__ ------------------ __ \ | J.R.R. Tolkien's | / /___------------------___\ WAR IN MIDDLE EARTH INSTRUCTION MANUAL INTRODUCTION This game is largely concerned with Hobbits, and from it a player may discover much of their character and a little of their history. Further information will also be found in the pages of the Red Book of Westmarch, so wonderfully translated and presented by the late Professor Tolkien in his works "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings". For those who have not had the pleasure of discovering the world of Middle Earth a word or two of information regarding hobbits, and the other inhabitants of that place is in order. Therefore in these few pages we have set out a few notes providing a short history of Middle Earth, and brief notes on the races and important personages that dwell there. In order to make this booklet as easy as possible it has been divided up into sections. There is an introduction to Middle Earth, this should provide those who have no knowledge of the story of The Lord of the Rings with enough background to play the game. A full glossary has also been included, this gives you further background information on each of the races, characters and places in the game. The gameplay section is divided up into controls and strategy. The former tells you how you actually play the game, the latter gives you some hints on the ways in which you may try to win. However with a game of this complexity it is impossible to give a single strategy that will work, or indeed to say that any strategy is doomed to failure. Finally we have included a biography of Tolkien and a reading list for those people who want to go on to learn more about Middle Earth. Separate from the booklet you will find a map, this has the grid reference system marked on it. On the back of the map there is a quick reference section, giving you the keys for each computer. Three Rings for the Eleven-kings under the sky, Seven for the Dwarf-Lords in their halls of Stone, Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die, One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie. One Ring to rule them all, One Ring find them, One Ring to brign them all and in the darkness bind them In the land of Mordor where the Shadows lie. Of the Creation of Middle Earth. There was Eru the one, and from his thoughts came the Ainur. The greatest of these were named the Valar, who were fifteen; seven lords; Manwë, Ulmo, Aulë, Oromë, Mandos, Lórien and Tulkas and seven ladies; Varda, Yavanna, Nienna, Estë, Viarë, Vána and Nessa, last there was Melkor who was the most powerful of all. To them he revealed a great musical theme. Together they sang in harmony, and from their music the lands of Middle Earth was born. But one of the Ainur, who was known as Melkor chose to sing a theme of his own creation, and so discord was brought to the land. Though the other voices tried to return the path of the theme to the original intent of Eru, it was impossible, and the lands of Middle Earth forever bore the marks caused by the discord, and ever life was marred by the evil wrought in the beginning. Melkor was banished from the Ainur and evermore he was known as Morgoth the Dark Enemy. Alongside the Valar there were the Maiar, who were brethren to the Valar, though of lesser stature, though they were many in number. Some were drawn to the splendour of Morgoth and served his purpose, chief among these was Gorthaur the cruel, who is also called Sauron, the Dark Lord. Of the early history of Middle Earth and the peoples who dwell there. The history of Middle Earth is long and contains many tales, that the elves tell long into the night in song and prose. Here but a few words will have to suffice, for here we are concerned with events late in the history of Middle Earth, and the early struggles, though fascinating, are of little import save to introduce the main themes. The first born were the Elves. Tall and fair they are for the light of the stars is mirrored in their countenance. Elves are uniquely linked to the lands of Middle Earth, their lives are long and unless they fall in battle they are immortal, for they suffer no ills save one, a sickening of the spirit and loss of desire to live. Even then they only choose to lay down their life for a little while and spend some time in the halls of Mandos, before returning once more to the fair lands of Middle Earth. Their history is long and full of incident and its telling must be left for others. Those who wish to know more of this ancient race should seek enlightenment in the "Silmarillion" where many of their tales are set down with an eloquence that I, your humble scribe, cannot match. Suffice it to say that for all the wisdom that the Elves accumulate over their long lives, their pride often causes them to act rashly, and in doing so they bring added tragedy onto themselves. Fëanor created the great jewel the Silmarils, and his pride in them brought on the Elves many of their misfortunes. And Sauron was able to use the pride of the Elven smiths in their work to trick them into forging the Rings of Power. However the Elves are staunch defenders of the lands of Middle Earth, protectors of its greatest beauty, and have stood defiant against the forces of Melkor from the beginning of time. Melkor hated them from the first, and from those unfortunate enough to be captured by his servants, he created the Orcs, a cruel race that is in all ways a foul perversion of the Elves. Soon, however, they were joined by the Dwarves, or Khazad as they called themselves. They were created by Aulë the Valar smith from the very hearts of the mountains. Indeed he made them before Eru created the Elves. But when Eru saw that Aulë had created the Dwarves out of love and not malice he added them to his plan, yet he would not let them appear on the Earth before his chosen people the Elves, so he caused them to sleep under the mountains until the Elves were established. Dwarves were a strong and valiant race, yet as they were created without the aid of Eru they lack the grace of Elves and Men, they are short and stunted, but do not doubt their bravery, their craft - for they are the finest of all miners, masons or stone carvers - nor their pride, or skill with arms. When Yavanna created the trees and other plants, she also called into being the Ents, who were shepherds for the trees. These gentle creatures live their lives at the same pace as the trees they guard, though when they are roused to anger they are powerful opponents for they have the strength to break stone and metal. The Elves taught them speech, as they taught the other races, and Ents delight in language of all forms. Melkor's envy turned to the Ents as well, and he created the Trolls, who were to stone what the Ents were to Wood. Yet as with all Melkor's creations they were a perversion of the original, they are witless creatures, who kill for pleasure. Last of the main races came Man. Man was ever mortal, unlike the Elves. However in ancient times his span of years was much greater than it is at present, though even then mankind was shortlived compared even to the Dwarves. However what mankind loses in lifespan he more than makes up in numbers, and it is mankind who is the destiny of Middle Earth. Thus were the races made. Strife was ever present in the land, as the free people struggled against the powers of darkness. Many men fell under the influence of Melkor and fought alongside his other spawn against the Dwarves, Elves and Men. Eventually Melkor was defeated, though the Valar had to intervene in the course of the World. Melkor was banished, but Sauron fell at the feet of Manwë and pleaded for mercy. Believing he had repented, the Valar allowed Sauron to remain in Middle Earth. As mankind had suffered terrible losses in the battles against the enemy the Valar created for them an island in the ocean, halfway between Middle Earth and their Underlying lands. This was the land of Númenórë. Here men prospered, for most had some elvish blood in their ancestry, so the people of Númenórë lived long and grew powerful. Mighty seafarers, their ships carried trade to all parts of Middle Earth. Of the Rings of Power. After Melkor had been cast into the void by the Valar, his servant Sauron took on a form that was fair of countenance, and called himself by the name Annatar, which means the giver of gifts. Now it was in the twelve hundredth year after the casting of Melkor to the Void, that Sauron appeared to the Elven smiths, and with fair words he persuaded them to make various magical rings. Nineteen rings were made, nine he gave to the Kings of Men, seven to the Fathers of the Houses of the Dwarves and three to the Lords of the Elves. He then returned to his home in Mordor and went to Mount Doom, where the very earth is cracked open, and the fires inside can be seen. In these great flames he forged the One Ring. Into this ring he put the greater part of his power, for with it he hoped to control the lesser rings and rule all of Middle Earth. Now when Sauron placed the one ring on his finger, the Elves at once knew him for who he was. Therefore they hid the three rings from him and raised a great army and made war on Sauron. But the forces of evil were large, and the Elves were driven back. Yet when it seemed that Sauron must be triumphant the men of Númenórë arrived, and in such force that there was no way any could stand before them. So Sauron seeing that there was nothing to be gained by force of arms, resorted to subterfuge, and surrendered himself to the Númenóreans. Though he was taken back to the island in chains, his glib tongue soon loosed his bonds, and he became the King's closest advisor. His influence corrupted the whole land, temples were built to Morgoth, and eventually he persuaded the men of Númenórë to sail against the Undying Lands. But the might of the Valar is not to be trifled with. They reshaped the world, withdrawing the Undying lands beyond Middle Earth, and they covered the isle of Númenórë with the sea. Sauron's body was destroyed, but as his power was contained in the One Ring he was able to survive even this loss. Of the Lands of the West. Few Númenóreans escaped, but those that did took the name Dúnedain, The Men of the West, and founded two great kingdoms the Middle Earth. These were Gondor in the South and Arnor in the North. But some of the followers of Sauron also escaped the fall, they were called the Black Númenóreans, and they founded the pirate city of Umbar. Not all men had gone to Númenórë. In the west the men of Dunharrow had built fine cities. In the eastern lands of Rhûn and the southern lands of Harad, there were many tribes that folfowed Sauron, the Balcoths, the Wain Riders, the Easterlings, the Haradrim and the Southrons. But Sauron was not defeated, with the power of the ring he made a new body, and led his troops from Mordor once again. Gil Galad the elf, with Elendil the Dúnedain and his son Isildur, led the last great alliance of the men of the west and the Elves. The men of Dunharrow, though they had pledged allegiance, broke their word and refused to fight. Gil Galad and Elendil fell in battle, yet the day was won. Isildur cut the ring from Sauron's finger, though in doing so he broke his great sword Narkil. On losing the ring Sauron could no longer maintain his body, and he was no more than a shadow. Yet all was not won, for as Isildur returned from the battle to his home in Arnor, he was ambushed by Orcs and the ring fell into the great river Anduin and was lost. Of Hobbits. Little has been said yet of Hobbits, mainly because they have yet to enter the story, but now they make their appearance, and in this final act, they are to take the centre of the stage. Hobbits are a little people, and their ancestry is uncertain, for they do not figure in any of the tales of earlier time. Yet they are known to be unobtrusive and may well have been living their peaceful lives, unnoticed. Whatever reason is given for their earlier obscurity, it is known for certain that shortly after the defeat of Sauron the Hobbits had appeared and at least one large group were living by the banks of the Anduin. Now one day, shortly after the death of Isildur, two of the Hobbits were out fishing on the river, when one noticed something bright in the river, he dived in and came up with a ring. The other, who was named Sméagol, said, "Give us that, Déagol, my love". "Why?" "Because it is my birthday, and I wants it." So it was, but Déagol had already given a present, and it was more than he could afford, but Sméagol strangled him and took the ring, though whenever he was asked later he always claimed it was a present, at least until pressed hard for the truth. When he wore it, he found no-one else could seem him. So he learned secrets, and used them to create mischief, till the other Hobbits turned him out of their hole, and he wandered through the land. Finally, he ended up living in the tunnels of the goblins under the Misty Mountains, eating raw fish caught with invisible fingers. And though he withered, and grew stretched, the ring kept him alive, and took hold of him. It was his precious, and he talked to it, till he almost forgot his own name and was only known by the one sound he repeated, a hollow sound, Gollum. The other Hobbits continued their journeys across Middle Earth, until they reached the peaceful land of the Shire. Here they settled and continued to prosper, living in their traditional holes, with the good rooms looking out of the hillside, and the store rooms deep inside the cool earth. Eating four meals a day, with snacks to fill up the cracks. Or enjoying a pint or three of ale, perhaps aided by smoking a pipe full of pipeweed, a habit it is said they introduced to wizards and kings. But aside from this one invention, they seem to have little to do with the main flow of events, yet not all is as it seems. Of Wizards and the Despite of Sauron. Now the Valar did not rest with the fall of Númenórë, they sent five of the Maiar to Middle Earth to continue the fight against Sauron, these were the Wizards, and they took the form of old men, with white beards, each carrying a staff. Sauron too did not rest, though he had no body, he took the form of a great eye, like that of a cat, red and evil. Through his servants, the nine Nazgul, who were the ringwraiths who once had been kings of men, he spread his evil throughout the world. In the north, the Witch Kingdom of Angmar was founded, ruled by the lord of the Nazgul, and its forces destroyed the Dúnedain kingdom of Arnor, and the kings of Arnor, the heirs of Isildur, were reduced to wandering in the woods. In the south the kingdom of Gondor was hard pressed, and its king was killed, leaving no heir, so Gondor is now ruled by a steward, awaiting the return of its rightful ruler to reclaim the throne. Hard pressed by the enemies that surround it, Gondor nearly fell to the Easterlings and the Balcoths, only the arrival of the Horse Lords from the north saved the kingdom. So these flaxen haired warriors, the sons of Eorl, or the Rohirrim were granted the northern part of the kingdom as their own, and these plains are now the land of Rohan. Isengard, the Northern fortress of Gondor, has been given to the Wizard Saruman to hold against the wrath of Sauron. The lands of South Gondor are a desert waste, yet though it is much reduced, Gondor is still a great power, bastion of the west against the might of the Red Eye. Of the other Wizards, two have passed into the East and out of this tale, though one cannot say what aid they have given the West through their work, Radagast makes especial study of plants, birds and animals, speaking their tongues, the last Gandalf Greyhameis of most account in our story. He travels far and is known to many, he aided the Dwarven king, Thorin Oakenshield to reclaim his kingdom in the lonely mountain from the dragon Smaug, by providing him with a Hobbit burglar. Among their many adventures on the way, Bilbo, the Hobbit, found a ring and then met Gollum. After a set of riddles, Gollum failed to guess what the Hobbit had in his pocket, until it was too late. Then he discovered that his precious was missing. Somehow Bilbo escaped, and eventually brought the ring to the Shire, but Gollum hates Bagginses for ever. Gandalf has been studying Ring Lore, and eventually learned that the ring that Bilbo acquired was the One Ring. Bilbo had left the Shire, to go wandering, but Gandalf made him leave the Ring behind. It and his hole, Bag End, has passed to Frodo, and with it the fate of the world. Of Recent Events On Gandalf's orders, Frodo has set out from the Shire, bearing the Ring. Though he intended going alone he has brought along three companions, his servant Sam Gange, and his two childhood friends, Merriadoc Brandybuck, more often called Merry, and Peregrin Took, Pippin. Their journey has not been without incident, Gandalf did not arrive to accompany them, although he had promised that he would. The Black Riders had followed them from the Shire itself, indeed they had called at Bag End just as the Hobbits left. The quest nearly came to grief before it had begun, when they had had to be rescued twice by Tom Bombadil. Firstly in the Old Forest on their first day outside the Shire when Pippin had been swallowed by Old Man Willow, an evil tree, and then for a second time when they were caught by the barrow-wights. However, from the barrow-wights' treasure they all gained ancient swords of Númenórean manufacture. After that they reached Bree safely, where they were joined by Strider, a ranger of those parts, who revealed himself to be Aragorn, son of Arathorn, bearer of the sword that was broken. Strider's experience saved the Hobbits from another attack by the Black Riders, whom he identified as the Nazgul. From Bree they set out along the Great East, to Rivendell. At Weathertop, they saw Gandalf's marks showing he had recently been there. The Nazgul attacked again, and Frodo could not resist the temptation to wear the Ring. The Nazgul attacked and Frodo was wounded. Fortunately the Nazgul were only five in number not nine, for Gandalf had drawn off the other four, and the Hobbits and Aragorn managed to drive them off. But the Nazgul's knife was left in the wound, and Frodo was fading fast. All speed was needed to reach Rivendell, and the Elven Healers. The Last Bridge was not held against them, and they did not see the Riders, till the Fords of Beruthien, just outside Rivendell. Here Gandalf managed to catch the Riders in the river, and with a great spell, he caused spirit horses to come forth from a giant wave, and these carried off the Nazgul, drowning their horses and destroying their clothes, leaving them formless, to crawl back to Mordor. After Frodo was nursed back to health, a great council was held. After all had spoken, it was concluded that the only course was to try to destroy the Ring in the cracks of Mount Doom itself, in the very heart of Mordor. This was fraught with peril, for it meant taking the Ring into the very heart of the evil land. If the Ring should fall to Sauron, he would have the power to take over the world. There was nowhere safe where the Ring could be hidden, for any who held it would be tempted to use its evil and set themselves up as a new Dark Lord, and there is nowhere in Middle Earth where Sauron could not reach to find the Ring. But with the Ring destroyed Sauron's power would fail, and peace would be restored. In Rivendell there are many great heroes who could aid the quest, Legolas, son of Thanduil, the king of the Sylvan Elves of Mirkwood; Gimli the Dwarf, son of Gloin of Erebor the companion of Bilbo and Thorin, Gloin is there also but too old for active adventure; Boramir, son of Denethor the Steward of Gondor and not least of them, Gandalf. LOADING THE GAME AMSTRAD CPC 664 or 6128 From Disc Insert the disc into the drive. Type |CPM The game will load and run. From Tape Amstrad 464 Press CNTRL and small ENTER. Amstrad 6128 Type |TAPE and press RETURN. Press CNTRL and small ENTER. SPECTRUM Type LOAD " " and press ENTER. + 3 Disc Inser the disc into the drive. Press ENTER. The game will load and run. CONTROLS When the title picture appears select control method. Press 1 to use Joystick - this is automatically selected if no button is pressed. 2 to use the cursor keys to move with SPACE to fire. 3 to use the cursor keys to move with COPY to fire. 4 to use the user defined keys initially set to Q, A, O, P and SPACE. 5 to redefine the user keys - displayed in the bottom window. 0 to start play. Selected control method is indicated on the bottom line of the top window. When defining your own keys you may choose any keys except R and ESC which are reserved for the following functions. R enters the Ring Menu ESC pauses game You will also be asked if you have a green screen or full colour monitor. This selects the colours of the cursor to improve visibility. Selecting the wrong option will not affect the computer but may mean that the cursor is difficult to see on the Battle Screen. PLAYING THE GAME You must take the decisions that will lead to the Ring safely reaching Mount Doom. Besides controlling the Ring bearer and his party, you must command the armies of the west, and use them to keep the forces of Mordor from the Ring. To control everything, from the overall disposition of the troops to the actions of individuals in a battle, three levels are used. These are the Middle Earth Map, the Campaign Map, and the Battle Screen. The first few times that you play the game, you may well not be able to see how individual decisions affect the overall outcome of the game. However as you become familiar with the game, you will see how patterns develop. Middle Earth Map. This displays the whole of Middle Earth on the Screen. Along the left hand side of the screen there is a list of commands. There are File, Memo and Time. In the middle of the map there is a gauntleted hand. This is the cursor, to select any action simply position the finger over the desired point, using the joystick or keys. Friendly units are displayed on the map as dots. File Allows you to save and load games to disc or tape, position the cursor over the command and press fire, this opens the file menu and causes a list of commands to appear on screen. Select the option you want using up and down controls and press fire to select. Return takes you back to the Middle Earth Map. Load Game replaces current game with the previously saved game. Save Game saves current position onto a disk. Basic abandons game and returns you to BASIC menu. Memo Gives you further information on the state of the game, position the cursor over the command and press fire. Any messages will scroll across the screen, press fire to stop. Time Sets the game in motion. Campaign time is shown on the scroll underneath the command. Once time is started, all friendly units will start to follow their orders. Sauron's unit will also start to move. Eventually they will come into conflict. Time will stop and Middle Earth Map will be replaced by the Campaign Map. The location of the battle is shown by a crossed pair of swords. This gives you a chance to examine the forces at your disposal and those you will be fighting, when you are ready press fire and you will go into the battle screen. If you want to stop time after you have started it, move the cursor back onto the map and press fire. This will take you to the campaign map. You command all the free peoples, most of the units have orders that they will follow, however, these will not take long to carry out. The Ring and the other characters will stay in Rivendell until you order them to move. However as soon as time is started the evil forces will start their actions under computer control. So before you start time running look at your forces and give them their orders. To do this you must use the Campaign Map. CAMPAIGN MAP To examine any area of Middle Earth in more detail just position the finger over the area you want and press fire. This takes you to the Campaign Map. This is the same map but on an expanded scale, allowing more features to be shown. This map gives you much more detail of the geography, showing hills, mountains, passes, rivers, roads, woods and towns. Friendly units are displayed on the map as shields. A unit can be a single character, such as Frodo, Aragorn or Gandalf, or it may be a body of troops. Each shield represents all the units on a single point, this is called a stack. To examine a unit position the cursor over the shield and press fire. A window will appear in the centre of the screen giving you the details of the first unit in the stack. If you want to see who else is there, you need to press fire again, and move the joystick up or down to display each occupant in turn. It is advisable to check each location to make sure you know exactly who is where. For each unit you are told, Title Either their name, or a description, e.g. a company of 002 men. Who is in command "Man in command" etc. means no commander set. Destination Where they are going. Energy This is used up walking and by being hit in combat. The higher the better. Determination How long they will keep going. Steadfastness How fast their energy is used up. Virtue How long they can hold the ring. Bravery The braver you are the more often you will hit in combat. Strength How much damage you do to an opponent when you hit. Allegiance Fellowship, the good guys; Mordor, Sauron's troops or Orthanc, Saruman's. In order to give a unit an order, press fire twice while their details are displayed on screen. This causes another window to open, giving you a choice of four options. Select the desired choice and press fire. Return do not give a new order. Set to Destination go to a specific destination, you are offered a second menu giving you the choice of applying the order to the individual unit (individual) or all the units in the stack (everyone). Set to Join orders unit to join another unit's company. Set to Follow orders unit to follow another. When any of the Set to orders is selected, the cursor will change to a flashing Maltese Cross. Position this to the desired place and fire. Obviously a destination can be any point on the map simply position the cross and press fire, when Campaign Time is started the unit will move to that point. It will not move in a straight line, instead it will take the best route, taking the terrain into account. Therefore it will detour around mountains, and if there is a road it will take that. Each unit will move at its own speed, they will not wait for slower units in the stack, until they reach their destination. A unit may only join or follow another unit. Position the cursor over a shield and press fire, the cursor will stop flashing, and you can run through the occupants till the desired unit is displayed. Press fire again, and you have completed the order. When campaign time starts, the first unit will follow/join the second. The Ring The character carrying the Ring, at the start of the game this is Frodo, is indicated on the details by having a Ring after their name. If you want to give the Ring to anyone else press R while their details are displayed, a list of all the heroes in the game appears, you can select any of these to give the Ring to, but they must be in the same stack as the current Ring Bearer. COMBAT When a combat occurs, Campaign time is stopped, and the screen displays the campaign map with a pair of crossed swords at the sight of the battle. Push the joystick up to view your forces, left or right to view those of the enemy. When you are ready to start the battle, press fire to move to the Battle Screen. The cursor is replaced with the selection cursor. Every person, or even Hobbit, Dwarf, Elf and Orc involved in battle has their own figure on the screen, though of course as the screen only shows part of the battle, they may well be out of view. Your forces are immobile until attacked or ordered. If they are attacked they will respond, however they will not initiate combat. Your forces will start the battle massed on the left of the screen, those of the enemy on the right. In the centre of the screen the forces will mix. The battle screen does not show terrain features, except for the occasional clump of grass, but these are purely decorative. However, terrain does affect combat, if you are fighting from a favourable position, such as within a fort such as Helm's Deep, your troops get a bonus on their energy. This means that they need to be hit more often before they are killed. Unfortunately if you attack a fortress such as Morrannon or Dol Gunder the Orcs will gain the advantage from the defences. There are two methods of controlling your forces, you can give orders or directly control a character. On the battle screen movement and control is along the diagonals. Up Up and Right Left Up and Left Down Down and Left Right Down and Right To order a character, position the cursor over him and press fire. To indicate that you are over a character the square will change colour. At the bottom of the screen, the message "Select an Enemy for me to attack" will appear. If the selected character is actually an enemy the message "Not allied to the Fellowship" will appear, if you are not correctly over a figure the message will read "There is nobody here", in either case you need to select another character. Once you have correctly selected a character, position the cursor over an enemy and press fire. Again when you are over a figure it will change colour. If you correctly select an enemy the message, "New destination selected" will appear. If you select one of your own forces, the message "You cannot attack a friend" will appear, if the cursor is not centred over anyone the message "There's nobody here" will appear, in either case you need to select a new opponent. If you correctly select an opponent, your character will move to him and attack. To control a character directly, place the cursor over him and press fire twice. The cursor will change to the control cursor. He will now move under the control of the joystick or the keys. As soon as he encounters an enemy he will start to fight and the battle cursor will reappear. To get out of any sequence of controls press the pause key. By ordering your forces to attack efficiently you can influence the outcome of the battle. You will have to discover the best tactics to minimalise your losses in these encounters if you are going to be successful. The battle will continue until all the forces on one side are dead. At the end of the battle follow the on screen instructions, and you will return to the Campaign Map. The cursor will be flashing at the point where the battle took place and can give your units new orders. Avoiding Combat The Ring Bearer has the option of wearing the Ring. If you do not want to fight them press R. He will then put on the Ring and disappear. This enables him to sneak away from the battle and he will appear on the next square of the Campaign Map. He may do this at any time even if he is fighting an enemy. Of course wearing the Ring is not without its disadvantages, firstly it greatly increases the effect of the Ring, your virtue will decrease at a much greater rate than if you were just carrying the Ring. Secondly although the Ring makes you invisible to normal creatures, such as Orcs, it makes you highly visible to Nazgul, if there are any on the Battle Field they will select the Ring Bearer as their target, ignoring everyone else on the field of battle. HOW TO SUCCEED IN YOUR QUEST The object of the game is to get the Ring from Rivendell to the Cracks of Doom in Orodruin without letting the forces of evil capture it on the way. This may well seem easy, but as you will soon find out, that is, in fact, extremely difficult. Although your first few moves may not seem to be crucial, as Sauron's forces are not immediately on top of the Ring Bearer's party, you must remember that this is only a temporary respite. The time was bought for you by Gandalf, when he destroyed the Riders' horses in the ford. You must use this to the best advantage if you are going to succeed in your quest. As you get closer to Mordor there will be many more Orcs to evade. In some ways the strategy of the game has certain similarities to that of American Football. You have lots of units in play, but the only one that matters is the one carrying the Ring. The others are used to clear a path for the Ring bearer, by destroying the enemies' forces. However most of your forces are not in position at the start of the game. The Elves are in Lorien, the Dwarves in the Iron Hills and the Lonely Mountain in the North East and in the Evendim hills in the North West. The men of Gondor and Rohan are dispersed throughout their lands, and the Rangers are in Bree. You want to give all your units orders, so that you get enough troops into the field to face the huge armies of Saruman and Sauron. When considering how best to deploy your armies, remember that terrain has a major effect on the outcome of the battles. It is a good idea to marshal your forces in your own fortresses and let the Orcs come to you. Then you will have the advantage of fighting from behind the fortress walls, even if these are not shown on the battle screen they are in the battle logic. You may well want to gather the Rohirrim at Helm's Deep and the Gondorian's at Minas Tirith, until the forces from further north arrive. As each unit moves at its own pace, determined by how steadfast, determined and energetic it is, you will find that if you order a stack to move it will spread out. As the Orcs move in larger units thatn the forces of the West, this can mean that your forces face fighting many batles where they are outnumbered. However, if you order them to move in short hops they will spread out and then come back together as they arrive. When you get into a battle make sure that you use your forces to their best advantage. All your men, Dwarves, Elves or Hobbits should be involved in the fighting. You will suffer less losess if you can attack each Orc with more than one man, so if you have a numerical advantage make it count, keep an eye on all the battle, as soon as one man is free give him another target to fight. If the Ring Bearer is involved, you do need to keep him safe. If your forces are destroyed you will lose the game. Keep an eye on the Ring Bearer. Remember that the Ring has a corrupting influence. It may help if it is carried occasionally by other members of the party. However, Hobbits do seem to be unnaturally resistant to its powers, whereas men are easily corruptible. You may need to wear the Ring to avoid combat. This is a risky move, it is always better to sneak through without using it, as this will alert the forces of evil to your presence, and will erode your virtue at an extreme rate. It is therefore only to be used in cases of emergency. It is possible to win the game using the basic tactics followed in the book. However, it is not possible to follow the story fully, as for one thing the Ents cannot be roused, therefore you cannot rely on using them to attack and destroy Orthanc. However, the Rohirrim are strong and will hold the forces of the White Hand for a long time, particularly if they are fighting from behind the defences of the Hornburg. The men of Gondor will hold Minas Tirith for many turns against the might of Sauron's Orcs and Nazgul. Then with luck you may well be able to slip through. However, it is not certain. You may well want to try other options, if you bring the forces of Dáin and Brand down from the North, you may well be able to amass a large enough army to force your way through the gates of Mordor. You may well want to see how far you can get by simply ordering the Frodo to travel directly to Mordor, while ignoring the armies totally, relying solely on his ability to slip through the Orc armies. Although this is a high risk strategy, it may well work. The quest will take a long time. Over the course of the game you will need to make several decisions. Do not let the time run on too far. You need to keep on updating the orders to your units, so that they make the best moves. Keep checking all the unit's orders. Hopefully you will then suceed in your task. Remember the words of Robert the Bruce "If at first you do not succeed, try, try again!" There are an infinite number of options that you can take throughout the game. No two games will follow exactly the same pattern. GAZETTER A Ages Time in Middle Earth is counted with respect to Ages, thesre are long periods of time bounded by great events. The First Age of the Sun began with the creation of the Sun and the coming of men, and lasted till the expulsion of Melkor. The Second Age was the time of Númenórë. The Third Age is the Age of Rings, and will last until Sauron is defeated and the King returns. Angmar 94N 58E The old Witch-Kingdom, founded by Sauron and ruled by the Witch King, Lord of the Nazgul, the men of Angmar, eventually crushed the kingdom of Arnor. Its purpose served, Sauron called the Witch King back to Mordor, and Angmar passed, but it is still a blighted land. The influence of its evil is found even up to the borders of the Shire. Aragorn The heir of Isildur, he is the rightful king of Gondor and Acnor. A brave fighter, he carries Narkil, Isildur's sword that was broken cutting the one Ring from Sauron's finger. A powerful figure, he is a leader of men and when he claims his inheritance his presence is enough to cause others to follow, especially those who owe his favours to his forefathers. He is one of the few men of the west that Sauron fears. Until then he travels Middle Earth under a variety of names, working to overthrow Sauron. Arnor 86-96N 50-60E The lost northern kingdom of the Dúnedain, defeated by the Witch King of Angmar at the battle of Fornost a thousand years before the current events. B Balrog These servants of Melkor were some of the most fearsome monsters ever seen in his armies, only the Dragons were more powerful, and the last dragon Smaug the Magnificent was killed by Brand of Dale. Balrogs were Maiar who had followed the evil path, and been transformed into Demons. Surrounded by sheets of flame and wings of shadow, their chief weapon was a many thonged whip of fire, though they also wielded swords, axes and maces. Most Balrogs were destroyed many ages ago when the War or Wrath destroyed Melkor, but some hid under the roots of Mountains. It was a Balrog, disturbed by the deep mining, that destroyed Moria and Killed Durin, it is said that he sleeps still in the deeps of that lonely place. Barad-Dûr 36N 111E The dark tower, Sauron's great fortress in Mordor. Barad-Dur stands on a spur of the Ered Litui or Ash Mountains that form the Northern boundary of Mordor. Bilbo Baggins Elf friend and some-time burglar, or treasure seeker if you prefer to read the rune politely. Bilbo was chosen by Gandalf to be the fourteenth member of Thorin Oakenshield's party to reclaim the Kingdom under the Mountain. Along the way he had many adventures, not least of which was getting lost in the goblin tunnels, finding the Ring and riddling with Gollum. He returned to the Shire a rich man, but left taking only a few essential items to wander again - leaving Bag End and the Ring to Frodo, finally ending up living with Elrond and the Elves at Rivendell. Boramir Boramir is the son of Denethor, the steward of Gondor, he was sent north to the House of Elrond in search of aid for Gondor as they face the threat of renewed attack by Sauron. However the aid that he seeks is not in the form of men, rather he is looking for the solution to a riddle. He is proud, brave and strong. He is a fine warrior. Brand III Slayer of Smaug the Dragon, Brand was honoured by the people of Dale and became their ruler. Bree 75N 53E Standing on the great east road that runs from the Shire to Rivendell, the small town of Bree, with its associated villages of Chetwood, Staddle, Combe and Archwood, formed a small pocket of habitation, in the middle of the wilderness. They were unusual in that Men and Hobbits lived side by side, though most of the Hobbits lived in Bree and Staddle. Regarded as slightly odd by the Hobbits of the Shire, nevertheless the arrangement seemed to please all. As it stands on a road, Bree boasted a fine inn, "The Prancing Pony", though in these times traffic along the road is not what it used to be, the inn is still well kept. Buckland 73N 48E On the east bank of the Brandywine River, between the river and the hedge that keeps the Old Forest back, Buckland is outside the Shire proper. Founded by the Oldbuck family, who had built Bandy Hall and changed their name to Brandybuck, it was almost their private domain. Bucklanders are regarded as slightly queer by the inhabitants of the Shire proper, though not so much so as the Hobbits of Bree. Bucklanders are more likely to be involved with baots and other innovations. Both Frodo and Merry are Bucklanders. Bywater 78N 40E A village in the Shire, home of the famous Green Dragon public house. C Celeborn Husband of Galadriel, Celeborn is the King of the Elves in Lorien. he is one of the great Elf Lords, and his deeds form much of Elven history as it is told in the Silmarillion. Cirith Ungol 35N 99E The path of the spider, a route through the Ephel Duath - the Mountains of Shadow - into Mordor. This is the route Gollum took out of Mordor, and it is not well guarded by Sauron. Corsaires These pirates, who sailed out of the havens of Umbar in the far south in their black sailed ships aided by the power of many slaves pulling on oars, filled all who saw them with fear. They traced their origins to a mixture of Black Númenóreans, Haradrim and to rebels from Gondor. D Dáin King of the Dwarven Kingdom in the Lonely Mountain, established by Thorin Oakenshield and his party of twelve Dwarves and one Hobbit. Dáin was like Thorin a grandson of Dáin I, and arrived at the Lonely Mountain with his followers in time to fight in the battle of the five armies, where Thorin fell. Thus rulership of the newly reclaimed Kingdom passed to Dáin. With his five hundred warriors, and the other Dwarves who came to the Lonely Mountain from their wandering life after the battle of the Kingdom blossomed, and Dáin can bring a large force of Dwarven warriors to the aid of the free peoples in the free peoples in the forthcoming war. Dale 85N 100E The Kingdom of Men, based round Esgaroth the lake town below the Lonely Mountain, ruled over by King Brand, the slayer of Smaug. With Smaug dead Dale flourished once more. Denethor The Steward of Gondor, which is to say, he rules the southern kingdom of the Dúnedain until the return of the King. Though there have been stewards in Gondor for nearly a thousand years, none would yet dare to declare themselves King. Denethor realises that he does not have the forces to fight the armies of the East, and sees little hope of help coming from the other lands. Therefore he has taken to trying to use sorcerous means to defeat Sauron. Dol Amroth 24N 70E One of the five cities of Gondor, Dol Amroth is a great port, it stands on the coast of the Bay of Belfalas. Dol Gundur 61N 84E The hill of Sorcery, Dol Gundur is the fortress in southern Mirkwood, that Sauron fled to after being first driven out of Mordor. Though he has now returned to Minas Morgul, Dol Gundur still remains a place of evil, inhabited by Orcs and other foul beasts. Dwarf At the beginning of time the Valar smith Aulë fashioned the seven fathers of the Dwarves. At that time the power of Melkor was strong in Middle Earth, so the Dwarves were fashioned as a sturdy race, unaffected by cold or heat. They are short and stocky, indomitable, persistent in any endeavour, if sometimes to the point where their stubborness is a disadvantage. The Dwarves live deep in the mountain, mining for precious metals. Indeed, the short, long bearded, Dwarves for all their lack of grace, had a strong sense of beauty, and were master craftsmen, both with stone and metal. The Dwarves were staunch allies of the Elves, and in the early wars many were slain in battles against Melkor, indeed they were the only people to withstand the dragons for they were smiths used to the heat. But they desired the Silmarils of Feaonor and their attempt to steal this led to enmity between the races of Dwarf and Elf. The greatest of the Dwarven kingdoms was that of Moria, or Khazad-dûm, of which more is said elsewhere. By the time of the War of the Ring all the great Dwarven kingdoms had fallen, and the Dwarves had become a wandering people, with a few small scattered kingdoms, like the Kingdom under the Mountain refounded by Thorin Oakenshield and Dáin Ironfoot. E Edoras 44N 69E The royal born courts of the Rohirrim. Here was Meduseld, the feast hall of the Kings, with its roof of gold. Hence the King of Rohan was also known as the Lord of the Golden Hall. Elf The first born, the immortal Elves, were the chosen people of Eru. The Elves were tall and willowy, fair of face, they had the radiance of the stars in their eyes. Their sight is as keen as that of an eagle. They were free from pestilence, but they could be slain in battle, or perish in flames. They called themselves the Qunedi, the speakers, and they delighted in fine speech and fair song. Lovers of beauty, the Elves were skilled in craft of all forms, especially in those arts that are called magic by men. It was their craft and their pride that brought many of their troubles. Feanor created the silmarils, great jewels with the light of the trees in them, and it was his refusal to give these up when the trees were destroyed that led to many of the wars between Elves, recounted in the Silmarillion. It was the Elves that fashioned the rings of power, having been tricked by Sauron. Elrond The half Elven keeper of the last homely house east of the sea. Elrond was one of the greatest of the Elf Lords. Éomer Son of Eomund and third lord of the Riddermark, Éomer is one of the Lords of Rohan. He is the sister son of Théoden, that is to say he is Théoden nephew. Éowyn Sister of Éomer, Éowyn is a shield maiden, that is to say a female warrior. Théoden however does not approve of her venturing onto the field of battle, and wants her to remain in Edoras and rule in his stead. Erebor 87N 98E The lonely mountain, now home of the Dwarven Kingdom ruled by Dáin, this had been for a long time the home of Smaug the Magnificent, the last surviving dragon, the story of how Thorin Oakenshield refounded the kingdom is told in "The Hobbit". F Faramir The second son of Denethor, he was in charge of the Rangers of Ithilien, a special band of Knights of Gondor, who dressed in Forester's Green, charged with the defence of Gondor's borders against the forces of Mordor. Faramir was brother to Boromir, and though he had his brother's ability in battle, he lacked some of Boromir's pride. Far Downs 77M 31E The land immediately to the West of the Shire, settled by Hobbits. Fornost 84N 51E The ancient capital of Arnor, now a ruin. Called Norbury by the Hobbits. Forodwaith 100 and further North The northern wastes, the uninhabited lands to the north of Middle Earth. Frodo Baggins An exceptional Hobbit, he was the heir of Bilbo the hero of "The Hobbit". When Bilbo left the Shire to live with the Elves, Frodo inherited his House and the Ring. Many Hobbits would say that his being half Brandybuck and having Bilbo's friendliness towards Elves and Dwarves made him unusual, but non-Hobbits would see the comfort-loving, food-loving, complacency of other Hobbits. G Gandalf One of the Council of Five Wizards, Gandalf the Grey, as he was known by men, made especial study of the lore of rings and of Hobbits. He was involved in arranging for Bilbo to join Thorin Oakenshield's expedition to the Lonely Mountain, discovered the true nature of the Ring, and arranged for Bilbo to pass it on to Frodo. He is friend of eagles, known to the Ents, he has the ear of the Lord of the Mark, and of the Steward in Gondor. The Elves have trusted him with one of their three great rings, the Ring of Fire. Gimli Son of Gloin, Gimli has accompanied his father from Erebor to Rivendell, with the news that Sauron is looking for the Hobbit Baggins, once known to the Dwarves, seeking a small ring that has been stolen. A staunch fighter, Gimli's axe has shortened the neck of many an Orc. Gollum Was is this nasties man asking us these nasty nasty questions for my precious, Gollum? Doesn't he knows whose we are? We are Smeagol, my precious, aren't we, and that Baggins creature stole our precious from us, and we hates him forever, Golum. It was our birthday present, wasn't it, thief Bagginses, we hates you forever. Gollum is a pathetic figure, it is hard to credit that this scrawny creature is of the same stock as Hobbits. Gollum came upon the Ring long ago, and though it was found by someone else, Gollum took it as his birthday present. The Ring's gift of invisibility gave him power, but made him hated. After he was thrown out by the community, Gollum drifted, till he ended up living in the Goblin tunnels, where he lived off fish. But the Ring had altered him, besides prolonging his life it had gnawed into his soul, and he now feels compelled to follow it. But he is marked by the darkness, the Sun hurts him, his skin is thin and stretched. A mere shadow of his former self. But sly and cunning, not to be trusted an inch. Gondor 20-40N 50-90E The southern kingdom of the Dúnedain is much reduced from its former glories, facing powerful enemies to the east and south, yet it stands as the last great bastion against the forces of Evil, for in the north Arnor has fallen to the Witch-King. At its height, Gondor had five great cities, two ports, Pelargir and Dol Amroth, and three inland cities, but the evil has arisen in Mordor, and Minas Ithil fell, to become Minas Morgul; Osgiliath has become a ruin; Ithilien, the land around those two cities, a wasteland, and of the three only Minas Tirith still stands. South Gondor, the area beyond the Anduin, has become desolate desert, so Gondor is reduced to the coast between the White Mountains and the sea. Yet stilI there are men there of stout heart, tall and proud like the knights of old. Though they are led now by a steward not a king, for there has been a king in Gondor for nigh on a thousand years, the men of Gondor will stand to the last against the might of Mordor. Grey Havens 75N 25E Home of Cirdan the shipwright, it is from this port that the Elves leave Middle Earth to return to the Undying Lands. H Haradwaith 0N and everywhere further south The land to the far south. Harad is divided into Near Harad, just to the south and Far Harad beyond Umbar. The Haradrim are swarthy men, dark skinned and short. Among their armies strange beasts are often seen. Harolond 70N 20E The southern town of Lindon, the elvish land by the Western Sea. Helm's Deep 41N 65E The Rohan fortress of Helm's Deep is built into the side of the Thirhyrne - a peak of the White Mountains. The fortifications are based on a narrow ravine that leads from the green coomb, deep into the mountain, the Hornburg stands at the entrance to the cleft, on a heel of rock that jutted out from the north, this is an ancient tower, built by the men of old. From the base of the rock a wall runs across the mouth of the vale, Helm's Gate as it is called, and before this a dike. Through all these defences ran the Deeping Stream, which added another barrier for attacking forces to cross. At the far end of the valley there were vast caverns which formed the last line of defence. In all it was a formidable redoubt, and if stocked with food and manned well it was capable of holding off an invading force many times the size of the defence. Hobbit Quite where Hobbits came from is a mystery, for there are no records of their existence before the Third Age of the Sun. They are a small people around three feet in height, and less stocky than Dwarves, even when not much shorter. Also unlike Dwarves they have no beards, though their feet are covered in thick hair. Although there are reports of Hobbits travelling across Middle Earth at the beginning of the Third Age, they had long since settled in the Shire by the start of this tale. They are comfort-loving, and like at least four good meals a day, with snacks in between if they are hungry. Though they appear as soft as butter, they can surprise even the wise with their resilience and strength in times of trouble. For the most part, however, they like a simple life, tending their land and compiling complicated genealogies, Hobbits reckon kinship much further than the Big Folk, as they call humans, do. They are a peaceful folk, the last battle in the Shire was a combined effort to repel wolves that had broken in from the old forest one foul winter, though they claim they sent archers to the Battle of Fornost no record exists elsewhere of their presence. Hobbits are not users of magic, though their skills in hiding and moving quietly are such that some may think that they do use magic to disappear, indeed it was for those skills that Gandalf the Wizard chose Bilbo Baggins to be the burglar for Thorin Oakenshield, and it was then he acquired the Ring, which led to the involvement of Hobbits in this great adventure. Hobbiton 73N 37E A large Hobbit village in the west farthing of the Shire. Although Hobbits prefer to live in holes, especially the large rambling many roomed family homes known as Smails, in the villages there are many houses built above ground. Frodo's hole, Bag End, is in Hobbiton. I Imrahil Prince of Dol Amroth, the great port of Gondor. Leader of the Knights of that fair city. Isengard 46N 65E The great fortress at the southern end of the Misty Mountains, it is a great natural defence, a wide circle of rocks standing alongside the River Isen, with at its centre the Tower of Orthanc. It was given by the people of Gondor to the Wizard Saruman, while he still fought the Dark Lord. Now Saruman has fallen into evil ways, and Isengard is a dark place. The fires of the forges turn the sky red, as they produce weapons for the ever-growing army of Orcs, Half Orcs and Dunlendings that gather here. Isenmouthe 42N 100E A castle in Mordor, forming the second line of defence after the Black Gates of Moranon. Iron Hills 85-90N 106-128E A range of hills to the east even of the Lonely Mountain. The Iron Hills are home to one of the last Dwarven Kingdoms. L Legolas Son of Thanduil, the King of the Elves of Northern Mirkwood. Legolas is one of the greatest Elven archers. Legolas's sight is keen ever for that of an Elf. Linhir 27N 81E A town in southern Gondor, at the confluence of the Rivers Gilrain and Serni, where they flow into the Bay of Belfalas. Lorien 50-55N 70-75E The Golden Wood, Lorien is the woodland kingdom of Galadriel and Celeborn. Here the Elves have tried to recreate in Middle Earth the great Gardens of the Undying Lands. As with most places associated with Elves, Lorien is a magical place. Once here it is easy to lose all track of time. However, first you have to gain admittance, for the Elves are defensive in these troubled times. M Maiar When Eru created Middle Earth, his first thoughts called into form the immortal spirits, the greatest of these were the Valar, who are called gods by men, but alongside these there wre the Maiar. Sauron himself was a Maiar, but he chose to follow Melkor, as were the Balrogs and dragons and other great fell beasts that led Melkor's armies. The Wizards too are Maiar, but they have left many of their powers behind in the Undying Lands, and come to Middle Earth as old men. When they have great purpose, or great evil, it is possible for Maiar to survive the loss of their earthly bodies, and return in another form. Meriadoc Brandybuck - Merry The Brandybucks are regarded by most other Hobbits as being one of the more adventurous families. After all, they do not live in the Shire proper, but over in Buckland on the wrong side of the river, and far too close to the Old Forest. They also messed around in boats. Merry is no exception. Like all Hobbits he likes good food, good company, and smoking pipeweed. Yet he is also valiant, strong-hearted and true. Merry is one of Frodo's closest friends. Michel Delving 77N 34E The closest thing to the centre of government that Hobbits have. The only elected office in the Shire is the Mayor of Michel Delving, but its duties are few. To any outsider's eye, it is just another quiet village. Minas Morgul 36N 95E The Tower of Darkness, Minas Morgul is the name now given to the ancient Gondorian Town of Minas Ithil, the Tower of the Moon, but it fell to the dark power and is now a place of evil. Minas Morgul is the realm of the Witch-King, Lord of the Nazgul, but its armies are commanded by his lieutenant Gothmog. Minas Tirith 37N 86E Citadel of Gondor, the Tower of Watching, originally called Minas Anor, Tower of the Sun, and twin city to Minas Ithil. Now that the Dark Lord has corrupted that place, Minas Tirith stands as the bastion against the armies of the East. Its defences are many, starting with the Rammas Ecthor, the great dike that surrounds the Pelennor Fields. Minas Tirith itself is a great seven walled city, set into the side of the hill. The citadel at the top of the mountain is seven hundred feet above the entrance to the city. Here is the court of the steward, Denethor. Mirkwood 60-90N 80-95E Originally a pleasant place, known as the Greenwood. The dark sorcerer set up his fortress in Dol Gundur, and turned Mirkwood into a place of evil. Southern Mirkwood is home to Orcs, spiders and other foul creaturs. Yet Elves still live in the north of this great forest, under their King Thanduil. Morannon 45N 96E The Black Gate of Mordor. The Morannon stands in the North Eastern corner of that blighted land. They are two great iron gates set in a stone arch, topped with battlements. The gates are protected by the towers of teeth and walls and fortifications of colossal size. Moria 74-75N 70-76E Once the greatest kingdom of the Dwarves, Moria, or Khazad Dûm as it is known in the tongue of the Dwarves, is tunnelled out of the Misty Mountains. Its great wealth was based on the deposits of the metal Mithril, known as true silver, lighter and stronger than base silver, it was prized above all other metals by Dwarves and Elves alike and could only be mined in Moria. At its height no place on Earth could match the splendour of Moria's caverns, lit by great lamps covered in carvings and jewels, each passage brought new delights. But the Dwarves mined too deep, and disturbed a Balrog that was sleeping under the Mountain. This terrible demon raised an army of Orcs and Trolls, and with its aid drove the Dwarves from the Mountain. Now the lamps remain unlit, the gates stand closed, and Moria lies in ruin. Mordor 20-50N 94-128E The dark kingdom of the east. Home of Sauron the Maiar, and his armies of Orcs, Trolls and evil men, led by Ringwraiths. Mordor is a desolate place of ash strewn wastes and deserts. Mordor is a name to be said in whispers, a place to avoid unless you are a hero of stout heart. N Nazgul After Sauron had the Rings of Power made, he distributed them to the leaders of the peoples of Middle Earth. He gave one to each of the seven fathers of the Dwarves, three to the Elves and nine to the Kings of Men. Of all these Men proved the easiest to bend to his will. the nine kings, though they lived long through the power of the Rings, eventually faded, till they were no more than shadows. Yet their power was still great. Through fear and sorcery they worked, though they were completely under the dominance of the Dark Lord. They were the nine, the Ringwraiths, the Nazgul. They wore robes of black to give themselves a shape in which they could talk to others, and rode black steeds or fearsome winged beasts that fly faster than the wind. O Orc In the first Age of the Stars, back at the very beginning of the world, when the Elves first appeared, Melkor captured some of that fair race, and from them he bred the race of Orcs. Orcs are all that Elves are not, coarse featured, stunted, bow legged, they were nevertheless strong, they also fought with excessive ferocity, and little fear of death, which may have been preferable to their existence. The Orcs had no sense of beauty, their only pleasure was in creating pain in others, and no craft, relying on plunder. Their guttural tongue, the Black Speech, was harsh and discordant, especially when compared to the rolling sounds of Elvish speech. As with all of Melkor's spawn, they feared the light, preferfing the night. Although light pained their eyes, it was not fatal to them as it was to Trolls. Orc units bore banners or shields painted with various designs, depending on their allegiance. The Orcs of Isengard bore the White Hand, those of Mordor the Red Eye, from Minas Morgul they bore a White Moon like a skull, and so on. Orthanc 46N 65E Saruman's tower built at Isengard. P Pelargir 33N 92E Southern Port of Gondor at the mouth of the great River Anduin. Peregrin Took - Pippin The Took family is another of the great families of the Shire, holders of the office of Thain. Indeed, Bilbo is himself half Took. The Great Took was the last Hobbit to go off on adventures before Bilbo, so it is not surprising that Peregrin, or Pippin as he is more commonly called, would be one of the Hobbits to accompany Frodo. Unfortunately, Pippin sometimes allows his curiosity to overcome his good sense, and so occasionally causes sever problems for those around him. R Rhûn 128 and further East The land of the East, stretching from Mordor in the South to the Iron Hills in the North, and an unknown distance to the East. Rhûn is the home of the Easterlings, Balcoths and the Wain riders. Having lived under the influence of Sauron for so long the people of the East are his staunch allies, and will make up a large part of his armies. Rings Sauron tricked the Elves into making nineteen Rings. Of these nine were given to Kings of Men, whom he bent to this will and made into the Nazgul. Seven he gave to the Fathers of the Dwarves. Of these, three he has recovered and four have been devoured by Dragons and are lost, but he was unable to bend the Dwarves to his will, the final three remained with the Elves, who hid them from him. To them he added the One Ring, which he forged himself. He lost this when Isildur cut the finger from his hand. This is the Ring that has now come into Frodo's possession. Rivendell 77N 69E Home of Elrond half elven, this was a place of song and tales, described as the last homely house by Bilbo on his journey to the Lonely Mountain. Although now a place of joy, it was built as the last defence against Sauron, before the men of Númenórë came and drove him back. Rohan 40-50N 64-86E The great fertile plain of Rohan, bounded to the South by the White Mountains and to the North and East by the River Anduin, provides the luscious pasture that feeds the herds of the Horse Lords, the Rohirrim or Eorlingas. Following their King Eorl, the Rohirrim came down from the North to settle these plains. It was their arrival that drove off the Balcoth, and thus began the alliance between the people of Rohan and Gondor whose rulers ceded the territory that is now Rohan from their northern provinces. The Rohirrim are born warriors, bred to the saddle, the host of Eorl makes an impressive sight as they ride to battle, the tips of their spears and their polished mail gleaming in the sun, their long blonde hair blowing in the wind, that spreads the green pennants marked with the white horse, echoing the proud steeds that they ride. Normally they are a most hospitable people, but in these troubled times they are wary, for the "Annals of the Kings" is full of the times when they have ridden to war. S Sam Sam Gangee, the gardener at Bag End. Sam is devoted to both Bilbo and Frodo, though he was the source of Merry and Pippin's information about Frodo's plans. Sam is slightly afraid of Gandalf - especially if he thinks he is about to be turned into a toad - however nothing else can frighten him. He will defend Frodo against any odds. Aside from that all he wants is to see some Elves and improve his garden. Saruman Head of the Council of Wizards, Saruman the White was the greatest of their number. Skilled in sorcery, Saruman long studied the ways of Sauron, and especially the lore of Rings. Eventually he grew proud and desired power for himself. He was granted the Tower of Orthanc at Isengard by the stewards of Gondor, and he made this his base. Here he found a palentir, and it was through this that he fell under the influence of Sauron, for while using the stone to view far areas of Middle Earth, he was seen by the Red Eye. From then on Isengard became a place of evil. Saruman was always wise in the ways of engines, and here he built various engines of war. Here too he gathered an army of Orcs and Dunlendings, along with his new breed the Half-Orcs. Saruman took the badge of the white hand and renounced his white cloak for a new cloak, and he became Saruman of the Many Colours. Sauron The Dark Lord, Sauron is a Maiar, he was the chief disciple of Melkor and when the other Valar finally overthrew his master, Sauron claimed repentance. But evil ran deep in his heart and he soon reverted to his previous ways and took on the mantle of the embodiment of Evil within Middle Earth. At the beginning of the Second Age he tricked the Elven smiths into making for him nineteen rings of power, which he distributed to the Lords of the people of the West. And in the fires of Mount Doom he himself forged the master ring into which he put much of his power. Isildur managed to cut the finger from Sauron's hand, but after that victory the ring was lost. Without the ring Sauron's power is diminished, and he cannot take a solid form, appearing insted as a great lidless red eye, like that of a cat, full of malice. But his evil remains as long as the ring is not destroyed. If he can only find the ring . . . The Shire 70-80N 30-40E The land of Hobbits, in the North East of Middle Earth. A green land of rolling hills and gentle slopes, sheltering small villages. The fertile soil and pleasant climate makes this a rich land. The Hobbits live their well-ordered lives without a care, wanting no more than time to eat or to drink and smoke in one of the many prosperous inns. The Mayor of Michel Delving, being the only elected official, seems to have to do little but to ensure that the post Hobbits actually deliver all the mail. T Thanduil The King ofthe Sylvan Elves in northern Mirkwood and the father of Legolas. Theoden King of the Golden Hall, Lord of the Mark, Theoden son of Thengel is the King of Rohan. At his word the host of the Eorlingas will ride forth to battle. Theodred Rohirrim horse lord who leads the defenders of the fords of Isen. U Umbar 1N 68E The southern port, originally founded by the Black Númenóreans, followers of Sauron who escaped the fall. Umbar was long the home of pirates. Although Gondor subjugated the original town, it later rebelled, and was once again the home of the Corsairs. Undying Lands Also known as Valinor, these lands are the home of the Valar, they used to be in West of Middle Earth, but after the fall of Númenórë and the reshaping of the world they were withdrawn. So now the only way to reach them is in one of Cirdan's white boats that sail from the Grey Havens. W Witch-King A great sorcerer, the Witch-King of Angmar was the greatest of the nine Lords of Men who received rings of power from Sauron. He ruled first the northern kingdom of Angmar and later in Mordor. He is the leader of the Nazgul. It is said that he cannot be killed by mortal man. Wizard There were five Wizards, known as the White Council, or the Istari, they were sent from the Undying Lands into Middle Earth to aid the free peoples in their battle against Sauron. In Middle Earth they appeared as old men dressed in long robes. The legends of the people of the West talk of only three of the five - Saruman the White, leader of the Council, Gandalf the Grey, and Rhadagast the Brown, though they mention that the other two worked further East and took the colour blue. They were sent into the land with few powers, save those they could gather there, and they wore no rings, but each had a staff. A BIOGRAPHY OF PROFESSOR J.R.R. TOLKIEN John Ronald Reuel Tolkien is remembered for his imaginative writings and the lasting creation of Middle Earth. However, he was also a great scholar, being the Rawlingson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford University. His writing owes much of its power to his store of knowledge about the English language and a deep understanding of myth. He was born in the Orange Free State, in what is now South Africa, at the end of the last century. However, his mother brought him home to England when he was four, and after his father's death the family made their home at Sarehole, then on the edge of Birmingham. Although this is a great industrial city, their home was in the countryside. His mother died when he was twelve, leaving Tolkien and his brother orphans, they were taken in by a priest of the Birmingham Oratory, who made them both wards. Tolkien went to the King Edward VI School in Birmingham, where he did well. From there he went up to Oxford, where he read English at Exeter College, gaining first class honours. He married Edith Bratt, whom he had met in Birmingham. Their marriage was very happy, Edith appears in his writings as Luthien in the Silmarillion. The great war intervened in Tolkien's life, as it did in others. He served in the Lancashire Fusiliers as an officer, and survived the Somme, though many of his close friends and colleagues died. His respect for the common soldier under the great stress of war shows through in his later writings, where the Hobbits show great strength in Mordor, previously unseen by others or even themselves. After the war he got a job, working on the New English Dictionary, but in 1920 he was appointed reader in English at Leeds University, four years late he was promoted to Professor, which is the highest rank of academic in British universities. It was at this time that he started writing. At this stage he thought of his tales as being a new mythology for England. These early works, which laid the basis for all his later works, are now published as The Book of Lost Tales. In 1925 he was elected to the Professorship at Oxford. He specialised in Philology, the study of words, and was among the most accomplished scholars in this field. His love of words led him to work on a series of languages for the Elves, and from this he worked on their history. It was these writings that later became the Silmarillion. However, he also had four children and wrote several books for them. Of these, "The Hobbit" is of course the best known. This was published in 1937. Stanley Unwin, the publisher, asked for a sequel. Professor Tolkien was sceptical at first, but inspiration struck and he started work. Unfortunately war again intervened, and so this book took nearly twelve years to write. It blossomed into much more than a sequel, being not a book for children, but a great saga for adults, "The Lord of the Rings". Tolkien retired shortly after the publication of this work, and left Oxford for the coastal resort of Bournemouth, but when Edith died he returned to Oxford and his family. He himself died two years later on the 2nd September 1973, aged eighty one. He is buried alongside his wife in an Oxford cemetery, under their real names and the names of the two lovers he created, Beren and Luthien. Although Tolkien's vision was mainly channelled into his writings, he also drew many pictures and sketches, both in pen and ink and in water colours, and produced wonderful detailed maps of his lands. The pictures appear as covers to some editions of his works, and have been gathered into a book of their own. After his death, his son Christopher, aided by the Canadian writer Guy Gavriel Kay, set about editing his earlier mythological works. These eventually appeared as the Silmarillion, a great sweep of history and myth. To this was added the Unfinished Tales, and currently being published The History of Middle Earth series, where all the earlier versions of the works have been gathered. Besides the Middle Earth cannon of works, Tolkien's children's books are delightful stories for those of any age, who are young at heart. Also available are his translations from the Anglo-Saxon, and several scholarly essays. Tolkien never expected his works to achieve the popularity that they have, thinking that they would only have interest to a minority. Yet his vision of Middle Earth, rooted in his love for the English countryside, be it the green woodlands of the Midlands in Warwickshire and Oxfordshire, or the rolling Pennine hills of Yorkshire, caught the spirit of the time, and has proved the inspiration for many other writers and artists, including the authors of this game, Ted Nasmith the cover artist and myself, your humble scribe. If you wish to learn more of the Professor's works, there is a society dedicated to the furtherance of interest in his life and works. This is the Tolkien Society, an international society registered as a charity in the United Kingdom. Inquiries should be sent to: The Secretary, Anne Haward, 35 Amesbury Crescent, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 3RD. Stamped addressed envelopes or international reply coupons are appreciated with all correspondence, and will hasten a reply. The society cannot, however, answer any queries concerning this or any other game based on Tolkien's works, which should of course be addressed to Melbourne House. BOOKS BY PROFESSOR J.R.R. TOLKIEN Middle Earth Books The Hobbit The Lord of the Rings, also published in three parts. I) The Fellowship of the Ring II) The Two Towers III) The Return of the King The Adventures of Tom Bombadil Pictures by J.R.R. Tolkien With Donald Swann The Road Goes Ever On Settings of songs featured in the other works. Edited by Christopher Tolkien The Silmarillion Unfinished Tales The History of Middle Earth Series - early versions and other writings I) The Book of Lost Tales Part One II) The Book of Lost Tales Part Two III) The Lays of Beleriand IV) The Shaping of Middle Earth V) The Lost Road VI) The Return of the Shadow - The History of the Lord of the Rings Part One Other Children's Books Farmer Giles of Ham Mr. Bliss Smith of Wooten Major The Father Christmas Letters (edited by Bailie Tolkien) Scholarly Works Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Pearl and Sir Orfeo (annotations of classic English tales by other authors) The Monsters and the Critics (A collection of essays) The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien (edited by Humphrey Carpenter) Finn and Hengest (edited by Alan Bliss) Other Writings Tree and Leaf Poems and Stories This is based on the British, Unwin Hyman, publications. In America the minor works have been published in slightly different collections. There are also a number of critical works dealing with Middle Earth, biographies of Tolkien and the Inklings, etc. All Tolkien characters reproduced by kind permission of Unwin/Hyman. Produced: Ron Harris Directed: Bob Clardy Game Design: Alan Clark/Bob Clardy Programming: Sygnergistic Software Graphic Art: Michael Ornsby/Mike Christy/David Schroeder Original Music Score: David Schroeder Documentation: Marcus Streets

You are Frodo Baggins, an exceptional Hobbit. Your uncle Bilbo Baggins went on adventures, something no normal Hobbit would do. On the most famous of these he acquired a ring that made him invisible. Bilbo has left this ring to you and left the Shire to live among the Elves. Your friend the Wizard Gandalf the Grey has identified this ring as being "The One Ring". This was forged by the Sauron, the Dark Lord, it is very powerful and very evil. It contains much of Sauron's power, with it he would defeat all his enemies and subjugate the whole of Middle Earth, where it to be destroyed he would be defeated. Though it would be possible to use it against Sauron, it would then corrupt the wielder turning him into a new Dark Lord. Because of the magical nature of the ring, it can only be destroyed by being thrown into the Cracks of Doom, where it was forged. This is the mouth of the volcano Mt. Doom in the centre of Sauron's kingdom Mordor far to the South East. You are not on your own, accompanying you are Sam, Merry and Pippin, three Hobbit friends, Aragorn the ranger, Boromir of Gondor, Legolas an Elf, Gimli a Dwarf, and of course Gandalf. As well as facing Sauron's forces, you will also be assailed by those of the Wizard Saruman. Though he was originally the leader of the Council of Wizards opposing Sauron, he has been corrupted. He has raised an army of Orcs and Dunlendings and he too is looking for the Ring, for he believes he can use it to control Middle Earth. You will need to mobilise the nations of the West, the men of Dale, Gondor and Rohan, the Elves of Lorien and Mirkwood and the Dwarves of Erebor and the Iron Hills, or the forces of evil will win by force of arms before you can destroy the Ring. If the forces of evil can find the Ring and take it back to Barad-Dûr or Isenguard you will lose. LOADING THE GAME AMSTRAD CPC 664 or 6128 From Disc From Tape Insert the disk into Amstrad 464 Amstrad 6128 drive. Type |CPM. Press CNTRL and small ENTER. Type |TAPE and press RETURN. Press CNTRL and small ENTER. SPECTRUM SPECTRUM +3 Disk Type LOAD" " and press ENTER. Insert the disk into the drive. Press ENTER. CONTROLS AMSTRAD Press 1 to use Joystick - This is automatically selected if no button is pressed. 2 to use the cursor keys to move with SPACE to fire. 3 to use the cursor keys to move with COPY to fire. 4 to use the user defined keys initially set to Q, A, O, P and SPACE. 5 to redefine the user keys - displayed in the bottom window. 0 to start play. Selected control method is indicated on the bottom line of the top window. When definining your own keys you may choose keys for Up, Down, Left, Right and Fire in that order. You may choose any keys except R and ESC which are reserved for the following functions. R enters the Ring Menu ESC pauses game You will also be asked if you have a green screen or full colour monitor. This selects the colours of the cursor to improve visibility. Selecting the wrong option will not affect the computer but may mean that the cursor is difficult to see on the Battle Screen. SPECTRUM Press 1 to use a KEMPSTON joystick. 2 to use a CURSORY joystick. 3 to use an INTERFACE 3 joystick. 4 to use the keys. 5 to redefine the keys. 6 to set level. 0 to start play. When defining your own keys you may choose keys for Up, Down, Left, Right and Fire in that order. You may choose any keys except 1 and R which are reserved for the following functions. R enters the Ring Menu 1 pauses game/abandon option. PLAYING THE GAME The Middle Earth Map displays the whole of Middle Earth on the screen. Along the left hand side of the screen there is a list of commands. In the middle of the map there is a gauntleted hand. This is the cursor, to select any action simply position the finger over the desired point, using the joystick or keys. Friendly units are displayed on the map as dots. There are three commands: File Allows you to save and load games to disk, select the option you want using up and down controls and press fire to select. Memo Gives you further information on the state of the game. Time Sets the game in motion. Campaign time is shown on the scroll underneath the command. Once time is started, all friendly units will start to follow their orders. Sauron's units will also start to move. To examine any area of Middle Earth in more detail, or give orders, just position the finger over the area you want and press fire. This stops time and takes you to the Campaign Map. this is the same map but on an expanded scale. Friendly units are displayed on the map as shields. A unit can be a single character, such as Frodo, Aragorn or Gandalf, or it may be a body of troops. Each shield represents all the units on a single point, this is called a stack. To examine a unit position the cursor over the shield and press fire. A window will appear in the centre of the screen giving you the details of the first unit in the stack. If you want to see who else is there, you need to press fire again and move the joystick up or down to display each occupant in turn. It is advisable to check each location to make sure you know exactly who is where. For each unit you are told: Title Either their name, or a description, e.g. a company of 002 men. Who is in command "Man in command" etc. means no commander set. Destination Where they are going. Energy This is used up walking and by being hit in combat. Determination How long they will keep going. Steadfastness How fast their energy is used up. Virtue How long they can hold the ring. Bravery The braver you are the more often you will hit in combat. Strength How much damage you do to an opponent when you hit. Allegiance Fellowship, the good guys; Mordor, Sauron's troops or Orthanc, Saruman's. In order to give a unit an order, press fire twice while their details are displayed on screen. This causes another window to open, giving you a choice of four options. Select the desired choice and press fire. Return do not give a new order. Set to Destination go to a specific destination, you are offered a second man giving you the choice of applying the order to the individual unit (individual) or all the units in the stack (everyone). Set to Join orders unit to join another unit's company. Set to Follow orders unit to follow another. When any of the Set to orders is selected, the cursor will change to a flashing Maltese Cross. Position this to the desired place and press fire. A unit may only join or follow another unit. Position the cursor over a shield and pres fire, the cursor will stop flashing, and you can run through the occupants until the desired unit is displayed. Press fire again, and you have completed the order. The character carrying the Ring, at the start of the game this is Frodo, is indicated on the details by having a Ring after their name. If you want to give the Ring to anyone else press R while their details are displayed, a list of all the heroes in the game appears, you can select any of these to give the Ring to, but they must be in the same stack as the current Ring bearer. When a combat occurs. Campaign time is stopped, and the screen displays the campaign map with a pair of crossed swords at the sight of the battle. Push the joystick up to view your forces, left or right to view those of the enemy, press fire to move to the Battle Screen. The cursor is replaced with the battle cursor. Every person etc. involved in battle has their own figure. The screen only shows part of the battle, so they may be out of view. Your forces are immobile until attacked or ordered. If they are attacked they will respond, however they will not initiate combat. On the battle screen movement and control is along the diagonals. Up, Up and Right; Left, Up and Left; Down, Down and Left; Right, Down and Right. To order a character, position the cursor over him and press fire. Once you have correctly selected a character, position the cursor over an enemy and press fire, the message, "New destination selected" will appear and your character will move to him and attack. To control a character directly, place the cursor over him and press fire twice. The cursor will change to the control cursor. He will now move under the control of the joystick or the keys. As soon as he encounters an enemy he will start to fight and the battle cursor will reappear. To get out of any sequence of controls press the pause key. The Ring bearer has the option of wearing the Ring. If you do not want to fight then press R. He will then put on the Ring and disappear. This enables him to sneak away from the battle and will appear on the next square on the campaign map. This greatly increases the effect of the Ring, your virtue will decrease at a much greater rate than if you were just carrying the Ring. Secondly, although the Ring makes you invisible to normal creatures, such as Orcs, it makes you highly visible to Nazgul. CONTROLS Amstrad Spectrum Middle Earth Map Hand Hand Campaign Map Hand Hand Battle Cursor Purple Square Open Circle Selection Cursor Blue Square Cross Control Cursor Red Square Closed Circle