Mordor

The name of no land conjures up more fear than that of Mordor. Even Angmar and Mirkwood cannot inspire the dread associated with the barren volcanic plateau of Gorgoroth and the dry reaches of Núrn. Once the home of Sauron, Mordor is now an arid and unfriendly place, overrun with Orcs and other foul creatures.

Geography

Type: Volcanic Plateau.
Area: 117.200 square miles.
Elevation: average. 3.100 feet. lowest point. Morannon (S. "Black Gate") 850 feet. highest point: Orod Raugbalch(S. "Mighty-demon Mountain") 9.032 feet.
Climate: average annual precipitation: 5-20 inches. mean annual temperature 80-90°F average low. Girith on 25°F average high. Ivanneth 120°F
Composition: The entire plateau of Gorgoroth is of volcanic origin, as is most of the land of Nurnto the south. In many places, the furnaces of the earth are still active, filling the air with noxious fumes and occasionally hurling chunks of rock and lava for many miles. Basaltis the most common rock type, giving the region its black appearance. The landscape appears jagged and cracked, the result of powerful volcanic activity and millennia of unchecked erosion.
Notes: While Gorgoroth is as dry as death, some vegetation is present in Núrn. Unfortunately, little is known about Núrn, for the last Men of the West to travel there were the scouts of Elendil during the siege of Barad-dur. Old maps depict a great inland sea. which some journals describe as "salty and unpotable." Still, fresh water must exist in Núrn for Sauron fed his vast armies from foodstuffs produced there. Current expeditions into Gorgoroth never have any pleasant details to report. By all accounts, the plateau is arid, nigged, and Orc-infested. It is a haven for fugitives from Gondorianjustice, though surely the gallows would be preferable to a life in Mordor.

Mordor in TA 1650

Political Organization: Occupied Territory.
Rulers: Dringir, Captain of Durthang; Veantur, Captain of Cirith Ungol; Dorgilatar, Captain of Cirith Gorgor.
Administrative Organization: Gondor's military holds the only legitimate and stable authority in Mordor. Commandis divided into three districts, each centered around one of the citadels in the Ephel Duath. This leaves most of Gorgoroth and all of Nurn unadministered,but the risks are too great to act otherwise.
Population: 75,000 Orcs (mainly in Nurn).
Military: Durthang: 200 Gondorian Soldiers; Cirith Ungol: 100 Gondorian Soldiers;Cirith Corgor. 300 Gondorian Soldiers.Conquered Host. 11.000 Orc Warriors.2,170 Uruks; 750 Warg-riders.100 Trolls.
Products: No exports.
Symbol: The White Tree of Gondor.

In ages past, according to mournful Elvish songs, Mordor was once a pleasant and verdant land, as fertile as Ithilien, but the eruptions of Orodruin following the creation of the Ruling Ring by Sauron in the middle of the Second Age turned the plain of Gorgoroth into an arid wasteland. The region known as Nurn is not as desolate as Gorgoroth, but the perils of traversing the waste of Orodruin prevents Gondor from exploiting the iron mines and fields around the Sea of Nurn. Orcs hold the area in increasing numbers, and their organization improves (by means of secret orders imposed from Dol Guldur). The scattered tribes have formed themselves into six confederate groups, apparently under the influence of some outside powers. Only the most foolhardy of explorers venture very far from the Gondorian outposts in the region. Not even the army travels deep into the Orc-held lands without a sizeable host. The Gondorian garrisons were established at the request of Isildur, who wished to ensure that the hordes of Mordor would never again trouble the West. However, pressing problems on Gondor's eastern and southern borders caused her gaze to wander away from Mordor. The Orcish population grew, even as the Kings slowly reduced the size of the garrisons to free troops for more immediately ominous campaigns. The Plague further decimated the number of Gondorian soldiers who kept watch on Mordor, for their numbers were not replaced. Contact with the outpost at Carach Angren ended soon after the Plague, and the Captain of Durthang has recommended that evacuation would be the wisest course of action in light of the citadel's precarious position. Mordor became a territory of Gondor after the Downfall of Sauron at the hands of Isildur, but it remains unexploited. The lack of easily obtainable resources cooled most interest in the region, and most Kings were content to leave only a small garrison in the wasteland to keep watch on Sauron's legacy. Raids by Orcs are common, and only in the Dúnadan citadels are Men safe. Travel between the fortresses usually occurs in large and well-guarded caravans. Garrison duty in Mordor is an assignment most soldiers are loath to pull. More attractive is the garrison at Minas Ithil, where a soldier can campaign against Orcs for one week and relax in the city for another. Terror keeps most casual visitors out of Mordor, and the lack of easily available resources keeps most serious investors at bay. The ruins of Barad-dûr remain undisturbed since the fall of Gil-galad and Elendil, but there are none with the courage to brave an extended expedition into Gorgoroth. King Tarondor would seriously consider subsidies for settlement in Mordor if he could be convinced that the parties concerned were well-armed, wellfunded, and determined. He has received no such offers, however. Instead, his advisors counsel him to abandon his citadels in Mordor, for they provide no useful function to the kingdom in a time of great crisis. Were Gondor to intensify her operations in Mordor, however, the King would eventually notice that the increase in Orc population is not a result of ordinary growth, but of a constant flow of reinforcements from Dol Guldur in southern Mirkwood. The Orcs travel in secret, using hidden tunnels to bypass the watchful eyes of Gondorian garrison. They have orders to prepare Mordor for the return of its master, and they busy themselves out of the eyes of the garrisons, building cavern complexes and infernal machines of war. A number of the Nazgûl have arrived secretly in Mordor to direct them in their tasks. Their presence is not suspected even by the Wise, for Sauron has no desire to reveal himself openly before his agents find the Ring.

settlements and places of interest

Adzamon Akulug Amon Amarth Amon Darthir Amon Gorgor Amondhol Angurath Antimony Mines Barad Ungol Barad-dur Barad Feren Bar-Lithryn Barad Núrn Barad Othnir Barad perras Barad Silme Barad-wath Barad Wethrin Barduath Barrows of Mordor Burch Nurn Bûth Ovaisa Carach Angren Caragor's Cave Caran Carndil Carvarad Carchost Cirith Dúath Cirith Gorgor Cirith Helkond Cirith Núrn Copper Mines Cracks of Doom Den Núrn Dimrost Durthang Eastern Guard (Mordor) Fort Morn Garmagoum Gelebrin Gold Mine Gorneihal The Gorthaur Grop Kodar Gûldag Hallorn Hallras Hightower Ironmine Kal Nargil Katund Akûl Kermandûr Kra-Búrzum Kûl Tarkorûl Kurvasagh Lag-Angren Lag-Dagûr Lag-Digturmarr Lag-Fhauga Lag-Flaksharbtur Lag-Ghurzûn Lag-Hundur Lag-Kirithgal Lag-Konzi Lag-Lithlad Lag-Mayakûl Lag-Malmabuz Lag-Scara Lag-Shermat Lag-Uyakdagûl Lag-Ûlurikon Lag-Vrasfhotak Lag-Zayarzot Lhugdol Linnica Lug Ghurzûn Lugarlûr Luglûrak Lugshar Marmaegon Minas Dûrlith Minas Morgûl Morannon Morgoth's Scar Morigost Mormaegon Narchost Nargroth Nebûrkha Nehirin Núrnen Fishery Núrngost Núrumurl Iol Shale Mines Oraishapek's Mound Orduga Aivaisa Orod Raugbalch Ostigurth Outcast Camp Rauveleg Rog Angren Rûl Rustrond Sammath Naur Seregost Sharmat-Dûr Sturlurtsa Núrn Teshgol Camp Thaurband Tir Bannor Tir Obel Tissen Tower of the Mouth Urlurtsu Núrn Uruk's Hollow Vaarfest Virk Ulgath Zarôk Ioriag

Regions

Baugatsor-i-Sauron Chain of Blades Cirith Dúath Cirith Gorgor Cirith Morgûl Cirith Ungol Cracks of Doom Den Núrn Durthang-Spur Ephel Dúath Ered Angûrath Ered Lithui Eregwath Gaer Dûrlith Ghurzun Gorgoroth Grip of Sauron Gwathiraug Haidh-i-Naug Huk Saromis Hutel-Hara Sands Imlad Morgûl Lithlad Morgai Orodruin Perth Ulmyn Naur Trench Núrn Udûn Borderlands: Dagorlad Dead marshes March of Caradhram Nan Girith Teshgol Boundary

Roads

Mulburz Road Nargroth Road Sauron's Road Southward Road Tribute Road

Creatures

Orcs: Gusmûras Lesser Orcs Uruk-Hai

Trolls: Cave Trolls Graugs Hill Trolls Olog-Hai Stone Trolls

Animals: Angusaiweli Ants Axebeaks Beaded Lizards Black Erbain Black Goats Black Lizards Black swans Caragath Caragors Cave-bears Cave Lions Cliff buzzards Crows Death shrews Deer Eagles Echo-hawks Falcons Fell Fowl Finches Flyers of Mordor Gorgoroth toads Great Beasts Grey wolves Ground bees Gûlscaru lesser Hell-Hawks Hornets Locusts of mordor maggots midges Mordor-Bats Mordor Cattle Mordor Horses Mordor Rats Morgai Bees Morgai flies Morgûl Bats Morgul Spiders Morungol Mules Rock Vipers Mordor Scorpions Snakes Sparrows Spiders Toads War-wolves Winanbar

Monsters Ash drakes Cave-Worms Fell-beasts Giant Spiders Wargs

Undead Barrow-Wights Ghosts Ghouls Ghûls Groping Dead Gúrzyul Skeletons Specters Werewolves Zuzarhî

Olvar

Alfirin Athelas Azuradan Blue Milk Brambles of Mordor Carandôl Earthbread Elgaran Eregwath-wort Galenas Gorgoroth Cactus Gorgoroth Nettles grey grass Gwînuial Hithlas Lothrond low scrubby trees Mallos Mordor briars Morgai Thorns Morgûl-Moss Morthond Naugrimbas Niphredil Núrn-Trees Orchamarth piked Shrubs Remmenthond

Tribes

Men: Donaen Edain-i-Morgûl Outcasts of Udûn Guruthal Urgurnk Nurnhoth Odhriags Rangers of the Black Gate Thandrim Variags

Orcs: before T.A. 1640 Drepa-Hai Duruk-Burniz Goth-Skrigurz Halraendir (or Homhurzig) Rumarzgi Scara-Hai (or orcs of the green claw) Skugga-Strigz Snagaghash Snaga-Ong Thrakognir Urgdug Uruk-Burzrik Uruk-Ghashavir Uruk-Guniga Uruk-Ongrum Uruk-Rakshi Uruk-Snarka