Did you download the full map? Also, when you entered middle-earth, did you appear in a veranda of sorts? Nearly always this is from not downloading the full map.
I installed the game using the Twitch mod downloader (searched for the mod and it installed automatically). It installs to the directory:
E:\Curse\Minecraft\Instances\Instances\TolkienCraft II
I downloaded the map content map-complete.zip from the site you gave as a link in an earlier post (as opposed to the in-game download). I unzipped the contents (world directory) into the directory:
E:\Curse\Minecraft\Instances\Instances\TolkienCraft II\saves
I started the game, and there was a choice to play Draconis world. I entered the game, talked to elm, enabled HQM and did the first few quests to unlock the temple and get the quest to visit Hobbiton.
To test whether the content is installed correctly, I teleported to middle earth at that point (no further questing). I arrived on what appears to me to be a "veranda of sorts" but it DOES NOT have the ring floating above it. I went to the stable and tried to talk to the stable master and he says he cannot help me right now. The ring to return to the overworld is located by Legolas in Hobbiton.
At this point, should I believe the content is complete and installed correctly? Or is there something obviously wrong? Did I put the content in the right save directory?
I spent a month playing the mod before discovering that apparently the content was not correct, so I would like to verify that middle earth is good before playing too far. I tried salvaging that game by installing the content, but nothing seemed to work and I wiped the install and started over. I have read the FAQ and forum posts about solving content installation problems, but it seems I may still have the same issues other people have asked about.
This is a screenshot showing where I arrive in middle earth (on a veranda with no ring above it...). I appreciate the fact that you have responded to questions about the mod even though it is old and you are working on the third version. This is the best mod pack ever for Minecraft.