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{{short description|Mountain range in Middle-earth}} |
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#REDIRECT ] |
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{{Redirect category shell| |
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{{fanpov|date=May 2015}} |
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{{R with history}} |
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{{original research|date=May 2015}} |
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{{R ME to section}} |
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{{Infobox fictional location |
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| name = ''2015 Mountains'' |
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| source = ] ] |
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| image_size = 240px |
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| alt_name = ''Hithaeglir'', Towers of Mist |
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| type = Mountain range |
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| blank_label = Location |
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| blank_data = Between ] and ] |
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| blank_label1 = Lifespan |
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| blank_label2 = Founder |
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| blank_data2 = ] |
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| locations = Caradhras, Eyrie, ], ], ] (Moria), ] |
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}} |
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The '''Misty Mountains''' are a fictional ] in ]'s ] of ].<ref>Karen Wynn Fonstad, '']'', HarperCollins, 1994 edition, Regional Maps, p. 79, {{ISBN|0 261 10277 X}}.</ref> The mountain-chain is less well known by its alternative names. One of these is '''Hithaeglir''' (meaning ''mist-peak-line'' in ], one of the ]);<ref>J. R. R. Tolkien (1977), ed. Christopher Tolkien, '']'', George Allen & Unwin, Index p.335, {{ISBN|0 04 823139 8}}.</ref> this was misspelled as '''Hithaiglin''' on the original ] of '']''. Other alternative names are the Mountains of Mist or the '''Towers of Mist'''.<ref>J. R. R. Tolkien (1977), '']'', George Allen & Unwin, ch.3 p. 54; {{ISBN|0 04 823139 8}}.</ref> The range stretched continuously for some 900 miles<ref>Karen Wynn Fonstad, '']'', HarperCollins, 1994 edition, Regional Maps, p. 79, {{ISBN|0 261 10277 X}}. In the Appendix (p.191) a different length is listed: 702 miles. The higher-scale map of Middle-earth which accompanies ''Unfinished Tales'' yields a length of about 850 miles.</ref> (1440 kilometres) across the continent of Middle-earth. |
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The Misty Mountains first appeared in print in Tolkien's 1937 book, '']''. A vision of the mountains is invoked in the first chapter: "''Far over the misty mountains cold...''"; they are encountered directly in chapter 4. Further information about the mountains was added in Tolkien's subsequent publications. |
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==Middle-earth narrative== |
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], which are said to have inspired Tolkien]] |
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===Geography=== |
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The Misty Mountains stretched continuously for some 900 miles: from ] in the north<ref>Robert Foster (1978), '']'', Unwin Paperbacks, p. 63, {{ISBN|0-04-803001-5}}.</ref> to ] in the south, and were a formidable barrier between the large Middle-earth regions of ] and ]. |
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The northernmost section of the Misty Mountains ran from Carn Dûm to Mount Gundabad, and was known as the '''Mountains of Angmar'''. Mount Gundabad was where ] awoke according to legend, though it was later an abode of ]. Mount Gram, another Orc nest, was not far away. Mount Gundabad was on the eastern side of the range, where it nearly joined the westernmost extremity of the ]. The strategic gap was about 10 miles wide. |
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The greatest ] realm in Middle-earth, ], was located at the midpoint of the Misty Mountains. The area's three massive peaks - the '''Mountains of Moria''' - were Caradhras (Redhorn and its pass), Celebdil (Silvertine) and Fanuidhol (Cloudyhead) — in Khuzdûl (aka Dwarvish) respectively named Barazinbar, Zirakzigil and Bundushathûr. Under Celebdil was the main part of Khazad-dûm; it included the ], which the Dwarves built from the foundations of the mountain to its summit. |
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The southernmost peak of the Misty Mountains was Methedras (end-horn); from here the great range finally subsided into foothills, the last being Dol Baran. Here the southernmost foothills of the Misty Mountains looked across the ] to the northernmost foothills of the ]. |
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====Passes==== |
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The Misty Mountains had very few passes; these are presented in the following list. The most important were the High Pass and the Redhorn Pass. |
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] |
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*a minor pass near the source of the ]<ref>J. R. R. Tolkien (1954), '']'', 2nd edition (1966), George Allen & Unwin, Prologue §1 p. 12; {{ISBN|0 04 823045 6}}</ref> |
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*the '''High Pass''', near ] |
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**Also called the Pass of Imladris<ref>{{ME-ref|UT|p. 281}}</ref> and '''Cirith Forn en Andrath''' {{ME-lang|lang=S|cirith|pass|forn|north|andrath|long climb}}.<ref>''Unfinished Tales'', p. 271</ref> |
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**The ]-stronghold of ] had an outlet onto the High Pass. |
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**There were actually two alternative routes in the High Pass; the lower pass<ref>''The Annotated ]'', p.105, "their main gate used to open on a different pass..."</ref> was more prone to being blocked by Orcs; hence most travellers used the higher pass, except during those rare interludes when the Orcs were suppressed. |
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*a minor pass at the source of the ]<ref>J. R. R. Tolkien (1954), '']'', 2nd edition (1966), George Allen & Unwin, book 2 ch. III p. 287; {{ISBN|0 04 823045 6}}</ref> |
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*the Redhorn Pass near ] |
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**This pass was usually open year-round, even in winter.<ref>J. R. R. Tolkien (1954), '']'', 2nd edition (1966), George Allen & Unwin, book 2 ch. III p. 302; {{ISBN|0 04 823045 6}}</ref> |
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**Farther south there were no passes, until the Misty Mountains ended at the ].<ref>J. R. R. Tolkien (1954), '']'', 2nd edition (1966), George Allen & Unwin, book 2 ch. III p. 300; {{ISBN|0 04 823045 6}}</ref> |
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====Valleys and rivers==== |
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Some of Middle-earth's notable valleys and dales lay in or close to the Misty Mountains: |
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*] was hidden in the foothills near the western end of the High Pass. |
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*Further south the eastern end of the Redhorn Pass led into the great Dimrill Dale in the arms of the Mountains of Moria. |
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**This dale led down into ]: the Valley of Singing Gold. |
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*At the southern end of the Misty Mountains, ] forest reached right up into the eastern foothills; the deep dales there were filled with an ancient darkness. |
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*Nearby lay Nan Curunír (the Wizard's Vale), where ] was built. It faced the Gap of Rohan. |
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Rivers originating in the Misty Mountains (north to south): |
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*flowing West: ], ], ], Glanduin, and ]. |
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*flowing East (all such rivers are tributaries of the ]): Langwell, ], ]'s stream,<ref>J. R. R. Tolkien (1954), '']'', George Allen & Unwin, 2nd edition (1966), ch. 2 p.63, {{ISBN|0 04 823045 6}}.</ref> ], ], ], Limlight, ]. |
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====Underworld==== |
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Deep beneath the Misty Mountains lay a primordial underworld in perpetual darkness. It was inhabited by primitive creatures. These are reported in and near the ] below ],<ref>J. R. R. Tolkien (1937), '']'', 4th edition (1978), George Allen & Unwin, ch. V p. 67; {{ISBN|0-04-823147-9}}</ref> and in the ].<ref>J. R. R. Tolkien (1954), '']'', 2nd edition (1966), George Allen & Unwin, book 3 ch. V p. 105; {{ISBN|0 04 823046 4}}</ref> The ] was one of the creatures from Moria's underworld.<ref>J. R. R. Tolkien (1954), '']'', 2nd edition (1966), George Allen & Unwin, book 2 ch. IV p. 323; {{ISBN|0 04 823045 6}}</ref> |
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===History=== |
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The Misty Mountains were raised by ] (Middle-earth's first Dark Lord) in a primeval epoch of the ], no later than the ]. He hoped to impede Oromë, one of the Valar who often rode across Middle-earth hunting. The Mountains were far taller in those days and had a more dreaded appearance.<ref>J. R. R. Tolkien (1977), ed. Christopher Tolkien, '']'', George Allen & Unwin, ch. 3 p. 54, {{ISBN|0 04 823139 8}}.</ref> |
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However Oromë established the High Pass. He did this to assist the ] to cross the mountains on their ] to the West. Even so, the Misty Mountains were still viewed as too formidable by a large number of the Elves; they forsook the great migration, and dwelt east of the mountains (i.e. in ]). This was a major ]; the group who remained behind became the ]. |
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] began to use the High Pass later in the First Age. They connected their roads (the Great East Road and the ''Men-i-Naugrim'' through ]) with this pass, which reinforced it as the major gateway between ] and the regions to the east. |
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The great Dwarf realm of ] had been established beneath the Misty Mountains earlier in the First Age, and flourished for thousands of years, until the unearthing of the ] (]) in {{ME-date|TA|1980}}. The Dwarves then deserted Khazad-dûm, which then became known as Moria (the Black Pit), and it came to be occupied by Orcs and other creatures. |
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Later the High Pass was used by the army of ] and ] when they marched east to ] in the War of the Last Alliance of Elves and Men. After this war ] was slain by ]s watching the way back towards the pass. |
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====Third Age==== |
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Halflings had begun to migrate west across the Mountains by the year 1050 of the ]. They were the ancestors of ]. |
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By {{ME-date|TA|1300}}, the ] established the realm of ] at ]. He was based there at the northern extreme of the mountains for several centuries. |
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During this time the Orcs spread through the Misty Mountains, and the High Pass became dangerous again. Only with the War of the Dwarves and Orcs ({{ME-date|TA|2790}}-93), which nearly wiped out all Orcs of the mountains, did it become safe again for a while. Nevertheless, by the time of the ] the goblins of Goblin-town had burrowed their way back to the pass, and thus captured ] and ]'s ]. |
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The ] tried to cross the Redhorn Pass (after rejecting the High Pass leading to ] as being watched by the Enemy, and the Gap of Rohan as taking the Fellowship too close to ]), but a blizzard forced the companions to go under the Misty Mountains instead of over them. There, in the subterranean realm of ], the Nine Walkers unexpectedly encountered the ], Durin's Bane. ] fell with the Balrog into the uttermost depths of Moria and fought the Balrog all the way up the ], finally slaying it by throwing it from the peak of ], but sacrificing his own life in doing so. |
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===Inhabitants=== |
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] had eyries in the Mountains from the earliest times. It was also anciently the habitat of great bears, who were said to be the ancestors of ].<ref>J. R. R. Tolkien (1937), '']'', George Allen & Unwin, 4th edition (1978), ch. VII p. 103, {{ISBN|0-04-823147-9}}.</ref> Stone-] (also called mountain giants) were another race that inhabited the outside of the mountains. Sometimes, because of their size, a stone-giant could be mistaken for the side of the mountain itself; at times these creatures could reach heights of forty feet tall. These giants are described in the Hobbit in the chapter "Over Hill and Under Hill." |
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Various races made their homes underneath the Misty Mountains. The Dwarf realm of ] flourished from the ] well into the ]. In the early ], escapees from the ] established subterranean lairs: ] (e.g. at ], ]) and (as far as is known) one ] (under Moria). The Balrog was destroyed by ] the Grey. |
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From time to time the Orcs dominated the Misty Mountains. Their known leaders were Golfimbul, Azog, the Great Goblin and Bolg son of Azog. |
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] was fascinated with the Misty Mountains as a youngster. When exiled from his original home, he followed a stream into the Mountains, and lived underneath them for over five centuries. His home there was an island in an underground lake near Goblin-town. With him resided the ]. |
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==Sources and inspirations== |
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] |
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The genesis of the Misty Mountains lay in the '']'', with which Tolkien was familiar. In particular, the protagonist in the '']'' notes that his quest will involve misty mountains, ], and giants.<ref>Tom Shippey (2003), '']'', Houghton Mifflin, ch. 3 p. 70-71, {{ISBN|0-618-25760-8}}.</ref> |
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Significant aspects of the Misty Mountains, including their visualization and some of the experiences of Tolkien's protagonists, were inspired by his travels in the ] in 1911.<ref>Humphrey Carpenter (1981, editor), '']'', George Allen & Unwin, letter 306 p.391-392, {{ISBN|0-04-826005-3}}.</ref> |
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==Namesakes and cultural references== |
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The ] names all mountains on ]'s moon ] after mountains in Tolkien's work.<ref>International Astronomical Union. . ''Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature''. Accessed Nov 14, 2012.</ref> In 2012, they named a Titanian mountain range "]" after the Misty Mountains.<ref>International Astronomical Union. . ''Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature''. Accessed Nov 14, 2012.</ref> |
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The title of the 1971 ] song "]" was based on Tolkien's mountain range.<ref>] himself, in '']'', May 1993, page 18, referred to "The self-indulgence, the silly over-the-top Tolkien-esque stuff... ] made it everlasting.".</ref><ref>Denis Collins (1993), 'Lord of the Lyrics', in ''Amon Hen'' (the bulletin of ], U.K.), no. 122 p.24.</ref> |
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==Works cited== |
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{{Portal|Speculative fiction}} |
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*{{cite book|chapter=Misty Mountains|last=Evans|first=Jonathan|pages=431–432|title = ]|editor = ]|isbn = 0-415-96942-5|publisher = ]|year=2006}} |
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==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
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==External links== |
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* {{Tolkien Gateway}} |
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* |
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{{Middle-earth}} |
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{{lotr}} |
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] |
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] |
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] |
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