Blue Mountains

In the far west of Eriador, was a well-known mountain range called the Blue mountains (or Ered Luin). It is also referred to as Ered Lindon at times.

The origin of Blue Mountain happened after the destruction of the flawless symmetry of the Arda. Melkor caused a commotion, which led to the annihilation of the Two Lamps and the reshaping of Arda. The Blue Mountain laid in between the Sea of Belegaer and the Sea of Helcar. The Arda lost its symmetry, which led to the formation of the Blue Mountains. The Iron Mountains and the Red Mountains were situated to the North and East of the Blue Mountains, respectively. They all together formed a mighty chain of mountains. They had different names in history. But the Grey Mountain to its south was separated by a very long gap.

The Blue Mountain was a discontinuous line separating Eriador, and Beleriand, in Years of the Trees, and the Sleep of Yavanna. These mountains were the birthplace of Seven rivers that originated from the west. The land that the rivers flow through was named Ossiriand, which had the name of Lindon. This lead to the referencing of the Blue Mountain as Ered Lindon. It was the mainland of the Dwarven kinfolk, as they either originated here or they migrated from the other wakening points. They inhabited the cities of Belegost and Nogrod, where they came into contact with the Sindar of Thingol and grouped with them.

When the Valar fought against the Dark Lord, Morgoth, the mountain range was a wreck. So it resulted in the creation of a gap when the sea broke through the center of the mountains. In the gap, the Gulf of Lune was established, which served as the new boundary for the River Lune. The Grey Havens of Mithlond, a port city in the Elven Kingdom of Lindon, was constructed at the point where the Gulf of Lune met the sea in the middle gap. As it formed the new border of Lindon, the then Ered Luin was called Ered Lindon.

The forests of the Blue Mountain were the largest in the Middle-earth. Apart from the Mirkwood, in the Third Age, the Blue Mountains were significant. During the latter half of the Third Age, Thrain II and his son Thorin, including the survivors during the sack of Erebor, relocated from the Dunland to the Blue Mountain. Thus it become the settlement of the Dwarves who lived a prosperous life there. Through the gap in the mountains, the Dwarves set their travel to Lindon continuously. They decided to set their navigation from the Gulf of Lune through the straight roads to the Undying Land of Aman.

The beginning of the Dwarves was an uncertain fact. But they were presumed to be originated from two fathers of their race. They appeared from underneath the Mountain. Aule, the maker, created them. The two fathers led to the origin of two clans, and they possessed a beautiful city on the eastern side of the Blue Mountain. The Dwarvian names given to them were Gabilgathol and Tumunzahar. But they were well recognized by their Elven names, Belegost and Nogrod. The confinement of Morgoth in Mandos and the still existing scope of the Middle-earth brought the Dwarves for the first time to the western side of the Blue Mountains, which formed the boundary of Beleriand. The Dwarves of the Blue Mountain started coming down to connect with the Elves for the trade. The dwarves played a majority in the creation of Thingol's Hall of Menegroth, and the construction of underground fortress Nargothrond in the banks of Narog.

At the same time, the best craftsman, a Dwarf, made-up his best works on the weapon in Nogrod, which later become an integral part of the history of Middle -earth. It includes the Narsil, the mighty sword which would be broke and reforged for the aid of Aragon in the latter days. The Elves and Dwarves allied with each other, upon the return of the Dark Lord, Morgoth. They fought together in the Wars of Beleriand. In the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, Azaghal, the king of Belegost, drove away from the Glarung, the dragon, but he ended up facing his death. Later, things between the Elves and the Dwarves came to an end. The dwarves of Nogrod killed Thingol and took possession of Nauglamir. This developed hatred between them, increasing the enmity.

During the First Age, the War of Wrath destroyed most of Beleriand and the lands surrounding it. Nogrod and Belegost were shattered by the rage of the inrushing sea, fleeing their people to the eastern side. The dwarves of the Blue Mountain was caught up and didn't make it away from there. The people who escaped become the refugees of Khazad-Dum, where they joined with the Long-beards. But it brought the end to the first days of Dwarves. Thousands of years passed, and the refugees from Nogrod and Belegost started arriving at the Khazad-dum. The Dwarves at the Khazad-Dum welcomed the refugees.

The Dwarves who lost their land and driven away roamed around the Middle-Earth. With the headship of King Thrain II, the homeless Dwarves of Durin Folks, returned to the Ered Lurin, bringing an end to their wandering days. But the reign existed only till Thrain II, as Thorin, his son, went in the quest of Lonely Mountains in the eastern extreme. But it was believed that the sound of Dwarves hammer rung again in the Blue Mountain as the olden days. The remaining meager population of the Durin Folks continued living in Ered Lurin. The Firebeards and Broadbeams also stayed there till the fourth age. It can be assumed that they stayed, till the end of the race of Dwarves (The Dwarves, however, always existed and will always exist in the eastern part of the Blue Mountain).

The maps of Middle-Earth always portrayed that ancient forests bordered the two sides of the Blue Mountains. In the gargantuan-massacre of Eriador's forests, the men of Numenor destroyed them, as they were known for their greedy craving for lumbar. But the mountain still flourished. The woods, with the fertile coastal plain, was the perfect place for Elven migration and dwelling. The High Elves inhabited the valleys and the woods of the Blue Mountains. They shared it along with the Dwarves, during the commencement of The Hobbit. The Sindar, Wood-Elves, and few Avari lived with them. The arrival of the Elves hiked at the beginning of the Second Age. They led their life, under the monarchy of Noldor High King, Gil-Galad. But the reign of Gil- Galad fell in the Third Age. The Elves lived in the foot of Blue Mountain, which was now part of the Lindon. They lived there for a short period from where they left to Undying Lands to get themselves off from the misery of the middle-earth.

As per Tolkien, the Blue Mountain was situated in the outer edge. Thus there is less information on the description of the mountain. But it can be said that under the outer layers laid the metamorphic rocks with lots of igneous infringement. This background is mandatory to create deposits of ore, akin to what the Dwarves mined from the primitive days. This lead to the production of Gold, Silver, Iron, Gems, and other valuable minerals, making their Kingdom prosperous. The altitude of the Mountain was around 3000-4000 meters and was not as high as the Misty Mountains.

The words Ered, means Mountains, and Luin means blue, thus it got the Sindar name Ered Luin.

In the Lord of the Rings Online, [1] the center part of the Ered Luin is the most sought region. It includes the places inhabited by Elves and Dwarves, with so many things to explore. In the Lord of the Rings: The Battle of the Middle Earth II, [2] the Blue Mountain forms only the part of the campaign but not the combat.

1. ^The Lord of the Rings Online™.
2. ^The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II.