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Mithril Introduction. - Races of Middle -earth.

Middle-earth is inhabited by a variety of races and sub-races all of whom have distinctive physical and cultural characteristics. They can be roughly divided into three loose categories; The Immortal races such as the Valar, the Maiar and the Elves, the earthbound races such as the Dwarves, the Ents the Trolls, and those possessing something of both of the first two categories, and therefore elements of heroism and tragedy, namely Men and Hobbits.

The orcs, who with Men constitute the most numerous populations by far in Middle-earth, are an important race but do not fit the above scheme. This is because they and their later cousins the half-orcs, are not strictly speaking a "natural" race. They spring, according to legend, from the race of the Elves, a group of whom in the far distant past, were fearfully corrupted and distorted by Morgoth as an act of profanity and vengeance against them. The half-orcs were the creations of the wizard Saruman and are the result of the unnatural union of men (Dunlendings) and large orcs.

And then there are the monsters ....


Elves

Noldor: These are the tallest of the Elves who came to Middle-earth. They are usually dark-eyed and dark-haired. They are the most gifted of all the Eldar in the use of magic and craft.

Sindar: Also called the Gray-elves, the Sindar are fair of face and light-skinned. They are famous linguists and shipwrights. They have an undying love for the sea and sea-emblems appear upon their heraldry and decorative motifs.

Sylvan elves: These are the most populous of the Elven groups of Middle-earth and inhabit forests and woods. They are as tall or smaller than men and have brown hair and tanned complexions. Their communities are usually ruled by a Sindarin aristocracy.

Elves in our ranges:

  • LR10 Gil-galad, the bearer of Vilya
  • LR25 Gildor Inglorion
  • MC4 Master Elrond
  • MC6 Glorfindel
  • MC8 The Elvenking
  • MC14 Legolas and Gimli
  • MC21 Lorien Bowman
  • LO5 Legolas 54mm
  • LO16 Elrond
  • LO25 Gildor Inglorion
  • LT3 Legolas at Helm's Deep
  • MC14 Legolas (and Gimli)
  • MV373 Gildor Inglorion

Men

Numenorean: Those inhabitants of the island of Numenor and their descendants in the realms in exile in Middle-earth(Arnor and Gondor). Having sided with the Eldar and the Valar in the war against Morgoth, they afterward occupied a privileged position in being friends and allies of the Elves, from whom they learned much wisdom and craf, and with whom they even occasionally formed marriage unions. Thus some elvish blood ran in their veins, which resulted in their having a taller more noble stature than other men. Like the Noldor they were usually dark eyed and black haired.

Western men: The most numerous people by far in Middle earth, the western men, constituted most of the subject peoples of the Numenorean realms in exile. Usually brown haired but varying from blond to black, they made up most of the important human sub groups in Middle-earth. Amongst the most famous of these sub-groups are the Rohirim (the horselords of Rohan), the Dunlendings (the tribal groups of eastern Enedwaith) who were allied to Saruman, the Gramuz, (the woodmen of Mirkwood) and the Rhovanion folk of Laketown.

Easterlings: Inhabitants of the vast steppes to the east of Rhovanion the word Easterling is a generic term for all those nomadic peoples inhabiting the lands between and beyond the Iron hills and the sea of Rhun. Recruited in large numbers by Sauron for his two wars in Middle-earth, they are generally small and swarthy and are matchless riders and horse-archers. The most important groupings (constituting the westernmost of the Easterling peoples),are the Sagath and the Logath.

Haradrim: These are a great desert people inhabiting the great wastes that lie south of the enclosing mountains of Mordor. Though their populations are small in the northern reaches of their realm, in the far south they have great and populous cities from which the Dark-lord recruits many of his great armies. They are a dark-skinned and noble people: They fight with scimitars and are fond of bright colored loose-fitting garments.

Men in our ranges: (Too many to list here) See our Price List for figures.


Dwarves

Like the stone from which they are said to have sprung, the Dwarves are tough and resilient. Their power of endurance is legendary, suffering both battle and deprivation with fortitude and equanimity. They have a great affinity for the rocks and caverns beneath the earth and prefer to live below ground than above. Their great skills are in the mining and fashioning of rock, in the cutting of jewels and the working of precious metals for which not even the Elves are their peers. Dwarves are invariably bearded, and wear heavily cowled cloaks. They are shorter in stature than men but compensate for this by their stocky build. Their preferred weapon is the battle-axe, and Dwarven armies are invariably clothed in fine mail and helms of great craftsmanship.

Most famous of all the Dwarven peoples are the descendants Durin the deathless, who built both the fabled city of Moria and the kingdom under the mountain at Erebor.

Dwarfes in our ranges:

  • MC3 Thorin Oakenshield
  • MC14 Legolas and Gimli
  • LO6 Gimli
  • MC36 Thorin in war-gear
  • MC38 Balin in war-gear
  • M365 Gloin in war-gear
  • M366 King Dain
  • M367 Iron Hills standard bearer
  • M368 Iron Hills drummer
  • M369 Dain huscarl
  • M370 Iron Hills axemen (2 figs.)
  • M371 Warhammer dwarves (2 figs.)
  • M372 Advancing axemen (2 figs.)

Hobbits

Peace loving and unwarlike the Hobbits of Middle-earth live generally quiet, unadventurous lives. Since their great migration into Eriador in(???) they have settled in The Shire, which was bestowed upon them by the crown of Arnor, and in which most of them are quite content to live out their simple rustic lives. They are amongst the smallest of Middle-earth's peoples, both in population and in physical size (standing anything between 2 and 4 feet in height) and isolate themselves as much as possible from the wider world outside the confines of the shire. Their reluctance to mix amongst the larger races has led them to develop remarkable skills in moving in silence and in the techniques of evasion. Hobbits are generally brown and curly haired, and prefer greens and browns to brighter colours.

Hobbits in our ranges:

  • LR22 Bilbo (farewell speech)
  • LR23 Frodo & Sam
  • LR24 Merry & Pippin
  • LR26 Farmer & Mrs Maggot
  • LO2 Frodo
  • LO3 Sam
  • LO7 Merry
  • LO8 Pippin
  • LO17 Gollum & Bilbo
  • MC1 Bilbo Baggins/ Gollum
  • MC10 Frodo and Sam
  • MC35 Frodo & Sam as orcs
  • MC37 Bilbo with book
  • MC19 Treebeard and the Hobbits
  • M393 Sam with Bill the Pony

Orcs

The orcs are probably the most numerous of all the races of Middle-earth. Dark-grey in colour with eyes like red coals. The true orcs are a terrifying parody of the Elves to whose graceful countenance they are a distorting mirror-image. With long arms and claw like hands they lope rather than walk, with a distinctly simian gait. Chaotic by nature these creatures can only be welded into a community or an army by the brute force and cruelty which is their common currency. Almost invariably the largest Orcs be come their tribal leaders. They show mercy neither to their enemies nor to their own weaker brethren, who they will bully and brutalise just as stronger orcs will in turn bully and brutalise them. Like the Haradrim they fight with scimitars as their principle weapon, but are also skilled with bow and other missile weapons. Their great weakness as fighting troops is their inability to function in sunlight, which has serious debilitating effects upon them.

In addition to the true orcs, there are in the third age two subgroups, the Uruks and the Half-orcs. The former are the result of Sauron's selective breeding of those true orcs possessing the greatest size and intelligence and less aversion to sunlight; The result is a man sized creature who can function in daylight as easily as a man. The half orcs or Peryrch are the product of Saruman’s diabolical experimentation in crossbreeding Uruks with unfortunate Dunlending captives. The half-orcs display a virtually human intelligence, while retaining the hardiness of the orcs. They make superb soldiers and are used extensively by the wizard of Orthanc.

Orcs in our ranges:

  • LO15 Isengard orc warrior
  • LO24 Half-orc of Isengard
  • LT9 Isengard orc with scimitar
  • LT10 Isengard orc archer
  • MC29 Orcs of Mordor
  • MC32 Orc warband leader
  • MC33 Orc rider on charging warg
  • M381 Morgul orc archer
  • M385 Morgul orc with scimitar

Trolls

Just as the orcs may be thought of as a grotesque caricature of the Elves, so the Trolls may be considered a similar counterpart to the Ents. Created by Morgoth in the mists of prehistory, the 'Trolls true nature is closely connected to the stone from whence they come. Like the Balrogs they are a leftover from the hideous creations created by Morgoth in preparation for his war with the Valar, and like his other progeny survive as an evil remnant in the 'third age.

No longer numerous, they can nevertheless still be encountered in the wild lands of Rhudaur and Arnor, and amongst the mountain fastnesses of the north. They are of low intelligence but are dangerous by virtue of their great strength and fondness for cruelty. Their low intelligence quotient means that they lack any real social cohesiveness. Most live in solitude or at most in small family groups. Their weaponry consists in cudgels made from large animal bones, wood or flint.

Trolls in our ranges:

  • MC27 Olag-hai Troll

Dragons, Worms & Monsters

Dragons in our ranges:

  • M62 Smaug The Dragon, Bilbo & treasures
  • MB279 The Lord of the Nazgul riding reptilian fell-beast.
  • MB300 The Balrog of Moria
  • MB345 The Vengeance of Smaug
  • MB358 Scatha the Worm
  • MB369 Fire Dragon
  • MB396 Shelob, a giant spider
  • MC30 Giant Spider of Mirkwood
  • MB397 Cold Drake l

Races Of Middle -earth

Men


Painting Guide

Making the Master Moulds

Designing the Figures


Mithril Miniatures, Kilnamartyra, Macroom, Co. Cork, Ireland
Tel 353-26-40222, Fax 353-26-40004
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