Fenbridge Castle Battle of Five Armies & The Third Age of Middle-Earth The current year for our Middle-Earth campaign is set during the year of 2946 of the Third Age. Inspired By J.R.R. Tolkien

Fenbridge is the long, winding causeway that spans the fetid marshes surrounding Dol Guldur, serving as the most reliable route through the treacherous wetlands. At its western end stands Fenbridge Castle, a grim fortress that guards the only practical entrance onto the bridge and, by extension, the road to Dol Guldur itself. Once abandoned after the downfall of the Necromancer, the stronghold has since fallen back into dark hands. Rumors persist that servants of shadow have reclaimed its crumbling walls, restoring it as a bastion of evil in the heart of Southern Mirkwood.

The marshes that encircle Dol Guldur on three sides are a miserable expanse of stagnant water, tangled reeds, and hidden sinkholes. Travelers who attempt to cross them without guidance often vanish without a trace. The Fenbridge provides the safest passage, though even this route is far from secure. Constructed by Orcs generations ago, the bridge snakes from one muddy hillock to another, weaving across the swamp like a dark scar.

Access to the crossing is tightly controlled through Fenbridge Castle, whose defenders can easily halt or monitor anyone seeking passage. Fenbridge Castle itself is an imposing and chaotic structure. Unlike the orderly keeps of Gondor or Rohan, it grew gradually over centuries as successive occupants added towers, battlements, and defensive works wherever space allowed.

What began as a simple gatehouse has become a sprawling labyrinth of stone walls, crooked towers, and fortified courtyards. In ages past, the fortress supplied both provisions and warriors to Dol Guldur, supporting the Necromancer's dominion over the surrounding lands. Even now, signs of recent activity suggest that the castle may once again be serving that purpose. Stories from nearby settlements speak of Orcs dwelling within the fortress, though few have returned from the region to confirm such tales. Radagast the Brown has kept a vigilant watch over Fenbridge Castle, Dol Guldur, and the other dark fortresses scattered throughout Southern Mirkwood, fearing the return of ancient evils.

To the south, another threat looms in the form of Mogdred, the self-styled Lord of Tyrant's Hill. A mysterious warlord of unknown origin, Mogdred commands a force of disciplined and well-equipped warriors and claims much of Southern Mirkwood and the Narrows as his domain. Several isolated settlements pay him tribute, and whispers suggest that his followers occupy a tower once held by Orcs and Men who bore the dreaded sigil of the Necromancer. Whether Mogdred serves the same darkness or merely seeks to inherit its legacy remains a question few dare investigate.