Udûn

From the One Wiki to Rule Them All, the Lord of the Rings Encyclopedia.

In J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth, Udûn (also known as Utumno) is the first fortress of Morgoth in the far north of Middle-earth.

While the Valinor and the Undying Lands were bathed in the Light of the Trees, all the lands of Middle-earth were plunged into gloom. These were the Ages of Darkness, when Melkor dug the great Pits of Utumno deep beneath the mountains of the North and built many dungeons and domed halls of obsidian, fire and ice. Here were gathered all the evil powers of the World under the Lord of Darkness. Their numbers were legion and Melkor created many new and dreadful forms. All the serpents of the World were bred in this place, as were the ancestors of the Dragons, the Werewolves, Vampires, Spiders, Fell beasts and innumberable bloodsucking birds and insects. Cruel spirits, phantoms, wraiths and evil demons stalked the halls of Utumno and haunted the surrounding forests, and were commanded by rebel Maiar: Gothmog the Balrog and Sauron the Sorcerer. Yet with the coming of the Ages of Stars, the power of Utumno was brought to an end.

In the First Age of the Stars, Melkor bred the Orcs; twisted lifeforms made from tortured Elves who fell in his hands. He also bred Trolls, "made in mockery" of the Ents as stated by Treebeard. Amid the sounding of the trumpets the Valar came out of the West against this new and dreadful evil. There followed the War of the Powers in which Utumno was destroyed and Melkor was chained for three long Ages.

Places of Middle Earth and Arda Middle Earth Locations: Provinces/Regions: Dunland | Ithilien | Rohan | Arnor | Ettenmoors | Gondor | Minhiriath | Rhûn | The Shire | Mordor | Harad | Forochel Forests & Mountains: Erebor | Fangorn forest | High Pass | Iron Hills | Lórien | Redhorn Pass | Mount Doom | Tower Hills | Mirkwood | Weather Hills City/Fortifications: Isengard | Barad-dûr | Minas Morgul | Rivendell | Dol Guldur | Helm's Deep | Minas Tirith | Osgiliath | Udûn | Annúminas | Fornost | Umbar | Bree Miscellaneous: Cair Andros | Gap of Rohan | Grey Havens | Buckland | Enedwaith | Dagorlad | Dead Marshes | Fords of Isen | Weathertop | Argonath The rest of Arda: Valinor | Númenor | Dark Land | Aman | Tol Eressëa