 | |
| Eagles' eyrie | |
| Great Shelf | |
|---|---|
| General Information | |
| Other names | The Eyrie |
| Location | North-eastern Misty Mountains |
| Type | Eagles' eyrie |
| Description | A wide shelf of rock on a mountainside reachable only by flying |
| People and History | |
| Inhabitants | Eagles, Great Eagle |
| Created | Sometime before 19 July, T.A. 2941 |
| Events | Quest of Erebor |
The Lord of the Eagles bids you to bring your prisoners to the Great Shelf
The Great Shelf, also known as the Eyrie, was the most important "eagles' eyrie" located on the north-eastern side of the Misty Mountains.[1] Its exact location was unknown, but it was presumably close to the High Pass and Goblin-town. It was from this location that the Eagles helped the Elves of Rivendell kept watch over the lands east of the Misty Mountains, gathering information about the Orcs in the region.[2]
As shown in Tolkien's own illustration, it was not within the main range of the Misty Mountains themselves, but on a peak that stood a little way out into the plain, eastward of the main mountain-chain.
History
It is not known when the Great Eagle and his fifteen chieftains[3] first settled the Great Shelf.
On 19 July in the year T.A. 2941,[4] the Eagles of the eyrie rescued Thorin and Company from the tops of the trees at the meeting-place of the Goblins and the Wargs. After which, Bilbo Baggins and Dori were taken to one of the "eagles' eyries" of the North before the Eagle who brought them there was bidden to take them to the Great Shelf to see the Great Eagle. Upon arriving at the Great Shelf, Thorin and Company were given leave by the Great Eagle to light a fire to cook rabbits, hares, and sheep. where they spent the night.[1]
The next day, after it was revealed that the Eagles rescued the Dwarves because Gandalf had previously healed the Great Eagle of an arrow-wound in the past,[1] the Great Eagle and his chieftains took Thorin and Company from the Great Shelf to the Carrock.[3]
Portrayal in adaptations
2019: The Lord of the Rings Online:
- The Eyrie is located in the "Wolf-denes" are of the Vales of Anduin. It cannot be accessed from below, and the player visits it after being carried by a friendly Eagle.
References
| Route of Thorin and Company |
|---|
| Bag End · Green Dragon · The Shire · Lone-lands · Last Bridge · Trollshaws · Trolls' lair · Rivendell · High Pass · Front Porch · Goblin-town · Goblin-gate · Eagle's Eyrie · Carrock · Beorn's Hall · Wilderland · Forest Gate · Elf-path · Mirkwood · Elvenking's Halls · Forest River · Lake-town · Long Lake · River Running · Desolation of the Dragon · Ravenhill · Back Door · Lonely Mountain · Great Hall of Thráin |