Mordor is the dwelling place of Sauron, in the southeast of Middle-earth to the East of Anduin, the great river.
It is protected from three sides by mountain ranges, arranged roughly rectangularly: Ered Lithui in the north, Ephel Dúath in the west, and an unnamed (or possibly still called Ephel Dúath) range in the south. A narrow pass leads through Ephel Dúath and the fortress of Minas Morgul is guarding that; an even more difficult pass is guarded by the giant spider Shelob and the fortress of Cirith Ungol.
In the northwest corner of Mordor the deep valley of Udûn is the only entrance for large armies, and that is where Sauron built the Black Gate of Mordor. In front of the Morannon lies the Dagorlad or the Battle Plain. Sauron's main fortress Barad-dûr is at the foothills of Ered Lithui. To southwest of Barad-dûr lies the arid plateau of Gorgoroth and Mount Doom; to the east lies the plain of Lithlad. The land in the western parts of Mordor are largely infertile, producing only sparse brambles.
The southern part of Mordor, Nurn, was slighly more fertile, and moist enough to carry the inland sea of Núrnen. Nurn was made somewhat fertile because the ash blown from Mount Doom left its soil nutrient rich, thus allowing dry-land farming. Unfortunately, the inland sea of Núrn was salty, not freshwater.
To the west of Mordor is the narrow land of Ithilien with the city of Osgiliath and the great river Anduin, to the northeast Rhûn, and to the southeast, Khand.
Special Features:
- Main vegetation: mountains
- Special units: Trolls
|