=3949&pagename=home&search=yes&keyword=Book%209 Codemasters Online and Turbine unveil Book 10: The City of the Kings]</ref>

Updates included:
*Continuation of the Story Line.
*Legendary Play – Players can now use Destiny Points to play as a Ranger of the North or as a Troll.
*Critter Play – Players can now explore Middle-earth from a different viewpoint as a chicken.
*New Reputation and Bartering Systems – The Reputation system enables players to earn positive and negative standing with different races and groups in Middle-earth based on both monster kills and quest completions. The Bartering system allows players to trade trophies earned in battle for rewards, such as armour sets or mounts.
*Over 100 new Quests.
*More customizable user interface.

====Book 11: Prisoner of the Free Peoples====

The third free-content update was released on October 24, 2007 in North America<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/article/430 Turbine and Codemasters Online Gaming to Unveil Book 11: Defenders of Eriador for The Lord of the Rings Online]</ref> and October 25 in Europe.<ref>[http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=4661&articletype=News Codemasters Online and Turbine to unveil Book 11: Defenders of Eriador]</ref>

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_11_Official complete release notes]):
*Continuation of the Epic Story arc, including 13 quests.
*Player housing – players will be able to customize their houses with items such as furniture and doormats.
*Second raid called "The Rift" – 12-player raid in which players encounter a [[Balrogs|Balrog]] for the first time. Turbine has stressed that this is not the [[Durin's Bane|Balrog from Khazad-dûm]].<ref>[http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=287 Book 11 Preview: The Balrogs are Coming]</ref>
*Two new areas – Tâl Bruinen in the Trollshaws, where [[Gollum]] will be introduced for the first time, and Goblin-town in the [[Misty Mountains]], featured in ''The Hobbit''.
*More than 100 new quests.

====Book 12: The Ashen Wastes====

The fourth free content update was released on February 13, 2008 in North America; and February 14, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_12_Official complete release notes]):
*Continuation of the Story Line.
*Character customization - Increased character customization "ranging from haircuts, to some (possible) additions to the trait-system." In addition, the Outfit system, along with special social clothing designed just for it, will be introduced where a second or third set of clothing can be slotted and displayed while retaining the statistical bonuses of the currently equipped items.<ref>[http://lotro.stratics.com/content/hoclog/hoc10.php Lord of the Rings Online: House of Commons ]</ref>
*The Delving of Frór - A new Monster Play PVE (and PVMP under certain circumstances) area was introduced: An expanse of caves and catacombs located beneath the Ettenmoors.
*The Great Angmar Revamp - A revamp of the most high-level region of the game's current 9 PvE regions. The revamp included the reworking of many quests, areas and other changes, such as new horse routes.
*Barbershop - You can customize the look of your avatar in-game with around 50 new haircuts and second set of details.
*Updates to the Burglar, Guardian, and Champion classes.

====Book 13: Doom of the Last-King====

The fifth free content update was released on April 24, 2008 in North America and on May 1, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_13_Official complete release notes]):
*A new playable map area: the Ice Bay of [[Forochel]].
*Players being able to see the ocean for the first time, confirmed as the Ice Bay of Forochel in recent developer chats.
*Fishing - the first of a new system in ''Lord of the Rings Online'', called 'hobbies'.
*New PVMP Monster Healing Class - Orc Defiler.
*Looking For Fellowship- and Quest-panel improvements.

====Book 14: The Ring-forges of Eregion====

The sixth free content update was released on July 22, 2008 in North America. It was released on July 24, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_14_Official complete release notes]):
*Climax of the "Shadows of Angmar" storyline.
*Added selected sections of [[Eregion]] (Region leading towards the Gates of Moria).
*Epic Quest events that will allow interaction between players regardless of server.
*Prelude quests for and leading up to the ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria|Mines of Moria]]'' expansion, which would have updates leading to Lothlórien, Fangorn, Rhovanion and Rohan.

====Book 15: Daughter of Strife====

The seventh free content update was released on November 18, 2008. This update was released in tandem with the Mines of Moria expansion for players who did not purchase the expansion release.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Category:Epic_-_Vol._I,_Book_15:_Daughter_of_Strife_Quests Epic - Vol. I, Book 15: Daughter of Strife Quests epic]):
*Conclusion of the "Shadows of Angmar" storyline.
*Added the zone of Eregion expanding on the selected sections from Book 14. The zone does not include the Hollin Gate leading to the Black Pool.
*Added UI enhancements

===Mines of Moria Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria]]''
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria|Mines of Moria]]'' was released on [[18 November|November 18]], [[2008]]. It included Vol. II books 1 through 6 of the epic quest line. Like ''Shadows of Angmar'', ''Mines of Moria'' continued to regularly release updates. Updates were less frequent than Shadows of Angmar.

====Book 7: Leaves of Lórien====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Leaves of Lórien.png|thumb|300px]]Book 7 was released on [[17 March]] [[2009]]. This update included:
* Continuation of the Epic Storyline in Book 7, Leaves of Lórien.<ref name="book7">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/book-spotlights/342-vol2book7|articlename=Volume II: Book 7: Leaves of Lórien Spotlight|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
* Expansion of the Lothlórien Area, including [[Caras Galadhon]].<ref name="book7"/>
* A new raid, named ''Strange Happenings'', has been added.<ref name="book7"/>
* The [[Galadhrim]] are added as a new reputation faction.<ref name="book7"/>
* Crafting instances enable players to gather resources.<ref name="book7"/>
* The Ered Luin Introduction and, on lesser scale, the Bree-land Introduction are revamped.<ref name="book7"/>
* Several new Monster Play emotes are added.<ref name="book7"/>

====Book 8: Scourge of Khazad-dum====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Scourge of Khazad-Dûm.png|thumb|300px]]Book 8 was released on June 23, 2009. This update included:
*Book 8, Scourge of Khazad-dûm, continues the epic story.<ref name="book8">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/book-spotlights/421-vol2-book8|articlename=Volume II: Book 8: Scourge of Khazad-dûm|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
* A radiance-gated multi-boss, 12-man raid - named ''Dar Narbugud'' is added.<ref name="book8"/>
* One 6-man instance is added: ''The Halls of Crafting''.<ref name="book8"/>
* Two 3-man instances are added:
** ''Lumul-nar''<ref name="book8"/>
** ''Nala-dum''<ref name="book8"/>
* Continuation of the revamp of the Bree-land Introduction.<ref name="book8"/>
* The Crafting system has been revived.<ref name="book8"/>

===Siege of Mirkwood Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood]]''
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood|Siege of Mirkwood]]'' was released on December 1, 2009 in North America and December 3, 2009 in Europe. Unlike the second expansion this edition was only available via a web-based download. It included Book 9 and the epilogue of Volume II: Mines of Moria.

Kate Paiz, Executive Producer for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'', released a letter on October 22, 2010 stating that updates will be more frequent but will not always be accompanied with a new book continuing the epic story.<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/866-producers-letter-october-2010 Producer's Letter, October-2010] lotro.com, Dev Diaries</ref>

====Book 1: Oath of the Rangers====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Oath of the Rangers.png|300px|thumb]]
Book 1 was released on [[1 March|March 1]], [[2010]].<ref> [http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?t=320404 Volume III: Allies of the King has arrived!]</ref>

Updates include ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Volume_3_Allies_of_the_King_Official complete release notes]):
* The beginning of Volume III in the epic storyline.
* The ability to solo the Volume I epic storyline.
* A duo mode for most skirmishes.

====Book 2: Ride of the Grey Company====

Book 2 was released on [[10 September|September 10]], [[2010]] in North America. ([[8 September|September 8]], [[2010]] for subscribers). It was delayed in Europe because of contractual reasons and was finally released on [[2 November]], almost two months after North America.<ref>[http://massively.joystiq.com/ Massively], [http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/v-e-me-day-lotro-europe-announces-launch-date-for-free-to-play/ V-E-ME Day: LotRO Europe announces launch date for free-to-play], dated [[29 October]], [[2010]] (accessed [[11 November]], [[2011]])</ref>

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Volume_3_Book_2_Official complete release notes]):

* New region: [[Enedwaith]].
* ''Lord of the Rings Online'' Free to Play subscription.
* Book 2 in the Volume III epic storyline.
* Scalable instances.
* Improvements to the vault, and a new wardrobe system for cosmetic items.
* Updates to the Captain class.
* The LOTRO store, where players may purchase convenience items. Points either earned through gameplay, through the VIP program or by being purchased.
* The introduction of Lua Scripting.
* DirectX 11 support.
* Ranger session play.

====Update 1: Journey to Winter-Home====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 1 Journey to Winter-Home.png|300px|thumb]]The first post Free-to-play update was released in November 2010. Due to changes to how updates work this did not contain an epic book.

Updates included:

* A Barter Wallet for skirmish marks and anniversary tokens.
* Opening of Moria, Lothlorien, Mirkwood and Enedwaith to free-to-play players. Volume II and Volume III will also be available, as well the legendary item system, and the level 65 level cap all to free-to-play players.
* Vault improvements.
* Tasks: a new quest type for all levels.
* Improved reputation mounts.
* Updates to the Lore-master and Rune-keeper classes.
* Ered Luin starting area revamp.

====Update 2: Echoes of the Dead====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 2 Echoes of the Dead.png|300px|thumb]]The first update of 2011 was released on [[21 March|March 21]] in the United States and [[24 March|March 24]] for Europe.

Updates included:

* Two 3-man's, two 6-man's, and a 12-person raid were added for level 65 players.
* A special item required to craft a First Age weapon which drops from the above raid.
* Radiance was removed.
* Legendary Items were updated.
* Character panel and cosmetic system were revamped.
* The Minstrel, Hunter and Burglar classes were updated.
* Volume III Book 3: Echoes of the Dead was added.
* Volume II was revamped and made soloable, including three instances which have been converted to skirmishes.
* Improvements to the PvP starter tutorial.
* [[Evendim]] was revamped, with [[Annúminas]] being scaled down to level 40.

====Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 3 Lost Legends of Eriador.png|300px|thumb]]''Lost Legends of Eriador'' was the third update. It was released on [[23 May|May 23]], [[2011]] and included: ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Update_3,_Lost_Legends_of_Eriador,_Official complete release notes]):

* Two new 3-man scalable instances starting mid-game.
* Two new skirmishes.

===Rise of Isengard Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard]]''
The third expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is entitled ''Rise of Isengard''. The expansion was made available on September 27, 2011 and only as a digital download.<ref>[http://isengard.lotro.com/ The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard Official Homepage]</ref>

====Update 5: Armies of Isengard====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 5 Armies of Isengard.png|220px|thumb]]''Armies of Isengard'' was the first update published after the release of ''The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard''. It was released on [[12 December]] [[2011]] and included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Update_5,_Armies_of_Isengard,_Official complete release notes]):

* Four new instances and a 12-man raid in and around [[Isengard]].
* Book 5: The Prince of Rohan of '''Volume III: Allies of the King''' is released.
* A new Instance finder, to form groups more easily.
* Barter currencies of skirmishes, classic and instances are unified.
* Changes to Reputation items.

====Update 6: Shores of the Great River====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 6 The Great River.png|220px|thumb]]''Shores of the Great River'' is the sixth update and was released on [[12 March]] [[2012]].<ref name="Update6&Riders"> {{webcite|author=Justin Olivetti|articleurl=http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/riding-into-rohan-lotro-maps-out-2012/|articlename=Riding into Rohan: LotRO maps out in 2012|dated=25 January 2012|website=Massively|accessed=29 January 2012}}</ref><ref name="Update6">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/game-manual/1775-update-6-great-river|articlename=Update 6 Great River|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>

*A new region, the [[Anduin|The Great River]], was added, featuring seven new areas - including Parth Celebrant - in the upper [[Anduin]]. <ref name="Update6"/>
*Mists of Anduin, Book 6 of Volume III, was released, in which the player seeks the wisdom of [[Galadriel]] about troubling dreams and fights [[Easterlings]], Brigands and an ancient enemy of Rohan.<ref name="Update6"/>
*The ability to summon skirmish warriors outside skirmishes.<ref name="Update6"/>
*Updates to the Instance finder.<ref name="Update6"/>
*Currency-change in Monster Play: "Destiny" will be replaced with "Commendations". Commendations will be available for both Freeps and Creeps.<ref name="MP Currency change">{{webcite|author=Jaret Pruett|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/1776-update-6-commendations-developer-diary|articlename=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/1776-update-6-commendations-developer-diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>

====Update 7: Shades of the Past====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 7 Shades of the Past.png|thumb|220px]]''Shades of the Past'' is the seventh update<ref name="Update 7">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/1966|articlename=Update 7|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=12 May 2012}}</ref> and was released on 14 May, 2012.{{fact}}

*Continuation of the aforementioned currency-change.<ref name="MP Currency change"/>
*A new skirmish, "Storm on Methedras".<ref name="Update 7"/>
*Revamp of the Fornost instance and Moria region.<ref name="Update 7"/>

===Riders of Rohan Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Riders of Rohan]]''
The fourth expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is named ''Riders of Rohan''. The expansion was released on October 15, 2012. <ref name="Turbine">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/news/pressreleases/1736-warner-bros-interactive-entertainment-and-turbine-unveil-the-lord-of-the-rings-online-riders-of-rohan|articlename=WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND TURBINE UNVEIL THE LORD OF THE RINGS ONLINE™: RIDERS OF ROHAN™|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=30 January 2012}}</ref>

====Update 9: Against the Shadow====
''Against the Shadow'' is the ninth update and was released December 17, 2012. <ref name="Update 9">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.tentonhammer.com/lotro/news/lotro-update-9-coming-december-17th|articlename=LOTROs Update 9 Coming December 17th|dated=|website=www.tentonhammer.com|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*Three new three man instances.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-riders-rohan-instance-cluster-part-i|articlename=Riders of Rohan Instance Cluster, Part I|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Scaling of Dol Guldur instances.
*Completion of Moria revamp.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-revisiting-mines-moria-part-ii|articlename=Developer Diary: Revisiting the Mines of Moria, Part II|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Ability to quickly travel to turn in quests.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-travel-quest-location-behind-scenes|articlename=Update 9 - Travel To Quest Location: Behind the Scenes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Update to the Yule Festival.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-yule-festival|articlename=Update 9 - Yule Festival|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Combat revisions.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-combat-revisions|articlename=Update 9 - Combat Revisions|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 10: Against the Shadow, Part II====
''Against the Shadow, Part II'' is the tenth update and was released March 6, 2013.

*One six man instance and three twelve man raids.<ref name="Update 10">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-instance-cluster-developer-diary|articlename=Update 10 - Instance Cluster Developer Diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*In Their Absence instance scaling.<ref name="Update 10"/>
*Mithril Coins, a new currency used for special services.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-mithril-coin-qa|articlename=Update 10 Mithril Coin Q&A|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Agility made Wardens' primary stat.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-warden-stat-change-agility-wardens|articlename=Update 10: Warden Stat Change – Agility Wardens!|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Changes to critical defense.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-critical-defence-revision|articlename=Update 10 - Critical Defence Revision|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Unification of currency for scaling instances.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-seals-and-medallion-conversion|articlename=Update 10 - Seals and Medallion Conversion Diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand====
''Treachery of the White Hand'' is the eleventh update and was released May 13, 2013. <ref name="Update 11">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?511377-Update-11-Treachery-of-the-White-Hand-Release-Notes-Official|articlename=Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand Release Notes - Official|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*A new region, Wildermore, located on the previously-inaccessible plateau in the north of East Rohan.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Book 10: Snows of Wildermore of '''Volume III: Allies of the King''' is released.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Updates to mounted combat.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Hobbit presents, daily free random items with the ability to unlock more rolls with mithril coins.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Lalia's Market, a shop where cosmetic clothing and dyes can be purchased with mithril coins.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/lalias-market|articlename=Lalia’s Market Now Open in Bree-town!|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

===Helm's Deep Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Helm's Deep]]''
The fourth expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is named ''Helm's Deep''. The expansion was released on November 20, 2013. <ref name="TenTonHammer">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.tentonhammer.com/lotro/news/turbine-temporarily-delays-lotro-helms-deep-launch|articlename=Updated: Turbine Temporarily Delays LOTROs Helms Deep Launch|dated=|website=www.tentonhammer.com|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref> After the Helm's Deep expansion, Turbine has discontinued for three years paid expansions in favor of quarterly updates with content free to VIPs. <ref name="Looking Ahead to 2014">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?535422-A-letter-from-Executive-Producer-Kate-Paiz-Looking-Ahead-to-2014|articlename=A letter from Executive Producer Kate Paiz - Looking Ahead to 2014|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 13: The Breaking of Isengard====
''The Breaking of Isengard'' is the thirteenth update and was released April 14, 2014. <ref name="Update 13">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?546315-Update-13-The-Breaking-of-Isengard-%E2%80%93-Official-release-Notes|articlename=Update 13: The Breaking of Isengard – Official release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*Release of a new landscape consisting of post-[[Battle of Isengard]] Nan Curunir as well as the Entwood<ref name="Update 13"/>, an area consisting of the south-western part of Fangorn.
*The fourteenth and final book of Epic Volume III: Allies of the King, The Waters of Isengard.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/dev-diary-%E2%80%93-update-13-quest-notes|articlename=Dev Diary – Update 13 Quest Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Misty Mountains, North Downs and Trollshaws region revamps.<ref name="Update 13"/>
*Resizable inventory bags.<ref name="Update 13"/>
*Level scaling from level 20 up for players in the Ettenmoors and temporary Ettenmoors passes for free-to-play purchasable with Mithril Coins.<ref name="Update 13"/>

====Update 14: Paths of the Dead====
''Paths of the Dead'' is the fourteenth update and was released July 14, 2014. <ref name="Update 14">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?552272-Update-14-Paths-of-the-Dead-Release-Notes-amp-Known-Issues|articlename=Update 14: Paths of the Dead - Release Notes & Known Issues |dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*Release of the West Gondor region, consisting of the areas the [[Paths of the Dead]], the [[Blackroot Vale]], [[Lamedon]], the Havens of [[Belfalas]], and [[Dol Amroth]]. <ref name="Update 14"/><ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/u14|articlename=Update 14: Paths of the Dead Now Available|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*A new Epic series,<ref name="Update 14"/> Volume IV: The Strength of Sauron, beginning with Book 1: The Road to Gondor.
*The Essence System, allowing specially slotted armors to be fitted with a variety of Essences for customizable stats.<ref name="Update 14"/>.
*Level cap increase to 100.<ref name="Update 14"/>
*The [[Dead Marshes]] region was added later in the minor Update 14.2, released September 15 2014. This area included a Session Play featuring Frodo, Samwise, and Gollum's passage through the marshes, casting the player character as Sam.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?555920-Update-14-2-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 14.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 15: Gondor Aflame====
''Gondor Aflame''<ref name="U15 Announcement">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/u15|articlename=Update 15: Gondor Aflame Now Available|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref> is the fifteeth update and was released November 4, 2014. <ref name="Update 15">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?558300-Update-15-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 15 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*The region of Central Gondor, consisting of [[Ringló Vale]], [[Dor-en-Ernil]], [[Lebennin]] and [[Pelargir]].<ref name="U15 Announcement"/><ref name="Update 15"/>
*Beorning race and class.<ref name="U15 Announcement"/><ref name="Update 15"/>
*Epic Volume IV Book 2: The Dawnless Day.<ref name="Update 15"/>
*A new Epic Battle, Retaking Pelargir.<ref name="Update 15"/> Initially only available in solo/duo mode, a full fellowship version was released in February 4, 2015 with Update 15.2.<ref name="Update 15.2">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?&postid=7312886|articlename=Update 15.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>
*Roving Threats, a new type of open landscape group content.<ref name="Update 15"/> Additional Roving Threats were added to other regions of the game beginning with Update 15.2<ref name="Update 15.2"/>

====Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath====
''Ashes of Osgiliath'' is the sixteenth update and was released May 1, 2015.<ref name="Update 16">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?568045-Update-16-Ashes-of-Osgiliath-%E2%80%93-Official-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath – Official Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*The region of Eastern Gondor, consisting of Upper Lebennin, Lossarnach, South Ithilien and Osgiliath.<ref name="Update 16"/>
*Epic Volume IV Book 3: Voices of the Past.<ref name="Update 16"/>
*Cosmetic weapons and shields, more Roving Threats, and new PvMP map set in Osgiliath were released with Update 16.2 in July 17, 2015. A new quest series of weekly episodic content, following the adventures of the Hobbit Bingo Boffin, was begun the Wednesday after the update, on July 22.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?572512-Update-16-2-Release-Notes&p=7404279#post7404279|articlename=Update 16.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 17: The Siege of Minas Tirith====
''The Siege of Minas Tirith'' is the seventeenth update and was released 27 October 2015.

*The region of Old Anórien, including [[Minas Tirith]], the [[Pelennor Fields]], and Talath Anor.
*Epic Volume IV Book 4: Siege of the White City
*New crafting tier, hidden cosmetic weapon toggle.
*New Epic Battles: Defence of Minas Tirith, Hammer of the Underworld.

====Update 18: The Battle of Pelennor Fields====
''The Battle of Pelennor fields'' is the eighteenth update and was released 11 April 2016.

*The region of Far Anórien, including [[Drúadan Forest|Taur Drúadan]], [[Warning beacons of Gondor|Beacon hills]], and the Pelennor Fields during the battle.
*Instance cluster including two 3-man instances (The Quays of the Harlond, The Blood of the Black Serpent), one 6-man instance (The Silent Street) and a 12-man raid (Throne of the Dread Terror).
*Epic Volume IV Book 5: The Ride of the Rohirrim and Book 6: The Battle of Pelennor Fields.

====Update 19: March of the King====
''March of the King'' is the nineteenth update and was released 14 October 2016.

*The region March of the King, including [[North Ithilien]], after battle Minas Tirith, after battle Osgiliath, and after battle Pelennor Fields.
*Flora barter system to exchange new gear for flowers.
*Epic Volume IV Book 7: March of the King.

====Update 20: Battle of the Black Gate====
''Battle of the Black Gate'' is the twentieth update and was released 21 March 2017.

*The region The Wastes, including Noman-lands, [[Slag-hills]] and [[Dagorlad]] which surround the [[Black Gate]].
*New reputation items to exchange for armour.
*Epic Volume IV Book 8: Battle of the Black Gate.

===Mordor Expansion===
''Mordor'' is the sixth expansion, and the twenty-first update, released on August 2nd, 2017.

*The region Plateau of [[Gorgoroth]] includes five different areas, [[Udûn]], Dor Amarth, Lhingris, Talath Urui, and Agarnaith.
*The conclusion of the Epic Questline (and Volume 4), with Book 9.
*A new series of quests, the "Black Book of Mordor", becomes the main storyline after the conclusion of the Epic Quests. There are four chapters introduced in this update.
*The Allegiance System is introduced, players can pledge to one of four factions to gain greater rewards in [[Mordor]]. They are the Kingdom of [[Gondor]], the Court of [[Lothlórien]], [[Durin's Folk]], and the Hobbits of the Company.
*A new instance cluster is introduced, featuring a 3-man instance (The Court of Seregost), a 6-man instance (The Dungeons of Naerband), and a 12-man raid (The Abyss of Mordath).

====Update 22: Legacy of the Necromancer====
''Legacy of the Necromancer'' is the twenty-second update, released on March 6th, 2018.

*The new region "[[Eryn Lasgalen]] and the Dale-lands" (otherwise known as the "Strongholds of the North" or "Northern Mirkwood"), features the Forest of Eryn Lasgalen (including the [[Halls of the Elven-king]] (known as Felegoth), The Dale-lands (featuring iconic locations such as The [[Long Lake]], [[Lake-town]], [[Dale]], and [[Ravenhill]]), and [[Erebor]], the Lonely Mountain.
*Three new reputation factions are introduced; the "Elves of Felegoth", the "Men of Dale", and the "Dwarves of Erebor".
*The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new region.

====Update 23: Where Dragons Dwell====
''Where Dragons Dwell'' is the twenty-third update, released on October 9th, 2018.

*The new area "The Dwarf-holds", consists of two areas; The [[Iron Hills]], and [[Ered Mithrin]]. An expanded area of [[Erebor]] is also opened.
*A new instance cluster is introduced, featuring two 3-man instances (Caverns of Thrumfall and Glimmerdeep), a six-man instance (Thikil-gundu), and a 12-man raid (The Anvil of Winterstith).
*The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new areas.

====Update 24: Vales of Anduin====
''Vales of Anduin'' is the twenty-fourth update, released on June 4th, 2019.
*A new region, the [[Vales of Anduin]] was released, containing several key locations such as the Beorninghus ([[Beorn's Hall]]), The [[Carrock]], the [[Eagle's Eyrie]], the [[Gladden Fields]], [[Rhosgobel]], and various settlements of the [[Woodmen]].
*Update 24.2 brought the "Gladdenmere" sub-region to the Vales, along with a single six-man instance, "The Depths of Kidzul-kalah.
*The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new area, in addition to a "Prelude" to the Minas Morgul Expansion.

===Minas Morgul Expansion===
''Minas Morgul'' is the seventh expansion, released on November 5th, 2019.*The expansion consists of two new areas, "Mordor Besieged" consists of the upper half of [[Gorgoroth]] during the final stages of the [[Siege of Barad-dûr]] in the Second Age, and the [[Morgul Vale]], which consists of the areas between [[Ithilien]] to the west, and Gorgoroth to the east. The city of [[Minas Morgul]] is also available for exploration.*A new playable race, the "Stout-axe dwarves", became available.*New Crafting updates, including a new tier to crafting guilds.*A new instance cluster taking place in the Morgul Vale, with four three-man instances, three six-man instances, and a raid, the Remmorchant, featuring battling with [[Shelob]] in [[Torech Ungol]].*A new level cap of 130 is introduced.
===Update 26: Mists of Wilderland===''Mists of Wilderland'' is the the twenty-sixth update, released on April 23rd, 2020.*A new region, the Wells of Langflood was released, featuring the upper-lands of the [[Vales of Anduin]], and the merging of the [[Greylin]] and [[Langwell]] rivers into the Anduin. In addition, there is the [[beorning]] settlement of Limlok, the [[stoor]] village of Lyndelby, and the ruins of [[Framsburg]], once the capital of the [[Eotheod]].*A new reputation faction, the "Protectors of Wilderland", situated in Limlok was introduced.*A brand new epic questline, "The Legacy of Durin and the Trials of the Dwarves" is introduced to follow the Black Book of Mordor, and follows Prince Durin's efforts in leading the united dwarves to retake [[Mount Gundabad]] from the orcs who dwell there. Two initial chapters were released.==Update 27: The Great Wedding===''The Great Wedding'' is the twenty-seventh update, released on June 30th, 2020.*A new area, [[Minas Tirith]] (Midsummer), was introduced, situated after the destruction of the [[One Ring]], situated around the wedding of King [[Aragorn Elessar]] and [[Arwen Undomiel]].*The [[Midsummer]] Festival was introduced, based in Midsummer Minas Tirith, featuring all new quests, items and deeds for players. In addition, the Summer and Farmer's Faire festivals were merged to make way for the Midsummer Festival.*The Epic Questline continues with Volume V- The Peace of Middle-earth, in it's first book.===Update 28: War of the Three Peaks===''War of the Three Peaks'' is the eighth update, also called a "mini-expansion", released on October 20th, 2020.*A new area, Elderslade, is introduced, and features the lands north of the Wells of Langflood and west of the [[Ered Mithrin]], situated before the very gates of [[Mount Gundabad]].*The Missions mechanic was introduced, allowing players of any level over 20 to aid Durin's war-effort, and gain rewards through one of two new reputation factions: The Gabil'akka.*"The Legacy of Durin and the Trials of the Dwarves" continues with two new chapters, featuring the Battle of Elderslade, and the challenging of Gorgar the Ruthless, Lord of Gundabad, and son of [[Bolg]].==Added Elements==
There are a number of elements that do not appear in any of the published works. This includes characters, lineages, objects and locations.

===Characters===
* '''[[Amarthiel]]''' served the [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]] during his first reign over [[Angmar]]<ref>In the game the Witch-king reigned over Angmar again shortly before the [[War of the Ring]].</ref> and wore the [[lesser rings|lesser ring]] [[Narchuil]]. She was slain by [[Narmeleth]] at the [[Battle of Fornost]] and her soul wandered [[Middle-earth]] for over a thousand years. She managed to possess Narmeleth and disguised herself as Sara Oakheart. She eventually revealed herself after the defeat of [[Mordirith]] by [[Golodir]] and becomes the Regent of Angmar.

* '''[[Andraste]]''' was a female [[Men|Man]] who served the [[Witch-king]].

* '''[[Jon Brackenbrook]]''' was a [[Men|Man]] who was captain of [[Archet]].

* '''[[Ronald Dwale]]''' was a [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] from [[Dwalling]]. He was an author and a member of [[The Inklings (LOTRO)|the Inklings]], that meets in the [[The Eagle and Child|Bird and Baby Inn]]. He was based on [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] himself.

* '''[[Éogan]]''' was the second in command of the [[Blackwolds]] and took over leadership of the group after William Skunkwood's death.

* '''The Huntsman''' was a spirit found in [[Enedwaith]] who took the shape of a large man with horns of a stag. Many players thought this was [[Oromë]]. The developers confirmed that it wasn't Oromë but a [[Maiar|Maia]] of Oromë.<ref>[http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?359604-big-D-small-d&p=4996860&highlight=#post4996860 big D, small d] [[Jonathan Rudder]], lotro.com forums</ref>

* '''[[Ivar the Bloodhand]]''' was a Gaunt-lord from the [[First Age]].

* '''[[Mordirith]]''' was the Steward of Angmar.

* '''[[Narmeleth]]''' was an elf maiden of [[Rivendell]] and daughter of [[Laerdan]]. She slew [[Amarthiel]] during the [[Battle of Fornost]] and became possessed by her soul over a thousand years later.

* '''[[Mundo Sackville-Baggins]]''' was a [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] who was mistakenly identified as having the ring.

* '''[[William Skunkwood]]''' was the leader of the [[Blackwolds]].

* '''[[Skorgrím]]''' was a dwarf and leader of the [[Dourhands]]. He was slain during the Battle of Edhelion. His corpse was used as a vehicle by Ivar the Bloodhand who possessed it with a fell spirit to trick the Dourhands to ally themselves with the forces of [[Angmar]].

* '''[[Sambrog]]''' was the Wight-lord of the [[Barrow-downs]].

===Groups===
* '''The [[Blackwolds]]''' were a group of [[Men|Mannish]] brigands from [[Bree-land]].

* '''The [[Dourhands]]''' was a clan of dwarves aligned with the forces of [[Angmar]]. They were the dwarves that stayed behind to rebuild the Dwarven Halls in the [[Blue Mountains]] which were destroyed during the [[War of Wrath]].

* '''The [[Inklings (Shadows of Angmar)|Inklings]]''' are a group of [[Hobbits|Hobbit]]-authors who discuss literature. They meet each other in the [[The Eagle and Child|Bird and Baby Inn]]. Prominent members are [[Ronald Dwale]] ([[J.R.R. Tolkien]]), [[Owen Farfield]] ([[Owen Barfield]]), [[Carlo Williams]] ([[Charles Williams]]) and [[Jack Lewisdown]] ([[C.S. Lewis]]). The group and members are based on the real [[Inklings]]

===Objects===
* '''[[Narchuil]]''' was one of the [[lesser rings]] forged by the elven-smiths during the [[Second Age]].

===Locations===
* '''[[Agamaur]]''' was a vast swamp of the [[Lone-lands]]. It was a site of a major battle between [[Arthedain]], [[Cardolan]] and [[Rhudaur]]. To the west were the ruins of Ost Guruth, a fortress of [[Arnor]] claimed by the nomadic Eglain. To the east lay the ruins of Garth Agarwen, a fortress of Rhudaur ruled by [[Hill-men]] loyal to the mysterious Red Maid.

* '''[[Esteldin]]''' was a ruin of Arnor in the [[North Downs]]. At the time of the [[War of the Ring]], it was used as a base of operations by the [[Rangers of the North]].

*'''[[Falathlorn]]''' was a green and beautiful region of the [[Ered Luin]] favored by the Elves. It contained the Elvish havens of Duillond and Celondim. Not far from this region were the chilly Low-lands, site of the Dwarvish cities Gondamon and Kheledul.

*'''[[Galtrev]]''' was one of the largest towns of [[Dunland]], the nominal capitol of the country.

*'''[[Maur Tulhau]]''' was a [[Stoors|Stoorish]] Hobbit village in [[Enedwaith]] located in the forbidding Gloomgens. It was an remnant of the time when the Stoors lived in this region before most of their number moved north to [[The Shire]].

* '''[[Othrongroth]]''' was the oldest and largest Edain mound in the [[Barrow-downs]].

*'''[[Stangard]]''' was a [[Rohirrim]] settlement near the Great River [[Anduin]]. Its inhabitants were mostly exiles sent to protect [[Rohan]]'s outer borders.

* '''[[Tinnudir]]''' was an island in [[Lake Evendim]]. It was used as a headquarters by a group of Rangers called the Wardens of [[Annúminas]], protectors of the ancient capitol of Arnor.

===Structures===
* '''[[The Eagle and Child|Bird and Baby Inn]]''' was an inn in [[Michel Delving]].

==Servers=
===American servers====
All American servers are hosted by [[Turbine]].
*[[Arkenstone]]
*[[Moria|Dwarrowdelf]]
*[[Gladden River|Gladden]]
*[[Meneldor]]
*[[Celebrant|Silverlode]]
*[[Brandywine]]
*[[Elendilmir]]
*[[Rivendell|Imladris]]
*[[Nimrodel]]
*[[Landroval]]
*[[Rohan|Riddermark]]
*[[Windfola]]

===European servers===
The European servers were originally created and hosted by [[Codemasters]], but on [[1 June]] [[2011]] Lotro Europe was taken over by Turbine, who currently host the European servers.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.casualstrolltomordor.com/2011/04/turbines-lotro-service-goes-global/|articlename=Turbine's LOTRO Service Goes Global|dated=24 April 2011|website=A Casual Stroll to Mordor|accessed=2 January 2012}}</ref>

==License==

For ''The Lord of the Rings Online'', [[Turbine]] has licensed the rights to the content and lore of ''[[The Hobbit]]'' and ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. Turbine does not have license rights to the [[New Line Cinema]] film trilogy nor ''[[The Silmarillion]]'', ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'', ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'' books or ''[[The Children of Húrin]]''.

==Discrepancies from the source material==
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' does not follow the story as told in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', but rather tells stories about events that happened during the same time period as the events told in J.R.R. Tolkien's book

==Reception==
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' has been received very positively thus far, as reviews continue to appear since the game's initial release.<ref>[http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/middleearthonline Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, The - Review] metacritic.com</ref>

GameDaily awarded the game 9/10, praising its rich, fantasy-themed universe, well-integrated trait and title system, and a story that remains true to the works of Tolkien. Yahoo! Video Games wrote a review with few negative mentions, awarding the game a score of 4/5,<ref>[http://videogames.yahoo.com/gamereview?cid=1990963744&tab=reviews&page=0&eid=513259 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] Yahoo! Games</ref> while ''Computer and Video Games'' called the game an essential purchase for ''Lord of the Rings'' fans, scoring the game a 9.2/10.<ref>[http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=161846&skip=yes PC Review: Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] ''Computer and Video Games''</ref> Eurogamer scored the game a 9.0/10, calling it tough to resist.<ref>[http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=75657 Review - Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] Eurogamer</ref> Gamespy gave it 4.5/5 stars, claiming the game "opened up Middle-Earth to the masses" but commented negatively on its weak PvP content,<ref>[http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/lord-of-the-rings-online-shadows-of-angmar/785884p1.html The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] GameSpy</ref> while GameTrailers awarded it 8.5/10,<ref>[http://www.gametrailers.com/gamepage.php?id=754 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] Game Trailers</ref> citing its interesting tweaks to the MMO genre. IGN.com ranked it a similar 8.6/10, praising it for its solid experience, though criticizing it for its lack of major improvements to the genre.<ref>[http://pc.ign.com/articles/787/787942p3.html The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] IGN</ref> GamerNode.com awarded the game an 8.8/10, calling it the best MMO launch experience since ''Ultima Online''.<ref>[http://www.gamernode.com/PC/Reviews/2848-Lord-of-the-Rings-Online-Review/index.html Lord of the Rings Online] GamerNode</ref> The ''New York Times'' called the game "a major achievement of interactive storytelling, the first game truly worthy of the ‘Lord of the Rings' franchise and a must-play for just about anyone with an interest in Tolkien or the future of online entertainment."<ref>[http://lotro.turbine.com/article/356 Lord of the Rings Online Press Release] Lord of the Rings Online</ref> In a GameSpot review, the product was awarded an 8.3/10, praising its appealing polish and intriguing Monster Play feature.<ref>[http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/middleearthonline/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=topten&tag=topten;all;score;5 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar for PC Review] GameSpot</ref> Gamepro.com's review gave it an overall 4.25/5, pointing out how engaging the epic quests are, as well as how faithful to the novels the game managed to stay.<ref>[http://gamepro.com/computer/pc/games/reviews/112000.shtml Review: The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar for PC] Gamepro</ref> GameSpy declared ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' 'Game of the Month' for May 2007.<ref>[http://uk.gamespy.com/articles/795/795353p2.html Game of the Month: May 2007] GameSpy</ref>

==Awards==

In August 2007, Codemasters announced that ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' had received five Golden Joystick Awards nominations for the five applicable categories for the game,<ref>[http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6925679.stm Music and vice top games awards] BBC News</ref> and in October 2007 that it had won the "PC Game of the Year" at these awards.<ref>[http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7693&Itemid=2 Gears Wins Big at Game Awards] Next-Generation</ref> and again won the same award on October 2008. In December 2007, GameSpy awarded ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' 6th place in the top 10 PC games of 2007.<ref>[http://goty.gamespy.com/2007/pc/6.html GameSpy's Game of the Year 2007] GameSpy</ref> On December 18, Turbine announced it had also won the GameSpy MMO of the Year award.<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/article/476 LOTRO Wins Top Honors from Gamespy!] Lord of the Rings Online</ref> In January 2009, mmorpg.com awarded Turbine both MMORPG studio of the year 2008<ref>[http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/45/feature/2574/Best-MMO-Studio-of-2008-Winner MMORPG.com Best MMO Studo of 2008] mmorpg.com</ref>, and MMO Expansion of the Year for ''Mines of Moria''.<ref>[http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/45/feature/2579 MMORPG.com Best Expansion of 2008] mmorpg.com</ref>

==Subscription Model==
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Free to Play.png|300px|thumb]]
In North America, players who pre-ordered the game were offered a special founder's offer, a lifetime subscription for $199 or reduced cost of $9.99 per month. Standard monthly fee is $14.99 with three, six, twelve month, and lifetime discounts available. European players had a similar program from Codemasters.

A Holiday subscription was available in December of 2007 and January of 2008 for $9.99/month for a 3 month commitment. A one year anniversary addition includes a $9.99/month subscription or a $199.99 Lifetime subscription, which was again offered during the lead up to the release of Mines of Moria.

Warner Bros. announced on June 4, 2010 that Lord of the Rings Online will offer a free-to-play model starting in the fall of 2010.<ref>[http://turbine.com/news/105-warner-bros-interactive-entertainment-announces-the-lord-of-the-rings-online-to-adopt-global-free-to-play-model.html Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Announces The Lord of the Rings Online™ to Adopt Global Free-to-Play Model] Turbine, Inc</ref> On August 18, 2010, Warner Bros. announced that the free-to-play model would go live on September 10, 2010. On October 21, 2010, [[Codemasters]] announced that a preview of Free-to-Play would be available in Europe on October 25, 2010.<ref>[http://community.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=10839&pagename=news&type=news The Lord of the Rings Online Europe Preview Event]</ref>

==External Links==
* '''[http://lotro.com Official website]'''
** '''[http://forums.lotro.com/ LOTRO Community Website]''' , the official ''Lord of the Rings Online'' forums

{{notes}}
{{references}}

{{lotro}}
{{Videogames}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Lord of the Rings Online}}
[[Category:The Lord of the Rings Online| ]]
[[Category:Open world games]]
[[Category:Role playing games]]
[[Category:Turbine games]]

The Lord of the Rings Online

2019-10-17T03:38:54Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Update 24: Vales of Anduin */

{{cleanup}}
{{disambig-more|The Lord of the Rings|[[The Lord of the Rings (disambiguation)]]}}
{{video game infobox| image=[[Image:Lotro logo.png|250px]]| name=The Lord of the Rings Online| developer=[[Turbine|Turbine, Inc.]]| publisher=[[Turbine|Turbine, Inc.]]
[[Midway Games]]
[[Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment]] (2010-)
| platform=Microsoft Windows, OS X (Beta)| releasedate=April 24, [[2007]]| genre=MMORPG| modes=| rating=| distribution=}}
'''''The Lord of the Rings Online''''' (commonly abbreviated to '''LOTRO''' or '''LotRO''') is an MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) for PC and OS X that takes place in the world of [[Arda]] during the time of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]].'' It was originally branded as '''The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar''', but with later updates, that subtitle was dropped.

The players take on the role of adventurers of the [[Free peoples|Free Peoples]] of [[Middle-earth]]. The events of the game are concurrent with the events of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' but most of the game revolves around events that occurred elsewhere or in the wake of events in the books. The game draws inspiration from people, places and events only mentioned in the books, combining these with original concepts to expand on parts of Middle-earth Tolkien did not. The main quest series of the game, known as Epic Quests, are divided into volumes, books and chapters, emulating the structure of ''The Lord of the Rings''.

To date, there have been six purchasable expansions: Mines of Moria (2008), Siege of Mirkwood (2009), Rise of Isengard (2011), Riders of Rohan (2012), Helm's Deep (2013) and Mordor (2017), with many smaller updates in between.

==Development==
{{rewrite}}

Development began in 1998, when [[Sierra Entertainment|Sierra]] started work on a game called ''[[Middle-earth Online]]''. Following [[Vivendi|Vivendi Universal Games]]' takeover of Sierra, the game's production was shared with [[Turbine]]. Turbine secured the rights of the entire game in March 2004,<ref>[http://www.videogamer.com/news/turbine_spin_into_action_to_secure_tolkien_license.html Turbine spin into action to secure Tolkien license - VideoGamer.com]</ref> and it was renamed to ''The Lord of the Rings Online''. It was originally subscription-based, but later became free-to-play with optional paid subscription and microtransactions.

A closed beta was announced on [[8 September|September 8]], [[2006]]. An open beta began on [[30 March|March 30]], [[2007]], and was open to all who pre-ordered the game's Founders Club edition. In April [[2007]], the beta opened to the public.


==Gameplay==
===Characters===
''Main article: [[Character Classes (LOTRO)]]''
Like many RPGs, ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' has a system of character classes and levels. Each character chooses a race and a class on character creation, this cannot be changed. Players are able to play as any of the [[Free Peoples]] - [[Elves]], [[Men]], [[Dwarves]], [[Hobbits]], [[Beornings]], or [[High Elves]]. Male or female characters can be created, except in the case of Dwarves. As per Tolkien, Dwarf women are very rare and seldom leave their mountain halls. There are ten classes: Beorning, Burglar, Captain, Champion, Guardian, Hunter, Lore-master, Minstrel, Rune-keeper, and Warden.

Customization of the character's abilities can be done by changing equipment and traits. As of the [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Helm.27s Deep Expansion|Helm's Deep expansion]], class traits work on a tree system, with each class having three "trait trees" where traits can be selected with earned points and unlocking enough traits in a particular tree allows higher-level traits to be selected and applies additional bonus. In addition to class traits are racial traits, such as Men being able to slot a trait to do additional damage with swords or Hobbits being able to slot a trait that allows them to throw a stone, and virtue traits which boost the character's stats.

Levels are significant, with much lower level enemies being extremely easy to defeat and much higher level enemies being nearly impossible to defeat. Each region has enemies and quests with a range of levels usually consecutive to those of an adjacent region. Quests over five levels above the character's level are inaccessible. In addition to being able to complete quest and defeat enemies in more locations, characters gain access to additional equipment, skills, traits and instances as they level up. Levels are increased by gaining experience, which is earned by completing quests and instances, defeating enemies of an appropriate level, and crafting.

===World===
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is an "open-world" game in which most locations that have been released can be freely accessed on an open landscape (although some places, such as Moria, require certain quests to be completed first.) The game world is split into "lands", large areas of Middle-Earth. As of Update 21, the four lands in the game are [[Eriador]], [[Rhovanion]], [[Gondor]], and [[Mordor]]. Each land is in turn divided into regions, e.g. [[Bree-land]] in Eriador, and each region contains areas, e.g. [[Andrath]] within Bree-land.

Although most of the land is available to all for exploration, most regions require non-VIPs to purchase a quest pack to access quests, deeds and instances associated with that region. A few regions, such as East and West Rohan, require expansion packs to be purchased to unlock content, even for VIPs. Each region is generally seen as it was in a certain time in the War of the Ring, for example Lothlórien is visited by the player at the same time as the [[Fellowship of the Ring]] rested there, and [[Pelargir]] just after [[Aragorn]] liberated the city from the [[Corsairs of Umbar]].

===Quests===
Much of the game's completable content is in the form of quests. Quests consist of a series of objectives, often including speaking with NPCs, defeating certain enemies, and recovering certain items from the ground or from defeated enemies. Most quests have a small number of objectives but may unlock additional quests upon completion to form a quest chain. Quests are usually started by started by speaking with a particular Non-Player Character (NPC), indicated with a ring icon above the NPC's head. The forms of ring icons and what they indicate are as follows:

*Gold ring with blue aura: the NPC has a quest that is approximately appropriate for the character's level.
*Gold ring with blue aura and fiery inscription: the NPC must be spoken with to advance the quest.
*Bright gold ring: the NPC has an Epic quest available.
*Gold ring with orange flames: the NPC must be spoken to to advance the Epic quest.
*Blue ring and quill: the NPC has a comment about an active quest, speaking to the NPC will not advance the quest but may give additional information.
*Gold ring with hourglass: the NPC has a quest with a cooldown, the player must wait for the cooldown to expire before accepting the quest.
*Silver ring: the NPC has a quest that is too high level for the player to accept at that level.
*Transparent grey ring: the NPC has a "trivial" quest, one far below the player's level.
*Gold ring with anvil: the NPC has a crafting quest, and involves the crafting system in some way.
*Gold ring with sword: The NPC has an allegiance quest; quests that are unique to the Mordor Expansion.

Some quests are started by obtaining unique items dropped from specific enemies. The [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Riders of Rohan Expansion|Riders of Rohan expansion]] introduced auto-bestowed quests, which bring up a quest prompt when the player defeats a specific type of enemy or finds a certain location. Such enemies are marked with ring icons similarly to how NPC quest givers are. Players have the option of accepting these quests automatically or choosing to manually accept or decline each prompt. Most landscape quests can only be completed once, some special landscape quests and most instance quests can be completed once a day any number of times, and a few landscape quests can be repeated at any time up to a certain number of times.

Quests are categorized according to what area, instance or other section they are associated with. Of note are the Epic Quests, a series that tells the main storyline of the game. In imitation of [[The Lord of the Rings|the Lord of the Rings book]], the epic quests are divided into Volumes, which are divided into Books which in turn are divided into Chapters. Each Chapter is usually an individual quest. Epic Quests bring the player through the landscape but are considered apart from it, therefore most Epic Quests are available to all players regardless of whether or not any quest packs are unlocked. A notable exception is the end of [[Allies of the King|Volume III: Allies of the King]], which requires purchase of the Helm's Deep expansion to complete. The Black Book of Mordor, the new main storyline for quests after the Epic Books, has eight chapters, all spanning various areas in Middle Earth including [[Mordor]], the Strongholds of the North, the [[Iron Hills]], and the [[Ered Mithrin]].

===Deeds===
Deeds are non-repeatable achievements recorded on an interface window called the Deed Log. Common deed objectives include completing a certain number of quests in a particular area or region (Quest Deeds), defeating a certain number of enemies of a specific type in a particular region (Slayer Deeds), discovering specified locations (Explorer Deeds), and reaching the next tier of reputation with a faction. Most Deeds award Turbine points. Deeds in a particular region usually award reputation in that region's faction. Deeds also commonly reward marks, virtues, and titles

===Instances===
Instances are locations in the game separated from the open landscape, not accessible through normal travel. Instances can take place in either separate versions of the locations available on the landscape (for example, Pelargir while Aragorn's host retakes it from the corsairs) or in locations not accessible anywhere else (such as Dale). Most instances are private instances, that is, only one player or group of players can enter it and it closes when they complete it, while public instances can be joined at any time by any number of separate players. They are often repeatable, with ones associated with landscape quests being replayable through a Reflecting Pool in the associated region and others accessible through the Instance Finder window. Most private instances have associated quests automatically bestowed upon entering the instance and cancelled upon exiting.

===Fellowships and Kinships===
Most open landscape content and associated instances are designed to be completable by a solo player, while some locations in the game and Instance Finder instances are meant for a team of players. A group of players with a maximum size of six is known as a fellowship. For larger groups, a raid of up to four fellowships can be formed, for a maximum group size of 24 players. Players are free to group on the open landscape and in public instances, but private instances have a limit on how many players may enter.

Players can found and join lasting organizations known as Kinships in the game. Players in a kinship can communicate in their own kinship chat channel to socialize and plan events with their fellow members.

===Monster Play===
The game is primarily Player vs. Environment (PvE), with most combat being player characters against computer controlled enemies found throughout the landscape and instances. However in the [[Ettenmoors]] region, players can participate in Player vs. Monster Player battles (PvMP). Players can create Monster characters that only have access to PvMP areas where they battle standard characters, who fight on the side of the Free Peoples. Each monster player class is limited to a specific race. The monster classes are the Blackarrow (Uruk), Defiler (Orc), Reaver (Orc), Stalker (Warg), Warleader (Uruk), and Weaver (Spider) As of [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath|Update 16.2]] a new PvMP area, set in Osgiliath before Boromir's journey to Rivendell and accessed via a banner in the Ettenmoors, was released.



Towns and settlements provide Vendors where players can purchase or repair their armour, weapons, and supplies. Towns also often include Mailboxes, Auction Halls, Class Trainers, Forge-masters, Relic-masters, and Stable-masters who allow swift travel between regions.

The player interface allows other aspects of gameplay such as Character screens, Quest and Deed Logs, a Social Panel where players can interact, and a Crafting panel where players use skills to craft new items.

==Releases==
===Shadows of Angmar===
:{{Main|The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar}}
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar|Shadows of Angmar]]'' was released on [[24 April|April 24]], [[2007]]. It included books 1 through 8 of Epic Volume I: Shadows of Angmar. Approximately once every two months a major free update was added to ''The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar''. Each update added a new book to the volume.

====Book 9: Shores of Evendim====
{{#ev:youtubehd|VOEcXrbG4OI|200|thumb}}
The first free content update was released on June 14, 2007.<ref>[http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=3611&pagename=home&search=yes&keyword=Book%209 Book 9: Shores of Evendim Release Date Announced]</ref>

Updates included:
*A new region - [[Evendim]] - is added, including locations like [[Annúminas]].<ref name="book9">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/news/pressreleases/136-book-9-shores-of-evendim-release-date-announced|articlename=Book 9: Shores of Evendim Release Date Announced!|dated=5 June 2007|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
*The epic story is expanded with book 9, [[Shores of Evendim]]<ref name="book9"/>
*100 new quests are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*A 24-player raid is added, ''Battle for Helegrod''.<ref name="book9"/>
*Nine new monsters are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*New Collectible armour sets are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*Updates to the music system.<ref name="book9"/>

====Book 10: The City of Kings====
:{{Main|The City of Kings}}
The second free-content update was released on August 21, 2007 in North America and on August 24, 2007 in Europe.<ref>| [http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=3949&pagename=home&search=yes&keyword=Book%209 Codemasters Online and Turbine unveil Book 10: The City of the Kings]</ref>

Updates included:
*Continuation of the Story Line.
*Legendary Play – Players can now use Destiny Points to play as a Ranger of the North or as a Troll.
*Critter Play – Players can now explore Middle-earth from a different viewpoint as a chicken.
*New Reputation and Bartering Systems – The Reputation system enables players to earn positive and negative standing with different races and groups in Middle-earth based on both monster kills and quest completions. The Bartering system allows players to trade trophies earned in battle for rewards, such as armour sets or mounts.
*Over 100 new Quests.
*More customizable user interface.

====Book 11: Prisoner of the Free Peoples====
:{{Main|Prisoner of the Free Peoples}}
The third free-content update was released on October 24, 2007 in North America<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/article/430 Turbine and Codemasters Online Gaming to Unveil Book 11: Defenders of Eriador for The Lord of the Rings Online]</ref> and October 25 in Europe.<ref>[http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=4661&articletype=News Codemasters Online and Turbine to unveil Book 11: Defenders of Eriador]</ref>

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_11_Official complete release notes]):
*Continuation of the Epic Story arc, including 13 quests.
*Player housing – players will be able to customize their houses with items such as furniture and doormats.
*Second raid called "The Rift" – 12-player raid in which players encounter a [[Balrogs|Balrog]] for the first time. Turbine has stressed that this is not the [[Durin's Bane|Balrog from Khazad-dûm]].<ref>[http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=287 Book 11 Preview: The Balrogs are Coming]</ref>
*Two new areas – Tâl Bruinen in the Trollshaws, where [[Gollum]] will be introduced for the first time, and Goblin-town in the [[Misty Mountains]], featured in ''The Hobbit''.
*More than 100 new quests.

====Book 12: The Ashen Wastes====
:{{Main|The Ashen Wastes}}
The fourth free content update was released on February 13, 2008 in North America; and February 14, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_12_Official complete release notes]):
*Continuation of the Story Line.
*Character customization - Increased character customization "ranging from haircuts, to some (possible) additions to the trait-system." In addition, the Outfit system, along with special social clothing designed just for it, will be introduced where a second or third set of clothing can be slotted and displayed while retaining the statistical bonuses of the currently equipped items.<ref>[http://lotro.stratics.com/content/hoclog/hoc10.php Lord of the Rings Online: House of Commons ]</ref>
*The Delving of Frór - A new Monster Play PVE (and PVMP under certain circumstances) area was introduced: An expanse of caves and catacombs located beneath the Ettenmoors.
*The Great Angmar Revamp - A revamp of the most high-level region of the game's current 9 PvE regions. The revamp included the reworking of many quests, areas and other changes, such as new horse routes.
*Barbershop - You can customize the look of your avatar in-game with around 50 new haircuts and second set of details.
*Updates to the Burglar, Guardian, and Champion classes.

====Book 13: Doom of the Last-King====
:{{Main|Doom of the Last-King}}
The fifth free content update was released on April 24, 2008 in North America and on May 1, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_13_Official complete release notes]):
*A new playable map area: the Ice Bay of [[Forochel]].
*Players being able to see the ocean for the first time, confirmed as the Ice Bay of Forochel in recent developer chats.
*Fishing - the first of a new system in ''Lord of the Rings Online'', called 'hobbies'.
*New PVMP Monster Healing Class - Orc Defiler.
*Looking For Fellowship- and Quest-panel improvements.

====Book 14: The Ring-forges of Eregion====
:{{Main|The Ring-forges of Eregion}}
The sixth free content update was released on July 22, 2008 in North America. It was released on July 24, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_14_Official complete release notes]):
*Climax of the "Shadows of Angmar" storyline.
*Added selected sections of [[Eregion]] (Region leading towards the Gates of Moria).
*Epic Quest events that will allow interaction between players regardless of server.
*Prelude quests for and leading up to the ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria|Mines of Moria]]'' expansion, which would have updates leading to Lothlórien, Fangorn, Rhovanion and Rohan.

====Book 15: Daughter of Strife====
:{{Main|Daughter of Strife}}
The seventh free content update was released on November 18, 2008. This update was released in tandem with the Mines of Moria expansion for players who did not purchase the expansion release.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Category:Epic_-_Vol._I,_Book_15:_Daughter_of_Strife_Quests Epic - Vol. I, Book 15: Daughter of Strife Quests epic]):
*Conclusion of the "Shadows of Angmar" storyline.
*Added the zone of Eregion expanding on the selected sections from Book 14. The zone does not include the Hollin Gate leading to the Black Pool.
*Added UI enhancements

===Mines of Moria Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria]]''
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria|Mines of Moria]]'' was released on [[18 November|November 18]], [[2008]]. It included Vol. II books 1 through 6 of the epic quest line. Like ''Shadows of Angmar'', ''Mines of Moria'' continued to regularly release updates. Updates were less frequent than Shadows of Angmar.

====Book 7: Leaves of Lórien====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Leaves of Lórien.png|thumb|300px]]Book 7 was released on [[17 March]] [[2009]]. This update included:
* Continuation of the Epic Storyline in Book 7, [[Leaves of Lórien]].<ref name="book7">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/book-spotlights/342-vol2book7|articlename=Volume II: Book 7: Leaves of Lórien Spotlight|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
* Expansion of the Lothlórien Area, including [[Caras Galadhon]].<ref name="book7"/>
* A new raid, named ''Strange Happenings'', has been added.<ref name="book7"/>
* The [[Galadhrim]] are added as a new reputation faction.<ref name="book7"/>
* Crafting instances enable players to gather resources.<ref name="book7"/>
* The [[Ered Luin Introduction]] and, on lesser scale, the [[Bree-land Introduction]] are revamped.<ref name="book7"/>
* Several new Monster Play emotes are added.<ref name="book7"/>

====Book 8: Scourge of Khazad-dum====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Scourge of Khazad-Dûm.png|thumb|300px]]Book 8 was released on June 23, 2009. This update included:
*Book 8, [[Scourge of Khazad-dûm]], continues the epic story.<ref name="book8">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/book-spotlights/421-vol2-book8|articlename=Volume II: Book 8: Scourge of Khazad-dûm|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
* A radiance-gated multi-boss, 12-man raid - named ''Dar Narbugud'' is added.<ref name="book8"/>
* One 6-man instance is added: ''The Halls of Crafting''.<ref name="book8"/>
* Two 3-man instances are added:
** ''Lumul-nar''<ref name="book8"/>
** ''Nala-dum''<ref name="book8"/>
* Continuation of the revamp of the [[Bree-land Introduction]].<ref name="book8"/>
* The Crafting system has been revived.<ref name="book8"/>

===Siege of Mirkwood Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood]]''
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood|Siege of Mirkwood]]'' was released on December 1, 2009 in North America and December 3, 2009 in Europe. Unlike the second expansion this edition was only available via a web-based download. It included Book 9 and the epilogue of Volume II: Mines of Moria.

Kate Paiz, Executive Producer for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'', released a letter on October 22, 2010 stating that updates will be more frequent but will not always be accompanied with a new book continuing the epic story.<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/866-producers-letter-october-2010 Producer's Letter, October-2010] lotro.com, Dev Diaries</ref>

====Book 1: Oath of the Rangers====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Oath of the Rangers.png|300px|thumb]]:''Main article [[Oath of the Rangers]]''
Book 1 was released on [[1 March|March 1]], [[2010]].<ref> [http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?t=320404 Volume III: Allies of the King has arrived!]</ref>

Updates include ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Volume_3_Allies_of_the_King_Official complete release notes]):
* The beginning of Volume III in the epic storyline.
* The ability to solo the Volume I epic storyline.
* A duo mode for most skirmishes.

====Book 2: Ride of the Grey Company====
:''Main article [[Ride of the Grey Company]]''
Book 2 was released on [[10 September|September 10]], [[2010]] in North America. ([[8 September|September 8]], [[2010]] for subscribers). It was delayed in Europe because of contractual reasons and was finally released on [[2 November]], almost two months after North America.<ref>[http://massively.joystiq.com/ Massively], [http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/v-e-me-day-lotro-europe-announces-launch-date-for-free-to-play/ V-E-ME Day: LotRO Europe announces launch date for free-to-play], dated [[29 October]], [[2010]] (accessed [[11 November]], [[2011]])</ref>

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Volume_3_Book_2_Official complete release notes]):

* New region: [[Enedwaith]].
* ''Lord of the Rings Online'' Free to Play subscription.
* Book 2 in the Volume III epic storyline.
* Scalable instances.
* Improvements to the vault, and a new wardrobe system for cosmetic items.
* Updates to the Captain class.
* The LOTRO store, where players may purchase convenience items. Points either earned through gameplay, through the VIP program or by being purchased.
* The introduction of Lua Scripting.
* DirectX 11 support.
* Ranger session play.

====Update 1: Journey to Winter-Home====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 1 Journey to Winter-Home.png|300px|thumb]]The first post Free-to-play update was released in November 2010. Due to changes to how updates work this did not contain an epic book.

Updates included:

* A Barter Wallet for skirmish marks and anniversary tokens.
* Opening of Moria, Lothlorien, Mirkwood and Enedwaith to free-to-play players. Volume II and Volume III will also be available, as well the legendary item system, and the level 65 level cap all to free-to-play players.
* Vault improvements.
* Tasks: a new quest type for all levels.
* Improved reputation mounts.
* Updates to the Lore-master and Rune-keeper classes.
* Ered Luin starting area revamp.

====Update 2: Echoes of the Dead====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 2 Echoes of the Dead.png|300px|thumb]]The first update of 2011 was released on [[21 March|March 21]] in the United States and [[24 March|March 24]] for Europe.

Updates included:

* Two 3-man's, two 6-man's, and a 12-person raid were added for level 65 players.
* A special item required to craft a First Age weapon which drops from the above raid.
* Radiance was removed.
* Legendary Items were updated.
* Character panel and cosmetic system were revamped.
* The Minstrel, Hunter and Burglar classes were updated.
* Volume III Book 3: [[Echoes of the Dead]] was added.
* Volume II was revamped and made soloable, including three instances which have been converted to skirmishes.
* Improvements to the PvP starter tutorial.
* [[Evendim]] was revamped, with [[Annúminas]] being scaled down to level 40.

====Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 3 Lost Legends of Eriador.png|300px|thumb]]''Lost Legends of Eriador'' was the third update. It was released on [[23 May|May 23]], [[2011]] and included: ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Update_3,_Lost_Legends_of_Eriador,_Official complete release notes]):

* Two new 3-man scalable instances starting mid-game.
* Two new skirmishes.

===Rise of Isengard Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard]]''
The third expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is entitled ''Rise of Isengard''. The expansion was made available on September 27, 2011 and only as a digital download.<ref>[http://isengard.lotro.com/ The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard Official Homepage]</ref>

====Update 5: Armies of Isengard====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 5 Armies of Isengard.png|220px|thumb]]''Armies of Isengard'' was the first update published after the release of ''The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard''. It was released on [[12 December]] [[2011]] and included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Update_5,_Armies_of_Isengard,_Official complete release notes]):

* Four new instances and a 12-man raid in and around [[Isengard]].
* [[The Prince of Rohan|Book 5]] of [[Allies of the King|Volume III]] is released.
* A new Instance finder, to form groups more easily.
* Barter currencies of skirmishes, classic and instances are unified.
* Changes to Reputation items.

====Update 6: Shores of the Great River====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 6 The Great River.png|220px|thumb]]''Shores of the Great River'' is the sixth update and was released on [[12 March]] [[2012]].<ref name="Update6&Riders"> {{webcite|author=Justin Olivetti|articleurl=http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/riding-into-rohan-lotro-maps-out-2012/|articlename=Riding into Rohan: LotRO maps out in 2012|dated=25 January 2012|website=Massively|accessed=29 January 2012}}</ref><ref name="Update6">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/game-manual/1775-update-6-great-river|articlename=Update 6 Great River|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>

*A new region, the [[Anduin|The Great River]], was added, featuring seven new areas - including [[Parth Celebrant]] - in the upper [[Anduin]]. <ref name="Update6"/>
*[[Mists of Anduin]], Book 6 of Volume III, was released, in which the player seeks the wisdom of [[Galadriel]] about troubling dreams and fights [[Easterlings]], Brigands and an ancient enemy of Rohan.<ref name="Update6"/>
*The ability to summon skirmish warriors outside skirmishes.<ref name="Update6"/>
*Updates to the Instance finder.<ref name="Update6"/>
*Currency-change in Monster Play: "Destiny" will be replaced with "Commendations". Commendations will be available for both Freeps and Creeps.<ref name="MP Currency change">{{webcite|author=Jaret Pruett|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/1776-update-6-commendations-developer-diary|articlename=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/1776-update-6-commendations-developer-diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>

====Update 7: Shades of the Past====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 7 Shades of the Past.png|thumb|220px]]''Shades of the Past'' is the seventh update<ref name="Update 7">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/1966|articlename=Update 7|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=12 May 2012}}</ref> and was released on 14 May, 2012.{{fact}}

*Continuation of the aforementioned currency-change.<ref name="MP Currency change"/>
*A new skirmish, "Storm on Methedras".<ref name="Update 7"/>
*Revamp of the Fornost instance and Moria region.<ref name="Update 7"/>

===Riders of Rohan Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Riders of Rohan]]''
The fourth expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is named ''Riders of Rohan''. The expansion was released on October 15, 2012. <ref name="Turbine">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/news/pressreleases/1736-warner-bros-interactive-entertainment-and-turbine-unveil-the-lord-of-the-rings-online-riders-of-rohan|articlename=WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND TURBINE UNVEIL THE LORD OF THE RINGS ONLINE™: RIDERS OF ROHAN™|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=30 January 2012}}</ref>

====Update 9: Against the Shadow====
''Against the Shadow'' is the ninth update and was released December 17, 2012. <ref name="Update 9">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.tentonhammer.com/lotro/news/lotro-update-9-coming-december-17th|articlename=LOTROs Update 9 Coming December 17th|dated=|website=www.tentonhammer.com|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*Three new three man instances.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-riders-rohan-instance-cluster-part-i|articlename=Riders of Rohan Instance Cluster, Part I|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Scaling of Dol Guldur instances.
*Completion of Moria revamp.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-revisiting-mines-moria-part-ii|articlename=Developer Diary: Revisiting the Mines of Moria, Part II|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Ability to quickly travel to turn in quests.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-travel-quest-location-behind-scenes|articlename=Update 9 - Travel To Quest Location: Behind the Scenes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Update to the Yule Festival.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-yule-festival|articlename=Update 9 - Yule Festival|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Combat revisions.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-combat-revisions|articlename=Update 9 - Combat Revisions|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 10: Against the Shadow, Part II====
''Against the Shadow, Part II'' is the tenth update and was released March 6, 2013.

*One six man instance and three twelve man raids.<ref name="Update 10">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-instance-cluster-developer-diary|articlename=Update 10 - Instance Cluster Developer Diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*In Their Absence instance scaling.<ref name="Update 10"/>
*Mithril Coins, a new currency used for special services.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-mithril-coin-qa|articlename=Update 10 Mithril Coin Q&A|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Agility made Wardens' primary stat.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-warden-stat-change-agility-wardens|articlename=Update 10: Warden Stat Change – Agility Wardens!|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Changes to critical defense.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-critical-defence-revision|articlename=Update 10 - Critical Defence Revision|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Unification of currency for scaling instances.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-seals-and-medallion-conversion|articlename=Update 10 - Seals and Medallion Conversion Diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand====
''Treachery of the White Hand'' is the eleventh update and was released May 13, 2013. <ref name="Update 11">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?511377-Update-11-Treachery-of-the-White-Hand-Release-Notes-Official|articlename=Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand Release Notes - Official|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*A new region, Wildermore, located on the previously-inaccessible plateau in the north of East Rohan.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*[[Snows of Wildermore|Book 10]] of [[Allies of the King|Volume III]] is released.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Updates to mounted combat.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Hobbit presents, daily free random items with the ability to unlock more rolls with mithril coins.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Lalia's Market, a shop where cosmetic clothing and dyes can be purchased with mithril coins.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/lalias-market|articlename=Lalia’s Market Now Open in Bree-town!|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

===Helm's Deep Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Helm's Deep]]''
The fourth expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is named ''Helm's Deep''. The expansion was released on November 20, 2013. <ref name="TenTonHammer">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.tentonhammer.com/lotro/news/turbine-temporarily-delays-lotro-helms-deep-launch|articlename=Updated: Turbine Temporarily Delays LOTROs Helms Deep Launch|dated=|website=www.tentonhammer.com|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref> After the Helm's Deep expansion, Turbine has discontinued for three years paid expansions in favor of quarterly updates with content free to VIPs. <ref name="Looking Ahead to 2014">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?535422-A-letter-from-Executive-Producer-Kate-Paiz-Looking-Ahead-to-2014|articlename=A letter from Executive Producer Kate Paiz - Looking Ahead to 2014|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 13: The Breaking of Isengard====
''The Breaking of Isengard'' is the thirteenth update and was released April 14, 2014. <ref name="Update 13">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?546315-Update-13-The-Breaking-of-Isengard-%E2%80%93-Official-release-Notes|articlename=Update 13: The Breaking of Isengard – Official release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*Release of a new landscape consisting of post-[[Battle of Isengard]] Nan Curunir as well as the Entwood<ref name="Update 13"/>, an area consisting of the south-western part of Fangorn.
*The fourteenth and final book of [[Allies of the King|Epic Volume III: Allies of the King]], [[The Waters of Isengard]].<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/dev-diary-%E2%80%93-update-13-quest-notes|articlename=Dev Diary – Update 13 Quest Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Misty Mountains, North Downs and Trollshaws region revamps.<ref name="Update 13"/>
*Resizable inventory bags.<ref name="Update 13"/>
*Level scaling from level 20 up for players in the Ettenmoors and temporary Ettenmoors passes for free-to-play purchasable with Mithril Coins.<ref name="Update 13"/>

====Update 14: Paths of the Dead====
''Paths of the Dead'' is the fourteenth update and was released July 14, 2014. <ref name="Update 14">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?552272-Update-14-Paths-of-the-Dead-Release-Notes-amp-Known-Issues|articlename=Update 14: Paths of the Dead - Release Notes & Known Issues |dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*Release of the West Gondor region, consisting of the areas the [[Paths of the Dead]], the [[Blackroot Vale]], [[Lamedon]], the Havens of [[Belfalas]], and [[Dol Amroth]]. <ref name="Update 14"/><ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/u14|articlename=Update 14: Paths of the Dead Now Available|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*A new Epic series,<ref name="Update 14"/> [[The Strength of Sauron|Volume IV: The Strength of Sauron]], beginning with [[The Road to Gondor|Book 1: The Road to Gondor]].
*The Essence System, allowing specially slotted armors to be fitted with a variety of Essences for customizable stats.<ref name="Update 14"/>.
*Level cap increase to 100.<ref name="Update 14"/>
*The [[Dead Marshes]] region was added later in the minor Update 14.2, released September 15 2014. This area included a Session Play featuring Frodo, Samwise, and Gollum's passage through the marshes, casting the player character as Sam.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?555920-Update-14-2-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 14.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 15: Gondor Aflame====
''Gondor Aflame''<ref name="U15 Announcement">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/u15|articlename=Update 15: Gondor Aflame Now Available|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref> is the fifteeth update and was released November 4, 2014. <ref name="Update 15">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?558300-Update-15-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 15 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*The region of Central Gondor, consisting of [[Ringló Vale]], [[Dor-en-Ernil]], [[Lebennin]] and [[Pelargir]].<ref name="U15 Announcement"/><ref name="Update 15"/>
*Beorning race and class.<ref name="U15 Announcement"/><ref name="Update 15"/>
*Epic Volume IV [[The Dawnless Day (The Lord of the Rings Online)|Book 2: The Dawnless Day]].<ref name="Update 15"/>
*A new Epic Battle, Retaking Pelargir.<ref name="Update 15"/> Initially only available in solo/duo mode, a full fellowship version was released in February 4, 2015 with Update 15.2.<ref name="Update 15.2">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?&postid=7312886|articlename=Update 15.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>
*Roving Threats, a new type of open landscape group content.<ref name="Update 15"/> Additional Roving Threats were added to other regions of the game beginning with Update 15.2<ref name="Update 15.2"/>

====Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath====
''Ashes of Osgiliath'' is the sixteenth update and was released May 1, 2015.<ref name="Update 16">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?568045-Update-16-Ashes-of-Osgiliath-%E2%80%93-Official-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath – Official Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*The region of Eastern Gondor, consisting of Upper Lebennin, Lossarnach, South Ithilien and Osgiliath.<ref name="Update 16"/>
*Epic Volume IV [[Voices of the Past|Book 3: Voices of the Past]].<ref name="Update 16"/>
*Cosmetic weapons and shields, more Roving Threats, and new PvMP map set in Osgiliath were released with Update 16.2 in July 17, 2015. A new quest series of weekly episodic content, following the adventures of the Hobbit Bingo Boffin, was begun the Wednesday after the update, on July 22.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?572512-Update-16-2-Release-Notes&p=7404279#post7404279|articlename=Update 16.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 17: The Siege of Minas Tirith====
''The Siege of Minas Tirith'' is the seventeenth update and was released 27 October 2015.

*The region of Old Anórien, including [[Minas Tirith]], the [[Pelennor Fields]], and Talath Anor.
*Epic Volume IV [[Siege of the White City|Book 4: Siege of the White City]]
*New crafting tier, hidden cosmetic weapon toggle.
*New Epic Battles: Defence of Minas Tirith, Hammer of the Underworld.

====Update 18: The Battle of Pelennor Fields====
''The Battle of Pelennor fields'' is the eighteenth update and was released 11 April 2016.

*The region of Far Anórien, including [[Drúadan Forest|Taur Drúadan]], [[Warning beacons of Gondor|Beacon hills]], and the Pelennor Fields during the battle.
*Instance cluster including two 3-man instances (The Quays of the Harlond, The Blood of the Black Serpent), one 6-man instance (The Silent Street) and a 12-man raid (Throne of the Dread Terror).
*Epic Volume IV [[The Ride of the Rohirrim|Book 5: The Ride of the Rohirrim]] and [[The Battle of Pelennor Fields|Book 6: The Battle of Pelennor Fields]].

====Update 19: March of the King====
''March of the King'' is the nineteenth update and was released 14 October 2016.

*The region March of the King, including [[North Ithilien]], after battle Minas Tirith, after battle Osgiliath, and after battle Pelennor Fields.
*Flora barter system to exchange new gear for flowers.
*Epic Volume IV [[March of the King|Book 7: March of the King]].

====Update 20: Battle of the Black Gate====
''Battle of the Black Gate'' is the twentieth update and was released 21 March 2017.

*The region The Wastes, including Noman-lands, [[Slag-hills]] and [[Dagorlad]] which surround the [[Black Gate]].
*New reputation items to exchange for armour.
*Epic Volume IV [[Battle of the Black Gate|Book 8: Battle of the Black Gate]].

===Mordor Expansion===
''Mordor'' is the sixth expansion, and the twenty-first update, released on August 2nd, 2017.

*The region Plateau of [[Gorgoroth]] includes five different areas, [[Udûn]], Dor Amarth, Lhingris, Talath Urui, and Agarnaith.
*The conclusion of the Epic Questline (and Volume 4), with Book 9.
*A new series of quests, the "Black Book of Mordor", becomes the main storyline after the conclusion of the Epic Quests. There are four chapters introduced in this update.
*The Allegiance System is introduced, players can pledge to one of four factions to gain greater rewards in [[Mordor]]. They are the Kingdom of [[Gondor]], the Court of [[Lothlórien]], [[Durin's Folk]], and the Hobbits of the Company.
*A new instance cluster is introduced, featuring a 3-man instance (The Court of Seregost), a 6-man instance (The Dungeons of Naerband), and a 12-man raid (The Abyss of Mordath).

===Update 22: Legacy of the Necromancer===
''Legacy of the Necromancer'' is the twenty-second update, released on March 6th, 2018.

*The new region "[[Eryn Lasgalen]] and the Dale-lands" (otherwise known as the "Strongholds of the North" or "Northern Mirkwood"), features the Forest of Eryn Lasgalen (including the [[Halls of the Elven-king]] (known as Felegoth), The Dale-lands (featuring iconic locations such as The [[Long Lake]], [[Lake-town]], [[Dale]], and [[Ravenhill]]), and [[Erebor]], the Lonely Mountain.
*Three new reputation factions are introduced; the "Elves of Felegoth", the "Men of Dale", and the "Dwarves of Erebor".
*The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new region.

===Update 23: Where Dragons Dwell===
''Where Dragons Dwell'' is the twenty-third update, released on October 9th, 2018.

*The new area "The Dwarf-holds", consists of two areas; The [[Iron Hills]], and [[Ered Mithrin]]. An expanded area of [[Erebor]] is also opened.
*A new instance cluster is introduced, featuring two 3-man instances (Caverns of Thrumfall and Glimmerdeep), a six-man instance (Thikil-gundu), and a 12-man raid (The Anvil of Winterstith).
*The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new areas.

===Update 24: Vales of Anduin===
''Vales of Anduin'' is the twenty-fourth update, released on June 4th, 2019.

*A new region, the [[Vales of Anduin]] was released, containing several key locations such as the Beorninghus ([[Beorn's Hall]]), The [[Carrock]], the [[Eagle's Eyrie]], the [[Gladden Fields]], [[Rhosgobel]], and various settlements of the [[Woodmen]].
*Update 24.2 brought the "Gladdenmere" sub-region to the Vales, along with a single six-man instance, "The Depths of Kidzul-kalah.
*The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new area, in addition to a "Prelude" to the Minas Morgul Expansion.

==Added Elements==
There are a number of elements that do not appear in any of the published works. This includes characters, lineages, objects and locations.

===Characters===
* '''[[Amarthiel]]''' served the [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]] during his first reign over [[Angmar]]<ref>In the game the Witch-king reigned over Angmar again shortly before the [[War of the Ring]].</ref> and wore the [[lesser rings|lesser ring]] [[Narchuil]]. She was slain by [[Narmeleth]] at the [[Battle of Fornost]] and her soul wandered [[Middle-earth]] for over a thousand years. She managed to possess Narmeleth and disguised herself as Sara Oakheart. She eventually revealed herself after the defeat of [[Mordirith]] by [[Golodir]] and becomes the Regent of Angmar.

* '''[[Andraste]]''' was a female [[Men|Man]] who served the [[Witch-king]].

* '''[[Jon Brackenbrook]]''' was a [[Men|Man]] who was captain of [[Archet]].

* '''[[Ronald Dwale]]''' was a [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] from [[Dwalling]]. He was an author and a member of [[The Inklings (LOTRO)|the Inklings]], that meets in the [[Bird and Baby Inn]]. He was based on [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] himself.

* '''[[Éogan]]''' was the second in command of the [[Blackwolds]] and took over leadership of the group after William Skunkwood's death.

* '''The Huntsman''' was a spirit found in [[Enedwaith]] who took the shape of a large man with horns of a stag. Many players thought this was [[Oromë]]. The developers confirmed that it wasn't Oromë but a [[Maiar|Maia]] of Oromë.<ref>[http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?359604-big-D-small-d&p=4996860&highlight=#post4996860 big D, small d] [[Jonathan Rudder]], lotro.com forums</ref>

* '''[[Ivar the Bloodhand]]''' was a Gaunt-lord from the [[First Age]].

* '''[[Mordirith]]''' was the Steward of Angmar.

* '''[[Narmeleth]]''' was an elf maiden of [[Rivendell]] and daughter of [[Laerdan]]. She slew [[Amarthiel]] during the [[Battle of Fornost]] and became possessed by her soul over a thousand years later.

* '''[[Mundo Sackville-Baggins]]''' was a [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] who was mistakenly identified as having the ring.

* '''[[William Skunkwood]]''' was the leader of the [[Blackwolds]].

* '''[[Skorgrím]]''' was a dwarf and leader of the [[Dourhands]]. He was slain during the Battle of Edhelion. His corpse was used as a vehicle by Ivar the Bloodhand who possessed it with a fell spirit to trick the Dourhands to ally themselves with the forces of [[Angmar]].

* '''[[Sambrog]]''' was the Wight-lord of the [[Barrow-downs]].

===Groups===
* '''The [[Blackwolds]]''' were a group of [[Men|Mannish]] brigands from [[Bree-land]].

* '''The [[Dourhands]]''' was a clan of dwarves aligned with the forces of [[Angmar]]. They were the dwarves that stayed behind to rebuild the Dwarven Halls in the [[Blue Mountains]] which were destroyed during the [[War of Wrath]].

* '''The [[Inklings (Shadows of Angmar)|Inklings]]''' are a group of [[Hobbits|Hobbit]]-authors who discuss literature. They meet each other in the [[Bird and Baby Inn]]. Prominent members are [[Ronald Dwale]] ([[J.R.R. Tolkien]]), [[Owen Farfield]] ([[Owen Barfield]]), [[Carlo Williams]] ([[Charles Williams]]) and [[Jack Lewisdown]] ([[C.S. Lewis]]). The group and members are based on the real [[Inklings]]

===Objects===
* '''[[Narchuil]]''' was one of the [[lesser rings]] forged by the elven-smiths during the [[Second Age]].

===Locations===
* '''[[Agamaur]]''' was a vast swamp of the [[Lone-lands]]. It was a site of a major battle between [[Arthedain]], [[Cardolan]] and [[Rhudaur]]. To the west were the ruins of Ost Guruth, a fortress of [[Arnor]] claimed by the nomadic Eglain. To the east lay the ruins of Garth Agarwen, a fortress of Rhudaur ruled by [[Hill-men]] loyal to the mysterious Red Maid.

* '''[[Esteldin]]''' was a ruin of Arnor in the [[North Downs]]. At the time of the [[War of the Ring]], it was used as a base of operations by the [[Rangers of the North]].

*'''[[Falathlorn]]''' was a green and beautiful region of the [[Ered Luin]] favored by the Elves. It contained the Elvish havens of Duillond and Celondim. Not far from this region were the chilly Low-lands, site of the Dwarvish cities Gondamon and Kheledul.

*'''[[Galtrev]]''' was one of the largest towns of [[Dunland]], the nominal capitol of the country.

*'''[[Maur Tulhau]]''' was a [[Stoors|Stoorish]] Hobbit village in [[Enedwaith]] located in the forbidding Gloomgens. It was an remnant of the time when the Stoors lived in this region before most of their number moved north to [[The Shire]].

* '''[[Othrongroth]]''' was the oldest and largest Edain mound in the [[Barrow-downs]].

*'''[[Stangard]]''' was a [[Rohirrim]] settlement near the Great River [[Anduin]]. Its inhabitants were mostly exiles sent to protect [[Rohan]]'s outer borders.

* '''[[Tinnudir]]''' was an island in [[Lake Evendim]]. It was used as a headquarters by a group of Rangers called the Wardens of [[Annúminas]], protectors of the ancient capitol of Arnor.

===Structures===
* '''[[Bird and Baby Inn]]''' was an inn in [[Michel Delving]].

==Servers==
===American servers===
All American servers are hosted by [[Turbine]].
*[[Arkenstone]]
*[[Moria|Dwarrowdelf]]
*[[Gladden River|Gladden]]
*[[Meneldor]]
*[[Celebrant|Silverlode]]
*[[Brandywine]]
*[[Elendilmir]]
*[[Rivendell|Imladris]]
*[[Nimrodel]]
*[[Landroval]]
*[[Rohan|Riddermark]]
*[[Windfola]]

===European servers===
The European servers were originally created and hosted by [[Codemasters]], but on [[1 June]] [[2011]] Lotro Europe was taken over by Turbine, who currently host the European servers.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.casualstrolltomordor.com/2011/04/turbines-lotro-service-goes-global/|articlename=Turbine's LOTRO Service Goes Global|dated=24 April 2011|website=A Casual Stroll to Mordor|accessed=2 January 2012}}</ref>

==License==

For ''The Lord of the Rings Online'', [[Turbine]] has licensed the rights to the content and lore of ''[[The Hobbit]]'' and ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. Turbine does not have license rights to the [[New Line Cinema]] film trilogy nor ''[[The Silmarillion]]'', ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'', ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'' books or ''[[The Children of Húrin]]''.

==Discrepancies from the source material==
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' does not follow the story as told in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', but rather tells stories about events that happened during the same time period as the events told in J.R.R. Tolkien's book

==Reception==
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' has been received very positively thus far, as reviews continue to appear since the game's initial release.<ref>[http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/middleearthonline Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, The - Review] metacritic.com</ref>

GameDaily awarded the game 9/10, praising its rich, fantasy-themed universe, well-integrated trait and title system, and a story that remains true to the works of Tolkien. Yahoo! Video Games wrote a review with few negative mentions, awarding the game a score of 4/5,<ref>[http://videogames.yahoo.com/gamereview?cid=1990963744&tab=reviews&page=0&eid=513259 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] Yahoo! Games</ref> while ''Computer and Video Games'' called the game an essential purchase for ''Lord of the Rings'' fans, scoring the game a 9.2/10.<ref>[http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=161846&skip=yes PC Review: Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] ''Computer and Video Games''</ref> Eurogamer scored the game a 9.0/10, calling it tough to resist.<ref>[http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=75657 Review - Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] Eurogamer</ref> Gamespy gave it 4.5/5 stars, claiming the game "opened up Middle-Earth to the masses" but commented negatively on its weak PvP content,<ref>[http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/lord-of-the-rings-online-shadows-of-angmar/785884p1.html The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] GameSpy</ref> while GameTrailers awarded it 8.5/10,<ref>[http://www.gametrailers.com/gamepage.php?id=754 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] Game Trailers</ref> citing its interesting tweaks to the MMO genre. IGN.com ranked it a similar 8.6/10, praising it for its solid experience, though criticizing it for its lack of major improvements to the genre.<ref>[http://pc.ign.com/articles/787/787942p3.html The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] IGN</ref> GamerNode.com awarded the game an 8.8/10, calling it the best MMO launch experience since ''Ultima Online''.<ref>[http://www.gamernode.com/PC/Reviews/2848-Lord-of-the-Rings-Online-Review/index.html Lord of the Rings Online] GamerNode</ref> The ''New York Times'' called the game "a major achievement of interactive storytelling, the first game truly worthy of the ‘Lord of the Rings' franchise and a must-play for just about anyone with an interest in Tolkien or the future of online entertainment."<ref>[http://lotro.turbine.com/article/356 Lord of the Rings Online Press Release] Lord of the Rings Online</ref> In a GameSpot review, the product was awarded an 8.3/10, praising its appealing polish and intriguing Monster Play feature.<ref>[http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/middleearthonline/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=topten&tag=topten;all;score;5 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar for PC Review] GameSpot</ref> Gamepro.com's review gave it an overall 4.25/5, pointing out how engaging the epic quests are, as well as how faithful to the novels the game managed to stay.<ref>[http://gamepro.com/computer/pc/games/reviews/112000.shtml Review: The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar for PC] Gamepro</ref> GameSpy declared ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' 'Game of the Month' for May 2007.<ref>[http://uk.gamespy.com/articles/795/795353p2.html Game of the Month: May 2007] GameSpy</ref>

==Awards==

In August 2007, Codemasters announced that ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' had received five Golden Joystick Awards nominations for the five applicable categories for the game,<ref>[http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6925679.stm Music and vice top games awards] BBC News</ref> and in October 2007 that it had won the "PC Game of the Year" at these awards.<ref>[http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7693&Itemid=2 Gears Wins Big at Game Awards] Next-Generation</ref> and again won the same award on October 2008. In December 2007, GameSpy awarded ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' 6th place in the top 10 PC games of 2007.<ref>[http://goty.gamespy.com/2007/pc/6.html GameSpy's Game of the Year 2007] GameSpy</ref> On December 18, Turbine announced it had also won the GameSpy MMO of the Year award.<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/article/476 LOTRO Wins Top Honors from Gamespy!] Lord of the Rings Online</ref> In January 2009, mmorpg.com awarded Turbine both MMORPG studio of the year 2008<ref>[http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/45/feature/2574/Best-MMO-Studio-of-2008-Winner MMORPG.com Best MMO Studo of 2008] mmorpg.com</ref>, and MMO Expansion of the Year for ''Mines of Moria''.<ref>[http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/45/feature/2579 MMORPG.com Best Expansion of 2008] mmorpg.com</ref>

==Subscription Model==
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Free to Play.png|300px|thumb]]
In North America, players who pre-ordered the game were offered a special founder's offer, a lifetime subscription for $199 or reduced cost of $9.99 per month. Standard monthly fee is $14.99 with three, six, twelve month, and lifetime discounts available. European players had a similar program from Codemasters.

A Holiday subscription was available in December of 2007 and January of 2008 for $9.99/month for a 3 month commitment. A one year anniversary addition includes a $9.99/month subscription or a $199.99 Lifetime subscription, which was again offered during the lead up to the release of Mines of Moria.

Warner Bros. announced on June 4, 2010 that Lord of the Rings Online will offer a free-to-play model starting in the fall of 2010.<ref>[http://turbine.com/news/105-warner-bros-interactive-entertainment-announces-the-lord-of-the-rings-online-to-adopt-global-free-to-play-model.html Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Announces The Lord of the Rings Online™ to Adopt Global Free-to-Play Model] Turbine, Inc</ref> On August 18, 2010, Warner Bros. announced that the free-to-play model would go live on September 10, 2010. On October 21, 2010, [[Codemasters]] announced that a preview of Free-to-Play would be available in Europe on October 25, 2010.<ref>[http://community.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=10839&pagename=news&type=news The Lord of the Rings Online Europe Preview Event]</ref>

==External Links==
* '''[http://lotro.com Official website]'''
** '''[http://forums.lotro.com/ LOTRO Community Website]''' , the official ''Lord of the Rings Online'' forums

{{notes}}
{{references}}

{{lotro}}
{{Videogames}}
{{title|italics}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lord of the Rings Online}}
[[Category:The Lord of the Rings Online| ]]
[[Category:Open world games]]
[[Category:Role playing games]]
[[Category:Turbine games]]

The Lord of the Rings Online

2019-10-17T03:37:37Z

Sinordloresearcher:

{{cleanup}}
{{disambig-more|The Lord of the Rings|[[The Lord of the Rings (disambiguation)]]}}
{{video game infobox| image=[[Image:Lotro logo.png|250px]]| name=The Lord of the Rings Online| developer=[[Turbine|Turbine, Inc.]]| publisher=[[Turbine|Turbine, Inc.]]
[[Midway Games]]
[[Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment]] (2010-)
| platform=Microsoft Windows, OS X (Beta)| releasedate=April 24, [[2007]]| genre=MMORPG| modes=| rating=| distribution=}}
'''''The Lord of the Rings Online''''' (commonly abbreviated to '''LOTRO''' or '''LotRO''') is an MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) for PC and OS X that takes place in the world of [[Arda]] during the time of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]].'' It was originally branded as '''The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar''', but with later updates, that subtitle was dropped.

The players take on the role of adventurers of the [[Free peoples|Free Peoples]] of [[Middle-earth]]. The events of the game are concurrent with the events of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' but most of the game revolves around events that occurred elsewhere or in the wake of events in the books. The game draws inspiration from people, places and events only mentioned in the books, combining these with original concepts to expand on parts of Middle-earth Tolkien did not. The main quest series of the game, known as Epic Quests, are divided into volumes, books and chapters, emulating the structure of ''The Lord of the Rings''.

To date, there have been six purchasable expansions: Mines of Moria (2008), Siege of Mirkwood (2009), Rise of Isengard (2011), Riders of Rohan (2012), Helm's Deep (2013) and Mordor (2017), with many smaller updates in between.

==Development==
{{rewrite}}

Development began in 1998, when [[Sierra Entertainment|Sierra]] started work on a game called ''[[Middle-earth Online]]''. Following [[Vivendi|Vivendi Universal Games]]' takeover of Sierra, the game's production was shared with [[Turbine]]. Turbine secured the rights of the entire game in March 2004,<ref>[http://www.videogamer.com/news/turbine_spin_into_action_to_secure_tolkien_license.html Turbine spin into action to secure Tolkien license - VideoGamer.com]</ref> and it was renamed to ''The Lord of the Rings Online''. It was originally subscription-based, but later became free-to-play with optional paid subscription and microtransactions.

A closed beta was announced on [[8 September|September 8]], [[2006]]. An open beta began on [[30 March|March 30]], [[2007]], and was open to all who pre-ordered the game's Founders Club edition. In April [[2007]], the beta opened to the public.


==Gameplay==
===Characters===
''Main article: [[Character Classes (LOTRO)]]''
Like many RPGs, ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' has a system of character classes and levels. Each character chooses a race and a class on character creation, this cannot be changed. Players are able to play as any of the [[Free Peoples]] - [[Elves]], [[Men]], [[Dwarves]], [[Hobbits]], [[Beornings]], or [[High Elves]]. Male or female characters can be created, except in the case of Dwarves. As per Tolkien, Dwarf women are very rare and seldom leave their mountain halls. There are ten classes: Beorning, Burglar, Captain, Champion, Guardian, Hunter, Lore-master, Minstrel, Rune-keeper, and Warden.

Customization of the character's abilities can be done by changing equipment and traits. As of the [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Helm.27s Deep Expansion|Helm's Deep expansion]], class traits work on a tree system, with each class having three "trait trees" where traits can be selected with earned points and unlocking enough traits in a particular tree allows higher-level traits to be selected and applies additional bonus. In addition to class traits are racial traits, such as Men being able to slot a trait to do additional damage with swords or Hobbits being able to slot a trait that allows them to throw a stone, and virtue traits which boost the character's stats.

Levels are significant, with much lower level enemies being extremely easy to defeat and much higher level enemies being nearly impossible to defeat. Each region has enemies and quests with a range of levels usually consecutive to those of an adjacent region. Quests over five levels above the character's level are inaccessible. In addition to being able to complete quest and defeat enemies in more locations, characters gain access to additional equipment, skills, traits and instances as they level up. Levels are increased by gaining experience, which is earned by completing quests and instances, defeating enemies of an appropriate level, and crafting.

===World===
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is an "open-world" game in which most locations that have been released can be freely accessed on an open landscape (although some places, such as Moria, require certain quests to be completed first.) The game world is split into "lands", large areas of Middle-Earth. As of Update 21, the four lands in the game are [[Eriador]], [[Rhovanion]], [[Gondor]], and [[Mordor]]. Each land is in turn divided into regions, e.g. [[Bree-land]] in Eriador, and each region contains areas, e.g. [[Andrath]] within Bree-land.

Although most of the land is available to all for exploration, most regions require non-VIPs to purchase a quest pack to access quests, deeds and instances associated with that region. A few regions, such as East and West Rohan, require expansion packs to be purchased to unlock content, even for VIPs. Each region is generally seen as it was in a certain time in the War of the Ring, for example Lothlórien is visited by the player at the same time as the [[Fellowship of the Ring]] rested there, and [[Pelargir]] just after [[Aragorn]] liberated the city from the [[Corsairs of Umbar]].

===Quests===
Much of the game's completable content is in the form of quests. Quests consist of a series of objectives, often including speaking with NPCs, defeating certain enemies, and recovering certain items from the ground or from defeated enemies. Most quests have a small number of objectives but may unlock additional quests upon completion to form a quest chain. Quests are usually started by started by speaking with a particular Non-Player Character (NPC), indicated with a ring icon above the NPC's head. The forms of ring icons and what they indicate are as follows:

*Gold ring with blue aura: the NPC has a quest that is approximately appropriate for the character's level.
*Gold ring with blue aura and fiery inscription: the NPC must be spoken with to advance the quest.
*Bright gold ring: the NPC has an Epic quest available.
*Gold ring with orange flames: the NPC must be spoken to to advance the Epic quest.
*Blue ring and quill: the NPC has a comment about an active quest, speaking to the NPC will not advance the quest but may give additional information.
*Gold ring with hourglass: the NPC has a quest with a cooldown, the player must wait for the cooldown to expire before accepting the quest.
*Silver ring: the NPC has a quest that is too high level for the player to accept at that level.
*Transparent grey ring: the NPC has a "trivial" quest, one far below the player's level.
*Gold ring with anvil: the NPC has a crafting quest, and involves the crafting system in some way.
*Gold ring with sword: The NPC has an allegiance quest; quests that are unique to the Mordor Expansion.

Some quests are started by obtaining unique items dropped from specific enemies. The [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Riders of Rohan Expansion|Riders of Rohan expansion]] introduced auto-bestowed quests, which bring up a quest prompt when the player defeats a specific type of enemy or finds a certain location. Such enemies are marked with ring icons similarly to how NPC quest givers are. Players have the option of accepting these quests automatically or choosing to manually accept or decline each prompt. Most landscape quests can only be completed once, some special landscape quests and most instance quests can be completed once a day any number of times, and a few landscape quests can be repeated at any time up to a certain number of times.

Quests are categorized according to what area, instance or other section they are associated with. Of note are the Epic Quests, a series that tells the main storyline of the game. In imitation of [[The Lord of the Rings|the Lord of the Rings book]], the epic quests are divided into Volumes, which are divided into Books which in turn are divided into Chapters. Each Chapter is usually an individual quest. Epic Quests bring the player through the landscape but are considered apart from it, therefore most Epic Quests are available to all players regardless of whether or not any quest packs are unlocked. A notable exception is the end of [[Allies of the King|Volume III: Allies of the King]], which requires purchase of the Helm's Deep expansion to complete. The Black Book of Mordor, the new main storyline for quests after the Epic Books, has eight chapters, all spanning various areas in Middle Earth including [[Mordor]], the Strongholds of the North, the [[Iron Hills]], and the [[Ered Mithrin]].

===Deeds===
Deeds are non-repeatable achievements recorded on an interface window called the Deed Log. Common deed objectives include completing a certain number of quests in a particular area or region (Quest Deeds), defeating a certain number of enemies of a specific type in a particular region (Slayer Deeds), discovering specified locations (Explorer Deeds), and reaching the next tier of reputation with a faction. Most Deeds award Turbine points. Deeds in a particular region usually award reputation in that region's faction. Deeds also commonly reward marks, virtues, and titles

===Instances===
Instances are locations in the game separated from the open landscape, not accessible through normal travel. Instances can take place in either separate versions of the locations available on the landscape (for example, Pelargir while Aragorn's host retakes it from the corsairs) or in locations not accessible anywhere else (such as Dale). Most instances are private instances, that is, only one player or group of players can enter it and it closes when they complete it, while public instances can be joined at any time by any number of separate players. They are often repeatable, with ones associated with landscape quests being replayable through a Reflecting Pool in the associated region and others accessible through the Instance Finder window. Most private instances have associated quests automatically bestowed upon entering the instance and cancelled upon exiting.

===Fellowships and Kinships===
Most open landscape content and associated instances are designed to be completable by a solo player, while some locations in the game and Instance Finder instances are meant for a team of players. A group of players with a maximum size of six is known as a fellowship. For larger groups, a raid of up to four fellowships can be formed, for a maximum group size of 24 players. Players are free to group on the open landscape and in public instances, but private instances have a limit on how many players may enter.

Players can found and join lasting organizations known as Kinships in the game. Players in a kinship can communicate in their own kinship chat channel to socialize and plan events with their fellow members.

===Monster Play===
The game is primarily Player vs. Environment (PvE), with most combat being player characters against computer controlled enemies found throughout the landscape and instances. However in the [[Ettenmoors]] region, players can participate in Player vs. Monster Player battles (PvMP). Players can create Monster characters that only have access to PvMP areas where they battle standard characters, who fight on the side of the Free Peoples. Each monster player class is limited to a specific race. The monster classes are the Blackarrow (Uruk), Defiler (Orc), Reaver (Orc), Stalker (Warg), Warleader (Uruk), and Weaver (Spider) As of [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath|Update 16.2]] a new PvMP area, set in Osgiliath before Boromir's journey to Rivendell and accessed via a banner in the Ettenmoors, was released.



Towns and settlements provide Vendors where players can purchase or repair their armour, weapons, and supplies. Towns also often include Mailboxes, Auction Halls, Class Trainers, Forge-masters, Relic-masters, and Stable-masters who allow swift travel between regions.

The player interface allows other aspects of gameplay such as Character screens, Quest and Deed Logs, a Social Panel where players can interact, and a Crafting panel where players use skills to craft new items.

==Releases==
===Shadows of Angmar===
:{{Main|The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar}}
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar|Shadows of Angmar]]'' was released on [[24 April|April 24]], [[2007]]. It included books 1 through 8 of Epic Volume I: Shadows of Angmar. Approximately once every two months a major free update was added to ''The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar''. Each update added a new book to the volume.

====Book 9: Shores of Evendim====
{{#ev:youtubehd|VOEcXrbG4OI|200|thumb}}
The first free content update was released on June 14, 2007.<ref>[http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=3611&pagename=home&search=yes&keyword=Book%209 Book 9: Shores of Evendim Release Date Announced]</ref>

Updates included:
*A new region - [[Evendim]] - is added, including locations like [[Annúminas]].<ref name="book9">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/news/pressreleases/136-book-9-shores-of-evendim-release-date-announced|articlename=Book 9: Shores of Evendim Release Date Announced!|dated=5 June 2007|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
*The epic story is expanded with book 9, [[Shores of Evendim]]<ref name="book9"/>
*100 new quests are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*A 24-player raid is added, ''Battle for Helegrod''.<ref name="book9"/>
*Nine new monsters are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*New Collectible armour sets are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*Updates to the music system.<ref name="book9"/>

====Book 10: The City of Kings====
:{{Main|The City of Kings}}
The second free-content update was released on August 21, 2007 in North America and on August 24, 2007 in Europe.<ref>| [http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=3949&pagename=home&search=yes&keyword=Book%209 Codemasters Online and Turbine unveil Book 10: The City of the Kings]</ref>

Updates included:
*Continuation of the Story Line.
*Legendary Play – Players can now use Destiny Points to play as a Ranger of the North or as a Troll.
*Critter Play – Players can now explore Middle-earth from a different viewpoint as a chicken.
*New Reputation and Bartering Systems – The Reputation system enables players to earn positive and negative standing with different races and groups in Middle-earth based on both monster kills and quest completions. The Bartering system allows players to trade trophies earned in battle for rewards, such as armour sets or mounts.
*Over 100 new Quests.
*More customizable user interface.

====Book 11: Prisoner of the Free Peoples====
:{{Main|Prisoner of the Free Peoples}}
The third free-content update was released on October 24, 2007 in North America<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/article/430 Turbine and Codemasters Online Gaming to Unveil Book 11: Defenders of Eriador for The Lord of the Rings Online]</ref> and October 25 in Europe.<ref>[http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=4661&articletype=News Codemasters Online and Turbine to unveil Book 11: Defenders of Eriador]</ref>

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_11_Official complete release notes]):
*Continuation of the Epic Story arc, including 13 quests.
*Player housing – players will be able to customize their houses with items such as furniture and doormats.
*Second raid called "The Rift" – 12-player raid in which players encounter a [[Balrogs|Balrog]] for the first time. Turbine has stressed that this is not the [[Durin's Bane|Balrog from Khazad-dûm]].<ref>[http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=287 Book 11 Preview: The Balrogs are Coming]</ref>
*Two new areas – Tâl Bruinen in the Trollshaws, where [[Gollum]] will be introduced for the first time, and Goblin-town in the [[Misty Mountains]], featured in ''The Hobbit''.
*More than 100 new quests.

====Book 12: The Ashen Wastes====
:{{Main|The Ashen Wastes}}
The fourth free content update was released on February 13, 2008 in North America; and February 14, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_12_Official complete release notes]):
*Continuation of the Story Line.
*Character customization - Increased character customization "ranging from haircuts, to some (possible) additions to the trait-system." In addition, the Outfit system, along with special social clothing designed just for it, will be introduced where a second or third set of clothing can be slotted and displayed while retaining the statistical bonuses of the currently equipped items.<ref>[http://lotro.stratics.com/content/hoclog/hoc10.php Lord of the Rings Online: House of Commons ]</ref>
*The Delving of Frór - A new Monster Play PVE (and PVMP under certain circumstances) area was introduced: An expanse of caves and catacombs located beneath the Ettenmoors.
*The Great Angmar Revamp - A revamp of the most high-level region of the game's current 9 PvE regions. The revamp included the reworking of many quests, areas and other changes, such as new horse routes.
*Barbershop - You can customize the look of your avatar in-game with around 50 new haircuts and second set of details.
*Updates to the Burglar, Guardian, and Champion classes.

====Book 13: Doom of the Last-King====
:{{Main|Doom of the Last-King}}
The fifth free content update was released on April 24, 2008 in North America and on May 1, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_13_Official complete release notes]):
*A new playable map area: the Ice Bay of [[Forochel]].
*Players being able to see the ocean for the first time, confirmed as the Ice Bay of Forochel in recent developer chats.
*Fishing - the first of a new system in ''Lord of the Rings Online'', called 'hobbies'.
*New PVMP Monster Healing Class - Orc Defiler.
*Looking For Fellowship- and Quest-panel improvements.

====Book 14: The Ring-forges of Eregion====
:{{Main|The Ring-forges of Eregion}}
The sixth free content update was released on July 22, 2008 in North America. It was released on July 24, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_14_Official complete release notes]):
*Climax of the "Shadows of Angmar" storyline.
*Added selected sections of [[Eregion]] (Region leading towards the Gates of Moria).
*Epic Quest events that will allow interaction between players regardless of server.
*Prelude quests for and leading up to the ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria|Mines of Moria]]'' expansion, which would have updates leading to Lothlórien, Fangorn, Rhovanion and Rohan.

====Book 15: Daughter of Strife====
:{{Main|Daughter of Strife}}
The seventh free content update was released on November 18, 2008. This update was released in tandem with the Mines of Moria expansion for players who did not purchase the expansion release.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Category:Epic_-_Vol._I,_Book_15:_Daughter_of_Strife_Quests Epic - Vol. I, Book 15: Daughter of Strife Quests epic]):
*Conclusion of the "Shadows of Angmar" storyline.
*Added the zone of Eregion expanding on the selected sections from Book 14. The zone does not include the Hollin Gate leading to the Black Pool.
*Added UI enhancements

===Mines of Moria Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria]]''
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria|Mines of Moria]]'' was released on [[18 November|November 18]], [[2008]]. It included Vol. II books 1 through 6 of the epic quest line. Like ''Shadows of Angmar'', ''Mines of Moria'' continued to regularly release updates. Updates were less frequent than Shadows of Angmar.

====Book 7: Leaves of Lórien====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Leaves of Lórien.png|thumb|300px]]Book 7 was released on [[17 March]] [[2009]]. This update included:
* Continuation of the Epic Storyline in Book 7, [[Leaves of Lórien]].<ref name="book7">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/book-spotlights/342-vol2book7|articlename=Volume II: Book 7: Leaves of Lórien Spotlight|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
* Expansion of the Lothlórien Area, including [[Caras Galadhon]].<ref name="book7"/>
* A new raid, named ''Strange Happenings'', has been added.<ref name="book7"/>
* The [[Galadhrim]] are added as a new reputation faction.<ref name="book7"/>
* Crafting instances enable players to gather resources.<ref name="book7"/>
* The [[Ered Luin Introduction]] and, on lesser scale, the [[Bree-land Introduction]] are revamped.<ref name="book7"/>
* Several new Monster Play emotes are added.<ref name="book7"/>

====Book 8: Scourge of Khazad-dum====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Scourge of Khazad-Dûm.png|thumb|300px]]Book 8 was released on June 23, 2009. This update included:
*Book 8, [[Scourge of Khazad-dûm]], continues the epic story.<ref name="book8">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/book-spotlights/421-vol2-book8|articlename=Volume II: Book 8: Scourge of Khazad-dûm|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
* A radiance-gated multi-boss, 12-man raid - named ''Dar Narbugud'' is added.<ref name="book8"/>
* One 6-man instance is added: ''The Halls of Crafting''.<ref name="book8"/>
* Two 3-man instances are added:
** ''Lumul-nar''<ref name="book8"/>
** ''Nala-dum''<ref name="book8"/>
* Continuation of the revamp of the [[Bree-land Introduction]].<ref name="book8"/>
* The Crafting system has been revived.<ref name="book8"/>

===Siege of Mirkwood Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood]]''
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood|Siege of Mirkwood]]'' was released on December 1, 2009 in North America and December 3, 2009 in Europe. Unlike the second expansion this edition was only available via a web-based download. It included Book 9 and the epilogue of Volume II: Mines of Moria.

Kate Paiz, Executive Producer for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'', released a letter on October 22, 2010 stating that updates will be more frequent but will not always be accompanied with a new book continuing the epic story.<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/866-producers-letter-october-2010 Producer's Letter, October-2010] lotro.com, Dev Diaries</ref>

====Book 1: Oath of the Rangers====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Oath of the Rangers.png|300px|thumb]]:''Main article [[Oath of the Rangers]]''
Book 1 was released on [[1 March|March 1]], [[2010]].<ref> [http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?t=320404 Volume III: Allies of the King has arrived!]</ref>

Updates include ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Volume_3_Allies_of_the_King_Official complete release notes]):
* The beginning of Volume III in the epic storyline.
* The ability to solo the Volume I epic storyline.
* A duo mode for most skirmishes.

====Book 2: Ride of the Grey Company====
:''Main article [[Ride of the Grey Company]]''
Book 2 was released on [[10 September|September 10]], [[2010]] in North America. ([[8 September|September 8]], [[2010]] for subscribers). It was delayed in Europe because of contractual reasons and was finally released on [[2 November]], almost two months after North America.<ref>[http://massively.joystiq.com/ Massively], [http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/v-e-me-day-lotro-europe-announces-launch-date-for-free-to-play/ V-E-ME Day: LotRO Europe announces launch date for free-to-play], dated [[29 October]], [[2010]] (accessed [[11 November]], [[2011]])</ref>

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Volume_3_Book_2_Official complete release notes]):

* New region: [[Enedwaith]].
* ''Lord of the Rings Online'' Free to Play subscription.
* Book 2 in the Volume III epic storyline.
* Scalable instances.
* Improvements to the vault, and a new wardrobe system for cosmetic items.
* Updates to the Captain class.
* The LOTRO store, where players may purchase convenience items. Points either earned through gameplay, through the VIP program or by being purchased.
* The introduction of Lua Scripting.
* DirectX 11 support.
* Ranger session play.

====Update 1: Journey to Winter-Home====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 1 Journey to Winter-Home.png|300px|thumb]]The first post Free-to-play update was released in November 2010. Due to changes to how updates work this did not contain an epic book.

Updates included:

* A Barter Wallet for skirmish marks and anniversary tokens.
* Opening of Moria, Lothlorien, Mirkwood and Enedwaith to free-to-play players. Volume II and Volume III will also be available, as well the legendary item system, and the level 65 level cap all to free-to-play players.
* Vault improvements.
* Tasks: a new quest type for all levels.
* Improved reputation mounts.
* Updates to the Lore-master and Rune-keeper classes.
* Ered Luin starting area revamp.

====Update 2: Echoes of the Dead====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 2 Echoes of the Dead.png|300px|thumb]]The first update of 2011 was released on [[21 March|March 21]] in the United States and [[24 March|March 24]] for Europe.

Updates included:

* Two 3-man's, two 6-man's, and a 12-person raid were added for level 65 players.
* A special item required to craft a First Age weapon which drops from the above raid.
* Radiance was removed.
* Legendary Items were updated.
* Character panel and cosmetic system were revamped.
* The Minstrel, Hunter and Burglar classes were updated.
* Volume III Book 3: [[Echoes of the Dead]] was added.
* Volume II was revamped and made soloable, including three instances which have been converted to skirmishes.
* Improvements to the PvP starter tutorial.
* [[Evendim]] was revamped, with [[Annúminas]] being scaled down to level 40.

====Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 3 Lost Legends of Eriador.png|300px|thumb]]''Lost Legends of Eriador'' was the third update. It was released on [[23 May|May 23]], [[2011]] and included: ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Update_3,_Lost_Legends_of_Eriador,_Official complete release notes]):

* Two new 3-man scalable instances starting mid-game.
* Two new skirmishes.

===Rise of Isengard Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard]]''
The third expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is entitled ''Rise of Isengard''. The expansion was made available on September 27, 2011 and only as a digital download.<ref>[http://isengard.lotro.com/ The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard Official Homepage]</ref>

====Update 5: Armies of Isengard====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 5 Armies of Isengard.png|220px|thumb]]''Armies of Isengard'' was the first update published after the release of ''The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard''. It was released on [[12 December]] [[2011]] and included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Update_5,_Armies_of_Isengard,_Official complete release notes]):

* Four new instances and a 12-man raid in and around [[Isengard]].
* [[The Prince of Rohan|Book 5]] of [[Allies of the King|Volume III]] is released.
* A new Instance finder, to form groups more easily.
* Barter currencies of skirmishes, classic and instances are unified.
* Changes to Reputation items.

====Update 6: Shores of the Great River====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 6 The Great River.png|220px|thumb]]''Shores of the Great River'' is the sixth update and was released on [[12 March]] [[2012]].<ref name="Update6&Riders"> {{webcite|author=Justin Olivetti|articleurl=http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/riding-into-rohan-lotro-maps-out-2012/|articlename=Riding into Rohan: LotRO maps out in 2012|dated=25 January 2012|website=Massively|accessed=29 January 2012}}</ref><ref name="Update6">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/game-manual/1775-update-6-great-river|articlename=Update 6 Great River|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>

*A new region, the [[Anduin|The Great River]], was added, featuring seven new areas - including [[Parth Celebrant]] - in the upper [[Anduin]]. <ref name="Update6"/>
*[[Mists of Anduin]], Book 6 of Volume III, was released, in which the player seeks the wisdom of [[Galadriel]] about troubling dreams and fights [[Easterlings]], Brigands and an ancient enemy of Rohan.<ref name="Update6"/>
*The ability to summon skirmish warriors outside skirmishes.<ref name="Update6"/>
*Updates to the Instance finder.<ref name="Update6"/>
*Currency-change in Monster Play: "Destiny" will be replaced with "Commendations". Commendations will be available for both Freeps and Creeps.<ref name="MP Currency change">{{webcite|author=Jaret Pruett|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/1776-update-6-commendations-developer-diary|articlename=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/1776-update-6-commendations-developer-diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>

====Update 7: Shades of the Past====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 7 Shades of the Past.png|thumb|220px]]''Shades of the Past'' is the seventh update<ref name="Update 7">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/1966|articlename=Update 7|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=12 May 2012}}</ref> and was released on 14 May, 2012.{{fact}}

*Continuation of the aforementioned currency-change.<ref name="MP Currency change"/>
*A new skirmish, "Storm on Methedras".<ref name="Update 7"/>
*Revamp of the Fornost instance and Moria region.<ref name="Update 7"/>

===Riders of Rohan Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Riders of Rohan]]''
The fourth expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is named ''Riders of Rohan''. The expansion was released on October 15, 2012. <ref name="Turbine">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/news/pressreleases/1736-warner-bros-interactive-entertainment-and-turbine-unveil-the-lord-of-the-rings-online-riders-of-rohan|articlename=WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND TURBINE UNVEIL THE LORD OF THE RINGS ONLINE™: RIDERS OF ROHAN™|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=30 January 2012}}</ref>

====Update 9: Against the Shadow====
''Against the Shadow'' is the ninth update and was released December 17, 2012. <ref name="Update 9">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.tentonhammer.com/lotro/news/lotro-update-9-coming-december-17th|articlename=LOTROs Update 9 Coming December 17th|dated=|website=www.tentonhammer.com|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*Three new three man instances.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-riders-rohan-instance-cluster-part-i|articlename=Riders of Rohan Instance Cluster, Part I|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Scaling of Dol Guldur instances.
*Completion of Moria revamp.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-revisiting-mines-moria-part-ii|articlename=Developer Diary: Revisiting the Mines of Moria, Part II|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Ability to quickly travel to turn in quests.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-travel-quest-location-behind-scenes|articlename=Update 9 - Travel To Quest Location: Behind the Scenes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Update to the Yule Festival.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-yule-festival|articlename=Update 9 - Yule Festival|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Combat revisions.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-combat-revisions|articlename=Update 9 - Combat Revisions|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 10: Against the Shadow, Part II====
''Against the Shadow, Part II'' is the tenth update and was released March 6, 2013.

*One six man instance and three twelve man raids.<ref name="Update 10">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-instance-cluster-developer-diary|articlename=Update 10 - Instance Cluster Developer Diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*In Their Absence instance scaling.<ref name="Update 10"/>
*Mithril Coins, a new currency used for special services.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-mithril-coin-qa|articlename=Update 10 Mithril Coin Q&A|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Agility made Wardens' primary stat.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-warden-stat-change-agility-wardens|articlename=Update 10: Warden Stat Change – Agility Wardens!|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Changes to critical defense.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-critical-defence-revision|articlename=Update 10 - Critical Defence Revision|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Unification of currency for scaling instances.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-seals-and-medallion-conversion|articlename=Update 10 - Seals and Medallion Conversion Diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand====
''Treachery of the White Hand'' is the eleventh update and was released May 13, 2013. <ref name="Update 11">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?511377-Update-11-Treachery-of-the-White-Hand-Release-Notes-Official|articlename=Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand Release Notes - Official|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*A new region, Wildermore, located on the previously-inaccessible plateau in the north of East Rohan.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*[[Snows of Wildermore|Book 10]] of [[Allies of the King|Volume III]] is released.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Updates to mounted combat.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Hobbit presents, daily free random items with the ability to unlock more rolls with mithril coins.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Lalia's Market, a shop where cosmetic clothing and dyes can be purchased with mithril coins.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/lalias-market|articlename=Lalia’s Market Now Open in Bree-town!|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

===Helm's Deep Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Helm's Deep]]''
The fourth expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is named ''Helm's Deep''. The expansion was released on November 20, 2013. <ref name="TenTonHammer">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.tentonhammer.com/lotro/news/turbine-temporarily-delays-lotro-helms-deep-launch|articlename=Updated: Turbine Temporarily Delays LOTROs Helms Deep Launch|dated=|website=www.tentonhammer.com|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref> After the Helm's Deep expansion, Turbine has discontinued for three years paid expansions in favor of quarterly updates with content free to VIPs. <ref name="Looking Ahead to 2014">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?535422-A-letter-from-Executive-Producer-Kate-Paiz-Looking-Ahead-to-2014|articlename=A letter from Executive Producer Kate Paiz - Looking Ahead to 2014|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 13: The Breaking of Isengard====
''The Breaking of Isengard'' is the thirteenth update and was released April 14, 2014. <ref name="Update 13">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?546315-Update-13-The-Breaking-of-Isengard-%E2%80%93-Official-release-Notes|articlename=Update 13: The Breaking of Isengard – Official release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*Release of a new landscape consisting of post-[[Battle of Isengard]] Nan Curunir as well as the Entwood<ref name="Update 13"/>, an area consisting of the south-western part of Fangorn.
*The fourteenth and final book of [[Allies of the King|Epic Volume III: Allies of the King]], [[The Waters of Isengard]].<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/dev-diary-%E2%80%93-update-13-quest-notes|articlename=Dev Diary – Update 13 Quest Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Misty Mountains, North Downs and Trollshaws region revamps.<ref name="Update 13"/>
*Resizable inventory bags.<ref name="Update 13"/>
*Level scaling from level 20 up for players in the Ettenmoors and temporary Ettenmoors passes for free-to-play purchasable with Mithril Coins.<ref name="Update 13"/>

====Update 14: Paths of the Dead====
''Paths of the Dead'' is the fourteenth update and was released July 14, 2014. <ref name="Update 14">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?552272-Update-14-Paths-of-the-Dead-Release-Notes-amp-Known-Issues|articlename=Update 14: Paths of the Dead - Release Notes & Known Issues |dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*Release of the West Gondor region, consisting of the areas the [[Paths of the Dead]], the [[Blackroot Vale]], [[Lamedon]], the Havens of [[Belfalas]], and [[Dol Amroth]]. <ref name="Update 14"/><ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/u14|articlename=Update 14: Paths of the Dead Now Available|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*A new Epic series,<ref name="Update 14"/> [[The Strength of Sauron|Volume IV: The Strength of Sauron]], beginning with [[The Road to Gondor|Book 1: The Road to Gondor]].
*The Essence System, allowing specially slotted armors to be fitted with a variety of Essences for customizable stats.<ref name="Update 14"/>.
*Level cap increase to 100.<ref name="Update 14"/>
*The [[Dead Marshes]] region was added later in the minor Update 14.2, released September 15 2014. This area included a Session Play featuring Frodo, Samwise, and Gollum's passage through the marshes, casting the player character as Sam.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?555920-Update-14-2-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 14.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 15: Gondor Aflame====
''Gondor Aflame''<ref name="U15 Announcement">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/u15|articlename=Update 15: Gondor Aflame Now Available|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref> is the fifteeth update and was released November 4, 2014. <ref name="Update 15">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?558300-Update-15-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 15 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*The region of Central Gondor, consisting of [[Ringló Vale]], [[Dor-en-Ernil]], [[Lebennin]] and [[Pelargir]].<ref name="U15 Announcement"/><ref name="Update 15"/>
*Beorning race and class.<ref name="U15 Announcement"/><ref name="Update 15"/>
*Epic Volume IV [[The Dawnless Day (The Lord of the Rings Online)|Book 2: The Dawnless Day]].<ref name="Update 15"/>
*A new Epic Battle, Retaking Pelargir.<ref name="Update 15"/> Initially only available in solo/duo mode, a full fellowship version was released in February 4, 2015 with Update 15.2.<ref name="Update 15.2">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?&postid=7312886|articlename=Update 15.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>
*Roving Threats, a new type of open landscape group content.<ref name="Update 15"/> Additional Roving Threats were added to other regions of the game beginning with Update 15.2<ref name="Update 15.2"/>

====Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath====
''Ashes of Osgiliath'' is the sixteenth update and was released May 1, 2015.<ref name="Update 16">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?568045-Update-16-Ashes-of-Osgiliath-%E2%80%93-Official-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath – Official Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*The region of Eastern Gondor, consisting of Upper Lebennin, Lossarnach, South Ithilien and Osgiliath.<ref name="Update 16"/>
*Epic Volume IV [[Voices of the Past|Book 3: Voices of the Past]].<ref name="Update 16"/>
*Cosmetic weapons and shields, more Roving Threats, and new PvMP map set in Osgiliath were released with Update 16.2 in July 17, 2015. A new quest series of weekly episodic content, following the adventures of the Hobbit Bingo Boffin, was begun the Wednesday after the update, on July 22.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?572512-Update-16-2-Release-Notes&p=7404279#post7404279|articlename=Update 16.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 17: The Siege of Minas Tirith====
''The Siege of Minas Tirith'' is the seventeenth update and was released 27 October 2015.

*The region of Old Anórien, including [[Minas Tirith]], the [[Pelennor Fields]], and Talath Anor.
*Epic Volume IV [[Siege of the White City|Book 4: Siege of the White City]]
*New crafting tier, hidden cosmetic weapon toggle.
*New Epic Battles: Defence of Minas Tirith, Hammer of the Underworld.

====Update 18: The Battle of Pelennor Fields====
''The Battle of Pelennor fields'' is the eighteenth update and was released 11 April 2016.

*The region of Far Anórien, including [[Drúadan Forest|Taur Drúadan]], [[Warning beacons of Gondor|Beacon hills]], and the Pelennor Fields during the battle.
*Instance cluster including two 3-man instances (The Quays of the Harlond, The Blood of the Black Serpent), one 6-man instance (The Silent Street) and a 12-man raid (Throne of the Dread Terror).
*Epic Volume IV [[The Ride of the Rohirrim|Book 5: The Ride of the Rohirrim]] and [[The Battle of Pelennor Fields|Book 6: The Battle of Pelennor Fields]].

====Update 19: March of the King====
''March of the King'' is the nineteenth update and was released 14 October 2016.

*The region March of the King, including [[North Ithilien]], after battle Minas Tirith, after battle Osgiliath, and after battle Pelennor Fields.
*Flora barter system to exchange new gear for flowers.
*Epic Volume IV [[March of the King|Book 7: March of the King]].

====Update 20: Battle of the Black Gate====
''Battle of the Black Gate'' is the twentieth update and was released 21 March 2017.

*The region The Wastes, including Noman-lands, [[Slag-hills]] and [[Dagorlad]] which surround the [[Black Gate]].
*New reputation items to exchange for armour.
*Epic Volume IV [[Battle of the Black Gate|Book 8: Battle of the Black Gate]].

===Mordor Expansion===
''Mordor'' is the sixth expansion, and the twenty-first update, released on August 2nd, 2017.

*The region Plateau of [[Gorgoroth]] includes five different areas, [[Udûn]], Dor Amarth, Lhingris, Talath Urui, and Agarnaith.
*The conclusion of the Epic Questline (and Volume 4), with Book 9.
*A new series of quests, the "Black Book of Mordor", becomes the main storyline after the conclusion of the Epic Quests. There are four chapters introduced in this update.
*The Allegiance System is introduced, players can pledge to one of four factions to gain greater rewards in [[Mordor]]. They are the Kingdom of [[Gondor]], the Court of [[Lothlórien]], [[Durin's Folk]], and the Hobbits of the Company.
*A new instance cluster is introduced, featuring a 3-man instance (The Court of Seregost), a 6-man instance (The Dungeons of Naerband), and a 12-man raid (The Abyss of Mordath).

===Update 22: Legacy of the Necromancer===
''Legacy of the Necromancer'' is the twenty-second update, released on March 6th, 2018.

*The new region "[[Eryn Lasgalen]] and the Dale-lands" (otherwise known as the "Strongholds of the North" or "Northern Mirkwood"), features the Forest of Eryn Lasgalen (including the [[Halls of the Elven-king]] (known as Felegoth), The Dale-lands (featuring iconic locations such as The [[Long Lake]], [[Lake-town]], [[Dale]], and [[Ravenhill]]), and [[Erebor]], the Lonely Mountain.
*Three new reputation factions are introduced; the "Elves of Felegoth", the "Men of Dale", and the "Dwarves of Erebor".
*The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new region.

===Update 23: Where Dragons Dwell===
''Where Dragons Dwell'' is the twenty-third update, released on October 9th, 2018.

*The new area "The Dwarf-holds", consists of two areas; The [[Iron Hills]], and [[Ered Mithrin]]. An expanded area of [[Erebor]] is also opened.
*A new instance cluster is introduced, featuring two 3-man instances (Caverns of Thrumfall and Glimmerdeep), a six-man instance (Thikil-gundu), and a 12-man raid (The Anvil of Winterstith).
*The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new areas.

===Update 24: Vales of Anduin===
''Vales of Anduin'' is the twenty-fourth update, released on June 4th, 2019.

*A new region, the [[Vales of Anduin]] was released, containing several key locations such as the Beorninghus ([[Beorn's Hall]]), The [[Carrock]], the [[Eagle's Eyrie]], the [[Gladden Fields]], [[Rhosgobel]], and various settlements of the [[Woodmen]].
*Update 24.2 brought the "Gladdenmere" sub-region to the Vales, along with a single six-man instance, "The Depths of Kidzul-kalah.
*The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new area.

==Added Elements==
There are a number of elements that do not appear in any of the published works. This includes characters, lineages, objects and locations.

===Characters===
* '''[[Amarthiel]]''' served the [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]] during his first reign over [[Angmar]]<ref>In the game the Witch-king reigned over Angmar again shortly before the [[War of the Ring]].</ref> and wore the [[lesser rings|lesser ring]] [[Narchuil]]. She was slain by [[Narmeleth]] at the [[Battle of Fornost]] and her soul wandered [[Middle-earth]] for over a thousand years. She managed to possess Narmeleth and disguised herself as Sara Oakheart. She eventually revealed herself after the defeat of [[Mordirith]] by [[Golodir]] and becomes the Regent of Angmar.

* '''[[Andraste]]''' was a female [[Men|Man]] who served the [[Witch-king]].

* '''[[Jon Brackenbrook]]''' was a [[Men|Man]] who was captain of [[Archet]].

* '''[[Ronald Dwale]]''' was a [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] from [[Dwalling]]. He was an author and a member of [[The Inklings (LOTRO)|the Inklings]], that meets in the [[Bird and Baby Inn]]. He was based on [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] himself.

* '''[[Éogan]]''' was the second in command of the [[Blackwolds]] and took over leadership of the group after William Skunkwood's death.

* '''The Huntsman''' was a spirit found in [[Enedwaith]] who took the shape of a large man with horns of a stag. Many players thought this was [[Oromë]]. The developers confirmed that it wasn't Oromë but a [[Maiar|Maia]] of Oromë.<ref>[http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?359604-big-D-small-d&p=4996860&highlight=#post4996860 big D, small d] [[Jonathan Rudder]], lotro.com forums</ref>

* '''[[Ivar the Bloodhand]]''' was a Gaunt-lord from the [[First Age]].

* '''[[Mordirith]]''' was the Steward of Angmar.

* '''[[Narmeleth]]''' was an elf maiden of [[Rivendell]] and daughter of [[Laerdan]]. She slew [[Amarthiel]] during the [[Battle of Fornost]] and became possessed by her soul over a thousand years later.

* '''[[Mundo Sackville-Baggins]]''' was a [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] who was mistakenly identified as having the ring.

* '''[[William Skunkwood]]''' was the leader of the [[Blackwolds]].

* '''[[Skorgrím]]''' was a dwarf and leader of the [[Dourhands]]. He was slain during the Battle of Edhelion. His corpse was used as a vehicle by Ivar the Bloodhand who possessed it with a fell spirit to trick the Dourhands to ally themselves with the forces of [[Angmar]].

* '''[[Sambrog]]''' was the Wight-lord of the [[Barrow-downs]].

===Groups===
* '''The [[Blackwolds]]''' were a group of [[Men|Mannish]] brigands from [[Bree-land]].

* '''The [[Dourhands]]''' was a clan of dwarves aligned with the forces of [[Angmar]]. They were the dwarves that stayed behind to rebuild the Dwarven Halls in the [[Blue Mountains]] which were destroyed during the [[War of Wrath]].

* '''The [[Inklings (Shadows of Angmar)|Inklings]]''' are a group of [[Hobbits|Hobbit]]-authors who discuss literature. They meet each other in the [[Bird and Baby Inn]]. Prominent members are [[Ronald Dwale]] ([[J.R.R. Tolkien]]), [[Owen Farfield]] ([[Owen Barfield]]), [[Carlo Williams]] ([[Charles Williams]]) and [[Jack Lewisdown]] ([[C.S. Lewis]]). The group and members are based on the real [[Inklings]]

===Objects===
* '''[[Narchuil]]''' was one of the [[lesser rings]] forged by the elven-smiths during the [[Second Age]].

===Locations===
* '''[[Agamaur]]''' was a vast swamp of the [[Lone-lands]]. It was a site of a major battle between [[Arthedain]], [[Cardolan]] and [[Rhudaur]]. To the west were the ruins of Ost Guruth, a fortress of [[Arnor]] claimed by the nomadic Eglain. To the east lay the ruins of Garth Agarwen, a fortress of Rhudaur ruled by [[Hill-men]] loyal to the mysterious Red Maid.

* '''[[Esteldin]]''' was a ruin of Arnor in the [[North Downs]]. At the time of the [[War of the Ring]], it was used as a base of operations by the [[Rangers of the North]].

*'''[[Falathlorn]]''' was a green and beautiful region of the [[Ered Luin]] favored by the Elves. It contained the Elvish havens of Duillond and Celondim. Not far from this region were the chilly Low-lands, site of the Dwarvish cities Gondamon and Kheledul.

*'''[[Galtrev]]''' was one of the largest towns of [[Dunland]], the nominal capitol of the country.

*'''[[Maur Tulhau]]''' was a [[Stoors|Stoorish]] Hobbit village in [[Enedwaith]] located in the forbidding Gloomgens. It was an remnant of the time when the Stoors lived in this region before most of their number moved north to [[The Shire]].

* '''[[Othrongroth]]''' was the oldest and largest Edain mound in the [[Barrow-downs]].

*'''[[Stangard]]''' was a [[Rohirrim]] settlement near the Great River [[Anduin]]. Its inhabitants were mostly exiles sent to protect [[Rohan]]'s outer borders.

* '''[[Tinnudir]]''' was an island in [[Lake Evendim]]. It was used as a headquarters by a group of Rangers called the Wardens of [[Annúminas]], protectors of the ancient capitol of Arnor.

===Structures===
* '''[[Bird and Baby Inn]]''' was an inn in [[Michel Delving]].

==Servers==
===American servers===
All American servers are hosted by [[Turbine]].
*[[Arkenstone]]
*[[Moria|Dwarrowdelf]]
*[[Gladden River|Gladden]]
*[[Meneldor]]
*[[Celebrant|Silverlode]]
*[[Brandywine]]
*[[Elendilmir]]
*[[Rivendell|Imladris]]
*[[Nimrodel]]
*[[Landroval]]
*[[Rohan|Riddermark]]
*[[Windfola]]

===European servers===
The European servers were originally created and hosted by [[Codemasters]], but on [[1 June]] [[2011]] Lotro Europe was taken over by Turbine, who currently host the European servers.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.casualstrolltomordor.com/2011/04/turbines-lotro-service-goes-global/|articlename=Turbine's LOTRO Service Goes Global|dated=24 April 2011|website=A Casual Stroll to Mordor|accessed=2 January 2012}}</ref>

==License==

For ''The Lord of the Rings Online'', [[Turbine]] has licensed the rights to the content and lore of ''[[The Hobbit]]'' and ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. Turbine does not have license rights to the [[New Line Cinema]] film trilogy nor ''[[The Silmarillion]]'', ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'', ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'' books or ''[[The Children of Húrin]]''.

==Discrepancies from the source material==
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' does not follow the story as told in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', but rather tells stories about events that happened during the same time period as the events told in J.R.R. Tolkien's book

==Reception==
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' has been received very positively thus far, as reviews continue to appear since the game's initial release.<ref>[http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/middleearthonline Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, The - Review] metacritic.com</ref>

GameDaily awarded the game 9/10, praising its rich, fantasy-themed universe, well-integrated trait and title system, and a story that remains true to the works of Tolkien. Yahoo! Video Games wrote a review with few negative mentions, awarding the game a score of 4/5,<ref>[http://videogames.yahoo.com/gamereview?cid=1990963744&tab=reviews&page=0&eid=513259 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] Yahoo! Games</ref> while ''Computer and Video Games'' called the game an essential purchase for ''Lord of the Rings'' fans, scoring the game a 9.2/10.<ref>[http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=161846&skip=yes PC Review: Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] ''Computer and Video Games''</ref> Eurogamer scored the game a 9.0/10, calling it tough to resist.<ref>[http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=75657 Review - Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] Eurogamer</ref> Gamespy gave it 4.5/5 stars, claiming the game "opened up Middle-Earth to the masses" but commented negatively on its weak PvP content,<ref>[http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/lord-of-the-rings-online-shadows-of-angmar/785884p1.html The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] GameSpy</ref> while GameTrailers awarded it 8.5/10,<ref>[http://www.gametrailers.com/gamepage.php?id=754 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] Game Trailers</ref> citing its interesting tweaks to the MMO genre. IGN.com ranked it a similar 8.6/10, praising it for its solid experience, though criticizing it for its lack of major improvements to the genre.<ref>[http://pc.ign.com/articles/787/787942p3.html The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] IGN</ref> GamerNode.com awarded the game an 8.8/10, calling it the best MMO launch experience since ''Ultima Online''.<ref>[http://www.gamernode.com/PC/Reviews/2848-Lord-of-the-Rings-Online-Review/index.html Lord of the Rings Online] GamerNode</ref> The ''New York Times'' called the game "a major achievement of interactive storytelling, the first game truly worthy of the ‘Lord of the Rings' franchise and a must-play for just about anyone with an interest in Tolkien or the future of online entertainment."<ref>[http://lotro.turbine.com/article/356 Lord of the Rings Online Press Release] Lord of the Rings Online</ref> In a GameSpot review, the product was awarded an 8.3/10, praising its appealing polish and intriguing Monster Play feature.<ref>[http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/middleearthonline/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=topten&tag=topten;all;score;5 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar for PC Review] GameSpot</ref> Gamepro.com's review gave it an overall 4.25/5, pointing out how engaging the epic quests are, as well as how faithful to the novels the game managed to stay.<ref>[http://gamepro.com/computer/pc/games/reviews/112000.shtml Review: The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar for PC] Gamepro</ref> GameSpy declared ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' 'Game of the Month' for May 2007.<ref>[http://uk.gamespy.com/articles/795/795353p2.html Game of the Month: May 2007] GameSpy</ref>

==Awards==

In August 2007, Codemasters announced that ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' had received five Golden Joystick Awards nominations for the five applicable categories for the game,<ref>[http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6925679.stm Music and vice top games awards] BBC News</ref> and in October 2007 that it had won the "PC Game of the Year" at these awards.<ref>[http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7693&Itemid=2 Gears Wins Big at Game Awards] Next-Generation</ref> and again won the same award on October 2008. In December 2007, GameSpy awarded ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' 6th place in the top 10 PC games of 2007.<ref>[http://goty.gamespy.com/2007/pc/6.html GameSpy's Game of the Year 2007] GameSpy</ref> On December 18, Turbine announced it had also won the GameSpy MMO of the Year award.<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/article/476 LOTRO Wins Top Honors from Gamespy!] Lord of the Rings Online</ref> In January 2009, mmorpg.com awarded Turbine both MMORPG studio of the year 2008<ref>[http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/45/feature/2574/Best-MMO-Studio-of-2008-Winner MMORPG.com Best MMO Studo of 2008] mmorpg.com</ref>, and MMO Expansion of the Year for ''Mines of Moria''.<ref>[http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/45/feature/2579 MMORPG.com Best Expansion of 2008] mmorpg.com</ref>

==Subscription Model==
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Free to Play.png|300px|thumb]]
In North America, players who pre-ordered the game were offered a special founder's offer, a lifetime subscription for $199 or reduced cost of $9.99 per month. Standard monthly fee is $14.99 with three, six, twelve month, and lifetime discounts available. European players had a similar program from Codemasters.

A Holiday subscription was available in December of 2007 and January of 2008 for $9.99/month for a 3 month commitment. A one year anniversary addition includes a $9.99/month subscription or a $199.99 Lifetime subscription, which was again offered during the lead up to the release of Mines of Moria.

Warner Bros. announced on June 4, 2010 that Lord of the Rings Online will offer a free-to-play model starting in the fall of 2010.<ref>[http://turbine.com/news/105-warner-bros-interactive-entertainment-announces-the-lord-of-the-rings-online-to-adopt-global-free-to-play-model.html Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Announces The Lord of the Rings Online™ to Adopt Global Free-to-Play Model] Turbine, Inc</ref> On August 18, 2010, Warner Bros. announced that the free-to-play model would go live on September 10, 2010. On October 21, 2010, [[Codemasters]] announced that a preview of Free-to-Play would be available in Europe on October 25, 2010.<ref>[http://community.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=10839&pagename=news&type=news The Lord of the Rings Online Europe Preview Event]</ref>

==External Links==
* '''[http://lotro.com Official website]'''
** '''[http://forums.lotro.com/ LOTRO Community Website]''' , the official ''Lord of the Rings Online'' forums

{{notes}}
{{references}}

{{lotro}}
{{Videogames}}
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[[Category:The Lord of the Rings Online| ]]
[[Category:Open world games]]
[[Category:Role playing games]]
[[Category:Turbine games]]

The Lord of the Rings Online

2019-10-17T03:36:10Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Releases */

{{cleanup}}
{{disambig-more|The Lord of the Rings|[[The Lord of the Rings (disambiguation)]]}}
{{video game infobox| image=[[Image:Lotro logo.png|250px]]| name=The Lord of the Rings Online| developer=[[Turbine|Turbine, Inc.]]| publisher=[[Turbine|Turbine, Inc.]]
[[Midway Games]]
[[Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment]] (2010-)
| platform=Microsoft Windows, OS X (Beta)| releasedate=April 24, [[2007]]| genre=MMORPG| modes=| rating=| distribution=}}
'''''The Lord of the Rings Online''''' (commonly abbreviated to '''LOTRO''' or '''LotRO''') is an MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) for PC and OS X that takes place in the world of [[Arda]] during the time of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]].'' It was originally branded as '''The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar''', but with later updates, that subtitle was dropped.

The players take on the role of adventurers of the [[Free peoples|Free Peoples]] of [[Middle-earth]]. The events of the game are concurrent with the events of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' but most of the game revolves around events that occurred elsewhere or in the wake of events in the books. The game draws inspiration from people, places and events only mentioned in the books, combining these with original concepts to expand on parts of Middle-earth Tolkien did not. The main quest series of the game, known as Epic Quests, are divided into volumes, books and chapters, emulating the structure of ''The Lord of the Rings''.

To date, there have been six purchasable expansions: Mines of Moria (2008), Siege of Mirkwood (2009), Rise of Isengard (2011), Riders of Rohan (2012), Helm's Deep (2013) and Mordor (2017), with many smaller updates in between.

==Development==
{{rewrite}}

Development began in 1998, when [[Sierra Entertainment|Sierra]] started work on a game called ''[[Middle-earth Online]]''. Following [[Vivendi|Vivendi Universal Games]]' takeover of Sierra, the game's production was shared with [[Turbine]]. Turbine secured the rights of the entire game in March 2004,<ref>[http://www.videogamer.com/news/turbine_spin_into_action_to_secure_tolkien_license.html Turbine spin into action to secure Tolkien license - VideoGamer.com]</ref> and it was renamed to ''The Lord of the Rings Online''. It was originally subscription-based, but later became free-to-play with optional paid subscription and microtransactions.

A closed beta was announced on [[8 September|September 8]], [[2006]]. An open beta began on [[30 March|March 30]], [[2007]], and was open to all who pre-ordered the game's Founders Club edition. In April [[2007]], the beta opened to the public.


==Gameplay==
===Characters===
''Main article: [[Character Classes (LOTRO)]]''
Like many RPGs, ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' has a system of character classes and levels. Each character chooses a race and a class on character creation, this cannot be changed. Players are able to play as any of the [[Free Peoples]] - [[Elves]], [[Men]], [[Dwarves]], [[Hobbits]], [[Beornings]], or [[High Elves]]. Male or female characters can be created, except in the case of Dwarves. As per Tolkien, Dwarf women are very rare and seldom leave their mountain halls. There are ten classes: Beorning, Burglar, Captain, Champion, Guardian, Hunter, Lore-master, Minstrel, Rune-keeper, and Warden.

Customization of the character's abilities can be done by changing equipment and traits. As of the [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Helm.27s Deep Expansion|Helm's Deep expansion]], class traits work on a tree system, with each class having three "trait trees" where traits can be selected with earned points and unlocking enough traits in a particular tree allows higher-level traits to be selected and applies additional bonus. In addition to class traits are racial traits, such as Men being able to slot a trait to do additional damage with swords or Hobbits being able to slot a trait that allows them to throw a stone, and virtue traits which boost the character's stats.

Levels are significant, with much lower level enemies being extremely easy to defeat and much higher level enemies being nearly impossible to defeat. Each region has enemies and quests with a range of levels usually consecutive to those of an adjacent region. Quests over five levels above the character's level are inaccessible. In addition to being able to complete quest and defeat enemies in more locations, characters gain access to additional equipment, skills, traits and instances as they level up. Levels are increased by gaining experience, which is earned by completing quests and instances, defeating enemies of an appropriate level, and crafting.

===World===
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is an "open-world" game in which most locations that have been released can be freely accessed on an open landscape (although some places, such as Moria, require certain quests to be completed first.) The game world is split into "lands", large areas of Middle-Earth. As of Update 21, the four lands in the game are [[Eriador]], [[Rhovanion]], [[Gondor]], and [[Mordor]]. Each land is in turn divided into regions, e.g. [[Bree-land]] in Eriador, and each region contains areas, e.g. [[Andrath]] within Bree-land.

Although most of the land is available to all for exploration, most regions require non-VIPs to purchase a quest pack to access quests, deeds and instances associated with that region. A few regions, such as East and West Rohan, require expansion packs to be purchased to unlock content, even for VIPs. Each region is generally seen as it was in a certain time in the War of the Ring, for example Lothlórien is visited by the player at the same time as the [[Fellowship of the Ring]] rested there, and [[Pelargir]] just after [[Aragorn]] liberated the city from the [[Corsairs of Umbar]].

===Quests===
Much of the game's completable content is in the form of quests. Quests consist of a series of objectives, often including speaking with NPCs, defeating certain enemies, and recovering certain items from the ground or from defeated enemies. Most quests have a small number of objectives but may unlock additional quests upon completion to form a quest chain. Quests are usually started by started by speaking with a particular Non-Player Character (NPC), indicated with a ring icon above the NPC's head. The forms of ring icons and what they indicate are as follows:

*Gold ring with blue aura: the NPC has a quest that is approximately appropriate for the character's level.
*Gold ring with blue aura and fiery inscription: the NPC must be spoken with to advance the quest.
*Bright gold ring: the NPC has an Epic quest available.
*Gold ring with orange flames: the NPC must be spoken to to advance the Epic quest.
*Blue ring and quill: the NPC has a comment about an active quest, speaking to the NPC will not advance the quest but may give additional information.
*Gold ring with hourglass: the NPC has a quest with a cooldown, the player must wait for the cooldown to expire before accepting the quest.
*Silver ring: the NPC has a quest that is too high level for the player to accept at that level.
*Transparent grey ring: the NPC has a "trivial" quest, one far below the player's level.
*Gold ring with anvil: the NPC has a crafting quest, and involves the crafting system in some way.
*Gold ring with sword: The NPC has an allegiance quest; quests that are unique to the Mordor Expansion.

Some quests are started by obtaining unique items dropped from specific enemies. The [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Riders of Rohan Expansion|Riders of Rohan expansion]] introduced auto-bestowed quests, which bring up a quest prompt when the player defeats a specific type of enemy or finds a certain location. Such enemies are marked with ring icons similarly to how NPC quest givers are. Players have the option of accepting these quests automatically or choosing to manually accept or decline each prompt. Most landscape quests can only be completed once, some special landscape quests and most instance quests can be completed once a day any number of times, and a few landscape quests can be repeated at any time up to a certain number of times.

Quests are categorized according to what area, instance or other section they are associated with. Of note are the Epic Quests, a series that tells the main storyline of the game. In imitation of [[The Lord of the Rings|the Lord of the Rings book]], the epic quests are divided into Volumes, which are divided into Books which in turn are divided into Chapters. Each Chapter is usually an individual quest. Epic Quests bring the player through the landscape but are considered apart from it, therefore most Epic Quests are available to all players regardless of whether or not any quest packs are unlocked. A notable exception is the end of [[Allies of the King|Volume III: Allies of the King]], which requires purchase of the Helm's Deep expansion to complete. The Black Book of Mordor, the new main storyline for quests after the Epic Books, has eight chapters, all spanning various areas in Middle Earth including [[Mordor]], the Strongholds of the North, the [[Iron Hills]], and the [[Ered Mithrin]].

===Deeds===
Deeds are non-repeatable achievements recorded on an interface window called the Deed Log. Common deed objectives include completing a certain number of quests in a particular area or region (Quest Deeds), defeating a certain number of enemies of a specific type in a particular region (Slayer Deeds), discovering specified locations (Explorer Deeds), and reaching the next tier of reputation with a faction. Most Deeds award Turbine points. Deeds in a particular region usually award reputation in that region's faction. Deeds also commonly reward marks, virtues, and titles

===Instances===
Instances are locations in the game separated from the open landscape, not accessible through normal travel. Instances can take place in either separate versions of the locations available on the landscape (for example, Pelargir while Aragorn's host retakes it from the corsairs) or in locations not accessible anywhere else (such as Dale). Most instances are private instances, that is, only one player or group of players can enter it and it closes when they complete it, while public instances can be joined at any time by any number of separate players. They are often repeatable, with ones associated with landscape quests being replayable through a Reflecting Pool in the associated region and others accessible through the Instance Finder window. Most private instances have associated quests automatically bestowed upon entering the instance and cancelled upon exiting.

===Fellowships and Kinships===
Most open landscape content and associated instances are designed to be completable by a solo player, while some locations in the game and Instance Finder instances are meant for a team of players. A group of players with a maximum size of six is known as a fellowship. For larger groups, a raid of up to four fellowships can be formed, for a maximum group size of 24 players. Players are free to group on the open landscape and in public instances, but private instances have a limit on how many players may enter.

Players can found and join lasting organizations known as Kinships in the game. Players in a kinship can communicate in their own kinship chat channel to socialize and plan events with their fellow members.

===Monster Play===
The game is primarily Player vs. Environment (PvE), with most combat being player characters against computer controlled enemies found throughout the landscape and instances. However in the [[Ettenmoors]] region, players can participate in Player vs. Monster Player battles (PvMP). Players can create Monster characters that only have access to PvMP areas where they battle standard characters, who fight on the side of the Free Peoples. Each monster player class is limited to a specific race. The monster classes are the Blackarrow (Uruk), Defiler (Orc), Reaver (Orc), Stalker (Warg), Warleader (Uruk), and Weaver (Spider) As of [[The Lord of the Rings Online#Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath|Update 16.2]] a new PvMP area, set in Osgiliath before Boromir's journey to Rivendell and accessed via a banner in the Ettenmoors, was released.



Towns and settlements provide Vendors where players can purchase or repair their armour, weapons, and supplies. Towns also often include Mailboxes, Auction Halls, Class Trainers, Forge-masters, Relic-masters, and Stable-masters who allow swift travel between regions.

The player interface allows other aspects of gameplay such as Character screens, Quest and Deed Logs, a Social Panel where players can interact, and a Crafting panel where players use skills to craft new items.

==Releases==
===Shadows of Angmar===
:{{Main|The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar}}
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar|Shadows of Angmar]]'' was released on [[24 April|April 24]], [[2007]]. It included books 1 through 8 of Epic Volume I: Shadows of Angmar. Approximately once every two months a major free update was added to ''The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar''. Each update added a new book to the volume.

====Book 9: Shores of Evendim====
{{#ev:youtubehd|VOEcXrbG4OI|200|thumb}}
The first free content update was released on June 14, 2007.<ref>[http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=3611&pagename=home&search=yes&keyword=Book%209 Book 9: Shores of Evendim Release Date Announced]</ref>

Updates included:
*A new region - [[Evendim]] - is added, including locations like [[Annúminas]].<ref name="book9">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/news/pressreleases/136-book-9-shores-of-evendim-release-date-announced|articlename=Book 9: Shores of Evendim Release Date Announced!|dated=5 June 2007|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
*The epic story is expanded with book 9, [[Shores of Evendim]]<ref name="book9"/>
*100 new quests are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*A 24-player raid is added, ''Battle for Helegrod''.<ref name="book9"/>
*Nine new monsters are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*New Collectible armour sets are added.<ref name="book9"/>
*Updates to the music system.<ref name="book9"/>

====Book 10: The City of Kings====
:{{Main|The City of Kings}}
The second free-content update was released on August 21, 2007 in North America and on August 24, 2007 in Europe.<ref>| [http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=3949&pagename=home&search=yes&keyword=Book%209 Codemasters Online and Turbine unveil Book 10: The City of the Kings]</ref>

Updates included:
*Continuation of the Story Line.
*Legendary Play – Players can now use Destiny Points to play as a Ranger of the North or as a Troll.
*Critter Play – Players can now explore Middle-earth from a different viewpoint as a chicken.
*New Reputation and Bartering Systems – The Reputation system enables players to earn positive and negative standing with different races and groups in Middle-earth based on both monster kills and quest completions. The Bartering system allows players to trade trophies earned in battle for rewards, such as armour sets or mounts.
*Over 100 new Quests.
*More customizable user interface.

====Book 11: Prisoner of the Free Peoples====
:{{Main|Prisoner of the Free Peoples}}
The third free-content update was released on October 24, 2007 in North America<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/article/430 Turbine and Codemasters Online Gaming to Unveil Book 11: Defenders of Eriador for The Lord of the Rings Online]</ref> and October 25 in Europe.<ref>[http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=4661&articletype=News Codemasters Online and Turbine to unveil Book 11: Defenders of Eriador]</ref>

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_11_Official complete release notes]):
*Continuation of the Epic Story arc, including 13 quests.
*Player housing – players will be able to customize their houses with items such as furniture and doormats.
*Second raid called "The Rift" – 12-player raid in which players encounter a [[Balrogs|Balrog]] for the first time. Turbine has stressed that this is not the [[Durin's Bane|Balrog from Khazad-dûm]].<ref>[http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=287 Book 11 Preview: The Balrogs are Coming]</ref>
*Two new areas – Tâl Bruinen in the Trollshaws, where [[Gollum]] will be introduced for the first time, and Goblin-town in the [[Misty Mountains]], featured in ''The Hobbit''.
*More than 100 new quests.

====Book 12: The Ashen Wastes====
:{{Main|The Ashen Wastes}}
The fourth free content update was released on February 13, 2008 in North America; and February 14, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_12_Official complete release notes]):
*Continuation of the Story Line.
*Character customization - Increased character customization "ranging from haircuts, to some (possible) additions to the trait-system." In addition, the Outfit system, along with special social clothing designed just for it, will be introduced where a second or third set of clothing can be slotted and displayed while retaining the statistical bonuses of the currently equipped items.<ref>[http://lotro.stratics.com/content/hoclog/hoc10.php Lord of the Rings Online: House of Commons ]</ref>
*The Delving of Frór - A new Monster Play PVE (and PVMP under certain circumstances) area was introduced: An expanse of caves and catacombs located beneath the Ettenmoors.
*The Great Angmar Revamp - A revamp of the most high-level region of the game's current 9 PvE regions. The revamp included the reworking of many quests, areas and other changes, such as new horse routes.
*Barbershop - You can customize the look of your avatar in-game with around 50 new haircuts and second set of details.
*Updates to the Burglar, Guardian, and Champion classes.

====Book 13: Doom of the Last-King====
:{{Main|Doom of the Last-King}}
The fifth free content update was released on April 24, 2008 in North America and on May 1, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_13_Official complete release notes]):
*A new playable map area: the Ice Bay of [[Forochel]].
*Players being able to see the ocean for the first time, confirmed as the Ice Bay of Forochel in recent developer chats.
*Fishing - the first of a new system in ''Lord of the Rings Online'', called 'hobbies'.
*New PVMP Monster Healing Class - Orc Defiler.
*Looking For Fellowship- and Quest-panel improvements.

====Book 14: The Ring-forges of Eregion====
:{{Main|The Ring-forges of Eregion}}
The sixth free content update was released on July 22, 2008 in North America. It was released on July 24, 2008 in Europe.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Book_14_Official complete release notes]):
*Climax of the "Shadows of Angmar" storyline.
*Added selected sections of [[Eregion]] (Region leading towards the Gates of Moria).
*Epic Quest events that will allow interaction between players regardless of server.
*Prelude quests for and leading up to the ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria|Mines of Moria]]'' expansion, which would have updates leading to Lothlórien, Fangorn, Rhovanion and Rohan.

====Book 15: Daughter of Strife====
:{{Main|Daughter of Strife}}
The seventh free content update was released on November 18, 2008. This update was released in tandem with the Mines of Moria expansion for players who did not purchase the expansion release.

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Category:Epic_-_Vol._I,_Book_15:_Daughter_of_Strife_Quests Epic - Vol. I, Book 15: Daughter of Strife Quests epic]):
*Conclusion of the "Shadows of Angmar" storyline.
*Added the zone of Eregion expanding on the selected sections from Book 14. The zone does not include the Hollin Gate leading to the Black Pool.
*Added UI enhancements

===Mines of Moria Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria]]''
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria|Mines of Moria]]'' was released on [[18 November|November 18]], [[2008]]. It included Vol. II books 1 through 6 of the epic quest line. Like ''Shadows of Angmar'', ''Mines of Moria'' continued to regularly release updates. Updates were less frequent than Shadows of Angmar.

====Book 7: Leaves of Lórien====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Leaves of Lórien.png|thumb|300px]]Book 7 was released on [[17 March]] [[2009]]. This update included:
* Continuation of the Epic Storyline in Book 7, [[Leaves of Lórien]].<ref name="book7">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/book-spotlights/342-vol2book7|articlename=Volume II: Book 7: Leaves of Lórien Spotlight|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
* Expansion of the Lothlórien Area, including [[Caras Galadhon]].<ref name="book7"/>
* A new raid, named ''Strange Happenings'', has been added.<ref name="book7"/>
* The [[Galadhrim]] are added as a new reputation faction.<ref name="book7"/>
* Crafting instances enable players to gather resources.<ref name="book7"/>
* The [[Ered Luin Introduction]] and, on lesser scale, the [[Bree-land Introduction]] are revamped.<ref name="book7"/>
* Several new Monster Play emotes are added.<ref name="book7"/>

====Book 8: Scourge of Khazad-dum====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Scourge of Khazad-Dûm.png|thumb|300px]]Book 8 was released on June 23, 2009. This update included:
*Book 8, [[Scourge of Khazad-dûm]], continues the epic story.<ref name="book8">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/book-spotlights/421-vol2-book8|articlename=Volume II: Book 8: Scourge of Khazad-dûm|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>
* A radiance-gated multi-boss, 12-man raid - named ''Dar Narbugud'' is added.<ref name="book8"/>
* One 6-man instance is added: ''The Halls of Crafting''.<ref name="book8"/>
* Two 3-man instances are added:
** ''Lumul-nar''<ref name="book8"/>
** ''Nala-dum''<ref name="book8"/>
* Continuation of the revamp of the [[Bree-land Introduction]].<ref name="book8"/>
* The Crafting system has been revived.<ref name="book8"/>

===Siege of Mirkwood Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood]]''
''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood|Siege of Mirkwood]]'' was released on December 1, 2009 in North America and December 3, 2009 in Europe. Unlike the second expansion this edition was only available via a web-based download. It included Book 9 and the epilogue of Volume II: Mines of Moria.

Kate Paiz, Executive Producer for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'', released a letter on October 22, 2010 stating that updates will be more frequent but will not always be accompanied with a new book continuing the epic story.<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/866-producers-letter-october-2010 Producer's Letter, October-2010] lotro.com, Dev Diaries</ref>

====Book 1: Oath of the Rangers====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Oath of the Rangers.png|300px|thumb]]:''Main article [[Oath of the Rangers]]''
Book 1 was released on [[1 March|March 1]], [[2010]].<ref> [http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?t=320404 Volume III: Allies of the King has arrived!]</ref>

Updates include ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Volume_3_Allies_of_the_King_Official complete release notes]):
* The beginning of Volume III in the epic storyline.
* The ability to solo the Volume I epic storyline.
* A duo mode for most skirmishes.

====Book 2: Ride of the Grey Company====
:''Main article [[Ride of the Grey Company]]''
Book 2 was released on [[10 September|September 10]], [[2010]] in North America. ([[8 September|September 8]], [[2010]] for subscribers). It was delayed in Europe because of contractual reasons and was finally released on [[2 November]], almost two months after North America.<ref>[http://massively.joystiq.com/ Massively], [http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/v-e-me-day-lotro-europe-announces-launch-date-for-free-to-play/ V-E-ME Day: LotRO Europe announces launch date for free-to-play], dated [[29 October]], [[2010]] (accessed [[11 November]], [[2011]])</ref>

Updates included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Release_Notes_Volume_3_Book_2_Official complete release notes]):

* New region: [[Enedwaith]].
* ''Lord of the Rings Online'' Free to Play subscription.
* Book 2 in the Volume III epic storyline.
* Scalable instances.
* Improvements to the vault, and a new wardrobe system for cosmetic items.
* Updates to the Captain class.
* The LOTRO store, where players may purchase convenience items. Points either earned through gameplay, through the VIP program or by being purchased.
* The introduction of Lua Scripting.
* DirectX 11 support.
* Ranger session play.

====Update 1: Journey to Winter-Home====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 1 Journey to Winter-Home.png|300px|thumb]]The first post Free-to-play update was released in November 2010. Due to changes to how updates work this did not contain an epic book.

Updates included:

* A Barter Wallet for skirmish marks and anniversary tokens.
* Opening of Moria, Lothlorien, Mirkwood and Enedwaith to free-to-play players. Volume II and Volume III will also be available, as well the legendary item system, and the level 65 level cap all to free-to-play players.
* Vault improvements.
* Tasks: a new quest type for all levels.
* Improved reputation mounts.
* Updates to the Lore-master and Rune-keeper classes.
* Ered Luin starting area revamp.

====Update 2: Echoes of the Dead====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 2 Echoes of the Dead.png|300px|thumb]]The first update of 2011 was released on [[21 March|March 21]] in the United States and [[24 March|March 24]] for Europe.

Updates included:

* Two 3-man's, two 6-man's, and a 12-person raid were added for level 65 players.
* A special item required to craft a First Age weapon which drops from the above raid.
* Radiance was removed.
* Legendary Items were updated.
* Character panel and cosmetic system were revamped.
* The Minstrel, Hunter and Burglar classes were updated.
* Volume III Book 3: [[Echoes of the Dead]] was added.
* Volume II was revamped and made soloable, including three instances which have been converted to skirmishes.
* Improvements to the PvP starter tutorial.
* [[Evendim]] was revamped, with [[Annúminas]] being scaled down to level 40.

====Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 3 Lost Legends of Eriador.png|300px|thumb]]''Lost Legends of Eriador'' was the third update. It was released on [[23 May|May 23]], [[2011]] and included: ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Update_3,_Lost_Legends_of_Eriador,_Official complete release notes]):

* Two new 3-man scalable instances starting mid-game.
* Two new skirmishes.

===Rise of Isengard Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard]]''
The third expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is entitled ''Rise of Isengard''. The expansion was made available on September 27, 2011 and only as a digital download.<ref>[http://isengard.lotro.com/ The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard Official Homepage]</ref>

====Update 5: Armies of Isengard====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 5 Armies of Isengard.png|220px|thumb]]''Armies of Isengard'' was the first update published after the release of ''The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard''. It was released on [[12 December]] [[2011]] and included ([http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Update_5,_Armies_of_Isengard,_Official complete release notes]):

* Four new instances and a 12-man raid in and around [[Isengard]].
* [[The Prince of Rohan|Book 5]] of [[Allies of the King|Volume III]] is released.
* A new Instance finder, to form groups more easily.
* Barter currencies of skirmishes, classic and instances are unified.
* Changes to Reputation items.

====Update 6: Shores of the Great River====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 6 The Great River.png|220px|thumb]]''Shores of the Great River'' is the sixth update and was released on [[12 March]] [[2012]].<ref name="Update6&Riders"> {{webcite|author=Justin Olivetti|articleurl=http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/riding-into-rohan-lotro-maps-out-2012/|articlename=Riding into Rohan: LotRO maps out in 2012|dated=25 January 2012|website=Massively|accessed=29 January 2012}}</ref><ref name="Update6">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/game-manual/1775-update-6-great-river|articlename=Update 6 Great River|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>

*A new region, the [[Anduin|The Great River]], was added, featuring seven new areas - including [[Parth Celebrant]] - in the upper [[Anduin]]. <ref name="Update6"/>
*[[Mists of Anduin]], Book 6 of Volume III, was released, in which the player seeks the wisdom of [[Galadriel]] about troubling dreams and fights [[Easterlings]], Brigands and an ancient enemy of Rohan.<ref name="Update6"/>
*The ability to summon skirmish warriors outside skirmishes.<ref name="Update6"/>
*Updates to the Instance finder.<ref name="Update6"/>
*Currency-change in Monster Play: "Destiny" will be replaced with "Commendations". Commendations will be available for both Freeps and Creeps.<ref name="MP Currency change">{{webcite|author=Jaret Pruett|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/1776-update-6-commendations-developer-diary|articlename=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/1776-update-6-commendations-developer-diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=19 February 2012}}</ref>

====Update 7: Shades of the Past====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Update 7 Shades of the Past.png|thumb|220px]]''Shades of the Past'' is the seventh update<ref name="Update 7">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/1966|articlename=Update 7|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=12 May 2012}}</ref> and was released on 14 May, 2012.{{fact}}

*Continuation of the aforementioned currency-change.<ref name="MP Currency change"/>
*A new skirmish, "Storm on Methedras".<ref name="Update 7"/>
*Revamp of the Fornost instance and Moria region.<ref name="Update 7"/>

===Riders of Rohan Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Riders of Rohan]]''
The fourth expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is named ''Riders of Rohan''. The expansion was released on October 15, 2012. <ref name="Turbine">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/news/pressreleases/1736-warner-bros-interactive-entertainment-and-turbine-unveil-the-lord-of-the-rings-online-riders-of-rohan|articlename=WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND TURBINE UNVEIL THE LORD OF THE RINGS ONLINE™: RIDERS OF ROHAN™|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=30 January 2012}}</ref>

====Update 9: Against the Shadow====
''Against the Shadow'' is the ninth update and was released December 17, 2012. <ref name="Update 9">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.tentonhammer.com/lotro/news/lotro-update-9-coming-december-17th|articlename=LOTROs Update 9 Coming December 17th|dated=|website=www.tentonhammer.com|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*Three new three man instances.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-riders-rohan-instance-cluster-part-i|articlename=Riders of Rohan Instance Cluster, Part I|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Scaling of Dol Guldur instances.
*Completion of Moria revamp.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-revisiting-mines-moria-part-ii|articlename=Developer Diary: Revisiting the Mines of Moria, Part II|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Ability to quickly travel to turn in quests.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-travel-quest-location-behind-scenes|articlename=Update 9 - Travel To Quest Location: Behind the Scenes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Update to the Yule Festival.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-yule-festival|articlename=Update 9 - Yule Festival|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Combat revisions.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-9-combat-revisions|articlename=Update 9 - Combat Revisions|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 10: Against the Shadow, Part II====
''Against the Shadow, Part II'' is the tenth update and was released March 6, 2013.

*One six man instance and three twelve man raids.<ref name="Update 10">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-instance-cluster-developer-diary|articlename=Update 10 - Instance Cluster Developer Diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*In Their Absence instance scaling.<ref name="Update 10"/>
*Mithril Coins, a new currency used for special services.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-mithril-coin-qa|articlename=Update 10 Mithril Coin Q&A|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Agility made Wardens' primary stat.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-warden-stat-change-agility-wardens|articlename=Update 10: Warden Stat Change – Agility Wardens!|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Changes to critical defense.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-critical-defence-revision|articlename=Update 10 - Critical Defence Revision|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Unification of currency for scaling instances.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/update-10-seals-and-medallion-conversion|articlename=Update 10 - Seals and Medallion Conversion Diary|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand====
''Treachery of the White Hand'' is the eleventh update and was released May 13, 2013. <ref name="Update 11">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?511377-Update-11-Treachery-of-the-White-Hand-Release-Notes-Official|articlename=Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand Release Notes - Official|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*A new region, Wildermore, located on the previously-inaccessible plateau in the north of East Rohan.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*[[Snows of Wildermore|Book 10]] of [[Allies of the King|Volume III]] is released.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Updates to mounted combat.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Hobbit presents, daily free random items with the ability to unlock more rolls with mithril coins.<ref name="Update 11"/>
*Lalia's Market, a shop where cosmetic clothing and dyes can be purchased with mithril coins.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/lalias-market|articlename=Lalia’s Market Now Open in Bree-town!|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

===Helm's Deep Expansion===
:''Main article [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Helm's Deep]]''
The fourth expansion for ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' is named ''Helm's Deep''. The expansion was released on November 20, 2013. <ref name="TenTonHammer">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.tentonhammer.com/lotro/news/turbine-temporarily-delays-lotro-helms-deep-launch|articlename=Updated: Turbine Temporarily Delays LOTROs Helms Deep Launch|dated=|website=www.tentonhammer.com|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref> After the Helm's Deep expansion, Turbine has discontinued for three years paid expansions in favor of quarterly updates with content free to VIPs. <ref name="Looking Ahead to 2014">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?535422-A-letter-from-Executive-Producer-Kate-Paiz-Looking-Ahead-to-2014|articlename=A letter from Executive Producer Kate Paiz - Looking Ahead to 2014|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 13: The Breaking of Isengard====
''The Breaking of Isengard'' is the thirteenth update and was released April 14, 2014. <ref name="Update 13">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?546315-Update-13-The-Breaking-of-Isengard-%E2%80%93-Official-release-Notes|articlename=Update 13: The Breaking of Isengard – Official release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*Release of a new landscape consisting of post-[[Battle of Isengard]] Nan Curunir as well as the Entwood<ref name="Update 13"/>, an area consisting of the south-western part of Fangorn.
*The fourteenth and final book of [[Allies of the King|Epic Volume III: Allies of the King]], [[The Waters of Isengard]].<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/dev-diary-%E2%80%93-update-13-quest-notes|articlename=Dev Diary – Update 13 Quest Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*Misty Mountains, North Downs and Trollshaws region revamps.<ref name="Update 13"/>
*Resizable inventory bags.<ref name="Update 13"/>
*Level scaling from level 20 up for players in the Ettenmoors and temporary Ettenmoors passes for free-to-play purchasable with Mithril Coins.<ref name="Update 13"/>

====Update 14: Paths of the Dead====
''Paths of the Dead'' is the fourteenth update and was released July 14, 2014. <ref name="Update 14">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?552272-Update-14-Paths-of-the-Dead-Release-Notes-amp-Known-Issues|articlename=Update 14: Paths of the Dead - Release Notes & Known Issues |dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*Release of the West Gondor region, consisting of the areas the [[Paths of the Dead]], the [[Blackroot Vale]], [[Lamedon]], the Havens of [[Belfalas]], and [[Dol Amroth]]. <ref name="Update 14"/><ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/u14|articlename=Update 14: Paths of the Dead Now Available|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>
*A new Epic series,<ref name="Update 14"/> [[The Strength of Sauron|Volume IV: The Strength of Sauron]], beginning with [[The Road to Gondor|Book 1: The Road to Gondor]].
*The Essence System, allowing specially slotted armors to be fitted with a variety of Essences for customizable stats.<ref name="Update 14"/>.
*Level cap increase to 100.<ref name="Update 14"/>
*The [[Dead Marshes]] region was added later in the minor Update 14.2, released September 15 2014. This area included a Session Play featuring Frodo, Samwise, and Gollum's passage through the marshes, casting the player character as Sam.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?555920-Update-14-2-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 14.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 15: Gondor Aflame====
''Gondor Aflame''<ref name="U15 Announcement">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.lotro.com/en/u15|articlename=Update 15: Gondor Aflame Now Available|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref> is the fifteeth update and was released November 4, 2014. <ref name="Update 15">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?558300-Update-15-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 15 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*The region of Central Gondor, consisting of [[Ringló Vale]], [[Dor-en-Ernil]], [[Lebennin]] and [[Pelargir]].<ref name="U15 Announcement"/><ref name="Update 15"/>
*Beorning race and class.<ref name="U15 Announcement"/><ref name="Update 15"/>
*Epic Volume IV [[The Dawnless Day (The Lord of the Rings Online)|Book 2: The Dawnless Day]].<ref name="Update 15"/>
*A new Epic Battle, Retaking Pelargir.<ref name="Update 15"/> Initially only available in solo/duo mode, a full fellowship version was released in February 4, 2015 with Update 15.2.<ref name="Update 15.2">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?&postid=7312886|articlename=Update 15.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>
*Roving Threats, a new type of open landscape group content.<ref name="Update 15"/> Additional Roving Threats were added to other regions of the game beginning with Update 15.2<ref name="Update 15.2"/>

====Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath====
''Ashes of Osgiliath'' is the sixteenth update and was released May 1, 2015.<ref name="Update 16">{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?568045-Update-16-Ashes-of-Osgiliath-%E2%80%93-Official-Release-Notes|articlename=Update 16: Ashes of Osgiliath – Official Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=27 July 2015}}</ref>

*The region of Eastern Gondor, consisting of Upper Lebennin, Lossarnach, South Ithilien and Osgiliath.<ref name="Update 16"/>
*Epic Volume IV [[Voices of the Past|Book 3: Voices of the Past]].<ref name="Update 16"/>
*Cosmetic weapons and shields, more Roving Threats, and new PvMP map set in Osgiliath were released with Update 16.2 in July 17, 2015. A new quest series of weekly episodic content, following the adventures of the Hobbit Bingo Boffin, was begun the Wednesday after the update, on July 22.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?572512-Update-16-2-Release-Notes&p=7404279#post7404279|articlename=Update 16.2 Release Notes|dated=|website=LOTRO|accessed=28 July 2015}}</ref>

====Update 17: The Siege of Minas Tirith====
''The Siege of Minas Tirith'' is the seventeenth update and was released 27 October 2015.

*The region of Old Anórien, including [[Minas Tirith]], the [[Pelennor Fields]], and Talath Anor.
*Epic Volume IV [[Siege of the White City|Book 4: Siege of the White City]]
*New crafting tier, hidden cosmetic weapon toggle.
*New Epic Battles: Defence of Minas Tirith, Hammer of the Underworld.

====Update 18: The Battle of Pelennor Fields====
''The Battle of Pelennor fields'' is the eighteenth update and was released 11 April 2016.

*The region of Far Anórien, including [[Drúadan Forest|Taur Drúadan]], [[Warning beacons of Gondor|Beacon hills]], and the Pelennor Fields during the battle.
*Instance cluster including two 3-man instances (The Quays of the Harlond, The Blood of the Black Serpent), one 6-man instance (The Silent Street) and a 12-man raid (Throne of the Dread Terror).
*Epic Volume IV [[The Ride of the Rohirrim|Book 5: The Ride of the Rohirrim]] and [[The Battle of Pelennor Fields|Book 6: The Battle of Pelennor Fields]].

====Update 19: March of the King====
''March of the King'' is the nineteenth update and was released 14 October 2016.

*The region March of the King, including [[North Ithilien]], after battle Minas Tirith, after battle Osgiliath, and after battle Pelennor Fields.
*Flora barter system to exchange new gear for flowers.
*Epic Volume IV [[March of the King|Book 7: March of the King]].

====Update 20: Battle of the Black Gate====
''Battle of the Black Gate'' is the twentieth update and was released 21 March 2017.

*The region The Wastes, including Noman-lands, [[Slag-hills]] and [[Dagorlad]] which surround the [[Black Gate]].
*New reputation items to exchange for armour.
*Epic Volume IV [[Battle of the Black Gate|Book 8: Battle of the Black Gate]].

===Mordor Expansion===
''Mordor'' is the sixth expansion, and the twenty-first update, released on August 2nd, 2017.

*The region Plateau of [[Gorgoroth]] includes five different areas, [[Udûn]], Dor Amarth, Lhingris, Talath Urui, and Agarnaith.
*The conclusion of the Epic Questline (and Volume 4), with Book 9.
*A new series of quests, the "Black Book of Mordor", becomes the main storyline after the conclusion of the Epic Quests. There are four chapters introduced in this update.
*The Allegiance System is introduced, players can pledge to one of four factions to gain greater rewards in [[Mordor]]. They are the Kingdom of [[Gondor]], the Court of [[Lothlórien]], [[Durin's Folk]], and the Hobbits of the Company.
*A new instance cluster is introduced, featuring a 3-man instance (The Court of Seregost), a 6-man instance (The Dungeons of Naerband), and a 12-man raid (The Abyss of Mordath).

===Update 22: Legacy of the Necromancer===
''Legacy of the Necromancer'' is the twenty-second update, released on March 6th, 2018.

*The new region "[[Eryn Lasgalen]] and the Dale-lands" (otherwise known as the "Strongholds of the North" or "Northern Mirkwood"), features the Forest of Eryn Lasgalen (including the [[Halls of the Elven-king]] (known as Felegoth), The Dale-lands (featuring iconic locations such as The [[Long Lake]], [[Lake-town]], [[Dale]], and [[Ravenhill]]), and [[Erebor]], the Lonely Mountain.
*Three new reputation factions are introduced; the "Elves of Felegoth", the "Men of Dale", and the "Dwarves of Erebor".
*The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new region.

===Update 23: Where Dragons Dwell===
''Where Dragons Dwell'' is the twenty-third update, released on October 9th, 2018.

*The new area "The Dwarf-holds", consists of two areas; The [[Iron Hills]], and [[Ered Mithrin]]. An expanded area of [[Erebor]] is also opened.
*A new instance cluster is introduced, featuring two 3-man instances (Caverns of Thrumfall and Glimmerdeep), a six-man instance (Thikil-gundu), and a 12-man raid (The Anvil of Winterstith).
*The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new areas.

===Update 24: Vales of Anduin===
''Vales of Anduin'' is the twenty-fourth update, released on June 4th, 2019.

*A new region, the [[Vales of Anduin]] was released, containing several key locations such as the Beorninghus ([[Beorn's Hall]]), [[The Carrock]], the [[Eagle's Eyrie]], the [[Gladden Fields]], [[Rhosgobel]], and various settlements of the [[Woodmen]].

*Update 24.2 brought the "Gladdenmere" sub-region to the Vales, along with a single six-man instance, "The Depths of Kidzul-kalah.

*The Black Book of Mordor continues with two new chapters exploring the new area.

==Added Elements==
There are a number of elements that do not appear in any of the published works. This includes characters, lineages, objects and locations.

===Characters===
* '''[[Amarthiel]]''' served the [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]] during his first reign over [[Angmar]]<ref>In the game the Witch-king reigned over Angmar again shortly before the [[War of the Ring]].</ref> and wore the [[lesser rings|lesser ring]] [[Narchuil]]. She was slain by [[Narmeleth]] at the [[Battle of Fornost]] and her soul wandered [[Middle-earth]] for over a thousand years. She managed to possess Narmeleth and disguised herself as Sara Oakheart. She eventually revealed herself after the defeat of [[Mordirith]] by [[Golodir]] and becomes the Regent of Angmar.

* '''[[Andraste]]''' was a female [[Men|Man]] who served the [[Witch-king]].

* '''[[Jon Brackenbrook]]''' was a [[Men|Man]] who was captain of [[Archet]].

* '''[[Ronald Dwale]]''' was a [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] from [[Dwalling]]. He was an author and a member of [[The Inklings (LOTRO)|the Inklings]], that meets in the [[Bird and Baby Inn]]. He was based on [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] himself.

* '''[[Éogan]]''' was the second in command of the [[Blackwolds]] and took over leadership of the group after William Skunkwood's death.

* '''The Huntsman''' was a spirit found in [[Enedwaith]] who took the shape of a large man with horns of a stag. Many players thought this was [[Oromë]]. The developers confirmed that it wasn't Oromë but a [[Maiar|Maia]] of Oromë.<ref>[http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?359604-big-D-small-d&p=4996860&highlight=#post4996860 big D, small d] [[Jonathan Rudder]], lotro.com forums</ref>

* '''[[Ivar the Bloodhand]]''' was a Gaunt-lord from the [[First Age]].

* '''[[Mordirith]]''' was the Steward of Angmar.

* '''[[Narmeleth]]''' was an elf maiden of [[Rivendell]] and daughter of [[Laerdan]]. She slew [[Amarthiel]] during the [[Battle of Fornost]] and became possessed by her soul over a thousand years later.

* '''[[Mundo Sackville-Baggins]]''' was a [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] who was mistakenly identified as having the ring.

* '''[[William Skunkwood]]''' was the leader of the [[Blackwolds]].

* '''[[Skorgrím]]''' was a dwarf and leader of the [[Dourhands]]. He was slain during the Battle of Edhelion. His corpse was used as a vehicle by Ivar the Bloodhand who possessed it with a fell spirit to trick the Dourhands to ally themselves with the forces of [[Angmar]].

* '''[[Sambrog]]''' was the Wight-lord of the [[Barrow-downs]].

===Groups===
* '''The [[Blackwolds]]''' were a group of [[Men|Mannish]] brigands from [[Bree-land]].

* '''The [[Dourhands]]''' was a clan of dwarves aligned with the forces of [[Angmar]]. They were the dwarves that stayed behind to rebuild the Dwarven Halls in the [[Blue Mountains]] which were destroyed during the [[War of Wrath]].

* '''The [[Inklings (Shadows of Angmar)|Inklings]]''' are a group of [[Hobbits|Hobbit]]-authors who discuss literature. They meet each other in the [[Bird and Baby Inn]]. Prominent members are [[Ronald Dwale]] ([[J.R.R. Tolkien]]), [[Owen Farfield]] ([[Owen Barfield]]), [[Carlo Williams]] ([[Charles Williams]]) and [[Jack Lewisdown]] ([[C.S. Lewis]]). The group and members are based on the real [[Inklings]]

===Objects===
* '''[[Narchuil]]''' was one of the [[lesser rings]] forged by the elven-smiths during the [[Second Age]].

===Locations===
* '''[[Agamaur]]''' was a vast swamp of the [[Lone-lands]]. It was a site of a major battle between [[Arthedain]], [[Cardolan]] and [[Rhudaur]]. To the west were the ruins of Ost Guruth, a fortress of [[Arnor]] claimed by the nomadic Eglain. To the east lay the ruins of Garth Agarwen, a fortress of Rhudaur ruled by [[Hill-men]] loyal to the mysterious Red Maid.

* '''[[Esteldin]]''' was a ruin of Arnor in the [[North Downs]]. At the time of the [[War of the Ring]], it was used as a base of operations by the [[Rangers of the North]].

*'''[[Falathlorn]]''' was a green and beautiful region of the [[Ered Luin]] favored by the Elves. It contained the Elvish havens of Duillond and Celondim. Not far from this region were the chilly Low-lands, site of the Dwarvish cities Gondamon and Kheledul.

*'''[[Galtrev]]''' was one of the largest towns of [[Dunland]], the nominal capitol of the country.

*'''[[Maur Tulhau]]''' was a [[Stoors|Stoorish]] Hobbit village in [[Enedwaith]] located in the forbidding Gloomgens. It was an remnant of the time when the Stoors lived in this region before most of their number moved north to [[The Shire]].

* '''[[Othrongroth]]''' was the oldest and largest Edain mound in the [[Barrow-downs]].

*'''[[Stangard]]''' was a [[Rohirrim]] settlement near the Great River [[Anduin]]. Its inhabitants were mostly exiles sent to protect [[Rohan]]'s outer borders.

* '''[[Tinnudir]]''' was an island in [[Lake Evendim]]. It was used as a headquarters by a group of Rangers called the Wardens of [[Annúminas]], protectors of the ancient capitol of Arnor.

===Structures===
* '''[[Bird and Baby Inn]]''' was an inn in [[Michel Delving]].

==Servers==
===American servers===
All American servers are hosted by [[Turbine]].
*[[Arkenstone]]
*[[Moria|Dwarrowdelf]]
*[[Gladden River|Gladden]]
*[[Meneldor]]
*[[Celebrant|Silverlode]]
*[[Brandywine]]
*[[Elendilmir]]
*[[Rivendell|Imladris]]
*[[Nimrodel]]
*[[Landroval]]
*[[Rohan|Riddermark]]
*[[Windfola]]

===European servers===
The European servers were originally created and hosted by [[Codemasters]], but on [[1 June]] [[2011]] Lotro Europe was taken over by Turbine, who currently host the European servers.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.casualstrolltomordor.com/2011/04/turbines-lotro-service-goes-global/|articlename=Turbine's LOTRO Service Goes Global|dated=24 April 2011|website=A Casual Stroll to Mordor|accessed=2 January 2012}}</ref>

==License==

For ''The Lord of the Rings Online'', [[Turbine]] has licensed the rights to the content and lore of ''[[The Hobbit]]'' and ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. Turbine does not have license rights to the [[New Line Cinema]] film trilogy nor ''[[The Silmarillion]]'', ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'', ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'' books or ''[[The Children of Húrin]]''.

==Discrepancies from the source material==
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' does not follow the story as told in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', but rather tells stories about events that happened during the same time period as the events told in J.R.R. Tolkien's book

==Reception==
''The Lord of the Rings Online'' has been received very positively thus far, as reviews continue to appear since the game's initial release.<ref>[http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/middleearthonline Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, The - Review] metacritic.com</ref>

GameDaily awarded the game 9/10, praising its rich, fantasy-themed universe, well-integrated trait and title system, and a story that remains true to the works of Tolkien. Yahoo! Video Games wrote a review with few negative mentions, awarding the game a score of 4/5,<ref>[http://videogames.yahoo.com/gamereview?cid=1990963744&tab=reviews&page=0&eid=513259 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] Yahoo! Games</ref> while ''Computer and Video Games'' called the game an essential purchase for ''Lord of the Rings'' fans, scoring the game a 9.2/10.<ref>[http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=161846&skip=yes PC Review: Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] ''Computer and Video Games''</ref> Eurogamer scored the game a 9.0/10, calling it tough to resist.<ref>[http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=75657 Review - Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] Eurogamer</ref> Gamespy gave it 4.5/5 stars, claiming the game "opened up Middle-Earth to the masses" but commented negatively on its weak PvP content,<ref>[http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/lord-of-the-rings-online-shadows-of-angmar/785884p1.html The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] GameSpy</ref> while GameTrailers awarded it 8.5/10,<ref>[http://www.gametrailers.com/gamepage.php?id=754 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar] Game Trailers</ref> citing its interesting tweaks to the MMO genre. IGN.com ranked it a similar 8.6/10, praising it for its solid experience, though criticizing it for its lack of major improvements to the genre.<ref>[http://pc.ign.com/articles/787/787942p3.html The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Review] IGN</ref> GamerNode.com awarded the game an 8.8/10, calling it the best MMO launch experience since ''Ultima Online''.<ref>[http://www.gamernode.com/PC/Reviews/2848-Lord-of-the-Rings-Online-Review/index.html Lord of the Rings Online] GamerNode</ref> The ''New York Times'' called the game "a major achievement of interactive storytelling, the first game truly worthy of the ‘Lord of the Rings' franchise and a must-play for just about anyone with an interest in Tolkien or the future of online entertainment."<ref>[http://lotro.turbine.com/article/356 Lord of the Rings Online Press Release] Lord of the Rings Online</ref> In a GameSpot review, the product was awarded an 8.3/10, praising its appealing polish and intriguing Monster Play feature.<ref>[http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/middleearthonline/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=topten&tag=topten;all;score;5 The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar for PC Review] GameSpot</ref> Gamepro.com's review gave it an overall 4.25/5, pointing out how engaging the epic quests are, as well as how faithful to the novels the game managed to stay.<ref>[http://gamepro.com/computer/pc/games/reviews/112000.shtml Review: The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar for PC] Gamepro</ref> GameSpy declared ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' 'Game of the Month' for May 2007.<ref>[http://uk.gamespy.com/articles/795/795353p2.html Game of the Month: May 2007] GameSpy</ref>

==Awards==

In August 2007, Codemasters announced that ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' had received five Golden Joystick Awards nominations for the five applicable categories for the game,<ref>[http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6925679.stm Music and vice top games awards] BBC News</ref> and in October 2007 that it had won the "PC Game of the Year" at these awards.<ref>[http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7693&Itemid=2 Gears Wins Big at Game Awards] Next-Generation</ref> and again won the same award on October 2008. In December 2007, GameSpy awarded ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' 6th place in the top 10 PC games of 2007.<ref>[http://goty.gamespy.com/2007/pc/6.html GameSpy's Game of the Year 2007] GameSpy</ref> On December 18, Turbine announced it had also won the GameSpy MMO of the Year award.<ref>[http://www.lotro.com/article/476 LOTRO Wins Top Honors from Gamespy!] Lord of the Rings Online</ref> In January 2009, mmorpg.com awarded Turbine both MMORPG studio of the year 2008<ref>[http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/45/feature/2574/Best-MMO-Studio-of-2008-Winner MMORPG.com Best MMO Studo of 2008] mmorpg.com</ref>, and MMO Expansion of the Year for ''Mines of Moria''.<ref>[http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/45/feature/2579 MMORPG.com Best Expansion of 2008] mmorpg.com</ref>

==Subscription Model==
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Free to Play.png|300px|thumb]]
In North America, players who pre-ordered the game were offered a special founder's offer, a lifetime subscription for $199 or reduced cost of $9.99 per month. Standard monthly fee is $14.99 with three, six, twelve month, and lifetime discounts available. European players had a similar program from Codemasters.

A Holiday subscription was available in December of 2007 and January of 2008 for $9.99/month for a 3 month commitment. A one year anniversary addition includes a $9.99/month subscription or a $199.99 Lifetime subscription, which was again offered during the lead up to the release of Mines of Moria.

Warner Bros. announced on June 4, 2010 that Lord of the Rings Online will offer a free-to-play model starting in the fall of 2010.<ref>[http://turbine.com/news/105-warner-bros-interactive-entertainment-announces-the-lord-of-the-rings-online-to-adopt-global-free-to-play-model.html Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Announces The Lord of the Rings Online™ to Adopt Global Free-to-Play Model] Turbine, Inc</ref> On August 18, 2010, Warner Bros. announced that the free-to-play model would go live on September 10, 2010. On October 21, 2010, [[Codemasters]] announced that a preview of Free-to-Play would be available in Europe on October 25, 2010.<ref>[http://community.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=10839&pagename=news&type=news The Lord of the Rings Online Europe Preview Event]</ref>

==External Links==
* '''[http://lotro.com Official website]'''
** '''[http://forums.lotro.com/ LOTRO Community Website]''' , the official ''Lord of the Rings Online'' forums

{{notes}}
{{references}}

{{lotro}}
{{Videogames}}
{{title|italics}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lord of the Rings Online}}
[[Category:The Lord of the Rings Online| ]]
[[Category:Open world games]]
[[Category:Role playing games]]
[[Category:Turbine games]]

Isildur

2019-08-07T02:50:52Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Portrayal in adaptations */

{{numenorean infobox
| name=Isildur
| image=[[File:Liz Danforth - Isildur.png|250px]]
| caption="Isildur" by [[Liz Danforth]]
| pronun=
| othernames=
| titles=[[High King of the Dúnedain|High King]] of the [[Reunited Kingdom|Two Kingdoms]]: [[Kings of Arnor|King of Arnor]] and [[Kings of Gondor|King of Gondor]]
| position=[[Ring-bearer]]
| location=[[Númenor]]; [[Gondor]] and [[Arnor]]
| affiliation=The [[Faithful]]; [[Last Alliance of Elves and Men]]
| language=[[Adûnaic]], [[Sindarin]] and [[Quenya]]
| birth={{SA|3209}}
| birthlocation=[[Númenor]]
| rule={{SA|3441}} - {{TA|2}} (2 years)
| death=[[5 October]], {{TA|2}}
| deathlocation=[[Disaster of the Gladden Fields]]
| age=234
| notablefor=
| house=[[House of Elendil]], founded [[House of Isildur]]
| parentage=[[Elendil]]
| siblings=[[Anárion]]
| spouse=
| children=[[Elendur (son of Isildur)|Elendur]], [[Aratan]], [[Ciryon]] and [[Valandil (King of Arnor)|Valandil]]
| gender=Male
| height=Nigh 7 feet
| hair=Black
| eyes=Grey
| clothing=
| weapons=[[Narsil]]
| steed=
}}{{Pronounce|Isildur.mp3|Ardamir}}
'''Isildur''' was a [[Dúnedain|Dúnadan]] of [[Númenor]], the elder son of [[Elendil]], [[High King of the Dúnedain|High King]] of the [[Realms in Exile]]. He was briefly the second king of [[Gondor]] and [[Arnor]].

== History ==
===Early Years in Númenor===
Isildur was born in Númenor in {{SA|3209}}. He was the elder son of Elendil, son of [[Amandil]], the last [[Lords of Andúnië|Lord of Andúnië]]. His younger brother was [[Anárion]]. While living in the island realm he married and his first son, [[Elendur (son of Isildur)|Elendur]] was born in {{SA|3299|n}}.<ref name="Elendil">{{PM|Elendil}}</ref>

Isildur learned from Amandil that King [[Ar-Pharazôn]], under the influence of [[Sauron]], purposed to cut down [[Nimloth of Númenor|Nimloth]]. One night Isildur went in disguise to [[Armenelos]] and from the courts of the King stole a fruit from the tree before it was cut down, thus preserving the line of the [[White Tree of Gondor|White Tree]]. It is said that he received grievous wounds from the King's guards before escaping but that they all healed when a leaf first appeared on the sapling that grew from the fruit he had taken.<ref name="Akallabeth">{{S|Akallabeth}}</ref>

When Ar-Pharazôn ordered the [[Great Armament]] to assail the land of [[Aman]], Elendil and his sons prepared ships to escape from Númenor. In the ship of Isildur was guarded the young White Tree.<ref name="Akallabeth"/> When the [[Downfall of Númenor]] came in {{SA|3319|n}}<ref name="SA">{{App|SA}}</ref> Elendil and his son escaped in nine ships – four for Elendil, three for Isildur, and two for Anárion.<ref name="Akallabeth"/>

===Joint Rule of Gondor===
In the great storm that came with the drowning of Númenor the nine ships of the Exiles were borne to the east and scattered. Elendil was cast up in the land of [[Lindon]], passed up the River [[Lhûn]], and founded the realm of [[Arnor]]. Isildur and Anárion were carried to the south. Arriving at the mouths of the [[Anduin]], they ascended the great river and founded the realm of [[Gondor]].<ref name="Rings">{{S|Rings}}</ref>

Isildur set up his house in [[Minas Ithil]], where he planted the White Tree, while Anárion established his household in [[Minas Anor]]. However, they jointly ruled the kingdom and set up thrones side by side in the Great Hall of [[Osgiliath]].<ref name="Rings"/> Isildur and his wife had two more sons, [[Aratan]] (in {{SA|3339|n}}) and [[Ciryon]] (in {{SA|3379|n}}), while living in Gondor.<ref name="Elendil"/>

However, [[Sauron]] had also escaped the Downfall of Númenor. In {{SA|3320}}, while the Exiles were establishing their realms, Sauron reentered [[Mordor]] and re-established his power. In {{SA|3429|n}} [[Sauron]] captured Minas Ithil and burnt the White Tree.<ref name="SA"/> Yet Isildur escaped with his wife and sons, and a seedling of the White Tree. While Anárion held Osgiliath, Isildur and his family sailed down the Anduin, then northwest to [[Gil-galad]] in [[Lindon]] and his father in Arnor.<ref name="Rings"/>

===The War of the Last Alliance===
In {{SA|3430}}, the same year that Isildur's fourth son [[Valandil (King of Arnor)|Valandil]] was born, Isildur's father Elendil and Gil-galad formed the [[Last Alliance of Elves and Men]]. The army of the Alliance marched to [[Rivendell|Imladris]] in {{SA|3431|n}}, where Isildur left his wife and Valandil before the host moved on. In {{SA|3434|n}} the combined armies of Elves and Men crossed the [[Misty Mountains]] and marched on to the [[Dagorlad]]. There the forces of Sauron were defeated and he retreated into the [[Barad-dûr]] to withstand a siege.<ref name="SA"/>

The siege lasted seven years, but finally Elendil and Gil-galad threw down Sauron, thus winning the battle though both were slain and Elendil's sword [[Narsil]] broke under him as he fell. Isildur took the hilt shard of his father's sword and cut [[the One Ring]] from Sauron's finger. Ignoring the advice of [[Elrond]] and [[Círdan]], lieutenant of Gil-galad, Isildur did not destroy the Ring; instead he claimed it as a weregild for the deaths of his father and brother, and an heirloom for his House. <ref name="Rings"/>

===Triumph and Disaster===
After the fall of Sauron, Isildur returned to Gondor and assumed the [[Elendilmir]], proclaiming his Kingship in Arnor and sovereign lordship over the [[Dúnedain]] in both the North and the South. <ref name="Gladden">{{UT|Gladden}}</ref> He remained for a year in the South, planted the seedling of the White Tree in Minas Anor in memory of his brother [[Anárion]], put the realm to order, and instructed his nephew [[Meneldil]], son of Anárion, in the governance of the land. With Meneldil and a company of trusted friends, Isildur rode about the boundaries of Gondor and in [[Anórien]] created the [[Tomb of Elendil|tomb]] and memorial of Elendil upon the hill of [[Eilenaer]], thereafter called [[Amon Anwar]].<ref>{{UT|Cirion}}</ref> While he remained there, he wrote an [[Scroll of Isildur|account]] on how he acquired the Ring, its significance to his [[House of Isildur|House]] and where he transcribed a [[Ring Verse|verse]] around the Ring while it was still hot.<ref>{{FR|Council}}</ref>

When Isildur finally felt free to leave he committed the rule of Gondor to Meneldil and with his three sons departed on [[5 September|5]] [[Ivanneth]], {{TA|2}}. Instead of heading west and then north they journeyed northwards along the Anduin in order to first come to Imladris where his wife and little son Valandil were.<ref name="Rings"/> On the thirtieth day of the journey, [[5 October|5]] [[Narbeleth]], the King, his sons, and his Guard of two hundred knights and soldiers reached the northern borders of the [[Gladden Fields]]. Isildur believed that all soldiers of the Enemy perished so his camp was unguarded.<ref name="Rings"/> There they were ambushed by a band of [[Orcs]] said to be ten times their number.

As the Orcs closed in, Isildur sent his esquire [[Ohtar]] with one companion to fly with the shards of Narsil. The enemy charged and charged again. One by one Isildur's sons died about him; Elendur was the last and he insisted that Isildur leave with the One Ring. Isildur placed the Ring upon his finger and vanished from the [[Disaster of the Gladden Fields|battle]].

The Orcs could still sense his smell<ref name="Rings"/> and Isildur ran to the Anduin and swam across the river. It was during this effort that the One Ring slipped from his finger. As he struggled to escape the reeds and rushes on the shore a small party of Orcs spotted him and shot him. He fell back into the water and no trace of him was found by Elves or Men.<ref name="Gladden"/>

===Legacy===
The [[House of Isildur|line of Isildur]] continued, for Valandil became king of Arnor. Isildur's line continued unbroken throughout the [[Third Age]] until it formed the basis for [[Aragorn]]'s claim to the kingship of Arnor and Gondor after the downfall of Sauron.<ref>{{RK|VI5}}</ref>

In the riddling rhyme "''Seek for the Sword that was Broken''" the Ring is referred to cryptically as ''Isildur's Bane''.<ref>{{FR|II2}}</ref>

After the [[War of the Ring]] the tower of [[Orthanc]] was opened, for King Elessar desired its restoration. Behind a hidden door in a steel closet was found Isildur's [[Star of Elendil|Elendilmir]]. It was surmised that [[Saruman]] had found the bones of the long-lost king and had taken the ''[[mithril]]'' fillet with its jewel for his own, possibly destroying the king's remains afterwards.<ref name="Gladden"/>

==Etymology==

''Isildur'' is a [[Quenya]] name, meaning "Servant of the Moon" (''[[Ithil]]'' "Moon" + ''[[-dur]]'' "servant").<ref>{{PE|Eldarin}}, p. 28</ref>

== Genealogy ==
{{familytree/start}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | | | | | | AMA | | | | | |AMA=[[Amandil]] ''Sailed west {{SA|3316}}''†}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | | | | | | |!| | | | | | |}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | | | | | | ELE | | | | | |ELE=[[Elendil]] ''{{SA|3119}} - {{SA|3441|n}}''†}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | |,|-|-|-|-|^|-|-|-|-|.| |}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | ISI | | | | | | | | ANA |ISI='''ISILDUR''' ''{{SA|3209}} - {{TA|2}}''†|ANA=[[Anárion]] ''{{SA|3219}} - {{SA|3440|n}}''†}}
{{familytree | |,|-|-|-|v|-|^|-|v|-|-|-|.| | | |:| |}}
{{familytree | ELE | | ARA | | CIR | | VAL | | GON |ELE=[[Elendur (son of Isildur)|Elendur]] ''{{SA|3299}} - {{TA|2}}''†|ARA=[[Aratan]] ''{{SA|3339}} - {{TA|2}}''†|CIR=[[Ciryon]] ''{{SA|3379}} - {{TA|2}}''†|VAL=[[Valandil (King of Arnor)|Valandil]] ''{{SA|3430}} - {{TA|249}}''|GON=[[Kings of Gondor|''Kings of Gondor'']]}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | | | | | | | |!| | | | | |}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | | | | | | | ELD | | | | |ELD=[[Eldacar (King of Arnor)|Eldacar]] ''{{TA|87}} - {{TA|339|n}}''}}
{{familytree/end}}

==Portrayal in adaptations==
[[File:The Lord of the Rings - The Motion Picture Trilogy - Isildur.jpg|thumb|[[Harry Sinclair]] as Isildur in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'']]
'''1978: [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1978 film)]]:'''
:Prince Isildur is mentioned in the [[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1978 scene)|prologue]], and he is shown to cut the Ring off Sauron's hand in battle, rather than from a defeated Sauron.

'''2001-2002: [[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (film series)]]:'''
:Isildur briefly appears in the first scenes of [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring|the first film]], as well as an extended flashback scene. Isildur is played by [[Harry Sinclair]]. Sinclair, a friend of [[Peter Jackson]], was asked because he was the most corrupt looking person Jackson knew. Sinclair had only one line, "No!", which was dubbed by [[Hugo Weaving]].

:In the movie, Isildur apparently is the last king of Gondor; Anárion and heirs and Arnor do not appear at all. However, in the Extended Editions both Arnor and the House of Anárion are mentioned, and at times it is clear that Isildur was not the last King, so this might be dialogue error. The story of Isildur's succumbing to the temptation of the Ring bothers Aragorn who fears that he could have the same weakness (a fear that is not evident in the book).

'''2002: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)]]'':'''
:In the game starts with a prologue, where you control Isildur on the slopes of Mount Doom. After you complete the mission you see how Isildur defeats Sauron. By completing the Tower of Orthanc bonus level, Isildur becomes a playable character in the other stages, where he takes the place of his descendant Aragorn. Strangely, Isildur's version of the "Tower of Orthanc" level has the same script as Aragorn's, leading to Saruman referring to the ancient King of Gondor as a "ragtag Ranger".

[[File:Isildur-LOTRO.jpg|thumb|Isildur's appearance in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]''.]]
'''2006: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II]]'':'''
:Isildur appears only in cinematics battling [[Sauron]]. However, in the [[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II: The Rise of the Witch-king|expansion pack ''The Rise of the Witch-king'']], Isildur is mentioned more detailed in the [[Angmar]] campaign.

'''2007-2019: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Isildur makes an appearance in a flashback scene titles "At the Stone of Erech". It covers the oath gives to Isildur by the men of [[Dunharrow]], subsequent return of Sauron several years later, the betrayal of the Dunharrow men and the curse that Isildur lays upon them. He also appears during the [[Battle of Dagorlad]], during the High Elf introduction, as well as in a flashback of the battle.

:With Update 24.2, it is revealed that the Shade of Isildur was saved by Gultháva, the River-maiden of the Gladden, who kept the lost king secluded within a secret grotto in order to protect him from harm. He is encountered after the [[War of the Ring]], in an abandoned dwarf-hold situated above the [[Gladden Fields]].

== Titles ==
{{seq-start}}
{{seq-head
| race=numenorean
| house=[[House of Elendil]] Cadet branch of [[House of Elros]]
| born={{SA|3209}}
| died={{TA|2}}
}}
{{seq
| prow=3
| prev=[[Elendil]]
| list=2nd [[Kings of Arnor|King of Arnor]]
| dates={{SA|3441}} – {{TA|2}}
| next=[[Valandil (King of Arnor)|Valandil]]
}}
{{seq
| list=2nd [[Kings of Gondor|King of Gondor]]
| dates={{SA|3441}} – {{TA|2}}
| next=[[Meneldil]]
}}
{{seq
| list=2nd [[High King of the Dúnedain|High King]] of the [[Realms in Exile|Two Kingdoms]]
| dates={{SA|3441}} – {{TA|2}}
| next=Next held by: '''[[Aragorn]]''', 3017 years later
| nvac=Vacant
}}
{{seq
| prev=[[Sauron]]
| list=2nd [[Ring-bearer]]
| dates={{SA|3441}} – {{TA|2}}
| next=Next held by: '''[[Déagol]]''', c. 2461 years later
| nvac=Vacant
}}
{{seq-end}}
{{northernline}}
{{southernline}}
{{ringbearers}}
== See Also ==
* [[:Category:Images of Isildur|Images of Isildur]]

{{references}}
[[Category:Characters in The Silmarillion]]
[[Category:House of Elendil]]
[[Category:House of Isildur| ]]
[[Category:Quenya names]]
[[Category:Ring-bearers]]
[[Category:Rulers of Arnor]]
[[Category:Rulers of Gondor]]
[[Category:Second Age characters]]
[[Category:Third Age characters]]
[[de:Isildur]]
[[fr:encyclo/personnages/hommes/2a/numenoreens/isildur]]
[[fi:Isildur]]

Isildur

2019-08-07T02:50:24Z

Sinordloresearcher: Updating Lotro Page to Current Standing.

{{numenorean infobox
| name=Isildur
| image=[[File:Liz Danforth - Isildur.png|250px]]
| caption="Isildur" by [[Liz Danforth]]
| pronun=
| othernames=
| titles=[[High King of the Dúnedain|High King]] of the [[Reunited Kingdom|Two Kingdoms]]: [[Kings of Arnor|King of Arnor]] and [[Kings of Gondor|King of Gondor]]
| position=[[Ring-bearer]]
| location=[[Númenor]]; [[Gondor]] and [[Arnor]]
| affiliation=The [[Faithful]]; [[Last Alliance of Elves and Men]]
| language=[[Adûnaic]], [[Sindarin]] and [[Quenya]]
| birth={{SA|3209}}
| birthlocation=[[Númenor]]
| rule={{SA|3441}} - {{TA|2}} (2 years)
| death=[[5 October]], {{TA|2}}
| deathlocation=[[Disaster of the Gladden Fields]]
| age=234
| notablefor=
| house=[[House of Elendil]], founded [[House of Isildur]]
| parentage=[[Elendil]]
| siblings=[[Anárion]]
| spouse=
| children=[[Elendur (son of Isildur)|Elendur]], [[Aratan]], [[Ciryon]] and [[Valandil (King of Arnor)|Valandil]]
| gender=Male
| height=Nigh 7 feet
| hair=Black
| eyes=Grey
| clothing=
| weapons=[[Narsil]]
| steed=
}}{{Pronounce|Isildur.mp3|Ardamir}}
'''Isildur''' was a [[Dúnedain|Dúnadan]] of [[Númenor]], the elder son of [[Elendil]], [[High King of the Dúnedain|High King]] of the [[Realms in Exile]]. He was briefly the second king of [[Gondor]] and [[Arnor]].

== History ==
===Early Years in Númenor===
Isildur was born in Númenor in {{SA|3209}}. He was the elder son of Elendil, son of [[Amandil]], the last [[Lords of Andúnië|Lord of Andúnië]]. His younger brother was [[Anárion]]. While living in the island realm he married and his first son, [[Elendur (son of Isildur)|Elendur]] was born in {{SA|3299|n}}.<ref name="Elendil">{{PM|Elendil}}</ref>

Isildur learned from Amandil that King [[Ar-Pharazôn]], under the influence of [[Sauron]], purposed to cut down [[Nimloth of Númenor|Nimloth]]. One night Isildur went in disguise to [[Armenelos]] and from the courts of the King stole a fruit from the tree before it was cut down, thus preserving the line of the [[White Tree of Gondor|White Tree]]. It is said that he received grievous wounds from the King's guards before escaping but that they all healed when a leaf first appeared on the sapling that grew from the fruit he had taken.<ref name="Akallabeth">{{S|Akallabeth}}</ref>

When Ar-Pharazôn ordered the [[Great Armament]] to assail the land of [[Aman]], Elendil and his sons prepared ships to escape from Númenor. In the ship of Isildur was guarded the young White Tree.<ref name="Akallabeth"/> When the [[Downfall of Númenor]] came in {{SA|3319|n}}<ref name="SA">{{App|SA}}</ref> Elendil and his son escaped in nine ships – four for Elendil, three for Isildur, and two for Anárion.<ref name="Akallabeth"/>

===Joint Rule of Gondor===
In the great storm that came with the drowning of Númenor the nine ships of the Exiles were borne to the east and scattered. Elendil was cast up in the land of [[Lindon]], passed up the River [[Lhûn]], and founded the realm of [[Arnor]]. Isildur and Anárion were carried to the south. Arriving at the mouths of the [[Anduin]], they ascended the great river and founded the realm of [[Gondor]].<ref name="Rings">{{S|Rings}}</ref>

Isildur set up his house in [[Minas Ithil]], where he planted the White Tree, while Anárion established his household in [[Minas Anor]]. However, they jointly ruled the kingdom and set up thrones side by side in the Great Hall of [[Osgiliath]].<ref name="Rings"/> Isildur and his wife had two more sons, [[Aratan]] (in {{SA|3339|n}}) and [[Ciryon]] (in {{SA|3379|n}}), while living in Gondor.<ref name="Elendil"/>

However, [[Sauron]] had also escaped the Downfall of Númenor. In {{SA|3320}}, while the Exiles were establishing their realms, Sauron reentered [[Mordor]] and re-established his power. In {{SA|3429|n}} [[Sauron]] captured Minas Ithil and burnt the White Tree.<ref name="SA"/> Yet Isildur escaped with his wife and sons, and a seedling of the White Tree. While Anárion held Osgiliath, Isildur and his family sailed down the Anduin, then northwest to [[Gil-galad]] in [[Lindon]] and his father in Arnor.<ref name="Rings"/>

===The War of the Last Alliance===
In {{SA|3430}}, the same year that Isildur's fourth son [[Valandil (King of Arnor)|Valandil]] was born, Isildur's father Elendil and Gil-galad formed the [[Last Alliance of Elves and Men]]. The army of the Alliance marched to [[Rivendell|Imladris]] in {{SA|3431|n}}, where Isildur left his wife and Valandil before the host moved on. In {{SA|3434|n}} the combined armies of Elves and Men crossed the [[Misty Mountains]] and marched on to the [[Dagorlad]]. There the forces of Sauron were defeated and he retreated into the [[Barad-dûr]] to withstand a siege.<ref name="SA"/>

The siege lasted seven years, but finally Elendil and Gil-galad threw down Sauron, thus winning the battle though both were slain and Elendil's sword [[Narsil]] broke under him as he fell. Isildur took the hilt shard of his father's sword and cut [[the One Ring]] from Sauron's finger. Ignoring the advice of [[Elrond]] and [[Círdan]], lieutenant of Gil-galad, Isildur did not destroy the Ring; instead he claimed it as a weregild for the deaths of his father and brother, and an heirloom for his House. <ref name="Rings"/>

===Triumph and Disaster===
After the fall of Sauron, Isildur returned to Gondor and assumed the [[Elendilmir]], proclaiming his Kingship in Arnor and sovereign lordship over the [[Dúnedain]] in both the North and the South. <ref name="Gladden">{{UT|Gladden}}</ref> He remained for a year in the South, planted the seedling of the White Tree in Minas Anor in memory of his brother [[Anárion]], put the realm to order, and instructed his nephew [[Meneldil]], son of Anárion, in the governance of the land. With Meneldil and a company of trusted friends, Isildur rode about the boundaries of Gondor and in [[Anórien]] created the [[Tomb of Elendil|tomb]] and memorial of Elendil upon the hill of [[Eilenaer]], thereafter called [[Amon Anwar]].<ref>{{UT|Cirion}}</ref> While he remained there, he wrote an [[Scroll of Isildur|account]] on how he acquired the Ring, its significance to his [[House of Isildur|House]] and where he transcribed a [[Ring Verse|verse]] around the Ring while it was still hot.<ref>{{FR|Council}}</ref>

When Isildur finally felt free to leave he committed the rule of Gondor to Meneldil and with his three sons departed on [[5 September|5]] [[Ivanneth]], {{TA|2}}. Instead of heading west and then north they journeyed northwards along the Anduin in order to first come to Imladris where his wife and little son Valandil were.<ref name="Rings"/> On the thirtieth day of the journey, [[5 October|5]] [[Narbeleth]], the King, his sons, and his Guard of two hundred knights and soldiers reached the northern borders of the [[Gladden Fields]]. Isildur believed that all soldiers of the Enemy perished so his camp was unguarded.<ref name="Rings"/> There they were ambushed by a band of [[Orcs]] said to be ten times their number.

As the Orcs closed in, Isildur sent his esquire [[Ohtar]] with one companion to fly with the shards of Narsil. The enemy charged and charged again. One by one Isildur's sons died about him; Elendur was the last and he insisted that Isildur leave with the One Ring. Isildur placed the Ring upon his finger and vanished from the [[Disaster of the Gladden Fields|battle]].

The Orcs could still sense his smell<ref name="Rings"/> and Isildur ran to the Anduin and swam across the river. It was during this effort that the One Ring slipped from his finger. As he struggled to escape the reeds and rushes on the shore a small party of Orcs spotted him and shot him. He fell back into the water and no trace of him was found by Elves or Men.<ref name="Gladden"/>

===Legacy===
The [[House of Isildur|line of Isildur]] continued, for Valandil became king of Arnor. Isildur's line continued unbroken throughout the [[Third Age]] until it formed the basis for [[Aragorn]]'s claim to the kingship of Arnor and Gondor after the downfall of Sauron.<ref>{{RK|VI5}}</ref>

In the riddling rhyme "''Seek for the Sword that was Broken''" the Ring is referred to cryptically as ''Isildur's Bane''.<ref>{{FR|II2}}</ref>

After the [[War of the Ring]] the tower of [[Orthanc]] was opened, for King Elessar desired its restoration. Behind a hidden door in a steel closet was found Isildur's [[Star of Elendil|Elendilmir]]. It was surmised that [[Saruman]] had found the bones of the long-lost king and had taken the ''[[mithril]]'' fillet with its jewel for his own, possibly destroying the king's remains afterwards.<ref name="Gladden"/>

==Etymology==

''Isildur'' is a [[Quenya]] name, meaning "Servant of the Moon" (''[[Ithil]]'' "Moon" + ''[[-dur]]'' "servant").<ref>{{PE|Eldarin}}, p. 28</ref>

== Genealogy ==
{{familytree/start}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | | | | | | AMA | | | | | |AMA=[[Amandil]] ''Sailed west {{SA|3316}}''†}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | | | | | | |!| | | | | | |}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | | | | | | ELE | | | | | |ELE=[[Elendil]] ''{{SA|3119}} - {{SA|3441|n}}''†}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | |,|-|-|-|-|^|-|-|-|-|.| |}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | ISI | | | | | | | | ANA |ISI='''ISILDUR''' ''{{SA|3209}} - {{TA|2}}''†|ANA=[[Anárion]] ''{{SA|3219}} - {{SA|3440|n}}''†}}
{{familytree | |,|-|-|-|v|-|^|-|v|-|-|-|.| | | |:| |}}
{{familytree | ELE | | ARA | | CIR | | VAL | | GON |ELE=[[Elendur (son of Isildur)|Elendur]] ''{{SA|3299}} - {{TA|2}}''†|ARA=[[Aratan]] ''{{SA|3339}} - {{TA|2}}''†|CIR=[[Ciryon]] ''{{SA|3379}} - {{TA|2}}''†|VAL=[[Valandil (King of Arnor)|Valandil]] ''{{SA|3430}} - {{TA|249}}''|GON=[[Kings of Gondor|''Kings of Gondor'']]}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | | | | | | | |!| | | | | |}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | | | | | | | ELD | | | | |ELD=[[Eldacar (King of Arnor)|Eldacar]] ''{{TA|87}} - {{TA|339|n}}''}}
{{familytree/end}}

==Portrayal in adaptations==
[[File:The Lord of the Rings - The Motion Picture Trilogy - Isildur.jpg|thumb|[[Harry Sinclair]] as Isildur in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'']]
'''1978: [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1978 film)]]:'''
:Prince Isildur is mentioned in the [[Prologue: A Ring's Tale (1978 scene)|prologue]], and he is shown to cut the Ring off Sauron's hand in battle, rather than from a defeated Sauron.

'''2001-2002: [[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (film series)]]:'''
:Isildur briefly appears in the first scenes of [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring|the first film]], as well as an extended flashback scene. Isildur is played by [[Harry Sinclair]]. Sinclair, a friend of [[Peter Jackson]], was asked because he was the most corrupt looking person Jackson knew. Sinclair had only one line, "No!", which was dubbed by [[Hugo Weaving]].

:In the movie, Isildur apparently is the last king of Gondor; Anárion and heirs and Arnor do not appear at all. However, in the Extended Editions both Arnor and the House of Anárion are mentioned, and at times it is clear that Isildur was not the last King, so this might be dialogue error. The story of Isildur's succumbing to the temptation of the Ring bothers Aragorn who fears that he could have the same weakness (a fear that is not evident in the book).

'''2002: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)]]'':'''
:In the game starts with a prologue, where you control Isildur on the slopes of Mount Doom. After you complete the mission you see how Isildur defeats Sauron. By completing the Tower of Orthanc bonus level, Isildur becomes a playable character in the other stages, where he takes the place of his descendant Aragorn. Strangely, Isildur's version of the "Tower of Orthanc" level has the same script as Aragorn's, leading to Saruman referring to the ancient King of Gondor as a "ragtag Ranger".

[[File:Isildur-LOTRO.jpg|thumb|Isildur's appearance in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]''.]]
'''2006: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II]]'':'''
:Isildur appears only in cinematics battling [[Sauron]]. However, in the [[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II: The Rise of the Witch-king|expansion pack ''The Rise of the Witch-king'']], Isildur is mentioned more detailed in the [[Angmar]] campaign.

'''2007-2019: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Isildur makes an appearance in a flashback scene titles "At the Stone of Erech". It covers the oath gives to Isildur by the men of [[Dunharrow]], subsequent return of Sauron several years later, the betrayal of the Dunharrow men and the curse that Isildur lays upon them. He also appears during the [[Battle of Dagorlad]], during the High Elf introduction, as well as in a flashback of the battle.

With Update 24.2, it is revealed that the Shade of Isildur was saved by Gultháva, the River-maiden of the Gladden, who kept the lost king secluded within a secret grotto in order to protect him from harm. He is encountered after the [[War of the Ring]], in an abandoned dwarf-hold situated above the [[Gladden Fields]].

== Titles ==
{{seq-start}}
{{seq-head
| race=numenorean
| house=[[House of Elendil]] Cadet branch of [[House of Elros]]
| born={{SA|3209}}
| died={{TA|2}}
}}
{{seq
| prow=3
| prev=[[Elendil]]
| list=2nd [[Kings of Arnor|King of Arnor]]
| dates={{SA|3441}} – {{TA|2}}
| next=[[Valandil (King of Arnor)|Valandil]]
}}
{{seq
| list=2nd [[Kings of Gondor|King of Gondor]]
| dates={{SA|3441}} – {{TA|2}}
| next=[[Meneldil]]
}}
{{seq
| list=2nd [[High King of the Dúnedain|High King]] of the [[Realms in Exile|Two Kingdoms]]
| dates={{SA|3441}} – {{TA|2}}
| next=Next held by: '''[[Aragorn]]''', 3017 years later
| nvac=Vacant
}}
{{seq
| prev=[[Sauron]]
| list=2nd [[Ring-bearer]]
| dates={{SA|3441}} – {{TA|2}}
| next=Next held by: '''[[Déagol]]''', c. 2461 years later
| nvac=Vacant
}}
{{seq-end}}
{{northernline}}
{{southernline}}
{{ringbearers}}
== See Also ==
* [[:Category:Images of Isildur|Images of Isildur]]

{{references}}
[[Category:Characters in The Silmarillion]]
[[Category:House of Elendil]]
[[Category:House of Isildur| ]]
[[Category:Quenya names]]
[[Category:Ring-bearers]]
[[Category:Rulers of Arnor]]
[[Category:Rulers of Gondor]]
[[Category:Second Age characters]]
[[Category:Third Age characters]]
[[de:Isildur]]
[[fr:encyclo/personnages/hommes/2a/numenoreens/isildur]]
[[fi:Isildur]]

Radagast

2019-08-07T02:45:00Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Games */

{{maiar infobox
| name=Radagast
| image=[[File:Fabio Leone - Radagast the Brown.png|250px]]
| caption="Radagast the Brown" by [[:Category:Images by Fabio Leone|Fabio Leone]]
| pronun=
| othernames=[[Radagast#Aiwendil|Aiwendil]]<ref name="UTIstari">{{UT|Istari}}</ref> Radagast the Brown<ref name="FRCouncil">{{FR|Council}}</ref> Radagast the Bird-tamer<ref group="note" name="note1">[[Saruman]] gave him this name to mock him.</ref><ref name="FRCouncil"/> Radagast the Simple<ref group="note" name="note1"/><ref name="FRCouncil"/> Radagast the Fool<ref group="note" name="note1"/><ref name="FRCouncil"/>
| titles=
| position=
| location=[[Rhosgobel]]
| affiliation=[[Istari]] (Wizards) [[White Council]]
| language=
| birth=
| birthlocation=
| rule=
| death=
| deathlocation=
| age=
| notablefor=
| house=
| parentage=
| siblings=
| spouse=
| children=
| gender=Male
| height=
| hair=
| eyes=
| clothing=Earthen-brown robes<ref name="UTIstari"/>
| weapons=
| steed=
}}
{{Pronounce|Quenya - Aiwendil.mp3|Gilgamesh}}
<center>{{Quote|Radagast the Brown! [...] Radagast the Bird-tamer! Radagast the Simple! Radagast the Fool! Yet he had just the wit to play the part that I set him.|[[Saruman]]<ref name="FRCouncil"/>}}</center>

'''Radagast the Brown''', also known as '''Aiwendil''', was one of the [[Wizards]] sent to [[Middle-earth]] to contest the will of [[Sauron]]. Originally a [[Maiar|Maia]] of [[Yavanna]], he had a strong affinity for animals. He dwelt, for a time, at [[Rhosgobel]] on the western eaves of [[Mirkwood]], near the [[Gladden Fields]] on the [[Anduin|Great River]].<ref name="UTIstari"/><ref name="FRCouncil"/>

==History==
[[File:Jef Murray - Mage of Rhosgobel.jpg|thumb|left|[[Jef Murray]] - ''Mage of Rhosgobel'']]
The [[Maia]] Aiwendil was an [[Ainu]] who existed before [[Time]], and one of the [[Spirits (creatures)|spirit]]s who descended to [[Arda]] in order to serve the [[Valar]].<ref>{{S|Vala}}</ref> Aiwendil was a servant of the Valië [[Yavanna]], the Queen of earth.<ref name="UTIstari"/>

After the Undying Lands were separated from Arda during the [[Downfall of Númenor]], [[Manwë]] was still concerned for the fate of the peoples of [[Middle-earth]]. He summoned a council of the [[Valar]] and it was decided that they would send emissaries to Middle-earth. [[Aulë]] chose [[Saruman|Curumo]], [[Oromë]] chose [[Blue Wizards|Alatar]], and Manwë chose [[Gandalf|Olórin]]. Yavanna subsequently begged Curumo to take Aiwendil with him.

In c. {{TA|1000}}, the Maiar arrived upon the shores of Middle-earth, having the form of old [[Men]], whom the peoples called [[Wizards]]. Curumo arrived first and alone, and Aiwendil arrived at the same time as Olórin.<ref name="UTIstari"/>
===Travels in Middle-earth===
When the Wizards took their mission they roamed Middle-earth, but Radagast was never much of a traveller.<ref name="FRCouncil"/> There is not much to be told about his early journeys, but by the late [[Third Age]] he eventually settled down and dwelt, for a time at least, at [[Rhosgobel]] somewhere between the [[Carrock]] and the [[Old Forest Road]].<ref name="UTIstari"/> Situated on the western borders of [[Mirkwood]], it can be assumed that the Wizard held watch against the [[Shadow]] of [[Dol Guldur]] that slowly engulfed the forest. It is likely that he became acquainted with the inhabitants of that region. Close to animals and birds, he was friends with the [[eagles|great eagles]].<ref name="FRCouncil"/> Although the neighboring [[Beorn]] was unsociable, he used to see him from time to time, and he considered Radagast "not bad" for a Wizard.<ref name="HQueer">{{H|Queer}}</ref>

In {{TA|2851}} the [[White Council]] met once more and, after that, Saruman began to search the [[Gladden Fields]] for [[the One Ring]].<ref name="AppB2">{{App|B2}}</ref> Radagast decided to aid his search with birds and beasts who acted as spies hoping that Saruman's actions would help watch and hinder Sauron. Radagast did this in good faith, knowing nothing of Saruman's real ambitions to keep the Ring for himself.<ref name="SRings">{{S|Rings}}</ref>

[[File:Angelo Montanini - Radagast.jpg|thumb|[[Angelo Montanini]] - ''Radagast'']]By the time of the [[War of the Ring]] Radagast did not dwell any more in Rhosgobel. In summer {{TA|3018}} Saruman told Radagast that he was willing to help Gandalf, and sent the Brown Wizard to seek him out at once. Radagast did not know much of [[Eriador]] but sought for [[the Shire]], knowing that he would find Gandalf nearby.<ref name="FRCouncil"/>

Indeed, on [[Mid-year's Day|Midsummer's Day]], Radagast was sitting on the side of the [[Greenway]] with his horse near [[Bree]] when Gandalf found him on his way to the village. Radagast warned Gandalf that the [[Nazgûl]] were abroad, disguised as riders in black, and that they were seeking news of [[the Shire]]. He also gave him Saruman's invitation and agreed to help Gandalf by getting beasts and birds to send news to [[Orthanc]]. With that he rode away back towards Mirkwood.<ref name="FRCouncil"/>

By sending Gandalf to Orthanc, Radagast unwittingly had him captured. Saruman's message proved to be a trap for Gandalf who was imprisoned in Orthanc, but still he did not believe that Radagast was also a part of Saruman's plans. Indeed, it was thanks to Radagast that Gandalf was able to escape from the pinnacle of Orthanc upon the wings of [[Gwaihir]].<ref name="FRCouncil"/>

Radagast's actions during and after the rest of the War are not recorded. After the [[Council of Elrond]], many scouts were sent out from [[Rivendell]] to many different locations. Some passed over the [[Misty Mountains]] and eventually came to [[Rhosgobel]], but they found that Radagast was not there.<ref name="FRSouth">{{FR|South}}</ref>

==Characteristics==
{{Blockquote|Radagast is, of course, a worthy wizard, a master of shapes and changes of hue; and he has much lore of herbs and beasts, and birds are especially his friends.|[[Gandalf]]<ref name="FRCouncil"/>}}
Little is known about Radagast apart from certain defining characteristics. Saruman was the chief of the Order of Wizards and Gandalf came next in the order; Radagast meanwhile held much less power and wisdom.<ref name="UTIstari"/>

As one of the [[Maiar]] of [[Yavanna]], Radagast had a great interest in the [[kelvar]] and [[olvar]] of [[Middle-earth]] and was a friend to beasts and birds.<ref name="UTIstari"/><ref name="FRCouncil"/>
Gandalf, however, held greater knowledge of birds and beasts than Radagast, as well as greater respect received from them.<ref name="RC.245">[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], [[Wayne G. Hammond]] and [[Christina Scull]] (eds), ''[[The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion]]'', p. 245</ref>

Radagast displayed some qualities of innocence and naivety, making him an ideal accomplice of Saruman's plans, seen in providing his services to help the White examine the Gladden Fields.<ref name="SRings"/> Saruman in turn considered him simple and foolish.<ref name="FRCouncil"/>

==Etymology==
===Radagast===
In a manuscript written by [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] in [[1954]], the name ''Radagast'' is said to mean "tender of beasts" in [[Adûnaic]], the language of the [[Númenóreans]].<ref name="UTIstari"/> However, in a later note Tolkien said that the name is in the language of the [[Men]] of the [[Vales of Anduin]], and that its meaning is not interpretable.<ref>{{UT|Istari}}, note 4</ref>

As stated by [[Wayne G. Hammond|Hammond]] and [[Christina Scull|Scull]], several theories have appeared concerning the inspiration of the name ''Radagast''.<ref name=RC>{{HM|RC}}, pp. 240-1</ref> One such theory has been proposed by [[Douglas A. Anderson]], who notes the name [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radegast_%28god%29 ''Redigast''] in Slavic mythology.<ref>{{HM|AH}}, p. 167</ref> [[John D. Rateliff]] suggests another source of inspiration in the [[Gothic]] chieftain ''[[Wikipedia:Radagaisus|Radagaisus]]'', whose name (as noted by [[David Salo]]) is rendered ''Rhadagast'' in some works from the 18th and 19th century (e.g., ''King Alfred's Anglo-Saxon Version of Boethius' De Consolatione Philosophiae'', translated by J.S. Cardale in 1829).<ref>{{HM|HHO}}, pp. 278-8, 291</ref>

The similarity to [[Old English]] ''rudugást'' meaning "red-brown spirit" has also been noted by fans.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/r/radagast.html‎|articlename=Radagast|dated=|website=EoA|accessed=}}</ref>

===Aiwendil===
The name ''Aiwendil'' (pron. {{IPA|[aɪˈwendil]}}) is [[Quenya]] for "lover of birds".<ref name="UTIndex">{{UT|Index}}</ref> It is obviously derived from ''[[aiwe]]'' ("(small) bird") and ''ndil'' ("devoted to").<ref name=RC/><ref>{{LR|Etymologies}}, pp. 348, 378 (entries [[AIWĒ-]] and NIL-, NDIL-)</ref>

==Names==
It appears that in [[Valinor]] Radagast was known as "Aiwendil".<ref name="UTIstari"/>

As one of the [[wizards]] sent to [[Middle-earth]], he was known as "Radagast [[the Brown]]". [[Saruman]], when talking to [[Gandalf]], mocked Radagast by calling him "Radagast the [[Bird-tamer]]", "Radagast [[the Simple]]", and "Radagast [[the Fool]]".<ref name="FRCouncil"/>

==Other versions of the Legendarium==
From the first drafts of ''The Hobbit'', [[Gandalf|Bladorthin]] identifies Radagast as a fellow wizard and as his 'cousin'. [[John D. Rateliff]] notes that, at this stage in the development of [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien's]] [[legendarium]] there was no reason why a wizard could not have a cousin. Rateliff also suggests that it is likely that Tolkien considered explaining Gandalf's absence (following the departure of Thorin and Company from Beorn's house) by saying that he went to visit Radagast (who lived close by) to plan the attack on the [[Sauron|Necromancer]].<ref name="HHMedwed">{{HH|Medwed}}, "(vi) Radagast"</ref>

Early in the process of writing ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', it is clear that [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] envisaged some role for Radagast in the tale.<ref>{{RS|New}}, p. 379;{{RS|Elrond}}, p. 397</ref> He eventually decided that he would use Radagast as the means of getting Gandalf to Isengard.<ref name="TIC1.130-140">{{TI|C1}}, pp. 130-140</ref>

Initially Gandalf describes Radagast as his 'cousin',<ref>{{TI|C1}}, p. 131</ref> as he did in ''[[The Hobbit]]'',<ref name="HQueer"/> but in a subsequent draft he becomes his 'kinsman'.<ref>{{TI|C2}}, p. 149</ref> In the final version Gandalf merely says that Radagast is 'one of my order'.<ref name="FRCouncil"/>

Tolkien initially called him "Radagast the Grey", but in pencil he changed this to "Brown" and subsequently Saruman refers to him as "Radagast the Brown".<ref name="TIC1.130-140"/>

When Tolkien finished writing the story up till Moria, he made notes on the future story development; therein he considered handing over Isengard to Radagast.<ref>{{TI|Story}}, p. 212</ref>

==Portrayal in adaptations==
{{Gallery
|title=Radagast in adaptations
|height=150
|width=250
|lines=2
|File:Radagast (Mithril LR3).png|Radagast as a [[Mithril Miniatures|Mithril Miniature]]
|File:War in Middle Earth - Radagast, Frodo and Sam.png|Radagast in ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien's War in Middle Earth]]''
|File:Decipher - Radagast.JPG|Radagast in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game]]''
|File:Radagast (LOTRSBG).jpg|Radagast in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game]]''
|File:Radagast (LOTRO).png|Radagast in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]''
|File:Radagast in LOTR- War in the North-1.png|Radagast in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]]''
|File:The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey - Radagast.jpg|Radagast in [[The Hobbit (film series)|''The Hobbit'' (film series)]]
|File:Radagast the Brown with Sebastian.png|"Radagast the Brown with Sebastian" in ''[[The Hobbit Strategy Battle Game]]''
}}
===Films===
'''2001: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'':'''
:Radagast is entirely omitted. Without Radagast's involvement, [[Gandalf]] goes to [[Isengard]] of his own accord (because he wanted counsel from [[Saruman]]) and is able to escape from the pinnacle of [[Orthanc]] by speaking to a moth who sends for the help of the [[Eagles]].

'''2012: ''[[The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey]]'':'''
:Although Radagast is only briefly mentioned in ''The Hobbit'', Radagast features in ''The Hobbit'' films and is played by [[Sylvester McCoy]].<ref name="IMCasting">{{webcite|author=[[Ian McKellen]]|articleurl=http://www.mckellen.com/cinema/hobbit-movie/110510.htm|articlename=2 Elves and another wizard|dated=10-May-2011|website=[http://www.mckellen.com/ Ian McKellen's website]|accessed=23-Dec-2011}}</ref> He is highly eccentric and somewhat absent-minded, and also uses a sled pulled by several large [[rabbits]] (which he refers to as '[[Rhosgobel]] Rabbits') as his main means of transportation.

:After discovering that a shadow has fallen on [[Mirkwood|Greenwood the Great]] (having had to heal his hedgehog friend [[Sebastian]] because of its power), Radagast enters [[Dol Guldur]] and is attacked by the [[Witch-king]]. He finds that the fortress is occupied by a [[Sauron#Sauron's Return|Necromancer]] and travels to inform Gandalf. He finds [[Thorin and Company]] just west of [[Rivendell]] and hands Gandalf a [[Morgul-knife|morgul blade]]. He draws a pack of [[Wargs]] and their [[Orcs|Orc]] riders away on his rabbit-pulled sled so that Thorin and Company can flee in safety.

'''2013: ''[[The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug]]'':'''
:Radagast briefly appears, investigating the [[High Fells of Rhudaur|High Fells]] with Gandalf, and accompanying him to Dol Guldur. Gandalf then dispatches him to send news of what they've found to [[Galadriel]], while Gandalf enters the fortress ruins alone.

'''2014: ''[[The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies]]'':'''
:Radagast first appears when he comes in Dol Guldur during the [[Attack on Dol Guldur |attack]] by the [[White Council]] to take the weakened Gandalf to safety. After they escape, Gandalf requests a horse, takes Radagast's staff and also commands him to summon 'bird and beast' for the impending [[Battle of Five Armies|battle]]. He arrives with the Eagles late in the battle along with [[Beorn]]. They demolish the Orc forces and effectively help end the Battle of Five Armies.

===Radio series===
'''1981: ''[[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)|BBC Radio's The Lord of the Ring]]'':'''
:[[Donald Gee]] provided the voice of Radagast. He is introduced much earlier than in the book because his meeting with Gandalf is given chronologically.

===Games===
'''1987-: ''[[Mithril Miniatures]]'':'''
:Radagast has been issued in a couple of different versions: figure LR3 "Radagast the Brown" is seen with a cat and an owl;<ref>[http://www.mithril.ie/races/index_wizards.html Mithril wizards Miniatures] at [http://www.mithril.ie/ Mithril.ie] (accessed 8 October 2011)</ref> an older version of the figure portrays Radagast without beard and with a different bird.<ref>[http://www.twilighttangents.com/minis_lotr_mith.htm Lord of the Rings (Mithril)] at [http://www.twilighttangents.com/index.html TwilightTangents.com] (accessed 8 October 2011; cf. [http://www.twilighttangents.com/images/art/radagast01.jpg Radgast (image)])</ref> There is also a "Radagast Mounted" (MS539), where Radagast (again without beard) is portrayed mounted on a horse.<ref>[http://mithril.ie/Fellowship/ms539_radagast.html 32mm Fellowship Figures - MS539 Radagast Mounted] at [http://www.mithril.ie/ Mithril.ie] (accessed 8 October 2011)</ref>

'''1988: ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien's War in Middle Earth]]'':'''
:Radagast is a non-playable character in this game.

'''2001-: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game]]'':'''
:The hero figure [[:File:SBG - Radagast.jpeg|Radagast the Brown]], is a user of subtle magics, in contrast to the more overt kinds used by Gandalf and Saruman. However, he has some unique powers nonetheless.<ref>[http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?prodId=prod1060255 Radagast the Brown] at [http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/home.jsp Games-Workshop-com] (accessed 8 October 2011)</ref>

'''2011-2010: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game]]'':'''
:A Decipher card was made by [[Weta Workshop|Weta]], with Weta's John Harding posing as Radagast.<ref>{{webcite|author=Kathy McCracken|articleurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20080906171452/http://www.decipher.com/content/2004/07/072204lotrwetacasting.html|articlename=The Making of the Weta "Book Cards": Casting and Costuming|dated=22-July-2004|website=[http://archive.org/ Internet Archive: Wayback Machine]|accessed=30-June-2012}}</ref>

'''2007-: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Radagast can be found encamped in the [[Lone-lands]], north along the Great Road. He is friendly to the local people, the [[Eglain]], and helps them to combat the rise of evil in the swamps of Agamaur.<ref>[http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/NPC:Radagast_the_Brown NPC: Radagast the Brown] at [http://my.lotro.com/home/ My.Lotro.com] (accessed 8 October 2011)</ref> Later, Radagast appears in various places in the North, including [[Eryn Lasgalen]], the [[Ered Mithrin]], and his home of [[Rhosgobel]] in the [[Vales of Anduin]].

'''2011: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]]'':'''
:The characters [[Eradan]], [[Farin]] and [[Andriel]] travel to Mirkwood in search of Radagast and arrive just in time to rescue him from the Spider Queen, Saenathra. He thanks them for the rescue and provides them with information about the Dragon Urgost.<ref>[http://www.warinthenorth.com/index.php/the-game/allies Allies] at [http://www.warinthenorth.com/ WarintheNorth.com] (accessed 8 October 2011)</ref>

'''2012-: ''[[The Hobbit Strategy Battle Game]]'':'''
:Radagast, based on [[Peter Jackson]]'s [[The Hobbit (film series)|''The Hobbit'']], is a hero figurine in two different versions: the standard model "Radagast the Brown with [[Sebastian]]",<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?catId=cat970003a&prodId=prod1870030a|articlename=Radagast the Brown with Sebastian|dated=|website=[http://www.games-workshop.com/ Games-Workshop.com]|accessed=30 January 2013}}</ref> and a limited model sold with the box ''The Hobbit: Escape from Goblin Town''.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?catId=cat970009a&prodId=prod1820008a|articlename=The Hobbit: Escape from Goblin Town - Limited Edition|dated=|website=[http://www.games-workshop.com/ Games-Workshop.com]|accessed=30 January 2013}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[:Category:Images of Radagast|Images of Radagast]]
*"[[Radagast/Fail|Did Radagast fail?]]"

==External links==
*[http://middle-earth.xenite.org/2014/06/30/what-happened-to-radagast-the-brown-after-the-war-of-the-ring/ What Happened to Radagast the Brown after the War of the Ring?] by [[Michael Martinez]]

{{references|n}}

{{Ainur}}

[[Category:Characters in The Lord of the Rings]]
[[Category:Characters in The Silmarillion]]
[[Category:Featured Articles]]
[[Category:Maiar]]
[[Category:Masculine names]]
[[Category:Names]]
[[Category:Third Age characters]]
[[Category:Wizards]]

[[de:Radagast]]
[[fr:encyclo/personnages/ainur/maiar/istari/radagast]]
[[fi:Radagast]]

High Pass

2019-08-07T02:39:15Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Portrayals in Adaptations */

{{location infobox
| name=High Pass
| image=[[File:J.R.R. Tolkien - The Mountain-path (Colored by H.E. Riddett).png|250px]]
| caption="The Mountain-path" (coloured) by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]
| pronun=
| othernames=Pass of Imladris, Cirith Forn en Andrath
| location=[[Misty Mountains]] above [[Rivendell]]
| type=Mountain pass
| description=
| regions=
| towns=
| inhabitants=
| created=
| destroyed=
| events=
}}
The '''High Pass''' was a pass over the [[Misty Mountains]]. On its western end was the refuge of [[Rivendell]],<ref>[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], [[Nancy Smith]], "[[Index questions]]"; cf. {{HM|RC}}, p. 207</ref> and from there the [[East Road]] climbed into the mountains until it reached the mountain under which lied the [[Goblin-town]].

There were actually two passes at this location. The lower pass was more prone to being blocked by Orcs, hence most travellers used the higher pass outside of those rare occasions when the Orcs were suppressed.

==History==
The High Pass was first used during the [[Great Journey]] when [[Oromë]] led the the [[Eldar]] through the [[Hithaeglir]].<ref>{{AA|61}}, p. 83</ref>

Later the High Pass was used by the [[Dwarves]], who connected their roads (the [[East Road]] and the [[Men-i-Naugrim]] through [[Mirkwood]]) with it.<ref>{{UT|7}}, note 14</ref>

In the [[Second Age]] the High Pass was used by the army of [[Gil-galad]] and [[Elendil]] when they marched to [[Mordor]] in the War of the [[Last Alliance of Elves and Men]]. After this war [[Isildur]] was slain by [[Orcs]] watching the way towards the pass.<ref name=gladden/>

The Pass became dangerous again because of the Orcs. Only with the [[War of the Dwarves and Orcs]], which nearly wiped out all Orcs of the mountains, did it became safe again. Nevertheless in {{TA|2940}}, the goblins of [[Goblin-town]] had burrowed their way back to it, and [[Bilbo Baggins]] and the Dwarves of [[Thorin]] were captured the next year during the [[Quest of Erebor]].<ref>{{H|Over}}</ref>

During the [[War of the Ring]], [[Grimbeorn|Grimbeorn the Old]] and the [[Beornings]] kept the High Pass open,<ref>{{FR|II1}}</ref> but the [[Fellowship of the Ring]] bypassed the High Pass because the eastern side of the Misty Mountains had become too dangerous.

==Names==
The High Pass was also known as the '''''Pass of Imladris'''''. In [[Sindarin]], the pass was called '''''Cirith Forn en Andrath''''' ("the high-climbing pass of the north"); ''[[cirith]]'' + ''[[forn (Sindarin)|forn]]'' + ''[[andrath (word)|andrath]]'').<ref name=gladden>{{UT|Gladden}}</ref><ref>{{HM|RC}}, p. 207</ref>

==Other Versions of the Legendarium==
In the draft for the chapter, "[[The Ring Goes South]]", [[Elrond]] gave a name for both the High Pass and the [[Front Porch|Goblin Gate]], which was ''Annerchin''.<ref>{{RS|Ring}}</ref>

== Portrayals in Adaptations ==
'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:The High Pass can be found in the region of the Misty Mountains and is divided into two areas: the Northern High Pass and the Southern High Pass. The mountain pass to the [[Vales of Anduin]] to the east was reopened by the [[Beornings]] following the [[War of the Ring]].

'''2012: ''[[The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey]]'':'''
:The Dwarves take the High Pass, except without Gandalf. They end up in the middle of a fight between [[Stone-giants]].

{{references}}
{{companyroute}}
[[Category:Passes]]
[[de:Hoher Pass]]
[[fi:Ylä-Sola]]

Grimbeorn

2019-08-07T02:37:28Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Portrayal in adaptations */

{{northmen infobox
| name=Grimbeorn
| image=[[File:Decipher - Grimbeorn.jpg|250px]]
| caption="Grimbeorn" from [[The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game]]
| pronun=
| othernames=The Old
| titles=Chieftain of the [[Beornings]]
| position=
| location=[[Vales of Anduin]]
| affiliation=
| language=
| birth=
| birthlocation=
| rule=
| death=
| deathlocation=
| age=
| notablefor=
| house=
| parentage=[[Beorn]]
| siblings=
| spouse=
| children=
| gender=Male
| height=
| hair=
| eyes=
| clothing=
| weapons=
| steed=
}}
'''Grimbeorn the Old''' was the son of [[Beorn]].

==History==
Grimbeorn became a great lord in his own right. Like his father, he was the chieftain of the [[Beornings]] and he dwelt in the same regions of the [[Vales of Anduin]]. During his time, the [[High Pass]] and the [[Ford of Carrock]] were kept open and no [[Orcs|Orc]] or [[Wargs|Wolf]] dared to enter his land.<ref>{{FR|Meetings}}</ref>

==Etymology==
While ''Beorn'' is a word related to "bear", ''Grim'' (like in modern English) means "fierce", therefore his name can be translated as "Fierce bear".

==Genealogy==
{{familytree/start}}
{{familytree| BEO | |BEO=[[Beorn]]''fl. {{TA|2941}}''}}
{{familytree| |!| | |}}
{{familytree| GRI | |GRI='''GRIMBEORN'''''fl. {{TA|3019}}''}}
{{familytree/end}}

==Portrayal in adaptations==
'''2001-2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game]]'':'''
: Despite not featuring in [[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' film series]], Decipher produced a card depicting the character. He was portrayed by sword smith Peter Lyon.

'''2014: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
: Grimbeorn is the father of all Beorning players in the game, and has two other children named Sterkist and Langhár. He appears in various places in [[Middle-earth]], first at his lodge in the [[Vales of Anduin]], then at the camp of Vindurhal in the [[Misty Mountains]]. He returns to the Beorning-lands after the [[War of the Ring]] to maintain order among the Vales.

{{references}}
[[Category:Northmen]]
[[Category:Beornings]]
[[Category:Third Age characters]]

[[de:Grimbeorn]]
[[fi:Grimbeorn]]

Forest Gate

2019-08-07T02:35:57Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Portrayal in adaptations */

The '''Forest Gate''' was the western entrance to the [[Elf-path]] that led across [[Mirkwood]] to the [[Elvenking's Halls]]. It was formed as a sort of arch made by two great trees leaning together that were old, ivy-strangled, hung with lichen, and bearing but a few blackened leaves. Beyond the gate the path became a gloomy tunnel, such that from within the forest the gate appeared as a small bright hole.<ref>{{H|Flies}}</ref>

It was a four-day ride by horse from [[Beorn]]'s house directly north to the Forest Gate, which was also to the northeast of the confluence of the [[Rhimdath]] and [[Anduin]] Rivers. When [[Thorin]] and company came to the gate, they camped there overnight before entering the forest. It was at this point that they released [[Beorn]]'s [[ponies]], and [[Gandalf]] left the party, to the consternation of the dwarves and [[Bilbo Baggins]].<ref>{{H|Queer}}</ref>

==Portrayal in adaptations==
'''2013: ''[[The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug]]'':'''
:The Forest Gate has a small statue of Thranduil's wife, which is covered by the woods. There is also as a symbol of the [[Eye of Sauron]]. [[Gandalf]] leaves the company to investigate the tombs of the [[Nazgûl]].

'''2018: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:The Forest Gate can be found in the northern [[Mirkwood]] region of "[[Eryn Lasgalen]]", allowing travel between the forest and the neighboring Beorning-lands.

{{references}}
{{companyroute}}
[[Category:Doors and gates]]
[[Category:Rhovanion]]
[[de:Waldtor]]
[[fi:Metsän Portti]]

Rhosgobel

2019-08-07T02:32:16Z

Sinordloresearcher: Lotro Version added.

{{location infobox
| name=Rhosgobel
| image=[[File:Angus McBride - Rhosgobel.jpg|250px]]
| caption="Rhosgobel" by [[Angus McBride]]
| pronun=
| othernames=
| location=[[Rhovanion]], on the eaves of [[Mirkwood]]
| type=Dwelling
| description=
| regions=
| towns=
| inhabitants=[[Radagast]]
| created=
| destroyed=
| events=
}}
'''Rhosgobel''' was the "old home" of [[Radagast]].<ref>{{FR|II3}}</ref> The house is said to have been located between the [[Carrock]] and the [[Old Forest Road]], on the western borders of [[Mirkwood]]<ref>{{UT|Istari}}, Note 4</ref> and near its southern borders.<ref>{{H|7}}</ref><ref>{{TI|MII}}, p.305</ref><ref group=note>This location for Rhosgobel appears on the first map of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' in ''[[The Treason of Isengard]]''. A dot and the name are near the center of square L-13 on Map II, placing Rhosgobel east and a little south of the [[Gladden Fields]].</ref>

After the [[Council of Elrond]], some scouts from [[Rivendell]] passed over the [[Misty Mountains]] and eventually came to Rhosgobel, but they found that Radagast was not there.<ref>{{FR|South}}</ref>

==Etymology==
''Rhosgobel'', glossed as "russet village or 'town' (enclosure)",<ref>{{HM|UI}}, p. 241</ref> is evidently a compound of ''[[rhosc]]'' ("brown") and ''[[gobel]]'' ("walled house or village, town").<ref>{{LR|Etymologies}} pp. 380, 385</ref><ref>{{webcite|author=[[Helge Fauskanger]]|articleurl=http://folk.uib.no/hnohf/lh-rh.htm|articlename=On ''LH'' and ''RH''|dated=|website=Arda|accessed=9 April 2012}}</ref> The name of the house was perhaps a reference to its resident, the Brown Wizard.

==Portrayal in adaptations==
'''1982-97: ''[[Middle-earth Role Playing]]'':'''
: A layout, and a detailed description, is given of Rhosgobel. It is built around a large furry oak tree.<ref>{{ICE|4002}}</ref><ref>{{ICE|2019}}</ref>

'''2011: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game]]'':'''
: Rhosgobel is depicted as a u-shaped wooden house nestled in the woods surrounding a small blue pool of water or pond.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.tradecardsonline.com/im/selectCard/card_id/186782/cards_lang/1|articlename=Rhosgobel|dated=|website=[http://www.tradecardsonline.com/ Trade Cards Online]|accessed=9 April 2012}}</ref>

'''2012: ''[[The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey]]'':'''
: Rhosgobel appears in a single scene, when it is attacked by [[spiders]]. Radagast later discovers that these spiders came from [[Dol Guldur]].

'''2014: ''[[The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies]]'':'''
: Rhosgobel appears in a single scene, when [[Radagast]] takes [[Gandalf]] from [[Dol Guldur]] to Rhosgobel after alerting the [[White Council]] to his presence there.

'''2019: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
: Rhosgobel, located in the [[Vales of Anduin]] region, is a large set of ruins located in the region of "Laerlad", once occupied by the [[Wood-elves]], but abandoned long ago. The cottage of [[Radagast the Brown]] is located inside the ruins, which, after briefly being overrun by the "Ungoladan" tribe in the aftermath of the [[War of the Ring]], was reclaimed by Radagast, who restored it as a refuge and sanctuary for the animals of Middle-earth.

{{references|notes}}
[[Category:Buildings]]
[[Category:Rhovanion]]
[[Category:Sindarin locations]]

[[de:Rhosgobel]]
[[fi:Rhosgobel]]
[[fr:encyclo/geographie/villes_tours_et_forteresses/rhovanion/rhosgobel]]

Carrock

2019-08-07T02:23:30Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Portrayal in adaptations */ (Update 24)

__NOTOC__
{{location infobox
| name=Carrock
| image=[[File:Alan Lee - The Carrock.jpg|250px]]
| caption="The Carrock" by [[Alan Lee]]
| pronun=
| othernames=
| location=In the river [[Anduin]], [[Rhovanion]]
| type=Eyot
| description=Large rock with steps to the base
| regions=
| towns=
| inhabitants=
| created=
| destroyed=
| events={{TA|2941}} - [[Thorin and Company]] reach the Carrock
}}
The '''Carrock''' was a stony eyot in the upper reaches of the River [[Anduin]], to the north of the [[Old Ford]].<ref>{{H|Wilderland}}</ref> The river looped around the rock although there was a ford of stones (probably the [[Ford of Carrock]]) to the eastern bank, while there was a swirling channel under its western cliff. At the base was a little cave with adjacent steps that led to a flat space upon the top.<ref name="Queer">{{H|Queer}}</ref>

==History==
[[Anduin]] apparently had several such eyots, which [[Beorn]] called carrocks, but he referred to that particular one as "the Carrock" being closer to [[Beorn's Hall|his home]]. Beorn built stairs reaching to its top, and sometimes would be seen climbing to the top in the form of a [[Bears|bear]] to look at the [[Moon]] or the [[Misty Mountains]].<ref name="Queer"/>

In {{TA|2941}},<ref>{{App|TA}}</ref> [[Thorin and Company]] were placed on the summit by the [[Eagles]]. They bathed and rested at the cave.

According to [[Bilbo Baggins|Bilbo's]] account of his journey, [[Radagast|Radagast the Brown]]'s home, [[Rhosgobel]], was near the Carrock.<ref name="Queer"/>
==Etymology==
Like ''[[Chetwood#Etymology|Chetwood]]'', the name ''Carrock'' appears to be a compound of two words of the same meaning: [[Old English]] ''[[Wiktionary:carr#Old_English|carr]]'', [[Welsh]] ''[[Wiktionary:carreg|carreg]]'' "rock, stone" + English ''rock''.<ref>{{HM|RC}}, p. 207</ref>

==Other Versions of the Legendarium==
[[J.R.R. Tolkien]] experimented with a number of names before he settled upon the ''Carrock'' — he first considered ''Sorneldin'', then ''Sinrock'', then ''Lamrock'' before making his final choice.<ref>{{HH|Medwed}}, note 12, p. 246</ref>

==Portrayal in adaptations==
'''2012: [[The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey]]:'''
:After the Eagles take Thorin and Company to the Carrock, Thorin and Bilbo reconcile after Thorin's heavy resentment against Bilbo. Contrary to the books, [[Erebor]] is clearly visible from the rock.

'''2014: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:The Carrock is located in the "[[Vales of Anduin]]" region, where one can access the [[Eagles' Eyrie]] via Great Eagle. A secret cave located in the base of The Carrock, can only be accessed by the kin of [[Beorn]] and [[Grimbeorn]].

==See also==
*[[Ford of Carrock]]
*[[:Category:Images of the Carrock|Images of the Carrock]]

{{References}}
{{companyroute}}
[[Category:Islands]]
[[Category:Rhovanion]]

[[de:Carrock]]
[[fr:encyclo:geographie:eaux:iles:carrock]]
[[fi:Otavankalle]]

Gandalf

2019-01-28T02:24:55Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Games */

{{Countdown}}
{{disambig-more|Gandalf|[[Gandalf (disambiguation)]]}}
{{maiar infobox
| name=Gandalf
| image=[[File:Matt Stewart - Gandalf - A Light in the Dark.jpg|250px]]
| caption="A Light in the Dark" by [[:Category:Images by Matt Stewart|Matt Stewart]]
| pronun=
| othernames=[[Gandalf/Names#The Grey|The Grey]], [[Gandalf/Names#The White|The White]], [[Gandalf/Names#Olórin|Olórin]], [[Gandalf/Names#Mithrandir|Mithrandir]], [[Gandalf/Names#Incánus|Incánus]], [[Gandalf/Names#Tharkûn|Tharkûn]], [[Gandalf/Names#The White Rider|The White Rider]], [[Gandalf/Names#Greyhame|Greyhame]], [[Gandalf/Names#Stormcrow|Stormcrow]], [[Gandalf/Names#Old Grey Beard|Old Grey Beard]], [[Gandalf/Names#Big Grey Beard|Big Grey Beard]], [[Gandalf/Names#The White Pilgrim|The White Pilgrim]], [[Gandalf/Names#Láthspell|Láthspell]]
| titles=
| position=
| location=No fixed abode
| affiliation=[[Wizards|Istari]] (Wizards) [[White Council]] [[Thorin and Company]] [[Fellowship of the Ring]]
| language=
| birth=
| birthlocation=
| rule=
| sailedwest=[[29 September]] {{TA|3021}}
| sailedfrom=[[Grey Havens]]
| age=
| notablefor=
| house=
| parentage=
| siblings=
| gender=Male
| height=5'6"<ref name="MB">{{HM|MB}}, page 49</ref>
| hair=Long white, silver beard<ref name="Meetings">{{FR|Meetings}}</ref>
| eyes=
| clothing=Grey robes (later white), blue hat, grey scarf, black boots<ref name="Party"/>
| weapons=Staff [[Glamdring]] [[Narya]]
| steed=[[Shadowfax]]
}}
{{Pronounce|Gandalf.mp3|Ardamir}}
{{Pronounce|Quenya - Olórin.mp3|Gilgamesh}}
{{Quote|Gandalf was shorter in stature than the [[Elrond|other]] [[Glorfindel|two]]; but his long white hair, his sweeping silver beard, and his broad shoulders, made him look like some wise king of ancient legend. In his aged face under great snowy brows his eyes were set like coals that could suddenly burst into fire.|''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', [[Many Meetings]]}}

'''Gandalf''' was one of the five [[Wizards|Istari]] sent to [[Middle-earth]] by the [[Valar]] in the [[Third Age]]. In [[Valinor]] he was known as Olórin. Gandalf was instrumental in bringing about the demise of [[Sauron]] in {{TA|3019}}, chiefly by encouraging others and dispensing his wisdom at pivotal times. Gandalf was originally robed in grey, and second to [[Saruman]] in the Order of [[wizards]]. After his fall in [[Moria]], Gandalf returned to Middle-earth as head of the Order, robed in white. Gandalf was noteworthy for his keen interest in [[Hobbits]].

==History==
The wisest of the Maiar, Gandalf was created by [[Ilúvatar]] before the [[Music of the Ainur]].<ref name="Ainu">{{S|Ainu}}</ref> At the beginning of Time, he was amongst the [[Ainur]] who entered into [[Eä]].<ref name="SVala">{{S|Vala}}</ref> In his "youth" he was known as '''''Olórin''''' and became one of the [[Maiar]] who served [[Manwë]], [[Varda]], [[Irmo]] and [[Nienna]] named. He was associated with light and fire, much like his peer Varda.<ref name=vala>{{S|IIc}}</ref>

Yet his ways often took him to Nienna, from whom he learned pity and patience.
He loved the [[Elves of Valinor|Elves]] but he walked [[unseen]] among them, or wore a [[fana]] that appeared like an [[Elves|Elf]], and sent them fair visions in their hearts that made them wiser. Throughout his existence, he followed the example of Nienna, he took pity on the sorrows of the [[Children of Ilúvatar]] and drove those who listened to him out of despair.<ref name=vala/>

During the [[Third Age]], while [[Sauron]]'s 'dark spirit of malice' was increasing over [[Middle-earth]], the Valar chose [[Istari|five emissaries]] from among the Maiar to go and help the [[Portal:Characters|peoples]]. [[Manwë]] selected Olórin, who, at first, did not wish to go, as he feared Sauron. However, Manwë said that that was all the more reason why he should go.<ref name="Istari">{{UT|13}}</ref> Furthermore, [[the One Ring]], the location of much of Sauron's power, presumably still existed somewhere in Middle-earth.

Olórin submitted to the will of Manwë, and departed Valinor to [[Mithlond]] in the year {{TA|1000}}.<ref name="Istari"/> He arrived after the others, [[Curumo]], [[Aiwendil]], [[Pallando]], and [[Alatar]], at about the same time the [[Necromancer]] appeared in [[Mirkwood]].

===Coming to Middle-earth===
Olórin, like the other Wizards, took the shape of an old man. He was robed in grey and went about as a wanderer and counsellor.

At Mithlond he was welcomed by [[Glorfindel]], his friend from Valinor, sent earlier on a similar mission, and [[Círdan]] the shipwright, who possessed [[Narya]], one of the [[Three Rings|Three]] Elven [[Rings of Power]]. Círdan divined in Olórin a sense of strength and power despite his appearance as a bent and aged old man. Círdan gave Narya to Olórin with a prediction of his future struggles with evil, and a promise that it would support and aid him in his labours. Then Círdan said "''But as for me, my heart is with the [[Belegaer|Sea]], and I will dwell by the grey shores until the last ship sails. I will await you.''"<ref name="ThirdAge">{{App|B2}}</ref>

[[File:John Howe - Gandalf the Grey.jpg|thumb|[[John Howe]] - ''Gandalf the Grey'']]
Gandalf then began his sojourn in Middle-earth. Unlike Saruman, Gandalf did not take up a single permanent residence. Gandalf never went to the [[east]]<ref>"To the East I go not"</ref> and apparently restricted his activities to the [[Westlands]] of Middle-earth, where the remnants of the [[Dúnedain]] and the [[Eldar]] remained to oppose Sauron. He was known by many names during the long years he remained in Middle-earth: Elves named him ''[[Gandalf/Names#Mithrandir|Mithrandir]]'', the Grey Pilgrim, while the men of [[Arnor]] named him '''Gandalf''', which became his most common name. He was also known as ''[[Gandalf/Names#Incánus|Incánus]]'' (in the south), and ''[[Gandalf/Names#Tharkûn|Tharkûn]]'' to the [[Dwarves]].<ref name="Istari"/>

A legend says that Gandalf was given by [[Yavanna]] the [[Elfstone]] of [[Eärendil]], to bring to the peoples of Middle-earth as a token that the Valar had not forsaken them. He gave it to [[Galadriel]], and remarked prophetically that she would in turn pass it to an individual who would also be called [[Aragorn|Elessar]].<ref>{{UT|6}}</ref>

===Early vigilance===
Around {{TA|1100}},<ref name="ThirdAge"/> the Istari and the Eldar discovered that some evil entity resided at [[Dol Guldur]] in Mirkwood. Dark shapes moved in the forest and evil began to multiply in the woods. Some thought a [[Nazgûl]] had returned to torment the world, or some new evil was arising. Gandalf was unsure, and feared that perhaps Sauron himself might have returned.<ref name="Rings">{{S|Rings}}</ref>
[[File:John Howe - Pass the Doors of Dol Guldur.jpg|thumb|200px|left|[[John Howe]] - ''Pass the Doors of Dol Guldur'']]
Over the next two hundred years the evil continued to grow, as well as the source directing it. [[Orcs]] were multiplying in the [[Misty Mountains]] and elsewhere. The [[Witch-king]], the mightiest of the Nazgûl, had built a fortress in [[Angmar]] in the Northern wastelands and waged unending war against the Kingdom of [[Arnor]]. Meanwhile [[Moria]] and [[Minas Ithil]] fell under a shadow, while other wars, plagues, and catastrophes occurred across Middle-earth. Gandalf went to Dol Guldur in {{TA|2063|n}} to discover its secret.<ref name="ThirdAge"/> An entity known only as the '[[Necromancer]]' fled before him preventing Gandalf from identifying him.<ref name="Rings"/> After Gandalf's incursion, the evil there seemed to desist, and its absence allowed for some centuries of calmness.

That peaceful period was known as the [[Watchful Peace]] and lasted for almost four hundred years, but the Nazgûl had used this period to prepare for Sauron's return, in {{TA|2460|n}}.<ref name="ThirdAge"/> Realising the returning evil, the [[Wise]] formed the [[White Council]] three years later. [[Galadriel]], bearer of one of the Three Elven Rings and mighty among the Eldar, wished Gandalf to be the chief of the Council, but he refused the position wishing to set down no roots and to maintain his independence; Saruman took this place because of his vast knowledge.<ref name="Rings"/>

During his wanderings in [[Eriador]], Gandalf met and befriended the isolated and secretive people of the [[Hobbits]] in their country, [[The Shire]]. During the [[Long Winter]] of {{TA|2758|n}} Gandalf came to their aid.<ref name="ThirdAge"/> It was then when he witnessed and admired the pity and courage the humble Hobbits reserved in their hearts.<ref name="Erebor"/>

When King [[Thráin|Thráin II]], a dwarf of the royal line of [[Lonely Mountain]], disappeared on journey to [[Erebor]], Gandalf looked for him. At some point after {{TA|2845|n}} he entered the abandoned city of Khazad-dûm. After his vain search the Wizard exited through the [[Doors of Durin]]; however this experience did not help him know how to open the doors from the outside.<ref name=journey>{{FR|Journey}}</ref>

In {{TA|2850|n}}, his quest led him once more to Dol Guldur, this time in secrecy.<ref name="ThirdAge"/> He found Thráin in the dungeons, who gave the Wizard his last possessions, the [[Thrór's Map|map]] and key to Erebor<ref name="Durin">{{App|Durin}}</ref>. Most importantly, he found that the Necromancer was no Nazgûl – it was Sauron himself, and he had taken [[Ring of Thrór|the last]] of the [[Seven Rings]] from the Dwarf King; Sauron was gathering the remaining [[Rings of Power]] and possibly searching for his lost [[The One Ring|One Ring]].

Gandalf escaped Dol Guldur and returned to the White Council.<ref name="Rings"/> After relating his discoveries, he urged the council to attack Sauron while the One Ring was still lost and Sauron's power immature. But Saruman said that it was better to watch and wait; that the One Ring had long ago rolled from [[Anduin]] to the Sea. The majority of the council agreed with Saruman. [[Elrond]] Half-elven, a powerful member of the council, later privately told Gandalf he had a foreboding that the Ring would be found, and that the war to end the [[Ages|Age]] was coming. Indeed, he added, he feared that it would end in darkness and despair. Gandalf encouraged him, saying there were many "strange chances," and that, "''help oft shall come from the hands of the weak''". Gandalf did not yet realise that Saruman now wanted the ring for himself and was secretly searching for it along the banks of river Anduin.

===The Quest for Erebor===
Gandalf would visit the Shire occasionally and participate in the [[Midsummer]]-eve parties of the [[Old Took]] where he impressed young Hobbits with his fireworks, and his stories about [[Dragons]], [[Orcs#Orcs and Goblins|Goblins]] and princesses.<ref name="Erebor"/> He was thus known to be "responsible for so many quiet lads and lasses going off into the Blue for mad adventures". He also met a relatively adventurous Hobbit named [[Bilbo Baggins]] although he was far from "adventuresome."<ref name="Party"/>

Gandalf was concerned about the weak state of the North. [[Smaug]] the [[Dragons|Dragon]] had destroyed both the [[Kingdom under the Mountain]] and the town of [[Dale]], and Gandalf feared that [[Sauron]] might use the desolation around Erebor to regain the northern passes in the mountains and the old lands of Angmar. Gandalf knew that exiled Dwarf [[King of Durin's Folk]] [[Thorin Oakenshield]] planned to battle against Smaug, but he knew that it would not be enough. In {{TA|2941|n}},<ref name="ThirdAge"/> while staying the night in [[Bree]], Gandalf happened across the Dwarf King.<ref name="Erebor">{{UT|Erebor}}</ref> Thorin initiated conversation; he had been having a strange feeling urging him to seek Gandalf. Gandalf was intrigued, for he had thought to seek Thorin as well. They found they were taking the same road for a while (Thorin passing through [[the Shire]] on his way to the [[Blue Mountains|Ered Luin]]), and they agreed to travel together. Thorin wanted advice, and Gandalf in turn wanted to discuss the Dragon Smaug with Thorin.
[[File:David T. Wenzel - Good Morning Mr. Baggins.jpg|thumb|[[David T. Wenzel]] - ''Good Morning Mr. Baggins'']]
Ultimately, Gandalf concocted a plan wherein Thorin could destroy Smaug and recover his family fortune, albeit with a "burglar" of Gandalf's own choosing. Gandalf had a feeling that a Hobbit should be involved, and he remembered Bilbo Baggins. At first he found only [[Holman Cotton]] as Bilbo had left on the occasion of the [[Yestare|Elven new year]], something that persuaded Gandalf that Bilbo was the right person for the job.<ref name="Erebor"/> He visited Bilbo later, bringing along the kinsmen of Thorin.<ref name="Party">{{H|Party}}</ref> In the end Gandalf convinced the reluctant Baggins to become a burglar for Thorin. Gandalf then accompanied [[Thorin and Company]] to [[Rivendell]]. During the journey Gandalf was instrumental in saving the travellers' lives from several calamities.

Gandalf saved them from a trio of [[Stone-trolls]], and later obtained the legendary sword [[Glamdring]] from their [[Trolls|Troll]]-hoard; Gandalf bore it thenceforth.<ref name="Mutton">{{H|Mutton}}</ref> He also helped Thorin and Company through the [[Misty Mountains]]; when unknowingly they camped in the [[Front Porch]] of the [[Goblin-town]] the Goblins captured the whole company except Gandalf, who surprised them much later, killing the [[Great Goblin]] and then leading the Dwarves to the exit.<ref name="Hill">{{H|Hill}}</ref> It was during this time that Bilbo obtained a "magic ring".<ref name="Riddles">{{H|Riddles}}</ref> Bilbo initially claimed he "won" it from the creature "[[Gollum]]" while the company was under the Misty Mountains.<ref name="Pan">{{H|Pan}}</ref> The ring conferred invisibility on Bilbo when he wore it, and he kept it secret from Gandalf for some time.
[[File:Darrell Sweet - The Lord of the Eagles.jpg|thumb|left|[[Darrell Sweet]] - ''The Lord of the Eagles'']]
On their escape out, the Company was saved by the [[Eagles]] of the Misty Mountains; Gandalf once had healed the [[Great Eagle]] from a poisoned wound, and thenceforth they became friends. The Eagles picked them up to their eyrie, and the next day they dropped them to the other side of the Mountains.<ref name="Pan"/>
[[File:Angus McBride - Dol Guldur.jpg|thumb|[[Angus McBride]] - ''Dol Guldur'']]
Gandalf then sought the hospitality of [[Beorn]], persuading him to welcome and host the whole Company in his [[Beorn's Hall|hall]]. But then he left the quest prior to its completion; after leading the Company to the outskirts of the [[Forest Gate]], he gave them some final advice (but little did he know that the lands had changed by then) before they'd enter [[Mirkwood]], and went to attend other obligations.<ref>{{H|Queer}}</ref> The [[White Council]] had met under the gravest of circumstances: Sauron's vast power was returning, even without his Ring. Gandalf at last convinced the Council to attack Dol Guldur, to which even Saruman agreed (as by now he feared Sauron as a rival, and wished to delay his search for the Ring). Gandalf joined his peers in assailing [[Dol Guldur]], ridding [[Mirkwood]] of the Necromancer's presence, who fled to [[Mordor]].<ref name="AppB2">{{App|B2}}</ref> When he was about to finish his task, news about what happened to Thorin's Company in Mirkwood reached him, and realised that the instructions he gave did not help them; they had lost their way, and then vanished from the imprisonment of the [[Silvan Elves|Wood-elves]], who had captured them. He was anxious to get back to them as soon as possible.<ref>{{H|Welcome}}</ref>

Meanwhile Thorin's quest was successful: Erebor was retaken and Smaug was killed,<ref name="Fire">{{H|Fire}}</ref> but when Gandalf finally arrived to the area, he found the [[Dwarves of Erebor]] and [[Dwarves of the Iron Hills|the Iron Hills]] preparing for an attack by the [[Lake-men]] and the [[Elves of Mirkwood]]. He was with [[Bard]] and [[Thranduil]] and revealed his presence trying to reason with Thorin. When the attack was beginning, Gandalf halted them, to warn that the [[Orcs]] and [[Wargs]] were coming to claim the treasure. He invited [[Dáin Ironfoot]] for council, and soon Dwarves, Elves and Men formed an alliance, and defeated the [[Orcs of the Misty Mountains]] in the [[Battle of Five Armies]].<ref name="Burst">{{H|Burst}}</ref>

King Thorin was mortally wounded and after his funeral and the reestablishment of Erebor under Dáin, Bilbo and Gandalf followed their way back; they celebrated [[Yule]] at Beorn's, and then returned to Rivendell, where he discussed with [[Elrond]] the events of Dol Guldur and the Lonely Mountain. Gandalf had accomplished his immediate goal, which was to destroy Smaug, who could have been used to disastrous effect by Sauron. A large number of Orcs and Wargs also were killed in the North, removing threats to Rivendell and Lothlórien.<ref name="Erebor"/> But they both agreed that it would be better if the Necromancer were banished from the world altogether.<ref name="H19">{{H|19}}</ref>

As Gandalf and Bilbo passed by the site of their former encounter with the stone-trolls, they made sure to recover the gold of the troll-hoard they had buried.<ref name="H19"/>

Gandalf, for his part, found himself amazed by the hobbit; until then the wise had paid no attention to hobbits and knew little of them. For the rest of his sojourn in Middle-earth, Gandalf took a special interest in hobbits, and particularly in the Baggins family.

===The Return of the Shadow===
Despite the Council's hopes, Sauron was not weakened by this attack. He had foreseen the move that drove him from Mirkwood, and his retreat was but a feint. Ten years after the attack, Sauron declared himself openly in Mordor in {{TA|2951|n}} and rebuilt the [[Barad-dûr]]. The White Council met for one last time in {{TA|2953|n}} to debate about the [[Rings of Power]]. Saruman quieted his peers claiming to have the knowledge that the One Ring was lost in the [[Belegaer]]. After their meeting, Saruman, jealous and afraid of Gandalf, set spies to watch all his movements; this would affect the peaceful Hobbits, as Saruman thus discovered the existence and noted Gandalf's interest in the Shire, and started sending agents in [[Bree]] and the [[Southfarthing]].<ref name="ThirdAge"/>

Meanwhile Sauron began reassembling his forces for the final blow against the hated West. [[Easterlings]] from [[Khand]] and beyond the [[Sea of Rhûn]], joined by men from [[Harad]] reinforced his stronghold in [[Mordor]]; Orcs, trolls, and other foul beasts were multiplying while his minions were searching the Anduin for any sign of his precious One Ring.

Gandalf met [[Aragorn]], the hidden [[Heir of Isildur]] in {{TA|2956|n}}, and soon became friends with him. From that point on Aragorn and Gandalf often worked together towards a common end - the defeat of Sauron.

[[File:Darrell Sweet - The Arrival of Gandalf.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Darrell Sweet]] - ''The Arrival of Gandalf'']]
During this period Gandalf visited the Shire frequently, especially his friend Bilbo Baggins, and his younger cousin, [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]]. He noted Bilbo's unusual youthfulness, despite his advancing age; the suspicious "[[The One Ring|magic ring]]" that Bilbo had acquired during his adventure began to weigh on his mind. Gandalf recalled the deceit Bilbo used in originally claiming it for his own-- Bilbo had later admitted to stealing it from [[Gollum]]. Gandalf could see that Bilbo was now very preoccupied with the ring. Such un-hobbitlike behaviour aroused his suspicions. In {{TA|3001|n}} he organised for him the [[Bilbo's Farewell Party]], and before leaving the Shire, he convinced Bilbo to leave the Ring for Frodo. He then emphatically warned Frodo not to use it; Gandalf had begun to suspect that the "magic ring" was indeed a ring of power.

Keen now to find out more about Gollum, he sought Aragorn's help to capture him, a quest that lasted for years all around [[Rhovanion]] and the confines of [[Mordor]].<ref name="ThirdAge"/> Studying the records in [[Minas Tirith]], he found the [[Scroll of Isildur]] and pieced together the missing history of the One Ring; on his way back to the Shire he got word from the [[Galadhrim]] that Aragorn had finally captured Gollum and he went to [[Mirkwood]] to meet him. For days he interrogated him in order to verify what he already knew, in {{TA|3017|n}}. A great fear came over him when he learned that Gollum had been to the Barad-dûr. Sauron had tortured Gollum and learned not only of the "magic ring", but also the names "Shire" and "Baggins". Gandalf now returned in haste to the Shire, certain that Frodo's ring was not simply a ring of power: it was the One Ruling Ring of Sauron.<ref name=council>{{FR|Council}}</ref>

===The War of the Ring===
After Gandalf’s fears were confirmed, he returned to the Shire and advised Frodo to leave as soon as possible, promising to return before a farewell party for Bilbo in autumn of that year ({{TA|3018|n}}), and to escort him to Rivendell. Gandalf also told Frodo about the creature Gollum, to which Frodo exclaimed that he should have been killed. Gandalf speculated that perhaps Gollum would have a part to play before the end, and in any case, it was not for them to decide who should live and who should die.

While in the Shire, he had a sense of foreboding and in the aftermath of [[Sauron's attack on Osgiliath]] he heard disturbing news about war in [[Gondor]] and a [[Black Shadow]]. He started wandering around [[Eriador]] hearing news from the refugees who had a fear they couldnot speak about, until he met [[Radagast]] who brought a message of [[Saruman]] that he must seek him at once; and a warning that the [[Ringwraiths]] are looking for the Shire.<ref name=council/> He went to [[the Prancing Pony]] at [[Bree]]. Believing that he would not be able to return to Frodo in time, he wrote [[Gandalf's letter|a letter]], urging him to move as soon as possible for Rivendell, and seek someone "Strider" whose real name is Aragorn, with a [[The Riddle of Strider|riddle]] to identify him; Gandalf would then try to catch up with them when available. He also instructed [[Barliman Butterbur]] to send the letter to [[Hobbiton]] and to expect a Mr. [[Baggins]] that will come under the name of "[[Mr. Underhill]]". He left the inn, but Barliman would forget to send the letter.<ref>{{FR|Strider}}</ref>

====The Treachery of Saruman====
[[File:Ted Nasmith - Gandalf Escapes Upon Gwaihir.jpg|thumb|left|200px|[[Ted Nasmith]] - ''Gandalf Escapes Upon Gwaihir'']]
Soon thereafter Gandalf arrived at Isengard. At their meeting, Saruman at last revealed his desire for the One Ring. He offered to his "''old friend and helper''" that they take the Ring for themselves and seize power from Sauron. Gandalf rejected this with horror, and was imprisoned by Saruman on the pinnacle of [[Orthanc]]. [[Gwaihir]], chief of the Eagles, soon arrived and helped Gandalf escape. Gandalf knew he must return quickly to the Shire, as Frodo (and the ring) were in grave danger from both Sauron's Nazgûl and now Saruman's treacherous desire for the ring.

Gandalf hurriedly went to [[Rohan]], desiring to find a strong steed; there he obtained [[Shadowfax]] from King [[Théoden]], who later resented the gift. This lord of horses and Gandalf forged a special bond, and Gandalf made quick use of Shadowfax's incredible strength and endurance.

Gandalf sped to the Shire. Fortunately, Frodo had already left the Shire without waiting for Gandalf, and was seeking the refuge of [[Rivendell]]. Upon arrival Gandalf learned that the Nazgûl, arrayed as [[Nazgûl|Black Riders]], had been searching the area. Dismayed, he set out for Bree; Barliman apologised to Gandalf for forgetting to send the letter, worried that the hobbits had left with Strider, the suspicious [[Rangers of the North|Ranger]]. But for Gandalf this was a hope which far exceeded his expectations. After congratulating a puzzled Barliman, and blessing his beer, Gandalf then made for [[Weathertop]], a high point in the region, to observe the surrounding area.
[[File:Ted Nasmith - Fire on Weathertop.jpg|thumb|[[Ted Nasmith]] - ''Fire on Weathertop'']]
There he was assaulted at night by the Nazgûl, but drove them off after a great battle of light and flame. These phenomena were seen by Aragorn and the hobbits from afar, without knowing it was Gandalf. Before leaving, he marked some stones with the [[cirth|certh]] G for them to find.

He then went directly to Rivendell, where he welcomed Glorfindel, Aragorn and the hobbits upon their arrival several days later, Frodo being sorely wounded but still in possession of the ring.

====The Fellowship of the Ring====
Elrond called a [[Council of Elrond|council]] after Frodo was healed to consider the momentous decision regarding the ring. By chance, representatives of most of the free peoples happened to be in Rivendell already for various reasons. Elrond and Gandalf advised that the Ring should be destroyed in the fires of [[Orodruin]], where it was made. Others dissented or objected, but eventually submitted to Gandalf's plan. Ultimately, Elrond appointed the Fellowship of the Ring as nine walkers, numerically set against Sauron's nine Nazgûl. The relatively small number reflected the realisation by Elrond and the other council members that the quest of Mount Doom would not rely upon strength of arms, but on stealth and good fortune. Gandalf was chosen to lead the company, which included [[Aragorn]], [[Boromir]], [[Legolas]] the Elf, [[Gimli]] the Dwarf, and the hobbits Frodo Baggins, [[Samwise Gamgee]], [[Peregrin Took]], and [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]].

Several obstacles stood in the company's way. The vast [[Misty Mountains]] had to be crossed, for Gandalf was determined not to lead the company near [[Isengard]]. Gandalf decided to take a southern route to the [[Redhorn Pass]] and there to cross the [[Misty Mountains]] near [[Caradhras]], thereby traversing the mountain range and avoiding Isengard. When this attempt failed due to a terrible storm he then decided to take the Fellowship through the ruins of Moria, where the remains of the great Dwarf city of [[Moria|Khazad-dûm]] was now a labyrinth of tunnels under the mountains. Others in the company were loathe enter the maze, as it was now the lair of orcs and something known only as "Durin's Bane".

[[File:Ted Nasmith - At the Bridge.jpg|thumb|left|200px|[[Ted Nasmith]] - ''At the Bridge'']]At the [[Doors of Durin]] on the west side of the mountains, Gandalf, after some delay, spoke the password and led the company into the dark. Having been in Moria on an earlier perilous errand, he was somewhat familiar with the underground passages. Eventually the party came to the [[Chamber of Mazarbul]], where Gandalf read the [[Book of Mazarbul|Book of Records]], which revealed the fate of [[Balin]], the leader of an ill-fated attempt to re-colonise Moria. Soon after, the party was attacked by orcs, and forced to flee the chamber. By then Gandalf was well aware of their location, and he led the party quickly towards the eastern exit.

Unfortunately [[Durin's Bane]] caught up to the group at the [[Bridge of Khazad-dûm]]. Gandalf and Legolas immediately realised what it was: a [[Balrogs|Balrog]] of [[Morgoth]], a servant of the first dark lord. In a spectacular display of bravery Gandalf faced the demon and broke the bridge both stood upon, leaving the beast to fall into a seemingly bottomless chasm. But the Balrog's whip lashed out, and grasped Gandalf by the knees, causing him to fall into the pit. While falling, Gandalf shouted "Fly, you fools" and vanished into the abyss.<ref name=bridge>{{FR|Bridge}}</ref>

[[File:John Howe - Zirak-zigil.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[John Howe]] - ''Zirak-zigil'']]Yet Gandalf did not die; he and the Balrog fought long in the bowels and deep places of Arda. After restless pursuit over the course of eight days, Gandalf and the beast finally came to the summit of the [[Endless Stair]] upon the peak of [[Celebdil]], where he [[Battle of the Peak|fought the demon]] for two days and nights. The Balrog had burst into flame anew when it exited the stairs; ice, wind, and smoke swirled about them as they duelled. Gandalf used his last measure of strength to slay the Balrog, throwing him down the mountainside in ruin. Gandalf's spirit then left his body, having sacrificed himself to save the Fellowship.

====Gandalf the White====
But Gandalf's spirit did not depart Middle-earth forever at this time. As the only one of the five Istari to stay true to his errand, Olórin/Gandalf was sent back to mortal lands by [[Ilúvatar|Eru]], and he became Gandalf once again. Yet, as he was now the sole emissary of the Valar to Middle-earth, he was granted the power to "reveal" more of his inner [[Maiar]] strength. This naked power that lay within him was seldom used during the remainder of his time in Middle-earth, as his mission was essentially the same: to support and succour those who opposed Sauron. Nevertheless, when Gandalf's wrath was kindled his "unveiled" strength was such that few of Sauron's servants could withstand him.
[[File:Ted Nasmith - Gandalf Returns.jpg|thumb|left|[[Ted Nasmith]] - ''Gandalf Returns'']]
As he lay on the mountaintop, the great eagle [[Gwaihir]] came up and bore him to [[Lothlórien]], where he was clothed and replenished, and given a new staff by [[Galadriel]]. Gandalf soon learned that Frodo and Sam had left the Fellowship and were attempting the quest of Mount Doom alone. As Frodo was beyond his assistance now, Gandalf promptly went south to [[Fangorn Forest]], where he met the [[Three Hunters]]: [[Aragorn]], [[Legolas]], and [[Gimli]], and gave them messages from Galadriel. Then he called forth [[Shadowfax]], and rode with them to [[Edoras]]. There he found that Saruman's spy [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]] had deceived King [[Théoden]] into hopeless impotence. Gandalf quickly deposed Wormtongue and encouraged Théoden to ride west to war against [[Saruman]]. Gandalf by now was keenly aware that the great war to end the age was beginning; if Saruman conquered Rohan then Gondor would be alone with enemies on all sides.

At Gandalf's encouragement King Théoden went west to Helm's Deep where he was quickly besieged; Gandalf then searched for [[Erkenbrand]] and the forces of the [[Westfold]], which he later found and led to the Deep, thus breaking the siege. Meanwhile, the [[Ents]] (along with the hobbits Merry and Pippin) moved against Saruman and sent [[Huorns]] against the orcs, resulting in the utter ruin of the outer walls of [[Isengard]] and the complete annihilation of Saruman's orcs. After the battle, Gandalf went to [[Orthanc]] with Théoden, Aragorn, and a small group. There Saruman rejected Gandalf's offer of forgiveness with contempt. Gandalf then broke Saruman's staff and cast him from the Order and the Council. Gandalf imposed a strict watch on Isengard by the Ents and then advised King Théoden to ride to Gondor's defence as soon as possible. The wizard's mind had already turned to Gondor and the coming climactic battle in the east.

====The Siege of Minas Tirith====
[[File:Donato Giancola - The White Rider.jpeg|thumb|right|200px|[[Donato Giancola]] - ''The White Rider'']] As a 'reward' for Pippin, who had foolishly gazed into a [[Palantíri|palantír]], Gandalf took the Hobbit with him to [[Minas Tirith]], the last bastion of the west. Soon after arriving, Gandalf confronted [[Denethor|Denethor II]], the [[Ruling Steward]], and learned that he was near despair over the death of his eldest son, [[Boromir]]. Pippin entered the Steward's service in payment of the debt that he and Merry owed, the death of Boromir. Ostensibly they were allies, but the Steward treated him with disrespect and suspicion. When [[Faramir]], the Steward's younger son, returned from [[Osgiliath]] and was attacked by Nazgûl, Gandalf upon Shadowfax drove them away by revealing the power within him; later Faramir told him that Frodo and Sam were still alive and headed towards Mordor.

The city was soon besieged by a vast force from Mordor, led by the [[Witch-king]]. An ill-advised counter attack resulted in Faramir receiving a wound from a poisoned dart; he lay near death inside the Tower. Still, Gandalf encouraged the men of Minas Tirith to have hope, and dispelled the fear of the Ringwraiths by his very presence. But Sauron's catapults hurled flaming bolts upon the city; soon the first circle of the city burned unchecked. Denethor now lost all heart as the city burned and his only remaining son hovered near death; he abandoned his leadership of the city. Gandalf then took it upon himself to direct the defense of the city. When the gigantic ram [[Grond (battering ram)|Grond]] destroyed the ancient entrance to the city, Gandalf placed himself alone at the ruined gateway. The Witch-king then appeared in the midst of the blasted gate upon a black horse and threatened Gandalf with death; but Gandalf did not move — seated upon Shadowfax he defied the mightiest of Sauron's minions. However, the stand-off ended inconclusively, as the morning arrived along with the host of the Rohirrim. Hearing the horns of the Riders of Rohan, the Witch-king departed.

But Gandalf did not pursue his foe, for Pippin brought him news that Denethor was about to commit suicide in the high tower, burning himself and his son Faramir on a pyre like the heathen Kings of old. Gandalf rushed to stop this madness and was able to save Faramir, but not Denethor, whose despair and grief had overcome his mind. Gandalf also learned how it was that Denethor's will had been broken: Denethor clutched a palantír in his hands as he burned. Clearly Denethor had been using the stone's special properties for some time — extending his vision far beyond those of mannish eyes, but also wrestling in thought with Sauron. And even though Sauron could not completely overwhelm Denethor's mind, his courage was daunted by knowledge of the vast might of Mordor. Thus the shadow entered into the capital of Gondor.

Nevertheless, and against all hope, the siege was broken. [[Éowyn]] of Rohan and the hobbit Merry defeated the Witch-king, whose last wail was heard by many as he was reduced to impotence. Soon after, Lord Aragorn arrived with a large valour of men from the southern

==Personality==
[[File:Roger Garland - Gandalf.jpg|left|thumb|The Grey Pilgrim relaxing]]
Gandalf is often described in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' as quick to anger, and equally quick to laugh.<ref name="Lorien">{{FR|Lorien}}</ref>
His deep wisdom clearly derived from the patience he learned in Valinor, just as his care for all creatures of good will must have come from his strong sense of pity for the weak. Both his patience and sense of pity were revealed again and again, extending even to the servants of his enemies.
[[File:J.R.R. Tolkien - G for Gandalf.png|thumb|Gandalf's signature, the [[cirth|rune]] "G".]]
Keen observers of Gandalf often detected a veiled power, usually revealed in his eyes, which appeared deep and wise. He was alternately affectionate and brusque; he often surprised others with his bluntness when time was of the essence. Gandalf consistently upbraided foolish behaviour, but also richly rewarded those who acted with good intentions.

Hobbits appealed to him more than to the other Wizards, and he went often to the Shire for respites from his errands. It may be that he was amused by their nature. It may also be because they were untouched by the great evils of the world, and were more in touch with nature than Men; perhaps their agrarian lifestyle appealed to Gandalf's innate spirit and reminded him of the gardens of Valinor.

==Appearance==
[[File:John Howe - Gandalf the Grey 02.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[John Howe]] - ''Gandalf the Grey'']]

The first description of Gandalf is preserved in the initial pages of ''The Hobbit'', written in the early 1930s. Gandalf's fame is alluded to even before his physical description ("Tales and adventures sprouted up all over the place wherever he went, in the most extraordinary fashion"), while the protagonist's ("unsuspecting Bilbo") impression is that of:
{{Blockquote|...an old man with a staff. He had a tall pointed blue hat, a long grey cloak, a silver scarf over which a white beard hung down below his waist, and immense black boots.|[[J.R.R. Tolkien]]<ref name="Party"/>}}

Later, [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] wrote:
{{Blockquote|...a figure strongly built and with broad shoulder, though shorter than the average of men and now stooped with age, leaning on a thick rough-cut staff as he trudged along... Gandalf's hat was wide-brimmed [...] with a pointed conical crown, and it was ''blue''; he wore a long ''grey'' cloak, but this would not reach much below his knees. It was of an elven silver-grey hue, though tarnished by wear - as is evident from the general use of grey in [[The Lord of the Rings|the book]]... But his colours were always white, silver-grey, and blue - except for the boots he wore when walking in the wild...Gandalf even bent must have been at least 5 ft. 6... Which would make him a short man even in modern England, especially with the reduction of a bent back.|[[J.R.R. Tolkien]]<ref name="MB" />}}

Although some of the Wise know his true nature, his "wizard-like" appearance causes many to mistake him for a simple conjurer. After his return his "signature colour" changes from grey to white, for he has been sent back to replace the corrupt Saruman as the chief of the Wizards. In the book he claims that in some ways he now "was Saruman", or rather Saruman as he should have been.

[[Círdan]] the Shipwright seemed to have foreseen this, for he entrusted the care of [[Narya]], one of the [[Three Rings]] of the Elves to Gandalf rather than Saruman.

==Powers and abilities==
[[File:Roger Thomasson - Gandalf the Grey.jpg|Roger Thomasson - ''Gandalf the Grey''|thumb]]

Gandalf demonstrated extensive knowledge of the land and an assortment of magical abilities from trivial to essential. For example he would use his powers for entertainment, by blowing glowing smoke rings that moved around a room at his direction, and [[Bilbo Baggins]] remembered him for his fantastic fireworks displays. He created blinding flashes and other pyrotechnics to distract the [[Orcs|goblins]] of the [[Misty Mountains]], aiding the dwarves in their escape from [[Goblin-town]]. On the eastern slopes, he turned pine cones into flaming projectiles that threw hot sparks and started fires that would not easily go out. He was also able to come and go from the presence of [[Thorin and Company]] without being noticed.

He again displayed his proficiency with pyrotechnics at [[Bilbo's Farewell Party]]. When the Fellowship is attacked by [[Wargs]] in [[Eregion|Hollin]] Gandalf speaks words of power to inflame the trees on the hillock where the company had camped. He was also able to start fires under blizzard conditions, create light of varying intensity for the journey through [[Moria]], magically secure doors, and break the [[Bridge of Khazad-dûm]]. When angered or aroused for battle, he seemed to grow in height and assume a terrifying aspect. He fought the [[Durin's Bane|Balrog of Moria]] and killed his opponent, although he did not himself survive the battle.

Sent back to [[Middle-earth]] as Gandalf the White, he possessed greater charisma and a limited degree of clairvoyance, although he was unable to peer into the land of [[Mordor]] to see the progress of Frodo and [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]]. His power and authority had increased so that he could break [[Saruman]]'s staff with a spoken command, showing his authority to throw the treacherous wizard out of the order.

Gandalf was the bearer of [[Narya]], the Ring of Fire, and described himself as the "servant of the [[Secret Fire]]" and "wielder of the [[flame of Anor]]".<ref name=bridge/> Most times Gandalf displayed his power, this had to do with fire. It is not known whether his possession of Narya had any merit to his abilities.<ref>FAQ of the Rings: [http://oakroadsystems.com/genl/ringfaq.htm#Q3-Fireworks D6. ''Gandalf bore the Ring of Fire. Is that how he made his fireworks?'']</ref>

===Special equipment===
It is unknown whether Gandalf required his staff to exercise certain powers. At times it appeared to focus or extend his powers, such as when it emanated light. Exactly how much it aided him in the use of magic is unknown, but [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]] tried to forbid Gandalf from bringing it into [[Edoras]], clearly under the impression that without it Gandalf's power would be limited.

When he arrived in Middle-earth, Gandalf received the Elven ring [[Narya]] from [[Círdan]]. It is clear that Gandalf wore this ring from that time to the end of the Third Age but how he used its powers is not known.

In {{TA|2941}}, Gandalf acquired the Elven sword [[Glamdring]] from the treasure hoard of a band of trolls.<ref name="Mutton"/> He continued to wield this weapon throughout ''The Lord of the Rings'', in particular during his fight with the [[Durin's Bane|Balrog]] in Moria.

Throughout his time in Middle-earth Gandalf often was seen with a pipe, the use of which clearly brought him immense enjoyment.

==Other versions of the legendarium==
In early manuscripts of ''[[The Hobbit]]'', the name ''[[Bladorthin]]'' was used by Tolkien for the character who later would be named ''Gandalf''. The name ''Gandalf'' was instead used for the character known as [[Thorin]] in the published works.<ref>{{HH|Intro}}</ref>

==Inspiration==
[[File:Georg von Rosen - Oden som vandringsman, 1886 (Odin, the Wanderer).jpg|thumb|Georg von Rosen - ''Oden som vandringsman'' (''Odin the Wanderer'')]]
[[File:Josef Madlener - Der Berggeist.jpg|left|thumb|[[Josef Madlener]] - ''[[Der Berggeist]]'']]

''Gandalfr''
appears in the list of dwarves in the ''[[Völuspá]]'' of the Elder Edda, the name means "Cane-elf". Tolkien took the name along with the other dwarves' names when he wrote ''The Hobbit'' in the 1930s. He came to regret the creation of this "rabble of eddaic-named dwarves [...] invented in an idle hour",<ref>{{TI|Runes}}, p. 452</ref> since it forced him to come up with an explanation of why Old Norse names should be used in [[Third Age]] Middle-earth. He solved the dilemma in 1942 by the explanation that [[Old Norse]] was a ''translation'' of the [[language of Dale]]. The figure of Gandalf has other influences from Germanic mythology, particularly Odin in his incarnation as "the Wanderer", an old man with one eye, a long white beard, a wide brimmed hat, and a staff: Tolkien states that he thinks of Gandalf as an ''"Odinic wanderer"'' in a letter of 1946.<ref>{{L|107}}</ref>

Tolkien had a postcard labelled ''[[Der Berggeist]]'' ("the mountain spirit"), and on the paper cover in which he kept it, he wrote "the origin of Gandalf" at some point. The postcard reproduces a painting of a bearded figure, sitting on a rock under a pine tree in a mountainous setting. He wears a wide-brimmed round hat and a long cloak and a white fawn is nuzzling his upturned hands.
[[Humphrey Carpenter]] in his 1977 biography said that Tolkien had bought the postcard during his 1911 holiday in Switzerland. However, Manfred Zimmerman discovered that the painting was by German artist Josef Madlener and dates to the late 1920s.<ref>[[Manfred Zimmerman]], "The Origin of Gandalf and Josef Madlener", in [[Mythlore|''Mythlore'']] [[Mythlore 34|34]] (Winter [[1983]])</ref> Carpenter concluded that Tolkien was probably mistaken about the origin of the postcard himself. Tolkien must have acquired the card at some time in the early 1930s, at a time when ''The Hobbit'' had already begun to take shape.

==Names==
{{Main|Gandalf/Names}}

==Etymology==
Within the legendarium, ''Gandalf'' translates an unknown name of the meaning "Elf-of-the-wand (or cane/staff)", or more literary "Wand-elf", in old northern Mannish. Most denizens of Middle-earth incorrectly assumed Gandalf was a [[Men|Man]], although he was really a Maia spirit (approximately equivalent to an angel). However, a less common misconception that occurred during the beginning of his career in Middle-earth was that for someone to be [[Immortality|immortal]] and use as much magic as he did, he must have been an Elf. Although it soon became apparent to all that he could not be an Elf, as he was old and Elves do not generally age, the nickname stuck with him. He later gave it as his name to others he met who did not know its original meaning.

==Portrayals in adaptations==
{{Gallery
|title=Gandalf in adaptations
|height=150
|width=200
|lines=3
|File:The Hobbit (1966 film) - Gandalf.png|Gandalf in [[The Hobbit (1966 film)|''The Hobbit'' (1966 film)]]
|File:The Hobbit (1977 film) - Gandalf.jpg|Gandalf in [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|''The Hobbit'' (1977 film)]]
|File:The Lord of the Rings (1978 film) - Gandalf.jpg|Gandalf the Grey in [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1978 film)]]
|File:The Lord of the Rings (1978 film) - Gandalf the White.jpg|Gandalf the White in [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1978 film)]]
|File:War in Middle Earth - Gandalf and three hobbits.png|Gandalf in ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien's War in Middle Earth]]''
|File:LOTR-Gandalf 1990-1--1-.png|Gandalf in [[J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I (1990 video game)|''J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I'' (1990 video game)]]
|File:LOTR vol. 1 SNES Gandalf in the Shire.png|Gandalf in [[J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I (SNES)|''J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I'' (SNES)]]
|File:1121208-ror 010-1-.png|Gandalf in ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien's Riders of Rohan]]''
|File:The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring - Gandalf reading the Book of Mazarbul.jpg|Gandalf the Grey in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]''
|File:The Lord of the Rings - The Motion Picture Trilogy - Gandalf the White.jpg|Gandalf the White in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]]''
|File:The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring (video game) - Gandalf.JPG|Gandalf in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' (video game)]]
|File:Gandalf 2Towers.png|Gandalf in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers'' (video game)]]
|File:The Lord of the Rings- The Two Towers GBA - Gandalf, Frodo and Legolas.png|Gandalf in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)#Game Boy Advance version|''The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers'' (Game Boy Advance)]]
|File:The Hobbit (2003) Gandalf.JPG|Gandalf in ''[[The Hobbit (2003 video game)|''The Hobbit'' (2003 video game)]]
|File:Gandalf EA RotK.png|Gandalf in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'' (video game)]]
|File:The Lord of the Rings- The Return of the King GBA - Gandalf.png|Gandalf in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'' (Game Boy Advance)]]
|File:Gandalf in LOTRO.png|Gandalf in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]''
|File:The Lord of the Rings Online Shadows of Angmar - Gandalf.png|Gandalf the Grey in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar]]''
|File:Gandalf.jpg|Gandalf the White in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]''
|File:The Lord of the Rings- Conquest -Gandalf fighting Orcs.png|'''[[The Lord of the Rings: Conquest]]''
|File:Aragorn's Quest - Gandalf the White.jpg|Gandalf the White in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest]]''
|File:Gandalf in LOTR- War in the North-1.png|''[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]]''
|File:Lego - Gandalf the Grey mini figure.png|Gandalf the Grey as a ''[[Lego]] mini figure''
|File:Guardians of Middle-earth - Gandalf.png|Gandalf the Grey in ''[[Guardians of Middle-earth]]''
|File:The Hobbit (film series) - Gandalf.jpg|Gandalf the Grey in [[The Hobbit (film series)|''The Hobbit'' (film series)]]
}}
===Films===
'''1966: [[The Hobbit (1966 film)|''The Hobbit'' (1966 film)]]:'''
:Gandalf's role is drastically reduced. He lives in a tower, where Thorin, the [[Mika Milovana|princess]] and the guard meet him to discuss the killing of [[Smaug|Slag]]. He introduces them to Bilbo, but does not go on the quest.<ref name="Deitch">{{webcite|articleurl=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=UBnVL1Y2src|articlename=The Hobbit.mp4|dated=5 January 2012|website=YouTube|accessed=10 January 2012}}</ref>

'''1977: [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|''The Hobbit'' (1977 film)]]:'''
:The voice of Gandalf was provided by [[John Huston]].

'''1978: [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1978 film)]]:'''
:Gandalf was voiced by [[William Squire]]. [[John A. Neris]] played him in the live-action filming used for rotoscoping.<ref>Jerry Beck, ''The Animated Movie Guide'', page 154 (at [http://books.google.com/books?id=fTI1yeZd-tkC&pg=PA154&dq=%22John+A.+Neris%22&hl=nl#PPA154,M1 GoogleBooks])</ref>

'''1980: [[The Return of the King (1980 film)|''The Return of the King'' (1980 film)]]:'''
:[[John Huston]] reprised his role as Gandalf. In this adaptation, the tale is told by a minstrel of [[Gondor]], yet in the story, Gandalf serves as the narrator. Gandalf the White is portrayed without difference from Gandalf the Grey, in ''The Hobbit''.

'''1985: [[The Hobbit (1985 television film)|''The Fairytale Adventures of Mr. Baggins, the Hobbit'' (1985 film)]]:'''
:Ivan Krasko played Gandalf.

'''2001: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'':'''
:[[Ian McKellen]] was cast as Gandalf. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal.

'''2002: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]]'':'''
:Perhaps the most striking difference from all other adaptations is the difference between Gandalf the Grey and Gandalf the White. Where earlier no visible or audible difference was made, Gandalf the White is portrayed as much more virile, and with a shorter (and whiter) beard.

'''2003: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]]'':'''
:Because [[Imrahil]] had been cut from the film, it was up to Gandalf to lead the troops after the madness and death of [[Denethor]].

'''2012-14: [[The Hobbit (film series)|''The Hobbit'' (film series)]]:'''
:[[Ian McKellen|Sir Ian McKellen]] reprised his role as Gandalf the Grey.<ref name="PJCasting">{{webcite|author=[[Peter Jackson]]|articleurl=http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150168211921558|articlename=Production begins in New Zealand on The Hobbit|dated=20-March-2011|website=[http://www.facebook.com/ Facebook]|accessed=23-Dec-2011}}</ref> A description of Gandalf in ''The Hobbit'' films was released by the studio:

:{{Blockquote|One of the most powerful Wizards in all Middle-earth, Gandalf the Grey joins the quest to reclaim the Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor and the great treasure that lies within its stone halls from a fire-breating dragon, Smaug the Terrible. Along the way, Gandalf finds evidence that an ancient evil may have found its way back into the world. In order to uncover the truth, Gandalf must leave his companions to fend for themselves – a journey that will take him into the darkest corners of Middle-earth where his worst suspicions are confirmed.|[[Warner Bros.]]<ref name="HobbitApp">{{webcite|author=[[Warner Bros.]]|articleurl=http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hobbit-movies/id545808528|articlename=Hobbit Movies|dated=7-September-2012|website=[http://itunes.apple.com/ Apple iPhone/iPad App]|accessed=19-September-2012}}</ref>}}

===Radio series===
'''1955: [[The Lord of the Rings (1955 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1955 radio series)]]:'''
:The voice of Gandalf was provided by [[Norman Shelley]].<ref>{{L|175}}</ref>

'''1968: [[The Hobbit (1968 radio series)|''The Hobbit'' (1968 radio series)]]:'''
:The voice of Gandalf was provided by [[Heron Carvic]].

'''1979: [[The Hobbit (1979 radio series)|''The Hobbit'' (1979 radio series)]]:'''
:The voice of Gandalf was provided [[Bernard Mayes]].

'''1979: [[The Lord of the Rings (1979 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1979 radio series)]]:'''
:[[Bernard Mayes]] reprised his role as Gandalf.

'''1981: [[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1981 radio series)]]:'''
:[[Michael Hordern]] read the part of Gandalf. He had not read the book, and thought his agent made a mistake in telling him how many episodes he had to do. He did not know Gandalf's early death would prove only temporarily.<ref>[[Brian Sibley]], "[http://briansibleytheworks.blogspot.com/2008/01/this-page-is-still-under-construction_23.html The Ring Goes Ever On: The Making of BBC Radio's ''The Lord of the Rings'']", at ''[http://briansibleytheworks.blogspot.com/ Brian Sibley:The Works]''</ref>

===Games===
'''1982: [[The Hobbit (1982 video game)|''The Hobbit'' (1982 video game)]]:'''
:Gandalf can be met on several moments of the game's story line.<ref>[http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=ZXComputing/Issue8304/Pages/ZXComputing830400076.jpg ''ZX Computing'', iss. 8304, p. 76] reproduced at [http://www.worldofspectrum.org/archive.html World of Spectrum - Archive] (retrieved at 14 August 2010)</ref>

'''1990: [[J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I (1990 video game)|''J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I'' (1990 video game)]]:'''
:Gandalf can be "recruited" by [[Frodo Baggins]] as a playable character.

'''1990: ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien's Riders of Rohan]]'':'''
:Gandalf is one of the main characters of the game and one of the several heroes of the [[Rohan]] faction.

'''1994: [[J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I (SNES)|''J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I'' (SNES)]]:'''
:Gandalf can be acquired as a playable characters.

'''2002: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' (video game)]]:'''
:[[Tom Kane]] provided the voice of Gandalf. He is a playable character in several levels, including the fight with [[Durin's Bane]].

'''2002: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers'' (video game)]]:'''
:The voice of Gandalf is provided by [[Ian McKellen]]. Gandalf the Grey appears at the campsite of the [[Fellowship of the Ring|fellowship]] in ''The Gates of Moria'' and during the fight of [[Balin's Tomb]] in ''Balin's Tomb''. He latter reappears in the game as Gandalf the White at the start of the mission ''The Plains of Rohan'', where he leaves Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli to search Éomer and his army. He also appears in some cutscenes.

'''2002: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)#Game Boy Advance version|''The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers'' (Game Boy Advance)]]:'''
:In the [[wikipedia:Game Boy Advance|Game Boy Advance version]] of [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)|The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]] Gandalf is a playable character. Gandalf's story starts with a conservation between Gandalf and [[Théoden]], after which the story goes back to the [[Caradhras]], where the Fellowship tries to travel over the [[Misty Mountains]]. When that road fails, the Fellowship goes back and travels through [[Moria]]. In Moria Gandalf and the other member of the Fellowship are separated. After finding [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], [[Aragorn]] and [[Gimli]] the fellowship is attacked by a [[Cave-trolls|Cave-troll]] and [[Orcs#Orcs and Goblins|Goblins]]. After Gandalf defeats the Cave-troll the Fellowship has to flee for the [[Balrogs|Balrog]]. When they reach the [[Bridge of Khazad-dûm]] a cutscene is shown, in which Gandalf destroys the bridge and falls with the Balrog in the depths. After the fall Gandalf has to follow the footsteps of the Balrog through the depths of Moria and the [[Endless Stair]] until he reaches [[Durin's Tower]], where he has to defeat the Balrog.

:After being revived he returns as Gandalf the White in Fangorn, where he defeats several [[Trolls]] and [[Crebain]]. After defeating a stronger Forrest troll, named Fangorn troll, Gandalf meets Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli. After a cutscene, the game moves to [[Edoras]]. Gandalf heals the corrupted Théoden in Edoras, and then travels through [[Rohan]] in search of [[Éomer]]. Gandalf convinces Éomer to lead his army to [[Helm's Deep]].

:The game ends with the [[Battle of the Hornburg|Battle of Helm's Deep]], in which Gandalf and Éomer fight alongside Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and [[Éowyn]] while protecting the wall, the [[Hornburg]] and the [[Glittering Caves]]. In the final level Gandalf has to destroy the siege weapons that bombard the Hornburg. The game ends with a conservation between Gandalf, Aragorn, Gimli and Théoden.

'''2003: [[The Hobbit (2003 video game)|''The Hobbit'' (2003 video game)]]:'''
:[[Jim Ward]] provided the voice of Gandalf. He is shown with actual [[magic]]: he can shoot blue bolts of lightning from his staff.

'''2003: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'' (video game)]]:'''
:Gandalf is the narrator, and a playable character. The game is built around him; the cut scene narration shows how he planned for the [[War of the Ring]]. He has several missions, collectively called the "Path of the Wizard". The first is the [[Battle of the Hornburg|the Battle of Helm's Deep]], which serves as a training mission. He has to fight [[Uruk-Hai]] in the forest of [[Huorns]] and [[Ents]] in "The Road to Isengard". After that, the missions move to [[Minas Tirith]]: the first mission, "Top of the Wall", has Gandalf warding off ladders and siege towers. In the second, "Courtyard", he has to protect civilians from the invading Orcs. His last playing mission is the [[Battle of the Morannon|Battle of the Black Gate]].

'''2003: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'' (Game Boy Advance)]]:'''
:Just like on the console version of the game, Gandalf is a playable character. He has many missions, collectively called the "The Journey of the Wizard". He starts in a flooded [[Isengard]], where he has to kill several [[Uruk-hai]] and [[Crebain]] before he confronts [[Saruman]]. After the defeat of Saruman he travels to [[Minas Tirith]] through Rohan and the Misty Mountains. At the [[Pelennor Fields]] Gandalf has to protect the [[Beacons of Gondor|beacons]], so Rohan can be warned. During the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields|Battle of Minas Tirith]] he has to protect the gate, before making his way to the [[House of the Stewards|Steward's Tomb]]. Here Gandalf has to kill Denethor, before he burns [[Faramir]]. After the battle Gandalf travels through [[Ithilien]] to the [[Black Gate]], where he confronts a Nazgûl.

'''2004: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age]]'':'''
:Gandalf, voiced by [[Ian McKellen]], is a character in [[Electronic Arts|EA's]] "alternative [[Fellowship of the Ring|fellowship]]" game. In his battle against Durin's Bane, he is aided by the main characters.

'''2004: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: War of the Ring]]'':'''
:Gandalf is voiced by [[Steven M. Kramer]], renowned for playing older mentor types.

'''2004: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth]]'':'''
:In non-storyline skirmishes Gandalf is the hero of the Gondor faction, who possesses several magical abilities. At first, he appears as Gandalf "the Grey", and becomes "Gandalf the White" after reaching level 5 (out of 10). Gandalf also narrates the prologue scene, repeating almost word for word the lines said by Galadriel in the ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]''.

:His involvement in the storyline is notable for major differences from the original tale. First of all, Gandalf survives his encounter with Balrog, defeating him at the Bridge of Khazad-dum and continues the journey with the Fellowship - by the time of arrival in Lothlorien he already appears as Gandalf the White. He is present during the ambush at [[Amon Hen]], where thanks to his involvement Boromir is saved from certain death. Merry and Pippin are captured regardless and Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and Boromir give chase, while Gandalf departs them to see to dealings in Rohan, including freeing of King Théoden from the spell. Following the Battle of Helm's Deep he travels to Minas Tirith along with both Pippin and Boromir, where they participate in the Siege of the city.

'''2006: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II]]'':'''
:Gandalf is a hero for the "Men of the West" faction. Similar to the first game, he appears as Gandalf the Grey initially and Gandalf the White after level 5. He plays no part in the main storyline, but appears in the alternate "evil" campaign: after Sauron reclaims the Ring and lays waste to southern lands, Gandalf and few other survivors meet their end during a last stand in Rivendell.

'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Gandalf is a non-playable character voiced by [[Harry Chase]], who narrates cutscenes and instances throughout the original game, before the first expansion. He first meets the Dwarven characters in Ered Luin in {{TA|2941}}, shortly before the Quest for Erebor. Later, characters of all races meet him in Bree in October of {{TA|3018}}, but he is too busy with concerns for Frodo and the Ring and merely sends them away to find Radagast. Finally, the players have a chance to have a proper conversation with him in Rivendell, following the Council of Elrond. During that time, Gandalf is involved in several quests, including helping the player wreck havoc among the Goblins stirring at the [[High Pass]]. After the Fellowship leaves Rivendell, players are able to retrace many of their steps, including the marks left by Gandalf such as the Burnt Top in [[Eregion]] and the remains of his fire at the pass of [[Caradhras]]. Later, Lady [[Galadriel]] bids the player to find the sings of Gandalf following his fall from the Bridge of Khazad-dum - said signs include his burnt hat at the Foundations of Stone in Moria and the sings of his struggle with the Balrog at the [[Endless Stair]] - those allow Galadriel to discern that Mithrandir is not truly dead. Players later meet him as Gandalf the White in [[Caras Galadhon]] shortly after the Fellowship has departed Lothlorien. During that time, he engages into a spiritual battle with a Gaunt-Lord Gortheron the Doom-Caller; his display of his new abilities encourages the band of Free People players and allows them to defeat the servant of Sauron. Later, he is encountered in many places in Rohan (such as [[Edoras]] and [[Helm's Deep]]), Gondor (chiefly [[Minas Tirith]]), The [[Morannon]], and [[Erebor]].

:Gandalf is also present in several historic "session plays", during which players witness the important events their characters were not present for. Such events include Gandalf infiltrating [[Dol Guldur]] with the help of an Elf named Raddir, first meeting between Gandalf and Aragorn on the outskirts of Lothlorien and Gandalf's imprisonment atop Orthanc by Saruman.

'''2009: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: Conquest]]'':'''
:[[Martin Jarvis]] provides the voice of Gandalf. He is a playable mage hero and has three special powers: "Healing Wisdom", "You Shall not Pass!" and "Cleansing Fire". In the good campaign he appears at the end of the Isengard mission, where he has to kill Saruman in [[Orthanc]]. In Moria he can be played to destroy the [[Balrog]] and in Minas Tirith he has to defend the gates of the second ring. He is also one of the four playable heroes in the last mission, [[The Battle of the Morannon|the battle of the Black Gate]]. He appears aswell in the end of the last mission, the Shire, of the evil campaign, in which he is defeated by [[Sauron]].
:He is also playable in the Shire, Isengard, Minas Tirith and Moria with the ''Conquest'' Mode, in Isengard and Minas Tirith in the ''Team Deathmatch'' mode, the citadel of Minas Tirith in ''Capture the Ring'' mode, and at the Black Gate, Minas Morgul, Mout Doom and the Shire during ''Hero Team Deatmatch'' mode.

'''2011: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]]'':'''
:Gandalf is voiced by [[Tom Kane]], who also narrates the introduction of the game. He tells that heroes like "[[Aragorn|Aragorn the King]]", "[[Frodo Baggins|Frodo the Ringbearer]]" and "'''Gandalf the Wizard'''" are rightly honored, but that without a few heroes - [[Eradan (video game character)|Eradan]], [[Andriel]] and [[Farin (video game character)|Farin]] - the north of [[Middle-earth]] would have been lost.<ref>[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]], ''Prologue''</ref>
:He also appears in [[Rivendell]] later in the game. Players can interact with him and learn of various important events, yet the conversations do not unlock any side-quests and do not affect the main story in any way.

'''2012: ''[[Guardians of Middle-earth]]'':'''
:Gandalf is a mage-type "guardian" with four abilities: ''Narya's Power'', ''Flame of Anor'', ''Fireworks'' and ''Gandalf's Might''.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.guardiansofmiddleearth.co.uk/guardians/gandalf|articlename=''Guardians of Middle-earth'': Gandalf|dated=|website=[http://www.guardiansofmiddleearth.com/ ''Guardians of Middle-earth'' official website]|accessed=16 July 2012}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[:Category:Images of Gandalf|Images of Gandalf]]

{{References}}

{{seq-start}}
{{seq-head
| race=maiar
| house=[[Maiar]]
}}
{{seq
| prev=[[Círdan]]
| list=Bearer of [[Narya]]
| dates=c. {{TA|1000}} - after {{TA|3021|n}}
| nvac=None
| next=Presumably, still Gandalf
}}
{{seq
| pvac=None
| prev=Position created
| list=Leader of the [[Fellowship of the Ring]]
| dates=[[25 December]] {{TA|3018}} - [[15 January]] {{TA|3019|n}}
| next=[[Aragorn|Aragorn II]]
}}
{{seq-end}}{{ainur}}{{Thorin and Company}}{{companyroute}}{{councilofelrond}}{{fellowship}}{{FellowshipRoute}}{{ringbearers}}
[[Category:Characters in The Hobbit]]
[[Category:Characters in The Lord of the Rings]]
[[Category:Characters in The Silmarillion]]
[[Category:Maiar]]
[[Category:Masculine names]]
[[Category:Norse names]]
[[Category:Third Age characters]]
[[Category:Wizards]]

[[de:Gandalf]]
[[fr:encyclo:personnages:ainur:maiar:istari:gandalf]]
[[fi:Gandalf]]

Gandalf

2019-01-28T02:24:06Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Games */

{{Countdown}}
{{disambig-more|Gandalf|[[Gandalf (disambiguation)]]}}
{{maiar infobox
| name=Gandalf
| image=[[File:Matt Stewart - Gandalf - A Light in the Dark.jpg|250px]]
| caption="A Light in the Dark" by [[:Category:Images by Matt Stewart|Matt Stewart]]
| pronun=
| othernames=[[Gandalf/Names#The Grey|The Grey]], [[Gandalf/Names#The White|The White]], [[Gandalf/Names#Olórin|Olórin]], [[Gandalf/Names#Mithrandir|Mithrandir]], [[Gandalf/Names#Incánus|Incánus]], [[Gandalf/Names#Tharkûn|Tharkûn]], [[Gandalf/Names#The White Rider|The White Rider]], [[Gandalf/Names#Greyhame|Greyhame]], [[Gandalf/Names#Stormcrow|Stormcrow]], [[Gandalf/Names#Old Grey Beard|Old Grey Beard]], [[Gandalf/Names#Big Grey Beard|Big Grey Beard]], [[Gandalf/Names#The White Pilgrim|The White Pilgrim]], [[Gandalf/Names#Láthspell|Láthspell]]
| titles=
| position=
| location=No fixed abode
| affiliation=[[Wizards|Istari]] (Wizards) [[White Council]] [[Thorin and Company]] [[Fellowship of the Ring]]
| language=
| birth=
| birthlocation=
| rule=
| sailedwest=[[29 September]] {{TA|3021}}
| sailedfrom=[[Grey Havens]]
| age=
| notablefor=
| house=
| parentage=
| siblings=
| gender=Male
| height=5'6"<ref name="MB">{{HM|MB}}, page 49</ref>
| hair=Long white, silver beard<ref name="Meetings">{{FR|Meetings}}</ref>
| eyes=
| clothing=Grey robes (later white), blue hat, grey scarf, black boots<ref name="Party"/>
| weapons=Staff [[Glamdring]] [[Narya]]
| steed=[[Shadowfax]]
}}
{{Pronounce|Gandalf.mp3|Ardamir}}
{{Pronounce|Quenya - Olórin.mp3|Gilgamesh}}
{{Quote|Gandalf was shorter in stature than the [[Elrond|other]] [[Glorfindel|two]]; but his long white hair, his sweeping silver beard, and his broad shoulders, made him look like some wise king of ancient legend. In his aged face under great snowy brows his eyes were set like coals that could suddenly burst into fire.|''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', [[Many Meetings]]}}

'''Gandalf''' was one of the five [[Wizards|Istari]] sent to [[Middle-earth]] by the [[Valar]] in the [[Third Age]]. In [[Valinor]] he was known as Olórin. Gandalf was instrumental in bringing about the demise of [[Sauron]] in {{TA|3019}}, chiefly by encouraging others and dispensing his wisdom at pivotal times. Gandalf was originally robed in grey, and second to [[Saruman]] in the Order of [[wizards]]. After his fall in [[Moria]], Gandalf returned to Middle-earth as head of the Order, robed in white. Gandalf was noteworthy for his keen interest in [[Hobbits]].

==History==
The wisest of the Maiar, Gandalf was created by [[Ilúvatar]] before the [[Music of the Ainur]].<ref name="Ainu">{{S|Ainu}}</ref> At the beginning of Time, he was amongst the [[Ainur]] who entered into [[Eä]].<ref name="SVala">{{S|Vala}}</ref> In his "youth" he was known as '''''Olórin''''' and became one of the [[Maiar]] who served [[Manwë]], [[Varda]], [[Irmo]] and [[Nienna]] named. He was associated with light and fire, much like his peer Varda.<ref name=vala>{{S|IIc}}</ref>

Yet his ways often took him to Nienna, from whom he learned pity and patience.
He loved the [[Elves of Valinor|Elves]] but he walked [[unseen]] among them, or wore a [[fana]] that appeared like an [[Elves|Elf]], and sent them fair visions in their hearts that made them wiser. Throughout his existence, he followed the example of Nienna, he took pity on the sorrows of the [[Children of Ilúvatar]] and drove those who listened to him out of despair.<ref name=vala/>

During the [[Third Age]], while [[Sauron]]'s 'dark spirit of malice' was increasing over [[Middle-earth]], the Valar chose [[Istari|five emissaries]] from among the Maiar to go and help the [[Portal:Characters|peoples]]. [[Manwë]] selected Olórin, who, at first, did not wish to go, as he feared Sauron. However, Manwë said that that was all the more reason why he should go.<ref name="Istari">{{UT|13}}</ref> Furthermore, [[the One Ring]], the location of much of Sauron's power, presumably still existed somewhere in Middle-earth.

Olórin submitted to the will of Manwë, and departed Valinor to [[Mithlond]] in the year {{TA|1000}}.<ref name="Istari"/> He arrived after the others, [[Curumo]], [[Aiwendil]], [[Pallando]], and [[Alatar]], at about the same time the [[Necromancer]] appeared in [[Mirkwood]].

===Coming to Middle-earth===
Olórin, like the other Wizards, took the shape of an old man. He was robed in grey and went about as a wanderer and counsellor.

At Mithlond he was welcomed by [[Glorfindel]], his friend from Valinor, sent earlier on a similar mission, and [[Círdan]] the shipwright, who possessed [[Narya]], one of the [[Three Rings|Three]] Elven [[Rings of Power]]. Círdan divined in Olórin a sense of strength and power despite his appearance as a bent and aged old man. Círdan gave Narya to Olórin with a prediction of his future struggles with evil, and a promise that it would support and aid him in his labours. Then Círdan said "''But as for me, my heart is with the [[Belegaer|Sea]], and I will dwell by the grey shores until the last ship sails. I will await you.''"<ref name="ThirdAge">{{App|B2}}</ref>

[[File:John Howe - Gandalf the Grey.jpg|thumb|[[John Howe]] - ''Gandalf the Grey'']]
Gandalf then began his sojourn in Middle-earth. Unlike Saruman, Gandalf did not take up a single permanent residence. Gandalf never went to the [[east]]<ref>"To the East I go not"</ref> and apparently restricted his activities to the [[Westlands]] of Middle-earth, where the remnants of the [[Dúnedain]] and the [[Eldar]] remained to oppose Sauron. He was known by many names during the long years he remained in Middle-earth: Elves named him ''[[Gandalf/Names#Mithrandir|Mithrandir]]'', the Grey Pilgrim, while the men of [[Arnor]] named him '''Gandalf''', which became his most common name. He was also known as ''[[Gandalf/Names#Incánus|Incánus]]'' (in the south), and ''[[Gandalf/Names#Tharkûn|Tharkûn]]'' to the [[Dwarves]].<ref name="Istari"/>

A legend says that Gandalf was given by [[Yavanna]] the [[Elfstone]] of [[Eärendil]], to bring to the peoples of Middle-earth as a token that the Valar had not forsaken them. He gave it to [[Galadriel]], and remarked prophetically that she would in turn pass it to an individual who would also be called [[Aragorn|Elessar]].<ref>{{UT|6}}</ref>

===Early vigilance===
Around {{TA|1100}},<ref name="ThirdAge"/> the Istari and the Eldar discovered that some evil entity resided at [[Dol Guldur]] in Mirkwood. Dark shapes moved in the forest and evil began to multiply in the woods. Some thought a [[Nazgûl]] had returned to torment the world, or some new evil was arising. Gandalf was unsure, and feared that perhaps Sauron himself might have returned.<ref name="Rings">{{S|Rings}}</ref>
[[File:John Howe - Pass the Doors of Dol Guldur.jpg|thumb|200px|left|[[John Howe]] - ''Pass the Doors of Dol Guldur'']]
Over the next two hundred years the evil continued to grow, as well as the source directing it. [[Orcs]] were multiplying in the [[Misty Mountains]] and elsewhere. The [[Witch-king]], the mightiest of the Nazgûl, had built a fortress in [[Angmar]] in the Northern wastelands and waged unending war against the Kingdom of [[Arnor]]. Meanwhile [[Moria]] and [[Minas Ithil]] fell under a shadow, while other wars, plagues, and catastrophes occurred across Middle-earth. Gandalf went to Dol Guldur in {{TA|2063|n}} to discover its secret.<ref name="ThirdAge"/> An entity known only as the '[[Necromancer]]' fled before him preventing Gandalf from identifying him.<ref name="Rings"/> After Gandalf's incursion, the evil there seemed to desist, and its absence allowed for some centuries of calmness.

That peaceful period was known as the [[Watchful Peace]] and lasted for almost four hundred years, but the Nazgûl had used this period to prepare for Sauron's return, in {{TA|2460|n}}.<ref name="ThirdAge"/> Realising the returning evil, the [[Wise]] formed the [[White Council]] three years later. [[Galadriel]], bearer of one of the Three Elven Rings and mighty among the Eldar, wished Gandalf to be the chief of the Council, but he refused the position wishing to set down no roots and to maintain his independence; Saruman took this place because of his vast knowledge.<ref name="Rings"/>

During his wanderings in [[Eriador]], Gandalf met and befriended the isolated and secretive people of the [[Hobbits]] in their country, [[The Shire]]. During the [[Long Winter]] of {{TA|2758|n}} Gandalf came to their aid.<ref name="ThirdAge"/> It was then when he witnessed and admired the pity and courage the humble Hobbits reserved in their hearts.<ref name="Erebor"/>

When King [[Thráin|Thráin II]], a dwarf of the royal line of [[Lonely Mountain]], disappeared on journey to [[Erebor]], Gandalf looked for him. At some point after {{TA|2845|n}} he entered the abandoned city of Khazad-dûm. After his vain search the Wizard exited through the [[Doors of Durin]]; however this experience did not help him know how to open the doors from the outside.<ref name=journey>{{FR|Journey}}</ref>

In {{TA|2850|n}}, his quest led him once more to Dol Guldur, this time in secrecy.<ref name="ThirdAge"/> He found Thráin in the dungeons, who gave the Wizard his last possessions, the [[Thrór's Map|map]] and key to Erebor<ref name="Durin">{{App|Durin}}</ref>. Most importantly, he found that the Necromancer was no Nazgûl – it was Sauron himself, and he had taken [[Ring of Thrór|the last]] of the [[Seven Rings]] from the Dwarf King; Sauron was gathering the remaining [[Rings of Power]] and possibly searching for his lost [[The One Ring|One Ring]].

Gandalf escaped Dol Guldur and returned to the White Council.<ref name="Rings"/> After relating his discoveries, he urged the council to attack Sauron while the One Ring was still lost and Sauron's power immature. But Saruman said that it was better to watch and wait; that the One Ring had long ago rolled from [[Anduin]] to the Sea. The majority of the council agreed with Saruman. [[Elrond]] Half-elven, a powerful member of the council, later privately told Gandalf he had a foreboding that the Ring would be found, and that the war to end the [[Ages|Age]] was coming. Indeed, he added, he feared that it would end in darkness and despair. Gandalf encouraged him, saying there were many "strange chances," and that, "''help oft shall come from the hands of the weak''". Gandalf did not yet realise that Saruman now wanted the ring for himself and was secretly searching for it along the banks of river Anduin.

===The Quest for Erebor===
Gandalf would visit the Shire occasionally and participate in the [[Midsummer]]-eve parties of the [[Old Took]] where he impressed young Hobbits with his fireworks, and his stories about [[Dragons]], [[Orcs#Orcs and Goblins|Goblins]] and princesses.<ref name="Erebor"/> He was thus known to be "responsible for so many quiet lads and lasses going off into the Blue for mad adventures". He also met a relatively adventurous Hobbit named [[Bilbo Baggins]] although he was far from "adventuresome."<ref name="Party"/>

Gandalf was concerned about the weak state of the North. [[Smaug]] the [[Dragons|Dragon]] had destroyed both the [[Kingdom under the Mountain]] and the town of [[Dale]], and Gandalf feared that [[Sauron]] might use the desolation around Erebor to regain the northern passes in the mountains and the old lands of Angmar. Gandalf knew that exiled Dwarf [[King of Durin's Folk]] [[Thorin Oakenshield]] planned to battle against Smaug, but he knew that it would not be enough. In {{TA|2941|n}},<ref name="ThirdAge"/> while staying the night in [[Bree]], Gandalf happened across the Dwarf King.<ref name="Erebor">{{UT|Erebor}}</ref> Thorin initiated conversation; he had been having a strange feeling urging him to seek Gandalf. Gandalf was intrigued, for he had thought to seek Thorin as well. They found they were taking the same road for a while (Thorin passing through [[the Shire]] on his way to the [[Blue Mountains|Ered Luin]]), and they agreed to travel together. Thorin wanted advice, and Gandalf in turn wanted to discuss the Dragon Smaug with Thorin.
[[File:David T. Wenzel - Good Morning Mr. Baggins.jpg|thumb|[[David T. Wenzel]] - ''Good Morning Mr. Baggins'']]
Ultimately, Gandalf concocted a plan wherein Thorin could destroy Smaug and recover his family fortune, albeit with a "burglar" of Gandalf's own choosing. Gandalf had a feeling that a Hobbit should be involved, and he remembered Bilbo Baggins. At first he found only [[Holman Cotton]] as Bilbo had left on the occasion of the [[Yestare|Elven new year]], something that persuaded Gandalf that Bilbo was the right person for the job.<ref name="Erebor"/> He visited Bilbo later, bringing along the kinsmen of Thorin.<ref name="Party">{{H|Party}}</ref> In the end Gandalf convinced the reluctant Baggins to become a burglar for Thorin. Gandalf then accompanied [[Thorin and Company]] to [[Rivendell]]. During the journey Gandalf was instrumental in saving the travellers' lives from several calamities.

Gandalf saved them from a trio of [[Stone-trolls]], and later obtained the legendary sword [[Glamdring]] from their [[Trolls|Troll]]-hoard; Gandalf bore it thenceforth.<ref name="Mutton">{{H|Mutton}}</ref> He also helped Thorin and Company through the [[Misty Mountains]]; when unknowingly they camped in the [[Front Porch]] of the [[Goblin-town]] the Goblins captured the whole company except Gandalf, who surprised them much later, killing the [[Great Goblin]] and then leading the Dwarves to the exit.<ref name="Hill">{{H|Hill}}</ref> It was during this time that Bilbo obtained a "magic ring".<ref name="Riddles">{{H|Riddles}}</ref> Bilbo initially claimed he "won" it from the creature "[[Gollum]]" while the company was under the Misty Mountains.<ref name="Pan">{{H|Pan}}</ref> The ring conferred invisibility on Bilbo when he wore it, and he kept it secret from Gandalf for some time.
[[File:Darrell Sweet - The Lord of the Eagles.jpg|thumb|left|[[Darrell Sweet]] - ''The Lord of the Eagles'']]
On their escape out, the Company was saved by the [[Eagles]] of the Misty Mountains; Gandalf once had healed the [[Great Eagle]] from a poisoned wound, and thenceforth they became friends. The Eagles picked them up to their eyrie, and the next day they dropped them to the other side of the Mountains.<ref name="Pan"/>
[[File:Angus McBride - Dol Guldur.jpg|thumb|[[Angus McBride]] - ''Dol Guldur'']]
Gandalf then sought the hospitality of [[Beorn]], persuading him to welcome and host the whole Company in his [[Beorn's Hall|hall]]. But then he left the quest prior to its completion; after leading the Company to the outskirts of the [[Forest Gate]], he gave them some final advice (but little did he know that the lands had changed by then) before they'd enter [[Mirkwood]], and went to attend other obligations.<ref>{{H|Queer}}</ref> The [[White Council]] had met under the gravest of circumstances: Sauron's vast power was returning, even without his Ring. Gandalf at last convinced the Council to attack Dol Guldur, to which even Saruman agreed (as by now he feared Sauron as a rival, and wished to delay his search for the Ring). Gandalf joined his peers in assailing [[Dol Guldur]], ridding [[Mirkwood]] of the Necromancer's presence, who fled to [[Mordor]].<ref name="AppB2">{{App|B2}}</ref> When he was about to finish his task, news about what happened to Thorin's Company in Mirkwood reached him, and realised that the instructions he gave did not help them; they had lost their way, and then vanished from the imprisonment of the [[Silvan Elves|Wood-elves]], who had captured them. He was anxious to get back to them as soon as possible.<ref>{{H|Welcome}}</ref>

Meanwhile Thorin's quest was successful: Erebor was retaken and Smaug was killed,<ref name="Fire">{{H|Fire}}</ref> but when Gandalf finally arrived to the area, he found the [[Dwarves of Erebor]] and [[Dwarves of the Iron Hills|the Iron Hills]] preparing for an attack by the [[Lake-men]] and the [[Elves of Mirkwood]]. He was with [[Bard]] and [[Thranduil]] and revealed his presence trying to reason with Thorin. When the attack was beginning, Gandalf halted them, to warn that the [[Orcs]] and [[Wargs]] were coming to claim the treasure. He invited [[Dáin Ironfoot]] for council, and soon Dwarves, Elves and Men formed an alliance, and defeated the [[Orcs of the Misty Mountains]] in the [[Battle of Five Armies]].<ref name="Burst">{{H|Burst}}</ref>

King Thorin was mortally wounded and after his funeral and the reestablishment of Erebor under Dáin, Bilbo and Gandalf followed their way back; they celebrated [[Yule]] at Beorn's, and then returned to Rivendell, where he discussed with [[Elrond]] the events of Dol Guldur and the Lonely Mountain. Gandalf had accomplished his immediate goal, which was to destroy Smaug, who could have been used to disastrous effect by Sauron. A large number of Orcs and Wargs also were killed in the North, removing threats to Rivendell and Lothlórien.<ref name="Erebor"/> But they both agreed that it would be better if the Necromancer were banished from the world altogether.<ref name="H19">{{H|19}}</ref>

As Gandalf and Bilbo passed by the site of their former encounter with the stone-trolls, they made sure to recover the gold of the troll-hoard they had buried.<ref name="H19"/>

Gandalf, for his part, found himself amazed by the hobbit; until then the wise had paid no attention to hobbits and knew little of them. For the rest of his sojourn in Middle-earth, Gandalf took a special interest in hobbits, and particularly in the Baggins family.

===The Return of the Shadow===
Despite the Council's hopes, Sauron was not weakened by this attack. He had foreseen the move that drove him from Mirkwood, and his retreat was but a feint. Ten years after the attack, Sauron declared himself openly in Mordor in {{TA|2951|n}} and rebuilt the [[Barad-dûr]]. The White Council met for one last time in {{TA|2953|n}} to debate about the [[Rings of Power]]. Saruman quieted his peers claiming to have the knowledge that the One Ring was lost in the [[Belegaer]]. After their meeting, Saruman, jealous and afraid of Gandalf, set spies to watch all his movements; this would affect the peaceful Hobbits, as Saruman thus discovered the existence and noted Gandalf's interest in the Shire, and started sending agents in [[Bree]] and the [[Southfarthing]].<ref name="ThirdAge"/>

Meanwhile Sauron began reassembling his forces for the final blow against the hated West. [[Easterlings]] from [[Khand]] and beyond the [[Sea of Rhûn]], joined by men from [[Harad]] reinforced his stronghold in [[Mordor]]; Orcs, trolls, and other foul beasts were multiplying while his minions were searching the Anduin for any sign of his precious One Ring.

Gandalf met [[Aragorn]], the hidden [[Heir of Isildur]] in {{TA|2956|n}}, and soon became friends with him. From that point on Aragorn and Gandalf often worked together towards a common end - the defeat of Sauron.

[[File:Darrell Sweet - The Arrival of Gandalf.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Darrell Sweet]] - ''The Arrival of Gandalf'']]
During this period Gandalf visited the Shire frequently, especially his friend Bilbo Baggins, and his younger cousin, [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]]. He noted Bilbo's unusual youthfulness, despite his advancing age; the suspicious "[[The One Ring|magic ring]]" that Bilbo had acquired during his adventure began to weigh on his mind. Gandalf recalled the deceit Bilbo used in originally claiming it for his own-- Bilbo had later admitted to stealing it from [[Gollum]]. Gandalf could see that Bilbo was now very preoccupied with the ring. Such un-hobbitlike behaviour aroused his suspicions. In {{TA|3001|n}} he organised for him the [[Bilbo's Farewell Party]], and before leaving the Shire, he convinced Bilbo to leave the Ring for Frodo. He then emphatically warned Frodo not to use it; Gandalf had begun to suspect that the "magic ring" was indeed a ring of power.

Keen now to find out more about Gollum, he sought Aragorn's help to capture him, a quest that lasted for years all around [[Rhovanion]] and the confines of [[Mordor]].<ref name="ThirdAge"/> Studying the records in [[Minas Tirith]], he found the [[Scroll of Isildur]] and pieced together the missing history of the One Ring; on his way back to the Shire he got word from the [[Galadhrim]] that Aragorn had finally captured Gollum and he went to [[Mirkwood]] to meet him. For days he interrogated him in order to verify what he already knew, in {{TA|3017|n}}. A great fear came over him when he learned that Gollum had been to the Barad-dûr. Sauron had tortured Gollum and learned not only of the "magic ring", but also the names "Shire" and "Baggins". Gandalf now returned in haste to the Shire, certain that Frodo's ring was not simply a ring of power: it was the One Ruling Ring of Sauron.<ref name=council>{{FR|Council}}</ref>

===The War of the Ring===
After Gandalf’s fears were confirmed, he returned to the Shire and advised Frodo to leave as soon as possible, promising to return before a farewell party for Bilbo in autumn of that year ({{TA|3018|n}}), and to escort him to Rivendell. Gandalf also told Frodo about the creature Gollum, to which Frodo exclaimed that he should have been killed. Gandalf speculated that perhaps Gollum would have a part to play before the end, and in any case, it was not for them to decide who should live and who should die.

While in the Shire, he had a sense of foreboding and in the aftermath of [[Sauron's attack on Osgiliath]] he heard disturbing news about war in [[Gondor]] and a [[Black Shadow]]. He started wandering around [[Eriador]] hearing news from the refugees who had a fear they couldnot speak about, until he met [[Radagast]] who brought a message of [[Saruman]] that he must seek him at once; and a warning that the [[Ringwraiths]] are looking for the Shire.<ref name=council/> He went to [[the Prancing Pony]] at [[Bree]]. Believing that he would not be able to return to Frodo in time, he wrote [[Gandalf's letter|a letter]], urging him to move as soon as possible for Rivendell, and seek someone "Strider" whose real name is Aragorn, with a [[The Riddle of Strider|riddle]] to identify him; Gandalf would then try to catch up with them when available. He also instructed [[Barliman Butterbur]] to send the letter to [[Hobbiton]] and to expect a Mr. [[Baggins]] that will come under the name of "[[Mr. Underhill]]". He left the inn, but Barliman would forget to send the letter.<ref>{{FR|Strider}}</ref>

====The Treachery of Saruman====
[[File:Ted Nasmith - Gandalf Escapes Upon Gwaihir.jpg|thumb|left|200px|[[Ted Nasmith]] - ''Gandalf Escapes Upon Gwaihir'']]
Soon thereafter Gandalf arrived at Isengard. At their meeting, Saruman at last revealed his desire for the One Ring. He offered to his "''old friend and helper''" that they take the Ring for themselves and seize power from Sauron. Gandalf rejected this with horror, and was imprisoned by Saruman on the pinnacle of [[Orthanc]]. [[Gwaihir]], chief of the Eagles, soon arrived and helped Gandalf escape. Gandalf knew he must return quickly to the Shire, as Frodo (and the ring) were in grave danger from both Sauron's Nazgûl and now Saruman's treacherous desire for the ring.

Gandalf hurriedly went to [[Rohan]], desiring to find a strong steed; there he obtained [[Shadowfax]] from King [[Théoden]], who later resented the gift. This lord of horses and Gandalf forged a special bond, and Gandalf made quick use of Shadowfax's incredible strength and endurance.

Gandalf sped to the Shire. Fortunately, Frodo had already left the Shire without waiting for Gandalf, and was seeking the refuge of [[Rivendell]]. Upon arrival Gandalf learned that the Nazgûl, arrayed as [[Nazgûl|Black Riders]], had been searching the area. Dismayed, he set out for Bree; Barliman apologised to Gandalf for forgetting to send the letter, worried that the hobbits had left with Strider, the suspicious [[Rangers of the North|Ranger]]. But for Gandalf this was a hope which far exceeded his expectations. After congratulating a puzzled Barliman, and blessing his beer, Gandalf then made for [[Weathertop]], a high point in the region, to observe the surrounding area.
[[File:Ted Nasmith - Fire on Weathertop.jpg|thumb|[[Ted Nasmith]] - ''Fire on Weathertop'']]
There he was assaulted at night by the Nazgûl, but drove them off after a great battle of light and flame. These phenomena were seen by Aragorn and the hobbits from afar, without knowing it was Gandalf. Before leaving, he marked some stones with the [[cirth|certh]] G for them to find.

He then went directly to Rivendell, where he welcomed Glorfindel, Aragorn and the hobbits upon their arrival several days later, Frodo being sorely wounded but still in possession of the ring.

====The Fellowship of the Ring====
Elrond called a [[Council of Elrond|council]] after Frodo was healed to consider the momentous decision regarding the ring. By chance, representatives of most of the free peoples happened to be in Rivendell already for various reasons. Elrond and Gandalf advised that the Ring should be destroyed in the fires of [[Orodruin]], where it was made. Others dissented or objected, but eventually submitted to Gandalf's plan. Ultimately, Elrond appointed the Fellowship of the Ring as nine walkers, numerically set against Sauron's nine Nazgûl. The relatively small number reflected the realisation by Elrond and the other council members that the quest of Mount Doom would not rely upon strength of arms, but on stealth and good fortune. Gandalf was chosen to lead the company, which included [[Aragorn]], [[Boromir]], [[Legolas]] the Elf, [[Gimli]] the Dwarf, and the hobbits Frodo Baggins, [[Samwise Gamgee]], [[Peregrin Took]], and [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]].

Several obstacles stood in the company's way. The vast [[Misty Mountains]] had to be crossed, for Gandalf was determined not to lead the company near [[Isengard]]. Gandalf decided to take a southern route to the [[Redhorn Pass]] and there to cross the [[Misty Mountains]] near [[Caradhras]], thereby traversing the mountain range and avoiding Isengard. When this attempt failed due to a terrible storm he then decided to take the Fellowship through the ruins of Moria, where the remains of the great Dwarf city of [[Moria|Khazad-dûm]] was now a labyrinth of tunnels under the mountains. Others in the company were loathe enter the maze, as it was now the lair of orcs and something known only as "Durin's Bane".

[[File:Ted Nasmith - At the Bridge.jpg|thumb|left|200px|[[Ted Nasmith]] - ''At the Bridge'']]At the [[Doors of Durin]] on the west side of the mountains, Gandalf, after some delay, spoke the password and led the company into the dark. Having been in Moria on an earlier perilous errand, he was somewhat familiar with the underground passages. Eventually the party came to the [[Chamber of Mazarbul]], where Gandalf read the [[Book of Mazarbul|Book of Records]], which revealed the fate of [[Balin]], the leader of an ill-fated attempt to re-colonise Moria. Soon after, the party was attacked by orcs, and forced to flee the chamber. By then Gandalf was well aware of their location, and he led the party quickly towards the eastern exit.

Unfortunately [[Durin's Bane]] caught up to the group at the [[Bridge of Khazad-dûm]]. Gandalf and Legolas immediately realised what it was: a [[Balrogs|Balrog]] of [[Morgoth]], a servant of the first dark lord. In a spectacular display of bravery Gandalf faced the demon and broke the bridge both stood upon, leaving the beast to fall into a seemingly bottomless chasm. But the Balrog's whip lashed out, and grasped Gandalf by the knees, causing him to fall into the pit. While falling, Gandalf shouted "Fly, you fools" and vanished into the abyss.<ref name=bridge>{{FR|Bridge}}</ref>

[[File:John Howe - Zirak-zigil.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[John Howe]] - ''Zirak-zigil'']]Yet Gandalf did not die; he and the Balrog fought long in the bowels and deep places of Arda. After restless pursuit over the course of eight days, Gandalf and the beast finally came to the summit of the [[Endless Stair]] upon the peak of [[Celebdil]], where he [[Battle of the Peak|fought the demon]] for two days and nights. The Balrog had burst into flame anew when it exited the stairs; ice, wind, and smoke swirled about them as they duelled. Gandalf used his last measure of strength to slay the Balrog, throwing him down the mountainside in ruin. Gandalf's spirit then left his body, having sacrificed himself to save the Fellowship.

====Gandalf the White====
But Gandalf's spirit did not depart Middle-earth forever at this time. As the only one of the five Istari to stay true to his errand, Olórin/Gandalf was sent back to mortal lands by [[Ilúvatar|Eru]], and he became Gandalf once again. Yet, as he was now the sole emissary of the Valar to Middle-earth, he was granted the power to "reveal" more of his inner [[Maiar]] strength. This naked power that lay within him was seldom used during the remainder of his time in Middle-earth, as his mission was essentially the same: to support and succour those who opposed Sauron. Nevertheless, when Gandalf's wrath was kindled his "unveiled" strength was such that few of Sauron's servants could withstand him.
[[File:Ted Nasmith - Gandalf Returns.jpg|thumb|left|[[Ted Nasmith]] - ''Gandalf Returns'']]
As he lay on the mountaintop, the great eagle [[Gwaihir]] came up and bore him to [[Lothlórien]], where he was clothed and replenished, and given a new staff by [[Galadriel]]. Gandalf soon learned that Frodo and Sam had left the Fellowship and were attempting the quest of Mount Doom alone. As Frodo was beyond his assistance now, Gandalf promptly went south to [[Fangorn Forest]], where he met the [[Three Hunters]]: [[Aragorn]], [[Legolas]], and [[Gimli]], and gave them messages from Galadriel. Then he called forth [[Shadowfax]], and rode with them to [[Edoras]]. There he found that Saruman's spy [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]] had deceived King [[Théoden]] into hopeless impotence. Gandalf quickly deposed Wormtongue and encouraged Théoden to ride west to war against [[Saruman]]. Gandalf by now was keenly aware that the great war to end the age was beginning; if Saruman conquered Rohan then Gondor would be alone with enemies on all sides.

At Gandalf's encouragement King Théoden went west to Helm's Deep where he was quickly besieged; Gandalf then searched for [[Erkenbrand]] and the forces of the [[Westfold]], which he later found and led to the Deep, thus breaking the siege. Meanwhile, the [[Ents]] (along with the hobbits Merry and Pippin) moved against Saruman and sent [[Huorns]] against the orcs, resulting in the utter ruin of the outer walls of [[Isengard]] and the complete annihilation of Saruman's orcs. After the battle, Gandalf went to [[Orthanc]] with Théoden, Aragorn, and a small group. There Saruman rejected Gandalf's offer of forgiveness with contempt. Gandalf then broke Saruman's staff and cast him from the Order and the Council. Gandalf imposed a strict watch on Isengard by the Ents and then advised King Théoden to ride to Gondor's defence as soon as possible. The wizard's mind had already turned to Gondor and the coming climactic battle in the east.

====The Siege of Minas Tirith====
[[File:Donato Giancola - The White Rider.jpeg|thumb|right|200px|[[Donato Giancola]] - ''The White Rider'']] As a 'reward' for Pippin, who had foolishly gazed into a [[Palantíri|palantír]], Gandalf took the Hobbit with him to [[Minas Tirith]], the last bastion of the west. Soon after arriving, Gandalf confronted [[Denethor|Denethor II]], the [[Ruling Steward]], and learned that he was near despair over the death of his eldest son, [[Boromir]]. Pippin entered the Steward's service in payment of the debt that he and Merry owed, the death of Boromir. Ostensibly they were allies, but the Steward treated him with disrespect and suspicion. When [[Faramir]], the Steward's younger son, returned from [[Osgiliath]] and was attacked by Nazgûl, Gandalf upon Shadowfax drove them away by revealing the power within him; later Faramir told him that Frodo and Sam were still alive and headed towards Mordor.

The city was soon besieged by a vast force from Mordor, led by the [[Witch-king]]. An ill-advised counter attack resulted in Faramir receiving a wound from a poisoned dart; he lay near death inside the Tower. Still, Gandalf encouraged the men of Minas Tirith to have hope, and dispelled the fear of the Ringwraiths by his very presence. But Sauron's catapults hurled flaming bolts upon the city; soon the first circle of the city burned unchecked. Denethor now lost all heart as the city burned and his only remaining son hovered near death; he abandoned his leadership of the city. Gandalf then took it upon himself to direct the defense of the city. When the gigantic ram [[Grond (battering ram)|Grond]] destroyed the ancient entrance to the city, Gandalf placed himself alone at the ruined gateway. The Witch-king then appeared in the midst of the blasted gate upon a black horse and threatened Gandalf with death; but Gandalf did not move — seated upon Shadowfax he defied the mightiest of Sauron's minions. However, the stand-off ended inconclusively, as the morning arrived along with the host of the Rohirrim. Hearing the horns of the Riders of Rohan, the Witch-king departed.

But Gandalf did not pursue his foe, for Pippin brought him news that Denethor was about to commit suicide in the high tower, burning himself and his son Faramir on a pyre like the heathen Kings of old. Gandalf rushed to stop this madness and was able to save Faramir, but not Denethor, whose despair and grief had overcome his mind. Gandalf also learned how it was that Denethor's will had been broken: Denethor clutched a palantír in his hands as he burned. Clearly Denethor had been using the stone's special properties for some time — extending his vision far beyond those of mannish eyes, but also wrestling in thought with Sauron. And even though Sauron could not completely overwhelm Denethor's mind, his courage was daunted by knowledge of the vast might of Mordor. Thus the shadow entered into the capital of Gondor.

Nevertheless, and against all hope, the siege was broken. [[Éowyn]] of Rohan and the hobbit Merry defeated the Witch-king, whose last wail was heard by many as he was reduced to impotence. Soon after, Lord Aragorn arrived with a large valour of men from the southern

==Personality==
[[File:Roger Garland - Gandalf.jpg|left|thumb|The Grey Pilgrim relaxing]]
Gandalf is often described in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' as quick to anger, and equally quick to laugh.<ref name="Lorien">{{FR|Lorien}}</ref>
His deep wisdom clearly derived from the patience he learned in Valinor, just as his care for all creatures of good will must have come from his strong sense of pity for the weak. Both his patience and sense of pity were revealed again and again, extending even to the servants of his enemies.
[[File:J.R.R. Tolkien - G for Gandalf.png|thumb|Gandalf's signature, the [[cirth|rune]] "G".]]
Keen observers of Gandalf often detected a veiled power, usually revealed in his eyes, which appeared deep and wise. He was alternately affectionate and brusque; he often surprised others with his bluntness when time was of the essence. Gandalf consistently upbraided foolish behaviour, but also richly rewarded those who acted with good intentions.

Hobbits appealed to him more than to the other Wizards, and he went often to the Shire for respites from his errands. It may be that he was amused by their nature. It may also be because they were untouched by the great evils of the world, and were more in touch with nature than Men; perhaps their agrarian lifestyle appealed to Gandalf's innate spirit and reminded him of the gardens of Valinor.

==Appearance==
[[File:John Howe - Gandalf the Grey 02.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[John Howe]] - ''Gandalf the Grey'']]

The first description of Gandalf is preserved in the initial pages of ''The Hobbit'', written in the early 1930s. Gandalf's fame is alluded to even before his physical description ("Tales and adventures sprouted up all over the place wherever he went, in the most extraordinary fashion"), while the protagonist's ("unsuspecting Bilbo") impression is that of:
{{Blockquote|...an old man with a staff. He had a tall pointed blue hat, a long grey cloak, a silver scarf over which a white beard hung down below his waist, and immense black boots.|[[J.R.R. Tolkien]]<ref name="Party"/>}}

Later, [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] wrote:
{{Blockquote|...a figure strongly built and with broad shoulder, though shorter than the average of men and now stooped with age, leaning on a thick rough-cut staff as he trudged along... Gandalf's hat was wide-brimmed [...] with a pointed conical crown, and it was ''blue''; he wore a long ''grey'' cloak, but this would not reach much below his knees. It was of an elven silver-grey hue, though tarnished by wear - as is evident from the general use of grey in [[The Lord of the Rings|the book]]... But his colours were always white, silver-grey, and blue - except for the boots he wore when walking in the wild...Gandalf even bent must have been at least 5 ft. 6... Which would make him a short man even in modern England, especially with the reduction of a bent back.|[[J.R.R. Tolkien]]<ref name="MB" />}}

Although some of the Wise know his true nature, his "wizard-like" appearance causes many to mistake him for a simple conjurer. After his return his "signature colour" changes from grey to white, for he has been sent back to replace the corrupt Saruman as the chief of the Wizards. In the book he claims that in some ways he now "was Saruman", or rather Saruman as he should have been.

[[Círdan]] the Shipwright seemed to have foreseen this, for he entrusted the care of [[Narya]], one of the [[Three Rings]] of the Elves to Gandalf rather than Saruman.

==Powers and abilities==
[[File:Roger Thomasson - Gandalf the Grey.jpg|Roger Thomasson - ''Gandalf the Grey''|thumb]]

Gandalf demonstrated extensive knowledge of the land and an assortment of magical abilities from trivial to essential. For example he would use his powers for entertainment, by blowing glowing smoke rings that moved around a room at his direction, and [[Bilbo Baggins]] remembered him for his fantastic fireworks displays. He created blinding flashes and other pyrotechnics to distract the [[Orcs|goblins]] of the [[Misty Mountains]], aiding the dwarves in their escape from [[Goblin-town]]. On the eastern slopes, he turned pine cones into flaming projectiles that threw hot sparks and started fires that would not easily go out. He was also able to come and go from the presence of [[Thorin and Company]] without being noticed.

He again displayed his proficiency with pyrotechnics at [[Bilbo's Farewell Party]]. When the Fellowship is attacked by [[Wargs]] in [[Eregion|Hollin]] Gandalf speaks words of power to inflame the trees on the hillock where the company had camped. He was also able to start fires under blizzard conditions, create light of varying intensity for the journey through [[Moria]], magically secure doors, and break the [[Bridge of Khazad-dûm]]. When angered or aroused for battle, he seemed to grow in height and assume a terrifying aspect. He fought the [[Durin's Bane|Balrog of Moria]] and killed his opponent, although he did not himself survive the battle.

Sent back to [[Middle-earth]] as Gandalf the White, he possessed greater charisma and a limited degree of clairvoyance, although he was unable to peer into the land of [[Mordor]] to see the progress of Frodo and [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]]. His power and authority had increased so that he could break [[Saruman]]'s staff with a spoken command, showing his authority to throw the treacherous wizard out of the order.

Gandalf was the bearer of [[Narya]], the Ring of Fire, and described himself as the "servant of the [[Secret Fire]]" and "wielder of the [[flame of Anor]]".<ref name=bridge/> Most times Gandalf displayed his power, this had to do with fire. It is not known whether his possession of Narya had any merit to his abilities.<ref>FAQ of the Rings: [http://oakroadsystems.com/genl/ringfaq.htm#Q3-Fireworks D6. ''Gandalf bore the Ring of Fire. Is that how he made his fireworks?'']</ref>

===Special equipment===
It is unknown whether Gandalf required his staff to exercise certain powers. At times it appeared to focus or extend his powers, such as when it emanated light. Exactly how much it aided him in the use of magic is unknown, but [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]] tried to forbid Gandalf from bringing it into [[Edoras]], clearly under the impression that without it Gandalf's power would be limited.

When he arrived in Middle-earth, Gandalf received the Elven ring [[Narya]] from [[Círdan]]. It is clear that Gandalf wore this ring from that time to the end of the Third Age but how he used its powers is not known.

In {{TA|2941}}, Gandalf acquired the Elven sword [[Glamdring]] from the treasure hoard of a band of trolls.<ref name="Mutton"/> He continued to wield this weapon throughout ''The Lord of the Rings'', in particular during his fight with the [[Durin's Bane|Balrog]] in Moria.

Throughout his time in Middle-earth Gandalf often was seen with a pipe, the use of which clearly brought him immense enjoyment.

==Other versions of the legendarium==
In early manuscripts of ''[[The Hobbit]]'', the name ''[[Bladorthin]]'' was used by Tolkien for the character who later would be named ''Gandalf''. The name ''Gandalf'' was instead used for the character known as [[Thorin]] in the published works.<ref>{{HH|Intro}}</ref>

==Inspiration==
[[File:Georg von Rosen - Oden som vandringsman, 1886 (Odin, the Wanderer).jpg|thumb|Georg von Rosen - ''Oden som vandringsman'' (''Odin the Wanderer'')]]
[[File:Josef Madlener - Der Berggeist.jpg|left|thumb|[[Josef Madlener]] - ''[[Der Berggeist]]'']]

''Gandalfr''
appears in the list of dwarves in the ''[[Völuspá]]'' of the Elder Edda, the name means "Cane-elf". Tolkien took the name along with the other dwarves' names when he wrote ''The Hobbit'' in the 1930s. He came to regret the creation of this "rabble of eddaic-named dwarves [...] invented in an idle hour",<ref>{{TI|Runes}}, p. 452</ref> since it forced him to come up with an explanation of why Old Norse names should be used in [[Third Age]] Middle-earth. He solved the dilemma in 1942 by the explanation that [[Old Norse]] was a ''translation'' of the [[language of Dale]]. The figure of Gandalf has other influences from Germanic mythology, particularly Odin in his incarnation as "the Wanderer", an old man with one eye, a long white beard, a wide brimmed hat, and a staff: Tolkien states that he thinks of Gandalf as an ''"Odinic wanderer"'' in a letter of 1946.<ref>{{L|107}}</ref>

Tolkien had a postcard labelled ''[[Der Berggeist]]'' ("the mountain spirit"), and on the paper cover in which he kept it, he wrote "the origin of Gandalf" at some point. The postcard reproduces a painting of a bearded figure, sitting on a rock under a pine tree in a mountainous setting. He wears a wide-brimmed round hat and a long cloak and a white fawn is nuzzling his upturned hands.
[[Humphrey Carpenter]] in his 1977 biography said that Tolkien had bought the postcard during his 1911 holiday in Switzerland. However, Manfred Zimmerman discovered that the painting was by German artist Josef Madlener and dates to the late 1920s.<ref>[[Manfred Zimmerman]], "The Origin of Gandalf and Josef Madlener", in [[Mythlore|''Mythlore'']] [[Mythlore 34|34]] (Winter [[1983]])</ref> Carpenter concluded that Tolkien was probably mistaken about the origin of the postcard himself. Tolkien must have acquired the card at some time in the early 1930s, at a time when ''The Hobbit'' had already begun to take shape.

==Names==
{{Main|Gandalf/Names}}

==Etymology==
Within the legendarium, ''Gandalf'' translates an unknown name of the meaning "Elf-of-the-wand (or cane/staff)", or more literary "Wand-elf", in old northern Mannish. Most denizens of Middle-earth incorrectly assumed Gandalf was a [[Men|Man]], although he was really a Maia spirit (approximately equivalent to an angel). However, a less common misconception that occurred during the beginning of his career in Middle-earth was that for someone to be [[Immortality|immortal]] and use as much magic as he did, he must have been an Elf. Although it soon became apparent to all that he could not be an Elf, as he was old and Elves do not generally age, the nickname stuck with him. He later gave it as his name to others he met who did not know its original meaning.

==Portrayals in adaptations==
{{Gallery
|title=Gandalf in adaptations
|height=150
|width=200
|lines=3
|File:The Hobbit (1966 film) - Gandalf.png|Gandalf in [[The Hobbit (1966 film)|''The Hobbit'' (1966 film)]]
|File:The Hobbit (1977 film) - Gandalf.jpg|Gandalf in [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|''The Hobbit'' (1977 film)]]
|File:The Lord of the Rings (1978 film) - Gandalf.jpg|Gandalf the Grey in [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1978 film)]]
|File:The Lord of the Rings (1978 film) - Gandalf the White.jpg|Gandalf the White in [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1978 film)]]
|File:War in Middle Earth - Gandalf and three hobbits.png|Gandalf in ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien's War in Middle Earth]]''
|File:LOTR-Gandalf 1990-1--1-.png|Gandalf in [[J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I (1990 video game)|''J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I'' (1990 video game)]]
|File:LOTR vol. 1 SNES Gandalf in the Shire.png|Gandalf in [[J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I (SNES)|''J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I'' (SNES)]]
|File:1121208-ror 010-1-.png|Gandalf in ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien's Riders of Rohan]]''
|File:The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring - Gandalf reading the Book of Mazarbul.jpg|Gandalf the Grey in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]''
|File:The Lord of the Rings - The Motion Picture Trilogy - Gandalf the White.jpg|Gandalf the White in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]]''
|File:The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring (video game) - Gandalf.JPG|Gandalf in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' (video game)]]
|File:Gandalf 2Towers.png|Gandalf in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers'' (video game)]]
|File:The Lord of the Rings- The Two Towers GBA - Gandalf, Frodo and Legolas.png|Gandalf in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)#Game Boy Advance version|''The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers'' (Game Boy Advance)]]
|File:The Hobbit (2003) Gandalf.JPG|Gandalf in ''[[The Hobbit (2003 video game)|''The Hobbit'' (2003 video game)]]
|File:Gandalf EA RotK.png|Gandalf in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'' (video game)]]
|File:The Lord of the Rings- The Return of the King GBA - Gandalf.png|Gandalf in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'' (Game Boy Advance)]]
|File:Gandalf in LOTRO.png|Gandalf in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]''
|File:The Lord of the Rings Online Shadows of Angmar - Gandalf.png|Gandalf the Grey in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar]]''
|File:Gandalf.jpg|Gandalf the White in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]''
|File:The Lord of the Rings- Conquest -Gandalf fighting Orcs.png|'''[[The Lord of the Rings: Conquest]]''
|File:Aragorn's Quest - Gandalf the White.jpg|Gandalf the White in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest]]''
|File:Gandalf in LOTR- War in the North-1.png|''[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]]''
|File:Lego - Gandalf the Grey mini figure.png|Gandalf the Grey as a ''[[Lego]] mini figure''
|File:Guardians of Middle-earth - Gandalf.png|Gandalf the Grey in ''[[Guardians of Middle-earth]]''
|File:The Hobbit (film series) - Gandalf.jpg|Gandalf the Grey in [[The Hobbit (film series)|''The Hobbit'' (film series)]]
}}
===Films===
'''1966: [[The Hobbit (1966 film)|''The Hobbit'' (1966 film)]]:'''
:Gandalf's role is drastically reduced. He lives in a tower, where Thorin, the [[Mika Milovana|princess]] and the guard meet him to discuss the killing of [[Smaug|Slag]]. He introduces them to Bilbo, but does not go on the quest.<ref name="Deitch">{{webcite|articleurl=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=UBnVL1Y2src|articlename=The Hobbit.mp4|dated=5 January 2012|website=YouTube|accessed=10 January 2012}}</ref>

'''1977: [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|''The Hobbit'' (1977 film)]]:'''
:The voice of Gandalf was provided by [[John Huston]].

'''1978: [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1978 film)]]:'''
:Gandalf was voiced by [[William Squire]]. [[John A. Neris]] played him in the live-action filming used for rotoscoping.<ref>Jerry Beck, ''The Animated Movie Guide'', page 154 (at [http://books.google.com/books?id=fTI1yeZd-tkC&pg=PA154&dq=%22John+A.+Neris%22&hl=nl#PPA154,M1 GoogleBooks])</ref>

'''1980: [[The Return of the King (1980 film)|''The Return of the King'' (1980 film)]]:'''
:[[John Huston]] reprised his role as Gandalf. In this adaptation, the tale is told by a minstrel of [[Gondor]], yet in the story, Gandalf serves as the narrator. Gandalf the White is portrayed without difference from Gandalf the Grey, in ''The Hobbit''.

'''1985: [[The Hobbit (1985 television film)|''The Fairytale Adventures of Mr. Baggins, the Hobbit'' (1985 film)]]:'''
:Ivan Krasko played Gandalf.

'''2001: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'':'''
:[[Ian McKellen]] was cast as Gandalf. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal.

'''2002: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]]'':'''
:Perhaps the most striking difference from all other adaptations is the difference between Gandalf the Grey and Gandalf the White. Where earlier no visible or audible difference was made, Gandalf the White is portrayed as much more virile, and with a shorter (and whiter) beard.

'''2003: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]]'':'''
:Because [[Imrahil]] had been cut from the film, it was up to Gandalf to lead the troops after the madness and death of [[Denethor]].

'''2012-14: [[The Hobbit (film series)|''The Hobbit'' (film series)]]:'''
:[[Ian McKellen|Sir Ian McKellen]] reprised his role as Gandalf the Grey.<ref name="PJCasting">{{webcite|author=[[Peter Jackson]]|articleurl=http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150168211921558|articlename=Production begins in New Zealand on The Hobbit|dated=20-March-2011|website=[http://www.facebook.com/ Facebook]|accessed=23-Dec-2011}}</ref> A description of Gandalf in ''The Hobbit'' films was released by the studio:

:{{Blockquote|One of the most powerful Wizards in all Middle-earth, Gandalf the Grey joins the quest to reclaim the Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor and the great treasure that lies within its stone halls from a fire-breating dragon, Smaug the Terrible. Along the way, Gandalf finds evidence that an ancient evil may have found its way back into the world. In order to uncover the truth, Gandalf must leave his companions to fend for themselves – a journey that will take him into the darkest corners of Middle-earth where his worst suspicions are confirmed.|[[Warner Bros.]]<ref name="HobbitApp">{{webcite|author=[[Warner Bros.]]|articleurl=http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hobbit-movies/id545808528|articlename=Hobbit Movies|dated=7-September-2012|website=[http://itunes.apple.com/ Apple iPhone/iPad App]|accessed=19-September-2012}}</ref>}}

===Radio series===
'''1955: [[The Lord of the Rings (1955 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1955 radio series)]]:'''
:The voice of Gandalf was provided by [[Norman Shelley]].<ref>{{L|175}}</ref>

'''1968: [[The Hobbit (1968 radio series)|''The Hobbit'' (1968 radio series)]]:'''
:The voice of Gandalf was provided by [[Heron Carvic]].

'''1979: [[The Hobbit (1979 radio series)|''The Hobbit'' (1979 radio series)]]:'''
:The voice of Gandalf was provided [[Bernard Mayes]].

'''1979: [[The Lord of the Rings (1979 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1979 radio series)]]:'''
:[[Bernard Mayes]] reprised his role as Gandalf.

'''1981: [[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1981 radio series)]]:'''
:[[Michael Hordern]] read the part of Gandalf. He had not read the book, and thought his agent made a mistake in telling him how many episodes he had to do. He did not know Gandalf's early death would prove only temporarily.<ref>[[Brian Sibley]], "[http://briansibleytheworks.blogspot.com/2008/01/this-page-is-still-under-construction_23.html The Ring Goes Ever On: The Making of BBC Radio's ''The Lord of the Rings'']", at ''[http://briansibleytheworks.blogspot.com/ Brian Sibley:The Works]''</ref>

===Games===
'''1982: [[The Hobbit (1982 video game)|''The Hobbit'' (1982 video game)]]:'''
:Gandalf can be met on several moments of the game's story line.<ref>[http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=ZXComputing/Issue8304/Pages/ZXComputing830400076.jpg ''ZX Computing'', iss. 8304, p. 76] reproduced at [http://www.worldofspectrum.org/archive.html World of Spectrum - Archive] (retrieved at 14 August 2010)</ref>

'''1990: [[J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I (1990 video game)|''J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I'' (1990 video game)]]:'''
:Gandalf can be "recruited" by [[Frodo Baggins]] as a playable character.

'''1990: ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien's Riders of Rohan]]'':'''
:Gandalf is one of the main characters of the game and one of the several heroes of the [[Rohan]] faction.

'''1994: [[J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I (SNES)|''J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I'' (SNES)]]:'''
:Gandalf can be acquired as a playable characters.

'''2002: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' (video game)]]:'''
:[[Tom Kane]] provided the voice of Gandalf. He is a playable character in several levels, including the fight with [[Durin's Bane]].

'''2002: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers'' (video game)]]:'''
:The voice of Gandalf is provided by [[Ian McKellen]]. Gandalf the Grey appears at the campsite of the [[Fellowship of the Ring|fellowship]] in ''The Gates of Moria'' and during the fight of [[Balin's Tomb]] in ''Balin's Tomb''. He latter reappears in the game as Gandalf the White at the start of the mission ''The Plains of Rohan'', where he leaves Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli to search Éomer and his army. He also appears in some cutscenes.

'''2002: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)#Game Boy Advance version|''The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers'' (Game Boy Advance)]]:'''
:In the [[wikipedia:Game Boy Advance|Game Boy Advance version]] of [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)|The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]] Gandalf is a playable character. Gandalf's story starts with a conservation between Gandalf and [[Théoden]], after which the story goes back to the [[Caradhras]], where the Fellowship tries to travel over the [[Misty Mountains]]. When that road fails, the Fellowship goes back and travels through [[Moria]]. In Moria Gandalf and the other member of the Fellowship are separated. After finding [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], [[Aragorn]] and [[Gimli]] the fellowship is attacked by a [[Cave-trolls|Cave-troll]] and [[Orcs#Orcs and Goblins|Goblins]]. After Gandalf defeats the Cave-troll the Fellowship has to flee for the [[Balrogs|Balrog]]. When they reach the [[Bridge of Khazad-dûm]] a cutscene is shown, in which Gandalf destroys the bridge and falls with the Balrog in the depths. After the fall Gandalf has to follow the footsteps of the Balrog through the depths of Moria and the [[Endless Stair]] until he reaches [[Durin's Tower]], where he has to defeat the Balrog.

:After being revived he returns as Gandalf the White in Fangorn, where he defeats several [[Trolls]] and [[Crebain]]. After defeating a stronger Forrest troll, named Fangorn troll, Gandalf meets Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli. After a cutscene, the game moves to [[Edoras]]. Gandalf heals the corrupted Théoden in Edoras, and then travels through [[Rohan]] in search of [[Éomer]]. Gandalf convinces Éomer to lead his army to [[Helm's Deep]].

:The game ends with the [[Battle of the Hornburg|Battle of Helm's Deep]], in which Gandalf and Éomer fight alongside Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and [[Éowyn]] while protecting the wall, the [[Hornburg]] and the [[Glittering Caves]]. In the final level Gandalf has to destroy the siege weapons that bombard the Hornburg. The game ends with a conservation between Gandalf, Aragorn, Gimli and Théoden.

'''2003: [[The Hobbit (2003 video game)|''The Hobbit'' (2003 video game)]]:'''
:[[Jim Ward]] provided the voice of Gandalf. He is shown with actual [[magic]]: he can shoot blue bolts of lightning from his staff.

'''2003: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'' (video game)]]:'''
:Gandalf is the narrator, and a playable character. The game is built around him; the cut scene narration shows how he planned for the [[War of the Ring]]. He has several missions, collectively called the "Path of the Wizard". The first is the [[Battle of the Hornburg|the Battle of Helm's Deep]], which serves as a training mission. He has to fight [[Uruk-Hai]] in the forest of [[Huorns]] and [[Ents]] in "The Road to Isengard". After that, the missions move to [[Minas Tirith]]: the first mission, "Top of the Wall", has Gandalf warding off ladders and siege towers. In the second, "Courtyard", he has to protect civilians from the invading Orcs. His last playing mission is the [[Battle of the Morannon|Battle of the Black Gate]].

'''2003: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'' (Game Boy Advance)]]:'''
:Just like on the console version of the game, Gandalf is a playable character. He has many missions, collectively called the "The Journey of the Wizard". He starts in a flooded [[Isengard]], where he has to kill several [[Uruk-hai]] and [[Crebain]] before he confronts [[Saruman]]. After the defeat of Saruman he travels to [[Minas Tirith]] through Rohan and the Misty Mountains. At the [[Pelennor Fields]] Gandalf has to protect the [[Beacons of Gondor|beacons]], so Rohan can be warned. During the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields|Battle of Minas Tirith]] he has to protect the gate, before making his way to the [[House of the Stewards|Steward's Tomb]]. Here Gandalf has to kill Denethor, before he burns [[Faramir]]. After the battle Gandalf travels through [[Ithilien]] to the [[Black Gate]], where he confronts a Nazgûl.

'''2004: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age]]'':'''
:Gandalf, voiced by [[Ian McKellen]], is a character in [[Electronic Arts|EA's]] "alternative [[Fellowship of the Ring|fellowship]]" game. In his battle against Durin's Bane, he is aided by the main characters.

'''2004: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: War of the Ring]]'':'''
:Gandalf is voiced by [[Steven M. Kramer]], renowned for playing older mentor types.

'''2004: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth]]'':'''
:In non-storyline skirmishes Gandalf is the hero of the Gondor faction, who possesses several magical abilities. At first, he appears as Gandalf "the Grey", and becomes "Gandalf the White" after reaching level 5 (out of 10). Gandalf also narrates the prologue scene, repeating almost word for word the lines said by Galadriel in the ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]''.

:His involvement in the storyline is notable for major differences from the original tale. First of all, Gandalf survives his encounter with Balrog, defeating him at the Bridge of Khazad-dum and continues the journey with the Fellowship - by the time of arrival in Lothlorien he already appears as Gandalf the White. He is present during the ambush at [[Amon Hen]], where thanks to his involvement Boromir is saved from certain death. Merry and Pippin are captured regardless and Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and Boromir give chase, while Gandalf departs them to see to dealings in Rohan, including freeing of King Théoden from the spell. Following the Battle of Helm's Deep he travels to Minas Tirith along with both Pippin and Boromir, where they participate in the Siege of the city.

'''2006: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II]]'':'''
:Gandalf is a hero for the "Men of the West" faction. Similar to the first game, he appears as Gandalf the Grey initially and Gandalf the White after level 5. He plays no part in the main storyline, but appears in the alternate "evil" campaign: after Sauron reclaims the Ring and lays waste to southern lands, Gandalf and few other survivors meet their end during a last stand in Rivendell.

'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Gandalf is a non-playable character voiced by [[Harry Chase]], who narrates cutscenes and instances throughout the original game, before the first expansion. He first meets the Dwarven characters in Ered Luin in {{TA|2941}}, shortly before the Quest for Erebor. Later, characters of all races meet him in Bree in October of {{TA|3018}}, but he is too busy with concerns for Frodo and the Ring and merely sends them away to find Radagast. Finally, the players have a chance to have a proper conversation with him in Rivendell, following the Council of Elrond. During that time, Gandalf is involved in several quests, including helping the player wreck havoc among the Goblins stirring at the [[High Pass]]. After the Fellowship leaves Rivendell, players are able to retrace many of their steps, including the marks left by Gandalf such as the Burnt Top in [[Eregion]] and the remains of his fire at the pass of [[Caradhras]]. Later, Lady [[Galadriel]] bids the player to find the sings of Gandalf following his fall from the Bridge of Khazad-dum - said signs include his burnt hat at the Foundations of Stone in Moria and the sings of his struggle with the Balrog at the [[Endless Stair]] - those allow Galadriel to discern that Mithrandir is not truly dead. Players later meet him as Gandalf the White in [[Caras Galadhon]] shortly after the Fellowship has departed Lothlorien. During that time, he engages into a spiritual battle with a Gaunt-Lord Gortheron the Doom-Caller; his display of his new abilities encourages the band of Free People players and allows them to defeat the servant of Sauron. Later, he is encountered in many places in Rohan (such as [[Edoras]] and [[Helm's Deep]]), Gondor (chiefly [[Minas Tirith]], The [[Morannon]], and [[Erebor]].

:Gandalf is also present in several historic "session plays", during which players witness the important events their characters were not present for. Such events include Gandalf infiltrating [[Dol Guldur]] with the help of an Elf named Raddir, first meeting between Gandalf and Aragorn on the outskirts of Lothlorien and Gandalf's imprisonment atop Orthanc by Saruman.

'''2009: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: Conquest]]'':'''
:[[Martin Jarvis]] provides the voice of Gandalf. He is a playable mage hero and has three special powers: "Healing Wisdom", "You Shall not Pass!" and "Cleansing Fire". In the good campaign he appears at the end of the Isengard mission, where he has to kill Saruman in [[Orthanc]]. In Moria he can be played to destroy the [[Balrog]] and in Minas Tirith he has to defend the gates of the second ring. He is also one of the four playable heroes in the last mission, [[The Battle of the Morannon|the battle of the Black Gate]]. He appears aswell in the end of the last mission, the Shire, of the evil campaign, in which he is defeated by [[Sauron]].
:He is also playable in the Shire, Isengard, Minas Tirith and Moria with the ''Conquest'' Mode, in Isengard and Minas Tirith in the ''Team Deathmatch'' mode, the citadel of Minas Tirith in ''Capture the Ring'' mode, and at the Black Gate, Minas Morgul, Mout Doom and the Shire during ''Hero Team Deatmatch'' mode.

'''2011: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]]'':'''
:Gandalf is voiced by [[Tom Kane]], who also narrates the introduction of the game. He tells that heroes like "[[Aragorn|Aragorn the King]]", "[[Frodo Baggins|Frodo the Ringbearer]]" and "'''Gandalf the Wizard'''" are rightly honored, but that without a few heroes - [[Eradan (video game character)|Eradan]], [[Andriel]] and [[Farin (video game character)|Farin]] - the north of [[Middle-earth]] would have been lost.<ref>[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]], ''Prologue''</ref>
:He also appears in [[Rivendell]] later in the game. Players can interact with him and learn of various important events, yet the conversations do not unlock any side-quests and do not affect the main story in any way.

'''2012: ''[[Guardians of Middle-earth]]'':'''
:Gandalf is a mage-type "guardian" with four abilities: ''Narya's Power'', ''Flame of Anor'', ''Fireworks'' and ''Gandalf's Might''.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.guardiansofmiddleearth.co.uk/guardians/gandalf|articlename=''Guardians of Middle-earth'': Gandalf|dated=|website=[http://www.guardiansofmiddleearth.com/ ''Guardians of Middle-earth'' official website]|accessed=16 July 2012}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[:Category:Images of Gandalf|Images of Gandalf]]

{{References}}

{{seq-start}}
{{seq-head
| race=maiar
| house=[[Maiar]]
}}
{{seq
| prev=[[Círdan]]
| list=Bearer of [[Narya]]
| dates=c. {{TA|1000}} - after {{TA|3021|n}}
| nvac=None
| next=Presumably, still Gandalf
}}
{{seq
| pvac=None
| prev=Position created
| list=Leader of the [[Fellowship of the Ring]]
| dates=[[25 December]] {{TA|3018}} - [[15 January]] {{TA|3019|n}}
| next=[[Aragorn|Aragorn II]]
}}
{{seq-end}}{{ainur}}{{Thorin and Company}}{{companyroute}}{{councilofelrond}}{{fellowship}}{{FellowshipRoute}}{{ringbearers}}
[[Category:Characters in The Hobbit]]
[[Category:Characters in The Lord of the Rings]]
[[Category:Characters in The Silmarillion]]
[[Category:Maiar]]
[[Category:Masculine names]]
[[Category:Norse names]]
[[Category:Third Age characters]]
[[Category:Wizards]]

[[de:Gandalf]]
[[fr:encyclo:personnages:ainur:maiar:istari:gandalf]]
[[fi:Gandalf]]

Gandalf

2019-01-28T02:23:21Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Games */

{{Countdown}}
{{disambig-more|Gandalf|[[Gandalf (disambiguation)]]}}
{{maiar infobox
| name=Gandalf
| image=[[File:Matt Stewart - Gandalf - A Light in the Dark.jpg|250px]]
| caption="A Light in the Dark" by [[:Category:Images by Matt Stewart|Matt Stewart]]
| pronun=
| othernames=[[Gandalf/Names#The Grey|The Grey]], [[Gandalf/Names#The White|The White]], [[Gandalf/Names#Olórin|Olórin]], [[Gandalf/Names#Mithrandir|Mithrandir]], [[Gandalf/Names#Incánus|Incánus]], [[Gandalf/Names#Tharkûn|Tharkûn]], [[Gandalf/Names#The White Rider|The White Rider]], [[Gandalf/Names#Greyhame|Greyhame]], [[Gandalf/Names#Stormcrow|Stormcrow]], [[Gandalf/Names#Old Grey Beard|Old Grey Beard]], [[Gandalf/Names#Big Grey Beard|Big Grey Beard]], [[Gandalf/Names#The White Pilgrim|The White Pilgrim]], [[Gandalf/Names#Láthspell|Láthspell]]
| titles=
| position=
| location=No fixed abode
| affiliation=[[Wizards|Istari]] (Wizards) [[White Council]] [[Thorin and Company]] [[Fellowship of the Ring]]
| language=
| birth=
| birthlocation=
| rule=
| sailedwest=[[29 September]] {{TA|3021}}
| sailedfrom=[[Grey Havens]]
| age=
| notablefor=
| house=
| parentage=
| siblings=
| gender=Male
| height=5'6"<ref name="MB">{{HM|MB}}, page 49</ref>
| hair=Long white, silver beard<ref name="Meetings">{{FR|Meetings}}</ref>
| eyes=
| clothing=Grey robes (later white), blue hat, grey scarf, black boots<ref name="Party"/>
| weapons=Staff [[Glamdring]] [[Narya]]
| steed=[[Shadowfax]]
}}
{{Pronounce|Gandalf.mp3|Ardamir}}
{{Pronounce|Quenya - Olórin.mp3|Gilgamesh}}
{{Quote|Gandalf was shorter in stature than the [[Elrond|other]] [[Glorfindel|two]]; but his long white hair, his sweeping silver beard, and his broad shoulders, made him look like some wise king of ancient legend. In his aged face under great snowy brows his eyes were set like coals that could suddenly burst into fire.|''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', [[Many Meetings]]}}

'''Gandalf''' was one of the five [[Wizards|Istari]] sent to [[Middle-earth]] by the [[Valar]] in the [[Third Age]]. In [[Valinor]] he was known as Olórin. Gandalf was instrumental in bringing about the demise of [[Sauron]] in {{TA|3019}}, chiefly by encouraging others and dispensing his wisdom at pivotal times. Gandalf was originally robed in grey, and second to [[Saruman]] in the Order of [[wizards]]. After his fall in [[Moria]], Gandalf returned to Middle-earth as head of the Order, robed in white. Gandalf was noteworthy for his keen interest in [[Hobbits]].

==History==
The wisest of the Maiar, Gandalf was created by [[Ilúvatar]] before the [[Music of the Ainur]].<ref name="Ainu">{{S|Ainu}}</ref> At the beginning of Time, he was amongst the [[Ainur]] who entered into [[Eä]].<ref name="SVala">{{S|Vala}}</ref> In his "youth" he was known as '''''Olórin''''' and became one of the [[Maiar]] who served [[Manwë]], [[Varda]], [[Irmo]] and [[Nienna]] named. He was associated with light and fire, much like his peer Varda.<ref name=vala>{{S|IIc}}</ref>

Yet his ways often took him to Nienna, from whom he learned pity and patience.
He loved the [[Elves of Valinor|Elves]] but he walked [[unseen]] among them, or wore a [[fana]] that appeared like an [[Elves|Elf]], and sent them fair visions in their hearts that made them wiser. Throughout his existence, he followed the example of Nienna, he took pity on the sorrows of the [[Children of Ilúvatar]] and drove those who listened to him out of despair.<ref name=vala/>

During the [[Third Age]], while [[Sauron]]'s 'dark spirit of malice' was increasing over [[Middle-earth]], the Valar chose [[Istari|five emissaries]] from among the Maiar to go and help the [[Portal:Characters|peoples]]. [[Manwë]] selected Olórin, who, at first, did not wish to go, as he feared Sauron. However, Manwë said that that was all the more reason why he should go.<ref name="Istari">{{UT|13}}</ref> Furthermore, [[the One Ring]], the location of much of Sauron's power, presumably still existed somewhere in Middle-earth.

Olórin submitted to the will of Manwë, and departed Valinor to [[Mithlond]] in the year {{TA|1000}}.<ref name="Istari"/> He arrived after the others, [[Curumo]], [[Aiwendil]], [[Pallando]], and [[Alatar]], at about the same time the [[Necromancer]] appeared in [[Mirkwood]].

===Coming to Middle-earth===
Olórin, like the other Wizards, took the shape of an old man. He was robed in grey and went about as a wanderer and counsellor.

At Mithlond he was welcomed by [[Glorfindel]], his friend from Valinor, sent earlier on a similar mission, and [[Círdan]] the shipwright, who possessed [[Narya]], one of the [[Three Rings|Three]] Elven [[Rings of Power]]. Círdan divined in Olórin a sense of strength and power despite his appearance as a bent and aged old man. Círdan gave Narya to Olórin with a prediction of his future struggles with evil, and a promise that it would support and aid him in his labours. Then Círdan said "''But as for me, my heart is with the [[Belegaer|Sea]], and I will dwell by the grey shores until the last ship sails. I will await you.''"<ref name="ThirdAge">{{App|B2}}</ref>

[[File:John Howe - Gandalf the Grey.jpg|thumb|[[John Howe]] - ''Gandalf the Grey'']]
Gandalf then began his sojourn in Middle-earth. Unlike Saruman, Gandalf did not take up a single permanent residence. Gandalf never went to the [[east]]<ref>"To the East I go not"</ref> and apparently restricted his activities to the [[Westlands]] of Middle-earth, where the remnants of the [[Dúnedain]] and the [[Eldar]] remained to oppose Sauron. He was known by many names during the long years he remained in Middle-earth: Elves named him ''[[Gandalf/Names#Mithrandir|Mithrandir]]'', the Grey Pilgrim, while the men of [[Arnor]] named him '''Gandalf''', which became his most common name. He was also known as ''[[Gandalf/Names#Incánus|Incánus]]'' (in the south), and ''[[Gandalf/Names#Tharkûn|Tharkûn]]'' to the [[Dwarves]].<ref name="Istari"/>

A legend says that Gandalf was given by [[Yavanna]] the [[Elfstone]] of [[Eärendil]], to bring to the peoples of Middle-earth as a token that the Valar had not forsaken them. He gave it to [[Galadriel]], and remarked prophetically that she would in turn pass it to an individual who would also be called [[Aragorn|Elessar]].<ref>{{UT|6}}</ref>

===Early vigilance===
Around {{TA|1100}},<ref name="ThirdAge"/> the Istari and the Eldar discovered that some evil entity resided at [[Dol Guldur]] in Mirkwood. Dark shapes moved in the forest and evil began to multiply in the woods. Some thought a [[Nazgûl]] had returned to torment the world, or some new evil was arising. Gandalf was unsure, and feared that perhaps Sauron himself might have returned.<ref name="Rings">{{S|Rings}}</ref>
[[File:John Howe - Pass the Doors of Dol Guldur.jpg|thumb|200px|left|[[John Howe]] - ''Pass the Doors of Dol Guldur'']]
Over the next two hundred years the evil continued to grow, as well as the source directing it. [[Orcs]] were multiplying in the [[Misty Mountains]] and elsewhere. The [[Witch-king]], the mightiest of the Nazgûl, had built a fortress in [[Angmar]] in the Northern wastelands and waged unending war against the Kingdom of [[Arnor]]. Meanwhile [[Moria]] and [[Minas Ithil]] fell under a shadow, while other wars, plagues, and catastrophes occurred across Middle-earth. Gandalf went to Dol Guldur in {{TA|2063|n}} to discover its secret.<ref name="ThirdAge"/> An entity known only as the '[[Necromancer]]' fled before him preventing Gandalf from identifying him.<ref name="Rings"/> After Gandalf's incursion, the evil there seemed to desist, and its absence allowed for some centuries of calmness.

That peaceful period was known as the [[Watchful Peace]] and lasted for almost four hundred years, but the Nazgûl had used this period to prepare for Sauron's return, in {{TA|2460|n}}.<ref name="ThirdAge"/> Realising the returning evil, the [[Wise]] formed the [[White Council]] three years later. [[Galadriel]], bearer of one of the Three Elven Rings and mighty among the Eldar, wished Gandalf to be the chief of the Council, but he refused the position wishing to set down no roots and to maintain his independence; Saruman took this place because of his vast knowledge.<ref name="Rings"/>

During his wanderings in [[Eriador]], Gandalf met and befriended the isolated and secretive people of the [[Hobbits]] in their country, [[The Shire]]. During the [[Long Winter]] of {{TA|2758|n}} Gandalf came to their aid.<ref name="ThirdAge"/> It was then when he witnessed and admired the pity and courage the humble Hobbits reserved in their hearts.<ref name="Erebor"/>

When King [[Thráin|Thráin II]], a dwarf of the royal line of [[Lonely Mountain]], disappeared on journey to [[Erebor]], Gandalf looked for him. At some point after {{TA|2845|n}} he entered the abandoned city of Khazad-dûm. After his vain search the Wizard exited through the [[Doors of Durin]]; however this experience did not help him know how to open the doors from the outside.<ref name=journey>{{FR|Journey}}</ref>

In {{TA|2850|n}}, his quest led him once more to Dol Guldur, this time in secrecy.<ref name="ThirdAge"/> He found Thráin in the dungeons, who gave the Wizard his last possessions, the [[Thrór's Map|map]] and key to Erebor<ref name="Durin">{{App|Durin}}</ref>. Most importantly, he found that the Necromancer was no Nazgûl – it was Sauron himself, and he had taken [[Ring of Thrór|the last]] of the [[Seven Rings]] from the Dwarf King; Sauron was gathering the remaining [[Rings of Power]] and possibly searching for his lost [[The One Ring|One Ring]].

Gandalf escaped Dol Guldur and returned to the White Council.<ref name="Rings"/> After relating his discoveries, he urged the council to attack Sauron while the One Ring was still lost and Sauron's power immature. But Saruman said that it was better to watch and wait; that the One Ring had long ago rolled from [[Anduin]] to the Sea. The majority of the council agreed with Saruman. [[Elrond]] Half-elven, a powerful member of the council, later privately told Gandalf he had a foreboding that the Ring would be found, and that the war to end the [[Ages|Age]] was coming. Indeed, he added, he feared that it would end in darkness and despair. Gandalf encouraged him, saying there were many "strange chances," and that, "''help oft shall come from the hands of the weak''". Gandalf did not yet realise that Saruman now wanted the ring for himself and was secretly searching for it along the banks of river Anduin.

===The Quest for Erebor===
Gandalf would visit the Shire occasionally and participate in the [[Midsummer]]-eve parties of the [[Old Took]] where he impressed young Hobbits with his fireworks, and his stories about [[Dragons]], [[Orcs#Orcs and Goblins|Goblins]] and princesses.<ref name="Erebor"/> He was thus known to be "responsible for so many quiet lads and lasses going off into the Blue for mad adventures". He also met a relatively adventurous Hobbit named [[Bilbo Baggins]] although he was far from "adventuresome."<ref name="Party"/>

Gandalf was concerned about the weak state of the North. [[Smaug]] the [[Dragons|Dragon]] had destroyed both the [[Kingdom under the Mountain]] and the town of [[Dale]], and Gandalf feared that [[Sauron]] might use the desolation around Erebor to regain the northern passes in the mountains and the old lands of Angmar. Gandalf knew that exiled Dwarf [[King of Durin's Folk]] [[Thorin Oakenshield]] planned to battle against Smaug, but he knew that it would not be enough. In {{TA|2941|n}},<ref name="ThirdAge"/> while staying the night in [[Bree]], Gandalf happened across the Dwarf King.<ref name="Erebor">{{UT|Erebor}}</ref> Thorin initiated conversation; he had been having a strange feeling urging him to seek Gandalf. Gandalf was intrigued, for he had thought to seek Thorin as well. They found they were taking the same road for a while (Thorin passing through [[the Shire]] on his way to the [[Blue Mountains|Ered Luin]]), and they agreed to travel together. Thorin wanted advice, and Gandalf in turn wanted to discuss the Dragon Smaug with Thorin.
[[File:David T. Wenzel - Good Morning Mr. Baggins.jpg|thumb|[[David T. Wenzel]] - ''Good Morning Mr. Baggins'']]
Ultimately, Gandalf concocted a plan wherein Thorin could destroy Smaug and recover his family fortune, albeit with a "burglar" of Gandalf's own choosing. Gandalf had a feeling that a Hobbit should be involved, and he remembered Bilbo Baggins. At first he found only [[Holman Cotton]] as Bilbo had left on the occasion of the [[Yestare|Elven new year]], something that persuaded Gandalf that Bilbo was the right person for the job.<ref name="Erebor"/> He visited Bilbo later, bringing along the kinsmen of Thorin.<ref name="Party">{{H|Party}}</ref> In the end Gandalf convinced the reluctant Baggins to become a burglar for Thorin. Gandalf then accompanied [[Thorin and Company]] to [[Rivendell]]. During the journey Gandalf was instrumental in saving the travellers' lives from several calamities.

Gandalf saved them from a trio of [[Stone-trolls]], and later obtained the legendary sword [[Glamdring]] from their [[Trolls|Troll]]-hoard; Gandalf bore it thenceforth.<ref name="Mutton">{{H|Mutton}}</ref> He also helped Thorin and Company through the [[Misty Mountains]]; when unknowingly they camped in the [[Front Porch]] of the [[Goblin-town]] the Goblins captured the whole company except Gandalf, who surprised them much later, killing the [[Great Goblin]] and then leading the Dwarves to the exit.<ref name="Hill">{{H|Hill}}</ref> It was during this time that Bilbo obtained a "magic ring".<ref name="Riddles">{{H|Riddles}}</ref> Bilbo initially claimed he "won" it from the creature "[[Gollum]]" while the company was under the Misty Mountains.<ref name="Pan">{{H|Pan}}</ref> The ring conferred invisibility on Bilbo when he wore it, and he kept it secret from Gandalf for some time.
[[File:Darrell Sweet - The Lord of the Eagles.jpg|thumb|left|[[Darrell Sweet]] - ''The Lord of the Eagles'']]
On their escape out, the Company was saved by the [[Eagles]] of the Misty Mountains; Gandalf once had healed the [[Great Eagle]] from a poisoned wound, and thenceforth they became friends. The Eagles picked them up to their eyrie, and the next day they dropped them to the other side of the Mountains.<ref name="Pan"/>
[[File:Angus McBride - Dol Guldur.jpg|thumb|[[Angus McBride]] - ''Dol Guldur'']]
Gandalf then sought the hospitality of [[Beorn]], persuading him to welcome and host the whole Company in his [[Beorn's Hall|hall]]. But then he left the quest prior to its completion; after leading the Company to the outskirts of the [[Forest Gate]], he gave them some final advice (but little did he know that the lands had changed by then) before they'd enter [[Mirkwood]], and went to attend other obligations.<ref>{{H|Queer}}</ref> The [[White Council]] had met under the gravest of circumstances: Sauron's vast power was returning, even without his Ring. Gandalf at last convinced the Council to attack Dol Guldur, to which even Saruman agreed (as by now he feared Sauron as a rival, and wished to delay his search for the Ring). Gandalf joined his peers in assailing [[Dol Guldur]], ridding [[Mirkwood]] of the Necromancer's presence, who fled to [[Mordor]].<ref name="AppB2">{{App|B2}}</ref> When he was about to finish his task, news about what happened to Thorin's Company in Mirkwood reached him, and realised that the instructions he gave did not help them; they had lost their way, and then vanished from the imprisonment of the [[Silvan Elves|Wood-elves]], who had captured them. He was anxious to get back to them as soon as possible.<ref>{{H|Welcome}}</ref>

Meanwhile Thorin's quest was successful: Erebor was retaken and Smaug was killed,<ref name="Fire">{{H|Fire}}</ref> but when Gandalf finally arrived to the area, he found the [[Dwarves of Erebor]] and [[Dwarves of the Iron Hills|the Iron Hills]] preparing for an attack by the [[Lake-men]] and the [[Elves of Mirkwood]]. He was with [[Bard]] and [[Thranduil]] and revealed his presence trying to reason with Thorin. When the attack was beginning, Gandalf halted them, to warn that the [[Orcs]] and [[Wargs]] were coming to claim the treasure. He invited [[Dáin Ironfoot]] for council, and soon Dwarves, Elves and Men formed an alliance, and defeated the [[Orcs of the Misty Mountains]] in the [[Battle of Five Armies]].<ref name="Burst">{{H|Burst}}</ref>

King Thorin was mortally wounded and after his funeral and the reestablishment of Erebor under Dáin, Bilbo and Gandalf followed their way back; they celebrated [[Yule]] at Beorn's, and then returned to Rivendell, where he discussed with [[Elrond]] the events of Dol Guldur and the Lonely Mountain. Gandalf had accomplished his immediate goal, which was to destroy Smaug, who could have been used to disastrous effect by Sauron. A large number of Orcs and Wargs also were killed in the North, removing threats to Rivendell and Lothlórien.<ref name="Erebor"/> But they both agreed that it would be better if the Necromancer were banished from the world altogether.<ref name="H19">{{H|19}}</ref>

As Gandalf and Bilbo passed by the site of their former encounter with the stone-trolls, they made sure to recover the gold of the troll-hoard they had buried.<ref name="H19"/>

Gandalf, for his part, found himself amazed by the hobbit; until then the wise had paid no attention to hobbits and knew little of them. For the rest of his sojourn in Middle-earth, Gandalf took a special interest in hobbits, and particularly in the Baggins family.

===The Return of the Shadow===
Despite the Council's hopes, Sauron was not weakened by this attack. He had foreseen the move that drove him from Mirkwood, and his retreat was but a feint. Ten years after the attack, Sauron declared himself openly in Mordor in {{TA|2951|n}} and rebuilt the [[Barad-dûr]]. The White Council met for one last time in {{TA|2953|n}} to debate about the [[Rings of Power]]. Saruman quieted his peers claiming to have the knowledge that the One Ring was lost in the [[Belegaer]]. After their meeting, Saruman, jealous and afraid of Gandalf, set spies to watch all his movements; this would affect the peaceful Hobbits, as Saruman thus discovered the existence and noted Gandalf's interest in the Shire, and started sending agents in [[Bree]] and the [[Southfarthing]].<ref name="ThirdAge"/>

Meanwhile Sauron began reassembling his forces for the final blow against the hated West. [[Easterlings]] from [[Khand]] and beyond the [[Sea of Rhûn]], joined by men from [[Harad]] reinforced his stronghold in [[Mordor]]; Orcs, trolls, and other foul beasts were multiplying while his minions were searching the Anduin for any sign of his precious One Ring.

Gandalf met [[Aragorn]], the hidden [[Heir of Isildur]] in {{TA|2956|n}}, and soon became friends with him. From that point on Aragorn and Gandalf often worked together towards a common end - the defeat of Sauron.

[[File:Darrell Sweet - The Arrival of Gandalf.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Darrell Sweet]] - ''The Arrival of Gandalf'']]
During this period Gandalf visited the Shire frequently, especially his friend Bilbo Baggins, and his younger cousin, [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]]. He noted Bilbo's unusual youthfulness, despite his advancing age; the suspicious "[[The One Ring|magic ring]]" that Bilbo had acquired during his adventure began to weigh on his mind. Gandalf recalled the deceit Bilbo used in originally claiming it for his own-- Bilbo had later admitted to stealing it from [[Gollum]]. Gandalf could see that Bilbo was now very preoccupied with the ring. Such un-hobbitlike behaviour aroused his suspicions. In {{TA|3001|n}} he organised for him the [[Bilbo's Farewell Party]], and before leaving the Shire, he convinced Bilbo to leave the Ring for Frodo. He then emphatically warned Frodo not to use it; Gandalf had begun to suspect that the "magic ring" was indeed a ring of power.

Keen now to find out more about Gollum, he sought Aragorn's help to capture him, a quest that lasted for years all around [[Rhovanion]] and the confines of [[Mordor]].<ref name="ThirdAge"/> Studying the records in [[Minas Tirith]], he found the [[Scroll of Isildur]] and pieced together the missing history of the One Ring; on his way back to the Shire he got word from the [[Galadhrim]] that Aragorn had finally captured Gollum and he went to [[Mirkwood]] to meet him. For days he interrogated him in order to verify what he already knew, in {{TA|3017|n}}. A great fear came over him when he learned that Gollum had been to the Barad-dûr. Sauron had tortured Gollum and learned not only of the "magic ring", but also the names "Shire" and "Baggins". Gandalf now returned in haste to the Shire, certain that Frodo's ring was not simply a ring of power: it was the One Ruling Ring of Sauron.<ref name=council>{{FR|Council}}</ref>

===The War of the Ring===
After Gandalf’s fears were confirmed, he returned to the Shire and advised Frodo to leave as soon as possible, promising to return before a farewell party for Bilbo in autumn of that year ({{TA|3018|n}}), and to escort him to Rivendell. Gandalf also told Frodo about the creature Gollum, to which Frodo exclaimed that he should have been killed. Gandalf speculated that perhaps Gollum would have a part to play before the end, and in any case, it was not for them to decide who should live and who should die.

While in the Shire, he had a sense of foreboding and in the aftermath of [[Sauron's attack on Osgiliath]] he heard disturbing news about war in [[Gondor]] and a [[Black Shadow]]. He started wandering around [[Eriador]] hearing news from the refugees who had a fear they couldnot speak about, until he met [[Radagast]] who brought a message of [[Saruman]] that he must seek him at once; and a warning that the [[Ringwraiths]] are looking for the Shire.<ref name=council/> He went to [[the Prancing Pony]] at [[Bree]]. Believing that he would not be able to return to Frodo in time, he wrote [[Gandalf's letter|a letter]], urging him to move as soon as possible for Rivendell, and seek someone "Strider" whose real name is Aragorn, with a [[The Riddle of Strider|riddle]] to identify him; Gandalf would then try to catch up with them when available. He also instructed [[Barliman Butterbur]] to send the letter to [[Hobbiton]] and to expect a Mr. [[Baggins]] that will come under the name of "[[Mr. Underhill]]". He left the inn, but Barliman would forget to send the letter.<ref>{{FR|Strider}}</ref>

====The Treachery of Saruman====
[[File:Ted Nasmith - Gandalf Escapes Upon Gwaihir.jpg|thumb|left|200px|[[Ted Nasmith]] - ''Gandalf Escapes Upon Gwaihir'']]
Soon thereafter Gandalf arrived at Isengard. At their meeting, Saruman at last revealed his desire for the One Ring. He offered to his "''old friend and helper''" that they take the Ring for themselves and seize power from Sauron. Gandalf rejected this with horror, and was imprisoned by Saruman on the pinnacle of [[Orthanc]]. [[Gwaihir]], chief of the Eagles, soon arrived and helped Gandalf escape. Gandalf knew he must return quickly to the Shire, as Frodo (and the ring) were in grave danger from both Sauron's Nazgûl and now Saruman's treacherous desire for the ring.

Gandalf hurriedly went to [[Rohan]], desiring to find a strong steed; there he obtained [[Shadowfax]] from King [[Théoden]], who later resented the gift. This lord of horses and Gandalf forged a special bond, and Gandalf made quick use of Shadowfax's incredible strength and endurance.

Gandalf sped to the Shire. Fortunately, Frodo had already left the Shire without waiting for Gandalf, and was seeking the refuge of [[Rivendell]]. Upon arrival Gandalf learned that the Nazgûl, arrayed as [[Nazgûl|Black Riders]], had been searching the area. Dismayed, he set out for Bree; Barliman apologised to Gandalf for forgetting to send the letter, worried that the hobbits had left with Strider, the suspicious [[Rangers of the North|Ranger]]. But for Gandalf this was a hope which far exceeded his expectations. After congratulating a puzzled Barliman, and blessing his beer, Gandalf then made for [[Weathertop]], a high point in the region, to observe the surrounding area.
[[File:Ted Nasmith - Fire on Weathertop.jpg|thumb|[[Ted Nasmith]] - ''Fire on Weathertop'']]
There he was assaulted at night by the Nazgûl, but drove them off after a great battle of light and flame. These phenomena were seen by Aragorn and the hobbits from afar, without knowing it was Gandalf. Before leaving, he marked some stones with the [[cirth|certh]] G for them to find.

He then went directly to Rivendell, where he welcomed Glorfindel, Aragorn and the hobbits upon their arrival several days later, Frodo being sorely wounded but still in possession of the ring.

====The Fellowship of the Ring====
Elrond called a [[Council of Elrond|council]] after Frodo was healed to consider the momentous decision regarding the ring. By chance, representatives of most of the free peoples happened to be in Rivendell already for various reasons. Elrond and Gandalf advised that the Ring should be destroyed in the fires of [[Orodruin]], where it was made. Others dissented or objected, but eventually submitted to Gandalf's plan. Ultimately, Elrond appointed the Fellowship of the Ring as nine walkers, numerically set against Sauron's nine Nazgûl. The relatively small number reflected the realisation by Elrond and the other council members that the quest of Mount Doom would not rely upon strength of arms, but on stealth and good fortune. Gandalf was chosen to lead the company, which included [[Aragorn]], [[Boromir]], [[Legolas]] the Elf, [[Gimli]] the Dwarf, and the hobbits Frodo Baggins, [[Samwise Gamgee]], [[Peregrin Took]], and [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]].

Several obstacles stood in the company's way. The vast [[Misty Mountains]] had to be crossed, for Gandalf was determined not to lead the company near [[Isengard]]. Gandalf decided to take a southern route to the [[Redhorn Pass]] and there to cross the [[Misty Mountains]] near [[Caradhras]], thereby traversing the mountain range and avoiding Isengard. When this attempt failed due to a terrible storm he then decided to take the Fellowship through the ruins of Moria, where the remains of the great Dwarf city of [[Moria|Khazad-dûm]] was now a labyrinth of tunnels under the mountains. Others in the company were loathe enter the maze, as it was now the lair of orcs and something known only as "Durin's Bane".

[[File:Ted Nasmith - At the Bridge.jpg|thumb|left|200px|[[Ted Nasmith]] - ''At the Bridge'']]At the [[Doors of Durin]] on the west side of the mountains, Gandalf, after some delay, spoke the password and led the company into the dark. Having been in Moria on an earlier perilous errand, he was somewhat familiar with the underground passages. Eventually the party came to the [[Chamber of Mazarbul]], where Gandalf read the [[Book of Mazarbul|Book of Records]], which revealed the fate of [[Balin]], the leader of an ill-fated attempt to re-colonise Moria. Soon after, the party was attacked by orcs, and forced to flee the chamber. By then Gandalf was well aware of their location, and he led the party quickly towards the eastern exit.

Unfortunately [[Durin's Bane]] caught up to the group at the [[Bridge of Khazad-dûm]]. Gandalf and Legolas immediately realised what it was: a [[Balrogs|Balrog]] of [[Morgoth]], a servant of the first dark lord. In a spectacular display of bravery Gandalf faced the demon and broke the bridge both stood upon, leaving the beast to fall into a seemingly bottomless chasm. But the Balrog's whip lashed out, and grasped Gandalf by the knees, causing him to fall into the pit. While falling, Gandalf shouted "Fly, you fools" and vanished into the abyss.<ref name=bridge>{{FR|Bridge}}</ref>

[[File:John Howe - Zirak-zigil.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[John Howe]] - ''Zirak-zigil'']]Yet Gandalf did not die; he and the Balrog fought long in the bowels and deep places of Arda. After restless pursuit over the course of eight days, Gandalf and the beast finally came to the summit of the [[Endless Stair]] upon the peak of [[Celebdil]], where he [[Battle of the Peak|fought the demon]] for two days and nights. The Balrog had burst into flame anew when it exited the stairs; ice, wind, and smoke swirled about them as they duelled. Gandalf used his last measure of strength to slay the Balrog, throwing him down the mountainside in ruin. Gandalf's spirit then left his body, having sacrificed himself to save the Fellowship.

====Gandalf the White====
But Gandalf's spirit did not depart Middle-earth forever at this time. As the only one of the five Istari to stay true to his errand, Olórin/Gandalf was sent back to mortal lands by [[Ilúvatar|Eru]], and he became Gandalf once again. Yet, as he was now the sole emissary of the Valar to Middle-earth, he was granted the power to "reveal" more of his inner [[Maiar]] strength. This naked power that lay within him was seldom used during the remainder of his time in Middle-earth, as his mission was essentially the same: to support and succour those who opposed Sauron. Nevertheless, when Gandalf's wrath was kindled his "unveiled" strength was such that few of Sauron's servants could withstand him.
[[File:Ted Nasmith - Gandalf Returns.jpg|thumb|left|[[Ted Nasmith]] - ''Gandalf Returns'']]
As he lay on the mountaintop, the great eagle [[Gwaihir]] came up and bore him to [[Lothlórien]], where he was clothed and replenished, and given a new staff by [[Galadriel]]. Gandalf soon learned that Frodo and Sam had left the Fellowship and were attempting the quest of Mount Doom alone. As Frodo was beyond his assistance now, Gandalf promptly went south to [[Fangorn Forest]], where he met the [[Three Hunters]]: [[Aragorn]], [[Legolas]], and [[Gimli]], and gave them messages from Galadriel. Then he called forth [[Shadowfax]], and rode with them to [[Edoras]]. There he found that Saruman's spy [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]] had deceived King [[Théoden]] into hopeless impotence. Gandalf quickly deposed Wormtongue and encouraged Théoden to ride west to war against [[Saruman]]. Gandalf by now was keenly aware that the great war to end the age was beginning; if Saruman conquered Rohan then Gondor would be alone with enemies on all sides.

At Gandalf's encouragement King Théoden went west to Helm's Deep where he was quickly besieged; Gandalf then searched for [[Erkenbrand]] and the forces of the [[Westfold]], which he later found and led to the Deep, thus breaking the siege. Meanwhile, the [[Ents]] (along with the hobbits Merry and Pippin) moved against Saruman and sent [[Huorns]] against the orcs, resulting in the utter ruin of the outer walls of [[Isengard]] and the complete annihilation of Saruman's orcs. After the battle, Gandalf went to [[Orthanc]] with Théoden, Aragorn, and a small group. There Saruman rejected Gandalf's offer of forgiveness with contempt. Gandalf then broke Saruman's staff and cast him from the Order and the Council. Gandalf imposed a strict watch on Isengard by the Ents and then advised King Théoden to ride to Gondor's defence as soon as possible. The wizard's mind had already turned to Gondor and the coming climactic battle in the east.

====The Siege of Minas Tirith====
[[File:Donato Giancola - The White Rider.jpeg|thumb|right|200px|[[Donato Giancola]] - ''The White Rider'']] As a 'reward' for Pippin, who had foolishly gazed into a [[Palantíri|palantír]], Gandalf took the Hobbit with him to [[Minas Tirith]], the last bastion of the west. Soon after arriving, Gandalf confronted [[Denethor|Denethor II]], the [[Ruling Steward]], and learned that he was near despair over the death of his eldest son, [[Boromir]]. Pippin entered the Steward's service in payment of the debt that he and Merry owed, the death of Boromir. Ostensibly they were allies, but the Steward treated him with disrespect and suspicion. When [[Faramir]], the Steward's younger son, returned from [[Osgiliath]] and was attacked by Nazgûl, Gandalf upon Shadowfax drove them away by revealing the power within him; later Faramir told him that Frodo and Sam were still alive and headed towards Mordor.

The city was soon besieged by a vast force from Mordor, led by the [[Witch-king]]. An ill-advised counter attack resulted in Faramir receiving a wound from a poisoned dart; he lay near death inside the Tower. Still, Gandalf encouraged the men of Minas Tirith to have hope, and dispelled the fear of the Ringwraiths by his very presence. But Sauron's catapults hurled flaming bolts upon the city; soon the first circle of the city burned unchecked. Denethor now lost all heart as the city burned and his only remaining son hovered near death; he abandoned his leadership of the city. Gandalf then took it upon himself to direct the defense of the city. When the gigantic ram [[Grond (battering ram)|Grond]] destroyed the ancient entrance to the city, Gandalf placed himself alone at the ruined gateway. The Witch-king then appeared in the midst of the blasted gate upon a black horse and threatened Gandalf with death; but Gandalf did not move — seated upon Shadowfax he defied the mightiest of Sauron's minions. However, the stand-off ended inconclusively, as the morning arrived along with the host of the Rohirrim. Hearing the horns of the Riders of Rohan, the Witch-king departed.

But Gandalf did not pursue his foe, for Pippin brought him news that Denethor was about to commit suicide in the high tower, burning himself and his son Faramir on a pyre like the heathen Kings of old. Gandalf rushed to stop this madness and was able to save Faramir, but not Denethor, whose despair and grief had overcome his mind. Gandalf also learned how it was that Denethor's will had been broken: Denethor clutched a palantír in his hands as he burned. Clearly Denethor had been using the stone's special properties for some time — extending his vision far beyond those of mannish eyes, but also wrestling in thought with Sauron. And even though Sauron could not completely overwhelm Denethor's mind, his courage was daunted by knowledge of the vast might of Mordor. Thus the shadow entered into the capital of Gondor.

Nevertheless, and against all hope, the siege was broken. [[Éowyn]] of Rohan and the hobbit Merry defeated the Witch-king, whose last wail was heard by many as he was reduced to impotence. Soon after, Lord Aragorn arrived with a large valour of men from the southern

==Personality==
[[File:Roger Garland - Gandalf.jpg|left|thumb|The Grey Pilgrim relaxing]]
Gandalf is often described in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' as quick to anger, and equally quick to laugh.<ref name="Lorien">{{FR|Lorien}}</ref>
His deep wisdom clearly derived from the patience he learned in Valinor, just as his care for all creatures of good will must have come from his strong sense of pity for the weak. Both his patience and sense of pity were revealed again and again, extending even to the servants of his enemies.
[[File:J.R.R. Tolkien - G for Gandalf.png|thumb|Gandalf's signature, the [[cirth|rune]] "G".]]
Keen observers of Gandalf often detected a veiled power, usually revealed in his eyes, which appeared deep and wise. He was alternately affectionate and brusque; he often surprised others with his bluntness when time was of the essence. Gandalf consistently upbraided foolish behaviour, but also richly rewarded those who acted with good intentions.

Hobbits appealed to him more than to the other Wizards, and he went often to the Shire for respites from his errands. It may be that he was amused by their nature. It may also be because they were untouched by the great evils of the world, and were more in touch with nature than Men; perhaps their agrarian lifestyle appealed to Gandalf's innate spirit and reminded him of the gardens of Valinor.

==Appearance==
[[File:John Howe - Gandalf the Grey 02.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[John Howe]] - ''Gandalf the Grey'']]

The first description of Gandalf is preserved in the initial pages of ''The Hobbit'', written in the early 1930s. Gandalf's fame is alluded to even before his physical description ("Tales and adventures sprouted up all over the place wherever he went, in the most extraordinary fashion"), while the protagonist's ("unsuspecting Bilbo") impression is that of:
{{Blockquote|...an old man with a staff. He had a tall pointed blue hat, a long grey cloak, a silver scarf over which a white beard hung down below his waist, and immense black boots.|[[J.R.R. Tolkien]]<ref name="Party"/>}}

Later, [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] wrote:
{{Blockquote|...a figure strongly built and with broad shoulder, though shorter than the average of men and now stooped with age, leaning on a thick rough-cut staff as he trudged along... Gandalf's hat was wide-brimmed [...] with a pointed conical crown, and it was ''blue''; he wore a long ''grey'' cloak, but this would not reach much below his knees. It was of an elven silver-grey hue, though tarnished by wear - as is evident from the general use of grey in [[The Lord of the Rings|the book]]... But his colours were always white, silver-grey, and blue - except for the boots he wore when walking in the wild...Gandalf even bent must have been at least 5 ft. 6... Which would make him a short man even in modern England, especially with the reduction of a bent back.|[[J.R.R. Tolkien]]<ref name="MB" />}}

Although some of the Wise know his true nature, his "wizard-like" appearance causes many to mistake him for a simple conjurer. After his return his "signature colour" changes from grey to white, for he has been sent back to replace the corrupt Saruman as the chief of the Wizards. In the book he claims that in some ways he now "was Saruman", or rather Saruman as he should have been.

[[Círdan]] the Shipwright seemed to have foreseen this, for he entrusted the care of [[Narya]], one of the [[Three Rings]] of the Elves to Gandalf rather than Saruman.

==Powers and abilities==
[[File:Roger Thomasson - Gandalf the Grey.jpg|Roger Thomasson - ''Gandalf the Grey''|thumb]]

Gandalf demonstrated extensive knowledge of the land and an assortment of magical abilities from trivial to essential. For example he would use his powers for entertainment, by blowing glowing smoke rings that moved around a room at his direction, and [[Bilbo Baggins]] remembered him for his fantastic fireworks displays. He created blinding flashes and other pyrotechnics to distract the [[Orcs|goblins]] of the [[Misty Mountains]], aiding the dwarves in their escape from [[Goblin-town]]. On the eastern slopes, he turned pine cones into flaming projectiles that threw hot sparks and started fires that would not easily go out. He was also able to come and go from the presence of [[Thorin and Company]] without being noticed.

He again displayed his proficiency with pyrotechnics at [[Bilbo's Farewell Party]]. When the Fellowship is attacked by [[Wargs]] in [[Eregion|Hollin]] Gandalf speaks words of power to inflame the trees on the hillock where the company had camped. He was also able to start fires under blizzard conditions, create light of varying intensity for the journey through [[Moria]], magically secure doors, and break the [[Bridge of Khazad-dûm]]. When angered or aroused for battle, he seemed to grow in height and assume a terrifying aspect. He fought the [[Durin's Bane|Balrog of Moria]] and killed his opponent, although he did not himself survive the battle.

Sent back to [[Middle-earth]] as Gandalf the White, he possessed greater charisma and a limited degree of clairvoyance, although he was unable to peer into the land of [[Mordor]] to see the progress of Frodo and [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]]. His power and authority had increased so that he could break [[Saruman]]'s staff with a spoken command, showing his authority to throw the treacherous wizard out of the order.

Gandalf was the bearer of [[Narya]], the Ring of Fire, and described himself as the "servant of the [[Secret Fire]]" and "wielder of the [[flame of Anor]]".<ref name=bridge/> Most times Gandalf displayed his power, this had to do with fire. It is not known whether his possession of Narya had any merit to his abilities.<ref>FAQ of the Rings: [http://oakroadsystems.com/genl/ringfaq.htm#Q3-Fireworks D6. ''Gandalf bore the Ring of Fire. Is that how he made his fireworks?'']</ref>

===Special equipment===
It is unknown whether Gandalf required his staff to exercise certain powers. At times it appeared to focus or extend his powers, such as when it emanated light. Exactly how much it aided him in the use of magic is unknown, but [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]] tried to forbid Gandalf from bringing it into [[Edoras]], clearly under the impression that without it Gandalf's power would be limited.

When he arrived in Middle-earth, Gandalf received the Elven ring [[Narya]] from [[Círdan]]. It is clear that Gandalf wore this ring from that time to the end of the Third Age but how he used its powers is not known.

In {{TA|2941}}, Gandalf acquired the Elven sword [[Glamdring]] from the treasure hoard of a band of trolls.<ref name="Mutton"/> He continued to wield this weapon throughout ''The Lord of the Rings'', in particular during his fight with the [[Durin's Bane|Balrog]] in Moria.

Throughout his time in Middle-earth Gandalf often was seen with a pipe, the use of which clearly brought him immense enjoyment.

==Other versions of the legendarium==
In early manuscripts of ''[[The Hobbit]]'', the name ''[[Bladorthin]]'' was used by Tolkien for the character who later would be named ''Gandalf''. The name ''Gandalf'' was instead used for the character known as [[Thorin]] in the published works.<ref>{{HH|Intro}}</ref>

==Inspiration==
[[File:Georg von Rosen - Oden som vandringsman, 1886 (Odin, the Wanderer).jpg|thumb|Georg von Rosen - ''Oden som vandringsman'' (''Odin the Wanderer'')]]
[[File:Josef Madlener - Der Berggeist.jpg|left|thumb|[[Josef Madlener]] - ''[[Der Berggeist]]'']]

''Gandalfr''
appears in the list of dwarves in the ''[[Völuspá]]'' of the Elder Edda, the name means "Cane-elf". Tolkien took the name along with the other dwarves' names when he wrote ''The Hobbit'' in the 1930s. He came to regret the creation of this "rabble of eddaic-named dwarves [...] invented in an idle hour",<ref>{{TI|Runes}}, p. 452</ref> since it forced him to come up with an explanation of why Old Norse names should be used in [[Third Age]] Middle-earth. He solved the dilemma in 1942 by the explanation that [[Old Norse]] was a ''translation'' of the [[language of Dale]]. The figure of Gandalf has other influences from Germanic mythology, particularly Odin in his incarnation as "the Wanderer", an old man with one eye, a long white beard, a wide brimmed hat, and a staff: Tolkien states that he thinks of Gandalf as an ''"Odinic wanderer"'' in a letter of 1946.<ref>{{L|107}}</ref>

Tolkien had a postcard labelled ''[[Der Berggeist]]'' ("the mountain spirit"), and on the paper cover in which he kept it, he wrote "the origin of Gandalf" at some point. The postcard reproduces a painting of a bearded figure, sitting on a rock under a pine tree in a mountainous setting. He wears a wide-brimmed round hat and a long cloak and a white fawn is nuzzling his upturned hands.
[[Humphrey Carpenter]] in his 1977 biography said that Tolkien had bought the postcard during his 1911 holiday in Switzerland. However, Manfred Zimmerman discovered that the painting was by German artist Josef Madlener and dates to the late 1920s.<ref>[[Manfred Zimmerman]], "The Origin of Gandalf and Josef Madlener", in [[Mythlore|''Mythlore'']] [[Mythlore 34|34]] (Winter [[1983]])</ref> Carpenter concluded that Tolkien was probably mistaken about the origin of the postcard himself. Tolkien must have acquired the card at some time in the early 1930s, at a time when ''The Hobbit'' had already begun to take shape.

==Names==
{{Main|Gandalf/Names}}

==Etymology==
Within the legendarium, ''Gandalf'' translates an unknown name of the meaning "Elf-of-the-wand (or cane/staff)", or more literary "Wand-elf", in old northern Mannish. Most denizens of Middle-earth incorrectly assumed Gandalf was a [[Men|Man]], although he was really a Maia spirit (approximately equivalent to an angel). However, a less common misconception that occurred during the beginning of his career in Middle-earth was that for someone to be [[Immortality|immortal]] and use as much magic as he did, he must have been an Elf. Although it soon became apparent to all that he could not be an Elf, as he was old and Elves do not generally age, the nickname stuck with him. He later gave it as his name to others he met who did not know its original meaning.

==Portrayals in adaptations==
{{Gallery
|title=Gandalf in adaptations
|height=150
|width=200
|lines=3
|File:The Hobbit (1966 film) - Gandalf.png|Gandalf in [[The Hobbit (1966 film)|''The Hobbit'' (1966 film)]]
|File:The Hobbit (1977 film) - Gandalf.jpg|Gandalf in [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|''The Hobbit'' (1977 film)]]
|File:The Lord of the Rings (1978 film) - Gandalf.jpg|Gandalf the Grey in [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1978 film)]]
|File:The Lord of the Rings (1978 film) - Gandalf the White.jpg|Gandalf the White in [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1978 film)]]
|File:War in Middle Earth - Gandalf and three hobbits.png|Gandalf in ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien's War in Middle Earth]]''
|File:LOTR-Gandalf 1990-1--1-.png|Gandalf in [[J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I (1990 video game)|''J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I'' (1990 video game)]]
|File:LOTR vol. 1 SNES Gandalf in the Shire.png|Gandalf in [[J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I (SNES)|''J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I'' (SNES)]]
|File:1121208-ror 010-1-.png|Gandalf in ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien's Riders of Rohan]]''
|File:The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring - Gandalf reading the Book of Mazarbul.jpg|Gandalf the Grey in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]''
|File:The Lord of the Rings - The Motion Picture Trilogy - Gandalf the White.jpg|Gandalf the White in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]]''
|File:The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring (video game) - Gandalf.JPG|Gandalf in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' (video game)]]
|File:Gandalf 2Towers.png|Gandalf in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers'' (video game)]]
|File:The Lord of the Rings- The Two Towers GBA - Gandalf, Frodo and Legolas.png|Gandalf in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)#Game Boy Advance version|''The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers'' (Game Boy Advance)]]
|File:The Hobbit (2003) Gandalf.JPG|Gandalf in ''[[The Hobbit (2003 video game)|''The Hobbit'' (2003 video game)]]
|File:Gandalf EA RotK.png|Gandalf in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'' (video game)]]
|File:The Lord of the Rings- The Return of the King GBA - Gandalf.png|Gandalf in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'' (Game Boy Advance)]]
|File:Gandalf in LOTRO.png|Gandalf in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]''
|File:The Lord of the Rings Online Shadows of Angmar - Gandalf.png|Gandalf the Grey in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar]]''
|File:Gandalf.jpg|Gandalf the White in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]''
|File:The Lord of the Rings- Conquest -Gandalf fighting Orcs.png|'''[[The Lord of the Rings: Conquest]]''
|File:Aragorn's Quest - Gandalf the White.jpg|Gandalf the White in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest]]''
|File:Gandalf in LOTR- War in the North-1.png|''[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]]''
|File:Lego - Gandalf the Grey mini figure.png|Gandalf the Grey as a ''[[Lego]] mini figure''
|File:Guardians of Middle-earth - Gandalf.png|Gandalf the Grey in ''[[Guardians of Middle-earth]]''
|File:The Hobbit (film series) - Gandalf.jpg|Gandalf the Grey in [[The Hobbit (film series)|''The Hobbit'' (film series)]]
}}
===Films===
'''1966: [[The Hobbit (1966 film)|''The Hobbit'' (1966 film)]]:'''
:Gandalf's role is drastically reduced. He lives in a tower, where Thorin, the [[Mika Milovana|princess]] and the guard meet him to discuss the killing of [[Smaug|Slag]]. He introduces them to Bilbo, but does not go on the quest.<ref name="Deitch">{{webcite|articleurl=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=UBnVL1Y2src|articlename=The Hobbit.mp4|dated=5 January 2012|website=YouTube|accessed=10 January 2012}}</ref>

'''1977: [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|''The Hobbit'' (1977 film)]]:'''
:The voice of Gandalf was provided by [[John Huston]].

'''1978: [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1978 film)]]:'''
:Gandalf was voiced by [[William Squire]]. [[John A. Neris]] played him in the live-action filming used for rotoscoping.<ref>Jerry Beck, ''The Animated Movie Guide'', page 154 (at [http://books.google.com/books?id=fTI1yeZd-tkC&pg=PA154&dq=%22John+A.+Neris%22&hl=nl#PPA154,M1 GoogleBooks])</ref>

'''1980: [[The Return of the King (1980 film)|''The Return of the King'' (1980 film)]]:'''
:[[John Huston]] reprised his role as Gandalf. In this adaptation, the tale is told by a minstrel of [[Gondor]], yet in the story, Gandalf serves as the narrator. Gandalf the White is portrayed without difference from Gandalf the Grey, in ''The Hobbit''.

'''1985: [[The Hobbit (1985 television film)|''The Fairytale Adventures of Mr. Baggins, the Hobbit'' (1985 film)]]:'''
:Ivan Krasko played Gandalf.

'''2001: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'':'''
:[[Ian McKellen]] was cast as Gandalf. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal.

'''2002: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]]'':'''
:Perhaps the most striking difference from all other adaptations is the difference between Gandalf the Grey and Gandalf the White. Where earlier no visible or audible difference was made, Gandalf the White is portrayed as much more virile, and with a shorter (and whiter) beard.

'''2003: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]]'':'''
:Because [[Imrahil]] had been cut from the film, it was up to Gandalf to lead the troops after the madness and death of [[Denethor]].

'''2012-14: [[The Hobbit (film series)|''The Hobbit'' (film series)]]:'''
:[[Ian McKellen|Sir Ian McKellen]] reprised his role as Gandalf the Grey.<ref name="PJCasting">{{webcite|author=[[Peter Jackson]]|articleurl=http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150168211921558|articlename=Production begins in New Zealand on The Hobbit|dated=20-March-2011|website=[http://www.facebook.com/ Facebook]|accessed=23-Dec-2011}}</ref> A description of Gandalf in ''The Hobbit'' films was released by the studio:

:{{Blockquote|One of the most powerful Wizards in all Middle-earth, Gandalf the Grey joins the quest to reclaim the Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor and the great treasure that lies within its stone halls from a fire-breating dragon, Smaug the Terrible. Along the way, Gandalf finds evidence that an ancient evil may have found its way back into the world. In order to uncover the truth, Gandalf must leave his companions to fend for themselves – a journey that will take him into the darkest corners of Middle-earth where his worst suspicions are confirmed.|[[Warner Bros.]]<ref name="HobbitApp">{{webcite|author=[[Warner Bros.]]|articleurl=http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hobbit-movies/id545808528|articlename=Hobbit Movies|dated=7-September-2012|website=[http://itunes.apple.com/ Apple iPhone/iPad App]|accessed=19-September-2012}}</ref>}}

===Radio series===
'''1955: [[The Lord of the Rings (1955 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1955 radio series)]]:'''
:The voice of Gandalf was provided by [[Norman Shelley]].<ref>{{L|175}}</ref>

'''1968: [[The Hobbit (1968 radio series)|''The Hobbit'' (1968 radio series)]]:'''
:The voice of Gandalf was provided by [[Heron Carvic]].

'''1979: [[The Hobbit (1979 radio series)|''The Hobbit'' (1979 radio series)]]:'''
:The voice of Gandalf was provided [[Bernard Mayes]].

'''1979: [[The Lord of the Rings (1979 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1979 radio series)]]:'''
:[[Bernard Mayes]] reprised his role as Gandalf.

'''1981: [[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1981 radio series)]]:'''
:[[Michael Hordern]] read the part of Gandalf. He had not read the book, and thought his agent made a mistake in telling him how many episodes he had to do. He did not know Gandalf's early death would prove only temporarily.<ref>[[Brian Sibley]], "[http://briansibleytheworks.blogspot.com/2008/01/this-page-is-still-under-construction_23.html The Ring Goes Ever On: The Making of BBC Radio's ''The Lord of the Rings'']", at ''[http://briansibleytheworks.blogspot.com/ Brian Sibley:The Works]''</ref>

===Games===
'''1982: [[The Hobbit (1982 video game)|''The Hobbit'' (1982 video game)]]:'''
:Gandalf can be met on several moments of the game's story line.<ref>[http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=ZXComputing/Issue8304/Pages/ZXComputing830400076.jpg ''ZX Computing'', iss. 8304, p. 76] reproduced at [http://www.worldofspectrum.org/archive.html World of Spectrum - Archive] (retrieved at 14 August 2010)</ref>

'''1990: [[J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I (1990 video game)|''J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I'' (1990 video game)]]:'''
:Gandalf can be "recruited" by [[Frodo Baggins]] as a playable character.

'''1990: ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien's Riders of Rohan]]'':'''
:Gandalf is one of the main characters of the game and one of the several heroes of the [[Rohan]] faction.

'''1994: [[J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I (SNES)|''J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I'' (SNES)]]:'''
:Gandalf can be acquired as a playable characters.

'''2002: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' (video game)]]:'''
:[[Tom Kane]] provided the voice of Gandalf. He is a playable character in several levels, including the fight with [[Durin's Bane]].

'''2002: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers'' (video game)]]:'''
:The voice of Gandalf is provided by [[Ian McKellen]]. Gandalf the Grey appears at the campsite of the [[Fellowship of the Ring|fellowship]] in ''The Gates of Moria'' and during the fight of [[Balin's Tomb]] in ''Balin's Tomb''. He latter reappears in the game as Gandalf the White at the start of the mission ''The Plains of Rohan'', where he leaves Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli to search Éomer and his army. He also appears in some cutscenes.

'''2002: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)#Game Boy Advance version|''The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers'' (Game Boy Advance)]]:'''
:In the [[wikipedia:Game Boy Advance|Game Boy Advance version]] of [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)|The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]] Gandalf is a playable character. Gandalf's story starts with a conservation between Gandalf and [[Théoden]], after which the story goes back to the [[Caradhras]], where the Fellowship tries to travel over the [[Misty Mountains]]. When that road fails, the Fellowship goes back and travels through [[Moria]]. In Moria Gandalf and the other member of the Fellowship are separated. After finding [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], [[Aragorn]] and [[Gimli]] the fellowship is attacked by a [[Cave-trolls|Cave-troll]] and [[Orcs#Orcs and Goblins|Goblins]]. After Gandalf defeats the Cave-troll the Fellowship has to flee for the [[Balrogs|Balrog]]. When they reach the [[Bridge of Khazad-dûm]] a cutscene is shown, in which Gandalf destroys the bridge and falls with the Balrog in the depths. After the fall Gandalf has to follow the footsteps of the Balrog through the depths of Moria and the [[Endless Stair]] until he reaches [[Durin's Tower]], where he has to defeat the Balrog.

:After being revived he returns as Gandalf the White in Fangorn, where he defeats several [[Trolls]] and [[Crebain]]. After defeating a stronger Forrest troll, named Fangorn troll, Gandalf meets Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli. After a cutscene, the game moves to [[Edoras]]. Gandalf heals the corrupted Théoden in Edoras, and then travels through [[Rohan]] in search of [[Éomer]]. Gandalf convinces Éomer to lead his army to [[Helm's Deep]].

:The game ends with the [[Battle of the Hornburg|Battle of Helm's Deep]], in which Gandalf and Éomer fight alongside Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and [[Éowyn]] while protecting the wall, the [[Hornburg]] and the [[Glittering Caves]]. In the final level Gandalf has to destroy the siege weapons that bombard the Hornburg. The game ends with a conservation between Gandalf, Aragorn, Gimli and Théoden.

'''2003: [[The Hobbit (2003 video game)|''The Hobbit'' (2003 video game)]]:'''
:[[Jim Ward]] provided the voice of Gandalf. He is shown with actual [[magic]]: he can shoot blue bolts of lightning from his staff.

'''2003: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'' (video game)]]:'''
:Gandalf is the narrator, and a playable character. The game is built around him; the cut scene narration shows how he planned for the [[War of the Ring]]. He has several missions, collectively called the "Path of the Wizard". The first is the [[Battle of the Hornburg|the Battle of Helm's Deep]], which serves as a training mission. He has to fight [[Uruk-Hai]] in the forest of [[Huorns]] and [[Ents]] in "The Road to Isengard". After that, the missions move to [[Minas Tirith]]: the first mission, "Top of the Wall", has Gandalf warding off ladders and siege towers. In the second, "Courtyard", he has to protect civilians from the invading Orcs. His last playing mission is the [[Battle of the Morannon|Battle of the Black Gate]].

'''2003: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'' (Game Boy Advance)]]:'''
:Just like on the console version of the game, Gandalf is a playable character. He has many missions, collectively called the "The Journey of the Wizard". He starts in a flooded [[Isengard]], where he has to kill several [[Uruk-hai]] and [[Crebain]] before he confronts [[Saruman]]. After the defeat of Saruman he travels to [[Minas Tirith]] through Rohan and the Misty Mountains. At the [[Pelennor Fields]] Gandalf has to protect the [[Beacons of Gondor|beacons]], so Rohan can be warned. During the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields|Battle of Minas Tirith]] he has to protect the gate, before making his way to the [[House of the Stewards|Steward's Tomb]]. Here Gandalf has to kill Denethor, before he burns [[Faramir]]. After the battle Gandalf travels through [[Ithilien]] to the [[Black Gate]], where he confronts a Nazgûl.

'''2004: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age]]'':'''
:Gandalf, voiced by [[Ian McKellen]], is a character in [[Electronic Arts|EA's]] "alternative [[Fellowship of the Ring|fellowship]]" game. In his battle against Durin's Bane, he is aided by the main characters.

'''2004: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: War of the Ring]]'':'''
:Gandalf is voiced by [[Steven M. Kramer]], renowned for playing older mentor types.

'''2004: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth]]'':'''
:In non-storyline skirmishes Gandalf is the hero of the Gondor faction, who possesses several magical abilities. At first, he appears as Gandalf "the Grey", and becomes "Gandalf the White" after reaching level 5 (out of 10). Gandalf also narrates the prologue scene, repeating almost word for word the lines said by Galadriel in the ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]''.

:His involvement in the storyline is notable for major differences from the original tale. First of all, Gandalf survives his encounter with Balrog, defeating him at the Bridge of Khazad-dum and continues the journey with the Fellowship - by the time of arrival in Lothlorien he already appears as Gandalf the White. He is present during the ambush at [[Amon Hen]], where thanks to his involvement Boromir is saved from certain death. Merry and Pippin are captured regardless and Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and Boromir give chase, while Gandalf departs them to see to dealings in Rohan, including freeing of King Théoden from the spell. Following the Battle of Helm's Deep he travels to Minas Tirith along with both Pippin and Boromir, where they participate in the Siege of the city.

'''2006: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II]]'':'''
:Gandalf is a hero for the "Men of the West" faction. Similar to the first game, he appears as Gandalf the Grey initially and Gandalf the White after level 5. He plays no part in the main storyline, but appears in the alternate "evil" campaign: after Sauron reclaims the Ring and lays waste to southern lands, Gandalf and few other survivors meet their end during a last stand in Rivendell.

'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Gandalf is a non-playable character voiced by [[Harry Chase]], who narrates cutscenes and instances throughout the original game, before the first expansion. He first meets the Dwarven characters in Ered Luin in {{TA|2941}}, shortly before the Quest for Erebor. Later, characters of all races meet him in Bree in October of {{TA|3018}}, but he is too busy with concerns for Frodo and the Ring and merely sends them away to find Radagast. Finally, the players have a chance to have a proper conversation with him in Rivendell, following the Council of Elrond. During that time, Gandalf is involved in several quests, including helping the player wreck havoc among the Goblins stirring at the [[High Pass]]. After the Fellowship leaves Rivendell, players are able to retrace many of their steps, including the marks left by Gandalf such as the Burnt Top in [[Eregion]] and the remains of his fire at the pass of [[Caradhras]]. Later, Lady [[Galadriel]] bids the player to find the sings of Gandalf following his fall from the Bridge of Khazad-dum - said signs include his burnt hat at the Foundations of Stone in Moria and the sings of his struggle with the Balrog at the [[Endless Stair]] - those allow Galadriel to discern that Mithrandir is not truly dead. Players later meet him as Gandalf the White in [[Caras Galadhon]] shortly after the Fellowship has departed Lothlorien. During that time, he engages into a spiritual battle with a Gaunt-Lord Gortheron the Doom-Caller; his display of his new abilities encourages the band of Free People players and allows them to defeat the servant of Sauron. Later, he is encountered in many places in Rohan (such as [[Edoras and Helm's Deep]]), Gondor (chiefly [[Minas Tirith]], The [[Morannon]], and [[Erebor]].

:Gandalf is also present in several historic "session plays", during which players witness the important events their characters were not present for. Such events include Gandalf infiltrating [[Dol Guldur]] with the help of an Elf named Raddir, first meeting between Gandalf and Aragorn on the outskirts of Lothlorien and Gandalf's imprisonment atop Orthanc by Saruman.

'''2009: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: Conquest]]'':'''
:[[Martin Jarvis]] provides the voice of Gandalf. He is a playable mage hero and has three special powers: "Healing Wisdom", "You Shall not Pass!" and "Cleansing Fire". In the good campaign he appears at the end of the Isengard mission, where he has to kill Saruman in [[Orthanc]]. In Moria he can be played to destroy the [[Balrog]] and in Minas Tirith he has to defend the gates of the second ring. He is also one of the four playable heroes in the last mission, [[The Battle of the Morannon|the battle of the Black Gate]]. He appears aswell in the end of the last mission, the Shire, of the evil campaign, in which he is defeated by [[Sauron]].
:He is also playable in the Shire, Isengard, Minas Tirith and Moria with the ''Conquest'' Mode, in Isengard and Minas Tirith in the ''Team Deathmatch'' mode, the citadel of Minas Tirith in ''Capture the Ring'' mode, and at the Black Gate, Minas Morgul, Mout Doom and the Shire during ''Hero Team Deatmatch'' mode.

'''2011: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]]'':'''
:Gandalf is voiced by [[Tom Kane]], who also narrates the introduction of the game. He tells that heroes like "[[Aragorn|Aragorn the King]]", "[[Frodo Baggins|Frodo the Ringbearer]]" and "'''Gandalf the Wizard'''" are rightly honored, but that without a few heroes - [[Eradan (video game character)|Eradan]], [[Andriel]] and [[Farin (video game character)|Farin]] - the north of [[Middle-earth]] would have been lost.<ref>[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]], ''Prologue''</ref>
:He also appears in [[Rivendell]] later in the game. Players can interact with him and learn of various important events, yet the conversations do not unlock any side-quests and do not affect the main story in any way.

'''2012: ''[[Guardians of Middle-earth]]'':'''
:Gandalf is a mage-type "guardian" with four abilities: ''Narya's Power'', ''Flame of Anor'', ''Fireworks'' and ''Gandalf's Might''.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.guardiansofmiddleearth.co.uk/guardians/gandalf|articlename=''Guardians of Middle-earth'': Gandalf|dated=|website=[http://www.guardiansofmiddleearth.com/ ''Guardians of Middle-earth'' official website]|accessed=16 July 2012}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[:Category:Images of Gandalf|Images of Gandalf]]

{{References}}

{{seq-start}}
{{seq-head
| race=maiar
| house=[[Maiar]]
}}
{{seq
| prev=[[Círdan]]
| list=Bearer of [[Narya]]
| dates=c. {{TA|1000}} - after {{TA|3021|n}}
| nvac=None
| next=Presumably, still Gandalf
}}
{{seq
| pvac=None
| prev=Position created
| list=Leader of the [[Fellowship of the Ring]]
| dates=[[25 December]] {{TA|3018}} - [[15 January]] {{TA|3019|n}}
| next=[[Aragorn|Aragorn II]]
}}
{{seq-end}}{{ainur}}{{Thorin and Company}}{{companyroute}}{{councilofelrond}}{{fellowship}}{{FellowshipRoute}}{{ringbearers}}
[[Category:Characters in The Hobbit]]
[[Category:Characters in The Lord of the Rings]]
[[Category:Characters in The Silmarillion]]
[[Category:Maiar]]
[[Category:Masculine names]]
[[Category:Norse names]]
[[Category:Third Age characters]]
[[Category:Wizards]]

[[de:Gandalf]]
[[fr:encyclo:personnages:ainur:maiar:istari:gandalf]]
[[fi:Gandalf]]

Thorin Stonehelm

2019-01-28T02:18:07Z

Sinordloresearcher: Cutting out redundancy.

{{sources}}
{{disambig-more|Thorin|[[Thorin (disambiguation)]]}}
{{dwarves infobox
| name=Thorin Stonehelm
| image=[[File:Decipher - Thorin III.jpg|250px]]
| caption="Thorin III" from [[The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game]]
| pronun=
| othernames=Thorin III, [[Stonehelm]]
| titles=[[Kings of Durin's Folk|King of Durin's Folk]] [[King under the Mountain]]
| position=
| location=[[Iron Hills]] [[Lonely Mountain]]
| affiliation=
| language=[[Khuzdul]]
| birth={{TA|2866}}
| birthlocation=[[Iron Hills]]
| rule={{TA|3019}} - Unknown
| death=
| deathlocation=
| age=
| notablefor=
| house=[[House of Durin]]
| parentage=[[Dáin Ironfoot]]
| siblings=
| spouse=
| children=Eventually [[Durin VII]]<ref group="note">An alternative version of the genealogical tree of [[Appendix A]] suggested Durin VII was the son of Thorin III.</ref><ref name="Making" />
| gender=Male
| height=
| hair=
| eyes=
| clothing=
| weapons=
| steed=
| gallery=Thorin III Stonehelm
}}
'''Thorin III Stonehelm''' ([[Third Age]] 2866 – [[Fourth Age]]) was the son and heir of [[Dáin Ironfoot|Dáin II Ironfoot]] of [[Durin's folk]], who was king of the [[Dwarves of Erebor]] and the [[Iron Hills]] in [[Rhovanion|Wilderland]].
==History==
During the [[Lord of the Iron Hills|Lordship]] of his father, Thorin was more than likely born in the [[Iron Hills]] to Dáin II Ironfoot. During his younger years he saw his people able to finally return to the Lonely Mountain after many years of further exile, and wandering. He himself became a prince with the rise of his father as [[King under the Mountain]], and over all the [[Longbeards]].

During the [[War of the Ring]] at the age of one hundred fifty-three, Thorin fought the [[Easterlings]] in the [[Battle of Dale]], and took refuge in Erebor after his father was killed at its gates, along with [[Brand]] [[King of Dale|king]] of [[Dale]]. Thorin then became [[King under the Mountain]].

When the news of Sauron's [[Battle of the Morannon|defeat in the South]] came to the ears of the enemy, they became dismayed and the Dwarves and Men came forth from the mountain and routed them driving them back of the river [[Carnen]], never troubling them again.<ref name="Chief">{{App|Chief}}</ref>

Under Thorin's leadership Erebor and Dale were rebuilt along with Dale's new king [[Bard II]], son of Brand, and once again both their people prospered, and their realms became close allies with the [[Reunited Kingdom]] of [[Arnor]] and [[Gondor]] of King [[Aragorn|Aragorn II]].

During his rule [[Gimli]], son of [[Glóin]], led a number of Dwarves South to [[Aglarond]], where a new colony was settled. Also during his rule mining for ''[[mithril]]'' in [[Moria]] slowly began again, although Moria was not yet permanently settled.

Thorin III had a descendant who was held to be the reincarnation of [[Durin|Durin the Deathless]], and would rule as [[Durin VII]] the Last.<ref name="Making">{{PM|Aiv}}, p. 278-9</ref>

==Etymology==

Thorin's name is one from the ''[[Völuspá|Dvergatal]]''. It means "Bold".<ref>Chester Nathan Gould, "Dwarf-Names: A Study in Old Icelandic Religion", published in ''Publications of the Modern Language Association of America'', Vol 44 (1929), issue #4, pp. 939-967</ref>

The origins of the name "Stonehelm" are mysterious: [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] doesn't provide us with any account that would shed light on its meaning.

== Genealogy ==
<div style="overflow-x: scroll; overflow-y: hidden; border: 1px solid #AAAAAA; padding: 3px; background: #EEEEEE;">{{familytree/start}}
{{familytree| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | NAI | | | | | | | | |NAI=[[Náin II]] ''{{TA|2338|n}} - {{TA|2585|n}}''}}
{{familytree| | | | | | | | | | |,|-|-|-|-|-|-|^|-|-|-|-|-|-|.| | | | | | | |}}
{{familytree| | | | | | | | | | DAI | | | | | | | | | | | | BOR | | | | | | |DAI=[[Dáin I]] ''{{TA|2440|n}} - {{TA|2589|n}}''†| BOR=[[Borin]] ''{{TA|2450|n}} - {{TA|2711|n}}''}}
{{familytree| | | | | | |,|-|-|-|+|-|-|-|.| | | | | | | | | |!| | | | | | | |}}
{{familytree| | | | | | THR | | FRO | | GRO | | | | | | | | FAR | | | | | | |THR=[[Thrór]] ''{{TA|2542|n}} - {{TA|2790|n}}''†|FRO=[[Frór]] ''{{TA|2552|n}} - {{TA|2589|n}}''†|GRO=[[Grór]] ''{{TA|2563|n}} - {{TA|2805|n}}''|FAR=[[Farin]] ''{{TA|2560|n}} - {{TA|2803|n}}''}}
{{familytree| | | | | | |!| | | | | | | |!| | | | | |,|-|-|-|^|-|-|-|.| | | |}}
{{familytree| | | | | | THR | | | | | | NAI | | | | FUN | | | | | | GRO | | |THR=[[Thráin|Thráin II]] ''{{TA|2644|n}} - {{TA|2850|n}}''†|NAI=[[Náin (son of Grór)|Náin]] ''{{TA|2665|n}} - {{TA|2799|n}}''†|FUN=[[Fundin]] ''{{TA|2662|n}} - {{TA|2799|n}}''†|GRO=[[Gróin]] ''{{TA|2671|n}} - {{TA|2923|n}}''}}
{{familytree| | |,|-|-|-|+|-|-|-|.| | | |!| | | |,|-|^|-|.| | | |,|-|^|-|.| |}}
{{familytree| | THO | | FRE | | DIS | | DAI | | BAL | | DWA | | OIN | | GLO |THO=[[Thorin|Thorin II Oakenshield]] ''{{TA|2746|n}} - {{TA|2941|n}}''†|FRE=[[Frerin]] ''{{TA|2751|n}} - {{TA|2799|n}}''†|DIS=[[Dís]] ''b. {{TA|2760|n}}''|BAL=[[Balin]] ''{{TA|2763|n}} - {{TA|2994|n}}''†|DWA=[[Dwalin]] ''{{TA|2772|n}} - {{FoA|91}}''|OIN=[[Óin]] ''{{TA|2774|n}} - {{TA|2994|n}}''|GLO=[[Glóin]] ''{{TA|2783|n}} - {{FoA|15}}''|DAI=[[Dáin Ironfoot|Dáin II Ironfoot]] ''{{TA|2767|n}} - {{TA|3019|n}}''†}}
{{familytree| | | | | | |,|-|-|-|(| | | |!| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |!| |}}
{{familytree| | | | | | FIL | | KIL | | THO | | | | | | | | | | | | | | GIM |FIL=[[Fíli]] ''{{TA|2859|n}} - {{TA|2941|n}}''†|KIL=[[Kíli]] ''{{TA|2864|n}} - {{TA|2941|n}}''†|THO='''THORIN III STONEHELM''' ''b. {{TA|2866|n}}''|GIM=[[Gimli]] ''{{TA|2879|n}} - {{FoA|120}}''+}}
{{familytree| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |:| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |}}
{{familytree| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |:| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |}}
{{familytree| | | | | | | | | | | | | | DUR | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |DUR=[[Durin VII]]}}
{{familytree/end}}
</div>

==Portrayal in adaptations==
'''2001-2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game]]'':'''
:A Decipher card identifies one of the Dwarves at the Council of Elrond in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'' as Thorin III.

'''2018: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Thorin III Stonehelm rules [[Erebor]] after the passing of his father [[Dáin Ironfoot]], and is central to various questlines and stories taking place in [[Mordor]], the Strongholds of the North, and the Dwarf-holds.

:His son is named Durin, but it remains to be seen if this Durin will become King [[Durin VII]].

{{references|n}}
{{seq-start}}
{{seq-head
| race=dwarf
| name=Thorin III
| house=[[Durin's Folk|House of Durin]]
| born={{TA|2866}}
| died=
}}
{{seq
| prev=[[Dáin Ironfoot|Dáin II Ironfoot]]
| prow=2
| list=[[Kings of Durin's Folk|King of Durin's Folk]]
| dates={{TA|3019}} - Unknown
| nvac=Unknown
| next=Eventually [[Durin VII]]
}}
{{seq
| list=[[King under the Mountain]]
| dates={{TA|3019}} - Unknown
| next=Unknown
}}
{{seq-end}}{{durinskings}}
[[Category:Dwarves]]
[[Category:Fourth Age characters]]
[[Category:Longbeards]]
[[Category:Third Age characters]]

[[de:Thorin III.]]
[[fi:Thorin III Kivikypäri]]
[[fr:encyclo/personnages/nains/3a/thorin_iii]]

Dáin Ironfoot

2019-01-21T20:25:48Z

Sinordloresearcher:

{{disambig-two|the successor of [[Thorin|Thorin II Oakenshield]]|earlier King of Durin's Folk|[[Dáin I]]}}
{{dwarves infobox
| name=Dáin Ironfoot
| image=[[File:U-yasuk - Dáin Ironfoot.png|250px]]
| caption="Dáin Ironfoot" by [[:Category:Images by U-yasuk|U-yasuk]]
| pronun=
| othernames=Dáin II
| titles=[[Lord of the Iron Hills]] [[Kings of Durin's Folk|King of Durin's Folk]] [[King under the Mountain]]
| position=
| location=[[Iron Hills]] [[Lonely Mountain]]
| affiliation=
| language=[[Khuzdul]] and [[Westron]]
| birth={{TA|2767}}
| birthlocation=[[Iron Hills]]
| rule={{TA|2805}}-{{TA|2941|n}} ([[Lord of the Iron Hills|Lord]]) {{TA|2941}}-{{TA|3019|n}} ([[King of Durin's Folk|King]])
| death=[[17 March]] {{TA|3019}}
| deathlocation=[[Battle of Dale]]
| age=252
| notablefor=Killing [[Azog]]
| house=[[House of Durin]]
| parentage=[[Náin (son of Grór)|Náin]]
| siblings=
| spouse=
| children=[[Thorin Stonehelm]]
| gender=Male
| height=
| hair=
| eyes=
| clothing=
| weapons=Red axe<ref name="Durin">{{App|Durin}}</ref>
| steed=
}}
{{Pronounce|Dain.mp3|Ardamir}}
'''Dáin II''' or '''Dáin Ironfoot''' ([[Third Age]] 2767 – 3019, aged 252 years) was the [[Lord of the Iron Hills]] and [[King under the Mountain]]. In his life, he fought in the [[Battle of Azanulbizar]], the [[Battle of Five Armies]] and the [[Battle of Dale]]. He was renowned as a warrior across Middle-earth.<ref name="Erebor">{{UT|Erebor}}</ref>

==History==
===Early Life===
Dáin was born in {{TA|2767}} in the [[Iron Hills]], the son of [[Náin (son of Grór)|Náin]], during the reign of his grandfather [[Grór]].<ref name="Durin">{{App|Durin}}</ref>

===War of the Dwarves and Orcs===
[[File:Liz Danforth - Dain and Azog.png|thumb|left|200px|Liz Danforth - ''Dáin and Azog'']]

After the murder of [[Thrór]] by [[Azog]] in {{TA|2790}}, his son [[Thráin|Thráin II]] swore revenge. He summoned all available Dwarves, and sacked every Orc stronghold in the [[Misty Mountains]], battling his way to [[Moria]]. There, the [[Battle of Azanulbizar]] raged before the gate of the ancient Dwarf stronghold.

[[Náin (son of Grór)|Náin]] and his son Dáin arrived late in the battle, but proved pivotal. Fresh and well equipped, they drove through the Orc forces, until at last Náin confronted Azog. But Náin was weary and filled with anger, and Azog strong and agile. He darted from the dwarf's blows, and when the warrior stumbled, Azog hewed and broke his neck. However, all across the valley, his troops were in retreat. He tried to escape back inside, but he was followed by Dáin who with his red axe, hewed off his head before the doors of the East-Gate. He was a very young Dwarf at thirty-two at the time, and it was heralded as a magnificent feat.

After the battle King [[Thráin|Thráin II]] wanted to enter Moria as his own. But Dáin dissuaded him, because he alone looked past the gate into Moria, and had the wisdom to know that it was impossible for Durin's folk to return at that time because of [[Durin's Bane]].<ref name="Durin"/>

=== Lord of the Iron Hills ===
Dáin returned to the Halls of Grór with his people, and with his father dead, became [[Lord of the Iron Hills]] at his grandfather's death in {{TA|2805}}. He had one son, [[Thorin Stonehelm|Thorin]], born in {{TA|2866}}.<ref name="Durin"/>

During his reign his people became the strongest in [[Rhovanion|Wilderland]], being the only realm capable to resist [[Sauron]] if he dared come North and retake the realm of [[Angmar]] and the northern passes of the [[Misty Mountains]].<ref name="Erebor"/>

===The Battle of Five Armies===
[[File:Angus McBride - Dain II.jpg|thumb|right|[[Angus McBride]] - ''Dáin'']]
Nearly a hundred years later, King [[Thorin]], the son of [[Thráin|Thráin II]], set out on a journey to reclaim [[Lonely Mountain|Erebor, the Lonely Mountain]], which had been usurped by the [[Dragons|Dragon]] [[Smaug]].<ref>{{H|Party}}</ref>

The dragon was slain, though by [[Bard]] of [[Lake-town]] and not by Thorin's company. Thorin claimed the entire hoard and proclaimed himself [[King under the Mountain]], but both Bard and the Elven king [[Thranduil]] both longed for compensation of their suffering caused by the Dragon. Because his company of thirteen could not hold the mountain, Thorin sent for Dáin.<ref>{{H|Gathering}}</ref>

Dáin responded to Thorin's call and set out with more than five hundred dwarves, well armed and experienced. They were originally intent on driving off the Elves and Men, but [[Gandalf]] arrived to inform them of the approaching Orcs and [[Wargs]]. They all united against the common enemy, and so was fought the [[Battle of Five Armies]] in the valley of [[Dale]].<ref>{{H|Burst}}</ref>

Thorin was killed in the battle, as were his sister-sons [[Kíli]] and [[Fíli]]. As his "rightful heir," Dáin succeeded Thorin as [[King under the Mountain]], and King of all of Durin's folk.<ref name="Durin"/><ref>{{H|Return}}</ref>

===King under the Mountain===
During his reign as king, he became exceedingly rich and his people were very prosperous. The town of [[Dale]] was rebuilt and its border stretched far to the South and East and the friendship between the [[Elves of Mirkwood]], [[Men of Dale]], and [[Dwarves of Erebor]] was close, especially between the Men and Dwarves. For the [[Dwarves of Erebor]] now exceeded all their ancestors in the art of masonry and mining, and created many beautiful things in Dale.<ref>{{FR|Meetings}}</ref>

But not all were content. [[Balin]] set out with several others to reclaim Moria in {{TA|2989}}. Dáin did not give the expedition his blessing, and could not dissuade them.<ref name="Council">{{FR|Council}}</ref> It was only later learned the colony was destroyed after five years.<ref>{{FR|Bridge}}</ref>

===War of the Ring===
In {{TA|3018}}, a messenger came from Mordor, enquiring about a creature named "[[Bilbo Baggins|Baggins]]" from "[[the Shire|Shire]]". In return for information Dáin would be given the last three [[Dwarf-rings]]. Dáin told him to give him time to think and for many weeks he pondered until he sent [[Glóin]] and his son [[Gimli]] to [[Elrond]] for council, and to warn Bilbo of the enemy looking for him.<ref name="Council"/>

After many months war came to Erebor in the [[Battle of Dale]]. King [[Brand]] of Dale was at war with [[Easterlings]] along the River [[Carnen]], but they defeated him and he retreated back to Dale where he was given aid by Dáin and an army of Dwarves. After three days of fighting the Dwarves and Men were driven back, and Brand was slain. But defending his body stood Dáin, who at over 250 years old was not feeble, and still could wield his axe with great skill. But his skill was not enough and he was slain as well before the gates of Erebor.<ref name="Erebor"/>

Several days later the Easterlings learned that the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]] was lost and they were afraid. When the new King [[Thorin Stonehelm|Thorin III Stonehelm]], son of Dáin, and Brand's son [[Bard II]] saw this they came out of the mountain and routed their enemies.<ref name="Great">{{App|Great}}</ref>

==Etymology and names==
''Dáinn'' is a dwarf from the ''[[Völuspá|Dvergatal]]''. His name most likely means "Deadlike".<ref>Chester Nathan Gould, "Dwarf-Names: A Study in Old Icelandic Religion", published in ''Publications of the Modern Language Association of America'', Vol 44 (1929), issue #4, pp. 939-967</ref>

The epithet ''Ironfoot'' remains unexplained in the published writings of [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]. However, [[John D. Rateliff]] has pointed out that an explanation for the epithet is likely found in the original manuscript of ''[[The Hobbit]]'', where it is stated that the shoes of the Dwarves of the Iron Hills were of iron.<ref>{{HM|RB}}, p. 674 (note 12)</ref>

== Genealogy ==
<div style="overflow-x: scroll; overflow-y: hidden; border: 1px solid #AAAAAA; padding: 3px; background: #EEEEEE;">{{familytree/start}}
{{familytree| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | NAI | | | | | | | | |NAI=[[Náin II]] ''{{TA|2338|n}} - {{TA|2585|n}}''}}
{{familytree| | | | | | | | | | |,|-|-|-|-|-|-|^|-|-|-|-|-|-|.| | | | | | | |}}
{{familytree| | | | | | | | | | DAI | | | | | | | | | | | | BOR | | | | | | |DAI=[[Dáin I]] ''{{TA|2440|n}} - {{TA|2589|n}}''†| BOR=[[Borin]] ''{{TA|2450|n}} - {{TA|2711|n}}''}}
{{familytree| | | | | | |,|-|-|-|+|-|-|-|.| | | | | | | | | |!| | | | | | | |}}
{{familytree| | | | | | THR | | FRO | | GRO | | | | | | | | FAR | | | | | | |THR=[[Thrór]] ''{{TA|2542|n}} - {{TA|2790|n}}''†|FRO=[[Frór]] ''{{TA|2552|n}} - {{TA|2589|n}}''†|GRO=[[Grór]] ''{{TA|2563|n}} - {{TA|2805|n}}''|FAR=[[Farin]] ''{{TA|2560|n}} - {{TA|2803|n}}''}}
{{familytree| | | | | | |!| | | | | | | |!| | | | | |,|-|-|-|^|-|-|-|.| | | |}}
{{familytree| | | | | | THR | | | | | | NAI | | | | FUN | | | | | | GRO | | |THR=[[Thráin|Thráin II]] ''{{TA|2644|n}} - {{TA|2850|n}}''†|NAI=[[Náin (son of Grór)|Náin]] ''{{TA|2665|n}} - {{TA|2799|n}}''†|FUN=[[Fundin]] ''{{TA|2662|n}} - {{TA|2799|n}}''†|GRO=[[Gróin]] ''{{TA|2671|n}} - {{TA|2923|n}}''}}
{{familytree| | |,|-|-|-|+|-|-|-|.| | | |!| | | |,|-|^|-|.| | | |,|-|^|-|.| |}}
{{familytree| | THO | | FRE | | DIS | | DAI | | BAL | | DWA | | OIN | | GLO |THO=[[Thorin|Thorin II Oakenshield]] ''{{TA|2746|n}} - {{TA|2941|n}}''†|FRE=[[Frerin]] ''{{TA|2751|n}} - {{TA|2799|n}}''†|DIS=[[Dís]] ''b. {{TA|2760|n}}''|BAL=[[Balin]] ''{{TA|2763|n}} - {{TA|2994|n}}''†|DWA=[[Dwalin]] ''{{TA|2772|n}} - {{FoA|91}}''|OIN=[[Óin]] ''{{TA|2774|n}} - {{TA|2994|n}}''|GLO=[[Glóin]] ''{{TA|2783|n}} - {{FoA|15}}''|DAI=[[Dáin Ironfoot|DAIN II IRONFOOT]] ''{{TA|2767|n}} - {{TA|3019|n}}''†}}
{{familytree| | | | | | |,|-|-|-|(| | | |!| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |!| |}}
{{familytree| | | | | | FIL | | KIL | | THO | | | | | | | | | | | | | | GIM |FIL=[[Fíli]] ''{{TA|2859|n}} - {{TA|2941|n}}''†|KIL=[[Kíli]] ''{{TA|2864|n}} - {{TA|2941|n}}''†|THO=[[Thorin Stonehelm|Thorin III Stonehelm]] ''b. {{TA|2866|n}}''|GIM=[[Gimli]] ''{{TA|2879|n}} - {{FoA|120}}''+}}
{{familytree| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |:| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |}}
{{familytree| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |:| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |}}
{{familytree| | | | | | | | | | | | | | DUR | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |DUR=[[Durin VII]]}}
{{familytree/end}}
</div>

==Portrayal in adaptations==
{{Gallery
|title=Dáin in adaptations
|height=150
|width=250
|lines=2
|File:Decipher - Dáin Ironfoot.jpg|Dáin in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game]]''
|File:Dain BFMEII.png|Dáin in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II|The Battle for Middle-earth II]]''
|File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Dáin Ironfoot.jpg|Dáin from ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]''
|File:The Hobbit - The Battle of the Five Armies - Dáin.jpg|Dáin in ''[[The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies]]''
}}
===Films===
'''1977: [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|''The Hobbit'' (1977 film)]]:'''
:Dáin is said to come to Thorin's aid, but he is never individually identified. It's possible that he's the Dwarf who lays [[Orcrist]] on Thorin's body after he dies, as that Dwarf does not resemble any of the other 12 members of Thorin's company.

'''2014: ''[[The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies]]'':'''
:Dáin Ironfoot is played by [[Billy Connolly]].<ref name="BBCCasting1">{{webcite|articleurl=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-16960081|articlename=Billy Connolly lands dwarf role in The Hobbit|dated=9-Feb-2012|website=BBC|accessed=9-Feb-2012}}</ref> After the [[Elves]] of Mirkwood occupy [[Dale]], [[Thorin]] secretly sends out a raven to Dáin. The next day, just as Thranduil is about to start his attack, Dáin arrives unexpectedly at [[Lonely Mountain|Erebor]] mounted on a large, armoured boar and leading an army of [[Dwarves]]. He also wields a red war hammer instead of a red axe. He tells the Elves and [[Men]] to withdraw or face his attack. After trading insults with Thranduil, the Dwarves and Elves begin attacking each other, but the [[Orcs|Orc]] Army suddenly arrives, and Dáin leads his Dwarves to attack the Orcs instead. Following their example, the Elves join the Dwarves, fighting side by side with them. When [[Thorin and Company]] charge out of the mountain, Dáin and his army rally behind them and drive back the Orcs from the mountain. Later he and Thorin embrace in the midst of the battle. His coronation as the new [[King under the Mountain]] is only shown in the [[The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (extended edition)|Extended Edition]] of the film.

===Radio series===
'''1968: [[The Hobbit (1968 radio series)|''The Hobbit'' (1968 radio series)]]:'''
:Dáin's voice is provided by [[Brian Haines]].<ref>Radio Times, Volume 181, No. 2349, [[14 November|November 14]], [[1968]]</ref>

'''1979: [[The Hobbit (1979 radio series)|''The Hobbit'' (1979 radio series)]]:'''
:No actor is credited for the role of Dáin.

===Games===
'''2001-07: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game]]'':'''
:[[Weta Workshop|Weta]] made a special card for Dáin.

'''2003: [[The Hobbit (2003 video game)|''The Hobbit'' (2003 video game)]]:'''
:Dáin has no speaking part; he only appears on parchment sections.

'''2006: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II]]'':'''
:Dáin is a hero in the Dwarves faction. In the campaigns, he appears in the Battle of Dale in the Good Campaign, where he has to survive the onslaught of enemy forces to succeed the level.

'''2013: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Dáin, along with King [[Brand]] of Dale, makes a brief appearance in the raid "Flight to the Lonely Mountain", where they brief the player before the assault of the [[Easterlings]] begin. After the conclusion of the [[Siege of Erebor]], his tomb can be found in Mazal Akrâz, the "Chamber of Glory", nearby those of [[Fíli]], [[Kíli]], and his cousin [[Thorin Oakenshield]].

{{references}}
{{seq-start}}
{{seq-head
| race=dwarf
| name=Dáin II
| house=[[House of Durin]]
| born={{TA|2767}}
| died={{TA|3019}}
}}
{{seq
| prev=[[Grór]]
| list=[[Lord of the Iron Hills]]
| dates={{TA|2805}} – {{TA|2941|n}}
| nvac=Himself
| next=as King
}}
{{seq
| prow=2
| prev=[[Thorin|Thorin II Oakenshield]]
| list=[[Kings of Durin's Folk|King]] of [[Durin's Folk]]
| dates={{TA|2941}} – {{TA|3019|n}}
| next=[[Thorin Stonehelm|Thorin III Stonehelm]]
| nrow=2
}}
{{seq
| list=5th [[King under the Mountain]]
| dates={{TA|2941}} – {{TA|3019|n}}
}}
{{seq-end}}{{durinskings}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dain Ironfoot}}
[[Category:Dwarves]]
[[Category:Longbeards]]
[[Category:Characters in The Hobbit]]
[[Category:Third Age characters]]

[[de:Dáin II.]]
[[fi:Dáin II]]
[[fr:encyclo:personnages:nains:3a:dain_ii]]

Aeglos (spear)

2019-01-20T05:56:59Z

Sinordloresearcher:

{{disambig-more|Aeglos|[[Aeglos (disambiguation)]]}}
{{object infobox
| name=Aeglos
| image=[[File:Audrey Corman - Aiglos.jpg|250px]]
| caption="Aiglos" by Audrey Corman
| pronun={{respell|eye|glos}}
| othernames=
| location=
| owner=[[Gil-galad]]
| type=Weapon
| appearance=
| creator=
| created=
| createdlocation=
| destroyer=
| destroyed=
| destroyedlocation=
| notablefor=
}}
'''Aeglos''' was the name for the spear of [[High King of the Noldor]] [[Gil-galad]] which was greatly feared by the enemy. It was carried by the King to the [[War of the Last Alliance]], but it was broken when Gil-galad fell in combat against [[Sauron]] himself, on the slopes of [[Mount Doom]] {{SA|3431}}.<ref>{{FR|II2}}</ref><ref>{{S|V}}</ref>

==Etymology and names==
''Aeglos'' means "snow-point"<ref>{{S|Index}}</ref> or "icicle"<ref>[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], ''[[The Lord of the Rings Index]]''</ref>. The element ''aeg'' means "point" from [[Sundocarme|root]] [[AYAK]], "sharp, pointed", and the element ''los'' means "snow".<ref>{{S|Appendix}}</ref><ref>{{LR|Etymologies}}</ref>

In editions of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' prior to 2005, the spear is spelled ''Aiglos''. Tolkien, however, commented in a manuscript that the more correct [[Sindarin]] spelling is in fact ''Aeglos''.<ref>{{VT|42a}}, p. 11</ref><ref>[[Wayne G. Hammond]] and [[Christina Scull]] (eds), ''[[The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion]]'', p. 231</ref>
[[File:The Lord of the Rings (film series) - Gil-galad wielding Aeglos.jpg|thumb|left|Gil-galad wielding Aeglos in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'']]
==Portrayal in adaptations==

'''1982-97: ''[[Middle-earth Role Playing]]'':'''
: Aiglos is a Holy weapon with magical abilities.<ref>{{ICE|2010}}</ref>

'''1995-8: ''[[Middle-earth Collectible Card Game]]'':'''
:Aiglos, only playable by Warriors, gives a direct influence against Elves.

'''2001: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'':'''
:Gil-galad is seen wielding the spear. [[Warren Mahy]] desgined the weapon.<ref>Gary Russell, ''[[The Art of The Fellowship of the Ring]]''</ref>

'''2018: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Gil-galad wields the spear during the [[Battle of Dagorlad]]. After [[Sauron]]'s fall, Aeglos is discovered perched atop a pillar-like pinnacle in the Plateau of [[Gorgoroth]], where it continues to emit a bright light. It is left as a beacon of hope to those who traverse the scorched plains of [[Mordor]].

{{references}}
{{weapons}}
{{title}}
[[Category:Spears]]
[[de:Aeglos (Speer)]]
[[fr:encyclo:artefacts:armes:aeglos]]
[[fi:Aeglos (keihäs)]]

Orthanc

2018-12-29T06:25:02Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Games */

{{location infobox
| name=Orthanc
| image=[[File:Alan Lee - The Voice of Saruman.jpg|250px]]
| caption="The Voice of Saruman" by [[Alan Lee]]
| pronun=
| othernames=
| location=[[Isengard]], at the southern end of the [[Misty Mountains]]
| type=Tower
| description=Black-coloured stone tower of 500 feet
| regions=
| towns=
| inhabitants=[[Dúnedain]] [[Gondorians]] [[Saruman]]
| created=Late [[Second Age]]
| destroyed=
| events=[[Battle of Isengard]]
}}
<center>{{Quote|They came now to the foot of Orthanc. It was black, and the rock gleamed as if it were wet.|[[J.R.R. Tolkien]]<ref name="TTVoice">{{TT|Voice}}</ref>}}</center>
'''Orthanc''' was the impregnable tower of [[Isengard]] built by the [[Dúnedain]] during the [[Second Age]].<ref>{{FR|Council}}; {{S|V}}</ref>

==Description==
The tower of Orthanc was composed of four welded pillars of many-sided stone that stood in the centre of the [[Ring of Isengard]] like an island, roughly half a mile from the rim.<ref name="TTRoad" />

At its peak the tower reached a height of just over five hundred feet. The colour of the rock was a deep, gleaming black. At Orthanc's pinnacle the four piers opened out to form four pinnacles of sharp rock; between these isles of rock there was a narrow, polished floor on which many strange signs were written.<ref name="TTRoad" />

{{blockquote|There stood a tower of marvellous shape. It was fashioned by the builders of old, who smoothed the Ring of Isengard, and yet it seemed a thing not made by the craft of Men, but riven from the bones of the earth in the ancient torment of the hills.|[[J.R.R. Tolkien]]<ref name="TTRoad">{{TT|Road}}</ref>}}

==History==
===Second Age===
[[File:Ted Nasmith - Orthanc in the Second Age.jpg|thumb|left|[[Ted Nasmith]] - ''Orthanc in the Second Age'']]
The exact date of the construction of Orthanc and the establishment of the fortress of [[Isengard]] is unknown. However it must have been built between {{SA|3320}}, the year in which [[Gondor]] and [[Arnor]] were established, and {{SA|3430}}, when the [[Last Alliance of Elves and Men]] was first formed.<ref name="AppB1">{{App|B1}}</ref> Within Orthanc was placed one of the ''[[Palantíri]]'', the [[Orthanc-stone]]. Thus, Orthanc became one of the seven [[Dúnedain]] towers which stored the seeing stones that had been brought from [[Númenor]].<ref name="SV">{{S|V}}</ref>
===Third Age===
The region of [[Calenardhon]] was never densely populated; indeed it suffered greatly in the [[Great Plague]] of {{TA|1636}} and many inhabitants of Númenórean descent gradually migrated eastward. Eventually the tower of Orthanc itself became deserted, and [[Key of Orthanc|its keys]] were removed to [[Minas Tirith]] and held in the keeping of the [[Stewards of Gondor|Stewards]].<ref name="UTPalantiri">{{UT|Palantiri}}</ref>

In {{TA|2510}},<ref name="UTIsen" /> after the [[Battle of the Field of Celebrant]], the lands of [[Calenardhon]] were ceded to the [[Éothéod]] and [[Eorl]] became the first king of [[Rohan]]. Nonetheless Gondor retained control of the fortress of Isengard, and Orthanc remained the third tower of the southern realm. During this time Isengard was manned by a small number of Gondorians led by a hereditary Captain. However the keys of Orthanc were kept by the Stewards of Gondor.<ref name="UTCirion">{{UT|Cirion}}</ref>

Over time the links and correspondence between Isengard and [[Minas Tirith]] became ever more infrequent; whilst retaining the keys of Orthanc, the Stewards forsook the tower as their thoughts looked eastwards. Eventually the line of Gondorian chieftains failed and the people mingled ever more with the [[Dunlendings]]. They even allowed them entry into Isengard and eventually the two peoples willingly merged into one. Thus it was that Isengard came under the control of the Dunlendings who led numerous raids on the [[Westfold]]. Whilst the Rohirrim had not the strength to assail the fortress, the Dunlendings were eventually starved out in the great famine after the [[Long Winter]]. Therefore both [[Fréaláf|King Fréaláf]] and [[Beren (Steward of Gondor)|Steward Beren]] greatly welcomed [[Saruman|Saruman's]] offer to take command of Isengard. Thus it was that, in {{TA|2759}},<ref name="AppStewards">{{App|Stewards}}</ref> the wizard was given the keys of Orthanc.<ref name="UTIsen" />

Saruman began to desire [[The One Ring|the ring]] for himself and hoped that it might reveal itself by giving [[Sauron]] time to re-gain his strength. As head of the [[White Council]], Saruman overruled Gandalf's call for an attack on [[Dol Guldur]] in {{TA|2851}}. However, in {{TA|2941}}, after Saruman discovered that the servants of Sauron were searching for the ring near [[Gladden Fields]], he agreed to attack Sauron's fortress in [[Mirkwood]]. After the last meeting of the White Council in {{TA|2953}}, Saruman withdrew to [[Isengard]] and fortified it. It was in ''circa'' {{TA|3000}} that Saruman used the [[Orthanc-stone]] for the first time. Thus it was that Sauron corrupted Saruman's mind and bent it to his will.<ref name="AppB2">{{App|B2}}</ref>

[[File:Ted Nasmith - Gandalf Escapes Upon Gwaihir.jpg|thumb|right|[[Ted Nasmith]] - ''Gandalf Escapes Upon Gwaihir'']]
{{Blockquote|Gandalf the Grey caught like a fly in a spider's treacherous web!|[[Gandalf]]<ref name="FRCouncil">{{FR|Council}}</ref>}}
In {{TA|3018}}, [[Gandalf]] rode to the foot of Orthanc and there met [[Saruman]]. It was then that Saruman revealed his true thoughts to Gandalf. He declared his desire to become a ruler of [[Men]] and to join with [[Sauron]]. But, most importantly, he announced his desire for [[The One Ring]]. Gandalf refused to submit to Sauron and Saruman. Subsequently, Saruman had Gandalf taken to the pinnacle of Orthanc where, Saruman schemed, Gandalf would stay until he reveal the location of the ring or until Sauron reclaimed it for himself. There Gandalf was trapped and for the first time he saw [[wolves]] and [[orcs]] in the valley of Isengard below. After many weeks of imprisonment,<ref group="note">[[Gandalf]] was imprisoned on [[10 July]], {{TA|3018}} and escaped in the early hours of [[18 September]], {{TA|3018|n}}.</ref> Gandalf escaped as [[Gwaihir]] the [[Eagles|Great Eagle]] came unlooked-for to Orthanc and bore him away.<ref name="FRCouncil"/>

On [[2 March]], {{TA|3019}}, the [[Ents]] of [[Fangorn Forest]] began their [[Battle of Isengard|attack on Isengard]]. By the next day, the Ents have completely subdued Isengard.<ref name="AppB3">{{App|B3}}</ref> [[File:Ted Nasmith - The Wrath of the Ents.jpg|thumb|left|[[Ted Nasmith]] - ''The Wrath of the Ents'']]
However, their attacks on Orthanc proved futile because the rock of the tower was too hard for the Ents to damage. Therein Saruman remained.<ref name="TTFlotsam">{{TT|Flotsam}}</ref> On [[5 March]], [[Théoden]], [[Éomer]], [[Gandalf]], [[Aragorn]], [[Legolas]], and [[Gimli]] approached the foot of Orthanc and climbed its stair until they reached the door. There they parleyed with Saruman, who remained inside the tower and spoke to them from a balcony above the door. Saruman refused to co-operate and subsequently Gandalf cast him from the [[Istari|order of Wizards]] and the [[White Council]], and broke Saruman's staff. After this confrontation, [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]], who was also inside Orthanc, threw the [[Orthanc-stone|''palantír'' of Orthanc]] at the party outside as a parting shot.<ref name="TTVoice"/>

A week before [[22 August]], {{TA|3019}},<ref name="AppB3"/> when [[Aragorn|King Elessar]] and company arrived at Orthanc, Saruman had departed Isengard with Gríma Wormtongue. However, before he left, [[Treebeard]] made him lock the tower and hand over the keys of Orthanc.<ref name="RKPartings">{{RK|Partings}}</ref>

===Fourth Age===
One of [[Aragorn|King Elessar's]] first tasks in the re-ordering of his realm was the restoration of Orthanc. He ordered that the [[Palantíri|palantír]] recovered from [[Saruman]] should be returned to the tower. It was then that the tower was searched and many secrets were revealed. It became clear that Saruman had hoarded many ancient treasures and heirlooms. They found that, with the aid of [[Gríma|Wormtongue]], Saruman had acquired jewels and heirlooms of [[Eorl]]. With the help of [[Gimli]] a hidden door was found and opened. Inside a casket found on a shelf they found two precious items. One was a small golden case attached to a chain; this was used by [[Isildur]] to bear [[the One Ring]]. The second item in the casket was the [[Elendilmir]], the "white star of Elvish crystal upon a fillet of ''[[mithril]]''" that had been lost since Isildur's demise. Elessar recieved the Elemdilmir with reverence and took it with him as he established his full kingship of [[Arnor]]. It was clear that Saruman had found the remains of Isildur and that he had probably burned the body.<ref name="UTIsen" />

Orthanc and the lands of Isengard remained part of the [[Reunited Kingdom|Reunited Kingdom of Arnor and Gondor]]. However King Elessar granted the [[Ents]] complete self-governance of the area surrounding Orthanc. This new forest became known as the [[Treegarth of Orthanc]].<ref name="RKPartings" />

==Etymology==
{{Transcribed|Tengwar Orthanc.png|Orthanc|Tengwar, Sindarin mode}}

''Orthanc'' displays a curious double etymology (co-existing "by design or chance") since it has a meaning both in the "[[Rohirric|language of the Mark of old]]" (rendered as [[Old English]] in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'') and [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]]'s constructed language [[Sindarin]].<ref name=Ui>{{HM|RC}}, p. 243 (citing the "[[Unfinished index]]")</ref><ref name=TTRoad /> Tolkien regarded this coincidence as an 'accident'.<ref name="UTIstari">{{UT|Istari}}</ref>

In Old English, ''Orthanc'' is said to mean "Cunning Mind".<ref name=TTRoad/> [[Wayne G. Hammond|Hammond]] and [[Christina Scull|Scull]] has noted that Old English ''orþanc'' as a noun means "original, inborn thought" or "a skilful contrivance or work, artifice, device, design"; as an adjective it means "cunning, skilful".<ref name=Ui/> Cf. the meaning of Saruman's name "the one of cunning devices" or "Man of Skill".<ref>{{S|Index}}</ref>

In the published text, ''Orthanc'' is said to mean "Mount Fang" in [[Elvish]].<ref name=TTRoad/> In other sources, the name is glossed as "forked-height".<ref name=Ui/><ref>{{S|Appendix}} (glossed as "Forked Height")</ref> The name is likely supposed to be Sindarin,<ref name=Ui/> consisting of ''[[or]]'' + ''[[thanc]]''.<ref>{{webcite|articleurl=http://www.tolkiendil.com/langues/english/i-lam_arth/compound_sindarin_names#o|articlename=Compound Sindarin Names in Middle-earth|website=[http://www.tolkiendil.com/ Tolkiendil]|accessed=23-Dec-2011}}</ref>

==Tolkien's changing conception of Orthanc==
{{Gallery
|title=Sketches by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]
|height=300
|width=250
|lines=4
|File:J.R.R. Tolkien - Orthanc I.jpg|This sketch reflects Tolkien's description of Orthanc in an early manuscript of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''
|File:J.R.R. Tolkien - Orthanc.jpg|This sketch complements best Tolkien's description of Orthanc in {{TT|III8}}
}}

==Portrayal in adaptations==
{{Gallery
|title=Orthanc in Adaptations
|height=140
|width=200
|lines=3
|File:Orthanc film.jpg|Orthanc in [[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (film series)]]
|File:Orthanc EA RotK.png|Orthanc in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'' video game]]:'''
|File:The Lord of the Rings- The Treason of Isengard - Orthanc concept art.jpg|Concept art of '''Orthanc''' in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Treason of Isengard]]''
|File:LOTRO-Rise of Isengard-Orthanc-1-.png|'''Orthanc''' in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard]]''
}}
===Films===
'''2001-03: [[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (film series)]]:'''
:Orthanc and [[Barad-dûr]] are presented as ''The Two Towers'' identified in the title of the film. Tolkien himself was never certain about which two towers ''The Two Towers'' referred to; in [[Letter 140]] noted his disapproval of the title itself but also stated that the title was deliberately ambiguous. Indeed it could refer to Orthanc and Barad-dûr, Minas Tirith and Barad-dûr, or Orthanc and Cirith Ungol.<ref>{{L|140}};{{L|143}}</ref> Later Tolkien seemed to settle with Orthanc and Minas Morgul in his original design for the jacket of ''The Two Towers''.<ref>{{L|140|1}}</ref> However the producers of ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]]'' decided that, for theatrical and stylistic purposes, ''The Two Towers'' should refer to the towers of Orthanc and Barad-dûr.

===Games===
'''2004: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'' (video game)]]:'''
:Orthanc is part of the scenery in the mission "The Road to Isengard", visible as Gandalf makes his way to the dam.<ref>[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'' (video game)]], "The Road to Isengard"</ref> It also appears in cutscenes at various stages of the game.

'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Orthanc is a key feature in the area of [[Nan Curunír]], where it dominates the land around it, and the [[Ring of Isengard]]. The tower itself is only accessible in certain scenarios, including the raid "The Tower of Orthanc".<ref>{{webcite|author=Justin Olivetti|articleurl=http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/21/through-turbines-palantir-developers-outline-lotros-future/|articlename=Through Turbine's palantír: Developers outline LotRO's future|dated=21-April-2011|website=[http://massively.joystiq.com/ MASSIVELY by joystiq]|accessed=23-Dec-2011}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[:Category:Images of Orthanc|Images of Orthanc]]
*[[Isengard]]

{{References|n}}
[[Category:Misty Mountains]]
[[Category:Sindarin locations]]
[[Category:Towers]]
[[de:Orthanc]]
[[fi:Orthanc]]
[[fr:encyclo/geographie/villes_tours_et_forteresses/gondor/orthanc]]

Isengard

2018-12-29T06:22:08Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Games */

{{disambig-more|Isengard|[[Isengard (disambiguation)]]}}
{{location infobox
| name=Isengard
| image=[[File:Ted Nasmith - Orthanc in the Second Age.jpg|250px]]
| caption="Orthanc in the Second Age" by [[Ted Nasmith]]
| pronun=
| othernames=[[Angrenost]]<ref name="SIndex">{{S|Index}}</ref>
| location=In [[Nan Curunír]]<ref name="TTTreebeard">{{TT|Treebeard}}</ref>, at the southern tip of the [[Misty Mountains]]<ref name="FRCouncil">{{FR|Council}}</ref> 
| type=Fortress
| description=A circular wall of rock that enclosed the valley, in the centre of which stood the stone tower of [[Orthanc]]<ref name="FRCouncil"/>
| regions=
| towns=
| inhabitants=[[Dúnedain]]<ref name="SV">{{S|V}}</ref> [[Dunlendings]]<ref name="UTIsen">{{UT|Isen}}, Appendix (ii)</ref> [[Saruman]]<ref name="TTTreebeard"/> [[Orcs]]<ref name="TTTreebeard"/> [[Men|Wicked men]]<ref name="TTTreebeard"/> [[Ents]]<ref name="RKPartings">{{RK|Partings}}</ref> [[Huorns]]<ref name="RKPartings"/>
| created=Late [[Second Age]]
| destroyed=
| events=[[Battle of Isengard]]<ref name="TTFlotsam">{{TT|Flotsam}}</ref>
}}
<center>{{quote|My business is with Isengard tonight— with the rock and stone.|[[Treebeard]]<ref name="TTFlotsam"/>}}</center>
'''Isengard''' ("Iron Fortress", '''Angrenost''' in [[Sindarin]]<ref name="SIndex"/>) was a great fortress located within a valley at the southern end of the [[Misty Mountains]] near the [[Gap of Rohan]]. In the centre of the [[Ring of Isengard]] stood the stone tower of [[Orthanc]].<ref name="FRCouncil"/>

==Description==
The fortress of Isengard was located in a valley at the southern tip of the [[Misty Mountains]]; the [[Ring of Isengard]] was a great wall of stone that ran out from the mountain-side and then back again. The only entrance to Isengard was found delved into the southern wall of Isengard. One entering Isengard would pass through its only gate, travel down the long tunnel and pass through the iron doors to come to the plain of Isengard. In the centre of the plain, half a mile from the gate, stood the looming tower of [[Orthanc]]. For most of its history the lands of Isengard were green and a river ran from the mountains to form a lake. However after the treason of Saruman all green things that grew were removed and the river was dammed. The inner-ring was riddled with houses which cut into the walls. About the plain great shafts had been dug deep and many stone-flags paved the roads of the surface.<ref name="TTFlotsam"/><ref name="TTRoad"/>

{{blockquote|A great ring-wall of stone, like towering cliffs, stood out from the shelter of the mountain-side, from which it ran and then returned again. One entrance only was there made in it, a great arch delved in the southern wall. Here through the black rock a long tunnel had been hewn, closed at either end with mighty doors of iron. They were so wrought and poised upon their huge hinges, posts of steel driven into the living stone, that when unbarred they could be moved with a light thrust of the arms, noiselessly. One who passed in and came at length out of the echoing tunnel, beheld a plain, a great circle, somewhat hollowed like a vast shallow bowl: a mile it measured from rim to rim.|[[J.R.R. Tolkien]]<ref name="TTRoad">{{TT|Road}}</ref>}}

==History==
===Second Age===
[[File:Rob Alexander - Isengard.jpg|thumb|[[Rob Alexander]] - ''Isengard'']]
It is unknown exactly when Isengard was first established. However it must have been built between {{SA|3320}}, the year in which the realms of [[Gondor]] and [[Arnor]] were established, and {{SA|3430}}, the year in which the [[Last Alliance of Elves and Men]] was formed.<ref>{{App|B1}}</ref> The [[Ring of Isengard]], and the tower of [[Orthanc]] therein, were built by the [[Dúnedain]], the Exiles of [[Númenor]], as a fortress on the north-western tip of Gondor. Within Orthanc was placed one of the seven seeing stones, the ''[[palantíri]]''.<ref name="SV"/> This stone would be later referred to as the [[Orthanc-stone]].<ref name="TTP">{{TT|Palantir}}</ref>

===Third Age===
[[Calenardhon]], a region never densely populated, suffered greatly at the hands of the {{TA|1636}} [[Great Plague]]. [[Orthanc]] was thus closed and its keys were sent to [[Minas Tirith]].<ref name="UTP">{{UT|Palantiri}}</ref> The fortress of Isengard, however, remained manned by a small garrison led by a hereditary Gondorian chieftain. This company grew more secretive as time progressed; its chieftain became known as the "[[Lord of Isengard]]" and they were believed to meddle in dark [[magic]] by the [[Rohirrim]].<ref name="UTIsen"/>

The attention of the [[Stewards of Gondor]] turned eastwards and their emissaries to Isengard eventually ceased completely. In their neglect they (and the Rohirrim) did not realise that the line of Gondorian chieftains had failed. The people had long intermingled with the [[Dunlendings]] and became more friendly to them than to the 'wild Northmen'. Dunlendings were allowed to settle in and around Isengard. They seized control of the fortress and killed any of the ancient Isengard guards who were unwilling to merge with them. During the reign of King [[Déor]] they became openly hostile to the Rohirrim. Déor could not besiege the fortress and [[Egalmoth]], the Steward of Gondor, was unable to send help. Instead Déor kept a strong force of riders in the north of the [[Westfold]].<ref name="UTIsen"/> The occupation lasted through the reign of King [[Gram]].<ref name="AppA2"/>

In {{TA|2758}}, [[Wulf]] led the Dundlendings into a great invasion of [[Rohan]]. Despite impressive victories, they were eventually defeated by the Rohirrim. The Dundlendings who occupied Isengard suffered considerably in the [[Long Winter]]. They capitulated and were driven out by [[Fréaláf]] (soon to be the new king of Rohan) near the end of {{TA|2759}}.<ref name="AppA2">{{App|A2}}</ref><ref name="UTIsen"/>

====Saruman's domain====
When [[Saruman]] returned from his travels into the east of [[Middle-earth]], he offered to make Isengard his home and to command the defences of the West. This was welcomed by King [[Fréaláf]] of [[Rohan]] and Steward [[Beren (Steward of Gondor)|Beren]] of [[Gondor]] alike. In {{TA|2759}},<ref name="AppStewards">{{App|Stewards}}</ref> Saruman was given the keys of Orthanc.<ref name="SV"/> The valley in which Isengard resided soon became known as "[[Nan Curunír]]", the "Valley of Saruman" or the "Wizard's Vale".<ref name="TTTreebeard">{{TT|Treebeard}}</ref><ref name="TTRoad">{{TT|Road}}</ref>

In {{TA|2851}}, the [[White Council]] met and [[Saruman]] overruled [[Gandalf]] when he urged an attack on [[Dol Guldur]]. It soon became clear that Saruman desired to possess [[the One Ring]] himself.<ref name="AppTA">{{App|TA}}</ref> In {{TA|2953}}<ref group="note">''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]'', entry "Isengard" incorrectly gives the date {{TA|2963}}.</ref>, following the last meeting of the [[White Council]], Saruman took Isengard for his own and fortified it.<ref name="AppTA"/> As Lord of Isengard, Saruman began to bring trouble to Rohan by aiding its enemies.<ref name="AppMark">{{App|Mark}}</ref> Saruman's corruption was complete when, in ''circa'' {{TA|3000}}, he used the [[Orthanc-stone|''palantír'' of Orthanc]] and was enticed by [[Sauron]].<ref name="AppTA"/>

On [[10 July]], {{TA|3018}}, Gandalf arrived at Isengard.<ref name="AppGreat">{{App|Great}}</ref> Saruman revealed his true colours and demanded that Gandalf submit to him and Sauron. He refused and was imprisoned in [[Orthanc]]. From the pinnacle of the tower Gandalf could see that Isengard had been transformed; in place of trees and grass were pits and forges, and Saruman was gathering an army of [[orcs]] and [[wolves]].<ref name="FRCouncil">{{FR|Council}}</ref> On [[18 September]], {{TA|3018}}, Gandalf was borne away by [[Gwaihir]] the [[eagles|eagle]].<ref name="AppGreat"/>

Believing that Saruman knew the location of [[the One Ring]], Sauron sent the [[Nazgûl]] to Isengard. The [[Witch-king]] arrived at the gate of Isengard two days after Gandalf's escape (or, according to a different account, on the very day of his escape). But the Lord of Morgul and his company did not have the strength to assault the Ring of Isengard. He departed after Saruman told them that he believed Gandalf knew the whereabouts of the Ring.<ref name="UTHunt">{{UT|Hunt}}</ref>

Isengard became Saruman's base of operations during the [[War of the Ring]]. His war with [[Rohan]] began on [[25 February]], {{TA|3019}}, with the [[First Battle of the Fords of Isen]]. The forces of Isengard were victorious and Saruman's main objective, the killing of [[Théodred]] (son of King [[Théoden]]), was achieved. With another victory at the [[Second Battle of the Fords of Isen]] on [[2 March]], the forces of Isengard won passage into the plains of Rohan and marched towards defeat at the [[Battle of the Hornburg]] (on [[3 March]]).<ref name="AppGreat"/><ref name="UTIsen"/>

[[File:Jef Murray - After the Flood.jpg|thumb|[[Jef Murray]] - ''After the Flood'']]
{{Blockquote|My business is with Isengard tonight, with rock and stone.|[[Treebeard]]<ref name="TTFlotsam"/>}}

On 2 March, the [[Battle of Isengard]] began when the [[Ents]] of [[Fangorn Forest]] began their attack.<ref name="AppGreat"/> They overran the orcs and men therein, but were unable to assail the tower of Orthanc.<ref name="TTFlotsam"/>

On [[5 March]], [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]], now the "doorwardens" of Isengard, welcomed [[Théoden]], [[Éomer]], [[Gandalf]], [[Aragorn]], [[Legolas]], and [[Gimli]].<ref name="TTRoad"/> They parleyed with Saruman, but he refused to co-operate.<ref name="TTVoice">{{TT|Voice}}</ref>

On [[22 August]], {{TA|3019}},<ref name="AppB3">{{App|B3}}</ref> Treebeard, now in command of Isengard,<ref name="TTRoad"/> allowed Saruman and [[Gríma]] to depart from what remained of the fortress. Before they went, they handed over the keys of Orthanc. This Treebeard told to Gandalf and company when they travelled through Isengard on their journey home.<ref name="RKPartings">{{RK|Partings}}</ref>

====The Treegarth of Orthanc and the Fourth Age====
{{main|Treegarth of Orthanc}}
Following the [[Battle of Isengard]], the [[Ents]] destroyed the [[Ring of Isengard]] and filled the land with gardens of orchards and trees. A stream ran into a small clear lake, in the middle of which stood the black-stone tower of [[Orthanc]]. Whilst the Treegarth of Orthanc became part of the [[Reunited Kingdom]], [[Aragorn|King Elessar]] granted the Ents complete self-governance of what was formerly Isengard.<ref name="RKPartings"/>

==Etymology==
{{Transcribed|Tengwar Angrenost.png|Angrenost|Tengwar, Sindarin mode}}
''Isengard'' means "Iron-courd" in [[Old English]] (see also [[Isen]]): "''It was so called because of the great hardness of the stone in that place and especially in the central tower of Orthanc.''"<ref name="Nomen">{{HM|N}}, p. 772</ref>

''Isen'' is an old English variant form of iron; and ''gard'' a Germanic word meaning 'enclosure (round a dwelling)' which appears in English ''garth/yard'' or Old Norse ''Asgard, Midgard'' etc.<ref name="Nomen"/>

It is used here to show an archaic [[Westron]] name of the place, translation of [[Sindarin]] ''[[Angrenost]]''.<ref name="Nomen"/>

==Portrayal in adaptations==
{{Gallery
|title=Isengard in Adaptations
|height=150
|width=225
|lines=2
|File:War in Middle Earth - Orcs and Uruk-hai at Isengard.png| Isengard in ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien's War in Middle Earth]]''
|File:Isengard film.jpg| Isengard in [[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (film series)]]
|File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Isengard.jpg| Isengard in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard]]''
}}

==Films==
'''2001-03: [[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (film series)]]:'''
:Peter Jackson's Isengard is reflective of [[J.R.R. Tolkien|J.R.R. Tolkien's]] descriptions of the fortress.

==Games==
'''1988: ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien's War in Middle Earth]]'':'''
:Isengard is one of the many battlefields of this game.

'''2011: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard]]'':'''
:Isengard is a prominant stronghold of evil within [[Eriador]], and is the chief fortress of [[Saruman]] and The [[White Hand]]. It is available for exploration, and plays host to various instances.<ref>{{webcite|author=Justin Olivetti|articleurl=http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/21/through-turbines-palantir-developers-outline-lotros-future/|articlename=Through Turbine's palantír: Developers outline LotRO's future|dated=21-April-2011|website=[http://massively.joystiq.com/ MASSIVELY by joystiq]|accessed=23-Dec-2011}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[:Category:Images of Isengard|Images of Isengard]]
*[[Orthanc]]

{{references|n}}
{{FellowshipRoute}}
[[Category:Anglicized Westron words]]
[[Category:Entish realms]]
[[Category:Fortresses]]
[[Category:Mannish realms]]
[[Category:Misty Mountains]]
[[de:Isengart]]
[[fi:Rautapiha]]
[[fr:encyclo/geographie/villes_tours_et_forteresses/gondor/isengard]]

Dunland

2018-12-29T06:19:26Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Portrayal in adaptations */

{{location infobox
| name=Dunland
| image=
| caption=
| pronun=
| othernames=
| location=The west-skirts of the southern [[Misty Mountains]], south of [[Glanduin]]
| type=Region
| description=Fair, fertile land
| regions=
| towns=
| inhabitants=[[Men]] For a time - [[Stoors]] and [[Dwarves]]
| created=
| destroyed=
| events=
}}
'''Dunland''' was a part of [[Enedwaith]] east of the [[North-South Road]], well south of the [[Glanduin]] and north of the [[Isen]]. It was a foothill region that fronted the western slopes of the southern [[Misty Mountains]].<ref>{{UT|Map}}</ref> Far from the centres of population of [[Arnor]] and [[Gondor]], its inhabitants at times included the [[Men]] known as [[Dunlendings]] as well as wandering [[Hobbits]] and [[Dwarves]].

Dunland was a fair, fertile land. By the end of the [[Third Age]] being neither prosperous or civilised, it was sparsely inhabited by unorganised herdsmen and hillmen.<ref>[[Robert Foster]], ''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]'', entry "Dunland"</ref>

==History==
===The First Men in Dunland===
In the early [[Second Age]], Dunland first acquired a significant population of [[Men]] when those who had dwelt in the forests of Enedwaith south of the [[Gwathló]] fled from the [[Númenóreans]] after they began to cut down all of the trees.<ref>{{UT|6d}}</ref>

When the kingdoms of [[Arnor]] and [[Gondor]] were established early in the [[Third Age]] the land of Enedwaith (and the region of Dunland) were largely ignored, although the inhabitants were nominally subjects of Gondor.<ref name="Isen">{{UT|Isen}}, Appendix (ii)</ref>

===The Stoors Stay in Dunland===
About {{TA|1150}} the Hobbit-breed known as the [[Stoors]] left their early homeland in the upper vales of the [[Anduin]] and crossed the [[Caradhras#The Redhorn Gate|Redhorn Pass]]. Some settled in the [[Angle (Eriador)|Angle]] and others travelled down the [[Bruinen|Loudwater]] and settled in Dunland. While the Stoors in the Angle vacated that area in {{TA|1356|n}}, those living in Dunland remained until around {{TA|1630|n}} when they migrated to the newly founded [[The Shire|Shire]].<ref name="TA">{{App|TA}}</ref>

===The Middle Years of the Third Age===
The [[Great Plague]] swept through the north-west of [[Middle-earth]] in the years {{TA|1636}} – {{TA|1637|n}}.<ref name="TA"/> Dunland suffered, but to a lesser extent than in other regions due to their self-isolation. After the end of the royal line in Gondor the Dunlendings ceased to be subjects of the realm. During the years of the [[Watchful Peace]] ({{TA|1975|n}} – {{TA|2050|n}}), as the people of [[Calenardhon]] dwindled, the Dunlendings began drifting across the [[Isen]].

The expansion of the Dunlendings to the southeast of Dunland was checked when the new realm of [[Rohan]] was established in {{TA|2510|n}}. In the subsequent centuries there was tension between the Dunlendings and the [[Rohirrim]], which reached open war in the time of [[Helm Hammerhand]].

Guarding the [[Gap of Rohan]] was the fortress of [[Isengard]], where a hereditary guard watched for Gondor. However, by the time of the [[Beren (Steward of Gondor)|Beren]], [[Ruling Steward|Steward]] of [[Gondor]], these guards had mixed with Dunlendings, and it had become hostile to Gondor. To remedy this situation, in {{TA|2759}}<ref name="TA"/> Beren gave [[Saruman]] the keys to [[Orthanc]], to guard Isengard for Gondor.<ref>{{UT|Isen}}</ref>

===The Dwarves in Dunland===
In {{TA|2770}}, [[Smaug]] the [[Dragons|Dragon]] destroyed the [[Kingdom under the Mountain]].<ref name="TA"/> Dwarves fleeing from this disaster settled in Dunland, from where [[Thrór]] departed when he and his companion [[Nár]] journeyed to [[Moria]] in {{TA|2790}}. After the [[Battle of Azanulbizar]], provoked by the [[Orcs]]' brutal slaying of Thrór, [[Thráin|Thráin II]] and [[Thorin]] led the remnants of their followers back to Dunland but soon left (to eventually settle in the [[Ered Luin]]).<ref>{{App|Durin}}</ref>

===The Later Third Age===
Beren's decision to trust Saruman however had severe consequences, as before and around the [[War of the Ring]], the Wizard inflamed the Dunlendings' grievance and enmity to the Rohirrim<ref>{{TT|III7}}</ref> and concentrated a great military force which besieged them at the [[Helm's Deep]]. After the [[Battle of the Hornburg]], the Rohirrim allowed the surviving Dunlendings to return to their homes. The Rohirrim required that all hostilities cease, and that the Dunlendings retreat behind the [[Isen]] river again.<ref>{{TT|III8}}</ref>

After the War the four Hobbits, [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]], [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]], and [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]], with the company of [[Gandalf]], [[Celeborn]], [[Galadriel]], and others journeyed through Dunland on their way home. While traversing the region they met two beggars, Saruman and [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]].<ref>{{RK|VI6}}</ref>

==Etymology==
Dunland meant "Hill Land" in the language of neighbouring [[Rohan]], whose people named it after arriving in nearby [[Calenardhon]] in the later [[Third Age]]. ''Dunland'' is understood as "Brownland" ([[Old English]] ''dunn'' means "brown, dusky, dull"), referring to its inhabitants being swarthy and dark-haired . The element ''dunn'' had no relation to the [[Elvish]] root ''[[dûn]]'' meaning "west".<ref>{{App|Men}}</ref>
==Portrayal in adaptations==
'''2001: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'':'''
:Dunland is mentioned when a flock of ''Crebain'' appears when the Fellowship is in [[Hollin]]; and [[Legolas]] identifies them as such and being from Dunland.<ref>''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', "[[The Ring Goes South (scene)|The Ring Goes South]]"</ref> The ''crebain'' later report to Saruman at Isengard.<ref>''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', "[[The Fighting Uruk-hai]]"</ref>
'''2007-18: [[The Lord of the Rings Online]]:'''
:Dunland is a massive region available for exploration, with three key areas: Dunland (proper), The [[Gap of Rohan]], and [[Nan Curunír]]. Many tribes of the Dunlendings exist (with some warring against one another, or fighting against the [[White Hand]]. Dunland's largest and chief town/village seems to be Galtrev, located in the heart of Dunland proper.

{{navigation
| title=Region of Dunland
| north-west=[[Tharbad]], [[Gwathló]]. '''[[Eriador]]'''
| north=[[Glanduin]], [[Eregion]]
| north-east=[[Moria]], [[Misty Mountains]], [[Lothlórien|Lórien]]
| west=[[Lond Daer]], [[Gwathló]], [[Enedwaith]]
| east=[[Misty Mountains]], [[Fangorn Forest]]
| south-west=[[Enedwaith]], [[Drúwaith Iaur]], [[Isen|River Isen]]
| south=[[Isen|River Isen]]
| south-east=[[Isengard]], [[Gap of Rohan]]. '''[[Rohan]]'''
}}
{{references}}
[[Category:Eriador]]
[[Category:Regions]]
[[de:Dunland]]
[[fr:encyclo:geographie:regions:pays_de_dun]]
[[fi:Mustainmaa]]

Halbarad

2018-12-29T06:13:29Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Portrayal in adaptations */

{{arnorian infobox
| name=Halbarad
| image=[[File:Quinton Hoover - Halbarad.jpg|250px]]
| caption="Halbarad" by [[Quinton Hoover]]
| pronun=
| othernames=[[Dúnedain|Dúnadan]]
| titles=
| position=[[Rangers of the North|Ranger]]
| location=[[Eriador]]
| affiliation=[[Grey Company]]
| language=[[Westron]]
| birth=
| birthlocation=
| rule=
| death=[[15 March]], {{TA|3019}}
| deathlocation=[[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]
| age=
| notablefor=
| house=
| parentage=
| siblings=
| spouse=
| children=
| gender=Male
| height=
| hair=
| eyes=
| clothing=
| weapons=
| steed=
}}
{{quote|Halbarad Dúnadan, Ranger of the North I am. We seek one Aragorn, son of Arathorn, and we heard he was in Rohan.|Halbarad<ref name="Company">{{RK|Company}}</ref>}}

'''Halbarad''' was a [[Rangers of the North|Ranger]] of [[Eriador]].

==Life==
Halbarad spent his early life watching the borders of [[the Shire]].

During the [[War of the Ring]], Halbarad was sent to the aid of his [[Chieftains of the Dúnedain|Chieftain]] [[Aragorn]]. From [[Eriador]], he led a thirty-man strong group of Rangers, calling themselves the [[Grey Company]]. With them rode [[Elladan]] and [[Elrohir]], the sons of [[Elrond]]. In the night between the [[5 March|5th]] and the [[6 March|6th of March]], the Company met Aragorn at [[Dol Baran]]. Halbarad gave his kinsman a standard, which was a gift from [[Arwen]], and a message, summoning him to take the [[Paths of the Dead]].<ref name="Company"/>

The Grey Company, now with [[Gimli]] and [[Legolas]] part of [[Aragorn]]'s comitatus, passed through the Paths of the Dead, to the [[Stone of Erech]], over [[Tarlang's Neck]], and on to [[Pelargir]]. He captained a [[Corsair]] ship and they sailed toward [[Harlond in Gondor|Harlond]].<ref name="Debate">{{RK|Debate}}</ref>

On [[15 March|March 15]] they arrived on the [[Pelennor Fields]] and fought in the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields|battle]]. Halbarad unfurled the standard, and it showed the [[White Tree of Gondor|White Tree]] of [[Gondor]] and the signs of [[Elendil]]. He was killed in this battle, and would never return to the North.<ref name="Battle">{{RK|Battle}}</ref>

==Etymology==
Though it is nowhere translated, ''Halbarad'' most likely means "Tall Tower", from [[Sindarin]] ''[[hall]]'', "tall", and ''[[barad]]'', "tower".

==Portrayal in adaptations==
'''1979: [[The Lord of the Rings (1979 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1979 radio series)]]:'''
:Halbarad is played by an uncredited actor.

'''1981: [[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1981 radio series)]]:'''
:Halbarad had a role similar to his role in the book. He was voiced by [[Martyn Read]].

'''1995-8: ''[[Middle-earth Collectible Card Game]]'':'''
:Halbarad, a sage/diplomat hero character, is illustrated by [[Quinton Hoover]].
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game - Halbarad, Ranger of the North.jpg|thumb|right|Halbarad in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game]]'']]
'''2001-7: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game]]'':'''
:Halbarad is portrayed by [[Warren Mahy]].

'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Halbarad is in command of [[Esteldin]], a hidden [[Dúnedain]] city in the [[North Downs]]. After receiving orders from Elrond to seek out Aragorn in Rohan, Halbarad gathered a large company of Rangers to head south. After suffering short delays in Enedwaith, Halbarad managed to form an alliance of sorts with the Falcon Clan in Dunland. However, Halbarad and his company were soon betrayed and imprisoned by the Falcon Clan. Some of the Rangers with Halbarad managed to escape and soon the Grey Company was free, at the cost of many lives. By the time they reached the borders of Rohan, only 30 of their number remained. At the [[Battle of Pelennor Fields]], Halbarad sacrifices himself to protect Aragorn from being killed by [[Gothmog]].

'''2011: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]]:'''
:Halbarad appears at the beginning of the game at the [[Sarn Ford]]. Shortly after the [[Nazgûl]] attacked the [[Dúnedain of Arnor|Dúnedain]] who guarded [[the Shire]], he sends [[Eradan (video game character)|Eradan]], [[Andriel]] and [[Farin (video game character)|Farin]] to [[Bree]] to warn [[Aragorn]].<ref>[http://www.oxmonline.com/ Offical Xbox Magazine Online], [http://www.oxmonline.com/article/previews/g-l/lord-rings-war-north The Lord of the Rings: War in the North], dated [[28 April]], [[2011]] (accessed at [[7 July]], [[2011]])</ref>

==See Also==
* [[:Category: Images of Halbarad|Images of Halbarad]]

{{references}}

[[Category:Dúnedain of the North]]
[[Category:Rangers]]
[[Category:Characters in The Lord of the Rings]]
[[Category:Third Age characters]]

[[de:Halbarad]]
[[fi:Halbarad]]
[[fr:encyclo:personnages:hommes:3a:dunedain:dunedain_du_nord:halbarad]]

Dol Guldur

2018-12-29T06:11:33Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Games */

{{Countdown}}
{{disambig-two|the stronghold in [[Mirkwood]]|[[Middle-earth Role Playing|MERP]] supplement|[[Dol Guldur (book)]]}}
{{location infobox
| name=Dol Guldur
| image=[[File:Matěj Čadil - Dol Guldur.jpg|250px]]
| caption="Dol Guldur" by Matěj Čadil
| pronun=
| othernames=[[Amon Lanc]]
| location=Southern [[Mirkwood]]
| typeFortified stronghold/outpost
| description=Barren hilltop later occupied by [[Sauron]] and [[Nazgûl]]
| regions=
| towns=
| inhabitants=[[Silvan Elves]], later [[Orcs]] and other Fell creatures
| created=Around {{TA|1100}}
| destroyed={{TA|3019}}
| events=[[Attack on Dol Guldur]], [[Fall of Dol Guldur]]
}}
{{Pronounce|Dol Guldur.mp3|Ardamir}}

'''Dol Guldur''' ("Hill of Sorcery" in [[Sindarin]]),<ref>{{S|Index}}</ref> also called "the dungeons of the Necromancer",<ref>{{H|1}}</ref><ref>''"The sins of Middle Earth, Tolkien's use of Allegory"''. Chapter 6. Greenwood Press. pp. 86.</ref> was a stronghold of [[Sauron]] located in the south of [[Mirkwood]].

==History==
Dol Guldur was originally known as '''[[Amon Lanc]]''' ("Bald Hill") in [[Mirkwood|Greenwood the Great]].<ref>{{UT|Gladden}}, note 12, p. 280</ref> It had been the capital of [[Oropher]]'s [[Silvan Elves]], who had departed north to the Dark Mountains<ref>{{UT|Gladden}}, note 14, p. 280</ref> (later known as the [[Mountains of Mirkwood]]).

Somewhere after {{TA|1000}}, an evil presence took over Amon Lanc. It was in {{TA|1050|n}} that a [[shadow]] fell upon Greenwood and it began to be called [[Mirkwood]].<ref name="TA">{{App|TA}}</ref> The hostile entity was known as "the [[Necromancer]]" by the peoples. [[Thranduil]] son of [[Oropher]] led his people over the [[Forest River]], where they remained.<ref>{{UT|6b}}, p. 259</ref>
[[File:John Howe - Pass the Doors of Dol Guldur.jpg|thumb|left|[[John Howe]] - ''Pass the Doors of Dol Guldur'']]
The [[White Council|Council of the Wise]] long feared the Necromancer might be none other than [[Sauron]] himself who secretly regained his powers after his defeat in the [[War of the Last Alliance]]. In {{TA|2063|n}} [[Gandalf]] went to Dol Guldur, and the "Necromancer", not yet powerful, fled to the [[East]] so as not to be identified.

After [[Watchful Peace|four centuries]] in {{TA|2460|n}}, just as [[the One Ring]] was found by [[Sméagol]] the [[Stoors|Stoor]], the "Necromancer" returned there.<ref name="TA"/>

A dark [[shadow]] and cloud flowed from Dol Guldur whereas a golden mist that came from [[Lothlórien]] to the west contended with the darkness coming from Mirkwood. In {{TA|2510}} when [[Eorl]] the Young was leading his riders to the [[Battle of the Field of Celebrant]] he steered his force westward to avoid the phenomenon of the shadow, and they entered the mist.<ref>{{UT|Cirion}}, p. 298</ref>

In {{TA|2845|n}} [[Thráin|Thráin II]], [[Kings of Durin's Folk|King of Durin's Folk]]-in-exile and holder of the [[Ring of Thrór|last]] of the [[Seven Rings]] of the [[Dwarves]], was on his way to the [[Lonely Mountain]]. He was captured near the eaves of Mirkwood, imprisoned and tortured in Dol Guldur's dungeons, and his Ring taken from him. In {{TA|2850|n}} Gandalf again entered Dol Guldur, found the dying Thráin, and was entrusted with the [[Thrór's Map|map]] and key to give to [[Thorin]], although Thráin could not tell him his own or his son's name before he died. Gandalf confirmed that the Necromancer, the master of Dol Guldur at that time, was Sauron.<ref name="TA"/>
[[File:Angus McBride - Dol Guldur.jpg|thumb|Angus McBride - ''Dol Guldur'']]
Gandalf returned to the [[White Council]] and urged an attack on Dol Guldur, but was overruled by [[Saruman]], who secretly had begun searching for the One Ring in the area by then. In {{TA|2941}} Saruman finally agreed to an attack, which occurred at the same time as the [[Quest of Erebor]]. This was carefully planned by Gandalf, so that Sauron and [[Smaug]] could not assist each other, as otherwise they could easily have done. During the attack, Sauron fled to [[Mordor]], his plans now ready.

In {{TA|2951|n}} Dol Guldur was reoccupied by [[Khamûl]], the second chief<ref>{{UT|Hunt}}, note 1, p. 352</ref>, and two other [[Nazgûl]].<ref name="TA"/>

In the following decades Dol Guldur must have rebuilt some of its power until the [[War of the Ring]], during which its forces made assaults upon the [[Woodland Realm]] and [[Lothlórien|Lórien]],<ref name=great/> causing grievous damage to the outlying woodlands. However each time they were driven back by [[Thranduil]] and [[Galadriel]] who held the power of [[Nenya]]; which only Sauron himself could have overcome.

Dol Guldur was finally destroyed and cleansed by the [[Elves]] of Lórien, led by [[Galadriel]], after Sauron's fall.<ref name=great>{{App|Great}}</ref>

==Etymology==
''Dol Guldur'' is [[Sindarin]] from ''dol'' "hill" and ''[[guldur]]'' "sorcery".{{fact}}

==Other versions of the legendarium==
The original name of Dol Guldur was Dol Dúgol, and on [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]]'s first map for ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' the hill was located much farther east than its later location (in square M-15 of Map II).<ref name="Map II">{{TI|MII}}, p. 305</ref> [[Christopher Tolkien]] explained that Map II had faint traces of green which suggested that Mirkwood originally extended farther to the east too.<ref>{{TI|First}}, p. 298</ref> The name Dol Dúgol was stricken out and the hill was moved to its later location on this map, but its name became Dol Dúghul before finally changing to Dol Guldur.<ref name="Map II"/>

==Portrayal in adaptations==
{{Gallery
|title=Dol Guldur in adaptations
|width=165
|height=140
|lines=3
|File:Dol Guldur.jpg|Dol Guldur in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]''
|File:Galadriel dol guldur bfmeII.JPG|The [[Fall of Dol Guldur]] from ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II|The Battle for Middle-earth II]]''
}}
===Films===
'''2012: ''[[The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey]]'':'''
:Dol Guldur is depicted as a ruined and abandoned fortress of unknown origin. It features statues of the Nazgûl. [[Radagast]], not [[Gandalf]], enters Dol Guldur. He is attacked by the [[Witch-king]], obtains a [[Morgul-knife|Morgul blade]], and finds that Dol Guldur is occupied by a [[Sauron|Necromancer]]. He then travels to Gandalf to tell him the news and gives him the sword as proof.

'''2013: ''[[The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug]]'':'''
:Gandalf enters Dol Guldur to investigate its ruins. There he meets [[Azog]] and his army. He tries to escape, but is trapped by [[Sauron|the Necromancer]], who reveals to Gandalf his true identity. Gandalf is later seen trapped in one of the cages.

'''2014: ''[[The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies]]'':'''
:[[Galadriel]] enters Dol Guldur in order to rescue Gandalf. Accompanied by [[Saruman]] and [[Elrond]] they encounter Sauron and [[Nazgûl|the Nine]]. The [[Attack on Dol Guldur|Attack]] begins and Sauron flees to [[Mordor|the East]].

===Games===
'''2004: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: War of the Ring]]'':'''
:Dol Guldur makes appearance during both "Good" and "Evil" campaigns as a site of a major battleground.

'''2006: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II]]'':'''
:Dol Guldur is commanded by the [[Mouth of Sauron]], not [[Khamûl]]. Dol Guldur (or Mordor itself) sent a huge army of Orcs, Haradrim, and Trolls to assault [[Lonely Mountain|Erebor]]. The attack fails, and the Mouth of Sauron is killed along with all the attacking force. Dol Guldur is then itself attacked by a combined army of Elves and Dwarves led by [[Elrond]], [[Arwen]], [[Glorfindel]], [[Glóin]], and [[Dáin Ironfoot]]. After a long and hard struggle, the Elves and Dwarves finally overrun Dol Guldur and lay waste to the evil that dwelled there, ending Sauron's war campaign in the North once and for all.

:In the Evil Campaign, the Goblins from Dol Guldur eliminate the Elves and the Ents that guard the Forest Road in Mirkwood.

'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Dol Guldur is a central point in the game's second expansion, ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood]]''. In its storyline, Celeborn and Galadriel organize a military campaign against Dol Guldur while the Fellowship still resides in Lothlórien (not to be confused with the later battle during the War of the Ring). The announced goal is to sow chaos into Orc forces by destroying as many of their troops, weapons and supplies as possible, to delay an inevitable assault upon Lothlórien. The true purpose, however, is to distract the Eye of Sauron from the company departing down the shores of Anduin. An assault by the Golden Host of the Galadhrim is successful despite minor losses and after establishing multiple camps throughout southern Mirkwood arrives at the walls of the fortress itself. However, without the White Lady they do not have the means of bringing down the walls, so the Elves prepare to swiftly fall back beyond Anduin before the main forces of the Enemy arrive. The players can also explore multiple locations within the Fortress, among them the Necromancer's Gate, the Ringwraith's Lair, the Dungeons of Dol Guldur, the chief tower named Barad Guldur and Sammath Gul - the chambers once occupied by the Dark Lord himself. Much later, after the [[War of the Ring]], the Galadhrim and [[Elves of Mirkwood]] led by [[Thranduil]] lead a great assault on Dol Guldur, where Galadriel casts down the walls of the stronghold, and renames the hill "Dol Dhannen", "The Hill of Ruin".

==See also==
* [[:Category:Images of Dol Guldur|Images of Dol Guldur]]
* [[Attack on Dol Guldur]]
* [[Fall of Dol Guldur]]
* [[Sauron|Necromancer]]
{{references}}
[[Category:Buildings]]
[[Category:Fortresses]]
[[Category:Rhovanion]]
[[Category:Sindarin locations]]

[[de:Dol Guldur]]
[[fi:Dol Guldur]]
[[fr:encyclo:geographie:villes_tours_et_forteresses:rhovanion:dol_guldur]]

Chamber of Mazarbul

2018-12-29T06:02:18Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Portrayal in adaptations */

{{disambig-more|Mazarbul|[[Mazarbul (disambiguation)]]}}
{{rewrite}}
[[File:The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring - Chamber of Mazarbul2.jpg|250px|thumb|The Chamber of Mazarbul in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]].]]

The '''Chamber of Mazarbul''' was the old chamber of records of [[Moria|Khazad-dûm]]. Probably built during the earlier years of Khazad-dûm, it was later used as a base by [[Balin]] when he began his ill-fated attempt at recolonization in the late [[Third Age]].

==History==
[[File:Angus McBride - Moria.jpg|250px|thumb|left|[[Angus McBride]] - ''Moria'']]
The chamber itself was probably built at around the same time as the [[Twenty-first Hall]] in the Seventh Level. This would have been slightly later than the earliest Dwarven delvings, which were to be found in the lower levels near the [[Great Gates]].

In {{TA|2989}}, Balin led a group of Dwarves to recolonize [[Moria]]. Balin chose the Twenty-first Hall as his headquarters and set up his seat in the Chamber of Mazarbul.

When Balin was killed a few years later, he was laid to rest in a [[Balin's Tomb|tomb]] inside the chamber. It was there where the last remnants of the colony perished.

The [[Fellowship of the Ring|Fellowship]] found the chamber thirty years after Balin came to Moria and it was here that Gandalf found the [[Book of Mazarbul]], a record of Balin's recolonization efforts.

It was in the Chamber of Mazarbul that the Fellowship engaged in a [[Battle of the Chamber of Mazarbul|brief fight]] with a band of orcs and a [[Cave-trolls|Cave-troll]]. They retreated through the east door and [[Gandalf]] attempted to guard it against the [[Durin's Bane|Balrog]]. The roof of the Chamber collapsed then.

==Geography and appearance==
The chamber was located to the right of a pathway that branched off the north end of the Twenty-first hall. When the Fellowship found the chamber as they passed through Moria, [[Balin's Tomb]] was located inside it, and a bright shaft of sunlight streamed in from outside the mountain to land directly on the tomb.

There were two stone doors leading into the chamber (one entrance from the Twenty-first Hall, one from the stair tunnels that the Fellowship later used to flee the Balrog). Many deep recesses were cut into the chamber rock containing chests that had been recently looted by the [[Orcs]] inhabiting Moria. A deep dust had fallen upon the entire room by the time the Fellowship entered it, and the remains of a long-abandoned battle site were to be seen strewn across the floor.

==Etymology==
''[[Mazarbul (word)|Mazarbul]]'' means "records" in [[Khuzdul]]. This name was used in connection with the Chamber of Records of Khazad-dûm and the [[Book of Mazarbul|Book of Records]] found in that chamber.

==Portrayal in adaptations==
[[File:The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring - Chamber of Mazarbul3.jpg|250px|thumb|The Chamber of Mazarbul in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]].]]
'''2001: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'':'''
:In Peter Jackson's The Fellowship of the Ring ([[Scene 35: Balin's Tomb]] and [[Scene 36: The Bridge of Khazad-dûm]]), the Chamber of Mazarbul is presented much as it is described in the books, with a few notable exceptions.
:* It is placed in the center of the Twenty-first Hall, rather than on the right of a corridor running off the hall to the north.
:* There is only one proper door explicitly shown leading into the chamber, rather than the two described in the book. This door is also made of wood in the film, rather than stone. There is, however, one smashed doorway out of the back of the chamber, with the window illuminating Balin's tomb above it, which the Fellowship flee out of.
:* A well is also introduced into the layout, directly below the shaft of light. This well was found in the guardroom of the Crossroads in the book, but was transplanted here to serve greater dramatic purpose.


'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:The Chamber of Mazarbul is the final stand in the battle for the [[Twenty-first Hall]], one of the three battles where the Iron Garrison battle Orcs to drive them out of [[Moria|Khazad-dûm]] in [[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria|Mines of Moria]], Book V: [[Drums in the Deep]]. Much of the back portion of the room is in ruins, and debris blocks the passage leading down to the [[Second Hall]] (both of which are from the Fellowship's skirmish).

==See also==
* [[Moria|Khazad-dûm]]
* [[North End]]
* [[Seventh Level]]
* [[Twenty-first Hall]]
* [[Balin's Tomb]]
* [[Balin]]
* [[Battle of the Chamber of Mazarbul]]
* [[Book of Mazarbul]]

==References==

*{{FR|Journey}}
*{{FR|Bridge}}
* [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (extended edition)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' (extended edition)]] Audio Commentaries (Scene 35)
* [[Gary Russell]]'s [[The Art of the Fellowship of the Ring]]: "Moria"
* Alan Lee's [[The Lord of the Rings Sketchbook]]: "Moria"
==External links==
*[http://www.elvish.org/gwaith/movie.htm Fellowship of the Word-smiths: Other Movie Inscriptions] - A web page discussing many inscriptions from the movies, including those found on the Mazarbul walls.
*[http://home.planet.nl/~raas0056/mazarbul/ Mazarbul Wall Inscriptions Analysis] - A web site discussing the transcription of the Mazarbul wall runes from screen to page.
*[http://www.geocities.com/shire_society/mazarbul_analysis.html Mazarbul Wall Rune Analysis (English Only)] A detailed analysis of the English Mazarbul wall rune text.
* [http://www.geocities.com/shire_society/mazarbul_incident.html Mazarbul Wall Rune Incident] A detailed analysis of the incident with comments from those involved.

[[Category:Buildings]]
[[Category:Moria]]

[[de:Kammer von Mazarbul]]
[[fi:Mazarbulin Kammio]]

Walls of Moria

2018-12-29T05:59:36Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Portrayal in adaptations */

The '''Walls of Moria''' were the western rocky cliffs at the base of the [[Misty Mountains]].

The [[Doors of Durin]] were built upon that surface, and by the craft of its makers, the doorway blended into it when closed.<ref>{{FR|II4}}</ref>

Before the Walls, there was a shallow valley climbing westward to a small cliff and then to a road between the [[Stair Falls]], and the ancient [[Eregion]]
==Portrayal in adaptations==
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - The Walls of Moria map.jpg|thumb|Map of the Walls of Moria from ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]''.]]
'''2001: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring|Peter Jackson's The Fellowship of the Ring]]'':'''
:Fellowship passes the Walls of Moria before reaching the Durin's Gate.

'''2008: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria]]'':'''
:The Walls of Moria are a small sub-area of Eregion, where the Iron Garrison, an expedition of Dwarves from [[Erebor]] and the [[Iron Hills]], seek to gain entry into [[Moria]]. Players must pass through this place before entering the Mines themselves. This may not be so easy considering the [[Watcher in the Water]] still lurking in the deep waters.

{{references}}
[[Category:Walls]]
[[Category:Moria]]

Caradhras

2018-12-29T05:57:15Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Portrayal in adaptations */

{{mountain
| image=[[Image:Ted Nasmith - The Anger of the Mountain.jpg|250px|The Fellowship of the Ring at the Redhorn Gate as depicted by Ted Nasmith.]]
| name=Caradhras
| location=above [[Moria|Khazad-dûm]], between [[Celebdil]] and [[Fanuidhol]], on the border between [[Eriador]] and [[Rhovanion]]
| belongs=the [[Misty Mountains]]
| description=
| othernames=''Redhorn'' ([[Westron]]), ''Baraz(inbar)'' ([[Khuzdul]])
| etymology=Caradhras: ''[[caran]]'' - red, ''[[ras]]'' - horn Barazinbar: ''[[baraz]]'' - red, ''[[inbar]]'' - horn
| events=capture of [[Celebrían]], wife of [[Elrond]]; attempt of [[Fellowship of the Ring]] to cross Misty Mountains
| references=
}}
{{Pronounce|Caradhras.mp3|Ardamir}}
<center>{{quote|Caradhras was called the Cruel, and had an ill name long years ago, when rumour of Sauron had not been heard in these lands.|[[Gimli]]<ref name="South">{{FR|II3}}</ref>}}</center>
'''Caradhras''' ([[Sindarin|S]], pron. {{IPA|[kaˈraðras]}}) was one of the mightiest peaks in the [[Misty Mountains]].

==The Mountain==
[[File:Tom Cross - Caradhras.jpg|thumb|left|[[Tom Cross]] - ''Caradhras'']]
Caradhras was the tallest and northernmost of the [[Mountains of Moria]], the three mountains which the great [[Dwarves|Dwarf]] city of [[Moria|Khazad-dûm]] was built under. The other two were [[Celebdil]] (''Silvertine'') and [[Fanuidhol]] (''Cloudyhead''). Caradhras was described as "mighty peak, tipped with snow like silver, but with sheer naked sides". In the light of the rising or setting sun it appeared "dull red as if stained with blood".

Caradhras was called ''the Cruel'' by the Dwarves and had long had a bad reputation.<ref name="South"/> It was the site in Middle-earth where ''[[mithril]]'' was found and where [[Durin's Folk|Dwarves]] woke [[Durin's Bane]], the [[Balrogs|Balrog]] of [[Moria]].<ref>{{App|Durin}}</ref>

==The Redhorn Gate==

The '''Redhorn Gate''' (also called the ''Redhorn Pass'') was a narrow and dangerous pass through the [[Misty Mountains]] that led from the wilds of [[Eriador]] through to [[Rhovanion]] beyond. Sheer and steep, it climbed across the southern slopes of [[Caradhras]] and led down into the [[Dimrill Dale]] and hence the Vale of [[Anduin]] beyond the [[Mountains]].<ref name="South"/>

The Redhorn Gate was known to be treacherous. It was on this pass in {{TA|2509}} that [[Celebrían]], the wife of [[Elrond]], was captured by [[Orcs of the Misty Mountains]].<ref>{{App|Eriador}}</ref> This was also the pass used by the hobbits migrating from [[Gladden Fields]] into [[Eriador]].<ref>{{App|TA}}</ref>

After the fall of [[Moria|Khazad-dûm]], this pass was predominantly used by elves travelling between Lothlórien and Eriador. On [[11 January]] - [[12 January|12]], {{TA|3019}}, the [[Fellowship of the Ring]] attempted to cross the Misty Mountains by the Redhorn Gate.<ref>{{App|Great}}</ref> They came into a fierce blizzard and could not go any further due to the deep snow. So they were defeated by the ill will of the mountain and were forced to cross under the Misty Mountains through the Mines of Moria.<ref name="South"/>

==Etymology==
The name is [[Sindarin]] and means '''Redhorn'''. It is composed of ''[[caran]]'' "red" and ''[[ras]]'' "horn". As a compound, the contact of ''n'' next to ''r'' presents a phenomenon similar to ''[[prestanneth]]'': ''Cara'''n-r'''as'' is assimilated to ''Cara'''dhr'''as''.

'''[[Barazinbar]]''' (or also '''Baraz''') is the literal [[Khuzdul]] translation of "Redhorn".

==Portrayal in adaptations==
''2001:[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'':
:The violent snowstorms on the mountain are caused by [[Saruman]] and not the mountain itself. In his [[magic|spell]], Saruman mentions the [[Neo-Elvish|neo-Quenya]] name of Caradhras as ''Carnirasse''.
'''2007-2018:[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]:'''

:The Pass of Caradhras, as well as the Redhorn Gate are featured in the region of [[Eregion]]. The snowstorms are very strong in this area, and an avalanche prevents further travel to the lands of the east.

{{references}}
{{FellowshipRoute}}
[[Category:Mountains]]
[[Category:Pronounced articles]]
[[Category:Sindarin locations]]

[[de:Caradhras]]
[[fi:Caradhras]]
[[fr:encyclo:geographie:reliefs:monts_brumeux:caradhras]]

Tom Bombadil

2018-12-29T05:48:22Z

Sinordloresearcher:

{{disambig-more|Tom|[[Tom (disambiguation)]]}}<center>{{quote|Eldest, that's what I am... Tom remembers the first raindrop and the first acorn... he knew the dark under the stars when it was fearless – before the Dark Lord came from Outside.|Tom Bombadil, ''[[In the House of Tom Bombadil]]''.}}</center>
{{other infobox
| image=[[Image:John Howe - Tom Bombadil.jpg|250px]]
| name=Tom Bombadil
| pronun=
| othernames=Iarwain Ben-adar; Orald; Forn
| titles=The [[Eldest]]
| position=
| location=[[Old Forest]]
| affiliation=
| language=[[Westron]]
| birth=
| birthlocation=
| rule=
| death=
| deathlocation=
| age=
| notablefor=saving [[Frodo]], [[Sam]], [[Merry]] and [[Pippin]] from the [[Old Man Willow]] and the [[Barrow-wights|Barrow-wight]]
| parentage=
| siblings=
| spouse=[[Goldberry]]
| children=
| race=[[Tom Bombadil/Nature|Unknown]]
| gender=Male
| height=Short
| hair=
| eyes=
| clothing=Blue jacket and hat, boots
| weapons=Song
| steed=[[Fatty Lumpkin]]
}}
'''Tom Bombadil''' was an enigmatic figure that lived throughout the history of [[Arda]]. Living in the depths of the [[Old Forest]], he seemed to possess unequaled power in the land around his dwelling. Although seemingly benevolent, he took no stance against the [[Dark Lord]]s.

His existence passed into Hobbit lore and was referenced in poems such as ''[[The Adventures of Tom Bombadil]]''.

==History==
===Origins===
[[Image:Olanda Fong-Surdenas - Tom Bombadil.jpg|thumb|left|250px|''Tom Bombadil'' by Olanda Fong-Surdenas]]
{{quote|He is a strange creature.|[[Elrond]], ''[[The Council of Elrond]]''}}
The origins and [[Tom Bombadil/Nature|nature of Tom Bombadil]] are unknown; however, he already existed when the [[Morgoth|Dark Lord]] came to [[Arda]],<ref name="house">{{FR|Bombadil}}</ref> signifying he was alive even before the coming of the [[Valar]].

His role and nature in the [[Elder Days]] is unknown, but he must have witnessed most of the major events and battles. He also witnessed the reducing of the great forests that covered all [[Middle-earth]], and perhaps of his powers.<ref name="CoE"/>

The level of his interactions with the outside world is also unclear; however, he seemed to have a name among many peoples and perhaps became a folkloric figure in the traditions and legends of Elves, Dwarves and Men.<ref name="CoE"/><ref name="Adv">{{AB|Preface}}</ref>

During the [[Third Age]], Tom Bombadil lived in a little house by the river [[Withywindle]] in the [[Old Forest]], together with his lovely wife [[Goldberry]]. He had contact with the [[Bucklanders]]<ref name="Adv"/> and [[Farmer Maggot]], and perhaps it was this to which he owed his jolly and whimsical attitude.

However, since he was merry and benevolent, some of the Free Peoples considered him a potential ally (for example, [[Elrond]] and [[Erestor]] considered that he should be present at the [[Council of Elrond]]). However, according to [[Gandalf]], Tom Bombadil was perhaps not fully aware of the struggle of Light and Darkness and could not prove useful to their causes.<ref name="CoE"/>

===War of the Ring===
[[Image:Ted Nasmith - The Willow Man is Tamed.jpg|thumb|[[Ted Nasmith]] - ''The Willow Man is Tamed'']]
On [[26 September]], {{TA|3018}}, he encountered [[travellers|four hobbits]] while he was searching for water-lilies for his wife. Two of those Hobbits, [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]], had been captured by [[Old Man Willow]]. Tom, who was the master of the Old Forest, rescued them, and took all four of them to his house.<ref name="OldF">{{FR|Forest}}</ref>

The four hobbits stayed two nights, and he told them many tales and songs. With cunning questions, he made [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] tell him of the [[The One Ring|Ring]]. When Tom tried it on, nothing happened, but he then took it off and flipped it in the air and made the ring itself disappear, showing that indeed within his realm Tom was master. However, when Frodo put the ring on, Tom could still see him. He bade the Hobbit to come back and sit down; his hand was fairer without the ring.

The following morning, Tom warned his guests of the [[Barrow-downs]], and advised them to pass any barrow on the western side. He also taught them a song, should they come to peril.<ref name="house"/>

And they did come to peril. Tom chased off a [[Barrow-wights|wight]] with song, and broke the spells on the barrow in which the four hobbits were captured. While he sent the Hobbits into calm down, he went for provisions. He also brought the ponies that had belonged to Merry. After that, he broke the spells of the barrow. From the barrow's mighty hoard, he took a brooch for Goldberry, and gave a [[Daggers of Westernesse|dagger]] to each of the hobbits. He then advised them to make for ''[[The Prancing Pony]]'' in [[Bree]].<ref>{{FR|Barrow}}</ref>

The peril of the hobbits was not over; an attack on their lives was carried out, and their ponies were set loose. The ponies apparently remembered the care they were given in the house of Tom Bombadil, and returned to stay beside Tom's own pony, [[Fatty Lumpkin]]. He returned them to [[Barliman Butterbur]], the proprietor of ''The Prancing Pony''. Since he had paid eighteen pence as compensation for the loss, he was now the owner of five fine ponies.<ref>{{FR|Knife}}</ref>

==Etymology and other names==
Tom Bombadil went by many names:
* To the [[Elves]] and [[Dúnedain]], he was known as '''''[[iaur|Iar]][[gwain|wain]] [[penadar|Ben-adar]]''''', which translates to "oldest and fatherless".<ref name="CoE">{{FR|Council}}</ref> Iarwain literally means "Old-young"<ref>''[[The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion]]'' p. 128; quoting an unpublished letter by Tolkien</ref>
* To [[Men]] of the [[Vales of Anduin]] and [[Rohan]], he was known as '''''Orald'''''.<ref name="CoE"/> This is an [[Old English]] word meaning "very ancient.<ref name="nomen">{{HM|N}}, p, 761</ref>
* The Dwarves knew him as '''''Forn'''''. This too is a reference to his age: it is [[North Germanic languages|Old Norse]] for "(belonging to) ancient (days)".<ref name="nomen"/> In some imprints of ''[[The History of Middle-earth Index]]'', this name was accidentally spelled with a "P" as the first letter.<ref>{{HM|IX}}, "Tom Bombadil (VII)", p. 435</ref>
* ''Tom Bombadil'' is said to be a [[Buckland|Bucklandish]] name, added by Hobbit chroniclers to his many older ones. It is, like many names of the Bucklanders, untranslatable.<ref name="Adv"/>

==Inspiration==

Tom Bombadil was inspired primarily from a doll Tolkien's son, Michael, toyed with.{{fact}}

[[Paula Marmor]] notes that ''bobadil'' is an archaic word meaning "braggart", as seen in the character "Captain Bobadill" in the English play ''[[Wikipedia:Every Man in His Humour|Every Man in His Humour]]''. Because of its Bucklandish form, ''[[An Introduction to Elvish]]'' lists the name Bombadil under the "[[Celtic]]-sounding names". However, it is said that the word derives from '''[[Wikipedia:Boabdil|Boabdil]]''', the Spaniard name of [[Wikipedia:Muhammad XII of Granada|'''Abu Abdillah''' Muhammad XII]], the last Moorish ruler of Granada.<ref>[[Jim Allan]], ''[[An Introduction to Elvish]]'', Giving of Names</ref>

[[John D. Rateliff]] has noted a theory launched by scholar Justin Noetzel. In the latter's paper "Beorn and Tom Bombadil: Mythology, Narrative, and The Most (Non) Essential Characters in Middle-earth", Noetzel suggests an association of Tom Bombadil with the [[Wikipedia:Celtic Otherworld|Celtic Otherworld]] and tales of the [[Wikipedia:Tuatha Dé Danann|Tuatha Dé Danann]].<ref>{{webcite|author=[[John D. Rateliff]]|articleurl=http://sacnoths.blogspot.se/2013/03/valparaiso-day-three.html|articlename=Valparaiso, Day Three|dated=12 March 2013|website=Sac|accessed=14 March 2013}}</ref>

==Portrayal in adaptations==

Because he is left out of the three major adaptations ([[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|Ralph Bakshi]], [[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)|BBC's 1981 series]] and [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring|Peter Jackson's]]), Tom Bombadil's main role (providing the [[Daggers of Westernesse|Barrow-blades]]) is omitted. He does have several appearances in other adaptations, though.

{{Gallery
|title=Tom Bombadil in adaptations
|height=150
|width=200
|lines=3
|File:War in Middle Earth - Tom Bombadil.png|''[[J.R.R. Tolkien's War in Middle Earth]]''
|File:The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring (video game) - Tom Bombadil.JPG|[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' (video game)]]
|File:The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game - Tom Bombadil, The Master.jpg|''[[The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game]]''
|File:BFME2 - Tom Bombadil 03.jpg|''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II]]''
|File:Tom Bombadil LOTRO.jpg|''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]''
}}
'''1955: ''[[The Lord of the Rings (1956 radio series)|BBC Radio's The Lord of the Rings]]'':'''
:[[Norman Shelley]] voiced Bombadil, and Tolkien thought his portrayal "dreadful". [[Goldberry]] was portrayed as his daughter, rather than his wife<ref>{{L|175}}</ref>.

'''1979: [[The Lord of the Rings (1979 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1979 radio series)]]:'''
:In this series, Tom was voiced by [[Bernard Mayes]]. Like Norman Shelley before him, he also voiced [[Gandalf]].

'''1988: ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien's War in Middle Earth]]'':'''
:Tom Bombadil can be found outside his house in the Old Forest.

'''1990: ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings Volume I]]'':'''
:Tom Bombadil rescues the party from the Willow Man, and provides information, supplies, shelter, and side-quests for the party. He later rescues the party from the Barrow Wights, and very briefly joins as a temporary playable character while inside the barrow. His role runs almost directly parallel to the original, with some related passages of ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'' quoted directly. However, [[Goldberry]]'s role is significantly changed to provide a quest for the party.

'''1992: [[Tales from the Perilous Realm (1992 radio series)|''Tales from the Perilous Realm'' (1992 radio series)]]:'''
:When he adapted the 1981 [[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)|radio series]], [[Brian Sibley]] deeply regretted cutting Bombadil from the radio series.<ref>[[Brian Sibley]], ''[http://briansibleytheworks.blogspot.com/2008/01/this-page-is-still-under-construction_23.html The Ring Goes Ever On]''</ref> When he made ''[[Tales from the Perilous Realm]]'' into a radio series, he decided to change the section "[[The Adventures of Tom Bombadil]]". Rather than several (unadaptable) Hobbitish poems, Sibley adapted the chapters from ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]''. Bombadil is voiced by [[Ian Hogg]].

'''2001-2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game]]'':'''
:Although Tom Bombadil does not appear in [[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' film series]], Decipher produced a card for the character. He was portrayed by Harry Weller-Chew.

'''2002: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' (video game)]]:'''
:[[Daran Norris]] portrayed Bombadil with a Scottish accent. His role is much like that in the book, and as one of the few characters in this video game, he keeps most of his songs.

'''2002: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]]'':'''
:In the [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (extended edition)|extended edition]], some of Bombadil's poems are transferred to [[Treebeard]], and so is his encounter with [[Old Man Willow]].

'''2006: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II]]'':'''
:Bombadil is a summonable power. Once summoned, he can plow through enemy lines. His most powerful weapon is a "Sonic Song". As soon as [[Electronic Arts|EA]] secured the rights to the books, it was decided that Tom Bombadil should be in it; his appearance is kept close to his description in the book.<ref>[http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/battleformiddleearth2/news.html?sid=6139678 The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II Q&A - Enter Tom Bombadil], [http://www.gamespot.com/ GameSpot.com]</ref>

'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Tom can be found either inside or outside his house in the Old Forest. He helps the player track down crebain scouts possessing important information, and later arrives to rescue the player from the Barrow-Downs when (s)he gets himself in more than (s)he is prepared for, much like the Hobbits in the Book.

'''2012: ''[[Lego The Lord of the Rings: The Video Game]]'':'''
:Bombadil is a playable character. He uses a trowel as a weapon and for digging in certain spots. Tom can be found in his house on the road to the north of [[Bucklebury Ferry]] in the forested area between [[Bree]] and the Shire. It is unclear if this forest is meant to be the Old Forest or not; it is in the right location, but the game never specifically names it and its physical appearance does not fit the book's description.

===Collectibles===
In [[April]] [[2008]], [[Gentle Giant]] released the Tom Bombadil Mini Bust.

==See also==
*'''[[Tom Bombadil/Nature|The Nature of Tom Bombadil]]'''
*[[:Category:Images of Tom Bombadil|Images of Tom Bombadil]]

== External links ==
* [http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/t/tombombadil.html Entry in the Encyclopedia of Arda] (a concise overview of the discussion)
* [http://middle-earth.xenite.org/2012/08/27/count-count-weigh-divide/ Count, Count, Weigh, Divide] by [[Michael Martinez]] (discusses Tom Bombadil's moral aspects at length)
* [http://www.whoistombombadil.blogspot.com/2013/01/tom-bombadil-as-music-of-ainur_9.html Tom as the Music of the Ainur] discusses the major theories of Tom's origins and proposes a new theory.
* [http://www.cas.unt.edu/~hargrove/tombomb.html Who Is Tom Bombadil?] (an essay by Gene Hargrove)

{{references}}
{{ringbearers}}
[[Category:Characters in The Lord of the Rings]]
[[Category:Enigmas]]
[[Category:First Age characters]]
[[Category:Second Age characters]]
[[Category:Third Age characters]]
[[de:Tom Bombadil]]
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[[fi:Tom Bombadil]]

Old Man Willow

2018-12-29T05:46:15Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Portrayals in adaptations */

__NOTOC__
{{other infobox
| image=[[File:Ted Nasmith - The Willow Man is Tamed.jpg|250px]]
| name=Old Man Willow
| pronun=
| othernames=The Great Willow; "Old grey Willow-man"
| titles=
| position=
| location=[[Old Forest|The Old Forest]]
| affiliation=
| language=
| birth=
| birthlocation=
| rule=
| death=
| deathlocation=
| age=
| notablefor=almost crushing [[Merry]] and [[Pippin]] to death
| parentage=
| siblings=
| spouse=
| children=
| race=Unknown (possibly a [[Huorn]])
| gender=Male
| height=
| hair=
| eyes=
| clothing=
| weapons=Spells
| steed=
}}
'''Old Man Willow''' was a [[willows|willow]] in the [[Old Forest]] standing near [[Withywindle]].
==History==
He might have been an [[Ents|Ent]] who had become tree-like, or possibly a [[Huorns|Huorn]], as the Old Forest was originally part of the same primordial forest as [[Fangorn Forest|Fangorn]].

The '''Great Willow''' was evil-hearted and from it much of the Forest's hatred of walking things came.<ref name="OMW">{{FR|I6}}</ref> Despite his power, [[Tom Bombadil]], who called him '''Old grey Willow-man''', had power over him, and checked the evil as much as he could, or was willing.

On [[26 September]] {{TA|3018}}<ref>{{App|Great}}</ref> Old Man Willow cast a spell on the hobbits ([[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]], Merry and Pippin), causing them to feel sleepy. Merry and Pippin leaned against the trunk and fell asleep, while Frodo sat on a root to dangle his feet in the water, before also falling asleep. The tree trapped Merry and Pippin in cracks in the trunk, and tipped Frodo into the stream.

Sam managed to fight off the spell and rescued Frodo from the stream. Together they attempted to save Merry and Pippin by lighting a fire at the tree's base, but this only served to infuriate Old Man Willow, who threatened to kill the trapped hobbits. They were saved by the timely arrival of Tom Bombadil who knew "the tune for him".<ref name="OMW"/>

In the poem ''[[The Adventures of Tom Bombadil]]'', Old Man Willow sings Tom Bombadil to sleep and traps him in a crack. He then speaks to Tom, chastising him for spying on him and tickling him with his feather. Tom orders Old Man Willow to release him, which he does immediately.<ref>{{AB|Tom}}</ref>

==Other Versions of the Legendarium==
In ''[[The Return of the Shadow]]'', in the early text for ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', the incident with Old Man Willow has Bingo (who would later become Frodo) and Odo (who would become Pippin) lying against the tree. Frodo (who becomes Sam) is the one pushed into the river while Marmaduke (later Merry) is the one who resists the spell.<ref>{{RS|Forest}}</ref>

Later in Tom Bombadil's house Tom relates the lore concerning Old Man Willow. He is described as a "grey thirsty earth-bound spirit" that had "become imprisoned in the greatest Willow of the Forest".<ref>{{RS|Tom}}</ref>

==Portrayals in adaptations==
'''1994: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: Volume 1]]'''''
:In this game, Old Man Willow is shown to be capable of speech, as shown when he swallows not only Merry and Pippin, but also Sam. He gloats to Frodo about how tasty Hobbits are, and also threatens to crush his friends if he tries attacking him. Strangely, he also has some skill in penmanship, as he wrote and left a note on the ground, inviting the Hobbits to sleep near him before he traps them in his jaws.
'''2002: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)|The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring video game]]'''''
:In the console and PC versions, Old Man Willow appears as a boss in the Withywindle Valley region of the Old Forest, who Frodo must defeat by crippling his arm-like branches, while dodging roots that rise up from the ground. Attempting to strike Old Man Willow's trunk will only injure Merry and Pippin, who are trapped inside. Attacking the trunk too many times will kill them, resulting in a Game Over.
'''2002: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]]'':'''
:Although he did not appear in the 2001 [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring|movie adaptation]], a very similar episode with [[Hobbits]] being swallowed by a tree was included in the [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (extended edition)|extended edition]], where Merry and Pippin are swallowed by a Huorn in [[Fangorn Forest]], to be saved by [[Treebeard]].
'''2007-18: [[The Lord of the Rings Online]]:'''
:Old Man Willow rests on his small island in the middle of the [[Withywindle]], where he slowly drains nearby players of energy and power.

===See also===
* [[:Category:Images of Old Man Willow|Images of Old Man Willow]]

{{references}}

[[Category:Characters in The Lord of the Rings]]
[[Category:Enigmas]]
[[Category:Trees]]
[[de:Alter Weidenmann]]
[[fr:encyclo/personnages/vieil_homme-saule]]
[[fi:Vanha Halavaukko]]

Crickhollow

2018-12-29T05:43:00Z

Sinordloresearcher: /* Portrayals in Adaptations */

[[File:Matěj Čadil - Crickhollow.jpg|thumb|[[Matěj Čadil]] - ''Crickhollow'']]
'''Crickhollow''' was a location, perhaps a small settlement in [[Buckland]], located a short way to the northeast of [[Brandy Hall]].<ref>{{FR|Part}}</ref>

Its most notable spot was an isolated house standing back from the lane in the middle of a wide lawn. It was surrounded by low trees inside an outer hedge, and there were no other dwellings nearby. This house was occasionally occupied with [[Brandybuck Family|Brandybuck]] [[Hobbits]] who grew tired of the often crowded [[Brandy Hall]].<ref name="Conspiracy">{{FR|I5}}</ref>

==History==
[[Frodo Baggins]] was instructed by [[Gandalf]] to find a reason why he should leave [[Hobbiton]] (and [[the Shire]]) and meet him in [[Bree]]. In the summer of {{TA|3018}}, [[Frodo Baggins]] bought this house, as an excuse for leaving [[Hobbiton]] to the east.<ref>{{FR|I3}}</ref>
[[File:Ted Nasmith - Bathing at Crickhollow.jpg|thumb|left|[[Ted Nasmith]] - Bathing at Crickhollow]]
While Frodo, [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]], and [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]] moved out, [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and [[Fredegar Bolger|Fatty Bolger]] were already in that house, making preparations for their arrival. They were the only Hobbits who knew that Frodo would begin a journey to the east, so they made preparation for their departure as well.

On [[25 September]], Frodo and his company arrived at the lodgings, and met Merry and Fatty. The next day Frodo and his party departed for the [[Old Forest]]. It was decided that Fatty would stay at Crickhollow to maintain the pretense that Frodo was still in residence to hide his departure.<ref name="Conspiracy"/> Frodo spent only one night; at [[26 September|dawn]] they picked up the ponies from a nearby stable and rode to the [[High Hay]].

In the early hours of [[30 September]] three [[Nazgûl|Black Riders]] came to the house in Crickhollow,<ref>{{App|Great}}</ref> but Fatty Bolger had already escaped. He had run to the nearest house and from there he spread news of an invasion, which traveled swiftly to [[Brandy Hall]], and resulted in the rousing of the hobbits of [[Buckland]].<ref>{{FR|I11}}</ref>

After the [[War of the Ring]], Merry and Pippin lived together for some time at Crickhollow.<ref>{{RK|VI9}}</ref>

==Etymology==

[[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] noted that the first element is obsolete and of obscure meaning. A ''hollow'' is a small depression in the ground.<ref name="Nomen">{{HM|N}}, p. 768</ref>

Based on this, [[David Salo]] has suggested a speculative [[Old English|Old Hobbitish]] form *''Crycholh'' from which Crickhollow derives. The obscure element ''cryc'' could represent, as can be expected in [[Stoorish]], a [[Celtic]] ([[Wikipedia:British language|Old Brythonic]]) word for "hill". The placename would therefore mean "low place by the hill".<ref>{{webcite|author=[[David Salo]]|articleurl=http://groups.yahoo.com/group/elfling/message/121|articlename=Hobbitish Place-names|dated=23 November 1998|website=[[Elfling]]}}</ref>

It is not clear in the ''Lord of the Rings'' whether Crickhollow was a village or a region occupied by a solitary house. The [[Encyclopedia of Arda]] mentions Crickhollow as a village<ref>{{webcite|articleurl=http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/c/crickhollow.html|articlename=Crickhollow|website=[[Encyclopedia of Arda]]|author=Mark Fisher}}</ref>. [[Robert Foster]] describes Crickhollow as a "place in Buckland"<ref>[[Robert Foster]], ''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]'', p. 75, entry "Crickhollow"</ref> whereas [[Karen Fonstad]] believes that Crickhollow is just the name of Frodo's house.<ref>[[Karen Wynn Fonstad]], ''[[The Atlas of Middle-earth]]'', p. 120</ref>

== Portrayals in Adaptations ==
'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Crickhollow is visited by players during the Volume 1 Epic Book, ''[[Stirrings in the Darkness]]''. [[Fredegar Bolger]] is found worrying about the recent attack by the [[Ringwraiths]] on Crickhollow, and the broken door and cloak found in the front. Players must then defend Fredegar from enemy [[Crebain]] that descend to attack.
{{references}}
[[Category:Buckland]]
[[Category:Cities, towns and villages of the Shire]]

[[de:Krickloch]]
[[fi:Krikkolo]]