This article is about the biome. For the faction, see here.
| “ | It is clad in a forest of dark fir, where the trees strive one against another and their branches rot and wither. In the midst upon a stony height stands Dol Guldur, where long the hidden Enemy had his dwelling. We fear that now it is inhabited again, and with power sevenfold. A black cloud lies often over it of late. | ” |
–Haldir, The Fellowship of the Ring | ||
Dol Guldur (Sindarin for Hill of Dark Magic/Sorcery) is the realm in Mirkwood from which the evil festers. Sauron himself resided here (then under the alias of The Necromancer) before moving his stronghold to Barad-dûr in Mordor. It was afterward ruled by Khamul, one of the Nazgûl.
It would be unwise for players with a negative Dol Guldur alignment to set foot unprepared (and if you think you are prepared, you likely are not) in this biome. A murky fog covers the land, making it possible for all manner of evil creatures to spawn both day and night. Mirkwood spiders are not the only mobs that dwell here; there are also Orcs and trolls as well (see below), making this place even more inhospitable than Mirkwood.
Webs of Ungoliant can be seen everywhere, and stepping into the poisoned water will give the player Slowness II, Weakness, Mining Fatigue II, and Blindness for 30 seconds.
Entering this region will earn the player the achievement "Hill of Sorcery".
Structures
The following structures spawn in Dol Guldur among the piles of Dol Guldur bricks:
- Dol Guldur Altar - A type of altar in Dol Guldur similar to Angmar Shrines. They contain Dol Guldur crafting tables atop a structure of Dol Guldur bricks, some of which are enchanted with Gulduril.
- Dol Guldur Tower - A tower, similar to ones found in Mordor, that can be found throughout this blasted land. They contain several floors, a Dol Guldur Orc Chieftain, and a chest on the first floor behind the stairs, which contains various Dol Guldur items.
- Spider Pit - Pits made of Dol Guldur brick that are built to contain Mirkwood Spiders. Several spiders of varying size are found here, as well as a supply chest and a Dol Guldur Orc holding a lead.
- Dol Guldur Orc Camp - These camps are made to house the Orcs of Dol Guldur. These camps contain a Dol Guldur crafting table, a wheat farm, some tents, and a trader.
Mobs
Foul creatures spawn in this biome day and night.
- Dol Guldur Orcs - Evil Orcs of Dol Guldur once bred to serve the Necromancer; now, they follow the orders of Khamul, the Black Easterling.
- Dol Guldur Orc Archers - Dol Guldur Orcs equipped with orc bows and ready to kill their enemies from a distance.
- Mirk-Trolls - Trolls made by the Necromancer to withstand the sunlight and equipped with treacherous poisoned scythes.
- Mirkwood Spiders - Evil spiders that roam Mirkwood. They can be ridden by Dol Guldur Orcs or the player.
- Dol Guldur Orc Chieftains - Traders that spawn in Dol Guldur Towers from whom you can hire all of the above. They are equipped with Orc skull staffs in one hand and hold a silver coin in their other hand.
- Dol Guldur Orc Traders - Traders that spawn in Dol Guldur Orc Camps who sell you items for silver coins. They are equipped with a poisoned Dol Guldur dagger in one hand and a silver coin in their other hand. Unlike most orc traders, they do not wear Warg Fur armour and instead use Dol Guldur armor, which can make them very hard to differentiate from other orcs. This is due to the fact that Dol Guldur does not use Wargs.
Fixed Structures
Hill of Dol Guldur.
The hill of Dol Guldur can be found at the Dol Guldur waypoint. It peaks at about y:120 and structures can spawn here, as well as a road that ends at the top. This is an excellent place to build the fortress of Dol Guldur.
Mining
Dol Guldur has the same ores as the rest of Middle-Earth, and underground there also generates Morgul Iron and Gulduril ore. This ore is in stone, like in Angmar, not in Mordor Rock, like in Mordor. Morgul Iron is smelted into Orc Steel, which is used in Dol Guldur equipment, and Gulduril can be alloyed with it to make Morgul Steel.
Vegetation
Apart from the grass and occasional fallen leaves, only dark green Mirk-oak trees thrive here. Many are dead, however, and grow no leaves. The corruption caused by the Necromancer in Mirkwood is strongest here, and the dark forest cedes from the hill of Amon Lanc. Along rivers, however, pines find a way to grow in the blight of Dol Guldur. The grass is scrubby and a murky green-grey. Flowers refuse to grow.
Lore
Dol Guldur was Sauron's fastness after returning to Middle Earth after War of the Last Alliance. At this time, (TA 1000) Sauron's identity was hidden, and was known as the Necromancer. The original name of the Hill upon which it was built was Amon Lanc, the ancient dwelling of the Mirkwood. After Sauron captured the Fortress, the Elves fled over the river, where they remained. Even after Gandalf told the White Council about his suspicions, Saruman continued not to approve an assault. Gandalf later went to Dol Guldur himself, where he discovered that the Necromancer was indeed Sauron. The White Council then banished Sauron from Mirkwood, after which he fled to Mordor, where he remained until the War of the Ring.
In 2951 Dol Guldur was reoccupied by Khamûl, the second chief, and two other Nazgûl. In the following decades Dol Guldur must have rebuilt some of its power until the War of the Ring, during which its forces made assaults upon the Woodland Realm and Lórien, causing grievous damage to the outlying woodlands. Dol Guldur was finally destroyed and cleansed by the Elves of Lórien, led by Galadriel, after Sauron's fall.
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 The Regiments of Dol Guldur 
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Orc (Archer, Banner Bearer) •
Olog-hai •
Spider
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