Middle Earth
Middle Earth is the setting where the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
Regions
Eriador
Located in the northwest, Eriador is generally remote and isolated from most of the goings-on of Middle-Earth. It was once home to the human kingdom of Arnor and the elven kingdom of Eregion, but both collapsed by the time The Hobbit takes place. What's left is a mostly depopulated and rustic region.
- The Shire
- Bree-Land
- Old Forest
- Barrow-Downs
- Rivendel
- Amon Sul
- Grey Havens
Rohan
The kingdom of the Horse Lords, Rohan is a wide open plain that was gifted to the Rohirrim by Gondor. To the East is the Gap of Rohan where Isengard is located, and where Dunland lies just beyond.
- Edoras
- Hornburg
- Dunharrow
- Fangorn Forest
Gondor
The main human kingdom of the setting; Gondor was once a mighty kingdom that is now failing, having endured centuries of political strife and decay. The last king has long ago disappeared with no heir, leaving it under the rule of the house of Stewards. It has become increasingly militarized to deal with threats from the East, at the expense of its former cultural and intellectual advances. Gondor used to stretch all the way east to the Sea of Rhun and South to Harad, but they have since been beaten back and lost the eastern side of the Anduin river, where Ithilian and Minas Ithil were located.
- Minas Tirith
- Osgiliath
- Dol Amroth
- Pellagir
Misty Mountains
A long mountain range that runs North-South. It represents a major obstacle as only a few safe passages exist. Various kingdoms have also been set up here as well.
- Pass of Caradhas
- Moria
- Goblin-Town
- Angmar
- Gundabad
Beleriand
A former land mass West of Eriador. It was here that the first elven and human kingdoms were built in the First Age, though they had to contend with many invasions by Morgoth and his allies from the East. Eventually things got so bad that one of the inhabitants, a half-elf named Earendil, sailed all the way to the Undying Lands and petitioned the Valar to intervene. The resulting battle basically broke Beleriand apart and it sank into the sea; the survivors either moved Eastward, or traveled to the new island of Numenor.
Rhovanion
The large stretch of land that lies East of the Misty Mountains, and North of Rohan. Many realms exist here, though they are frequently exposed to attacks from Rhun.
- Mirkwood
- Lothlorien
- Erebor
- Dale & Laketown
- Amon Hen
- Emyn Muil
- Dagorlad
Mordor
One does not simply walk to there. A wasteland where Sauron built his kingdom, defended by three mountain ranges and a generally inhospitable landscape.
- Minas Morgal
- Udun
- Gorgorath
- Nurn
Rhun
A general name for the East, Rhun is not covered in much detail. It has many kingdoms that have allied themselves with Mordor. The Easterling armies fought in the War of the Ring, and even put up a tough fight after Sauron had been defeated.
Harad
The realm south of Gondor; Harad is home to various tribesmen living in he deserts and jungles far away.
- Near Harad
- Far Harad
- Umbar
Regions that are technically not Middle-Earth, but are important to the story
Aman
Known to mortals as "The Undying Lands," this is where the Valar live, and where elves go when they cross the sea. Aman used to be connected to Middle Earth via a dangerous ice bridge known as the Helcarxe, literally "grinding ice." After Numenor attempted to invade Aman (it's considered a big no-no for Mortals to try to enter) the Valar separated Aman from Middle-Earth and turned the formerly flat Arda into a sphere; elves can still travel there via the "straight road" but cannot return. Only three known mortals ever lived in Aman; the ring-bearers Frodo and Sam, and Gimli the Dwarf.
- Valinor
- Tirion
- Tol Erresia
Numenor
The setting's version of Atlantis. Numenor was created as a reward for the men who fought on the Valar's side in the First Age, and became a mighty sea empire, with an advanced civilization that rivaled the Elves. Over time, however, the kings became obsessed with immortality and became corrupted by Sauron, and after some nudging decided to invade Aman. Big mistake. The invaders became trapped underground, Numenor sank beneath the sea, and those with enough sense to see what was happening escaped to Middle-Earth to found Gondor and Arnor.
General clarification
Middle Earth is not the name of The World of the Tolkien's mythos, the term for that would technically be Arda. Middle Earth refers to the general landmass where the events of the books take place. At the same time Arda is not an alien planet or alternate universe but rather a lost era of our world with Middle Earth being roughly where Europe was. This is in it's way quite sad when you think about it since it would mean that after the events of the books where our heroes sail off to Valinor all the cultures of Gondor, Rohan, Laketown and so forth gradually falter and fail totally, leaving only cave men.
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