Hill-man

Lore

Hill-men, or Amonedain, is a term used for tribes of primitive Men who live in the hills and remote regions of Middle-earth. They are classified as Men of Shadow due to their frequent allegiance to Sauron and the dark powers. Like other peoples, they are thought to be related to the Edain, the Fathers of Men. But their ancestors never crossed the Ered Luin into Beleriand and were considered to be of "lesser stock" than the Men of Númenor. Most Hill-men are descended from the ancient tribes of the White Mountains. The Men of Bree also come from this stock.

There are several known tribes of Hill-men:

• Corcur are the Hill-men of the Trollshaws and the Misty Mountains. They are descended from the wild tribes of Rhudaur. Their base of power is Helegrod.
• Créoth are the Hill-men of the Lone-lands. They are loyal to the Red Maid Naruhel and defend her stronghold of Garth Agarwen in Agamaur.
• Gauredain (Sindarin for "Wolf-men") are an exceptional tribe from the far north that wear the skins of wolves. They can be found in Evendim and Forochel. (Note that although these are wild men, these do not count as hill-men for the racial deed. Be sure to check the tooltip on any creature before assuming that it counts toward a deed or quest.)
• Trév Duvárdain are the unfriendly Hill-men of Angmar. Their ancestors composed a large part of the Witch-king's army when he waged his war with Arnor in the early Third Age.
• Trév Gállorg are the second tribe of Angmar. Unlike most Hill-men, they are friendly to the Free Peoples of Middle-earth. They are based out of the village of Aughaire.
• Ungoledain (Sindarin for "Spider-men") are a tribe of wild men that wear the skins of giant spiders and wield poisoned weapons. They have learned the art of skin-changing and can assume the form of spiders. They are related to the Gauredain and reside in Ered Mithrin, the Vales of Anduin, and, most recently, the Morgul Vale. (Note that although these are wild men, these do not count as hill-men for the racial deed.)

The Dunlendings are also Hill-men by descent, though they are not classified as Hill-men for the purposes of LotRO.

Hill-men are "normal" difficulty and are always aggressive. They have no specific weaknesses or resistances.

Background

J.R.R. Tolkien mentions Hill-men in accounts of the history of Middle-earth, particularly in relation to Angmar and Rhudaur. However, the names and traits of the specific tribes are unique to The Lord of the Rings Online.