~:~|~:~ Moria West Gate ~:~|~:~
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Project Leader: @Mershy
Co-Leader: @Joske50, @DoctorDaom
Project Staff: @barteldvn , @Wyattrox03 , @Human100
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OVERALL PROGRESS AND STATE
Approximate Overall Progress Percentage: 100%
Current Progress State: Planning + Building
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INTRODUCTION- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Project Leader: @Mershy
Co-Leader: @Joske50, @DoctorDaom
Project Staff: @barteldvn , @Wyattrox03 , @Human100
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OVERALL PROGRESS AND STATE
Approximate Overall Progress Percentage: 100%
Current Progress State: Planning + Building
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This is the official post for the continuation of Moria West Gate. This project is the area from the entrance going eastward to the chasm. Hoping to get some planning continued and progress for this area.
At this time, the lower west gate is almost done, Daom has done a great job almost finishing this area up so we are going to take the baton from him and take it to the finish line.
I plan to separate the working areas into:
1 - Moria West Gate Exterior - 100%
2 - Lower West Gate - 100%
3 - Upper West Gate - 100%
4 - Cave Chasm past WestGate - 100%
1 - The exterior will be focusing on improving the "facade" of the mountain where the mellon door is located. We will do some terrain changes, blockmixing and some added details to bring the entire westgate area to a bigger standard for the server. The flooded pool will be edited alongside the ruins and some of the pathway leading up to the door. Lots of jobs and plots available!2 - Lower West Gate - 100%
3 - Upper West Gate - 100%
4 - Cave Chasm past WestGate - 100%
2 - Lower West Gate consists of the area past the door, the first room with the staircase and the surrounding rooms either side. The biggest area if the project finished that needs some final additions but overall a good standard and precedent we want to set for the rest of Westgate
3 - Upper West Gate will be the largest area (if we also include the chasm) but this area will be the main trading/diplomatic area and the "bread and butter" of West Gate. This area needs lots of planning and organising before we can fully start. We do have the cave between the staircase and the first hall done.
4 - Cave Chasm marks the eventual end area of West Gate that then blends into the connection towards the rest of Moria.
BACKGROUND LORE
1 - 'There it lies,' he said, pointing away south-eastwards to where the mountains' sides fell sheer into the shadows at their feet. In the distance could be dimly seen a line of bare cliffs, and in their midst, taller than the rest, one great grey wall. ... They reached the strip of dry land between the lake and the cliffs.... A mile southwards along the shore they came upon holly trees. Stumps and dead boughs were rotting in the shallows, the remains it seemed of old thickets, or of a hedge that had once lined the road across the drowned valley. But close under the cliff there stood, still strong and living, two tall trees, larger than any trees of holly that Frodo had ever seen or imagined. Their great roots spread from the wall to the water.... [They] towered overhead, stiff, dark, and silent, throwing deep night-shadows about their feet, standing like sentinel pillars at the end of the road.... 'Here the Elven-way from Hollin ended. Holly was the token of the people of that land, and they planted it here to mark the end of their domain; for the West-door was made chiefly for their use in their traffic with the Lords of Moria. Those were happier days, when there was still close friendship at times between folk of different race, even between Dwarves and Elves.' The Fellowship of the Ring, LoTR Book 2, Ch 4, A Journey in the Dark (edited)
The Doors of Durin or West-gate were built in the dark cliffs of the Silvertine mountain and protected the entrance to what became the goblin-realm of Moria, once the Dwarf kingdom of Khazad-dûm. The doors were bordered on each side by two ancient holly trees, symbolising the border of the Elven realm of Eregion or Hollin.
lotr.fandom.com
The main entrance to Khazad-dûm was the Great Gates in Dimrill Dale, east of the Misty Mountains. During the Second Age, it was decided to open a way to the west side of the Silvertine, which would facilitate contact and cooperation with the Elven realm of Hollin.
The Elven Door was constructed in cooperation between Dwarves and Elves, sometime between S.A. 750 and 1500. It was the two greatest craftsmen of the Second Age, the Elf and Lord of Eregion, Celebrimbor, and the dwarf Narvi who built the Doors. These were the days before the Dark Years of Sauron's dominion in Middle-earth, and the friendship between Elven and Dwarven kingdoms was a rare and special event. During this peaceful time the Doors stood open, allowing unfettered trade. But during the War of the Elves and Sauron (in S.A. 1697) the Doors were sealed shut after Hollin fell to Sauron's forces.
In 2994, during the settling of Balin's Colony, they were attacked by an onslaught of orcs. Óin led a group to the west side of the city hoping to find escape through the Doors of Durin, but instead he found the water up to the doors where the Watcher in the Water killed him. The Dwarves were trapped, and wiped out
On 13 January 3019 the Fellowship of the Ring entered Moria through the Doors, but initially Gandalf could not find out the password to open them. Merry Brandybuck unknowingly gave Gandalf the answer by asking, "What does it mean by speak, friend, and enter?" When Gandalf realized that the correct translation was "Say friend and enter" he sprang up, laughed, and said "Mellon", which means "friend" in Sindarin, and the Doors opened. Shortly thereafter, the Watcher in the Water attacked the Fellowship and shut the Doors behind them. Afterwards Khazad-dûm was resettled by Dwarves; it is unknown if the Doors of Durin were ever repaired.
tolkiengateway.net
The Doors of Durin or West-gate were built in the dark cliffs of the Silvertine mountain and protected the entrance to what became the goblin-realm of Moria, once the Dwarf kingdom of Khazad-dûm. The doors were bordered on each side by two ancient holly trees, symbolising the border of the Elven realm of Eregion or Hollin.
Doors of Durin
The Doors of Durin or West-gate were built in the dark cliffs of the Silvertine mountain and protected the entrance to what became the Orc-hold of Moria, once the Dwarf kingdom of Khazad-dûm. The doors were bordered on each side by two ancient holly trees, symbolising the border of the Elven...
The main entrance to Khazad-dûm was the Great Gates in Dimrill Dale, east of the Misty Mountains. During the Second Age, it was decided to open a way to the west side of the Silvertine, which would facilitate contact and cooperation with the Elven realm of Hollin.
The Elven Door was constructed in cooperation between Dwarves and Elves, sometime between S.A. 750 and 1500. It was the two greatest craftsmen of the Second Age, the Elf and Lord of Eregion, Celebrimbor, and the dwarf Narvi who built the Doors. These were the days before the Dark Years of Sauron's dominion in Middle-earth, and the friendship between Elven and Dwarven kingdoms was a rare and special event. During this peaceful time the Doors stood open, allowing unfettered trade. But during the War of the Elves and Sauron (in S.A. 1697) the Doors were sealed shut after Hollin fell to Sauron's forces.
In 2994, during the settling of Balin's Colony, they were attacked by an onslaught of orcs. Óin led a group to the west side of the city hoping to find escape through the Doors of Durin, but instead he found the water up to the doors where the Watcher in the Water killed him. The Dwarves were trapped, and wiped out
On 13 January 3019 the Fellowship of the Ring entered Moria through the Doors, but initially Gandalf could not find out the password to open them. Merry Brandybuck unknowingly gave Gandalf the answer by asking, "What does it mean by speak, friend, and enter?" When Gandalf realized that the correct translation was "Say friend and enter" he sprang up, laughed, and said "Mellon", which means "friend" in Sindarin, and the Doors opened. Shortly thereafter, the Watcher in the Water attacked the Fellowship and shut the Doors behind them. Afterwards Khazad-dûm was resettled by Dwarves; it is unknown if the Doors of Durin were ever repaired.
Doors of Durin
"Annon edhellen, edro hi ammen." (Gate of the Elves, open now for me) — Gandalf — Listen The Doors of Durin, also known as the West-gate, the West-door, Elven Door...
2 - “As the wizard passed on ahead up the great steps, he held his staff aloft, and from its tip there came a faint radiance. The wide stairway was sound and undamaged. Two hundred steps they counted, broad and shallow; and at the top they found an arched passage with a level floor leading on into the dark.”
3 - “The passage twisted round a few turns, and then began to descend. It went steadily down for a long while before it became level once again.”
“The air grew hot and stifling, but it was not foul, and at times they felt currents of cooler air upon their faces, issuing from half-guessed openings in the walls.”
“The air grew hot and stifling, but it was not foul, and at times they felt currents of cooler air upon their faces, issuing from half-guessed openings in the walls.”
INSPIRATION
1 -
2 -
CONCEPTS
NEXT STEPS
So the next steps within the project it to finalise and upload the layouts for the Upper West Gate as well as the plans for the chasm. The terrain outside will require lots of help and we currently have lore markers and pre planning for that being set up. Lower West Gate is almost finished we have only a couple more halls to add and some slight edits to finalise.
If anyone would like to help or is interested in some Moria building drop me a message on discord. This time around I will be doing updates to the post either including more images, plans and work that can be done.
Overall, I am quite excited to get involved with another project, back into the depths of Moria.
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