Hello everyone. I have watched as many good ideas and canonical suggestions have been made. So it is high time I suggested something for the last faction slot and this is Dorwinion.
So why Dorwinion? For several reasons this kingdom needs to be implemented—it is a sovereign kingdom that trades with everyone, is neutral, is canonical, is in the east, is identified as not being under the influence of Sauron, and is a catalyst for the Blue Wizards and other remaining forces not included in the Edain Mod (such as Avari, blue allies, etc.).
Please allow me to regale all of you with what we know. I’ll start with King Bladorthin who was to have the Dwarfs of Erebor commission many spears for his army. Bladorthin’s death was premature, and yet we know not his true identity. Some say he was a man, others say an elf—and some speculate that his death was not premature. It is speculation, but I felt he was an elf and the kingdom he ruled was either near, apart, or was in fact Dorwinion. With that stated Dorwinion is a logical faction slot with several mysteries befitting of the blue wizards themselves!
Heroes: The main issue many will have is “canonical heroes” I have some for you (as Saruman would say). Dorwinion based on its geographical location, and what we know from Lost Tales and other sources, is run by Avari elves. Obviously these elves have never seen the light of the two trees. With that said here is a list of canonical heroes for the Dorwinion fortress:
Morwe (King of an Avari tribe). Since they are immortal beings, Morwe is not dead, Tolkien wrote about him in his notes, the kingdom of Dorwinion would need a ruler and who better than Morwe? He could be a hero killer or tank along the lines of Celeborn’s power level.
Nurwe (King of an Avari tribe) essentially the exact same thing as written above and could be either a hero killer or tank.
Daeron (Bard who went to the Far East after Doriath’s destruction). Everyone knows the greatest bard in middle earth. He is a perfect for this faction as a unit support.
Blue Wizards (Alatar and Pallando). They went to the far east, not much is known about them. But using what we know, Alatar is of Orome’s kin and would get along with the elves greatly, while Pallando (depending on what you read) is either of Namo, Nienna, or Orome’s people (I personally think he is of Namo’s cause the Valar would have wanted to contest Sauron in many different ways). Pallando gets along with the human side to Dorwinion. The two blue wizards fit in here as Gandalf would for Gondor. They would be most liked here and regarded as wise counselors in the fight against evil.
So with this said, this leaves room for a scout hero made up by the Edain team (Bladorthin II or Tauriel as a hero perhaps?) and heroes from certain settlements and outposts.
Outposts: Since I feel the kingdom of Dorwinion should be a wealthy fortified area filled with Avari and Men, the Outpost would be a regular outpost for the faction and the other option is a Cultist outpost which is a cultist like structure that is blue. I think of a Harad looking tent which produces cultists that look like the dudes off of Conan the Barbarian (except in blue), and they are support troops like Angmar’s acolytes, and they field blue easterling like troops.
Settlements: The settlements are easy, one would be the casual farm producing building, and the second would be a wine field like settlement (entmoot like) that produces the units from Edain 3.81. The Wine Mages would be made from these. The third settlement is a Dwarven settlement that adds dwarvish troops to Dorwinion.
Overall view of Dorwinion faction: Dorwinion is like Warhammer’s Dogs of War army and is a melting pot of cultures and warriors. They are heavily fortified, but have many different mercenaries or warriors fighting for and with them for various different reasons—out of fear of Sauron and others, loyalty, wealth, or power. A wine kingdom much like the comradery states of Italy during the renaissance.
Why is it crucial for this to be implemented? Because it fills in the final gaps of middle earth and it is one of the seven kingdoms of the seven crowns that stand as free peoples without necessarily being good or evil. They are just selfish, business like, and monetarily wise. It solves the blue wizard dilemma, units for this faction have already been in production, Edain Team can capitalize and put their great minds to work on this, and finally it gives the player a unique feel on what it is like to have a neutral army that holds all the free peoples in it—a selfish fellowship of the free peoples if you will.
So what do you guys say? Would you like to see this faction implemented? I would maybe we can vote on it?
Also, thank you for taking time to read all this. I know it was long.