In Progress Central Ithilien Revamp

[Wyattrox03]

~:~|~:~ Central Ithilien Revamp/Emyn Arnen ~:~|~:~

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Project Leader: @Wyattrox03
Project CoLeaders: @Eggomyleggo35, @Alfonios
Project Staff: @calendih
Terrain Council: @barteldvn,@TheSweViking

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OVERALL PROGRESS AND STATE

Approximate Overall Progress Percentage: 40%
Current Progress State: Planning + Building


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Introduction

Hello, for the last several weeks me and eggo have been working on the next terrain endeavor which is the central area of Ithilien. This region is the area between where I stopped the north Ithilien project north of the Morgulduin and the river south of w0rld's Emyn Arnen, stretching from the mountains to the Anduin. The current iteration of this region is over 11 years old and with terrain updates on nearly every side of it it has increasingly become out of place and improperly blended. Since the Mordor terrain was put in this area was never blended correctly to the east and has sat unfinished. This area does include parts of Frodo's path we did not quite finish in North Ithilien including the crossroads and the approach to the Morgul Vale. In any case here is my plan:


Project Sections

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(forums cant handle images anymore ) ask me if you want so see the actual image ig

The division of this project makes the most sense in the following terms: Base Terrain (Not including veg), Ruins/encampments, and Forests/vegetation. At the time of the writing of this project post the base terrain is nearly complete needing only a final few rivers to be completed. The terrain consists of a large plateau that runs parallel to the river in the north, with an expanded Emyn Arnen in the south. The ruins have been started near Osgiliath surrounded by ruined field walls. Next we will work our way southwards including several more farmsteads and 2 ruined castles. Mithrilled is making the southernmost ruined castle and I am trying to integrate a ruined version of Andrew's castle further north. In addition there will be several ranger camps consisting of one cave outpost and a few tent camp areas. There will also be an orc camp made by Alfo. As far as vegetation we will largely be replicating the forests on the north for the forested areas but most of Central Ithilien is not forested and will consist of different field mixes, being dryer towards the south and the mountains, and greener towards the river and in the valleys. Here is a breakdown of these divisions’ percentages which I will try to keep up to date:




Base Terrain
Shaping: 100%
Coloring: 80%
Rivers 40%

Ruins/Encampments
Ranger Camp Cave: 0%
Ranger Camp Tents: 0%
Orc Camps: 0%
Osgo Fields Ruins:100%
Forest Ruins: 0%
Roads: 20%

Foresting/Veg
Tree Grids: 100%
Forest Placing: 0%
Field Veg: 0%



Note: As this project is a revamp of a large part of Gondor and will temporarily reset terrain that some consider done, it is being built currently on plotworld at /warp wyattithilien and will likely remain here until it is completed.

BACKGROUND LORE:

Ithlien, or "Moon-Land," is the easternmost province of Gondor that is subdivided by the stream of Morgulduin into Northern and Southern Ithilien

In the Second Age and early Third Age, the land was prosperous, filled with many woods and gardens though it was largely abandoned over time with the rise of Mordor and loss of Minas Ithil (Minas Morgul). Since then, the province has been subject to constant raids by both Orcs of Mordor and Haradrim from the South. However, scouts were kept in secret locations throughout such as Henneth Annun.

The land is described as "a fair country of climbing woods and swift-falling streams," with gentle slopes "shielded from the east by Ephel Duath and yet not under the mountain shadow, protected from the north by the Emyn Muil, open to the southern airs and the moist winds from the Sea." It also included "a wealth of sweet-smelling herbs and shrubs" and a vast array of tree species, likely planted by men in earlier days. Despite the desolation, the land "kept still a disheveled dryad loveliness."


Cross-Roads: Surrounded by a belt of tall trees, this point marks where the north-south Harad road meets the east-west road between Osgiliath and Minas Morgul. Next to the road leading to Osgiliath, there is a statue of a Gondorian king. Though it is missing its head.

(Summary by FireInferno13)
(Original project thread here: Finished - South Ithilien Part 1 )

Quotes:

You will have no lack of water as you walk in Ithilien, but do not drink of any stream that flows from Imlad Morgul, the Valley of Living Death.

Lord Of The Rings - Journey to the cross-roads - The Two Towers” By J R R Tolkien

Light was fading fast when they came to the forest-end. There they sat under an old gnarled oak that sent its roots twisting like snakes down a steep crumbling bank. A deep dim valley lay before them. On its further side the woods gathered again, blue and grey under the sullen evening, and marched on southwards. To the right the Mountains of Gondor glowed, remote in the West, under a fire- flecked sky. To the left lay darkness: the towering walls of Mordor; and out of that darkness the long valley came, falling steeply in an ever-widening trough towards the Anduin. At its bottom ran a hurrying stream: Frodo could hear its stony voice coming up through the silence; and beside it on the hither side a road went winding down like a pale ribbon, down into chill grey mists that no gleam of sunset touched. There it seemed to Frodo that he descried far off, floating as it were on a shadowy sea, the high dim tops and broken pinnacles of old towers forlorn and dark.

Lord Of The Rings - Journey to the cross-roads - The Two Towers” By J R R Tolkien

‘Yes, Master. Dangerous places. This is the road from the Tower of the Moon, Master, down to the ruined city by the shores of the River.

Lord Of The Rings - Journey to the cross-roads - The Two Towers” By J R R Tolkien

Must go east now, away up there.’ He waved his skinny arm towards the darkling mountains. ‘And we can’t use this road. Oh no! Cruel peoples come this way, down from the Tower.’ Frodo looked down on to the road. At any rate nothing was moving on it now. It appeared lonely and forsaken, running down to empty ruins in the mist.

Lord Of The Rings - Journey to the cross-roads - The Two Towers” By J R R Tolkien

Frodo shuddered as he looked again at the distant pinnacles now dwindling into night, and the sound of the water seemed cold and cruel: the voice of Morgulduin, the polluted stream that flowed from the Valley of the Wraiths.

Lord Of The Rings - Journey to the cross-roads - The Two Towers” By J R R Tolkien

The ground became more broken and walking was more difficult, but Gollum seemed in no way troubled. He led them through thickets and wastes of brambles; sometimes round the lip of a deep cleft or dark pit, sometimes down into black bush-shrouded hollows and out again; but if ever they went a little downward, always the further slope was longer and steeper. They were climbing steadily. At their first halt they looked back, and they could dimly perceive the roofs of the forest they had left behind, lying like a vast dense shadow, a darker night under the dark blank sky.

Lord Of The Rings - Journey to the cross-roads - The Two Towers” By J R R Tolkien

Across the tumbled lands between, the mountains of the Ephel Dú́ath frowned at them, black and shapeless below where night lay thick and did not pass away, above with jagged tops and edges out-lined hard and menacing against the fiery glow. Away to their right a great shoulder of the mountains stood out, dark and black amid the shadows, thrusting westward.

Lord Of The Rings - Journey to the cross-roads - The Two Towers” By J R R Tolkien

Down from their hiding-place they went, and then turning south they steered as straight a course as Gollum could find across a long broken slope that leaned up towards the mountains. Presently, not far ahead, looming up like a black wall, they saw a belt of trees. As they drew nearer they became aware that these were of vast size, very ancient it seemed, and still towering high, though their tops were gaunt and broken, as if tempest and lightning-blast had swept across them, but had failed to kill them or to shake their fathomless roots.

Lord Of The Rings - Journey to the cross-roads - The Two Towers” By J R R Tolkien

‘The Cross-roads, yes,’ whispered Gollum, the first words that had been spoken since they left their hiding-place. ‘We must go that way.’ Turning eastward now, he led them up the slope; and then suddenly there it was before them: the Southward Road, winding its way about the outer feet of the mountains, until presently it plunged into the great ring of trees.

Lord Of The Rings - Journey to the cross-roads - The Two Towers” By J R R Tolkien

As furtively as scouts within the campment of their enemies, they crept down on to the road, and stole along its westward edge under the stony bank, grey as the stones themselves, and soft-footed as hunting cats. At length they reached the trees, and found that they stood in a great roofless ring, open in the middle to the sombre sky; and the spaces between their immense boles were like the great dark arches of some ruined hall. In the very centre four ways met. Behind them lay the road to the Morannon; before them it ran out again upon its long journey south; to their right the road from old Osgiliath came climbing up, and crossing, passed out eastward into darkness: the fourth way, the road they were to take.

Lord Of The Rings - Journey to the cross-roads - The Two Towers” By J R R Tolkien





How to Help?



Artists are welcome to help with ruins, reach out to myself or Alfonios on discord to get involved with this. Also as always keep an eye out for job announcements on discord to help with those when they come around.