Thorin's Halls as an Embassy of Erebor

[Otaku-sempai]

What might have become of Thorin's Halls in the Blue Mountains following the Battle of Five Armies? I am imagining that they might have become Erebor's Embassy to both the Blue Mountains and the Grey Havens. In my head-canon, Dís, sister of Thorin Oakenshield returned to the former halls of her brother after a period of mourning in Erebor to become the Embassy's Ambassador-in-residence. Alternately, the position might be held by one of the former companions of Thorin and Company or some original NPC.

Thoughts?

[Arthadan]

Why would Erebor need an embassy in the Blue Mountains?

I think most if not all Erebor exiles would return to the Kingdom Under the Mountain and the Blue Mountains are too far away for close cooperation or significant comercial relations. I guess the "ambassador" (word sounds too modern to me, but let's use it for simplicity shake) would be some important Dwarf too old to make all the way back to Erebor, an honorific tittle of little real relevance.

In the Fourth Age, when planning the reconquest of Moria, a closer cooperation would be needed and it makes more sense to send a diplomatic mission.

[Otaku-sempai]

Well, there would have been at least some commerce between the Blue Mountains and Erebor, wouldn't there? Yes or no, the great distance between the two places is precisely why such a facility might have been maintained. Such an embassy would be able to house visiting envoys from Erebor and the occasional adventuring company with ties to the place. It might also foster peaceful relations and trade between the Lonely Mountain and the Grey Havens.

Admittedly, my primary motive for suggesting the idea is to provide a place for the Lady Dís to return to in my home-brewed campaign setting where she finds remaining in Erebor unbearable and where she can be developed into an interesting NPC and potential Patron (Matron?) in a Western Eriador setting.

[Glorelendil]

Adventure idea: heroes must race a group of ill-intentioned NPCs from blue mountains to Erebor (or vice versa) in order to be the first to deliver a message or something of that nature. Epic Journey with time of the essence, and numerous obstacles and decisions along the way.

[Sammael99]

My TOR craving has led me to re-read all elements of the Tolkien canon that I can put my hands on here in China, and in the first book of LotR, it is stressed that few if any travel the roads between the east and the west of the Misty Mountains except the dwarves. I always assumed something subsisted in the Blue Mountains, although I don't know what that may be.

I think it's not too far a stretch to imagine that there may still be a settlement there, be it because of resources found or of commerce opportunities ?

[Otaku-sempai]

My TOR craving has led me to re-read all elements of the Tolkien canon that I can put my hands on here in China, and in the first book of LotR, it is stressed that few if any travel the roads between the east and the west of the Misty Mountains except the dwarves. I always assumed something subsisted in the Blue Mountains, although I don't know what that may be.

I think it's not too far a stretch to imagine that there may still be a settlement there, be it because of resources found or of commerce opportunities ?

Well, the LotR Appendices do tell us that there was a continuous Dwarven presence in the Southern Blue Mountains that presumably extended into at least the beginning of the Fourth Age. I presume that these were mostly colonies of Dwarves from Belegost and Nogrod who remained in the western lands when their northern kin relocated to Moria after the start of the Second Age. My home-brewed city of Hargrod (South Delving) was established by those who decided to return to the Blue Mountains after the Balrog drove the Dwarves out of Moria, about the time that Durin's Folk founded Erebor in the Lonely Mountain.

I am assuming that during the good years following the Battle of Five Armies there was at least some increase in trade and commerce between Eriador and Rhovanion. Probably not very much as Rivendell seemed to be fairly self-sufficient and the only other communities of any size in Eriador at that time were Bree-land, the Shire, the Grey Havens and the Dwarves in the Blue Mountains (mostly in the southern range). Of course additional trading opportunities existed in Rohan and Dunland by way of the Gap of Rohan, including trading with the Woodmen along the eaves of Mirkwood and with Gondor to the south. However with Tharbad and its bridge in ruins, fording the River Greyflood was risky if the river was high (just ask Boromir).

[Majestic]

Welcome to the forums, Sammael99!

[Valarian]

Could always go the Lord of the Rings Online route and have Dwalin as lord of Thorin's Halls in the Blue Mountains. This does contradict canon slightly in that Dwalin is meant to be resident in Erebor at the time of the Council of Elrond.

[Otaku-sempai]

Could always go the Lord of the Rings Online route and have Dwalin as lord of Thorin's Halls in the Blue Mountains. This does contradict canon slightly in that Dwalin is meant to be resident in Erebor at the time of the Council of Elrond.

That would not have to contradict Tolkien's legendarium if Dwalin returned to Erebor prior to the War of the Ring to be replaced by a new Ambassador. King Dáin might even use the position to place a potential trouble-maker far away from the court.

I might even alter my plan slightly for Lady Dís in that she might not be the official Ambassador for Erebor so much as the Mistress of the Halls, responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Halls. At the same time, she would have a lot of unofficial influence.

[Arthadan]

Well, there would have been at least some commerce between the Blue Mountains and Erebor, wouldn't there? Yes or no, the great distance between the two places is precisely why such a facility might have been maintained. Such an embassy would be able to house visiting envoys from Erebor and the occasional adventuring company with ties to the place. It might also foster peaceful relations and trade between the Lonely Mountain and the Grey Havens.

Admittedly, my primary motive for suggesting the idea is to provide a place for the Lady Dís to return to in my home-brewed campaign setting where she finds remaining in Erebor unbearable and where she can be developed into an interesting NPC and potential Patron (Matron?) in a Western Eriador setting.

Well, if there are Dwarves in the Blue Mountains, there must to be mines. Mines profitable enough to allow them to survive. So you have essentially the same craftsmen carving wood and working steel (I think Dwarves from the Blue Mountains sold axes in The Shire). Plus The High Pass was only open for some years after the Battle of the Five Armies.

I can picture some Dwarves travellng long distances to meet relatives, but I don't think commerce would be significant. The Blue Montains Dwarves would have already enough "customers" for they goods to survive and Erebor would have whole new "markets" to sell their goods in Rhovanion. So I think neither of them would need to make very long (and potentially dangerous) commercial trips.

About Dís returning to the Blue Mountain, Tolkien wrote Dwarven women only travel in times of great need, plus they doesn't seem to have a quite active role on dwarven society. Of course Dís could have been an exception, or you can assume the nformation we have is the "outsiders" view and the real Dwarven society allows a more relevant role for women.