Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has brought us all back to the fabled and splendid-looking world of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth. It is a continent populated with diverse living species and breathtaking locations. One of its most secretive yet fiercely loyal creatures are the dwarves and one of its most breathtaking locations is the subterranean kingdom of Khazad-dûm – home to Durin’s Folk. The big-budget Prime Video series offers us a look at Khazad-dûm as we had never seen before. In Peter Jackson’s trilogy, the great dwarven city had fallen to ruin and had been renamed Moria, however, in the Rings of Power, Khazad-dûm is still at the height of its splendor and Owain Arthur and Sophia Nomvete offer us an insight into their dwarven way of life.
In a clip put out by Prime Video, the pair of actors attempt to introduce and offer a better understanding of these long-bearded creatures who live under the mountains. “We are dwarves who live in Khazad-dûm,” Owain says. “It’s a kingdom where I am a prince…” he adds. “And I am the princess,” Nomvete says. Khazad-dûm is the underground kingdom of Durin’s Folk located beneath the Misty Mountains. Founded by Durin the Deathless – brilliant name – the realm was the most powerful and wealthiest of all Dwarven realms.
The dwarves of Tolkien’s lore are famed for many things; long beards, beautiful battle axes, and an ability to consume ale like few others but most notably, they are the great craftsmen of the mountain halls and Arthur loves this about them. “The favorite thing about the Dwarven culture is the workings of Khazad-dûm,” he says. “And the craft and how just incredible these dwarves are with their hands.” Arthur plays Prince Durin in the series and given his mining ability; he sure knows a thing or two about crafting.
Prince Durin is married to Nomvete’s Princess Disa and the union of the pair provides a tonal balance to life. Disa is more attuned to the people and now Nomvete offers an insight into dwarven culture itself. “We are, as dwarves a hugely secretive but fiercely loyal culture,” the actress says. “So everything is meticulously thought out in our world, and we would do anything to ensure our safety and our happiness.” The qualities of secrecy and loyalty mentioned by Nomvete could be seen clearly with the friendship shared between Arthur’s Durin and Robert Aramayo’s Elrond.
By the time we see Khazad-dûm in The Lord of the Rings, it is a mighty ruin infested with goblins, skeletons, and orcs. But known of these is responsible for the ruin of this mighty civilization like dwarven greed and the Balrog of Morgoth whom we have already been introduced to. Before we get to such tragic times, let’s enjoy the sturdy welcome of dwarves and the splendour of Khazad-dûm.
The Rings of Power season finale airs on October 14 on Prime Video. See the clip below: