Monday, January 6, 2014

The Lonely Mountain - Erebor

In J. R. R. Tolkien's Novels (The Hobbit & The Lord of the Rings), the Lonely Mountain (also known as Erebor) is a mountain in the north of Rhovanion. It is the source of the Celduin River, and the location of the Kingdom Under the Mountain. The town of Dale lies in a vale on its southern slopes.


Once upon a time, the Kingdom of Erebor in the Lonely Mountain was taken from the dwarfs by the evil dragon Smaug. One day, the young Hobbit Bilbo Baggins is unexpectedly visited by the wizard Gandalf the Grey and twelve homeless dwarfs led by their former king Thorin and decided to vanquish Smaug and recover Erebor and their treasure. Bilbo joins the company in an unexpected journey through dangerous lands of the Middle-Earth where they have to fight against Trolls, Orcs and other magic creatures. Bilbo also meets the Gollum and finds his lost magic ring. 


In 2770 Third Age., while the young Thorin II Oakenshield was out hunting, the dragon Smaug flew south from the Grey Mountains, killed all the dwarves he could find, and destroyed the town of Dale. Smaug then took over the mountain, using the dwarves' hoard as a bed. King Thrór, his son Thráin II, and several companions escaped death by a secret door.


It wasn't until Thrór's grandson Thorin II Oakenshield met the Wizard Gandalf that the hopes of retaking the Lonely Mountain seemed possible. Indeed in the year Third Age 2941 with Gandalf's council, king Thorin and a small company of friends and family actually made it to the Lonely Mountain.


Formed from    Part of the exiled Dwarves of the Grey Mountains led by King Thrór
Establishment    Third Age 1999
Dissolution         Third Age 2770
Restoration        Third Age 2941



The mountain was the habitat for a variety of plants and animals, including thrushes, crows, snails and pines; some of these were endemic sub-species. Perhaps the most well-known were the ravens of Ravenhill, a spur of the mountain. Some wildlife survived the Desolation of Smaug, a dragon who invaded the Mountain and dominated its surrounds for nearly 200 years in the Third Age.


The Kingdom under the Mountain was founded by Thráin I the Old, who discovered the Arkenstone there. His son, Thorin I, left the mountain with much of the Folk of Durin to live in the Ered Mithrin (Grey Mountains) on account of the great riches to be found in that range. After dragons plundered their hoards, the Longbeards, led now by Thrór, a descendant of Thorin, returned to Erebor to take up the title King under the Mountain.


With the restoration of the Kingdom under the Mountain the area became prosperous again. Dale was rebuilt under Bard's leadership, and dwarves and men reforged their friendship. Gimli, a dwarf of Erebor, was chosen to represent his people in the Fellowship of the Ring and helped Aragorn II regain the throne of Gondor.


At the goblins the King notices the dwarves swords and recoils from the sight of Orchrist, known to them as the "Goblin Cleaver", he orders the dwarves killed. As the goblins move in suddenly there is a large white burst and everyone is stunned. Gandalf appears and urges the dwarves to run. They gather their swords and rush down the rickety wooden paths in an exciting and physics-defying chase.


Mithrandir 

Complete Map of Erebor The Lonely Mountain


# Click on the images to see bigger view.