Mordor is the region of Middle-earth in which the fights of Shadow of Mordor take place. It is the home kingdom of Sauron and is situated in southeastern Middle-earth and east of Gondor, Ithilien and the great river. Mordor was chosen to be Sauron's fortress because it is one of the most secure locations in the continent due to the extensive mountain range that surrounds Mordor, the Ash Mountains lie in the north and the Mountains of Shadow in the west and south. The only viable large entryway into Mordor lies in the north-west corner of Mordor: the deep valley of Udûn protected by the Black Gate of Mordor. Sauron's Dark Tower, the fortress of Barad-dûr, was located at the foothill of the Ash Mountains. The majority of the land is covered in volcanic waste expelled from Orodruin (Mount Doom), and the other areas are use for cultivation in order to raise food for Sauron's armies.