Forgotten LOTRO Lore: The Battle of Forochel

Within the world of LOTRO, the ice bay of Forochel is unique. When it was first added in April 2008, the region represented a solo-friendly area for acquiring end game loot and weapons prior to the launch of Moria.(1) With subsequent expansions, the region has suffered very much the same fate as the Misty Mountains, becoming a region that while once representing the most difficult content in Middle-earth, has now become a place the majority of players skip for newer and more interesting regions.(2)(3) Despite this, Forochel contains a number of features not seen elsewhere in the game which helps to develop the story of the region:

• An extra tier of reputation with the Lossoth, reflecting their wariness of outsiders(4)
• Cold-themed buffs which make you receive more Frost damage unless you warm yourself near a fire(5)
• Majestic northern lights which fill the sky with colour(6), and
• No wood resource nodes to reflect the barren and lifeless landscape.(7)

In addition to these, Forochel has another unique feature: control points.

Scattered across the landscape, these four control points are closely guarded by a large number of enemy mobs. If you manage to clear a camp out, two Lossoth quest givers will appears with repeatable quests to help you achieve Kindred with the faction, a difficult talk given that you need to achieve an extra tier of reputation above other factions. In total, eight quest givens can be unlocked across the four camps. While control points have appeared previously in LOTRO, most famously in Evendim, this is the first time quests and reputation have been rewarded directly by controlling them.

The control points are also linked to the Battle of Forochel deed, which is completed by visiting each control point.(8)

The control points are off the beaten track, and can be difficult to find until you know where to look. A map of their locations can be found here, and their co-ordinates in game are as follows(9)

• Hylje-leiri (“Seal camp”) – 18.8N, 81.3W
• Karhu-leiri (“Bear camp”) – 12.9N, 66.3W
• Pynti-leiri (“Hunting camp”) – 8.8N, 70.5W
• Norsu-leiri (“Elephant camp”) – 8.0N, 78.9W

The name of each camp can be translated from Finnish, a language of which Tolkien was a huge fan.(10) I’ve included the translations above.

Once inside the camp you will need to quickly eliminate all enemy mobs in order for the quest givers to appear. The enemies have a very fast respawn rate, and some are Signature tier mobs, making this task difficult for non-DPS classes. Personally I have always found Norsu-leiri the easiest to unlock. A red symbol will appear on your mini-radar when the enemy control the camp, which will turn blue once you have taken control and unlocked the quest givers.

Have you ever managed to capture the Forochel control points? What tips would you give other players?