“It seemed to him that he had stepped through a high window that looked on a vanished world. A light was upon it for which his language had no name. All that he saw was shapely, but the shapes seemed at once clear cut, as if they had been first conceived and drawn at the uncovering of his eyes, and ancient as if they had endured for ever. He saw no colour but those he knew, gold and white and blue and green, but they were fresh and poignant, as if he had at that moment first perceived them and made for them names new and wonderful. In winter here no heart could mourn for summer or for spring. No blemish or sickness or deformity could be seen in anything that grew upon the earth. On the land of Lórien, there was no stain.” - Power of Lórien
Campaign Features
Eryn Lasgalen, The Wood of Greenleaves
Dispel Sauron’s taint from Mirkwood and join with Thranduil and his people to restore the ancient forest to it’s rightful form
Rumil and Orophin
Command the powerful marchwardens, Rumil and Orophir, brothers of Haldir and cleanse Sauron from Dol Goldur
Elbereth's Sentinels are elite warriors who would give their life for the lords' of Lothlórien. Highly trained and well equipped with the finest bows and armour that the Galadhrim can provide, these warriors are dangerous but beautiful to behold. With their keen eyesight and lifetimes of training these are some of the best units available, only truly vulnerable to a heavy cavalry attack. As with all Silvan elves they revere Elbereth higher than almost any and they take her name in honour of the stars above.
Berio I Ngelaidh "Protect[ors] of the Trees": The life of the border guards of Lothlórien is one of constant conflict with Evil, and those that serve in their ranks are considered as some of the most skilled among the ancient folk of the Golden Wood. Equipped with a sturdy spear and shield, as well as with an Elven bow, these Silvan Elves form companies of veteran warriors making excellent use of both the long range of their bow and their ability to hold a solid battle line of shield and spears. This rare and unconventional combination of different fighting styles probably makes the Protectors a most unpredictable foe to be reckoned with; for they show great potential when fighting against charging cavalry, while still having all the privileges of a skilful archer.
These excellent Silvan warriors hail from the timeless woodland kingdom of Lothlórien, where they serve as forest wardens and protectors of Galadriel's domain. Centuries of combat experience inside forested areas make them superb ambushers and snipers who combine stealth and versatility with deadly results. Their long mail coats provide good protection while allowing for the mobility needed to wield their powerful longbows and two-handed curved blades. Fiercely loyal to their Ñoldorin Lady, Lórien's finest march out against the Elves' foes at Her behest.
During the reign of Celeborn and Galadriel in the fair wood of Lothlórien, the rustic folk of the forest has partially adopted the ancient warfare tradition of the Eldar, while not abandoning their own fighting style. The result of this combination are the regiments of the Galadhrim Guards, hand picked by the Lord and the Lady themselves, for they are the guards of Caras Galadhon and the Mallorn trees of Lórien. Armed with a long Silvan-style blade and protected by heavy overlapping plate and a towering leaf-like shield in the Eldar fashion, Elbereth Guards pose a deadly threat to any cavalryman who is foolish enough to attempt a charge in front of their raised weapons, while they are still able to hold the front line against almost every known medium and advanced infantry.
The Elves were blessed by Eru Ilúvatar even before the beginning of Time and were given immortality. Millennia of endless wars against the creatures of the Shadow have forced the Elves to train excellent warriors who have mastered the art of the sword. Wearing heavy elven scale mail and wielding two-handed elven longswords, Galadhrim Swordsmen march into battle either to face Death or Glory. They are unmatched in close combat and one of the most lethal escorts that a Galadhrim general can have in his disposal. They represent the elite of the finest warriors in the armies of Lothlórien, able to handle any foe in day or night, on foot or mounted.
Gûrdhínen "Silent Death": The Elves of Lothlórien have developed a guerilla style of warfare over their long years in Middle-earth and this ensures the safety of their realm as they strike, unseen, from many vantage points. However, among their stealthy ranks is an order of warriors who have mastered the art to a terrifying degree and can strike seemingly from the thin air; they are known only as i Gûrdhínen. They fight for the Lord and Lady of Lórien whenever they call and will often be the silent hand of control on a battlefield. They are a ferocious order who can hide in all manner of terrain, using their Elven cloaks to blend in with any surrounding and then striking with deadly efficiency. On the battlefield they use a unique double-bladed glaive, which they wield with deadly skill, a cloak of the Galadhrim but little armour; this gives them excellent agility and a fine degree of lethality. Whilst they number only few, they can turn the tide of battle in one silent, but mighty, blow. "Berio i dae len..." 'Shadows protect you' - mantra of I Gûrdhínen.
Gûrveleg "Great Death": Lothlórien's secret weapon. They are rarely seen on the battlefield and even when they do fight the enemy, they are still rarely seen. Armed with fierce bows of an immensely powerful nature, they are dedicated monster slayers, emerging from the shadows and dropping the enemy in a quick onslaught before melting away again. Their deadly arrows can pierce the thickest hide or armour and they can drop trolls as though they were flowers in the wind. The incredible strength of their bows comes at a great price; their range. Their arrows will drop nearby foes but they cannot fly very far and these elves are not encouraged to stay in the fight for prolonged periods. Nevertheless, when used well, they will outperform almost any others on the field.
Whenever war is upon Lothlórien, most of the secretive elven-folk go to battle lightly armoured and equipped with bows and elven daggers. Being the most numerous part of the forces of Lórien, these archers represent the regular army that can be deployed at any given time. Although weaker than their northern neighbours, the archers of the Woodland Realm, they still pose a great threat to any enemy who is careless enough to defy their effectiveness in long distance combat; for the Silvan Elves of Lórien have mastered the art of the bow as much as the art of the harp, and their fingers handle the bow-string with the same ease and efficiency that they create music. They may be vulnerable in close combat, but their ranged skill is not to be questioned and underestimated, lest their foes suffer terrible losses before they even reach their lines.
Hîtherbin "Mist Knights": Under the rule of Lady Galadriel the elven-folk of Lothlórien have gradually adapted in their own culture elements of the advanced warfare tradition of the Ñoldor; for Galadriel is the daughter of Finarfin and of close kin to Fëanor himself, and long ago in the First Age she dwelled for a time in the Hidden Kingdom of Nargothrond. The result is this unit of mounted lancers, consisting of highly trained Silvan Elves, obedient and faithful to their Lady and Lord and provided with the finest weapons and horses available. While not as well equipped and powerful as their Eldar brethren in the west, they are nonetheless a valuable addition to any Galadhrim general who wishes to lead the battle away from the forests. They are armed with sharp lances and elven swords, elegantly crafted and designed in imitation of nature, while carrying elven shields decorated with heraldic emblems and wearing fine mail armour underneath their elven cloaks. Like the great mist that the Lady of Light called down to protect Eorl, so do these knights appear from the borders of the forest and cover the land with great speed.
Trespassing into a wood held by the Silvan Elves, is, quite literally, suicide. These elven battalions patrol the borders of the Golden Wood, slaying every manner of evil in their wake or riding swiftly to alert the Marchwardens of the approaching invader, whether it be as minor as a large spider or as deadly as a cave troll. Protected by lightweight leather armour beneath their cloaks, wielding Elven blades and shields, these excellent horsemen excel at guerrilla tactics, using stealth to ambush any enemy that dares enter their sacred homelands. These mounted scouts, due to their ambush abilities and remarkable speed, are a key component to any Silvan army.
The merry folk of Lothlórien has not changed much ever since the days of the Great Journey. Yet under the rule of Celeborn and Galadriel some elements of the warfare tradition of the Eldar have slowly been adopted. The Sentries of Lórien are a perfect example of how Eldar ways have been assimilated by the Galadhrim; for now the sword has become as common as the spear among the warriors of the Goldenwood, because of its greater manoeuvrability amidst the entwined tree branches, as well as a sign of their love and devotion to Lady Galadriel.
Following a long Silvan elven tradition, these warriors bear wooden spears into combat with a sense of pride, instilled by the long-held traditions of ages past. They are professional elven warriors, drawn from the Goldenwood of Lothlórien within the well-protected domain of Celeborn and Galadriel. Though lightly armoured, these Elves are efficient at holding the line against a pressing tide, granting archer companies the safety to pepper the enemy from afar. Equipped with short spears and Elven wooden shields, Lórien Warders are solid defensive units, able to resist attacks from both foot and horseback, so long as they are well-supported.
The Marchwardens are the main force of the border-guardians of the Goldenwood of Lórien. These silent warriors form the backbone of Lórien's armies, being highly trained and skilled in both ranged and close combat. Excelling in all kinds of guerrilla warfare, after centuries of experience, they attack from the shadows the invading enemies with volleys of deadly arrows and afterwards engage them in melee with their sharp elven blades. These rangers are without doubt one of the main reasons why none has yet managed to successfully invade or infiltrate the realm of Lórien.
Cerin Amroth is a a grassy flower covered hill in Lothlórien of great splendour remarked by Aragorn to be "the heart of Elvendom on earth". On the hill's summit there are two circles of trees in whose branches King Amroth, the previous ruler of Lothlórien, built his residence. King Amroth and his house are long gone but the hill retains its great importance to the Galadhrim. Sentinels of Cerin Amroth are an honour guard who keep watch over this sacred place and ensure that its beauty remains unspoiled. From the topmost point in the inner circle of trees, which was once the highest point in all of Lothlórien, the Sentinels observe the surrounding lands and are even able to keep watch on Dol Guldur itself. Just as the flowers that grow on the hill, Elanor and Niphredil, are coloured gold and white and the outer trees have white bark while the inner circle are the golden Mallorn trees so the shields of the Sentinels bear those two colours as well, symbolizing the things it is their duty to protect. All Sentinels are expected to uphold the legacy of King Amroth, beauty, prosperity, valour and wisdom, and lend their minds or swords, whichever is needed, to the protection or betterment of the Goldenwood. With war looming ever greater on the fringes of Lorien the Sentinels are being deployed further and further from the Hill and now have the name in a merely ceremonial fashion. No longer is the hill of utmost importance, survival has taken precedent.
With the arrival of Galadriel and Celeborn to the Golden Wood came the influence of the Valar and one in particular was revered above all others; The Valian Queen Yavanna. Her domain was that of the flora and fauna of all creation and she loved the beauties of nature above all else and this love was one that passed to the Elves. Wishing to protect the sanctity of their woodland home and to protect all the creations of Yavanna, many Silvan Elves of Lothlórien banded together to create a group of warriors with a raging ferocity and a single goal: to defend the beauties of nature. Marching to battle with fierce two-handed glaives they are more than adept at hacking down the foes of the wood and many an Orc has fallen foul of their wrath.
