APPENDIX A: LANDS AND PEOPLE



The Great Enfolded Forest

The most curious aspect of the story is the discovery that the Forbidden Forest is actually the edge of a great forest that covers more land area than the continent of Europe. Even more noteworthy is the fact that, through the power of magic, it lies outside of our world, yet touches it at various points. Little is known about how the forest came to be, but it is assumed that it was a physical part of the word at one time.

It is known that Aiwendel, also know as Radagast the Brown, knows of the origin of the Great Forest, although he will never speak on the subject. The most educated guesses place the origins with the disappearance of two of the Istari in the east, not long after their arrival. It is assumed that the Forest was to be a place of refuge, and was used for that purpose during the violent and chaotic fifth age, when the world changed its face.

The Great Forest covers a significant land area, although there are very few mountains, and these exist near the borders of the Forest. Most of the land is either flat or low rolling hills, reminiscent of the Russian steppes but in a more temperate climate. The Centaurs make their principle home in the forest, and guard the most easily accessible area which, not coincidently, borders the grounds of a school of magic. Other known entrances are a cavern leading to an elvin stronghold in what is now Northern Ireland, the Romanian Alps, and the eastern shore of Iceland. These entry points do not appear to be in any planed pattern. It is may be that some of these were made, while others occurred naturally. It does mean, however, that if you walk into the forest for an hour, then walk out of the forest, you may be more than an hour away from where you started.



Mount Doom

In the third age, Mount Doom stood in the heart of Mordor. Its location was lost in the fifth age when the world changed. It is known that the Shire of the hobbits, despite being several hundred miles inland at the end of the third age, was lost beneath the ocean by the end of the fifth age. The mountain itself had been erased by time, but the Cracks of Doom were preserved by the magic that bound that place to the One Ring. The Cracks of Doom exist under the Vatnajokull Ice Cap in eastern Iceland. They are commonly known as the Grimsvoten Volcano, which is subglacial, meaning that it is covered by the ice cap. The most common fear of this and other volcanoes erupting is that they will melt the ice and cause great flooding in the surrounding areas, particularly the coastal harbors. Such an incident had occurred only two years before the time of this story.





Dwarves and Hobbits

Dwarves actively interact with men in today's world. Gilderoy Lockhart hired a group of dwarves to deliver valentines at Hogwarts on one occassion. When Harry Potter went into business, his first client was Drey Mining and Drilling, Ltd., a dwarvish enterprise under the leadership of the Dwarven Lord, Drey. (It was his son Dwarin, who was saved by Hermione Granger, during the Battle of the Mage Orcs.)

Hobbits survived through time as well. Two known enclaves where mentioned in the story, and others presumably exist. The hobbits of the New Shire had a detailed map of the Great Forest, which would have listed other settlements. Curiously, it did not show The Mark on the map, although Radagast did state that The Mark was protected by great magic. It would be curious to see how the hobbits of The Mark react to becoming part of the larger world again.

At the end of the fifth age, when the Shire was lost, and the Great Migrations began, it is believed that the hobbits, and other races, were led to the Great Enfolded Forest for their own safety.



Elves

The elves have diminished in their power since the end of the third age and the fall of Sauron. Most noted is the loss of timelessness that men and other races experienced. When the fellowship visited Lorien, they felt as though they had spent several days there, but it turned out to be for only one night, but Ginny Weasley, when she first came to the Grey Havens, had no difficulty keeping track of the passage of time.

Despite this lessening of their magic, the elves where able to perform great magic in the movement of the Hogwarts School from its original location in the Scottish borderlands to Finian Square in Dublin, Ireland. It should be noted that this action took place in concert with Aiwendel and a large number of human wizards. Also, the elves had the advantage of the use of wands to aid in their magic.

There are two places mentioned where elves still reside. One of these is the Grey Havens, where Cirdan the Shipwright still makes his home. In the upheaval of the world, it can be imagined, and surmised, that the influence of elvin magic was used to keep the Havens at the water's edge. This would make Dingall Bay an artificial construct.

The other place is not named. It was built in memory of the House of Elrond at Rivendell. The elves that reside here and at the Grey Havens are the two largest group of elves still known to be in the world. This was until the discovery that house elves where in fact elvin children. The lost children are another mystery, and it is rumored that the Great Forest was enfolded for their protection. Most scholars agree that the two mysteries are related, and the answer to one will also answer the other.

Dal Dagda is the leader of the elves at the place of memory. The name Dagda is also know in Celtic Mythology, which means that the elvin lord had significant contact with the ancient Celts, probably with the first settlers to Ireland.

Draco Malfoy, in his madness, makes the statement, "Dal Dagda, that is what they call this." He was pointing out that Dal is a Celtic word for an assembly. To the Celts, Dal Dagda was the counsel of Dagda, not only the elf, but his followers as well. It is a variant of this word, Dail, that is used to describe the Irish parliamentary body.



Centaurs

According to the history of the elves, the Centaurs (half man, half horse) were designed by Sauron as an elite cavalry force. Their passive demeanor and refusal to fight resulted in the Centaurs being relegated to the level of pack animals. They survived in captivity from their inception sometime during the Third Age until the early part of the Fourth Age when the Kings of Gondor sought to rid Mordor of all of Sauron's foul creations.

It is said that the men of Gondor came upon the Centaurs and began to destroy them wantonly. Many of their number were lost, until one officer whose name has been lost to history noticed that, while these beasts were clearly intelligent they made no effort to defend themselves. The slaughter was halted and a lone centaur was approached, a wounded youth.

The young Centaur stood its ground, and was asked, "Why do you not run, if you will not fight?"

"Where could we run from you, Master?" the frightened youth decried.

A cry was heard throughout the ranks of men as they learned of the great wrong they had done. Word was sent out and Aiwnedel was called with great haste, and he attended the plains where the Centaurs dwelled. He healed those who were injured and led them away from the faces of men.

The memories of the Centaurs is long and they still remember that day. Until the time of the return of the ring they refused contact with men as much as they could, even to the point of insisting that they be listed among the beasts of the earth.



Goblins

It was at this same time that the men of Gondor came upon the Orc pits and destroyed them without hesitation. As the pits were reduced the urge for survival drove several of the lesser orcs to approach the Istari and crave a boon. They were tied to their old master and did not want to live, but they held enough of the urge to life to want their kind to continue.

Aiwendel took the seeds from them and the knowledge of the pits. In a safe place, he raised them, naming himself as their master. He made no demands upon them, but asked that they learn the ways of peace. He also asked them to make one of their kind who was his own master, but fear of men kept them from this until the most recent times.

Goblins are artificial creatures. Their means of reproduction can best be described as a form of cloning. When they described it, they used the word, replicating. They need an impetus when they are seeded into the pit, and this is done by impressing the name of their master on the seedlings. How this is done has never been explained.