The Lonely Mountain Band is an online fellowship of J.R.R. Tolkien enthusiasts who celebrate the world of Middle-earth in the MMO world of Middle-earth created by Turbine, Inc.

A member of the Tolkien Society.

J.R.R. Tolkien

"John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892-1973) was a major scholar of the English language, specialising in Old and Middle English. Twice Professor of Anglo-Saxon (Old English) at the University of Oxford, he also wrote a number of stories, including most famously The Hobbit (1937) and The Lord of the Rings (1954-1955), which are set in a pre-historic era in an invented version of the world which he called by the Middle English name of Middle-earth. This was peopled by Men (and women), Elves, Dwarves, Trolls, Orcs (or Goblins) and of course Hobbits. He has regularly been condemned by the Eng. Lit. establishment, with honourable exceptions, but loved by literally millions of readers worldwide." - From http://www.tolkiensociety.org/tolkien/biography.html

Tolkien's creation of Middle Earth and all its relevant fictional histories are seminal works of fiction to which all modern high fantasy or sword and sorcery novels, movies and games owe an unpayable debt. Pen & Paper role playing games like Dungeons & Dragons and Warhammer would probably not have had such an effect on modern culture without the groundwork laid by Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit. Some of these current games and novels are nothing more than weak pastiches of Tolkien's grand work of invented mythology. 
The Lonely Mountain Band is a Lord of the Rings Online MMO kinship that holds the appreciation and study of Tolkien's works as an integral Raison d'être. Our kinship main chat channel is devoted only to things LOTRO and LOTR.
While we do not require kinship recruits to be Tolkien scholars, we do expect new initiates to have at least a nascent interest in things Tolkien. The stated focus of the Lonely Mountain Band kinship is to celebrate Tolkien's world through Turbine's adaptation to a virtual world. While it is within our scope and aim to explore all elements an MMO has to offer, the main focus is JRR TOLKIEN and his creation.

We welcome all those who would wish to join us.

-Galenswerd Swordsong (Kinship Founder & Leader)