Filling the Gaps: following in the footsteps of the Wildwood and the Angle

[Arnand_the_Fox]

Angmar, back then, only came there in search of Narchuil, as it was told, I don't see much reason for them to try and manipulate the Lossoths who were quite sturdy and resistant and had bad blood with the Witch-king. That gap would be perfect for an update that leads directly to expansion set in Forodwaith/parts of Forochel. And I don't really see much of Forochel being in that gap other than the "unfilled" parts that already exist on the map (which are substantial, if they were all supposed to be filled in). The gap would be mainly new parts of Angmar, new section of North Downs, and just borderlands of Forochel, maybe transitioning in that snowy part of Angmar the devs wanted to make back in the day but scrapped it

Personally, if we ever go into Forodwaith, I would assume they would have us enter via the Rhovanion area. Tie it into the path from the Iron Hills, behind Erebor, that connects to the Grey Mountains. That way they can more easily tie it into the Thafar-gathol plot, and the Hobgoblins in Gundabad, rather than have us enter Forodwaith as far away from any of that as possible. It would also make more sense level range wise. Don't think they'd want to place a level 160+ zone between two early game level 50 zones.

Or... maybe it's coming soon? I don't believe they're just going to skip Tolfalas while they build around the coast towards Umbar (or from Umbar, what you will, we have no idea what will come). But it would be a no-brainer then to include Tolfalas as part of the Bay. So cap no doubt

Assuming the bay is its own map. I could see them adding Tol Falas as part of the Umbar plot, but in that case it would probably be some instanced area for some quests in Harondor, like the islands off of Dol Amroth are. Rather then its own map/release.

It would be problematic to explore Belegost and Nogrod unless they were willing to change their usual approach and give us some nightmarish, claustrophobic experience of ruined tunnels and halls, deep deep below ground, because it was buried and deformed after Beleriand was destroyed, so not just a little bit ruined like Moria or Gundabad. Now, that would be new and appropriate and I can get behind it, though would be silly for lowbies, so again, cap. But for real, they're probably not willing to do that, so: More cap Dourhand shenanigans with Brathar back in their origin lands and a decent Dourhand backstory, maybe some lost kingdom of the Dourhand - with some connection to Nogrod/Belegost and First Age, this could be a nice story like with Motsog (maybe Blue-crag remnants being used by Brathar, they didn't really take part in the war after being driven off early back in that storyline)

I don't see them putting such high level zones right next to a starter zone, especially when the path into the northern Erid Luin is a stone's throw from Thorin's Hall. And I'm guessing Brathar is going to be dead-la-dead after the Carn Dum instance stuff. I also think you overestimate how desotryed they would have to make them. Dwarven craft is incredibly resilient.