The Third Age

The world of the War of the Ring. Aman is gone beyond the Circles of the World; only the Straight Road still leads there, and only the ships of the Eldar can find it. Númenor lies drowned. The world is round now, but Middle-earth's peoples drew their maps flat in the manner of antique maps, and so it is drawn here. The Eldar are leaving on the last ships from Lindon. The North-kingdom of Arnor has fallen long ago to ruin; Gondor stands alone in the south, walled by the White Mountains and the Anduin.

In Mordor, Sauron has returned in body to his Dark Tower and is gathering his strength. The One Ring, lost for two and a half thousand years, has been found again, by a hobbit, in a cave, in the dark. Bilbo took it home to the Shire. Now Frodo carries it east. The Third Age either ends, or the world ends with him.

Lands on this map

Lindon last keeping

The last keeping of the Eldar. Círdan at the Grey Havens; the ships that go west do not return.

Eriador emptying

The West-kingdom is gone. The Shire endures in its heart, Bree at the crossroads, the wraith-haunted Barrow-downs to the south.

The Shire peopled

A small green land tucked into the foothills. Hobbits in their four farthings; the Three-Farthing Stone at the centre.

Rhovanion wilderland

Mirkwood under the Necromancer's shadow. Erebor and the Long Lake to the east; Lothlórien hidden under its mallorn-leaves; Dol Guldur in the south.

Rohan the Mark

Eorl's gift-land between Fangorn and the White Mountains. Edoras on its hill; Helm's Deep in the foothills; the Gap of Rohan opening west.

Gondor South-kingdom

The South-kingdom in long decline. Minas Tirith holds the line; Osgiliath stands ruined; the Stewards rule from the Tower while the throne waits empty.

Mordor awaking

The Dark Tower stands again. Orodruin smokes; the Morannon is shut against the West.