Moria – Khazad-dum
Moria means Black Pit and it was located in the center of the Misty Mountains nearby Lothlorien. Moria was the old ruins of the great dwarf kingdom of Durin’s Folks and used to be called Khazad-dum.
The dwarf kingdom Khazad-dum was famous for the mithril mines, however the dwarves of Khazad-dum accidentally awaken a balrog that would be called Durin’s Bane as the balrog killed the king of Khazad-dum Durin sixth.
Eventually the balrog Durin’s Bane perished Khazad-dum and the dwarves would scatter to the Grey Mountains and Erebor. The ruins of Khazad-dum would be flooded with goblins(orcs) and it would become called Moria the black pit.
The orcs of Moria would clash with the dwarves once after Azog humiliated king Thror of Erebor during the War of the dwarves and orcs.
The orcs of Moria were defeated at the Battle of Azanulbizar and Azog was slayed but still the orcs(gobilins) would occupy Moria. Balin, who was one of the dwarves of Thorin Oakenshield would colonize Moria once more, however Balin was killed by the goblins of Moria.
The dwarf Gimli originally visited Rivendell to find news of Balin as news didn’t reach the dwarf kingdom Erebor.
Gimli would become a member of the Fellowship of the Ring and would realize that Balin and the dwarf colony of Moria was doomed once more during the journey of the Fellowship of the Ring.
Gandalf would part with the Fellowship of the Ring as he would duel against the balrog Durin’s Bane and fell to the deeps. Gandalf would continue to fight the balrog Durin’s Bane at the mountains of Zirakzigil(Celebdil) deep underground of the old Khazad-dum.
Rivendell - Imladris
Rivendell was the land of Elrond that was located at the west of the Misty Mountains at the eastern end of Eriador.
Rivendell was also called Imladris Elrond founded Rivendell as a fortress to defend against Sauron’s invasion of Eriador during the Second Age when Sauron killed Celebrimbor and took down the elf kingdom Eregion.
Even after the war, Elrond would rule Rivendell or Imladris and elves would live at the stronghold of Rivendell.
Elrond received the Ring of Air from Gil-Galad which Elrond would use to defend and maintain the beauty of Rivendell.
After Saruman’s betrayal and the death of Gil-Galad, Elrond would become the main chair of the important councils of humans, dwarves and men and many would seek and journey to Rivendell to ask advise from Elrond.
Elrond would also secretly accept the heirs of Isildur and Anarion, the chieftain of the Dunedain under his protection at Rivendell.
Aragorn was also Elrond’s foster child once and Aragorn lived and trained at Rivendell. The shards of Narsil, Ring of Barahir and the Scepter of Annuminas that were the heirloom of the Dunedain were also stored at Rivendell.
The Council of Elrond was assembled at Rivendell to discuss the fate of the One Ring. Also with Elrond, the elf warrior Glorfindel, Elrond’s twin sons Elladan and Elrohir and Elrond’s daughter Arwen resided at Rivendell.
Lothlorien
Lothlorien was also called Lorien or Lorinand where the elf lord Celeborn and his wife lady Galadriel ruled together. Lothlorien was located east of the Misty Mountains near Moria, the old lands of Khazad-dum. The elf-king Amdir and his son Amroth first ruled Lothlorien before Celeborn and Galadriel.
However, Amdir fell during the War of the Last Alliance of Elves and Men and Amroth went missing in the Belegaer Sea near the Bay of Belfalas.
After Amorth, Celeborn and Galadriel ruled Lothlorien where Galadriel would use the ring Nenya to keep the golden forests of Lothlorien.
Lothlorien had beautiful golden forests because of the mallorn trees that originally grew in Valinor the land of the Valars. The Fellowship of the Ring would receive gifts from Galadriel before they’ve set their journey to the east.
Also, The Fellowship of the Ring were provided boats by the elves of Lotholrien they used to voyage to the Aragonath, the stone pillars of Anarion and Isildur that marked the borders of Gondor.
After the Fellowship of the Ring left for Gondor, Gandalf resurrected and was brought to Lothlorien after Gandalf defeated the balrog Durin’s Bane. Gandalf was healed at Lothlorien and he would quickly journey to the Fangorn Forest to catch up with the Fellowship of the Ring.
Eriador
Eriador meant the large land that was west of the Misty Mountains that included Lindon, Arnor, Rivendell, Shire, Grey Havens and the Blue Mountains.
Eriador would span from Lindon to the lands of Minhiraith and Enedwaith that was located near the border line of the end of the Misty Mountains and the White Mountains.
Lindon
Lindon was the elf kingdom that was west of the Blue Mountains that was a remaining land of the old Ossiriand before Beleriand was sank to the sea.
Beleriand was the main region where the Silmarillion took place, however the Valars would sink most of Beleriand as many parts of it was corrupted during the war with Morgoth, Sauron’s former master.
The remaining lands of Ossiriand that was part of Beleriand and the Blue Mountains would become Lindon and Ered Luin.
The last king of the Noldor elves of Exile Gil-Galad would become the king of Lindon and after Gil-Galad died during the War of the Last Alliance of Elves and Men, Cirdan from the Grey Havens would rule Lindon together.
The elves of Lindon were the main forces of the defense of Eriador and the War of the Last Alliance of Elves and Men. However, after the Last Alliance of Elves and Men, Rivendell would become the mainland of the elves.
Grey Havens
The Grey Havens was also known as the Mithlond and it was the main elf port located near the Lhun river and the Gulf of Lune.
Grey Havens was the main port for Eriador where Numenor would land to help the elves defeat Sauron during the War of the Elves and Sauron.
Gondor also landed at the Grey Havens to support the elves of Eriador and the humans to defeat Angmar during the Angmar Wars.
Cirdan would rule the Grey Havens and the Lindon after Gil-Galad’s death. The Grey Havens was the main port city for the elves where the elves of Middle-Earth would set sail to Valinor at the Grey Havens.
Gandalf and Saruman would arrive at the Grey Havens from the Valinor with the wizards called the Istari. Later on, Elrond, Galadriel, Gandalf and Frodo Baggins would set sail to Valinor after the destruction of the One Ring at the Grey Havens.
Cirdan was an elf-lord that have dwelled in Middle Earth since the First Ages but doesn’t appear in the movie series Lord of the Rings.
Ered Luin – Blue Mountains
Ered Luin was the remaining region of the Blue Mountains that didn’t sink under the Belgaer Sea. The dwarves of Erebor would take refuge at Ered Luin when Smaug sacked Erebor.
Most of the dwarves relocated to Erebor after Thorin Oakenshield reclaimed Erebor, however there were still some dwarves that remained at Ered Luin.
