Thorin Oakenshield is a Dwarf of noble birth, the son of kings and heir to the treasures of Erebor. If he is to lead his kinsmen safely to The Lonely Mountain and reclaim the incalculable wealth that lies there, he will need every ounce of his considerable cunning and skill to triumph.

The Witch-king is the greatest of the beings known as the Nazgûl and is the Dark Lord's most deadly lieutenant. Robed in all-black, the Witch-king has long since forgotten the man he used to be before he was gifted one of the Rings of Power.

When the Fellowship of the Ring was broken at Amon Hen, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli chose to pursue the Uruk-hai who had abducted the Hobbits Merry and Pippin. These Three Hunters tracked the enemy to Rohan, where they fought alongside King Théoden at Helm's Deep, before turning to ancient paths in search of allies – and Aragorn's destiny.

Wargs are gigantic, evil wolves - massive and dangerous creatures with a cunning and carnivorous intelligence. Warg Riders scout far ahead of the main armies of Orcs and other evil creatures, spying out the land and picking off stragglers. In battle wargs swarm towards the foe in great packs, tearing the enemy down with bestial fury.

Borne aloft on soft and silent wings, the host of Great Eagles hunt far and wide in the valleys around the Misty Mountains.

The Balrog is a mighty creature of great age and power. Awoken by eager Dwarven miners, the Balrog brought destruction to their kingdoms, overwhelming Durin and his doughty warriors in a series of terrible battles.

If Orcs are the foulest creatures to walk Middle-earth then the Uruk-hai are the most dangerous perversion of the breed. Where ordinary Orcs are crook-limbed and timid, the Uruk-hai are strong, muscular, upright warriors of greater skill and courage.

Once the leader of the Council of the Wise, and the eponymous head of the White Council, Saruman the White allowed himself to be corrupted by the persuasive powers of the Dark Lord as he gazed jealously into the Palantír of Orthanc.

A stronger strain of Orc has appeared within the armies of the Black Gate and Barad-dûr - the Morannon Orcs. Their armour is thick and strong, providing them additional resilience. This enhanced wargear, coupled with the Morannon Orcs' increased strength, makes them ideal shock troops for Sauron's war against Minas Tirith.

Greatest of the ancient race of Ents, Treebeard is immensely old and has potentially roamed the forests of Middle-earth from the dawn of the world. Since the loss of the Entwives, Treebeard has cared little for the goings-on of those outside Fangorn Forest, instead concerning himself with shepherding those under his care. Should a threat come to Fangorn, Treebeard will undoubtedly unleash his wrath against it.

Since the coming of Sauron to Dol Guldur, the surrounding Greenwood had become a place of fear and darkness. Corrupted by the influence of the Necromancer, it had become known by the new name of Mirkwood.

Rohan has seen much war and turmoil in its relatively brief history, but more recently, many of its settlements have been coming under attack by roving war parties of Uruk-hai and vengeful Dunlendings.