Mirkwood

Mirkwood fills the center of the map east of the Anduin. It runs from the feet of the Grey Mountains in the north down to the Brown Lands in the south, with the Long Lake and Erebor beyond its northeastern corner, Thranduil's halls near that same corner, and Dol Guldur on the hill of Amon Lanc at the southwestern tip. The Mountains of Mirkwood rise in its middle, and the East Bight cuts a great notch out of its eastern side.

It was called Greenwood the Great until about TA 1050, when Sauron came secretly to Amon Lanc and men began calling it Mirkwood. Inside, the trees grow so close that no daylight reaches the floor. Bilbo's company was warned by Beorn not to leave the Elf-path, not to drink from the black enchanted stream, and not to touch the cobwebs.

Two old roads cross it. The Elf-path runs from the Forest Gate in the northwest to the Forest River near the Elvenking's gate. The Old Forest Road, made by the Dwarves, crosses much further south and had fallen out of use by Bilbo's day.

The forest's people were the Silvan Elves under Thranduil in the north, with Woodmen living in the western eaves. Its dangers were black squirrels, sleep-bringing streams, and the giant spiders descended from the brood of Shelob's kin, which took Bilbo's dwarves and were driven off by a hobbit with a ring and a short sword he named Sting.

When the Ring was destroyed, Thranduil and Celeborn met in the middle of the wood. The shadow was driven out and the forest was renamed Eryn Lasgalen, the Wood of Greenleaves. The north went to Thranduil, the south to Celeborn as East Lorien, and the wide middle belt to the Beornings and the Woodmen.

Events at this place

1. TA 1050 · Appendices

   The shadow falls on Greenwood

   A darkness settled on the southern forest as Sauron took Amon Lanc as Dol Guldur, and men renamed the wood Mirkwood.

2. TA 2941 · The Hobbit

   Bilbo and the dwarves cross the forest

   Thorin's company entered by the Forest Gate, ran out of food on the Elf-path, were taken by spiders and then by Wood-elves.

3. TA 3017 · The Lord of the Rings

   Gollum is captured and escapes

   Aragorn caught Gollum in the Dead Marshes and brought him to Thranduil's people for keeping. On 20 June TA 3018 orcs attacked his guards, and Gollum got away in the confusion.

4. TA 3019 · Appendices

   The Battle under the Trees

   Thranduil's forces fought off an assault from Dol Guldur and afterwards the forest was cleansed and renamed Eryn Lasgalen.

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