Even if you’re familiar with J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth, much changes between the Second and Third Ages. The creatives behind The Rings of Power shared the map below to help us understand where men, elves, dwarves, and Harfoots live. Maps have always been an important part of Tolkien’s world, both in and out of universe. Handily, on The Rings of Power, we get to see the map a lot to keep us grounded. But with all the overlapping storylines in the show, things can still get confusing. So we made a The Rings of Power map locations guide to help you keep everywhere the characters visit straight. We’ll keep updating this location guide as we forge on into season two of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
Every The Rings of Power Middle-earth Map Location; Jump to: Númenor // Khazad-Dûm // Eregion // The Southlands // Orodruin or Mount Doom // Pelargir // Mordor // Lindon // Rhovanion // Rhûn // Forodwaith // Valinor // The Sundering Seas
Númenor, an Island Kingdom of Men
You may recognize the white tree and architecture of Gondor in Númenor, and there’s a long history connecting the two cities of men. The people of Númenor are called the Dúnedain. They received the island as a gift from the Valar after fighting against Morgoth. We see the capital city, home to Queen Regent Míriel. It is a beautiful and grand place, with huge statues overlooking the port. Though we also get to see the less glamorous side—a blacksmith shop, pub, and even a prison cell. Galadriel and Elendil also travel to a second city, one where the Hall of Laws holds much history, there they uncovered a key to finding Sauron. In season two of The Rings of Power, we return to Númenor once again. But this time, there is much more unrest as the rightful queen, Míriel, is usurped by the ambitious Ar-Pharazon.
On The Rings of Power‘s map, Númenor lies west of Middle-earth and far to the south of the world.
Khazad-Dûm, Realm of the Dwarves
Ruled by King Durin III, this great land under the mountain is also known as Moria. During The Rings of Power season one, we see Khazad-Dûm in full splendor, with waterfalls and even plants growing below the surface. Shafts of light from above the mountain penetrate into the great halls. Elrond is a friend to Prince Durin IV, though the dwarfs first rebuff him from the West Gate on the edge of Eregion (see below). Princess Disa talks of mining for silver and other treasures, resonating the rock with her voice. She alludes to parts of the mountain that should be left alone. We know the dwarves will delve too greedily here in the future, awakening the Balrog. On The Rings of Power, the dwarves have also come across the first of the mithril that the mines will become known for.
Although relations between elves and dwarves are not always friendly, as Elrond and Durin’s are, they do sometimes live in proximity. As The Rings of Power Middle-earth map reveals, Eregion, an Elven realm, and Khazad-Dûm are practically entangled with one another. This closeness could yield greatness or great disaster, as we see in The Rings of Power season two.
Unfortunately, in season of The Lord of the Rings series, Khazad-Dûm has been hit hard by the eruption of Mount Doom. Its light shafts have caved in and the city is struggling. Not even Disa’s resonating is helping the dwarves understand their mountain. Who should bring aid but Lord Celebrimbor of Eregion and his new friend, Annatar?
Eregion, Realm of the Elven-Smiths
Celebrimbor brings Elrond to Eregion, the Elvish city along a river and the realm of Elven Smiths. Celebrimbor, a master smith himself, endeavors to build a great forge to make objects of both beauty and power (like rings, perhaps?). For some reason, this also requires a tower to be built, and Celebrimbor simply doesn’t have the workforce to finish the project on his desired timeline. In season one, he and Elrond travel to nearby Khazad-Dûm to enlist the help of the dwarves in this great engineering feat.
In season two, Eregion returns to feature much more prominently. Although we spend the most time in Celebrimbor’s forge, we also get to see a bit of the city, its people, and courtyard. Celebirmbor longs to have peace in Eregion, but Sauron has now come to this The Rings of Power location, spelling trouble.
Every Rings of Power Location We’ve Seen; Jump to: Númenor // Khazad-Dûm // Eregion // The Southlands // Orodruin or Mount Doom // Pelargir // Mordor // Lindon // Rhovanion // Rhûn // Forodwaith // Valinor // The Sundering Seas
The Southlands, the Lands of Men (Destroyed)
On The Rings of Power, the people who live in this vast land, termed the Southlands for its southern location on Middle-earth’s map, are ancestors of those who sided with Morgoth centuries earlier. The elves keep watch over them from a high tower but also patrol to nearby towns. Arondir and the others are called home after High King Gil-galad declares the enemy fully vanquished. Tirharad, where Bronwyn and her son Theo live, is a simple Southland village of farmers and tradesmen. The nearby town of Hordern is destroyed by orcs, its people enslaved for their nefarious trench-building purposes.
Tower of Ostirith
As orcs encroach, Bronwyn rallies the people of Tirharad to take refuge in the tower. The Tower of Ostirith sits high on a cliff with only a narrow road leading to it. After half of those people defect and swear allegiance to Sauron once again, the orcs march to the tower. Arondir and the free men and women turn the fortress into a trap and the tower itself into a weapon, taking out hoards of orcs as they bring it down upon their heads. The tower no longer stands, but the altar amongst its ruin still serves a purpose. The sword is the key to unleashing water into the tunnels and trenches the orcs made, awakening the mountain.
Arriving by Ship
Galadriel, Halbrand, and the ships of Númenor sail northeast from the island to arrive in Middle-earth. From the Bay of Belfalas, they continue sailing upriver. It is a day’s journey to where they must mount their horses. It’s another day’s ride to pass through the mountains and arrive at the village with no time to spare.
Orodruin or Mount Doom
What will eventually be known as Mount Doom was a quiet, dormant volcano looming over the village of Tirharad known in The Lord of the Rings book as Orodruin. But now it has been awoken by water rushing down into its core, a chain reaction using the mysteriously powerful sword. The eruption forms not only the volcano as we know it in the Third Age, but likely the barren wastelands of Mordor as its evil spreads as quickly as ash can fill the sky. The Rings of Power hasn’t referred to this volcano as Mount Doom yet, but we know we’ve just witnessed its creation. It seems The Rings of Power will continually need to update its map of Middle-earth.
Mordor
By episode seven, the Southlands have a new name on The Rings of Power‘s map—Mordor. Adar’s orcs now have a home free from daylight as ash from the erupting volcano blocks out the sun. The villages and farmlands of men burn, and most of the people flee west. This Lord of the Rings location begins to look like we know it in the Third Age, a billowing volcano in a land fortified by mountains.
For now, Adar and his children have settled in Mordor, ordering the surviving Southlanders to obey them or die. Though the Uruk wish to remain in their home, unfortunately, they have to leave it again pretty quickly, as Adar senses the threat of Sauron rising. As The Rings of Power continues, we expect Sauron will come to claim the land.
Pelargir, an Old Numenorean Colony
Not all of the Southlands were completely annihilated by Mount Doom’s eruption. In season two of The Rings of Power, we follow Arondir and Isildur to Pelargir, an old Numenorean colony that we know holds major importance in The Lord of the Rings‘ lore. For now, this The Rings of Power location is offering sanctuary for the survivors of Mount Doom’s eruption and giving Theo and Arondir a place to try to heal from their griefs.
Every The Rings of Power Middle-earth Map Location; Jump to: Númenor // Khazad-Dûm // Eregion // The Southlands // Orodruin or Mount Doom // Pelargir // Mordor // Lindon // Rhovanion // Rhûn // Forodwaith // Valinor // The Sundering Seas
Lindon, Capital of the High Elves
High King Gil-galad rules over this westernmost point of Middle-earth. Lindon is the capital Galadriel returns to after her sojourns to seek out Sauron. Like all Elven places, it is beautiful, with groves of trees perfect for Elrond to sit while writing speeches. There are waterfalls and stunning towers. It is also home to the Grey Havens, the harbor where ships depart for the Undying Lands. Since Valinor sits to the west of Middle-earth according to The Rings of Power‘s maps, it makes sense for Lindon to house this important harbor. We see more of the Grey Havens on The Rings of Power season two, when we meet Círdan, the shipwright, who, among bringing wisdom and council to the elves, oversees the crafting of the boats that will sail from the harbor to Valinor.
Rhovanion, the Wilderlands of Middle-earth
The residents of this area are the migrating Harfoots. East of the Anduin River, they make a temporary camp. Hunters also trek through this area. To them, the Harfoots are a myth, even though they are right underfoot. Clearly, blending into their surroundings has kept the Harfoots alive. They are masters of disguising themselves, their wagons, and even their entire camps. The Wilderlands is also where the meteor lands, bringing the Stranger into their lives.
The Harfoot Migration
After harvesting all each area has to offer, the Harfoots pack up and move along. The caravan heads south from the Rhovanion Hills, adding places like Weedbrook and Undercliffs to The Rings of Power‘s map before reaching the Grey Marshes (which will one day be known as the Dead Marshes).
From there, their path heads east along the northern border of the Southlands, now known as Mordor. These areas are mostly not detailed on any Tolkien map that has appeared before The Rings of Power. Through Trout Bend, Thistledell, and The Braids, the Harfoots are heading to their autumn home. A place Nori simply calls The Grove. The trek is montaged together with scenes of the ups and downs of the perilous journey while Poppy sings her mother’s beautiful walking song. But when they arrive at The Grove, they see that lava bombs from the erupting volcano were flung far enough to devastate some of these lands as well.
Greenwood
The Stranger strikes out on his own journey from The Grove and comes to a forest known as Greenwood. In Eryn Galen, Sauron’s white-robed supporters catch up with him at last. But thankfully Nori and her friends find him soon after and they all break free of the danger. This forest may be what is one day known as Mirkwood. After the Stranger returns to The Grove with the Harfoots, he and Nori strike out once again into the wilderness.
Rhûn, The East and Eastlands
On the far east of the map of Middle-earth lies Rhûn. The white-cloaked figures come from this mysterious land, seeking Sauron. They plan to bring him to Rhûn, where the men and mystics living there are ready to support his return to power. They carry signs of the Hermit’s Hat, the constellation that the Stranger is seeking. The stars are only visible in the far east. So even though he is not Sauron, he clearly has a purpose in Rhûn. In season two of The Rings of Power we finally head to this The Lord of the Rings location. Rhûn is mostly a barren desert, ruled under the thumb of the dark wizard. But it also houses the enigmatic Tom Bombadil and Stoor hobbits.
We learn in season two of The Rings of Power that the Harfoots’ walking song, which we heard in season one, actually doubles as a map to enter Rhûn.
Every Rings of Power Location We’ve Seen; Jump to: Númenor // Khazad-Dûm // Eregion // The Southlands // Orodruin or Mount Doom // Pelargir // Mordor // Lindon // Rhovanion // Rhûn // Forodwaith // Valinor // The Sundering Seas
Forodwaith, the Northernmost Part of The Rings of Power’s Map
Dominated by snow and ice, this beautiful but harsh land also suffers from the cold of evil. A great castle sits atop a cliff that Galadriel and her lieutenants conquer in their search for Sauron. It is the keep where orcs fled after Morgoth’s defeat. But Forodwaith, the Northernmost Waste is home now only to snow trolls. But its existence, and the sigil found there, convince Galadriel of evil still lurking in Middle-earth. And indeed, Adar confirms that Sauron used the fortress to study dark arts in the pursuit of power in The Rings of Power‘s later episodes.
In season two of The Rings of Power, we see a flashback to Forodwaith and how it became an icy fortress. After Adar and the orcs band together to kill Sauron, the release of his evil spirit into the world transforms frosts the previously temperate fortress with snow and ice.
Valinor, the Undying Lands
Valinor is the original home of the elves. It sits across the great Sundering Seas from Middle-earth. From what we see of Galadriel’s childhood there, it is a beautiful and idyllic place. Until Morgoth attacks. The elves left for Middle-earth to fight against the evil. And now returning to it is essentially a reward for those who are worthy. King Gil-galad awards Galadriel and her lieutenants passage from the Grey Havens after their long search for Sauron. To reach it, they travel across the sea and are welcomed by birds, light, and music. The Sundering Seas sit between Middle-earth and Valinor on The Rings of Power‘s map, making the realm highly inaccessible.
The Sundering Seas, A Deadly The Rings of Power Map Location
Who doesn’t love a map with some monsters on it? But the sea serpents and other mysteries that appear on The Rings of Power‘s map also turn out to be real. Though the seas are calm for Galadriel’s journey to the Undying Lands, they are less forgiving once she rejects that fate. She must swim in the Sundering Seas. Even when the survivors of a shipwreck bring her aboard a makeshift sailboat, bad luck prevails. Referred to as the Worm, a huge beast attacks. Halbrand and Galadriel survive that long enough to weather a raging storm. They are eventually rescued and taken to Númenor, though their troubles continue.
Although we do not see it fully on The Rings of Power‘s map, as mentioned, the Sundering Seas cut off Middle-earth from Valinor, the Elves’ treasured lands.
The Rings of Power Brings Middle-earth’s Map to Life
The Rings of Power shows off a Middle-earth we’ve never seen before as it continues to change in the Second Age. The natural beauty of New Zealand is once again on display, as it was in Peter Jackson’s trilogies. Assisted by stunning visual effects, the show creates the realms we’ll come to know and love during the series. And we love that The Rings of Power weaves the map of Middle-earth in and out of the amazing locations we see to ensure we always know where the path leads.
Every Rings of Power Map Middle-earth Location; Jump to: Númenor // Khazad-Dûm // Eregion // The Southlands // Orodruin or Mount Doom // Pelargir // Mordor // Lindon // Rhovanion // Rhûn // Forodwaith // Valinor // The Sundering Seas
Originally published on September 8, 2022. Original reporting by Melissa Miller.
