The Ghost in the Bay of Forochel

The Seamonster in the Bay of Forochel

Volume I, Book 13 of the Epic line takes us to Forochel, and intertwines itself with a lesser-known but very important part of historical Lore.

I briefly mention the overthrow of the Kingdom of Arthedain and Fornost being overrun by Angmar in 1974 of the Third Age in another article.   Arvedui, who was king at the time, fled north after all was lost at Fornost and spent months trying to survive with a small remainder of his men in the dwarf-mines at the far end of the Blue Mountains.  Hunger drove them to seek help from the Lossoth - a people not of the Edain and quite different from the culture and customs of the Men of Númenor, such as Arvedui and his men - and who were just as isolated and wary of outsiders as LOTRO represents them.  But as anyone who has quested in Forochel knows, the Lossoth can be friendly - gradually.  In the Lore, they eventually decided to aid Arvedui and his men (in part due to pity for his gaunt condition, hence we see Saija in Book 13 referring to him as the Gaunt King - this shouldn't be confused with the Gaunt Lords we see elsewhere).  The Lossoth built huts of snow for the refugees from Fornost to help them survive the rest of the harsh winter.

The Last King of Arthedain

When Círdan the Shipwright learned that Arvedui had fled from Fornost to the north, he sent a ship from the Grey Havens to Forochel.  When the ship arrived, the Lossoth warned Arvedui not to mount upon this "seamonster" and instead have the crew give them provisions to help them survive the rest of the winter.  But Arvedui did not follow their counsel.  As the ship attempted to sail from the Bay of Forochel, strong winds from the north drove it back onto the ice (the Lossoth believed the Witch King of Angmar could control the winter weather), causing the hull to rupture and the ship to sink, killing all on board, including Arvedui.  Along with Arvedui and the others on board the ship, two palantíri were supposedly lost forever in the Bay of Forochel as well - the palantír from Annuminas and the palantír from Amon Sûl.

The name Arvedui translates as "Last King," something that was prophesied at his birth by Malbeth the Seer:  "Arvedui you shall call him, for he will be the last in Arthedain.  Though a choice will come to the Dúnedain, and if they take the one that seems less hopeful, then your son will change his name and become king of a great realm.  If not, then much sorrow and many lives of men shall pass, until the Dúnedain arise and are united again."  And we all know what choice the Dúnedain of the south made.

Before becoming king of Arthedain, Arvedui had sought the throne of Gondor in year 1944 when the last king of Gondor and his sons were defeated.  He argued to the Dúnedain of the south that as a direct heir of Elendil, who was initially High King of both Arnor and Gondor before they were given to his sons Isildur and Anarion, that he was in line to assume the kingship.  He had also married  Firiel, daughter of the last King of Gondor and only surviving child of the king.  According to the ancient rules of Númenor, rule could indeed be passed from father to daughter, but this law was not followed in Gondor, and Arvedui's claim was rejected, thereby leading to the route of "sorrow" as prophesied.

Fortunately for all of us, the son of Arvedui, Aranarth, had survived before the decimation of Fornost.  After the death of his father, the Last King, Aranarth became the first Chieftain of the Dúnedain and ancestor to Aragorn.  If you follow the many chapters of Book 13 to the end, you will be able to bring tidings to Aragorn of the his ill-fated ancestor.

Sources:  Appendix A:  The Lord of the Rings

Cracked Eggs: A Retired Swedish Dwarf Cuisinier?

Read here for more information on the Cracked Eggs series!

For this Cracked Egg I have to give complete credit to Maliki, dps Mini, scourge of the Ettenmoors, and Council of Eriador leader extraordinaire.  Mal has been playing LOTRO since the end of closed beta - almost 5 years exactly!  Despite a strong aversion to Hobbits, the man knows this game very well.

When I invited kin members to send me ideas to include in my blog, Maliki told me to check out the chef, Bork, in the Free People's Camp at Fornost.  Get it?  Chef?  Bork?  Bork Bork Bork? 

I rode to the camp.  I saw Bork.  He was a Healer and Provisioner.  He didn't try to cook me a single thing.  I thought, "hmmmm...."

I asked Maliki if he was sure about this little Easter egg.  He assured me he was, and that way back when, the NPC Bork was a cook, and that it was his favorite Easter egg in the game.  I arched my eyebrow dubiously (he couldn't see me, after all) and then turned to Google.

And then found an entry on Allakazam that referenced Bork as a "Novice Cook." ORLY?

Mal kindly refrained from saying, "I told you so," and said at some point the designation of the NPC had been changed, he just didn't remember when or ever knew why.

After digging some more, I found the Release Notes that mentioned precisely that:


"Bork zee Cuuk" ves nefer a cuuk und zeereffure-a, hees ooccoopeshunel teetle-a hes chunged tu "Heeler & Prufeesiuner. Hurty flurty schnipp schnipp!" (Translated from Swedish Chef: "Bork the Cook" was never a cook and therefore, his occupational title has changed to "Healer & Provisioner.") 

I would never have known about this Easter egg, and am betting many of my readers would not also, if not for the impressive memory of my kin leader.  Thank you Maliki!

 But Turbine - why unBork the Bork?!?  This should also fall into the Uncandled Eggs category - another mystery!

McFarlane scolds Bork for changing careers.

Cracked Eggs - The Number One Threat to Middle Earth

Bears!

Anyone who is a Stephen Colbert fan and LOTRO player probably saw that coming.  I am both, and I adore the way that Turbine planted a little bit of pop-culture in Middle Earth.  While I'd hate to see too many eggs from real life popping up like they do in other MMO's, these are just downright clever and funny.

If you have traveled to the edge of the Fields of Fornost and stumbled upon Mincham's Camp, you have probably met a man named Colbert the Mad.  He's the one we can thank for sending us after the very interesting lost girl, Idalene.  He also likes to rant about the evil bears that threaten Fornost; in other words, he's as obsessed about the villainous, soulless bears as his namesake.

As any baby toon who has stepped foot out of Archet into the greater open spaces of Bree-land understands - THEY. WILL. KILL. YOU!

But this isn't all - when entering the Giant Wing of Helegrod in the Misty Mountains, we encounter the most monstrous epitomy of evil itself - Coldbear (get it - coldBEAR - it's all in how you say the name).  How many noble raids have fallen to him and his bear cronies, one can only guess.

To make matters worse, even if you triumph over him, he COMES BACK as a Wight in the Glacier Fortress at Sari-Surma in Forochel!  Apparently bears do have souls, and they can be resurrected as Wights by Drugoth.  The horror!

Jokes aside (well, jokes included), Mr. Colbert is a true hardcore Lord of the Rings fan, as evidenced in a number of segments from his show.  The man owns Andúril, for goodness' sake!

He knows and respects his Tolkien material, and for that he has my deepest respect.

Read more about the Cracked Eggs series here.

Hobbit Archers at Fornost

Looking up into the city of Fornost.

Hobbits are known for being insular, generally preferring to keep to themselves, rarely traveling beyond the borders of The Shire.  Bree-land Hobbits are of course an exception, living side by side with the Big People.  But an exception nonetheless.  Hobbits for the most part have preferred to stick to their own territory and not mix with outsiders.

They do travel, of course.  Their ancestors traveled a great distance from the banks of the Anduin, across the Misty Mountains, some settling into parts of Bree-land and Dunland.  The two Fallohide brothers, Marcho and Blanco, received permission from the Arnorian King Argeleb II at Fornost to cross the Brandywine River and settle what became The Shire.  This was in the year 1601 of the Third Age, or the year 1 in Shire Reckoning. Ever wonder why The Shire is full of crumbling old ruins that look like they just miiiight have been made by Men?  Well, this is why!  The Shire was part of the Kingdom of Arthedain (and Arnor, before it was split up) long before Hobbits arrived on the scene!  Very nice touch, Turbine.

So for a few centuries, Hobbits of The Shire were subjects of the Kings of Arthedain at Fornost, and were responsible for guarding and maintaining the Brandywine Bridge for the kingdom (then called the Bridge of Stonebows).

In the year 1974, as the appendices to the LoTR trilogy show us, Fornost was overrun by the Witch King of Angmar and his forces.  This occured over 1000 years before the events of the War of the Ring in 3019.  When the kingdom of Arthedain fell, the Hobbits moved on and began their own system of stewardship, electing a Thain to run The Shire until the kingdom was restored.  Contact between the Hobbits of The Shire and men was largely sundered - many men forgot Hobbits existed, most Hobbits tried to avoid the Big People.  Somewhere in the mists of all those years, many therefore also forgot that Hobbits had actually gone to the aid of the King of Arthedain to help defend Fornost, and sent some Hobbit archers from The Shire.

Searching for Hobbit Arrowheads in Fornost

In LOTRO, if you travel to Fornost and elect to participate in the quests for the Fornost instance (a long instance, but very much worth it!), you will meet Bartelot and Penny Took, two modern-day Hobbits on an archaeological excursion of sorts, looking for evidence of the Hobbit participation in the defense of Fornost. You will be able to pick up a quest (The Forgotten Company) that will send you into Fornost looking for old arrowheads from those long-ago Hobbit archers.

By the way, Gondor and Rivendell did try to go to the aid of Arthedain - they just got there too late.  They did however still march to Fornost, and booted out the Witch King and his forces.  The Elf-lord Glorfindel was there, and made one of the most infamous prophecies in the War of the Ring lore:  "Do not pursue him! He will not return to this land. Far off yet is his doom, and not by the hand of man will he fall."

So for those who may scoff at the ability of Hobbits to be Hunters in LOTRO, let this be a lesson to you!


Sources:  Appendix A, The Lord of the Rings trilogy