One Does Not Simply Walk Into Mordor

An Expanded Nemesis System, Epic Emergent Stories & Enormous New World as Monolith Returns With Middle-earth: Shadow of War
 

- James Nouch

Talion sprints towards the walls of Seregost Castle, undaunted by the glittering volley of flaming arrows streaking towards him and his loyal Uruk army. Nearby, a deluge of crude orcish artillery lands, exploding into a fireball that blooms and dissipates, leaving only a shower of wet earth and green bodies tumbling in its wake.

Talion charges on. This haggard ranger of Gondor is technically a dead man – given life only by the elven wraith Celebrimbor that resides within his undying frame – but he is feared and despised by Sauron’s forces nonetheless, who trade foul stories of the Gravewalker’s unnatural abilities and martial might.

During his first tour of duty, Talion spent most of his time engaged in a scrappy guerrilla war, shanking the odd captain here and beheading the occasional warlord there. But this time, Talion’s mounting a siege on Sauron’s fortresses across Mordor and beyond – and he’s building an army to dismantle the Dark Lord’s forces.

From the battlements, a rogue’s gallery of green-skinned captains hurl insults and projectiles at the Grave walker and his forces. Tugog – known to his friends as the Flame Of War – cackles with glee as his orcish archers unleash wave after wave of fire-tipped arrows. Mozû Deadeye lurks nearby, clutching a gnarled custom-crossbow and casting shifty glances across the battlefield. This sharpshooting Uruk is actually one of Talion’s spies, a valued ally operating behind enemy lines. We may just need him should the tide of battle turn against us. And then there’s Thrak Storm Bringer. It would be fair to say that Thrak and Talion have a complicated history...