For fans of Middle-earth, the wait is almost over. On Dec. 17, "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" opens in wide release in the United States. The film marks not only the final installment of the "Hobbit" trilogy, but also the grand finale of Peter Jackson’s six-film journey through J.R.R. Tolkien’s mythical Middle-earth, a journey that started with 2001’s "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring."

On Oahu, members of Tol Andune are particularly excited. The group, whose name means "Isle of the West" in Tolkien’s Elvish language, consists of about 30 members who run the gamut in terms of age and profession, from retired professors to a cancer researcher to a motorcycle shop worker.

The one thing that unifies them is a love of Tolkien, the innovative linguist and author who penned the beloved tales of Bilbo, Frodo and Gandalf.

The final film also marks the end of an era for the club, which formed shortly before the release of "The Fellowship of the Ring." Informally known as the Hawaii Tolkien Society, Tol Andune started as a library discussion group.

"We found out we had a lot in common and decided it was time to form a little group of people with similar interests," said Shalane Sambor, a Manoa resident who founded the group along with fellow Tolkien enthusiasts Barbara Kahana of Hauula and Linda Brogan of Wahiawa.

From there, the group grew through word of mouth. Sambor said the club is fairly informal, with three main events every year: the Toast to the Professor, a pub outing celebrating Tolkien’s birthday on Jan. 3; a public literary discussion usually held in March; and the Frodo and Bilbo Birthday Bash, a party around Sept. 22 to celebrate the hobbits’ birthday as established in the books.

To celebrate the upcoming release of "The Battle of the Five Armies," Tol Andune will host a private luncheon at Dave & Busters at the end of the month. In addition to food, games and entertainment, the party is guaranteed to be packed with costumed hobbits, elves, dwarves, wizards, orcs and other characters and creatures of Tolkien’s stories.

While they don’t get the opportunity to dress up very often, members cherish the chance to get in character and mingle with other would-be inhabitants of Middle-earth.

For a recent photo shoot, Brogan, 59, dressed as the dwarf Dis, the sister of Thorin Oakenshield and mother of Fili and Kili. Dis is special in that she is the only female dwarf mentioned by name in Tolkien’s books.

Brogan donned a grey and black dress that resembled chainmail, a jeweled headpiece and a beard made of metal strands that dangled from ear to ear along her jawline.

She showed off a prop key that had writing in Dwarvish, the language of the Tolkein’s dwarfs. Even though the language doesn’t use letters, she was able to translate the writing.

"Only a geek would know that," said Brogan with a laugh.

"We are all geeks," added Sambor, 66, who was dressed as an elf.

Most members of Tol Andune are not only fans of Tolkien, but also the whole genre of fantasy literature. The goal of the group, with its annual public talks, is to encourage literacy.

So while they primarily talk Tolkien, they also discuss other writers and works they love. For example, Sambor’s favorite books are the "Merlin Trilogy" written by Mary Stewart.

While the members of Tol Andune are die-hard fans of Tolkien’s books, they are just as enthusiastic about Jackson’s film adaptations. Most members have visited New Zealand, where all the movies were filmed.

For lifelong fans, watching the films is an emotional experience.

Sambor said "The Fellowship of the Ring" is her favorite of the films because it was the first time Tolkien’s magical world was brought to life, from the lush greenery of the Shire to the dark, desolate land of Mordor.

"It was a homecoming," Brogan said.

She recalled sitting next to Kahana during "The Return of the King."

"She was syncing with the dialogue on the screen because she knows the dialogue so well. It’s amazing," she said.

"And she was crying, of course. It’s a dream come true to see Middle-earth actually on film and so real. Peter Jackson did such a great job."

As they did with "The Lord of the Rings," many Tol Andune members are planning to watch all the "Hobbit" movies in a theater leading up to the final film. Consolidated Theatres confirmed it will screen the first two Hobbit movies — "An Unexpected Journey" and "The Desolation of Smaug" — on Dec. 15, the earliest Hawaii audiences will get to see the new movie, at Ward Stadium 16 and Mililani 14 on Oahu and Kaahumanu 6 on Maui.

Considering each of Jackson’s films clocks in at about the three-hour mark, the marathon will be almost nine hours long.

"It’s going to be glorious," said Sambor.

For more information on Tol Andune, contact Sambor at tolandune@gmail.com.