“There lies the fastness of Southern Mirkwood,’ said Haldir. ‘It is clad in a forest of dark fir, where the trees strive one against another and their branches rot and wither. In the midst upon a stony height stands Dol Guldur, where long the hidden Enemy had his dwelling. We fear that now it is inhabited again, and with power sevenfold. A black cloud lies often over it of late.” - Power of Dol Guldur
Campaign Features
Great Spiders
Tame and control Ungoliant’s children to serve Sauron’s will
The Forest and the Hills
Find the One Ring and deliver it to Sauron and merge your faction with Mordor
The Great Spiders that plague Mirkwood are the offspring of Shelob, last daughter of Ungoliant. While not as powerful as Shelob, they are still large and terrible creatures, with keen senses, darting at their prey and intelligent enough to converse and share wicked plans.The Great Spiders use their webs to trap their prey and dangle their victims from tree branches after stunning them with poison.
Nameless and with no will of their own, the Castellans of Dol Guldur are but one facet of that cursed tower’s sleepless malice. Formless, save for the armour that binds them, they stalk the paths about Dol Guldur, slaying those they find. Each fell to Sauron’s service in a different way; some sought to learn from him as an apprentice does from a master, others are the eternal remnants of one who has died in agony in Sauron’s dungeons. However they came into the Dark Lord’s service, they are all now bound to his curse and serve him, and his Úlairi, absolutely.
The shadow has twisted the southern parts of Mirkwood into a vile and corrupt land that is the perfect home to the orc. The largest more vicious orcs are known as Uruk-hai. These Uruks are formed into companies tasked with supporting the main battle lines of the hosts of Dol Guldur with a hail of black barbed arrows. Wearing battered coats of mail, they have a modicum of protection against return fire. They are also quite capable of joining the melee with their cruel blades, hacking and rending all those not dispatched by their arrow barrage.
Most Orcs are created only for the purposes of pillaging, looting, murdering and covering Middle-earth in the shadow of Sauron's evil will. However not all orcs are used as nameless masses to destroy the Free People of Middle-earth. Some Orcs actually survive long enough to become veterans or masters of the weapons they use; these are such Orcs. Having spent a long time perfecting the use of the large broadswords they wield, they are capable of standing toe-to-toe with the more experienced Elven warriors that plague the Northern reaches of Mirkwood. They are also armed with iron shields and they wear heavy armour, making them resistant to all but the mightiest of blows.
Like many of the orcs bred within Dol Guldur, they are not deadly in single combat, rather their true potency lies in numbers. Despite this, the Scouts of the Hill of Sorcery are a force to be feared for they wield both axe and javelin, and these two weapons are deadly against any foes that wear armour. This force within the caverns of Dol Guldur as a counter to the armoured troops of the Elves of Lothlórien and Mirkwood; any elven generals would do well to exercise caution when dealing with this horde for their bulk may easily overwhelm a smaller armoured force.
The Great Forest Spiders have made a lair in the proximity of Dol Guldur. They are the offspring of Shelob but have adapted to the forest environment over several generations. The Great Forest Spiders are not as powerful as Shelob, but they are still large and terrible creatures. They live on networks of webs which they wove among the trees. The Great Spiders also use their webs to trap their prey and dangle their victims from tree branches after stunning them with poison.
The walls and dungeons of Dol Guldur are home to many monstrosities and aberrations of nature. Bred by both the Necromancer and Khamûl the Easterling, these goblins are one such monstrosity. They have been twisted and warped to handle the poisons secreted by the Spiders of Dol Guldur: a task that would normally kill the handler. Whereas the goblin stalkers prefer to close with their enemy and shower them with lethal, poisonous, javelins, the Headhunters stay at range and kill silently from the shadows. Whilst not being as accurate as their name implies, they are nonetheless excellent, and efficient, killers. Able to blend seamlessly into any terrain, they excel at ambushing and guerrilla warfare. The hordes of Mordor may shake the earth when they march but Khamûl learnt long ago that is the unseen arrow that strikes most deadly.
The walls and dungeons of Dol Guldur are home to many monstrosities and aberrations of nature. Bred by both the Necromancer and Khamûl the Easterling, these goblins are one such monstrosity. They have been twisted and warped to handle the poisons secreted by the Spiders of Dol Guldur: a task that would normally kill the handler. Unlike the Headhunters, who engage the enemy from range, the stalkers do exactly as their name implies: lying in wait for their foe to foolishly close the gap. Once their unweary pray is close enough, the stalkers rain a lethal hell down upon their targets with poisonous javelins.
Goblins are unique amongst orc-kind for being perfectly suited for riding Wargs. Indeed, their close relationship dates back to the First Age when the first iteration of what would become known as ‘Goblins’ first rode to war. Thousands of years later, the connection is almost symbiotic and where Wargs need riders, the Goblins arise. Unlike the Goblins of the mountains however, these twisted and tainted poisoners are arguably the more feral of the rider pair. The melting pot of nefarious liquids and gases that these stunted folk call home has slowly warped them overtime to nothing more than simple, killing, husks. In melee, both rider and mount rely on sheer brutality to try and overcome their foes but it should be noted that the lifespan of a Goblin Strider is short for a reason.
The Shadows of Khamûl are Men of the East who would serve this great champion, those who feel their own skills and talents are wasted in service to lesser lords flock to the Dark Tower to be tested. Those who survive are given the opportunity to stand at Khamûl side. These are men who have trained and hardened themselves for a lifetime in the harsh deserts and mountains of the far east, all for a chance to be found worthy.
At the Dark Tower, they are brought before their would-be master. Nothing is known of what occurs to these warriors once they have been chosen by Khamûl. Perhaps they are robbed of their own mortality, or are imbued with the same dark magic Sauron bestowed upon Khamûl. What is known is that they emerge with greater strength and a fearlessness that no human possesses.
The Shadow Blades descend on their enemies, their wicked blades singing as they tear through armor and flesh.
The name of Khamûl is one spoken in hushed and fearful voices among the people of Rhûn and Khand. A mysterious figure from an ancient time whose name is now intertwined with Sauron. What part Khamûl played in leading the Easterlings into Sauron’s hands is lost in history, but there are some who see Khamûl as an immortal champion. Regarded as a god-king who was gifted ascension by the Dark Lord.
The Shadows of Khamûl are Men of the East who would serve this great champion, those who feel their own skills and talents are wasted in service to lesser lords flock to the Dark Tower to be tested. Those who survive are given the opportunity to stand at Khamûl side. These are men who have trained and hardened themselves for a lifetime in the harsh deserts and mountains of the far east, all for a chance to be found worthy.
At the Dark Tower, they are brought before their would-be master. Nothing is known of what occurs to these warriors once they have been chosen by Khamûl. Perhaps they are robbed of their own mortality, or are imbued with the same dark magic Sauron bestowed upon Khamûl. What is known is that they emerge with greater strength and a fearlessness that no human possesses.
Riding atop what are rumoured to be Mearas twisted to his will, the Shadow Knights are Khamûl's right, decrepit hand, destroying everything that stands in their way.
Although the Elves of Mirkwood do not seek expansion too readily, they will defend their home to the last breath and their skill with the bow is famed and unmatched. However, their real skill lies in their ability to dispatch Orcs before they are aware that they are in danger. To counter this hidden threat, Khamûl gathered the best of his Shadowbows to form into bands of Rangers, men who could assail their enemy with fierce bodkin arrows that can tear apart armour and then melt back into the shadow of the forest. They are the Shadow Rangers. Often allowing the Elves to dispatch a group of Orcs then raining hell down upon their position, these men are rightly feared by the Elves as the bringers of death.
The Shadows of Khamûl are Men of the East who would serve this great champion, those who feel their own skills and talents are wasted in service to lesser lords flock to the Dark Tower to be tested. Those who survive are given the opportunity to stand at Khamûl side. These are men who have trained and hardened themselves for a lifetime in the harsh deserts and mountains of the far east, all for a chance to be found worthy.
At the Dark Tower, they are brought before their would-be master. Nothing is known of what occurs to these warriors once they have been chosen by Khamûl. Perhaps they are robbed of their own mortality, or are imbued with the same dark magic Sauron bestowed upon Khamûl. What is known is that they emerge with greater strength and a fearlessness that no human possesses.
The Shadow Wardens are a bulwark of strength few on Middle-earth can challenge. Their cold resolve is unflinching, no matter who or what they face in battle.
Since the Shadow has once again fallen on the Hill of Sorcery a new evil now threatens the surrounding lands of the Free Peoples. Stout men dressed in dark armour, marching in rigid ranks under the banner of the eye. Hailing from far Rhûn these men are descendants of those who followed Khamûl out of the east when he was turning to the shadow and their skills in battle are all too apparent. The Woodsmen of Mirkwood call them the Shadow Guard and are hard pressed to repel these dark clad warriors when they take to the field, some even whisper that they are not men at all but rather spirits under the thrall of the Dark Lord. Their lethal curved swords and heavy coats of mail give a suggestion of their Easterling origin. Their full helms and dark cloak obscure their features and intimidate those that face them, as does the grim silence they maintain when they march into battle.
The Shadow Knights of Khamûl are Men of the East who would serve this great champion, those who feel their own skills and talents are wasted in service to lesser lords flock to the Dark Tower to be tested. Those who survive are given the opportunity to stand at Khamûl side. These are men who have trained and hardened themselves for a lifetime in the harsh deserts and mountains of the far east, all for a chance to be found worthy.
At the Dark Tower, they are brought before their would-be master. Nothing is known of what occurs to these warriors once they have been chosen by Khamûl. Perhaps they are robbed of their own mortality, or are imbued with the same dark magic Sauron bestowed upon Khamûl. What is known is that they emerge with greater strength and a fearlessness that no human possesses.
Riding atop what are rumoured to be Mearas twisted to his will, the Shadow Knights are Khamûl's right, decrepit hand, destroying everything that stands in their way.
These orcs belong to the tribes that infest the caves in and around the hill of dark sorcery. A cruel and wicked breed, at home under the dark twisted boughs of Mirkwood; they nimbly dart through the shadows of the murky forest and quickly close with their enemies. Like most of their kind they rely on overwhelming numbers to carry the day and their dark master knows that they cannot be relied upon to hold when facing determined foes. They carry wicked blades and sturdy shields and wear boiled hide armour which although only lightweight offers some protection from attacks.
The orcs that serve Dol Guldur know that their chief foes are the elves of the forest, well known for their deadly archery. These hunters are the tribal orcs answer to that threat, relying on vast numbers and numbing poisons to make up for their lacklustre accuracy. They haunt the dark places of the forest, sneakily closing with the foes to launch a deadly hail of arrows. Each hunter carries an orcish bow and a quiver of fell arrows and wears boiled hide armour which is light enough to not hinder their stealthy ways. They cannot be counted on to stand if faced with daunting enemies.
Uruks, whilst not particularly intelligent by human standards, have been used by the powers of evil to counter the militarily superior children of Ilúvatar for a long time. Orcs can rely on numbers but flee at the first hint of death. Uruks will stand their ground far longer and revel in the bloody maelstrom of battle. The Uruk warriors of Dol Guldur are no different. A vicious race, that has long been breeding in the dark pits and foul caves of the shadow infested parts of Mirkwood. More disciplined and stronger than lesser orcs, it falls to the Uruks to form the vanguard of the hosts of Dol Guldur. They wear coats of filthy mail and carry broad shields and crude but effective iron spears, these Uruks are deadly soldiers that can easily overwhelm ill-prepared battle lines with strength of numbers and brutal savagery.
The Elves of Mirkwood have long favoured hit and run tactics; striking from nowhere, raining death upon the orcs and vanishing before melee can be joined. In countenance of this, Khamûl opted to train and outfit and almost elite unit of heavily armoured Uruks whose sole purpose was to endure the volley of arrow fire as they close the distance and slaughter the unprepared Elves. The strategy proved so effective that the Uruk Slayers have become a mainstay of the armies of Dol Guldur and are oft used as excellent strike infantry, slaying all who stand before them with ease. Initially they used large two-handed swords but as their skill grew, and as the enemy began to try to counter them, they swapped to fierce two handed axes to ensure that one swing is all this is needed...
