The Sundering of Osgiliath

Description

Update 16.2 - July 20, 2015 added the new PvMP area: The Sundering of Osgiliath.

The Sundering of Osgiliath is a region in the northernmost part of South Ithilien, situated between Minas Tirith and Minas Morgul.

This is one of the two zones where Player vs Monster Player (PvMP) takes place, the other being the Ettenmoors.

Lore

The grand city of Osgiliath, once Gondor’s capital, has seen many woes. Standing athwart the river Anduin, it is a shattered shell of its former glory, long forsaken and left in shambles. The orcs of the Morgul Vale now teem in the city’s eastern half, under the command of the Lord of the Nazgûl. At last word, the defenders of Gondor still hold the western shores, but how long they can endure the Witch-king’s hosts is a question whose answer will likely prove grim.

The city was founded by Isildur and Anárion near the end of the Second Age. Ruling Gondor jointly, they used Osgiliath as their capital. It was defended by two smaller fortress cities, Minas Ithil (where Isildur lived) and Minas Anor (where Anárion lived). Osgiliath soon became a large and flourishing city.

At the heart of Osgiliath was a great stone bridge over the river. On the bridge was a tower containing the famous Dome of Stars, which housed the city's Palantír. Another important building (or possibly the same one) was the Great Hall, which initially served as a throne room for Isildur and Anárion.

In SA 3429, Sauron attacked Gondor, beginning the War of the Last Alliance. Though he took Minas Ithil, Anárion successfully defended Osgiliath.

For over a thousand years, Osgiliath remained the greatest city in Gondor, though from the 5th century of the Third Age, the kings, beginning with Ostoher, used Minas Anor as a summer residence.

Osgiliath was hit hard by the catastrophic civil war of the Kin-strife. In TA 1437, the city, then held by Eldacar, was besieged by Castamir's forces. During the fighting, fire broke out, and large parts of the city were destroyed, including the Dome of Stars. The Palantír housed in the Dome was lost in the river.

The decline of the city was greatly accelerated by the Great Plague of TA 1636. Many of its people died from the disease, while others fled to remote parts of the country, few of whom returned. Severely depopulated, Osgiliath began to fall into ruin. In 1640, Tarondor, whose predecessor Telemnar had died from the plague, moved the capital permanently to Minas Anor.

In TA 2000, Minas Ithil was besieged by the Nazgûl, who captured it two years later. Osgiliath, by this time mostly ruined and deserted, became a no man's land between its two former fortresses, now called Minas Morgul and Minas Tirith.

The final blow came in TA 2475, when Uruks of Mordor overran Ithilien and captured Osgiliath. Though they were thrown back by Boromir, son of the then-Steward Denethor I, Osgiliath was finally ruined and completely abandoned, and its great bridge was broken.

Areas

Palace of Eldacar

Rómendacil's Square

Great Bridge

Deeds

Quests

Category:Osgiliath Freep Quests

Points of Interest

The Causeway Forts

The Causeway Forts is the starting location for all Free Peoples (Freeps) in the Sundering of Osgiliath and is a primary stronghold that cannot be attacked by Monster Players.

Within the Court are trainers and many vendors for Freeps.

It is located in the West of Osgiliath.

Dâr Dugoth

Dâr Dugoth is the starting location for Monster Play Characters (Creeps) in the Sundering of Osgiliath and is a primary stronghold that cannot be attacked by the Free Peoples.

Within the Court are trainers and many vendors for Creeps.

It is located in the East of the Osgiliath.

Connecting Portals

There are four portals connecting the two PvMP areas (Ettenmoors and the Sundering of Osgiliath). They act much like doors, porting players from one home base of their faction to the other.

NPCs

Maps