Chapter Summaries

Klethi discovered a wounded Mearas herd after the horses fought off a wolf pack, and the white mare asked to meet Allen. Allen agreed to help the herd survive the winter and planned to meet the mare before traveling to Mirkwood to approach Thranduil about sending troops south.

• Grim found Klethi treating the white mare, whose herd had lost many horses fighting more than a hundred wolves.
• The white mare asked Klethi to arrange a meeting with Allen, and Klethi warned that the herd might have to serve him in exchange for help.
• Grim escorted Klethi back to camp, where Allen scolded her for venturing into the storm before hearing about the herd.
• Klethi told Allen about the horses, and he agreed to meet the white mare the next morning and provide food and shelter for the herd.
• Thorin urged Allen to ask Thranduil to send troops south, and Allen planned to visit Mirkwood after meeting the mare.

Allen traveled through Mirkwood to ask Thranduil for help against Sauron, but the Woodland King refused to send his people south. Legolas chose to join Allen anyway, and Thranduil sent two hundred elite Elves with them as they departed for Gondor.

• Allen agreed with the white horse that he would protect the herd in exchange for its support, then left Klethi and Grim to care for the horses.
• Allen and the Twilight Knights traveled through a blizzard and reached Mirkwood, where Legolas welcomed them and asked about Allen's war against the Easterlings.
• Allen told Legolas that the Easterlings had been defeated and explained why he had come to Mirkwood; Thranduil welcomed him but refused to send Elves south.
• Legolas declared that he wanted to go with Allen, prompting Allen to leave the father and son alone to settle their disagreement.
• The next morning, Legolas joined Allen in full battle gear, and Thranduil sent two hundred elite Elves to accompany them south to Gondor.

Allen returned to Wilderness Town after defeating the Easterlings and prepared the kingdom for his departure south to Gondor. He postponed a proposed victory ceremony, arranged rewards and safeguards for the prisoners, and decided which cavalry forces and equipment would accompany him.

• Allen returned to Wilderness Town and invited Asudan, son of Tuoju, to enter his service with his father's permission.
• Firentis and Alayen proposed a grand triumphal ceremony, but Allen postponed it because he needed to lead his troops south.
• Allen granted Alayen several hundred Easterling prisoners and planned to sort and assign the remaining prisoners to labor based partly on their appearance.
• Allen kept the Recruits in service on a rotating leave schedule and retained at least three thousand troops to guard the prisoners and maintain order.
• Allen planned to take four hundred Heavy Cavalry and over a hundred adult Knight Apprentices south, while Abinas led five hundred Northern Rangers toward Lothlórien.
• Allen decided the Dúnedain would temporarily borrow their horses and equipment, with the rental fees offset against their payment.

Allen arranged the Kingdom of Rhovanion’s affairs before departing with a large force for Gondor, leaving key subordinates to defend the realm and manage its growth. After Deshavi recommended Malherb as a useful guide through Gondor and Rohan, Allen’s column set out toward Lothlórien, where Círdan and Lady Galadriel awaited them.

• Allen ordered Alayen to watch the Easterlings with help from the Friends of Animals and assigned Firentis to oversee Lake-town’s rebuilding.
• Allen appointed Bunduk to organize a Royal Family Imperial Guard of up to three hundred Rhodok soldiers, while Ymira discussed population growth, food support, and children’s education with him.
• Ymira stayed with Allen after their late-night discussion, and the next morning she prepared breakfast before returning to her duties.
• Deshavi declined to accompany Allen south and recommended Malherb, whose family connections in Rohan and Gondor led Allen to accept him.
• Allen left the Twilight Knights and Noldor Lady Knights behind, brought Malherb, Klethi, Grim, and other guards, and departed Wilderness Town for Lothlórien.
• Círdan and Lady Galadriel waited for Allen’s force in Lothlórien.

Allen’s force reached the Anduin opposite Lothlórien, where the troops rested and feasted while he kept watch against danger. Meanwhile, Klethi and Grim wandered near Mirkwood and fought a band of Warg Riders, leaving Klethi facing three surviving Wargs.

• Allen described Lothlórien and warned his companions to respect the Galadhrim and avoid entering their forest.
• Legolas recalled his people’s former home near Amon Lanc and warned that evil creatures were stirring in Mirkwood.
• Allen’s force camped by the Anduin for a two-day rest, and the soldiers held bonfire feasts while patrols guarded the camp.
• Klethi and Grim wandered to the edge of Mirkwood, where they encountered dozens of Warg Riders bearing Sauron’s mark.
• Grim charged through the Warg Riders and killed those around him while Klethi used knives and her scimitar against the attackers.
• Klethi faced three surviving Wargs after the rest of the Warg Riders had fallen.

Grim and Klethi were trapped by the wargs while trying to flee, until Allen arrived with human and elven cavalry and broke through the enemy forces. With Klethi unconscious but alive, Grim began treating her wounds as the battle continued to the east.

• Grim fought off pursuing wargs but was repeatedly forced to flee, while Klethi suffered wounds and lost blood defending him.
• Klethi fell unconscious, and Grim shielded her as the Wolf Leader and approaching Half-orcs surrounded them.
• Grim briefly changed into human form to carry Klethi, then returned to bear form when he heard cavalry approaching.
• Allen charged in on his Elves Horse, killed the black Wolf Leader with his Giant Lance, and led the cavalry against the Half-orcs.
• The cavalry swept past Grim and Klethi, and the Dwarves arrived as Grim returned to human form and bandaged Klethi's wounds.

After Klethi recovered from her near-fatal recklessness, Allen sent her back to Wilderness Town and recalled how he had rescued her and Grim from a Half-orc attack. Allen then met Celeborn, Galadriel, Círdan, and Estel, who warned that Lórien could not send troops to Gondor because threats were rising at Moria and Dol Guldur.

• Allen gave Klethi honey water and ordered Baren to escort her to Wilderness Town, where she would stay near Ymira and find work.
• Allen recalled how Gael's question alerted him that Klethi and Grim were missing, prompting him to find them and lead a counterattack that routed the Half-orcs.
• Allen warned the Noldor Elves about the Ringwraith at Dol Guldur and sent Gael to tell Ymira to protect Eowya while Artimenner built southern outposts.
• Celeborn and Galadriel met Allen, Legolas, Fili, Círdan, and Estel on the eastern bank of the Anduin and provided supplies.
• Galadriel told Allen that Lórien could not send Galadhrim to Gondor because of the threat beneath Moria and the renewed danger at Dol Guldur.

Allen led several thousand cavalrymen from Lothlórien toward Rohan by the dangerous route through the Brown Lands, while explaining Dol Guldur and ancient sources of hope to Aragorn. As they approached Nindalf, Sauron learned of the northern reinforcements and prepared a surprise for them in the Brown Lands.

• Allen chose the dangerous route through the Brown Lands because moving the army across the Anduin would take too long, and led the cavalry south from Lothlórien.
• Allen allowed Klethi to remain with the column on the condition that she stay within five meters of him, and her animals helped locate Warg Rider scouts that Allen's guards killed.
• Allen explained to Estel that Dol Guldur was rooted in enduring evil, then shared stories of the Elves Jewels to encourage him to hold on to hope.
• Allen ordered the column to resume its journey toward Nindalf, unaware that Sauron watched his movements through the Palantír.
• Sauron captured Ashur near the Running River, learned about the northern reinforcements, and prepared a surprise attack in the Brown Lands.

While scouting a flooded Nindalf, Allen entered the Simulator after learning that Dilinard had died and traveled to Praven to claim Swadia’s throne. After his coronation, he learned that Rafard’s supporters had attacked him and that an Anti-Allen Faction wanted Rafard crowned king, while the Simulator granted him new privileges for becoming king.

• Spring flooding made most crossings through North Nindalf impassable, so Allen sent cavalry to scout South Nindalf while the contingents rested nearby.
• Allen learned that Dilinard had died and entered the Simulator to travel from Sunno to Praven, surviving repeated attacks that reduced his escort of Swadia Knights to just over fifty.
• Praven’s nobles swore allegiance to Allen, who accepted their support and attended Dilinard’s funeral before being crowned king the next day.
• At the coronation, Haringoth presented Allen with the Crown, the nobles swore their oaths and gave gifts, and Allen exchanged greetings with them at the banquet.
• Dilinard’s chief of intelligence told Allen that Rafard’s men had attacked him and revealed an Anti-Allen Faction seeking to make Rafard king, then left him a list and a letter from Dilinard.
• The Simulator announced privileges for Allen as king, including rising reputation and the ability to summon loyal knightly orders, but barred him from entering Calradia under a new identity.

Allen and his allies were trapped at North Nindalf by Sauron’s forces, and his attempt to kill the Mouth of Sauron failed. He ordered the cavalry north to regroup with Círdan as the enemy closed in.

• Allen and Fili learned that South Nindalf offered a possible river crossing and agreed that the Dwarves would cross first to secure the far bank.
• An army of Half-orcs emerged from Mirkwood under a dark cloud, while Uruks blocked the river and Wargs approached from the south.
• The Mouth of Sauron urged Allen to surrender and promised him a magic ring, but Allen silently prepared an attack.
• Allen struck the Mouth of Sauron with Chain Lightning and fired a frost arrow, but the enemy survived and his monstrous horse blocked the arrow.
• Allen ordered the human and Dwarven cavalry to ride north and join Círdan, while the Mouth of Sauron recovered and cursed him.
• The chapter revealed that the two Ringwraiths were Holmras and Akhorahil, who led tens of thousands of Half-orcs and used Akhorahil’s Dread Statue to conceal their march beneath dark clouds.

Gandalf discovered that the Elven reinforcements were delayed and rode toward Rohan after learning Half-orcs threatened their route. In the Brown Lands, Allen and Círdan faced an approaching Warg force and decided to fight rather than retreat.

• Gandalf learned that Half-orcs were encamped in the Northern Highlands and rode to Edoras to seek cavalry support.
• Under dark clouds, the Nazgûl led Half-orcs toward North Nindalf while Allen’s human cavalry joined Círdan’s Elves.
• Allen told Círdan that Half-orcs and Wargs had blocked their route and proposed riding north along the Anduin to Lothlórien.
• Círdan argued that the Wargs were the immediate threat and that the open Brown Lands favored their cavalry.
• Allen realized they could defeat the Wargs and agreed to ride with Círdan.

Allen and Círdan led the allied human, Dwarven, and Elven forces in a countercharge against Sauron’s Wargs. Allen broke through the enemy ranks and rallied his troops for another charge, while most of Fili’s Dwarves remained surrounded and formed sturdy bands to fight on foot.

• Allen arranged his heavy cavalry into small wedges, assigned the Horse Archers to cover them, and ordered Aragorn to protect the reserves and supplies.
• Allen led the charge with the Gryphon Knights and Mettenheim Death Swordfighters beside him, while Fili’s Goat Riders and Círdan’s Elves charged on the flanks.
• The Wolf Leaders gathered the Wargs into packs and sent them charging toward the allied forces.
• Allen cast Chain Lightning and killed several Wargs with his lance, then his sword and bare hand as his guards cut down enemies on his flanks.
• Allen broke through the Warg ranks with his Personal Guards and ordered his troops to rally for a second charge.
• Most of Fili’s Dwarves remained surrounded after their goats were brought down, but they gathered into small bands and fought the Wargs on foot.

Allen's human and dwarven forces were surrounded by frenzied wargs, while Círdan's elven cavalry fought through the packs and prepared to rescue their allies. With tens of thousands of half-orcs approaching under the Blind Sorcerer's dark clouds, Círdan accelerated his plan to clear the wargs and confront the larger army.

• Allen's heavy cavalry lost momentum among the wargs, dismounted, and fought in infantry circles while horse archers helped clear nearby enemies with volleys.
• Legolas's Dúnedain and elite Sindar dismounted to battle wargs that turned on the horse archers, while Círdan's elven cavalry swept through the packs with arrows and polearms.
• Aragorn's knight apprentices and the supply horses escaped along the Anduin River, but Allen's heavy cavalry and Fili's dwarven riders charged back into the surrounding wolves.
• Círdan spotted the approaching half-orc army and ordered the elves to ride faster, encircle the wargs, and send rear archers to rescue the humans and dwarves.
• Círdan kept his plan to have the elves engage the half-orcs after killing the wargs, and observed Allen's guards and lightning with approval rather than suspicion.

Allen’s exhausted forces defeated the Wargs, but a Half-orc army and its flying sorcerers threatened the battlefield until Galadriel arrived and routed them. The Elves and mounted warriors charged the scattered enemy while Allen treated the poisoned wounded, then counted more than fifty of his men dead.

• Allen’s Heavy Cavalry suffered severe losses as Demon Wolves used their claws to poison fallen soldiers, while the Dwarves and Elves helped kill or drive off the Wargs.
• Círdan urged Allen to withdraw as a Half-orc army, two Fell Beasts, and a dark cloud arrived, but Aragorn, Klethi, Grim, and the Knight Apprentices returned with spare horses.
• Galadriel arrived on the Eagle King holding the Starlight Phial, dispelled the dark cloud, and forced Holmras and the Blind Sorcerer to flee as their Fell Beasts and evil statue fell.
• Círdan ordered the Elves to charge, and Allen sent his mounted warriors after the disordered Half-orcs while Grim guarded Aragorn.
• Allen and the Dwarves rescued the soldiers buried beneath Warg corpses, and Allen purified the Demon Wolves’ poison in the surviving wounded.
• Allen counted more than fifty dead men, whose bodies the Dwarves laid in a row after tending to them.

After the arrival of Galadriel, the Galadhrim, and the Great Eagles helped turn the battle in the Brown Lands into a decisive victory, Allen treated the wounded and thanked his allies. With the Half-orcs routed and his army exhausted, Allen planned to rest, bury the dead, and send the fallen home; meanwhile, Rohirrim scouts watched the battle in astonishment.

• Allen exhausted his healing power tending the wounded until Galadhrim healers arrived from Lothlórien to take over.
• The Great Eagles and thousands of cavalry pursued the fleeing Half-orcs, leaving fewer than a fifth of their original force to reach Mirkwood.
• Galadriel and the Eagle King joined Allen at the riverside camp, and Allen thanked them for saving the allied army.
• Círdan returned from the front, and Galadriel assured Allen that the Galadhrim would guard the camp while the soldiers rested.
• Allen decided his army could delay its journey south, planned to deal with the battlefield’s corpses, and intended to send the fallen Heavy Cavalry home.
• Rohirrim scouts watched the battle in the Brown Lands in astonishment.

Gandalf brought Éowlos and an elite Rohirrim Éored to the Brown Lands after the battle, where they joined Allen and the recovering reinforcements. Allen accepted Aragorn’s service and agreed to visit Éowlos at Aldburg before continuing toward Gondor.

• Gandalf persuaded Lady Morwen to seek Éowlos’s help, and Fengel approved the Third Marshal’s offer to lead his Éored north.
• Gandalf and the Riders of Rohan reached the Brown Lands, found the Half-orcs had fled, and saw the devastation left by the battle.
• Allen sent Baren, the Knight Apprentices, and fallen soldiers back to Wilderness Town, while Aragorn volunteered to carry the royal banner and serve Allen.
• Allen accepted Aragorn’s service on the condition that he return to Rivendell after the campaign in Gondor.
• Legolas brought Gandalf to Allen, and Gandalf introduced him to Éowlos.
• After hearing Allen describe the battle, Éowlos invited him to Aldburg, and Allen accepted.

Allen’s company crossed from Rohan into Gondor after forging an alliance with Rohan’s royal family and reuniting with Jeremus. In Anórien, they encountered refugees suffering from the war, and Thengel and Alger arrived to meet the reinforcements.

• Allen’s company crossed the Anduin and Entwash, reached Edoras, and received permission from Morwen of Gondor to travel freely through Rohan under Allen’s Royal Banner.
• Allen and Thengel formally concluded an alliance, and Fengel reluctantly allowed Jeremus to leave with Allen.
• After resting at Aldburg, Allen’s company crossed the Mering Stream into Anórien and saw refugees struggling with hunger and displacement.
• At Jeremus’s urging, Allen left rations for the refugees, who responded with gratitude.
• Thengel and Alger arrived with their troops to meet the reinforcements.

Allen and Círdan’s reinforcements reached Minas Tirith, giving Gondor renewed hope as the city faced threats on several fronts. After Allen rejected an assault on the heavily defended Cair Andros, Sauron shifted his plans toward Pelargir and sent scouts to assess the new arrivals.

• Éowlos sent messengers to Thengel to report the reinforcements’ arrival, and Turgon welcomed the news by arranging a banquet and reassuring Minas Tirith’s residents.
• Allen inspected Cair Andros and refused Alger’s request to attack, judging that the fortress and the enemy camp across the Anduin would make an assault too costly.
• Thengel supported Allen’s decision, and Allen and Círdan’s armies left Anórien for Minas Tirith to learn more about the battlefield.
• Sauron punished the Mouth of Sauron for the failed interception, ordered Angmar to help the corsairs attack Pelargir, and sent Uvatha to scout the reinforcements.
• Uvatha withdrew after assessing Allen and Círdan’s forces, but rumors exaggerated the scouts’ retreat into a great victory as the armies arrived at Minas Tirith.

Allen and Círdan’s reinforcements arrived in Minas Tirith and received a warm welcome before Allen’s party went to meet Gondor’s leaders. On the way, Allen advised Aragorn about Gondor and its people, while Aragorn quietly resolved to wait and grow before pursuing the throne.

• Gondor’s residents celebrated Allen and Círdan’s arrival, and Galdor arranged quarters, food, and hot water for the troops in the First Circle.
• Allen, Aragorn, and their companions rode through Minas Tirith toward the Great Hall of Feasts, while Allen explained the city’s history and the Men of the White Mountains.
• Allen considered using the King of the Dead to help Gondor, unaware that Andúril had already been reforged and was hidden on Lindir’s back.
• Allen urged Aragorn to learn how Gondor worked before ruling, and Aragorn took his advice as a sign that he should wait before trying to reclaim the throne.
• Galdor led the party to the Great Hall of Feasts, where two older men and a young man waited at the doors.

Allen and the northern reinforcements met Steward Turgon in Minas Tirith, then joined a council on Gondor’s worsening war with Mordor and its allies. Allen and Círdan concluded that their limited forces could not remain on the Anduin defensive line and needed to seize the initiative.

• Turgon welcomed Círdan, Lindir, Allen, Fili, Legolas, and Aragorn, whom Allen introduced as his kinsman and student Estel.
• Allen asked Gandalf about confronting Saruman over their conflict in Lothlórien, and Gandalf urged him to wait until the war was over.
• Jeremus examined Turgon and judged him too frail for treatment, disappointing Denethor, who watched the consultation.
• After the banquet, Turgon, Denethor, Galdor, Allen, Círdan, Gandalf, and the others discussed Gondor’s forces and the fighting across the southern territories, Osgiliath, and Cair Andros.
• Allen and Círdan agreed that their troops could not simply join the Anduin defensive line and that they had to take the initiative.