Issue 13, March 2012

OO THERTHER MMINDINDSS The Unofficial Role-Playing Magazine for J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth and beyond

OTHER MINDS Magazine Issue 13, March 2012

Publisher Other Minds Volunteers

Co-Editors Assistant Editors Thomas Morwinsky Neville Percy Hawke Robinson Chris Seeman

Proof Readers Artwork Neville Percy Jon Hodgson (SG/C7) Tomasz Jedruszek

(SG/C7) Neville “Osric” Percy Tuuliky

Production Staff Thomas Morwinsky

1 Unless otherwise noted, every contribution in this magazine is published under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license (b n a) The exact license of a given contribution can be found at the beginning of each contribution. © 1996 ‘Scouring the Mountain’ by Ted Nasmith, used with permission of the artist Other Minds Magazine MAIN FEATURES MAIN FEATURES MAIN FEATURES 3 Editorial: Not an unlucky number! 10 A Review of The — 38 The Dwarven Iglismêk by Thomas Morwinsky Adventures over the Edge of the by Neville “Osric” Percy Wild 4 Inside Information by Neville “Osric” Percy 42 Population and Urbanization In by Thomas Morwinsky Eriador 20 The Art of Magic—with TOR stats by Thomas Morwinsky 6 by Daniel “Vaco” Vacaflores by Thomas Morwinsky OTHER FEATURES 104 Fine Print and Disclaimers 105 Creative Commons License 108 Appendix

“Then Ilúvatar said to them: 'Of the theme that I have declared to you, I will now that ye make in harmony to- gether a Great Music. And since I have kindled you with the Flame Imperishable, ye shall show forth your powers in adorning this theme, each with his own thoughts and devices, if he will. But I will sit and hearken, and be glad that through you great beauty has been wakened into song.'” - Ainulindalë (The Music of the ) by J.R.R. Tolkien Listen to music by the many musicians around the world inspired by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. Middle-earth Radio make available four different Internet radio streams dedicated to the audio and music inspired by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. You can tune in 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from anywhere in the world where you have an Internet connec- tion, with your favorite streaming media player. And when you hear a piece of music you like, be sure to support the musicians by purchasing their music (if applicable). See the lengthy list of inspired music at the Tolkien Music website: www.tolkien-music.com Tune in today and listen at: www.middle-earthradio.com

2 Issue 13, March 2012 Editorial: Not an unlucky number!

News So overall this Issue also marks a wa- Dwarves. This article develops on an tershed—since it will be the last of the extensive note of Tolkien’s found in The A new year brings new things—and current incarnation. This is far from bad History of Middle-earth, Vol. 11: The War of this holds true for gaming in Middle- however, since we are sure that all these the Jewels. It offers great possibilities for earth as well. Other Minds, Issue 13 again plans will be all for the better. More giving dwarven PC’s a really unique abil- is long overdue—far more than antici- details of the planned changes are to be ity not shared with other races. pated or feared. Some of the originally found in this Issue’s Inside Information. planned content had to been changed at Last but not least, Population and short notice, but in the end everything Content Urbanization in Eriador tackles the has worked out fine. difficult task of assigning believable num- As already said, we had to do some bers to the demography of Eriador That we are far overdue is the effect last minute rearrangements content- throughout the Third Age (together with of real life taking over and pushing other wise, though that may have been fortu- discussion of how these were devel- things aside. Everyone has been affected, nate in the end. Now, for the concrete oped). The many major changes in the but none more than our diligent assistant content, the line-up is as follows: history of this region make this quite editor Neville Percy, who has now a First comes a piece by Neville “Osric” challenging, but on the other hand also little baby daughter, which is eating up Percy: A Review of The One Ring – offer tons of gaming possibilities. much of his time. And still he spends his Adventures Over the Edge of the Wild precious and limited spare time for the As mentioned above, you can find (TOR). It details the game system and Middle-earth gaming community. Kudos more on the future of Other Minds in this gives you a good overview of its features. to him! Issue’s Inside Information. One thing I’d It is a fitting beginning of the intended like to say here and now, is the fact that The most important news is that now TOR presence in Other Minds. David “Issachar” D. has volunteered to the new roleplaying game for Middle- The second contribution is from assist us in making Other Minds an even earth is finally out (its pre-publication Daniel “Vaco” Vacaflores gives us an up- better platform for all roleplayers in information and announcements having date of his The Art of Magic, which was Middle-earth. It’s good to have you on been included in previous Issues): Cubi- published in Issue #10 of Other Minds. board! cle 7’s (C7) The One Ring – Adventures over ® Here he presents us with TOR game the Edge of the Wild (TOR) has been We are also getting more wide- stats to be used with that game system. available since about last August (in the spread; see Inside Information for more So you might check it out if you’re look- downloadable PDF version). The C7 details! ing for ideas on how to incorporate ex- forum has quickly developed into a very Ending my ramblings, I wish you a tensive “real” magic (i.e. spells) into dynamic platform for discussing all as- happy reading and see you all in Other TOR, beyond the little that the pub- pects of TOR itself and extending into Minds, Issue #14! lished game includes—as yet. Middle-earth gaming in general . I am Neville “Osric” Percy also brings us a very eager to see further products pub- For the Other Minds team lished. Speaking of this, one of the second contribution with The Dwar- Thomas Morwinsky changes will be a stronger TOR presence ven Iglishmêk, a secret communication in Other Minds. system based on gestures used by the

3 Other Minds Magazine Inside Information

The Future of Other Minds the other game systems that we’ve had to Concerning game systems, we will date. This does not mean to ignore all have a new assistant editor on board, As already hinted at in the Editorial, the other approaches (e.g. MERP or who will focus his activities on managing this Issue of Other Minds is the last of its LotRRPG or fan-made Indie systems), the TOR content for Other Minds. This is kind. Issue #14 will bring a number sig- but the officially licensed game should David ‘Issachar’ D., whom you might nificant changes that will—hopefully— always get special attention by a fanzine perhaps know as a long-time editor of all for the better of the fan community of that champions the cause of roleplaying the Hall of Fire magazine. We are hoping gamers in Tolkien’s Middle-earth. in Middle-earth. to get regular content for The Lord of the Since the publication of The One Ring: Due to this, we will change a number Rings Roleplaying Game as well, unifying Adventures over the Edge of the Wild (TOR) of things, effectively renovating a lot of all three—past and present—licensed last autumn, new life has been brought current Other Minds conventions. First, roleplaying games for Middle-earth un- to the Middle-earth gaming community. our much-debated rating system will be der a common roof. Gamers and con- This is in my opinion quite fortunate, as overhauled, as it currently looks quite tributors working with other game sys- it brings in new ideas and approaches and abstract. To emphasize the gaming focus, tems should also not feel excluded; arti- prevents the old veterans from stewing the new system will have a twofold cate- cles linked to any system will all be too much in their own juice. Also it con- gorization: First we will indicate the equally welcome, judged on the basis of tinues the tradition of roleplaying games general nature of the article (e.g. rules their Middle-earth content. set in Middle-earth that was begun in supplement/suggestion, adventure, Beyond the different gaming ap- 1982. Every year without a game in the background material, Tolkien scholar- proaches and interpretations, we firmly best of all fantasy worlds is a loss! Apart ship etc.). The second part will give a believe that roleplaying in Middle-earth from the more abstract benefits of a new rough estimate of the amount of original is a strong common denominator. It is an and living game, there are also some very Tolkien content within the contribution. old tradition for gamers and Game-/ practical beneficial sides to it. First, Other Here, three tiers (high, medium, low) Lore-masters alike to look for inspira- Minds is striving to get its focus to will give you an estimate how much was tions beyond the boundaries of specific strongly support TOR as much as it has used (or available!) to inspire and create game systems. Having a common setting, the contribution. drawing such inspirations from other The second great change is about the Middle-earth based systems should make content itself. We will have clear mark- it all the easier to transfer to your own ers to show whether a contribution is system and interpretation of choice. The made for a specific game system (or not; Middle-earth roleplaying community e.g. being system-agnostic). Here the nowadays is small enough to start with, “other” content beside pure mechanics and fragmenting it even further by build- plays a role as well. For example, MERP ing fences will in the end surely over- produced a lot of modules which detailed stretch the resources of those who do Middle-earth, thus establishing a these things. “MERP-canon” with its specific interpre- tation of Middle-earth and especially the voids beyond Tolkien’s descriptions. Of course all of these categorizations contain a certain degree of uncertainty or blur, where you can’t clearly specify a contribution according to the above mentioned categories. We will do our best however to make these ratings as objective as possible.

4 Issue 13, March 2012

Other Minds added to Marion E. Wade Center at Wheaton College We were pleasantly surprised on February 29, 2012 when a message was posted on our Facebook group page (http://www.facebook.com/groups/othermindsmagazine/) that Other Minds has been added to the fund of the Marion E. Wade Center (http://www.wheaton.edu/wadecenter), research library and book museum at the Wheaton College (http://www.wheaton.edu). If you want to learn more about this institution check out Wikipedia for a short description of Whea- ton College: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheaton_College_%28Illinois%29). The Wade Center houses both memorabilia (like the desk at which Tolkien wrote The ) as well as original texts from the Inklings—including J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis—and we are humbled to be counted among such company. Check out the following link for “our” actual location at the Wade Center: http://vufind.carli.illinois.edu/vf-whe/Record/whe_615666. Thank you very much Johan for sharing with us this information!

© Wheaton College

5 Other Minds Magazine The Road Goes Ever On

Certainly it reminds me [Frodo] very much of Bilbo in the last years, before he went away. He used often to say there was only one Road; that it was like a great river: its springs were at every doorstep, and every path was its tributary. “It’s a dan- gerous business, Frodo, going out of your door,” he used to say. “You step into the Road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to...” —.A Shortcut to Mushrooms

There are many paths on the internet waiting to take you somewhere for Tolkien gaming. The vast reaches of the worldwide community harbour numerous roads and paths—some dangerous and some not—but it also has many havens of lore and respite where the weary traveller or loremaster seeking knowledge may find what he is looking for. In order to aid people on their jour- neys, this column of Other Minds (not exactly new, but with a new name) which will be a regular feature from now on offers a quick overview and pointer to potentially interesting Tolkien roleplaying-related websites. For each site we give you a short description of its primary purpose and content to give you an overview for better judging how it might meet your needs. The following list does not claim to be exhaustive or representative. In fact, I believe it is only a beginning. All the content of these pages is the responsibility of their owners. They are organised according to their primary gaming focus (e.g. TOR, MERP or whatever else) and, within each category, in alphabetical order. This listing is intended to be “living”, i.e. constantly evolving and updating. So, if you know any other sites that present information of value for Tolkien gamers, do contact us at [email protected] so we can in- clude it here for others to enjoy as well. The following abbreviations are used: TOR—The One Ring by Cubicle 7 and Sophisticated Gams. The current licensed game from 2011 onwards. LotRRPG—The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying Game by Decipher. The licensee from 2002 to 2007. MERP—Middle-earth Roleplaying by Iron Crown Enterprises. The licensee from 1982 to 1999.

TOR Common skills and cultural baseline: some light analysis on the distribution of skills within cultures from the first TOR core book: http://thechamberofmazarbuldnd.blogspot.com/2012/02/common-skills-cultural-baseline.html El Anillo Unico: A spanish fan-site dedicated to The One Ring by Cubicle 7 (see below for their presence). http://elanillounico.tumblr.com/ Facebook TOR group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/222560297824158/ The One Ring – Adventures over the Edge of the Wild (TOR): Cubicle 7 published this latest instalment of games (after MERP and LotRRPG) with - and The Lord of the Rings license from Middle-earth Enterprises in August 2011 (PDF version). They have a great and very active forum as well, where you can find a lot of support and tips around the game. Publisher site for TOR: http://www.cubicle7.co.uk/our-games/the-one-ring/ Forum: http://cubicle7.clicdev.com/f/index.php?trk=cubicle7&showforum=33 Resources: http://cubicle7.clicdev.com/f/index.php?trk=cubicle7&showtopic=2487 6 Issue 13, March 2012 The One Ring RPG resources: A fan-site with RPG stuff for The One Ring. http://grimbahsoneringrpg.blogspot.com/ RPGnet: Another review of TOR can be found here. http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/15/15457.phtml

LotR RPG Facebook LotRRPG sites: First an interest page. Not much to see, but you can “like” it. The second one is a closed group about actual gaming. http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Lord-of-the-Rings-Roleplaying-Game/135039343195996 http://www.facebook.com/groups/jmezlotrrpgg/ Hall of Fire: is an excellent resource if you are looking for game-oriented material for Decipher’s Lord of the Rings Roleplaying Game (LotRRPG). They also have a forum and an extensive link section in their zines themselves. The fanzine is still published, though with much diminsihed content and the forum only rarely used. The long-persistent spam problem in the forum has been fortunately solved by now (at least no spam bombardment like in the last year is observable now). Main site for Hall of Fire: http://www.halloffire.org Forum: http://forums.halloffire.org

MER P I.C.E. product listing: Contains a listing of MERP products for reference. http://www.icewebring.com/ice-products Facebook MERP groups: Strangely, there are two groups/sites dedicated to MERP here. Middle-earth Roleplaying (MERP) is a simple page without much information. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Middle-Earth-Role-Playing-MERP/30841799801 The second one, Middle-earth Roleplaying, has at least a bit of more info (though still quite little). http://www.facebook.com/pages/Middle-earth-Role-Playing/108714242486460 Lindëfirion: A campaign log and resources for a mid-Third age campaign set in the Northwest. Made with great love for detail. The artwork, especially of the maps, is awesome. http://www.lindefirion.net Sub-page “Project Pelargir”: http://wiki.lindefirion.net/ProjectPelargir Loren Rosson’s Blog “The Busybody”: A relatively new blog with reviews (“retrospectives”) of a selection of old and long out-of-print MERP modules. The relevant section is named “Middle-earth Retrospectives” and can be found on the left side of the links section (you have to scroll down a bit). http://lorenrosson.blogspot.com MERP printing edition reference: A great reference for all the editorial changes and different printings of MERP 1st edition. If you are interested in the various editions of MERP 1st ed., this one is for you! http://homepage.mac.com/guyf/MERP/PrintingEditionReference.html

7 Other Minds Magazine System-neutral or mixed Fan-sourcebooks: This Yahoo group (formerly fan-modules) was founded in 2001 after the demise of Other Hands. Here you can find a great variety of fan-made material for a lot of topics. Game system and canon focus is MERP, though not exclusively. http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/fan-modules Facebook Other Minds group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/othermindsmagazine MERP.com: The site devoted to roleplaying in Middle-earth (not exclusively ICE’s MERP as the title may suggest). It contains a vast vault of useful information and gaming material. http://www.merp.com Tower Hills, The: A webpage centered upon (Hârn and) Middle-earth. http://www.towerhills.me

Tol ki e n st u f f in g e n e r al Ardalambion: One of the best sites dealing with Tolkien’s languages. You may need to get used to the colour scheme, though. http://folk.uib.no/hnohf/ Deutsche Tolkiengesellschaft (German Tolkien Society): Similar to (see below), this site is about the furtherance of Tolkien scholarship and analysis in general. http://www.tolkiengesellschaft.de/ The Elvish Linguistic Fellowship: A Special Interest Group of the Mythopoetic Society, this (and its journals) is the place for you if you’re looking for information and lore about Tolkien’s invented languages. http://www.elvish.org/ The Encyclopedia of Arda: A good encyclopedic website about Tolkien’s world. http://www.glyphweb.com/arda Gernot Katzer’s History of Middle-earth site (German): A good site describing the essentials of the History of Middle-earth series. http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/home.html Grey Havens, The: One of the oldest reference sites that is still in business. http://tolkien.cro.net/ Tolkienforum (German): A good forum covering all aspects of Tolkien lore and fandom. http://www.tolkienforum.de Tolkien Forum, The (English): A good English forum on many aspects of Tolkien http://www.thetolkienforum.com/ Tolkien Gateway: A good wiki site with an encyclopedia on many topics Tolkien http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Main_Page Tolkien Society: The site for everyone interested in the more scholarly and academic treatment of all things Tolkien. http://www.tolkiensociety.org/ Wikipedia Portal “Middle-earth”: Even Wikipedia has a whole section dedicated to Tolkien and his myth. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Middle-earth

8 Issue 13, March 2012 Artwork Chmiel-Gugulska, Katherine Carina (Kasiopeia): A great artist who allowed us to use several of her stunning works. http://kasiopea.art.pl/ : The second of the great Tolkien artists that allowed the use of his artwork within our pages. Check out his great index. http://www.john-howe.com/ Rolozo: Among the oldest artwork-related sites around http://fan.theonering.net/~rolozo/cgi-bin/rolozo.cgi/news Nasmith, Ted: The official site of renowned Tolkien artist Ted Nasmith, who was so kind in allowing us to use so much of his artwork within Other Minds. http://www.tednasmith.com/

Other stuff that might be interesting for roleplaying in Middle-earth Facebook “Fans of Miniatures” group: Lots of photos of painted minis plus some awesome dioramas. http://www.facebook.com/groups/107518272188/ Games Workshop: If you are interested in miniatures made according to the movie design, then the Games Workshop miniature line (for skirmish-level tabletop wargaming) is for you: http://www.games-workshop.com Mithril Miniatures: This company has been around in the Middle-earth figurines business since 1988; thus being one of the old- est still in continuous business. They now have a general line (though diminished in volume compared to earlier times) and an ex- clusive fellowship one with access to expensive but well-done miniatures for this “club” only. They also have a board which is mostly miniatures-centered but some general Middle-earth related information can be found as well. http://www.mithril.ie Forum: http://mithrilfigures.proboards19.com/index.cgi

9 Other Minds Magazine THE ONE RING: Adventures over the Edge of the WildTM A Review

by Neville “Osric” Percy In the ‘world-building’ of Middle- adjust their assumptions to this style of ([email protected]) earth, Tolkien devised much of the mid- gaming, TOR offers a rare treat. © 2012 dle ground of modern fantasy and espe- Much as LOTR RPG was timed for the per the terms of the CC license: b n a cially of fantasy gaming – in which for release of ’s trilogy of LotR example the ‘generic’ elves, dwarves, films, TOR’s publication anticipates the It has been some months now that the new halflings and rangers are all essentially release of the two The Hobbit films, and licensed game set in Middle-earth has been on Tolkien’s creations. But for a fantasy the expected upsurge of interest in the market, but still a detailed review is a game to be explicitly set in Middle-earth Tolkien gaming. The first boxed set, good thing to have around in a Middle-earth itself instead of a generically similar Adventures over the Edge of the Wild, natu- gaming magazine. world requires the license of Tolkien rally offers a core ruleset but it has also Therefore, it was quite fortunate that Enterprises – now Middle-earth Enter- deliberately been made accessible to new long-time contributor and co-editor had one prises. players. ready to submit for this Issue of Other Following ICE’s MERP and Deci- It limits its setting to Wilderland: Minds. pher’s LOTR RPG, the latest licensee is Rhovanion and the Misty Mountains and now The One Ring RPG (’TOR’ for their inhabitants, and it concentrates on short) from Francesco Nepitello of So- the years immediately following The Hob- phisticated Games and Cubicle 7. Pre- bit’s Battle of the Five Armies in orders of The One Ring: Adventures over the TA 2941. The rest of Middle-earth, and Edge of the Wild came out in August generation-spanning game play that will 2011, and it has been available in stores carry a group through to the War of the since October of that year. Ring in TA 3019, will be addressed in TOR’s predecessors both clothed ex- the next two TOR boxed sets, scheduled isting game systems in Middle-earth de- for 2012 and 2013. tail, both very successfully in their own Adventures over the Edge of the Wild is ways. But the longstanding RPGer and streamlined, with simple but rich charac- fêted Middle-earth board-wargame de- ter creation, concentrating on the basics. signer Nepitello has gone further than An open, narrative-oriented style means either previous system in designing TOR that simple stats and a relatively few from the ground up. It’s a cliché skills with broad coverage are easy to amongst Tolkien gamers, but the aim understand but they subtly achieve con- was a gaming experience that draws di- siderable depth when combined to- rectly on the feel and tone of Tolkien’s gether. Characterisation and roleplaying books themselves. And TOR delivers on is emphasised with a handful of character this goal more than anything that’s been Traits and the need to resist sliding to seen before, even where it defies some the Shadow. The weapons and armour often-cherished norms of traditional listings are short, effectively encouraging gaming to do it. It has a more subjec- authentic choices instead of extreme or tive, narrative-oriented approach than its exotic ones, and whilst the game does predecessors and for gamers who can not offer Wizard-magic to the players, 10 Issue 13, March 2012 there are enough special abilities – and The Dice The Maps modest spells for elves and dwarves – to Some gamers love their props and Adventures over the Edge of the Wild engage everyone’s interest. toys whilst others may find them dis- concentrates solely on Wilderland – tracting or gimmicky. TOR’s custom essentially the map in The Hobbit – disre- Feat and Success dice (the game avoids garding places known only from LotR. the insiderish RPG jargon of “d12’s” or The first map is a straightforward “d6’s”) are a fun and effective innovation. one for the players, beautifully produced You get a tangible reminder that you are and taking after the artistic style of the in Middle-earth every time someone’s maps in the books, without inventing any Feat die comes up as a -rune or finer geographical detail. an Eye of . The second map is a copy of this for the use of the GM or “Loremaster”, hex- gridded and colour-coded for working out details for TOR’s Journey mechanics.

Image adapted from merp.com. Image © Neville Percy 2012 Used with permission. And the Success dice have a tengwa on the natural 6’s1 which enhance your level of success, and also have the 1’s, 2’s and Image adapted from merp.com. Used with permission. 3’s just depicted in outline, as these do The east of after the The Boxed Set not count for adventurers who are Battle of the Five Armies has always Weary. These carefully devised mecha- For $50.00 or the equivalent you get stood out as a point where relationships a lovely product. In a splendidly sturdy nisms emphasise reading your result at a between Men, Dwarves and Elves are at single glance, avoiding the need to add slipcase you get two softback rulebooks, their closest and most amicable (and the Adventurer’s Book (192 pp.) and the up all the numbers wherever possible. even the odd Hobbit might go there, Loremaster’s Book (144pp.); two glossy Having just one set of dice isn’t following in ’s footsteps). A2-size copies of the map; and a little ideal, and the dice aren’t (yet?) available So I commend TOR for serving up the tray of custom TOR dice: 6 six-sided separately. But for my group, I was best setting the canon has to offer for a “Success dice” and 1 twelve-sided “Feat pleasantly surprised that everyone taking gaming group wanting to have members die”. turns with the same set of dice actually of all these diverse Free Peoples in one The books are printed in glossy full enhanced the feeling of working together company. But players who want to be colour, with good artwork throughout as a Company. Only the guy at the far Rangers of the North, from from Jon Hodgson and Tomasz end of the table chose to roll a regular , Knights of Dol Amroth etc. Jedruszek, and each chapter opens with d12 and d6’s of his own instead of having will have to contain their disappointment lovely double-page-spread artwork by the TOR dice passed down to him. until the next two TOR sets come out. John Howe (or Jon Hodgson again in a nicely compatible style). The fonts on the page might be a bit ‘regular word- processor’, but the body text reads easily and the titles and quotations are nicely distinguished from it.

11 Other Minds Magazine Introductory Nature So it doesn’t just avoid d6 and d12, but ties of more detailed game systems might has a “Company” of “player-heroes” or have more trouble adapting to it. Simplicity is usually a virtue but, with just “heroes” instead of PCs (or PHs), a an eye to the likely influx of new gamers With the novice in mind, character “Loremaster” (not an LM), simple when the films of The Hobbit are re- generation places the emphasis on get- statuses called “Wearied” and leased, TOR is nicely accessible to players ting people gaming nice and quickly. “Wounded” and so on. who aren’t already familiar with all the There are no dice to roll or points to conventions of RPG systems. The collaborative ‘narrative’ or distribute between things the player storytelling-oriented approach of TOR is doesn’t really understand till they’ve ‘What is roleplaying’ is covered in also easier for new players to grasp than played the game. TOR leads the player an elegantly concise way. a more technical ‘accurate simulation’ or through a series of choices with a rela- TOR also avoids the profusion of ‘competitive’ game system would be. tively limited ranges of options at each abbreviations and notations common to Ironically, experienced gamers and GMs step, that achieves a credible and re- the hobby, and uses terminology that’s with expectations based on the certain- spectably personalised player-hero in a evocative of Middle-earth throughout. short space of time.

Image © 2011 Sophisticated Games Ltd and Cubicle 7 Entertainment Ltd. Used with permission. Character Each culture then offers a choice of This approach may seem overly 6 potted backgrounds, which each give a prescriptive, but is great way of getting Cultures description of the character’s nature and new gamers started, and channelling In TOR the fundamental defining fea- upbringing and assign him his scores in players into making characterful selec- ture of a character is not their ability TOR’s three attributes: Body, for all tions instead of game-mechanically opti- scores or their ‘class’ or profession, but things physical; Heart, for strength of mised ones. It also sets a good tone for their culture. Character creation starts character; and Wits, for intelligence and any player to match if the Loremaster with the choice of playing a of Dale, sharpness. (These each also have a were to allow them to create their own a Beorning2, a Woodman, a , an higher ‘Favoured’ score that may be ap- background and make all their own of Mirkwood (with little distinction plied when the character is exercising his choices. made between Silvan and de- specialty skills, and which players do get scent) or a Hobbit from . These to allocate for themselves.) The culture each provide a “cultural blessing” special also offers the player a choice of 2 of 6 feature, a set of base skill ratings, and a pre-selected, culturally appropriate base value in the two key scores: Endur- ‘Distinctive Feature’ Traits. ance and Hope. 12 Issue 13, March 2012 Traits influencing NPCs, lists the Body-ruled Skills, Attributes and Hope The player may pick 2 ‘Specialty’ ‘Awe’ for impressing or intimidating Despite the skills being organised Traits from the list of 6 offered for his them with your physicality, the Heart- under the three Attributes, these do not culture, representing talents or training, ruled ‘Inspire’ for appealing to them on contribute to the hero’s normal skill and 2 ‘Distinctive Feature’ Traits from an emotional level, and the Wits-ruled ratings. They only come into play when the list of 6 offered for his background ‘Persuade’ for arguing a case with reason the player spends a point of Hope, which within that culture, which are more de- and intellect. (Add these to the cultural allows him to add his relevant Attribute scriptive of personality. row for Customs: ‘Song’, ‘Courtesy’ and score to the result of a skill roll – or, in ‘Riddle’, and TOR commits practically a Traits allow casual success in minor the case of a signature “Favoured” skill, full third of the skills in the game to so- the higher “Favoured” value of the At- tasks without even rolling, allow you to cial interactions!) resist Loremaster handwaves where they tribute. This is what makes it sensible to would oppose a Trait (“No way! My char- Weapon skills are in addition to this concentrate on the skills ruled by your acter is Cautious!”) and allow you to claim 18 and, being ruled by the Body attrib- stronger Attributes. ute, are listed below that column of the Advancement points for actions that Hope clearly manifest or express a Trait. (“I’m matrix. Hope points are the spendable cur- going to win them over with a Persuade roll Having relatively few skills in the rency of the TOR game, representing because I’m Cunning.”) Traits are there for system is good for the competence of the special effort or luck on the part of the characterisation, not optimisation. player-heroes; a Company will rarely get stuck just because they lack some ob- hero. Crucially, a Hope point can be Callings scure skill. But it can be a bit clumsy spent after seeing the throw of the dice, Every hero also chooses one of 5 too. For example all dwarves are great so you know whether it will actually ‘Callings’, which read like character at Search, to make them good at finding promote a fail to a success, and there are classes: Scholar, Slayer, Treasure-hunter, mechanical traps, secret doors and so on no wasted spends. Wanderer and Warden. Each bestows a – but Search is the Wits-ruled skill in the (It’s also especially tempting to spend ‘Speciality’ Trait that you can’t get any Perception category, so dwarves would Hope if you have a natural 6 or two, and other way (such as the Scholar’s ‘Rhymes also be the best at scouring a library for a could buy your way to an especially im- of Lore’), and each allows the promotion rare text. pressive outcome!) of two appropriate skills to “Favoured” A character has a dot-rating for each But you only replenish 1 or 2 points status. But these Callings are written up skill, each dot giving him a ‘Success die’ of Hope per session so they are likely to more as defining the hero’s motivation to roll and add to the ‘Feat die’. He be a diminishing resource, especially for than his skill set or career path, and their succeeds in a skill attempt if he gets a small Companies of starting characters, if greatest impact in a long game may Gandalf-rune on his Feat die (a natural the players don’t take pains to conserve prove to be in defining the aspect of cor- 12), or if the total of all his dice meets their Hope (watch out for unbalanced ruption to which the hero will be suscep- the Target Number (TN). But beyond frittering of Hope in short games!) and tible. that, each natural 6 on his ‘Success dice’ especially if there’s a lot of challenging I fear that with only 5 Callings also allows the improvising of added de- combat. these will soon start to be over-familiar, tail making the achievement more im- The other function of Hope is as a especially in larger groups and those with pressive. TNs are pitched high – 14 be- measure of the hero’s moral status. high turnover. I hope further choices of ing the medium difficulty default – as Hope is not only depleted as points are Callings will be included in the subse- though expecting most groups to push spent, it is the stat that is undermined by quent boxed sets. forward a 3-dot expert to do most corruption. Immoral behaviour or expo- Skills things. This may be the correct game- sure to sources of corruption result in balance for a large Company with good TOR uses just 18 skills to cover any heroes accruing Shadow points, and coverage of all the skills, but is discour- feat a character may attempt. These are when their Shadow rating exceeds their aging to less-skilled characters. Rolls structured – fairly successfully – into a current Hope score, any roll of an Eye of with fewer than 3 Success dice – as may matrix with 3 columns for skills that are Sauron (1 in 12) will trigger a bout of commonly be necessary for small Com- ‘ruled’ by the 3 Attributes: Body, Heart ‘corrupt’ rage/wretchedness/ panies of starting characters – will only and Wits, and 6 rows for the categories desperation/lust during which the Lore- rarely succeed unless the player spends a Personality, Movement, Perception, master temporarily takes control of the precious Hope point. Survival, Custom and Vocation. So for character, and a permanent downward example the Personality row, for skill in slide represented by gaining a Flaw trait (as dictated by his Calling). 13 Other Minds Magazine It’s the inevitable downward slide Money, Treasure and Standing Only the Loremaster’s Book ex- of being exposed to too much of the In fact treasure – and the importance plains the crucial mechanic: that the Shadow that will limit a hero’s adventur- of money altogether – is heavily down- player-heroes will fail in an Encounter if ing career. Confronting the Shadow on a played to keep the focus of the game they fail more than a certain number of frequent basis – which is what heroes do! firmly on the plot itself instead of on rolls, determined by their collective Val- – will always take its toll, even on long- accumulating wealth or bookkeeping our or Wisdom, culture-specific Stand- lived dwarves and elves. This is a really “out of pocket expenses” as Bilbo and the ing, and any prejudices the audience may elegant way of balancing the character dwarves referred to them. The ability to have like that between dwarves and races by a principle which, if not stated buy a round of ales, acquire regular gear elves. But what actual successes they explicitly in the books, is a perfectly con- or meet travel expenses is addressed by might need to achieve is left to the design sistent interpretation. Tolkien’s elves the general ‘Standard of Living’ of your of the specific Encounter. So Encounters spend most of their immortal lives ‘in background culture. And the punitive are semi-structured, rather than a full- retreat’ in forests or havens, not adven- impact of Fatigue very effectively en- blown ‘social combat’ mechanic, and a turing fast and hard in close confronta- courages characters to travel light and sidebar quite rightly tells experienced tion with all the evil of the world. not take on any more encumbrance than Loremasters to go with whatever mix of Roleplaying through this downward they have to. roleplaying and dice rolling works for slide of the highly skilled but increasingly the play-style of their group. 3 Treasure itself is not glorified by flawed character, and managing the being given significant detail but is just Journey transition – in the course of generation- represented as 1 or more Treasure The Journey system is one of the spanning play – to the clear-hearted but Points (each of which incurs a point of more distinctive features of TOR. Taking inexperienced new character who will Fatigue to carry it). And the main use of its lead from the tone of the books, it pick up where they leave off, are features treasure in the game is not to purchase seeks to breathe life and significance into of TOR that offer great promise for long- anything for your own benefit but to give the heroes’ travels through the land- running games. it to your community to advance your scapes of Middle-earth, up and down the Valour and Wisdom social standing – and so get closer to the map. Rather than being handwaved, or New player-heroes have a starting heart of the affairs of Middle-earth in the measured by fights with random wander- rating of at least 1 in Valour (for resisting times between adventures. ing monsters, Journeys are an exercise in minimising the degree to which the rig- fear) and Wisdom (for resisting corrup- Game Play tion); and may choose one of these to ours of the wild take their toll on the start with a rating of 2. Gaining any rat- Adventuring – “Heroic Ventures” – is heroes. They aim to offer an opportu- ing above 1, either in character creation presented as happening in one of three nity for the Loremaster to provide detail or on purchasing it with XP, gets the modes: Encounter, Journey and Combat and for the players to point up their character something special. though there’s always room for resolving characters’ contributions within the the occasional skill attempt outside of group. Wisdom brings virtue, in the form this structure as well. of a special ability appropriate to your A route is planned, with the charac- culture: from the bear-related aspects of “Encounters” ters’ knowledge (Lore skill) possibly ’s folk to the smattering of spells There will often be a social interac- improving it, at the risk of failed rolls possible for elves or dwarves that repre- tion “Encounter” at the outset of an ad- lengthening (i.e. worsening) it. The sent the only player-hero magic in the venture, as well as any that may occur in players may state that their characters are game. the course of the Journey etc. The Ad- acting in a certain role for the journey: as Guide (one of them, the journey leader), Valour brings rewards, in the form venturer’s Book states that anyone other Scouts, Huntsmen or Look-out Men. of fine quality wargear gifted to you or than the group’s designated spokesman Everyone then makes a number of Travel loaned for you to use. TOR adventures will need to make a good introduction rolls based on the length of the journey, aren’t normally motivated by the acquisi- with the Courtesy skill in order to be accruing Fatigue for any failed rolls, tion of loot in the first place, and this heeded – which may be overly prescrip- which may well mean they are in less feature of the game means the heroes tive for some groups. Beyond that, this than perfect condition on arriving at will acquire their best items back home section merely expands a bit on the rele- their destination. between adventures, rather than picking vant skills. them up by slaying their owners in dubi- Any Eye of Sauron on these rolls ous subterranean locations! will trigger a Hazard, whereby the Lore- master will present the group with a 14 Issue 13, March 2012 specific challenge to negotiate like be- rattled off with a couple of rolls, or to anticipate the players’ possible choices coming lost, losing provisions, having to played out in as much detail as the group of route and use the colour-coded hex- evade hostiles, or even coming under sees fit. gridded version of the map to calculate attack. These require the hero(es) acting Also (though not indicated within the relevant journey times in advance. in the relevant role to make rolls to miti- the Journey chapter!) if their route takes Travel rolls and Corruption rolls re- gate the effect of the Hazard – giving them through bad regions, especially quired. Some groups also report that them the chance to impress their com- those touched by the Shadow, there may this system can require a great number of panions! Sample Hazards are offered, be Corruption rolls to make as well. rolls and might need to be streamlined. but the Loremaster is encouraged to tai- (But are those groups perhaps going too Calculating Journeys can be a bit lor the Hazards to the specific journey. deep into Mirkwood too soon?) complex. Loremasters are encouraged This is quite free-form, and can either be

Image © 2011 Sophisticated Games Ltd and Cubicle 7 Entertainment Ltd. Used with permission.

Combat ‘positioning’ to make ranged attacks don’t actually roll anything; it’s the bal- TOR offers a fast and simple combat within a melee) and there’s no sugges- ance of surprised and unsurprised player- system that is really honed down to the tion that miniatures are required. heroes that determines whether the essentials, and handled as a subjective, The first thing to establish is which Company wins the Initiative. narrative affair. Combat rounds repre- side has the upper hand, the ‘Initiative’. At the start of combat there’s sent roughly 30 seconds and the combat- Player-hero skill rolls are made to deter- ‘probably’ one exchange of ranged at- ants are all assumed to be in motion, so mine whether they can stage a successful tacks from each unsurprised combatant everyone can typically get anywhere ambush, or whether they can avoid being before battle is joined – or archers may within the space of a round. Position on surprised if an ambush is launched against get two shots in. The length of the com- the ‘map’ of the combat environment has them. Superior successes here (natural bat round means everyone’s allowed to no effect within the game mechanics 6s) allow a hero to help a companion switch weapons freely during their own (though there’s a special rule for the who failed their own roll. Enemies action. 15 Other Minds Magazine At the Onset of combat-proper, the Apart from regular attacks, player- Armour and the Wounded status heroes also roll their ‘Battle’ tactics skill heroes may attempt a more difficult Armour in TOR – body armour and against a TN dependent on whether they Called Shot that will do something extra, helms – adds no defence against being have the Initiative or not. Meeting the depending on the weapon wielded, like hit, and nor does it reduce the Endur- TN, and each natural 6, gains a hero a disarm a foe, sunder their shield or be a ance damage suffered! Endurance loss Success die to add to an action they make potentially Wounding shot. The diffi- for general battering is the same for both (or a companion’s action which they culty probably means this will be a rare armoured and unarmoured people. Ar- assist in some way) at some time in the tactic for starting characters. Bravely, mour serves only to protect against be- course of the combat. They player is and consistent with the books, TOR of- coming Wounded. If the Feat die for an asked to narrate what feature of the fers no encouragement for wielding two attack comes up as a Gandalf rune (or a scene or conditions they are exploiting weapons. (A Called Shot option would 10 for better weapons, or even a 9 for when they choose to add this die. This is probably be the most appropriate place spears), then the victim doesn’t only subjective, but good for involvement and to insert a house rule for groups who suffer Endurance damage but also has to teamwork, and really adds to the drama really want to be more ‘film’ than make a roll based on his armour rating vs of the conflict. ‘book’.) a TN dictated by the attacker’s weapon, The two sides in a combat act alter- Each of the four stances also allows or become Wounded. nately, beginning with the side that a special action in lieu of attacking. In- Armour carries significant encum- gained Initiative. The order of resolving timidate Foe may reduce their Hate brance, represented by Fatigue, so the attacks within the player-heroes’ turn, points (roughly the monster equivalent more armoured a hero is, the sooner he and also the chance of hitting and of be- of Hope); Rally Comrades may let eve- becomes Wearied in a fight, especially if ing hit, are based on which of four differ- ryone in the company gain back a point he has a low Endurance rating to begin “Stances” the heroes adopt. The or two of Endurance; Protect Compan- with. more aggressive the disposition, the ear- ion lets a hero throw himself in the way lier they resolve their attack, and the of attacks directed against someone else; A neat ‘spot rule’ allows a hero to easier the basic TN will be both for their Prepare Shot allows the spending of a cast off his helm when a fight is getting own attack and for any attack(s) made round to ‘aim up’ to make the following tough, and thereby gain back a couple of against them in the enemies’ turn. ranged attack be a Wounding one. Endurance points. (I fancy house-ruling (Enemies’ attacks are also based on the that casting aside a shield could have a Endurance player-heroes’ Stances; they don’t similar effect.) choose Stances of their own.) Where Hope (over Shadow) is the character’s ‘expendable currency’ stat in There are three close combat TOR, Endurance (over Fatigue) is the stances in order of aggression: Forward, ‘depletable’ one. When you run out of Open and Defensive. The fourth is Endurance you fall unconscious, but be- Rearward stance: dodging around to fore that, when your current Endurance avoid contact altogether, which is only falls below the level of your accumulated possible if at least two companions in Fatigue, you become Wearied – which close combat stances are acting to offer means that any 1s 2s or 3s on your Suc- cover. Rearward stance allows ranged cess dice (the numbers depicted in out- attacks during the main combat, or the Image © 2011 Sophisticated Games Ltd and line) no longer count towards success in Cubicle 7 Entertainment Ltd. Used with permission. option to flee the combat altogether your skills. without having to make the usual Athlet- Most enemies are defeated when they ics roll. A nice feature is that a hero who is receive a single Wound. For player- hit can opt to be knocked back by the The specific TN for an attack is ad- heroes, becoming Wounded has no im- attack instead of absorbing its full force; justed by the target’s Parry rating, which mediate direct effect on their capabilities his Endurance damage is halved but he for player-heroes is basically their Wits but it places them within one step of sacrifices his ability to act next round, rating plus the bonus for any shield. Hits being put out of the fight, as a second and may have to rely on companions don’t roll for damage but just inflict the Wounded result could inflict a knockout. coming to his aid. weapon’s fixed damage rating, with each But being Wounded has a greater impact natural 6 adding bonus damage equal to in the mid- to long-term, as it drastically the hero’s Body rating. Damage is sub- reduces the rate at which a character tracted from the victim’s Endurance. recovers Endurance, which otherwise 16 Issue 13, March 2012 comes back quite quickly. I should also towards him, and includes developing or Reward Structure note here that characters’ healing skills being trained in a new ‘virtue’ special Good roleplaying and a good gaming have relatively little impact within the ability. Minor Experience spends can experience are their own rewards, but game, even for Woodmen of Mirkwood also expand existing virtues. the mechanics of a system’s tangible re- who are rather specialised in that area. Depending where they spend the wards do a lot to set the tone of a game. Overall TOR handles the player- ‘Fellowship Phase’ (during which, ironi- As already noted, TOR consistently heroes’ state of wellbeing very elegantly cally, they might in fact split up, to be avoids using the gain of wealth as a pri- by the combination of a couple of simple reunited later) they may also each define mary motive for adventuring (though it’s systems. Long-term Fatigue from en- one main ‘undertaking’ for this period of not completely without its advantages). cumbering gear and from attrition over time. The players should largely de- The replenishment of Hope is effectively the course of Journeys, short-term En- scribe these themselves, subject to Lore- a reward that TOR uses to encourage a durance loss in combat or from other master approval. Creativity is encour- true-to-Tolkien positive attitude within exertions, and hence the Wearied status, aged, but the examples given include the Company (see below). But the sys- coupled with the Wounded status, all gaining the recognition of a patron figure tem’s main rewards are unsurprisingly works very nicely. Players may need a or acceptance in a ‘Sanctuary’ location, tied into character advancement. bit of experience with the system and swapping an existing Trait for a new one The pace of overall character im- their Loremaster’s style of game in order closer to how they’re actually playing provement is dictated by Experience to identify their best strategy for ar- their character, expending treasure to Points, purchasing Valour and superior mour/helm/shield. In a combat- gain Standing, or attempting to shake off equipment, Wisdom and new special intensive game, superior wargear will be points of Shadow. abilities, and/or Weapon skills. It’s in- of greater significance – acquired by Overwintering for ‘Year’s End’ teresting to see combat ability deliber- spending on XP on Valour rather than Fellowship Phases should really be done ately being paced this way, and not being purchased with the profits from adven- back in the character’s home culture, advanced in the same way as other skills. turing. especially if they have Standing there. At Experience Points are handled very Year’s End the Loremaster will describe simply with an award of 1 per session for the events of the year on the larger stage, “Fellowship Phase” attendance, and another 1 for making and players are invited to riff on their sufficient progress. In another nice TOR seeks to focus attention on the characters’ involvement with or reaction touch, the players have a brief discussion characters as well as on the plots placed to those events. at the start of each session to define for before them by the Loremaster. The The Fellowship Phase has good inten- themselves the objective against which downtime between bouts of regular tions, and creates a space for those their Company’s progress will be meas- Loremaster-led adventuring is termed groups who are comfortable with it to ured. the ‘Fellowship Phase’, and is not driven really develop the story around their The other mode of character im- by the Loremaster, but by the players’ characters’ place in the unfolding history choices. provement is in the 18 (non-Weapon) of the end of the Third Age. Those who skills, which are purchased with Ad- The most familiar element of this like this side of Pendragon or Mouse Guard vancement Points. These are awarded down-time between adventures is the will especially welcome it. But less ex- when the Loremaster deems a skill at- spending of the Advancement Points perienced or more taciturn gamers are tempt to have been noteworthy – for suc- gained from exercising regular skills, and likely not to make much of it, and move ceeding when difficult, perhaps for roll- the spending of Experience Points gained swiftly on to asking the Loremaster to ing a natural 6 or two, or even when a for their accomplishments on Valour, give them the start of the next adven- failure is noteworthy. This is admirable, Wisdom or weapon skills. Increasing ture. Though the Fellowship Phase is but perhaps too subjective for the Lore- Valour not only improves a hero’s Fear deliberately meant to be free-form, an master. tests and NPCs’ disposition towards him, ‘example of play’ passage here might it also brings him a new piece of superior have be helpful. If the activity expressed a Trait, like wargear or an improvement to an exist- a player-hero attempting a climb without ing piece. The narration of how this a rope because they are Reckless, the comes about is open to whatever the Advancement Point should almost always player and Loremaster agree. Increasing be awarded, this being the way TOR di- Wisdom similarly improves a hero’s rectly rewards roleplaying. Corruption tests and NPCs’ disposition 17 Other Minds Magazine There is deliberately no connection player-heroes may suffer, and all the down) through their ‘Rhymes of Lore’ between which skill(s) were exercised Flaw Traits involved. It’s a strong sec- Trait. and which may be improved by spending tion. This chapter also includes every- Whilst all the content of this adven- Advancement Points, so there’s no in- thing about Adversaries, and brings ture is excellent, it could have benefited centive to players to do things solely to home how ‘asymmetrical’ or PC-centric from including even more. An explora- improve their skill in that area. Addi- TOR is. Adversaries are expressed with tion phase is handled entirely through tionally, a character can only be awarded simpler stats than player-heroes, but still extended skill-tests, with clues all being a maximum of 3 Advancement Points in require a ‘monster block’ each. They discovered in abstract locations; it would each skill category, so beyond a certain typically have a special ability or two, have been stronger if an area map were point there is no reward for repeated use fueled by their Hate points. Whilst the provided for the Loremaster so he could of a single skill, and players are effec- forces of darkness are covered well tell the players where things are. There tively encouraged to diversify and be enough (for a first book, omitting the is only one pre-generated Hazard: a fight creative in making use of the full range of and the Nazgûl!) there are none with a , which might be a bit daunt- the skills in the system. of the usual ‘neutral’ entries in a besti- ing as a new group’s first ever combat! ary: guard dogs, horses, bears etc. And And within the marsh-dwellers’ subter- bandits, travelling merchants, guards, ranean lair there’s really only going to be soldiers etc. would all have to be created one cinematic set piece of action. This from scratch following the Loremaster could also require some tricky manage- Characters (i.e. NPCs) section. This ment as it involves an overwhelming may be simple enough, but the lack will weight of numbers descending upon the be felt by Loremasters coming to this as PCs, who are required to realize that their first RPG. they must perform a fighting withdrawal ‘The Campaign’ runs to 36 pages, without getting to collect the tantalising including a nice gazetteer of Rhovanion, pile of gold. This is admirably dramatic a timeline and some introductory pages and true-to-Tolkien, but as the marsh- towards the ‘Darkening of Mirkwood’ dwellers are individually quite weak – Image adapted from merp.com. Used with permission. campaign that is anticipated as the main perhaps to avoid brutalising novice gam- emphasis of the Adventures over the Edge of ers for innocent mistakes? – they’re not the Wild phase of the game. These are all quite overwhelming enough to persuade The Loremaster’s Book good stuff, but Loremasters will be re- players of slay ’n loot games that this The ‘Role of the Loremaster’ is han- luctant to do much work with the terri- fight is not winnable. Giving the marsh- dled nicely, obviously being of greatest tory of the introductory campaign yet, dwellers more monster special abilities benefit to novice Loremasters, but also knowing that there’s more to be pub- like Seize Victim and/or Savage Assault setting out various points about the atti- lished for it this year. for followup bite attacks might well be a tude of TOR, and addressing the Middle- good idea here. earth specific issues around canonicity Introductory Adventure very nicely. ‘The Marsh Bell’ is a really great Narrative Play The ‘Game Mechanics’ section goes piece of work that expertly weaves many What sets TOR apart from its prede- into quite a bit of detail on things that strands from The Hobbit into the direct cessor Middle-earth game systems is its not only the Loremaster might necessar- experience of the players. Glóin the encouragement of a narrative and col- ily need to know, but which were pre- dwarf gets them to journey down the laborative style of play. This has argua- sumably not put in the Adventurer’s River Running to aid and Óin. The bly always been at the heart of the RPG Book in order to keep that more simple. two dwarves turn out to have fallen foul hobby, championed by those gamers who Seasoned gamers might wish everything of cannibalistic monsters identified as prefer a system-lite approach, but most on a given topic was all in one place; ‘marsh-dwellers’. Tolkien scholars will published games have traditionally em- new gamers will definitely be better- recognise these as closely resembling the phasised rules and system. TOR, in com- served by not being exposed to more mewlips of Tolkien’s poem, though not mon with a groundswell of independent detail than they need to know. so-named as the poem is outside of games in recent years, presents a system TOR’s license. TOR can’t say this, but ‘Stars and Shadow’ adds detail that actively channels a group into char- the adventure can be much enriched by acterisation and storytelling more than about Hope and Shadow points, and ex- finding a way to give Tolkien’s poem to plains all about sources of corruption, competitive advancement of their own someone of the ‘Scholar’ calling as character’s interests. the different downward slides that knowledge they have (or can track 18 Issue 13, March 2012 Roleplaying as The Encounter and Journey sys- Every character is strongly encour- collaborative Storytelling tems are light on details, being designed aged to designate another member of the as opportunities for the Loremaster to Company as a ‘Fellowship Focus’ whom TOR makes a point by distinguishing narrate features of the inhabitants and they hold in special regard, either look- between the Adventuring Phase in which environment of Middle-earth, and for ing up to them in respect or viewing the Loremaster sets out challenges to the the players to narrate details of their them as a cherished person to be pro- player-heroes, and the Fellowship Phase characters’ engagement with and reac- tected. Think of everyone in the Fellow- in which the initiative is handed to the tion to them. The Journey system in ship of the Ring looking up to Gandalf, players. But many other features of the particular is only selectively applied or of ’s pledge to preserve game emphasise storytelling over me- when dramatically appropriate, typically Frodo. chanical actions, both on the part of the on the way to a destination. Despite The Loremaster as a narrator of Middle-earth A player-hero can effectively access Hobbit’s subtitle: “There and Back and of the players as narrators of their free Hope points to use on any action Again”, TOR sensibly acknowledges that heroes’ relationship with it. that is for the direct protection or pres- once the journey to a place has been ac- ervation of his Fellowship Focus. Also, if Though the result is not necessarily complished, no one is much interested in his Fellowship Focus survives a game anything new, TOR deliberately suggests the journey back, so this is largely hand- session unscathed he replenishes a point that everyone has a share in directing waved. Other journeys, such as heroes’ of Hope. (On the other hand, if they are events by encouraging the group to think travels home for the winter that take Wounded or die he loses points – also a of the heroes’ actions as either Tests place in downtime in the Fellowship potent motivator of right action.) which the Loremaster poses or equally as Phase, are similarly allowed to happen The Company also has a collective Tasks which the players propose to un- without incident. dertake, stipulating the skill they want to ‘Fellowship Pool’ of points that can be use and the outcome they hope to The Company used to restore a point of Hope to a achieve. Three little mechanisms of TOR work player-hero at any stage in play, as long as a majority vote of the players is in Player-heroes with an appropriate wonders to establish the tone of the favour. This simple expedient makes Speciality trait are allowed to succeed in game as being about a Company of de- everyone feel good about working to- routine tasks automatically, so the narra- cent, right-minded folk working to- gether as a team, and also indirectly en- tive isn’t disrupted and the player isn’t gether against the Shadow. courages everyone to spend Hope re- embarrassed by incongruous failures on Though it might sound trite, it is a sponsibly, as whenever there aren’t the dice. nice feature that the player-group decide enough points to go round, the group their Company’s objective for a session, Whenever a player rolls one or chooses who gets Hope restored and and therefore explicitly agree the direc- more natural 6s, the outcome is termed who doesn’t. a Great or Extraordinary success. These tion in which they want their progress to In prolonged play – beyond the are cause for celebration for the player double the Experience points reward introductory adventure, at least! – as the (s), but are not quantified in any way they receive for the session. nature of Hope as a diminishing resource (outside of combat). Instead they are Player-heroes’ expended Hope is starts to bite and exposure to the Shadow treated as an opportunity for the Lore- not usually replenished by achieving starts to drag people down, this little master to narrate additional impressive good deeds. This comes instead through feature of the game will become increas- detail of the hero’s feat, with obvious their functioning as a Company – and on ingly potent. scope for the player to make suggestions a meta-game level, by the collective de- of their own. cision of the group of players themselves.

Notes 1. Sadly not the ‘enquë’ tengwa which the Internet usually gives for ‘6’. Enquë is very intricate and wouldn’t have been legible in the space available next to the 6 itself. 2. One of the very earliest Northmen to join Beorn’s people, if you’re starting in TA 2946. But this detail is not laboured in the rules, TOR being intended to cover the whole period up to the War of the Ring. 3. Gamers familiar with the Sanity mechanic of Call of Cthulhu and the nature of corruption in Tolkien’s writings should recognize the potential in this facet of the game. Nepitello’s consider-able experience with Pendragon presumably informs what TOR aims to achieve in generational play. 19 Other Minds Magazine The Art of Magic over the Edge of the Wild An Alternative Magic System for TOR

by Daniel “Vaco” Vacaflores “Magic” has always been a matter A few thoughts about magic ([email protected]) © 2012 of much debate for roleplaying games per the terms of the CC license: b n a in Middle-earth set in Middle-earth. I have already written extensive articles on this ‘They will think we had a very strong The publication of Cubicle 7’s new game magic to pass through all those locked The One Ring—Adventures Over the topic in Issues #8 as well as an appli- doors and disappear. Disappear!’ Edge of the Wild has brought many fresh cation for it in Issue #10 of Other —The Hobbit. and marvellous ideas to Middle-earth gaming. Minds. Barrels Out of Bond The system is all the more remarkable, as it does not yet contain a “classic” magic system. The new official roleplaying game It is interesting to see whether one will offi- for The Hobbit and The Lord of the Many people think that there is no cially be published, but in the meantime, fans Rings, The One Ring – Adventures over “magic” (in the classical RPG style) in are developing their own ideas. Long-time the Edge of the Wild (TOR for short), Middle-earth. At least not at the end contributor Vaco has had some ideas of his has made a very elegant and satisfac- of the Third Age, in the time of The own on this topic, which are presented in the tory approach to magic in Middle- following article. Hobbit and The War of the Ring. I tack- earth. That is, it avoided completely led this point in the previous articles, the use of a magic system and intro- but I think it necessary to briefly dis- duced instead the subtle magic of cuss it here again. Elves and Dwarves as Virtues the I think Middle-earth is full of characters may acquire in the course magic, subtle and not-so-subtle, and of the game. This has been approved not limited to Elves and Dwarves. by the TOR community as a great For me magic is a fundamental part of achievement in clear contrast to the Middle-earth—even at the end of the magic systems of the previous li- Third Age. It is not unusual, but part censed games MERP and The Lord of of reality. the Rings Roleplaying Game. But who can tap into it? I think it Anyway a part of this community is not limited to Elves, Dwarves or plays with the thought of building a Istari, but is possible to all. It is an fitting magic system for TOR, pro- aspect of the secret flame in all the vided that it be subtle, in accord to children of Eru Ilúvatar. Even if sub- the legacy of Professor Tolkien and tle. The way I see it is like any other maintaining the spirit of TOR. mundane skill, but spiritual in nature. In this article I offer as an alterna- As the Elves would put it: it is what tive the adaptation of my own afore- mortals call “magic”. mentioned magic system for Middle- I am painfully aware that such an earth to the game mechanics of TOR. idea is anathema for many Tolkien 20 Issue 13, March 2012 fans, and as such I offer it as an alter- …in the wild lands beyond there The Art of Magic native, to be used or ignored as were mysterious wanderers. The Bree- And so we come to the concrete deemed proper. I suggest revising my folk called them Rangers, and knew magic system for TOR. previous articles on magic in Middle- nothing of their origin. They were taller earth over this theme. and darker than the Men of Bree and The magic roll is made with one of were believed to have strange powers of the normal skills on the TOR charac- But letting esoterics aside, let’s sight and hearing, and to understand ter sheet. The TN depends on the turn to concrete examples. Who uses the languages of beasts and birds. mastery level of the “magic spell”, magic in The Hobbit and The Lord of the —The Lord of the Rings. and is noted in each case. The use of Rings? Let’s begin with the obvious: At the Sign of the Prancing Pony overt and offensive magic has a diffi- Gandalf, and , all of culty TN of +3 (as noted in the Vir- them (or Istari to those ‘in “You don’t know much even about tues descriptions, also). the know’). , , Glor- them [humankind], if you think old findel, the company of Gildor Inglo- Barliman is stupid,” said Gandalf. “He Normally for the activation of a rion, the Wood Elves, the Galadhrim is wise enough on his own ground. He magic spell a magic roll is necessary and the elven minstrels. The thinks less than he talks, and slower; and the expenditure of one or more Dwarves, even if their magic seems yet he can see trough a brick wall in Hope points. Extraordinary successes time (as they say in Bree)” allows the maintained effects to be limited to the crafting of secret —The Lord of the Rings. doors, artefacts and magic toys. Tom used without extra Hope expenditure Bombadil and . (one round free for each Rune) or improved effects. Then come Aragorn (and not just And finally the dubious like Barli- with his healing arts and command of man Butterbur, or the highly ques- The magician must learn these the Army of the Dead), Dírhavel, tionable (but plausible): Farmer Mag- virtues sequentially. Thus he needs Gilraen, Ivorwen and Malbeth, all of got and Tobold Hornblower. to learn the first levels before being them with prophetic powers. And the Well, and what roles would these able to learn higher ones. Númenórean kings as intermediaries users of magic play in the TOR sce- with Eru Ilúvatar. nario? They can be Woodmen healers Important Note: In the fol- or hunters taught by Radagast the Though a skin-changer and no doubt lowing descriptions I use the ex- a bit of a magician, Beorn was a Man. Brown; Beorning holy bear-warriors; pression “level of special success”. —Letters. #144 prophets and warriors for the Men of This pertains to the number of spe- Dale; dwarven master-crafters; elven cial “” symbols – B – (or minstrels or even down-to-earth If you must know more, his name is “6” on normal dice) achieved when . Beorn. He is very strong, and he is a rolling the success dice—and not skin-changer. […] He is a skin- the feat die. changer. He changes his skin; sometimes he is a great strong black-haired man with huge arms and a great beard. […] At any rate he is under no enchantment but his own. […] he keeps cattle and horses which are nearly as marvellous as himself. They work for him and talk to him. —The Hobbit. Queer Lodgings

Then we come to the well docu- mented human magic users (not as “wizards”, but as “user of magic”): Beorn the shapechanger, the Woses and their watchful statues, the Rang- ers of the North and . 21 Other Minds Magazine Option 1: Cultural Virtues Journeyman: Inspire Awe The character can control the (Awe, TN 16) weather in his vicinity to call winds, The Path of Manwë The Balrog reached the Bridge. Gan- or rains, or whatever. If the weather Manwë is the patron of kingship, dalf stood in the middle of the span summoned is extreme for the region, air and vision. He is the spouse of […] His enemy halted again, facing or if the player wishes to use it in a Varda. him […] Gandalf stood firm. ‘You destructive way, use the highest TN. Apprentice: Inspiration cannot pass,’ he said. The stood It may take hours to build the desired (Inspire, TN 12) still and a dead silence fell. —The Lord of the Rings. weather pattern. Then Aragorn led the way [into the The Bridge of Khazad-dum This magic has a great narrative Paths of Dead], and such was the potential, and that is why the Lore- strength of his will in that hour that all “Halt!” cried Gandalf, who appeared master should take care with it. And Dúnedain and their horses followed suddenly, and stood alone, with arms no mortal has complete control over him. And indeed the love that the horses uplifted, between the advancing the weather. of the Rangers bore for their riders was dwarves and the ranks awaiting them. Wizard: Awe Armor (Awe, TN 23) so great that they were willing to face “Halt!” he called in a voice like thun- even the terror of the Door, if their der, and his staff blazed forth with a His Hood and his grey rags were masters’ hearts were steady as they flash like the lighting. flung away. His white garments shone. walked beside them. —The Hobbit. The Clouds Burst He lifted up his staff, and ’s axe —The Lord of the Rings.The leaped from his grasp and fell ringing passing of the Grey Company on the ground. The sword of Aragorn, With a successful magic roll and stiff in his motionless hand, blazed with The character can spend one Hope the expenditure of one Hope point a sudden fire. gave a great point so that all his nearby allies re- the character can force an opponent shout and shot an arrow high into the cover one point of Hope. (or group of opponents) to stop be- air: it vanished in a flash of flame. fore the caster, so long as they are —The Lord of the Rings. Novice: Farsight (Awareness, TN 14) not attacked. The caster can maintain The White Rider The Lord of the City sat now in a this stance by spending a new Hope high chamber above the Hall of the point per round. The opponent can In a burst of light the caster can White Tower with Pippin at his side; expend one Hate point to force the stop all attacks in his vicinity, dis- and through the dim windows, north character to make a new Awe roll abling the weapons directed against and south and east, he bent his dark (TN 10+attribute level). him for the next round. The caster eyes, as if to pierce the shadows of doom expends one Hope point to do it. that ringed him round. Most to the Magician: Weather Mastery north he looked, and would pause at (Song, TN 18 or 21) whiles to listen as if by some ancient art They could hear few words, but it his ears might hear the thunder of hoofs seemed plain to them that the song was on the plains far away. a rain-song, as sweet as showers on dry —The Lord of the Rings. hills, that told the tale of a river from The Siege of the spring in the highlands to the Sea far below. The character can spend one Hope —The Lord of the Rings. point to be able to make an awareness In the House of roll for far away things, up to the ho- rizon. Darkness and other climatic factors penalize the roll normally. This spell is complemented by the “Farhearing” spell in the Path of Varda.

22 Issue 13, March 2012 The Path of Varda Journeyman: Flash (Song, TN 16) Wizard: Holy Light (Song, TN 20) Varda is the patron of stars, holy Gandalf struck a blue light on the end …it seemed to Pippin that he raised light and hearing. She is the spouse of of his magic staff, and in its firework his hand, and from it a shaft of white Manwë. glare the poor little hobbit could be seen light stabbed upwards. The Nazgûl kneeling on the hearthrug… gave a long wailing cry and swerved Apprentice: Starlight (Song, TN 12) —The Hobbit. away[.] Before long the Elves came down the An Unexpected Party —The Lord of the Rings. lane towards the valley. They passed The Siege of Gondor slowly, and the hobbits could see the All of a sudden you gave one of your starlight glimmering on their hair and blinding flashes, and we saw the goblins For a moment it glimmered, faint as a in their eyes. They bore no lights, yet as running back yelping. rising star struggling in heavy earth- they walked a shimmer, like the light —The Hobbit. Out of the ward mists, and then as its power on the moon above the rim of the hills Frying-pan into the Fire waxed, and hope grew in Frodo’s mind, before it rises, seemed to fall about their it began to burn, and kindled to a silver feet. This spell has two aspects. First, flame, a minute heart of dazzling light, —The Lord of the Rings. the mage can cause his staff to glow as though Eärendil had himself come Three is Company with a faint light, enough for anybody down from the high sunset paths with to be able to see. In this version each the last Silmaril upon his brow. The The caster can surround himself darkness receded from it, until it seemed Hope point allows him to maintain to shine in the centre of a globe of airy and his company in the glow of star- this effect for one hour. crystal, and the hand that held it spar- light, enough to use elven vision, and And second, it can be used to kled with white fire. to activate the elven cultural back- cause an explosion of light (a flash) —The Lord of the Rings. ground in complete darkness. This that stuns all creatures in the vicinity. ’s Lair glow is barely visible, and will remain Daylight creatures are stunned for undetected under torch light, for ex- one round, unless they make an In- The mage can call for a Holy light ample. The spell uses one Hope point sight roll to avoid it. Creatures with that sprouts out from his hand. This to activate, plus another one each the special ability “Denizens of the light is painful to the creatures of the hour thereafter. Dark” or “Hate Sunlight” are stunned Shadow, and prevents them from Novice: Farhearing (Awareness, TN 14) for one round plus one round per coming near the character. This use So far there had been no sign or sound number of successes in the magic consumes one Hope point per five of pursuit that the hobbits could see or roll. minutes. hear; but often would halt Magician: Rumors of the World It can be also used as an attack and listen for a moment, if they lagged (Awareness, TN 18) against specters and utterly corrupt behind, and a look of anxiety clouded his face. Faint to my ears came the gathered creatures. To them it works like a —The Lord of the Rings. rumour of all lands: the springing and normal ranged attack (Damage 9, Flight to the Ford the dying, the song and the weeping, Edge 10, Injury 18), using the Song and the slow everlasting groan of over- skill as weapon skill. This costs one The character can try to hear burdened stone. Hope point per attack. sounds in the distance, up to one mile —The Lord of the Rings. per point of Wisdom. The caster The White Rider must specify the direction and dis- The character can hear far away tance (in miles) he wants to try to events. It does not work to eaves- hear. Each try costs one Hope point. drop, but to get a feeling of the gen- eral activity in the region. It costs one Hope point per region.

23 Other Minds Magazine The Path of Ulmo Journeyman: Message in the Water Wizard: Water Mirror (Song, TN 20) (Song, TN 16) Ulmo is the patron of water, mu- ‘Many things I can command the sic and mists. He is alone. …they slept upon his banks beneath Mirror to reveal,’ she answered, ‘and to Apprentice: The Voice in the Water the summer stars. But Ulmo coming up some I can show what they desire to see. (Insight, TN 12) the river laid a deep sleep upon them But the Mirror will also show things and heavy dreams; and the trouble of unbidden, and those are often stranger At length a silence fell, and they the dreams remained after they awoke, and more profitable than things which heard the music of the waterfall run- but neither said aught to the other, for we wish to behold. […] it shows things ning sweetly in the shadows. Almost their memory was not clear, and each that were, and things that are, and Frodo fancied that he could hear a voice believed that Ulmo had sent a message things that yet may be. singing, mingled with the sound of the to him alone. —The Lord of the Rings. water. —The Silmarillion. The Mirror of Galadriel —The Lord of the Rings. Of the Return of the Noldor Lothlórien The character can look into a mir- The character can talk to the wa- ror of water and have far away vi- The character can hear the voice ter to send a message to someone sions. As is clear in the quote, the of running water, learn its wisdom along its waters. If this one knows caster may guide the mirror or let it and recover hope. This is the only The Voice in the Water spell, the show what it wants to. This spell uses spell that uses no Hope, but restores recipient can use it to hear the mes- one Hope point to activate. it (one Hope point, plus one for each sage in any body of running water. If To learn this spell the character level of special successes on the magic not the only way for him to receive roll). The Loremaster can also give must know at least one spell of the the message is if by chance he sleeps Path of Manwë, and one spell of the hidden counsels to the Fellowship on the bank of flowing water. To through this way. But most impor- Path of Estë or of Námo if he wants send the message costs one Hope to guide his visions into the past or tant, it is the only active way to re- point. ceive a Message in the Water (see the future, respectively. below). Magician: Obscuring Mists (Stealth, TN 18) Novice: Magic Song (Song, TN 14) The character fills his surround- The Path of Aulë Almost it seemed that the words took ings with a light mist that hides his Aulë is the patron of craftsman- shape, and visions of far lands and passing. For all normal creatures it ship, mountains and the treasures of bright things that he had never yet functions like normal mists, but for the earth. He is the spouse of imagined opened out before him… the servants of the Shadow it makes Yavanna. —The Lord of the Rings. the character and his fellowship unde- Apprentice: Minor Craft Many Meetings tectable (so long they do not actively (Craft, TN 12) attack them). It costs one Hope point The character can give essence to per hour to maintain this magic. Whether by some virtue in these sheaths or because of the spell that lay his songs and captivate his audience. on the mound, the blades seemed un- Mostly it has a narrative effect with touched by time, unrusted, sharp, glit- great performances. But it can also be tering in the sun. used to calm ferocious animals or —The Lord of the Rings. intelligent beings, so long as these last Fog on the Barrow-Downs stay to hear the words. The character can craft a weapon or armor with one special effect of the general Qualities list or one magic effect that he already masters. This spell costs one Hope point and one permanent Shadow Point. 24 Issue 13, March 2012 Novice: Mason’s Hand (Craft, TN 14) Magician: Miner’s Gift Wizard: Masterwork (Craft, TN 20) (Search, TN 18) ‘Dwarf-doors are not made to be seen From that the talk turned to the great when shut,’ said Gimli. ‘They are in- His are the gems that lie deep in the hoard itself and to the things that visible, and their own masters cannot Earth and the gold that is fair in the Thorin and Balin remembered. They find them or open them, if their secret is hand… wondered if they were still lying there forgotten.’ —The Silmarillion. Valaquenta unharmed in the hall below: the spears —The Lord of the Rings. that were made for the armies of the A Journey in the Dark …even in the gloom and despite all great King Bladorthin (long since dead) windings of the road he knew whither each had a thrice-forged head and their With this magic the character may he wished to go, and he did nor falter, shafts were inlaid with cunning gold, give strength to what they build, or as long as there was a path that led but they were never delivered or paid make really invisible secret doors. Or towards his goal. for; shields made for warriors long they can use it to break or open such. —The Lord of the Rings. dead; the great golden cup of Thror, A Journey in the Dark two-handed, hammered and carven with Each wall, structure or secret door birds and flowers whose eyes and petals built with this spell has a rating equal The followers of Aulë have an were of jewels; coats of mail gilded and to the number of successes of the silvered and impenetrable; the necklace innate underground sense. In a very magic roll made in their creation. of Girion, Lord of Dale, made of five This rating must be overcome by a basic way they are able to find the hundred emeralds green as grass, which new magic roll by anyone who wants treasures of the earth in their mining he gave for the arming of his eldest son to break or open them. expeditions, and know how to shape in a coat of dwarf-linked rings the like their tunnels following the forms of of which had never been made before, A Dwarf adds one extra success to the earth. Normally a (Dwarven) for it was wrought of pure silver to the his rating, and a second one if he character can spend part of his Fel- power and strength of triple steel. But knows the Miner’s Gift spell (see be- lowship Phase searching for gold in a fairest of all was the great white gem, low). which the dwarves had found beneath (dwarven) mine: on a successful the roots of the Mountain, the Heart of Greater Craft Journeyman: Search roll he gets one Treasure the Mountain, the Arkenstone of (Craft, TN 16) Point plus one per level of special Thrain. The Sword of was forged anew success. With this spell he gets five —The Hobbit. by elvish smiths […] Very bright was Treasure Points plus five per level of Inside Information that sword when it was made whole special success. again; the light of the sun shone redly This magic also helps by allowing The character can craft a weapon in it, and the light of the moon shone the caster to know where to go in an or armor with three special effects of cold, and its edge was hard and keen. underground scenario (like tun- the Qualities list, magic effect or one —The Lord of the Rings. of the cultural Rewards of his people. The Ring goes South nels), in a very general way (the way out, the main chamber, etc.). This spell costs three Hope points and three permanent Shadow Points, and The character can craft a weapon This magic costs one Hope point can only be cast in a Fellowship or armor with two special effects of per Fellowship Phase or per hour of Phase. the Qualities list, a magic effect or exploration. one of the cultural Rewards of his people. This spell costs two Hope points and two permanent Shadow Points.

25 Other Minds Magazine The Path of Yavanna Novice: Plentiful Harvest can only see what happened through Yavanna is the patron of the earth, (Craft, TN 14) the “eyes of the trees”, and so it may plants and animals. She is the spouse ‘Though you should find all barren be not always easy to interpret it. of Aulë. and laid waste, there will be few gar- This spell costs one Hope point to cast. Apprentice: Healing Herbs & Pipe- dens in Middle-earth that will bloom like your garden, if you sprinkle this weed (Search, TN 12) Magician: Forest Paths (Travel, TN 18) earth there.’ With that leaf she staunched Beren’s —The Lord of the Rings. Many of the trees seemed asleep, or as wound, and by her arts and by her love Farewell to Lórien unaware of him as any other creature she healed him… that merely passed by; but some quiv- —The Silmarillion. The character can bless crops so ered, and some raised up their branches Of Beren and Lúthien that they have a plentiful harvest at above his head as he approached. —The Lord of the Rings. the end of the season. This magic Bilbo Baggins was standing at his raises the temporary standard of liv- door after breakfast, smoking an enor- ing of a region by one (including the mous long wooden pipe that reached players themselves), and even more The fellowship can reduce the nearly down to his woolly toes […] and in extraordinary successes. Each time terrain difficulty of traveling through blew out a beautiful grey ring of smoke it is cast (each crop to be blessed) forest by one, plus one per level of that sailed up into the air without uses up one Hope point. special success on the magic roll. One breaking and floated away over The Hope point lasts one full day of Hill. Journeyman: The Words in the Leaves —The Hobbit. (Insight, TN 16) travel. Wizard: Huorns (Song, TN 23) An Unexpected Party “I wish that there were leisure now to walk among them [among the trees]: There is a great power in them [the they have voices, and in time I might The character can use healing Huorns], and they seem able to wrap come to understand their thought.” themselves in shadow: it is difficult to herbs found in the wild or in gardens, —The Lord of the Rings. improving the healing effects of a see them moving. But they do. They can The Road to move very quickly, if they are angry. Healing roll: one extra point of En- You stand looking at the weather, durance plus one per level of special “I do not think the wood feels evil, maybe, or listening to the rustling of success on the Magic roll. This spell whatever tales may say,” said Legolas. the wind, and then suddenly you find costs one Hope point and three hours He stood under the eaves of the forest, that you are in the middle of a wood of searching. stooping forward, as if he were listen- with great groping trees all around you. For Hobbits, who are not known ing, and peering with wide eyes into the —The Lord of the Rings. as great healers, this magic spell is shadows. “No, it is not evil; or what Flotsam and Jetsam used to remove the Weary or Miser- evil is in it is far away. I catch only the faintest echoes of dark places where the The character can wake the able state while smoking a pipe. This hearts of the trees are black. There is no Huorns in an area (one plus one per use uses no Hope but needs ten min- malice near us; but there is watchful- level of special success), even if they utes of peace. A very few other peo- ness, and anger.” are dangerous and difficult to con- ple (like Gandalf and the Rangers of —The Lord of the Rings. trol. In the first TOR publication the North) can learn this aspect also. The White Rider there is no game data for Huorns, but you could use Troll’s stats for them. The character can understand the This spell costs one Hope point per trees and other plants speaking to Huorn. themselves, and so can learn of things that happened or trouble the zone. His Magic roll functions as Awareness for such matters, but the character

26 Issue 13, March 2012 The Path of Námo (Mandos) Novice: Prophecy Journeyman: Eyes of Truth Námo is the patron of death, (Riddles, TN 14 or 17) (Insight, TN 16) doom and fate. He is the spouse of If these two wed now, hope may be Gandalf sat up and gripped the arms Vairë. born for our people; but if they delay, it of his chair; but he said nothing, and Apprentice: Chance (Song, TN 12) will not come while this age lasts. with a look stopped the exclamation on —The Lord of the Rings. Pippin’s lips. Denethor looked at their Just chance brought me then, if Appendix A faces and nodded his head, as though in chance you call it. sign that he had read much there before it was spoke. —The Lord of the Rings. Thus spoke Malbeth the Seer, in the In the House of Tom Bombadil days of Arvedui, last king at Fornost —The Lord of the Rings. […] the hour is come for the The Siege of Gondor Therefore he [Ilúvatar] willed that oathbreakers: at the Stone of Erech they the hearts of Men should seek beyond shall stand again and hear there a horn The successful use of this spell not the world and should find no rest in the hills ringing. only shows that somebody lies therein; but they should have a virtue to —The Lord of the Rings.The (because that is what Insight as mun- shape their life, amid the powers and Passing of the Grey Company dane skill does), but what is the truth chances of the world, beyond the Music behind his words. This Magic skill is of the Ainur, which is as fate to all The main use of this magic is pas- opposed by the Persuade skill of the things else. sive, calling on it to see if the charac- liar. The casting costs no time, but —The Silmarillion. ter can learn something about a spe- one Hope point. Of the Beginning of Days cific theme. The Loremaster de- Magician: Not this hour scribes in broad strokes and with a (Healing, TN 18 or 21) The character can bend the flow view on his adventure storyline what This magic gives one person one of fate to his needs, as if by chance. fate is to come. This use costs one extra wound level to prevent his He can use this spell to change minor Hope point to use. death. The lowest TN is for casting it details in the flow of the story to fit The character can actively make a in advance; the higher for casting it his situation. This are always minor prophecy over something, which will on the spot, as reaction. It cost one changes with no direct gaining for the become true. If this has nothing to do Hope point. character, and the Loremaster must with the direct actions of the charac- always allow it. The casting of this ters it costs one Hope point to cast. Wizard: Pronounce Doom (Song, TN 20) “spell” takes no time at all, but con- But if it has to do with the characters sumes one Hope point anyway. the TN is higher and its costs three ‘Beregond, by your sword blood was Only Humans and Hobbits can use Hope points; in this case there is no spilled in the Hallows, where that is this magic. All other peoples in the complete certainty of its fulfillment forbidden. Also you left your post with- (even if the Loremaster should try to out leave of Lord or of Captain. For Path of Mandos begin directly in the these things, of old, death was the pen- make it true), but the character in- “novice” mastery level. alty. Now therefore I must pronounce volved will receive a number of addi- your doom. tional Hope points in the prophesied ‘All penalty is remitted for your valor moment as equal to the level of spe- in battle, and still more because all that cial success on the Magic roll. you did was for the love of the Lord Such a prophecy cannot contradict . Nonetheless you must leave the Guard of the Citadel, and you must Middle-earth as presented by J.R.R. go forth from the City of Minas Tirith.’ Tolkien, and the Loremaster has al- —The Lord of the Rings. ways complete control over it. In fact The Steward and the King he can simply inform the player that he feels that this prophecy has not the Even if each lord can judge, the power of fate behind it. character can pronounce doom with the voice of Mandos himself. This 27 Other Minds Magazine doom must follow a just and open Novice: History (Lore, TN 14) Magician: Vision of the Past (Song, TN 18) trial, and the doom must be in accor- …they could see in the wide valley dance with it. If it is so the words of shadowed by the Mountain’s arms the That day he [Elrond] looked at the the character bear the whole power grey ruins of ancient houses, towers, swords they had brought from the troll’s of Námo, and the victim is magically and walls. lair, and he said: ‘These are not troll- forced to abide by it. If fate would ‘There lies all that is left of Dale,’ make. They are old swords, very old force the target to break the doom, said Balin. ‘The mountain’s sides were swords of the High Elves of the West, he must spend so many Hope/Hate green with woods and all the sheltered my kin. They were made in Gondolin valley rich and pleasant in the days points as the number of successes for the Goblin-wars. […] This, when the bells rang in that town.’ Thorin, the runes name Orcrist, the plus one of the Magic roll, and the —The Hobbit. On the Doorstep Goblin-cleaver in the ancient tongue of caster will know immediately of it. Gondolin; it was a famous blade. This, This spell can be cast on a place, Gandalf, was Glamdring, Foe-hammer and the character will recall the his- that the king of Gondolin once wore. The Path of Vairë Keep them well!’ Vairë is the patron of weaving, tory of it. The quality of the informa- —The Lord of the Rings. history and past. She is the spouse of tion gets better on extraordinary suc- A Short Rest Námo. cesses. The spell takes 15 minutes to cast and costs one Hope point. Apprentice: Weaving (Craft, TN 12) ‘You have talked long in your sleep, Note that this spell does not re- Frodo,’ said Gandalf gently, ‘and it has ‘[These ropes] are made of hithlain,’ veal specific personal information not been hard for me to read your mind said the Elf, ‘but there is no time now (see “Vision of the Past” below). and memory.’ to instruct you in the art of their mak- Journeyman: Interwoven Paths —The Lord of the Rings. ing. Had we known that this craft de- Many Meetings lighted you, we could have taught you (Riddle, TN 16) much.’ ‘Alas! Aragorn my friend!’ said With this magic the character is —The Lord of the Rings. Éomer. ‘I had hoped that we should ride able to glimpse into the past of an Farewell to Lórien to war together; but if you seek the Paths of the Dead, then our parting is object, place or person. He needs half an hour of revision, presence or talk With this art the character can come, and it is little likely that we shall ever meet again under the Sun.’ to peer into that particular past. weave elven ropes, elven cloaks and ‘That road I will take, nonetheless,’ Then, with a magic roll and one other magical vestments. The elven said Aragorn. ‘But I say to you, Éomer, Hope point, the character can see ropes can be made directly, after one that in battle we may yet meet again, with accuracy into the past of the day of work, a Magic roll and the though all the hosts of should subject; extraordinary successes al- stand between’ investment of one Hope point. low the seer insights into veiled de- To make elven cloaks the charac- —The Lord of the Rings. The Passing of the Grey Company tails. ter must be initiate in the Paths of Ulmo and of Varda. This roll can only be made in the Fellowship With this spell the caster inter- Phase. weaves the paths of two beings, en- suring that they meet again whatever As it is this spell can only be used the odds. This is not, however, a by the Galadhrim Elves. All other guarantee against character death. peoples begin this Path directly with The Loremaster should work narra- the Novice mastery level. If the Lore- tively on this spell. This spell costs master allows other magical vest- one Hope point. ments, this spell could be open to other peoples. To learn this spell the character must know at least one spell from the Path of Námo.

28 Issue 13, March 2012 Wizard: The Other Side (Song, TN 20) watchful) or under consistent outside Journeyman: False Visions input (like somebody who talks to (Riddle, TN 16 or 19) ‘I thought that saw a white figure that shone and did not grow dim like you to keep you awake). And once At first the beauty of the melodies and the others. Was that Glorfindel then?’ asleep, these creatures can be woken the interwoven words in the Elven- ‘Yes, you saw him for a moment as he by physical attacks, loud sounds or tongue, even though he understood is upon the other side[.’] direct shaking. The victim can ex- them little, held him in a spell, as soon —The Lord of the Rings. pend one Hope or Hate point plus as he began to attend to them. Almost it Many Meetings one per success in the magic roll to seemed that the words took shape, and visions of far lands and bright things avoid falling into this magic slumber. that he had never yet imagined opened The Fëanturi grant access to the This spell costs one Hope point, af- other side, or spirit world. With this out before him… […] Swiftly he sank fects one creature plus one per level under its shining weight into a deep spell they allow the character to cross of special success, and lasts about half realm of sleep. the veil. His physical being remains an hour. —The Lord of the Rings. concrete in the spirit world, without Many Meetings losing his materiality in the here and Novice: Restful Dreams (Insight, TN 14) now, and to a normal person there is The followers of Irmo are adept at nothing out of the ordinary about the Strangely enough, Frodo felt re- creating mental images (or illusions) character. The character can now freshed. He had been dreaming. The that can confuse onlookers. The illu- perceive clearly spirit beings (like dark shadow had passed, and a fair vision had visited him in this land of sions have no reality, and as such can- specters) and attack them normally. disease. Nothing remained of it in his not harm the victims in a direct way. On the other hand he can be clearly memory, yet because of it he felt glad The viewers can make Awareness seen and attacked by spirits. One and lighter of heart. His burden was rolls to overcome this effect, but they Hope point last for one complete less heavy on him. must achieve more successes than the encounter. —The Lord of the Rings. The Passage of the Marshes original magic roll. This spell costs To learn this spell the character one Hope point to maintain for a must know at least one spell of the Irmo gives a restful sleep allowing short scene. Path of Irmo. one creature to recover two points of This spell can also be used to Hope plus one per level of special work as a night of rest in respect to The Path of Irmo (Lórien) success on the magic roll. This spell the effects of the “Restful Dreams” Irmo is the patron of dreams, costs one Hope point and can be used spell (see above), and lasts half an hope and illusions. He is the spouse on the caster or any other member of hour. of Estë. the Fellowship. Apprentice: Gentle Sleep (Song, TN 12) Very soon the chief guard nodded his head, then he laid it on the table and fell fast asleep. The butler went on talking and laughing to himself for a while without seeming to notice, but soon his head too nodded to the table, and he fell asleep and snored beside his friend. —The Lord of the Rings. Barrels Out of Bond

The character can cause sleep in other creatures. This cannot be used in direct combat (since they are 29 Other Minds Magazine Magician: Dream Walk (Song, TN 18) Wizard: The Power of Slumber The Path of Estë (Song, TN 20) These mysterious Papers, discovered in Estë is the patron of resting and the early years of the twenty-first cen- But suddenly some power, descended physical healing. She is the spouse of tury, report the discussions of a literary from of old from divine race, possessed Irmo. club in Oxford in the years 1986-7, in Lúthien, and casting back her foul rai- Apprentice: Minor Healing ment she stood forth, small before the which, after an account by one of the (Healing, TN 12) members of the possibilities of travel in might of Carcharoth, but radiant and space and time through the medium of terrible. Lifting up her hand she com- Next morning they set out again soon ‘true dream’, the centre of interest turns manded him to sleep, saying: ‘O woe- after the sunrise. There was frost in the to the legend of Atlantis… begotten spirit, fall now into dark air, and the sky was pale clear blue. —The History of Middle-earth, oblivion, and forget for a while the The hobbits felt refreshed, as if they had Vol. 9: Sauron Defeated. dreadful doom of life.’ And Carcharoth a night of unbroken sleep. First Page was felled, as though lighting had smit- —The Lord of the Rings. ten him. […] Then Lúthien catching A Knife in the Dark up her winged robe sprang into the air, He found himself wondering at times, and her voice came dropping down like especially in the autumn, about the rain into pools, profound and dark. She Every character whose injuries are wild lands, and strange visions of cast her cloak before his [’s] treated with this magic recovers one mountains that he had never seen came eyes, and set upon him a dream, dark as extra Endurance point after one night into his dreams. the Outer Void where once he walked —The Lord of the Rings. alone. Suddenly he fell, as a hill sliding of rest. This number improves by one The Shadow of the Past in avalanche, and hurled like thunder extra Endurance per level of special from his throne lay prone upon the success on the magic roll if the char- In the passive mode, Dream Walk floors of hell. acter to be healed is not Wounded. allows the Loremaster to present —The Silmarillion. The spell costs one Hope point per vague visions to the character as he Of Beren and Lúthien casting, and takes five minutes to sleeps. This mode uses no Hope, but cast. the player must interpret for himself Now the character can force a deep and profound sleep upon his Novice: Improved Rest what he has seen. (Healing, TN 14) enemies. It can affect a whole group, In the active mode the caster can but the number of successes plus the walk the Paths of Dream to look for They were too eager to be surprised at invested Hope must overcome the things he needs to know. The degree the remarkable way in which the cuts attribute level of the strongest adver- and sores of their captivity had healed of success determines the quality of sary. It is possible to put to sleep only and their vigour had returned. the visions. These visions are always part of the group. No sound will —The Lord of the Rings. Treebeard of a dreamy nature, since their origin wake them, but direct damage will in the spirit world. To be able to see do. The magic slumber lasts for one When the characters catch their directly in the waking world (and not hour if it is not interrupted. breath after an encounter, this spell through the Veil) the character must allows an unwounded character to know at least one spell from the Path recover lost Endurance equal to 1.5 of Manwë. The active mode requires times his Heart score plus one per a magic roll and the expenditure of level of special success on the magic one Hope point. roll. This spell costs one Hope to cast, and does not count against the recovery time of the caster.

30 Issue 13, March 2012 Journeyman: Weary Feet Wizard: Hands of the Healer (Healing, The Path of Nienna (Insight, TN 16) TN 20) Nienna is the patron of tears, suf- Enchantment healed his weary feet He searched the wound on Frodo’s fering and spiritual healing. She is That over hills were doomed to shoulder with his fingers, and his face alone. roam… grew graver, as if what he learned dis- Apprentice: Soothing Tears —The Lord of the Rings. quieted him. But Frodo felt the chill (Insight, TN 12) A Knife in the Dark lessen in his side and arm; a little …he [] fell sprawling and warmth crept down from his shoulder to lay upon his face. For a while he was This magic lets a character un- his hand, and the pain grew easier. The still as if his own curse had struck him check his Weary label if his Endur- dusk of evening seemed to grow lighter down; then suddenly he wept. about him, as if a cloud had been with- ance score is higher than his Fatigue He rose and passed his hand over his drawn. He saw his friends’ faces more score, e.g. as if he had rested a whole eyes, dashing away the tears. ‘What clearly again, and a measure of new night. This spell costs one Hope point have I said?’ he cried. ‘What have I hope and strength returned. to cast. done? Frodo, Frodo!’ he called. ‘Come —The Lord of the Rings. back! A madness took me, but it has Magician: Major Healing Flight to the Ford (Healing, TN 18) passed. Come back!’ —The Lord of the Rings. As the evening drew on, Frodo woke Every character whose injuries are The Breaking of the Fellowship up again, and he found that he no treated with this magic recovers di- longer felt in need of rest or sleep, but rectly a number of Endurance points The application of this magic stops had a mind for food and drink, and equal his Heart score, plus two per a Bout of Madness on the part of an- probably for singing and story-telling level of special success on the magic other character, who will break down afterwards. He got out of bed and dis- roll. Additionally it heals the in tears for two rounds before being covered that his arm was already nearly able to act again. For this the caster as useful again as it had ever been. Wounded state and, if the Endurance —The Lord of the Rings. is higher than the Fatigue score, also must confront the character openly Many Meeting the Weary state. This spell is difficult and talk to him, expending one Hope to cast, and costs two Hope points. point to cast the spell. With this spell Every character whose injuries are But its effects are immediate. the bout of madness does not result treated with this magic recovers two in Degeneration, but nor does it reset extra Endurance points the next night the character’s Shadow rating. of rest. This number is increased by Novice: Calm Spirit (Insight, TN 14) two extra Endurance per level of spe- When he [Bilbo] could, he saw all cial success on the magic roll if the round him a sea of dark green, ruffled character to be healed is not here and there by the breeze; and there Wounded. The spell costs one Hope were everywhere hundreds of butterflies. point per casting, and takes ten min- […] [Bilbo] enjoyed the feel of the utes to cast. breeze in his hair and on his face […] [The Dwarves] did not care tuppence about the butterflies, and were only made more angry when he told them of the beautiful breeze, which they were too heavy to climb up and feel. —The Hobbit. Flies and Spiders If travelling in “Shadow” lands, the Fellowship is immune to its taint for one full day, during which time they are not required to make the usual Corruption tests. The spell cost one Hope point per day. 31 Other Minds Magazine Journeyman: Vision of Hope Wizard: To Overcome the Shadow The Path of Tulkas (Awareness, TN 16) (Healing, TN 20) Tulkas is the patron of physical They had trudged for more than an ‘Farewell, good thief,’ he said. ‘I go strength, unarmed combat and laugh- hour when they heard a sound that now to the halls of waiting to sit beside ter. He is the spouse of Nessa. brought them to a halt. Unbelievable, my fathers, until the world is renewed. Apprentice: Unarmed Fury but unmistakable. Water trickling. Since I leave now all gold and silver, (Battle, TN 12) […] Sam sprang towards it. ‘If ever I and go where it is of little worth, I wish see the Lady again, I will tell her!’ he to part in friendship from you, and I …he smote Freca such a blow with cried. ‘Light and now water!’ would take back my words and deeds at his fist that he fell back stunned, and —The Lord of the Rings. the Gate.’ died soon after. The Land of Shadow —The Lord of the Rings. —The Lord of the Rings. The Return Journey Appendix A (The House of Eorl) By the vision of something pure in the middle of taint, the Fellowship ‘Smoke then, and think of him!’ said After the successful use of this Aragorn. ‘For he was a gentle heart and can overcome part of the temporary spell the hands of the character func- Shadow points they have accumu- a great king and kept his oaths; and he rose out of the shadows to a last fair tion like weapons: Damage 3, Edge lated. The Magic roll enables each rune, Injury 12. The spell is a free member of the Fellowship to make an morning.’ —The Lord of the Rings. action, and cost one Hope per com- Awareness roll (TN 16), so that each The Houses of Healing bat. one has a personal result. Each char- Break Shackles acter recovers of one temporary Novice: With this spell one character can (Athletics, TN 14 or 17) Shadow point in a successful roll, plus overcome his shadow. After a heroic one per level of special success. This The character is capable of great act the degeneration path of one char- feats of strength, being able to break magic costs one Hope point to the acter can be undone. A successful caster (only). shackles, bend iron-bars, etc. If the magic roll reduces the degeneration feat attempted is really extreme, use This spell is controlled by the by one (eliminating the highest Flaw), the higher TN. The Loremaster can Loremaster, who will decide if the plus one per level of special success always decree that a feat is impossi- moment (as vision of hope) works for achieved. This effect is almost imme- ble, even with this magic. The char- this magic. diate, but the Loremaster must agree acter must sacrifice one point of Magician: Healing Tears on what is to be considered a heroic Hope to cast this spell. (Insight, TN 18) act. The power of this spell is such Journeyman: Unarmored Might She is acquainted with grief, and that even a completely corrupted (Awe, TN 16) mourns for every wound that Arda has character can overcome his shadow. suffered in the marring of Melkor. […] The cost of this spell is five Hope It was believed that if he bore no But she does not weep for herself; and points plus two per additional re- weapon no weapon would bite him. those who hearken to her learn pity, moved Flaw. This spell does not re- —The Lord of the Rings. and endurance in hope. […] …all move the permanent shadow points Appendix A (The House of Eorl) those who wait in Mandos cry to her, of the character. for she brings strength to the spirit and So long as the character wears no turns sorrow to wisdom. armor, he receives an armor protec- —The Silmarillion. Valaquenta tion of 2d. One Hope point lasts one hour; two Hope points last a day. The Fellowship is able to heal all This spell needs one minute of prepa- their temporary Shadow points dur- ration, and it cannot be cast in the ing a Fellowship Phase. middle of combat.

32 Issue 13, March 2012 Magician: Greater Unarmed Fury The Path of Nessa Magician: Lúthien’s Dance (Battle, TN 18) Nessa is the patron of dancing and (Courtesy/Inspire/Athletics, TN 18) Helm grew fierce and gaunt for fam- fleetness. She is the spouse of Tulkas. …he came upon Lúthien, daughter of ine and grief; and the dread of him Apprentice: Leap of Beren and , at a time of eve- alone was worth many men in the de- (Athletics, TN 12 or 15) ning under moonrise, as she danced fence of the Burg. He would go out by upon the unfading grass in the glades himself, clad in white, and stalk like a Then Beren sprang from before Cele- beside Esgalduin. Then all memory of snow-troll into the camps of his ene- gorm full upon the speeding horse of his pain departed from him, and he fell mies, and slay many men with his Curufin that had passed him; and the into an enchantment… hands. Leap of Beren is renowned among Men —The Silmarillion. —The Lord of the Rings. and Elves. He took Curufin by the Of Beren and Lúthien Appendix A (The House of Eorl) throat from behind, and hurled him backward, and they fell to the ground The dance of the character is able together. After the successful use of this to put all viewers into an enchant- —The Silmarillion. spell the hands of the character func- Of Beren and Lúthien ment. So long as the magician dances tion like deadly weapons: Damage 6, and succeeds in his magic rolls each Edge 10, Injury 16. The spell is a free round, no creature can take an action A character who knows this spell action, and costs two points of Hope without expending one Hope or Hate can make all normal leaps with a TN per combat. point. For the character this spell 12, without expending Hope. For costs only one Hope point for the Wizard: Greater Unarmored Might really mythic jumps he uses one point (Awe, TN 20) whole duration. of Hope and has a TN of 15. One Blur (Athletics, TN 20) One night men heard the horn blow- cannot jump over the ocean with this Wizard: ing, but Helm did not return. In the magic; the Loremaster judges what With this spell the character can morning there came a sun-gleam, the kind of leaps are mythic or impossi- take two actions in one round. The first for long days, and they saw a white ble. magic roll is made only once, but the figure standing still on the Dike, alone, Novice: Deer Running character must expend one Hope for none of the Dunlendings dared come point per round to maintain it. near. There stood Helm, dead as a (Athletics, TN 14) stone, but his knees were unbent. —The Lord of the Rings. Deer she loves, and they follow her Appendix A (The House of Eorl) train whenever she goes in the wild; but she can outrun them, swift as an arrow So long as the character wears no with the wind in her hair. —The Silmarillion. Valaquenta armor, he receives an armor protec- tion of 5d. This spell last one day and cost three Hope points. This spell For a short time the character can needs at least five minutes of prepara- outrun any creature. For this he uses tion, and it cannot be cast in the mid- one point of Hope. dle of combat. Journeyman: Outward Stance (Battle, TN 16) His quick reflexes allow a charac- ter to attack in an outward stance but defend as if on the defensive. This is a free action, but each time he must make a new magic roll, uses a Hope point and it lasts only one round.

33 Other Minds Magazine The Path of Oromë Journeyman: Mounted Speed Wizard: Oromë’s Wrath (Awe, TN 20) Oromë is the patron of hunting, (Travel, TN 16) …but Théoden could not be over- He spoke a word to Shadowfax, and archery and horses. He is the spouse taken. Fey he seemed, or the battle-fury like an arrow from the bow the great of Vána. of his fathers ran like new fire in his horse sprang away. Even as they looked veins, and he was borne up on Snow- Apprentice: Horse Tongue he was gone: a flash of silver in the mane like a god of old, even as Oromë (Insight, TN 12) sunset, a wind over the grass, a shadow the Great in the battle of the Valar that fled and passed from sight. Snow- “Did you hear them, Legolas? Did when the world was young. His golden mane snorted and reared, eager to fol- they sound to you like beasts in terror?” shield was uncovered, and lo! It shone low; but only a swift bird on the wing “No,” said Legolas. “I heard them like an image of the Sun, and the grass could have overtaken him. clearly. But for the darkness and our flamed into green about the white feet —The Lord of the Rings. own fear I should have guessed that of his steed. Helm’s Deep they were beast wild with some sudden —The Lord of the Rings. gladness. They spoke as horses will The Ride of the Rohirrim when they meet a friend that they have When the character rides a horse long missed.” he can travel at twice the normal With this magic the character re- —The Lord of the Rings. speed of his steed and overcome all ceives a bonus to his Body, Endur- The White Rider normal obstacles on his way. This use ance and Hope scores of +5 plus 1 costs one Hope point. per level of special success on his Gandalf whistled and called aloud the horse’s name, and far away he Magician: Helm’s Horn (Awe, TN 18) magic roll, and all combat skills are tossed his head and neighed, and turn- Helm had a great horn, and soon it considered favoured. This bonuses ing sped towards the host like an arrow. was marked that before he sallied forth last one combat (or half an hour in a —The Lord of the Rings. he would blow a blast upon it that large scale battle), and consumes two The King of the Golden Hall echoed in the Deep; and then so great a Hope points to come into effect. fear fell on his enemies that instead of The character is able to communi- gathering to take him or kill him they cate with horses and hounds, and fled away down the Coomb. […] men The Path of Vána said that the horn was still heard at they react to his call. Its use expends Vána is the patron of youth and times in the Deep and the wraith of spring. She is the spouse of Oromë. one point of Hope. Helm would walk among the foes of Novice: Horn of Araw (Inspire, TN 14) and kill men with fear Apprentice: Youthful Energy —The Lord of the Rings. (Athletics, TN 12) …a great horn of the wild ox of the Appendix A (The House of Eorl) With this magic spell the charac- East, bound with silver, and written ter reduces his Fatigue rating by five with ancient characters. That horn the And then, sudden and terrible, from eldest son of our house has borne for plus one per level of special success the tower above, the sound of the great many generations; and it is said that if on the magic roll. It uses one Hope horn of Helm rang out. All that heard it be blown at need anywhere within the point and lasts until the next dawn. that sound trembled. Many of the Orcs bounds of Gondor, as the realm was of cast themselves on their faces and cov- old, its voice will not pass unheeded. ered their ears with their claws. Back —The Lord of the Rings. from the Deep the echoes came, blast The Window on the West upon blast, as if on every cliff and hill a mighty herald stood. Blowing with a hunt- or warhorn —The Lord of the Rings. the character stuns his opponents for Helm’s Deep one round, and summons help from the vicinity. The help must arrive by When blowing on his horn all ser- normal means, but will come. Its use vants of the Shadow within earshot costs one Hope point. lose one Hate point plus one per level of special success on the magic roll. If any creature ends with no Hate left, he flees the combat area. 34 Issue 13, March 2012 Novice: Bird Friends (Courtesy, TN 14) Magician: Spring Cometh Novice: Strength of Arms (Song, TN 18) (Battle, TN 14) Nightingales went always with her, and she taught them their song… …and the song of Lúthien released Slowly Théoden stretched forth his —The Silmarillion. the bonds of winter, and the frozen hand. As his fingers took the hilt, it Of Thingol and Melian waters spoke, and flowers sprang from seemed to the watchers that firmness the cold earth where her feet had and strength returned to his thin arm. passed. Suddenly he lifted the blade and swung …and all birds sing at her coming. —The Silmarillion. it shimmering and whistling in the air. —The Silmarillion. Valaquenta Of Beren and Lúthien The he gave a great cry. His voice rang clear as he chanted in the tongue of Suddenly out of the dark something The character can cast this spell at Rohan a call to arms. fluttered to his shoulder. He started – the end of a (winter) Fellowship Arise now, arise, Riders of Théoden! but it was only an old thrush. Unafraid Phase. The Fellowship gets for the Dire deeds awake, dark is it eastward. it perched by his ear and it brought him Let horse be bridled, horn be sounded! news. Marvelling he found he could next season as many extra Fellowship Forth Eorlingas! understand its tongue, for he was of the Points as characters in it, plus one per —The Lord of the Rings. race of Dale. level of special success on the magic The King of the Golden Hall —The Hobbit. Fire and Water roll. Wizard: Forever Young The character receives an auto- The character has a special affinity (Healing, TN 20) matic bonus to weapon damage equal with birds. He can make Insight rolls The spouse of Oromë is Vána, the to his Body score (or to his favoured to understand their intentions, and Ever-young… Body score on an extraordinary suc- Courtesy rolls to avoid that their be- —The Silmarillion. Valaquenta cess). The character can increase it ing panicked by his presence. But normally by expending Hope points. The character seems to have an more important, each people has This spell consumes one point of eternal youth. He gets to reroll the some kind of special bird which he Hope and lasts a whole combat. Its Feat die (and choose the best result) relates (Bardings to thrushes, casting is considered a free action if for all his personality and custom Dwarves to ravens and Elves to night- the character has a weapon in his skills. He makes his magic roll each ingales), with whom they can freely hand. season, and uses one point of Hope communicate and ask for services. for it. Journeyman: Rally (Inspire, TN 16) Journeyman: Young Beauty (Persuade, TN 16) Three times Aragorn and Éomer ral- The character is able to charm one The Path of Eönwë lied them, and three times Andúril flamed in a desperate charge that drove person in a romantic way. This per- Eönwë is the patron of weapon the enemy from the wall. son will do all he can to protect the mastery and leadership. —The Lord of the Rings. caster and to win his affection. This Apprentice: Song of Victory Helm’s Deep spell affects only one person at a (Song, TN 12) time, and must be renewed each day. A song of victory they sang with clear It uses one point of Hope per day. If voices… The character can rally his allies, the character does something to make —The Lord of the Rings. giving them the benefit of “Strength the charmed person feel awful or be- The Road to Isengard of Arms” for a combat scene. This trayed, then that person will remem- spell uses one point of Hope, but ber that and act according to it. With this magic the character and needs a whole round to be cast. his allies add their Heart rating to their Parry score. The spell uses one point of Hope per round and lasts as long as the character keeps singing (as a free action in combat). 35 Other Minds Magazine Magician: Majesty (Awe, TN 18) Servant of the Secret Fire Novice: Fire Kindling (Lore, TN 14) Gimli and Legolas looked at their ‘I am a servant of the Secret Fire, At last reluctantly Gandalf himself companion in amazement, for they had wielder of the flame of Anor. You can- took a hand. Picking up a faggot he not seen him in this mood before. He not pass’ held it aloft for a moment, and then seemed to have grown in stature while —The Lord of the Rings. with a word of command, naur an ed- Éomer had shrunk; and in his living The Bridge of Khazad-dûm raith amen!, he thrust the end of his face they caught a brief vision of the staff into the midst of it. At once a power and majesty of the kings of stone. great spout of green and blue flame For a moment it seemed to the eyes of The character has learnt the se- sprang out, and the wood flared and Legolas that a white flame flickered on crets of fire, as opposed to the dark sputtered. […] ‘I must have something the brows of Aragorn like a shining magics of the Enemy. to work on. I cannot burn snow.’ crown. Apprentice: Fire Toys (Craft, TN 12) —The Lord of the Rings. —The Lord of the Rings. The Ring goes South The Riders of Rohan The fireworks were by Gandalf: they were not only brought by him, but de- The character can magically start a The character receives additional signed and made by him… fire, no matter the weather condi- armor protection: one d6 plus one d6 —The Lord of the Rings. tions. Normally it is best to use mun- per level of special success on his A Long-expected Party dane skills for this, but this spell can magic roll. This spell lasts one com- often come in handy. The fire needs plete combat scene, costs two points The character has learnt to pre- fuel to burn. The character makes his of Hope and is cast in one whole pare fireworks and such. The charac- magic roll and expends one point of round. ter must prepare them beforehand Hope for it. Wizard: Might of Arms (Battle, TN 20) (using at least one night to do it), and Journeyman: Dark Smoke and Burning can carry a maximum of two of them. Sparks (Craft, TN 16) At that sound the bent shape of the Their main use is for a performance King sprang suddenly erect. Tall and (like in Bilbo’s party), but they can …the great fire went off poof! Into a proud he seemed again; and rising in also be used in adventuring. First, tower of blue glowing smoke, right up his stirrups he cried in a loud voice, to the roof, that scattered piercing white they can be used to illuminate a zone more clear than any there had ever sparks all among the goblins. […] The heard a mortal man achieve before: for one round plus one per level of sparks were burning boles in the gob- Arise, arise, Riders of Théoden! special success on the magic roll. Sec- lins, and the smoke that now fell from Fell deeds awake: fire and slaughter! ond, they can be used as night signal, the roof made the air thick for even Spear shall be shaken, to be seen from afar. Third, they can their eyes to see through. shield be splintered, be used to surprise their opponents, —The Hobbit. A sword-day, a red day, giving the Fellowship a free success Over Hill and Under Hill ere the sun rises! die in their Surprise roll. And last,

they can be used to force a Fear roll The character can cause a bonfire —The Lord of the Rings. to go out, releasing a cloud of dark The Ride of the Rohirrim on animals. The character must use a point of Hope for each firework he smoke and sending burning sparks prepares. into the air. The smoke blinds all The character and his immediate creatures in the area, forcing them to allies improve their Edge by one, and make Awareness rolls to attempt any their Injury range by two plus one action (TN 18 if surprised, TN 14 if per level of special success on the expecting it). The burning sparks do magic roll. This spell costs one point 1d6 fire damage per round to all of Hope if cast only for himself, two nearby creatures. The effects last 2d6 if cast for his Fellowship, or three if rounds and use one point of Hope. cast for a greater group.

36 Issue 13, March 2012 Magician: Fire Cones (Lore, TN 18) Option 2: Free magic Hobbits: Yavanna (Novice), He gathered the huge pine-cones from The fundamental idea of this Námo (Apprentice). the branches of his tree. Then he set one magic system is to allow free use of Woodmen: Aulë (Apprentice), alight with bright blue fire, and threw magic, not restricted by specific Yavanna (Magician), Námo it whizzing down among the circle of “spells descriptions”. If the Loremas- (Apprentice), Estë (Journeyman), the wolves. It struck one on the back, Oromë (Journeyman), Vána and immediately his [the ’s] ter thinks he can handle it, he can shaggy coat caught fire […] allow the characters to shape the (Apprentice). —The Hobbit. magic of each path in accord to the Modifications to the Out of the Frying-Pan into the Fire respective mastery level. If so the Virtues and Rewards system characters must learn each mastery I suggest to use the Rewards as The character can put magic fire level, but use their imagination to Treasures, and to use Virtues and into some kind of weapon (pine cones give form to their magic. Magic Paths for advancing in the Val- are also useful here). Each creature In this case the listed magic spells our and Wisdom scale. If the Lore- hit by it catches fire and burns for are guidelines of what kind of magic master prefers to make a distinction 1d6 fire damage per round. It takes power the character can handle. between Valour and Wisdom, he can three full rounds to put the fire out It is extremely important to re- declare that the Mental Rewards (and (or one if completely submerged in member, if this option is used, that in Magic Paths) are to be used with water), or it will burn for the whole Middle-earth there exist some Wisdom, and the more martial ori- combat scene. The fire spreads to “impossibilities” to magic. This are ented ones to be used with Valour. other creatures if they come in con- called únati and are only partially de- Besides, it will be evident that tact with it. The casting costs one scribed by Tolkien. Neville “Osric” with a maximum of ten Virtues a nor- point of Hope, and works for three Percy made a great article on them in mal character cannot really get much burning attacks plus one per level of Other Minds, Issue 11 (pp. 107-116), magic power, and it is good so. For special success on the Magic roll. and I wholeheartedly recommend it. Elves and Istari I suggest allowing Wizard: Fire Burst (Song, TN 20) Cultures and Magic Paths further progression over the maxi- High in the air he [Gandalf] tossed TOR has achieved a low magic mum scores for Valour and Wisdom. the blazing brand. It flared with a scenario, and to maintain that it can Final Note sudden white radiance like lighting; be useful to use the following racial I hope this magic system appeals and his voice rolled like thunder. limitations for the different paths. to the TOR fan-community, and puts ‘Naur an edraith ammen! Naur dan I The maximum level of ability is given ngaurhoth!’ he cried. a few ideas of the nature of magic in There was a roar and a crackle, and for each race and path. Middle-earth. I also hope that for the tree above him burst into a leaf of Bardings: Manwë (Apprentice), those who use my generic magic sys- blinding flame. The fire leapt from Aulë (Journeyman), Námo tem for their own games, that this treetop to tree-top. (Journeyman), Vána (Novice), complete presentation offers a —The Lord of the Rings. Eönwë (Journeyman). broader view of what kind of magics A Journey in the Dark Beornings: Aulë (Apprentice), are to be associated with each of the The character can summon a great Námo (Apprentice), Tulkas Valar. fire explosion centered on himself, (Journeyman), Oromë Good gaming to all! that causes 5d6 points of fire damage (Journeyman), Vána (Apprentice). plus 1d6 per level of special success Dwarves: Aulë (Wizard), Eönwë on the magic roll. The caster can (Journeyman), Servant of the Secret cause the explosion to begin outside a Fire (Apprentice). circular area away from himself, so as Elves of Mirkwood: Varda not to affect his fellowship compan- (Wizard), Ulmo (Wizard) Irmo ions. (Wizard), Vairë (Journeyman), Nessa (Wizard), Oromë (Wizard). 37 Other Minds Magazine Iglishmêk The Secret Gesture-Languages of the Dwarves

by Neville “Osric” Percy A post-LotR1 essay of Tolkien’s titled The Dwarves of Middle-earth not ([email protected]) © 2012 'Quendi and Eldar' was published in The only have the shared sacred language of b n a per the terms of the CC license: War of the Jewels, volume 11 of the His- Khuzdul, but all dwarves also learn their tory of Middle-earth series. Mostly a own community's secret system of ges- It’s always surprising how new details can discussion of elven language, in defining ture-language called iglishmêk. be found that highlight Tolkien’s Middle- earth. The topic of this article is just that, an the word tengwesta (roughly ‘a insightful treatment of a topic that Tolkien language system’), it described a secret briefly touches—the secret communication dwarvish tengwesta of communication by system(s) used by Dwarves. gestures. From only a single paragraph, Osric pro- duces a system usable for roleplaying in Mid- The Dwarves [possessed a very] elaborate and organized system [...] of gestures, concur- dle-earth. We’re happy to hear your opinions rent with their spoken language, which they began to learn almost as soon as they began on the solution he achieved! learning to speak. It should be said rather that they possessed a number of such gesture- codes; for unlike their spoken language, which remained astonishingly uniform and un- changed both in time and in locality, their gesture-codes varied greatly from community to community. And they were differently employed. Not for communication at a distance,2 for the Dwarves were short-sighted, but for secrecy and the exclusion of strangers. The component sign-elements of any such code were often so slight and so swift that they could hardly be detected, still less interpreted by uninitiated onlookers. As the Eldar even- tually discovered, in their dealings with the Naugrim, they could speak with their voices but at the same time ‘by gesture’ convey to their own folk modifications of what was being said. Or they could stand silent considering some proposition, and yet confer among them- selves meanwhile. This ‘gesture-language’, or as they called it iglishmêk, the Dwarves were no more ea- ger to teach than their own tongue.

—The History of Middle-earth, Vol. 11:.Quendi and Eldar

It is entirely possible that iglishmêk with one another. And when those may only offer a note of flavour to dwar- dwarf PCs do use iglishmêk, it will natu- ven player-characters (PCs) that is rarely rally emphasise the tendency of dwarves relevant in play – as gaming groups typi- to be closer to one another than to mem- cally seem to include a single dwarf at bers of other races. 3 most. But the existence of iglishmêk Similarly NPC dwarves, as friends, may make it more attractive to a group rivals or foes, may be that bit more for- to include several dwarf PCs from the midable for their use of iglishmêk, and the same community, given this engaging resulting ability to act with uncannily new twist to their options for interaction perfect coordination etc.

38 Issue 13, March 2012 Iglishmêk as language skills guage, to the point of quantifying charac- tremely rare, just as for regular spoken ters’ degree of command of different conversation. But there may be situa- Each Iglishmêk is a fully-formed teng- languages, dialects and script systems. In tions where clarity of expression has to westa, and should be treated as a language such games, iglishmêks should be handled be compromised owing to lack of time skill, though not truly as effective in no differently, although they are not or the need to communicate undetected most situations as spoken language (Kh.: enormously sophisticated, and should by onlookers. In such situations it makes aglâb). not be developable beyond the level of for good drama to test the skill of the All dwarves should receive the ‘everyday marketplace conversation’. gesturer and his intended audience, pos- iglishmêk of the community in which they The iglishmêk systems of the differ- sibly with rolls made in secret, as the were raised as a starting language or ent tribes of the dwarves across Middle- dangers of misinterpretation may be sig- skill. Those exceedingly rare dwarves earth are completely unrelated. The nificant. born outside of any dwarf-hold are pre- exception to this is that, since joining the sumed to be taught the iglishmêk used by Covert communication Longbeards in Khazad-dûm, the majority their parents. of Firebeard and Broadbeam dwarves The simplest use of iglishmêk is for In game systems where fluency is share the iglishmêk of the Longbeards. dwarves to communicate secretly quantified, their iglishmêk skill should amongst themselves. They can be confi- Some GMs may prefer to treat each probably be rated at the equivalent level dent that, even if onlookers recognize separate dwelling-place of the dwarves as of ‘everyday marketplace conversation’, the fact that they are communicating via a discreet community with its own to reflect iglishmêk's relative simplicity. iglishmêk, they cannot tell what is being unique iglishmêk. But in some times and 5 expressed. Well-travelled dwarves, such as places, where dwarves can be identified traders, may acquire full fluency in sev- as having a reasonably recent shared To use iglishmêk undetected requires eral ‘dialects’, or even the iglishmêk of common origin, it is reasonable for their the potential observer not to have any more than one tribe. iglishmêks to be treated as related dia- Iglishmêk is somewhat slower than lects. For example, a dwarf knowing regular speech – say, half the speed at the iglishmêk of Thorin's Halls in the Blue best, and with the need to be done more Mountains could use this at half its rating slowly still in order not to be obvious to to communicate with dwarves of the onlookers... It is hindered if both hands Iron Hills and (who are not free for use or if the audience is are geographically close enough not able to give their full attention to and interact frequently watching the signer,4 and it becomes enough to share a single more difficult to read at distance, in poor system). By the same light etc. But it is flexible enough that if token, the widely- a gesture normally requires two hands, a dispersed Ironfist one-handed approximation is usually dwarves of Rhûn clear enough in context to be read cor- can use their rectly. And if something absolutely must iglishmêk at be expressed unambiguously it can be its full rating spelt out ‘longhand’ given sufficient only with time. members of But iglishmêk’s obvious advantages their own are that it is silent, and can be used cov- immediate ertly – including to comment on or clan group. modify the meaning of the dwarf’s spo- Where ken words. iglishmêk is Some games prefer to handle lan- expressed as a skill it need not be guages as all-or-nothing skills, which a tested every time communication character simply knows or doesn’t is attempted. Given time and mu- know, and this can be fine for iglishmêk as tual good will between the parties, well. But many gamers follow Tolkien’s misunderstanding should be ex- lead and pay detailed attention to lan- © by Neville “Osric” Percy, used with permission of the artist 39 Other Minds Magazine rating in the iglishmêk in question, and is Rolls are made at ‘normal’ diffi- Over a longer timescale, ‘research’ then an opposed test. culty for iglishmêk communication of effort may be possible to crack the code The signer uses a skill appropriate three items in six seconds – three com- of an unfamiliar iglishmêk gesture, either to his game system of choice. Examples mon words, three digits, or three letters by extended observation or possibly are: where something like a person’s name more elaborate schemes, such as imitat- has to be spelt out. Reducing the ing the use of a gesture yourself and Stealth ( TOR) amount communicated improves the gauging the response, or setting up situa- Conceal (LotR RPG) signer’s chances, with each reduction tions calculated to elicit a specific reac- Acting (MERP) adding a +1 (TOR, LotR RPG, D&D) or tion. But if the dwarves recognize that Bluff (D&D) +5 (MERP) bonus, or making the roll such attempts are being made, they will one difficulty category easier, and corre- likely either stop signing, or even seek to Deceit (FATE) spondingly reduces the observer’s protect the precious secret of their ges- If you use another system, it should- chances. Also, the more the gestures can ture-code by engaging in countermea- n’t be too hard to find an equivalent skill be spaced out over time, the easier it is sures and misinformation... to misdirect attention away from their to make them appear casual, so each gesture(s) and/or make them seem to be doubling of the time taken affects the merely inconsequential casual move- signer and the potential observer the ments. same way. Potential observers use their aware- People in front of whom iglishmêk is ness to notice that something is going on. used repeatedly – especially the same Suggested skills are: signs, like “stiff-necked elf” or similar – Awareness (TOR) should receive an increasing bonus to Notes Observe (LotR RPG) recognize it as more than a casual ges- Perception (MERP) ture. 1. found it in a type- script which could be dated to 1959- Sense Motive or Insight (D&D) 60. – ‘Quendi and Eldar’, HoMe11, Recognizing that iglishmêk is being Empathy (FATE) p.359. used is not the same as interpreting its 2. Cf. the elvish hwermë or semaphore- If you use another game system, you meaning. The likeliest things that might will easily find an equivalent skill to rec- gesture language, less sophisticated and be communicated in a given situation are complex than iglishmêk. (–Os.) ognize that something’s going on – probably fairly self-evident: Yes, No, chiefly from the timing of the gestures, 3. Having just one dwarf in a party does Higher, Lower, He’s lying, I’m lying, nicely recall Gimli’s status as the only or possibly from other ‘tells’, such as an ATTACK! etc. (Or these could be out- insufficiently suppressed smirk! The dwarf in the Fellowship of the Ring. lined to a player succeeding in a simple But the usual reason there’s only one observer should receive a bonus of +4 roll on a relevant skill.) dwarf in a party is that the single dwarf (TOR, D&D), +3 (LotR RPG) or +20 The actual interpretation of any is made interesting to play because of (MERP) if they possess skill in any iglish- such short message would likely require how he differs from the rest of the mêk of their own, and the same amount a high degree of success in such a roll, party; this is diminished where multi- again if they state that they’re actively ple dwarves are present. Gaming which the GM might well wish to be looking out for such communication. scarcely ever addresses adventuring rolled in secret. The difficulty is modified by the parties that recall Thorin’s Company in The Hobbit, of no fewer than twelve amount of information being signed and dwarves. When everyone’s a dwarf, the amount of time taken. A flurry of there’s nothing especially interesting full-speed communication at half the about being one, unless you really speed of spoken conversation will be work on the fine detail. incredibly obvious, but a single gesture 4. It is therefore not readily useable as a used only once will be very difficult to ‘battle tongue’ like those conceived by detect. designers for Rolemaster and other sys- tems. 5. Groups of PCs have been learning ob- scure languages like Green Dragon for this purpose since the dawn of RPGs! 40 Issue 13, March 2012

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41 Other Minds Magazine Population and Urbanization in Eriador

by Thomas Morwinsky Introduction are free of course to alter them to some- ([email protected]) © 2011 thing else if you are not comfortable with Note: An earlier version of this essay per the terms of the CC license: b n a this MERP-inspired terminology. was made available online 10 years The whole project takes up Gunnar Detailing the world of Middle-earth has ago. Now, after more recent research Brolin’s and Jason Beresford’s theme long been a goal for both gamers and game- and new information, an extensive 1 designers alike. Regardless of the approach, update is in order. Sources used in found in Other Hands, Issues 3 and 4. [8] this has always been a fascinating subject and the writing of this article are indi- and [9] Both displayed quite clearly that the following article is following in these cated in square brackets and listed at the number of cities and towns of old footsteps. the end of the article. Arnor described by Tolkien are in no way sufficient to represent an even ap- It is structured first in a general section The campaign and realm modules where relevant topics for the demography in proximately reasonable level of urbaniza- developed for MERP (only available sec- tion for Eriador in general and Arnor in Eriador are discussed and followed by a second ond-hand nowadays) always contained section which provides numbers and maps that particular. Lalaith’s article in Other excellent information about the— come from these considerations. The maps are Hands, Issue 15/16 [10] gives an excel- imagined—history and people of a cropped to fit to the topic at hand, and in an lent view of everything Tolkien has writ- appendix at the end of the Issue, you can find realm, the inhabitants’ motives and social ten about the population of Eriador and full maps for these numbers. structure, environmental descriptions, Gondor but also lacks precise numbers. large NPC sections, etc. The one thing My conclusion is that the settlements they often lacked was hard facts (some named included only those important for might say “dry numbers”): tables pre- the story rather than any sort of accurate senting numbers for the area of a realm representation of the overall demo- (and how these break down into smaller graphic situation in Eriador at the time of lordships with their accompanying num- The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. bers), the number of its inhabitants, size and location of the cities together with Turning to gaming supplements, we the numbers of their inhabitants, etc. do not get much help either. Despite MERP’s extensive treatment of Eriador, This essay does exactly this for we are still not given extrapolate-able Eriador in terms of population levels and information. Just have a look at the urbanization. For ease of use, many population that is assigned to names and terms (e.g. the names for Arthedain—50,000 people all told in internal principalities of the Northern T.A. 16402— in the Northwestern Middle- Kingdom) are retained, but often not in earth Gazetteer and you’ll see that these the original MERP context. Further- numbers are not very helpful at all. [6] more, knowledge or possession of these concerned MERP modules is in no way This article’s figures for areas are necessary to using the numbers pre- exclusively based on the map provided in sented here, as the relevant informa- The Lord of the Rings to be as close as pos- tion is always derived from sible to the first-hand information we have. This might still not be perfect (as Tolkien and developed from first prin- Tolkien himself said), but its basic shape ciples. Wherever deemed necessary, I have taken the liberty of adjusting MERP is correct and it contains a lot less errors than for example the MERP map. names to my own interpretation. You 42 Issue 13, March 2012 Though this article focuses on the General Thoughts The boundaries thus used here are urbanization of Arnor there are also shown on Map 1 below on this page. and Intention other settlements in Eriador which de- When considering estimates of the serve mention, especially in the context First it is necessary to define the ter- population and urbanization for Eriador of cultural and economic interaction ritory we’re talking about. Fortunately, (and especially Arnor) we have to keep with the realm of Arnor and its successor Tolkien gives us a quite a good defini- two basic principles in mind: first to re- states. These settlements are dealt with tion: main true to Tolkien,and second to pro- briefly on page 101. They will get more vide extrapolate-able and believable detailed treatment in separate articles. Eriador was of old the name of all the lands between the Misty Mountains and demographic data. Unfortunately these For estimating population levels I the Blue; in the South it was bounded requirements are often hard toreconcile. used the excellent article From Land to by the Greyflood and the Glanduin that Apparently only those urban communi- Subsistence by Juha Juuso Vesanto flows into it above Tharbad. ties pertinent to the story in The Hobbit ([email protected]). This article can At its greatest Arnor included all and The Lord of the Rings were mentioned be found in the May 2000 issue on the Eriador, except the regions beyond the by Tolkien while others, irrelevant for homepage of the e-zine The Guild Com- Lune, and the lands east of Greyflood the plot or too far away, deserved no panion. [7] and Loudwater, in which lay Rivendell mention in the text or maps—although and Hollin. they presumably must have existed. Ac- —The Lord of the Rings. cordingly one has to infer additional Appendix A towns and cities to achieve a realistic level of urbanization for Eriador throughout the Third Age.

Map 1: Boundaries of Eriador

43 Other Minds Magazine The numbers for Angmar do not in- tation for the major settlements within Internal Division of Arnor clude the orcish population. The formula the realms. Thus there can—and will— We know from Tolkien that Arnor used for estimating populations in this be smaller settlements in each realm. broke up into three successor realms in article only accounts for the mannish The ones found here should give you an TA 861, giving birth to Arthedain, Car- settlement patterns and therefore the idea of the size of the biggest settlements dolan and Rhudaur, which one after an- Orcs as a demographic group should be in a given area or fief. Thus, if you devise other fell to Angmar between the 14th handled separately. In my opinion, the additional settlements, they should be and 20th centuries of the Third Age. numbers found in ICE’s Angmar module considerably smaller in size, since the However, the internal division of Arnor (ca. 50,000 overall as a maximum) are ones here are supposed to show the and its successors is not detailed any- sufficient to represent the orcish popula- “urban” part of the overall population. where by Tolkien. For Gondor, Tolkien tion. Considering the area of the orcish The definition of “urban” is somewhat gives us ample evidence for the realm’s habitation and their numbers, a nomadic fluid, however, since the “urban” centers 3 subdivision into provinces and fiefdoms lifestyle for most of the “border” tribes in the Eriador of TA 1400 and 3000 dif- (e.g. Anórien, Lebennin, Belfalas etc.). along the Arthadan frontier seems appro- fer considerably in extent. Despite this, Thus there is no evidence for the exact priate, where they live by raiding their the comparatively tiny centers of TA placement of these smaller administra- neighbours (mostly on the Arthedain side 3000 fulfill the same role as their bigger tive entities in Arnor or its successor of the border, but also from neighbour- cousins one and half millennia earlier, realms. What we do know however, is ing tribes) and herding some domestic since they also only have to serve much that they existed: animals for food. In Other Hands, Issue smaller and less sophisticated communi- 31/32 the interested reader may find the ties. detailed description of the Lughoth (one The Shire seems to me very ade- The article also includes a lot of origi- of Angmar’s orc tribes) and their method quately to translate the Hobbit Sūza-t, nal invention to “fill in the spaces” left by of subsistence on the Arthedain border. since this word was now only used by Tolkien, but requiring good explanation. them with reference to their country, Other Hands, Issue 33/34 contains details though originally it had meant ‘a of the Angmarean military based upon sphere of occupation (as of the land the numbers found in the original version Important Note: All the data pre- claimed by a family or clan), of office, of this essay. Other Minds, Issues 7 and 10 sented in this article are my extrapo- or business’. In Gondor the word sūza lations. Many quotes are taken from contain articles with further suggestions was still applied to the divisions of the for imagining other aspects of the man- Tolkien’s posthumous works. As the realm, such as Anorien, Ithilien, Leben- nish population of Angmar that may also data presented is consistent with nin, for which in Noldorin the word be of use. these quotes, the reader may decide lhann was used. As a comparison for modern socie- for himself whether to follow these —The Peoples of Middle-earth. ties, Arnor at its peak (here TA 250 is lines. In my opinion the extrapolated The Appendix on Languages used as the reference date) was almost data is a good and reasonable esti- exactly the size as France plus Belgium mate. Of course it is not “correct”, as Even though it is precisely applied (or Texas plus Delaware). The popula- the very topic of the article is not here to Gondor in describing the divi- tion estimate for Arnor at this peak is covered in original writings by sions (Anórien etc.), we can safely as- roughly comparable to estimates for Tolkien and therefore remains specu- sume that the nomenclature in Arnor those of France and the Low Countries lative—like any invention done for a was at least similar, since the translated from the 9th to 10th century AD.4 Given roleplaying game set in Middle-earth. term ‘Shire’ originally stood for exactly Tolkien’s statement about the low popu- It is designed as a reasonable ap- such a division before it became habitu- lation densities in Middle-earth this proach to the subject and does not ally used by the hobbits as a given name equivalent looks quite right. claim any superiority over other in- terpretations, as long as they base for “their” Shire. Accordingly, subdivi- The intention of these demographic their divergent interpretations on sions should be chosen with a reasonable and urbanization maps and tables is not Tolkien’s original writings and the look at the situation in Arnor. The fol- to list every single hamlet, manor or incorporation of sound and re- lowing points need to be taken into con- village. The first purpose is to give an enactable methods in creating their sideration when choosing internal bor- idea of a reasonable calculation for the respective numbers. ders: overall population as well as the more Natural borders (e.g. river courses) densely settled areas. The second pur- in Arnor, since these constitute many pose is to present a reasonable interpre- borders within Gondor as well 44 Issue 13, March 2012 Artificial borders like roads and im- The “Annúminas problem” the king, in the very heartland of the portant crossroads whose control offers realm where any adverse development Concerning the urban centers of Ar- power and revenues will surely be felt last—or at least most nor, we have much less evidence than for easily compensated for if it really hap- The average size of these divisions, Gondor. In addition, Tolkien does not pens. which should approximately resemble make things easier when he states about those of Gondor, even though deviations Annúminas, the capital of Arnor: For this reason I suggest to read the must exist to avoid too uniform an ap- abandonment of Annúminas as twofold: pearance ‘In the North after the war and the First, the abandonment was a con- We get a small hint of such a divi- slaughter of the Gladden Fields the Men scious decision by Amlaith. This was sion, since Tolkien writes: of Westernesse were diminished, and necessary since his brothers (and their their city of Annúminas beside Lake supporters) presumably threatened him The land [of the Shire] was rich and Evendim fell into ruin; and the heirs of with all-out war if he left his seat in An- Valandil removed and dwelt at Fornost kindly, and though it had long been núminas. The city symbolized Arnor’s on the high North Downs, and that deserted when they entered it, it had unity more than anything else and being now too is desolate.’ before been well tilled, and there the a king there would have implicitly sug- —The Lord of the Rings. king had once had many farms, gested that the regimes of the other two cornlands, vineyards, and woods. The Council of Elrond brothers were illegitimate. To keep —The Lord of the Rings.Prologue peace—it seems that Arnor’s breakup This gives a definitive statement that was not accompanied by an outright civil Thus we not only learn that it was Annúminas was deserted long before the war like Gondor’s Kin-strife—Amlaith once well-tended, but also that it had end of the Northern Kingdom, though it consented to give up the highly symbolic been under the direct sovereignty of the does not specify when exactly this hap- king’s seat at Annúminas. king. From this we may extrapolate that pened. Here once more the History of The removal of the royal institutions the borders of the Hobbits’ “Shire” more Middle-earth series is of great help. In the was called the “abandonment”. It did not or less coincided with those of the origi- twelfth volume, in the more elaborate necessarily mean the immediate deser- nal administrative boundary of the king’s draft of Appendix A (which Tolkien had tion by all inhabitants. It did lead to a land in this region (he could only grant to abridge due to the wishes of Allen & sharp economic downturn though, that which was under his direct admini- Unwin) we read: quickly eroding Annúminas’ importance stration). as the center of politics and culture. By 861. Death of Eärendur last and Please note that the internal borders TA 1000 Annúminas was nothing more tenth king of Arnor. The North- than a local center without any impor- of the Eriadorian realms covered change kingdom becomes divided among Eären- tance beyond a small regional market. Its over time. This is to reflect the lesser dur’s sons. The direct line of the eldest prestigious buildings fell into disuse after fortunes of the northern Dúnedain, com- son, Amlaith of Fornost, rules the realm the abandonment. The final blow came pared to Gondor. The following phe- of Arthedain. Annúminas is deserted. with the war of 1409, when the scant nomena may (and will) necessitate the —The Peoples of Middle-earth. remnants of the once populous city were re-arrangement of internal borders: The Tale of Years of Third Age wiped out in a deep raid by Angmarean The people of Arnor dwindle fol- forces. lowing the division in TA 861, and Thus it seems justified to pinpoint the consequently, regions that were moment of Annúminas’ abandonment as once settled are abandoned. being at Arnor’s breakup in TA 861. But In the remaining territories, families this gives us another tough nut to crack: and dynasties will fail, with new Why was Annúminas abandoned this ones taking their place. early? It may have been due to a drastic decrease in population, but then we have Wars lead to losses and gains of to ask for the reason for such a sharp and territory between the realms. immediate loss of inhabitants. We do not All this (apart from internal wars hear of war, famine, pestilence or any with forced changes in territory) happens other disaster in the region at this time. in Gondor as well, but on a much lesser Of course this absence of evidence is scale, due to its much greater stability. always hard to argue with, but the ques- Most importantly, for Gondor we have tion remains. Annúminas was the seat of fairly good documentation by Tolkien. 45 Other Minds Magazine Eriador from the end of 3. A number of men were not con- (Aranarth himself probably re- th vinced followers of the Witch- mained incognito as far as possible Arthedain to the 28 century king’s “crusade” and thus quickly to prevent overt rumours of the “Then so utterly was Angmar defeated renounced allegiance with Ang- survival of the royal line), planned that not a man nor an orc of that realm mar. These men that were more for the campaign. Following this remained west of the Mountains.” or less pressed into Angmar at interpretation, a sizable contin- —The Lord of the Rings. spear-point (or the threat of it), gent of scouts, combat troops and Appendix A were very helpful in supporting engineers was left in Eriador once the victorious troops in hunting the main force left again for Gon- down real adherents of the dor—probably around TA 1975- This quote is a challenge for a believ- Witch-king. 80—and planned the thorough able scenario. Even though Angmar’s and complete de- army is totally destroyed on the battle- struction of Ang- field, the vast majority of its population mar’s infrastruc- remains at home: soldiers guarding the ture. Probably they homes (even if only skeleton garrisons), were soon aware of civilians, women, children and the old the internal con- no longer fit for military service. In addi- flicts among Ang- tion, they have to keep the land and mar’s remaining economy running—even if only at a people and the orcs minimal level. Therefore I propose the and waited until following general sequence of events one faction was leading to the total collapse of the Ang- defeated and the marean state and people after the mili- survivor suffi- tary defeat: ciently weakened. 1. The Orc-king at Gundabad (the 4. Even counting in all the factors Then they systematically combed most powerful orcish vassal of the above, there were still a lot of the territory of the former Ang- Witch-king) supplied a big con- supporters of the former Ang- mar, breaking the remaining re- tingent to the 1974 war. Secretly, marean regime. It is interesting to sistance, hunting down the survi- he retained another great one in think of the Gondorian (and re- vors and dismantling the for- reserve though. In the event of maining Arthedain) troops inflict- tresses and towns of the former the war going well, he would ing genocide on Angmar’s former realm of the Witch-king. This left have had a strong argument for a mannish subjects, killing even the neither infrastructure nor any good position in the future power old, women and children in cold resources for a possible later habi- structure, while if it was not suc- blood until no one remained (or tation. This process probably took cessful, he would then have the driving them into the wilderness some time, beginning by ca. TA biggest military asset in the re- to die there from starvation, ex- 1980 (after the necessary intelli- gion. posure, disease and predators). gence was gathered and the civil 2. After the total defeat of the Ang- Even imagining a limited scope war in Angmar subsided) and marean forces and the flight of the and duration for such a campaign, ending around TA 1990. Then the Witch-king, a brutal civil war it is hard to bring into line with last remaining Gondorian troops erupted among the remaining the traditional image of the civi- left Eriador, taking with them mannish population. In addition, lized and “good” Dúnedain. Still whomever did not want to stay the Orc-king at Gundabad and the we have to accept such a cam- any longer in the North. lords in Mount Gram and Goblin- paign as necessary to achieve the gate used their forces to brutally level of defeat testified by massacre and plunder every for- Tolkien. To facilitate this and mer ally within reach. make sure that as little as possible was left in Angmar that could be used by potential “heirs”, the Gondorian victors together with remnants of the Arthadan élite 46 Issue 13, March 2012 After the fall of Arthedain in the Aranarth deliberately set up this cha- warriors as well. These havens were lo- Fourth Northern War, Aranarth decided rade to ensure the success to his strategy cated in the middle of old Arnor (in the not to try to re-establish his father’s of acting from the shadows. The Dúne- South Downs and North Downs) to en- realm. Instead he opted for a lower pro- dain worked indirectly, giving advice and sure a good strategic position to cover file for the northern Dúnedain, acting rendering support but for the time being the major populated areas. In a sense, incognito and from the shadows for the hid their true identity from the surviving these small post-Arnorian communities protection of their former realm: people of Arnor. Those close compan- constitute a relatively stable remnant of ions from the war that were aware of his the once great realm, a great setting for ‘When the kingdom ended the Dúne- line’s survival agreed to keep the secret adventures: There is plenty of wilderness dain passed into the shadows and be- in order to ensure the survival of the with old ruins and evil creatures (which came a secret and wandering people, northern Dúnedain. invariably come back some time after a and their deeds and labours were seldom defeat, even if on a smaller scale), but sung or recorded. Little now is remem- A handful of scattered areas with also a number of havens and settlements bered of them since Elrond departed. organized settlements found together in which to rest and recuperate. Although even before the Watchful after the war, and local chieftains as- Peace ended evil things again began to sumed leadership of these communities. All these small principalities scattered attack Eriador or to invade it secretly, The Bree area is especially important, as over Eriador—the hobbitish Shire being the Chieftains for the most part lived it lies at one of Eriador’s most important the largest by far—maintain contact with out their long lives. crossroads. Thus it is among the greatest one another, sometimes closer some- —The Lord of the Rings. of the surviving communities (apart from times less so. Only the Dúnedain stay Appendix A the Shire of course). Behind the scenes, apart and try to keep a very low profile. the Dúnedain acted to ensure that the The Dúnedain’s protection against the This passage allows both a re- development of rulership of these com- occasional threats from the Misty Moun- enactable demographic development as munities followed Dúnadan interests as tains (as quoted in the beginning of this well as following the above statement far as possible. These new communities chapter) ensures that these relatively about the disintegration of the Dúnadan formed mainly in former Arthedain, but weak and fragile communities can sur- state. Many people of Arthedain died local communities in Cardolan survived vive. Given the relatively low level of during the last Northern War, due vari- (or were newly founded) as well. Refu- threats, this works for about four centu- ously to combat, persecution by Ang- gees from the former Cardolan and ries, after which the troubles begin to marean forces, starvation, disease etc. Arthedain founded several settlements in increase. After the dust had settled following the former Rhudaur, along the Mithei- Thus from ca. TA 1980 to ca. 2500 the war of 1974/75 and the campaign to thel valley. As mentioned above, the we see a respite for a shattered and wipe out Angmar’s remains was planned Dúnedain were almost always on the much-reduced, but almost “normal” soci- or already underway, the remnants of move, but that holds true only for those ety after the downfall of Arthedain. Even the Arthadan and “Cardolanian” society of them that were seen by other men— after this, the area is relatively secure, re-ordered themselves. A lot leaving for the famous Rangers. The remaining although the Misty Mountains are dan- Gondor, but a substantial number staying Dúnedain—male civilians, the old, gerous ground again. This relative in their ancestral lands and re- women and children—are kept safe in a peace—with the Hithaeglir swarming establishing themselves as well as possi- few havens with very limited contact with orcs and Eriador itself relatively ble. What both groups share is the belief with the outside world. These had to be free—lasts until about TA 2740. that the line of kings had perished in the sufficiently protected by able-bodied course of the war. We have to keep in mind that the overall population levels beyond the Shire were severely dis- rupted, and calculated accordingly:

“After Arvedui the North-kingdom ended, for the Dúnedain were now few and all the peoples of Eriador dimin- ished.” ― The Lord of the Rings. Appendix A

47 Other Minds Magazine The Crisis of the The Orc Invasions Apart from the date, we have to note that the orcs renewed their attacks; late Third Age As detailed in the last section, the first ca. 400 years after the end of implying that they had also attacked ear- This time is characterized by the Arthedain and the fall of Angmar were lier (probably only on a much lesser scale gradual loss of almost all mannish settle- relatively peaceful, leading to a stabiliza- though). We have to conclude that driv- ments in Eriador. It highlights the vul- tion of the mannish societies there. Then ing off attacks from the Mountains was nerability of fragmented societies with- things began to go really badly, almost the primary task for the northern Dúne- out a central authority to organized ex- leading to disaster. These often over- dain. Since the former threats were ternal threats like natural disasters or looked events in Eriador are pivotal for much less dangerous, the dispositions as military attacks. The mid-28th century the understanding of the Rangers’ role. before (e.g. up to TA 2740) were mostly marks a particular watershed, as the frag- The orcs as the primary threat to sufficient to contain them before they ments of the former mannish Arthadan Eriador’s security—especially since could wreak significant damage. society are almost totally wiped out. This about TA 2500—are documented in a The most precise date for the most is indicated by two events in short suc- number of passages: critical time in Arassuil’s time can be cession: found in the History of Middle-earth series The Orc Invasions from ‘In the days of Arahad I [r. 2455- (also discussed in the revised timeline in TA 2740-50 2523] the Orcs, who had, as later ap- Other Minds, Issue 11): peared, long been secretly occupying The Long Winter TA 2758/59 th strongholds in the Misty Mountains, so 36. 11. Arassuil [born] 2628 [lived] Later on, in the early 30 century, as to bar all the passes into Eriador, 156 [died] 2784 we have another disaster which finished suddenly revealed themselves. [...] In his time there was much war with th off the weakened remnants of the 28 And later in the days of Arassuil [r. Orcs that infesting the Misty Mountains century: 2719-2784], Orcs, multiplying again harried Eriador. The chief battles were The Fell Winter of TA 2911/12 in the Misty Mountains, begin to rav- in 2745-8. In 2747 the Periannath age the lands, and the Dúnedain and (Halflings) defeated a westerly ranging the sons of Elrond fought with them. It force of the invaders that came down was at this time that a large band came from the north into their land west of so far west as to enter the Shire, and Baranduin. were driven off by Bandobras Took.’ —The Peoples of Middle-earth. —The Lord of the Rings. The Making of Appendix A Appendix A From all these passages it can be de- th This is also closely connected with duced that from the late 25 century another entry: onward, the increasing number of orcs made the Misty Mountains hazardous c. 2480 Orcs begin to make secret again. Eriador remained relatively safe strongholds in the Misty Mountains so though (at least the central and western as to bar all the passes into Eriador. regions). It is in the mid-28th century Sauron begins to people with his that the most intense conflict raged with creatures. repeated attacks from the mountains— —The Lord of the Rings. and encompassing almost all of Eriador. Appendix B The timeline in TOR [11] mentions the increasing number of orcs as well, The timeframe of the most serious linking the establishment of the Wood- assaults is more specified later: men stronghold of Mountain Hall with this time (ca. TA 2480). Later on, the 2740 Orcs renew their invasions of growing strength of Men and Dwarves in Eriador. northern Rhovanion (and especially the 2747 Bandobras Took defeats an Anduin vales) made the Orcs look for Orc-band in the Northfarthing. easier prey in Eriador. This is reminis- —The Lord of the cent of the great and powerful alliance in Rings.Appendix B the first half of the Second Age. [12] 48 Issue 13, March 2012 In a way, this century of conflict can me, and in most cases it was probably far When the invasions subsided by TA be seen as a “forgotten” war in the great less. This can be used as a base from 2750, about one third of the former chronicles, too far away and “small” from which to draw conclusions on the size of communities had been totally destroyed, the great events, but for the people of the population (taking into account the their survivors having fled into the re- Eriador it was one for sheer survival— necessity for non-combatant men and maining ones. The other two thirds of comparable to the deadly threat of Ang- warriors for other duties). the communities had suffered serious mar in Arthedain’s days or Mordor’s This combination of several factors losses of up to 50% of their numbers. In threat during the War of the Ring. Here offers great potential for gaming and this context you have to be aware that the Battle of Greenfields, where Bull- diplomacy in this era. Since Eriador these losses are not only due to direct roarer Took defeated Golfimbul’s force, lacked a central government, it is likely war (e.g. people being killed by vio- can be understood in the wider context that alliances had to be made between all lence), but also the threats coming with of these events. It was one orc band that the communities to field “armies” of a war: Famine through lack of food when managed to slip past the defensive pe- size capable of defeating a major inva- the fields are devastated and livestock rimeter (other probably did likewise, but sion. Since here we have a lot of conflict- killed or stolen as well as lack of work- targeted other communities). Given the ing interests (“Why are our men going to force to produce food. In addition, dis- vastness of the possible invasion vectors, protect the areas of other people? They eases are much more likely to cause it is not hard to imagine that the Rangers should stay here to protect our own losses among the weakened population. were unable to establish a sufficiently homes!”), the Dúnedain were probably The Dúnedain had learned their les- fine-grained early-warning and intercep- very active in brokering alliances against son too, recognizing that maintaining tive system to get every incursion—and the Orcs—sometimes successful, some- distributed settlements invited disaster. probably not even all the greater ones— times less so. In addition, their reduced numbers ne- under control within eastern Eriador. Overall, the Orc wars of the 2740s cessitated even stricter protection of Eriador always was extremely vulnerable should be seen as a fight for sheer sur- their own settlements. Thus over the to invasions coming from the northern vival. The orcs were often able to pene- following 15 years they re-located their part of the Hithaeglir (primarily Gunda- trate deep into Eriador. The areas of the homesteads into the Angle, concentrat- bad and Mount Gram, as well as Goblin- former Arthedain north of the Shire ing their dwindling numbers relatively gate to a lesser extent), with no protec- were especially hard hit. The communi- close to Rivendell, where their Chief- tion from natural barriers. ties in eastern Eriador fared little better, tains were raised and educated anyway. It is little surprise that at this time, lying closer to the invading forces. Only The Long Winter (see below) disrupted relatively shortly before the War of the the area of Noddfa Rhaglaw, despite the preparations for this process some- Dwarves and Orcs (TA 2793-99) the serious losses, was able to hold its what, but not decisively. Orcs had vast numbers in the Hithaeglir. ground. The Rangers suffered in a simi- Accordingly, their raids must have been lar way, with their distributed communi- really dangerous and causing great loss of ties not always being able to coordinate life. Perhaps Azog (the likely king at their efforts and thus suffering much Moria) was sending reckless and impetu- more grievous losses than would have ous chieftains out so they could prove been necessary. We can also infer that themselves. In addition, he could test the the communities of the former Cardolan strength of his enemies to the west and were subject to serious attacks as well. discern whether it would be feasible to An attack by a strong and well-organized get a secure hold there again after the force on the much-diminished remnant defeat of Angmar 800 years earlier. of once-great Tharbad sounds especially In this context, we have to note that appealing and can be the highlight of an battles had been fought in these years epic gaming campaign. In all, this decade (TA 2745-48), implying a substantial offers countless opportunities for heroes number of combatants on both sides. to prove themselves and stave off the This requires a sizeable population for advancing forces of the Shadow—even the Rangers to draw warriors from. A though they are not directly controlled maximum force of about 1,000 for the by Sauron or his powerful minions (e.g. Eriadorian forces (give or take perhaps a Nazgûl). 200) and a specific battle seems right to 49 Other Minds Magazine The Long Winter The Shire was relatively little im- Eriador after TA 2912; th pacted by the wars a decade earlier, The second great disaster of the 28 “within a hundred century was the Long Winter. We have whereas many other Eriadorian commu- evidence of the magnitude of the catas- nities fared much worse. Now these set- leagues of the Shire” trophe for both Eriador and Rohan: tlements, still weak in the aftermath of These events lead to a central quote those cruel wars, were especially hard hit that tells of the demographic situation of [...] and they [the Hobbits in the by the extreme winter. The lack of man- Shire] prospered and multiplied after Eriador in the late Third Age; e.g. power for agriculture, destroyed farms, Bilbo’s and Frodo’s time: the Dark Plague (S.R. 37) until the tools and fields led to reduced yields, disaster of the Long Winter and the and subsequently the hunger due to the In Bilbo’s time great areas of Eriador famine that followed it. Many thou- winter set in much earlier than in the were empty of men. sands then perished, but the Days of well-supplied areas. When the winter’s — The Peoples of Middle-earth. Dearth (1158-60) [...] effects were over, almost another third The Atani and their Languages —The Lord of the Rings.Prologue of the pre-2740 communities had been (Note #59) totally eradicated by it. Soon afterwards the Long Winter The Fell Winter So, while remaining mainly desolate, began, and Rohan lay under snow for there is a population left, since great nearly five months (November to The Long Winter was not the last areas were uninhabited rather than all of March, 2758-9). Both the Rohirrim disaster for Eriador. About 150 years Eriador. This justifies the continued exis- and their foes suffered grievously in the later, in 2911 another extremely severe tence of a few organized communities in cold, and in the dearth that lasted winter disrupted the communities in peripheral regions of Eriador. Eriador, again causing much loss of life. longer. On the other hand we find the state- —The Lord of the Rings. 2911 The Fell Winter. The Baran- ment in the next paragraph, from The Appendix A duin and other rivers are frozen. White Lord of the Rings, that precludes any sig- Wolves invade Eriador from the North. nificant amount of settlement in Eriador 2912 Great floods devastate Ened- beside the Shire. This deals with the These two passages provide interest- waith and Minhiriath. Tharbad is ru- timeframe of The Lord of the Rings, which ing information: First, if even the south- ined and deserted. is important to bear in mind: erly (from an Eriadorian point of view) —The Lord of the Rohan lay under snow from November “In those days [at the time of the Rings.Appendix B to March, it will hardly be less in the LotR] no other men had settled dwell- North—and probably even more and ings so far west [as Bree], or within a hundred leagues of the Shire.” more severe. Second, we get positive testimony that beside the immediate This spelled the end for the last re- —The Lord of the Rings. dangerous aspects of the long and bitter maining small communities of the pre- At the Sign of the Prancing Pony cold (e.g. diseases, frostbite etc.) the 2740 situation. The severe winter cou- Long Winter caused great famine even in pled with the wolves’ attacks rendered Taking one league as roughly three the relatively well-organized and – almost all of Eriador empty of mannish miles (see ), we see that supplied Shire. Please note that the after- settlements. Only in the Angle and along this would preclude any mannish settle- effects lasted far beyond the winter itself: the Mitheithel area did some small com- ment (except the Shire) in almost all of the Long Winter itself ended in spring munities survive. (south-) eastern Eriador. Map 2 on the 2759, but even in the well-supplied Shire next page illustrates the problems well: the “Days of Dearth” lasted a year longer. Depending on where we set the refer- One can only imagine what the less for- ence point for measuring these 100 tunate and resourceful settlements in leagues, we come to greatly varying re- Eriador had to suffer before finally suc- sults. Setting the point of reference very cumbing. strictly along the outer borders of the Shire (in fact points, since we have to account for the curvature of the bor- ders), we end up with a perimeter that reaches almost to Imladris as well as far

50 Issue 13, March 2012

Map 2: “within 100 leagues of the Shire”

into Eregion and Enedwaith (red line and ‘Loth was my father to give me leave, thus indirectly alluded to in the above crosses). It would also include the mouth and long have I wandered by roads quote, but mostly Boromir was frus- of the Gwathló, which was—according forgotten, seeking the house of Elrond, trated, since no one knew where it lay. to Tolkien—settled in the late Third of which many had heard, but few knew So, there must have been a number of Age. The quote above could then be seen where it lay.' people he asked and who were unable to as only meaning mannish settlements —LotR.The Council of Elrond help him. On the other hand, there must stretching no further than 300 miles (100 be someone who pointed him to the leagues) westward towards the Shire— In Gondor it was known that Imladris right direction. It is not unlikely that one with the noted exception of Bree. This existed somewhere in the North, but of these latter was an incognito northern would make sense, as in the west, the without any further details. Thus Dúnadan (or a group of them). perimeter enters the elvish and dwarvish Boromir set out on his journey, at first After having forded Tharbad, we do lands around the Ered Luin. he travelled through Rohan where he not know Boromir’s subsequent route. The other option is to set the refer- probably even got ready assistance in his Following the Great Road is unlikely, as ence near the center of the Shire (e.g. mission. The difficulties began when he it would have brought him closer to Bree near Hobbiton; the dark blue cross and entered Enedwaith and headed for the and the Shire, lengthening his journey circle). ruins of Tharbad—where he lost his considerably. In addition, it is unlikely horse in the ford. At the latest here he We have to take another quote into that settlements worth mentioning needed to seek for more precise infor- account though. In The Lord of the Rings, (beyond the known ones) would be mation concerning the right direction to Boromir states: found this far west, given Tolkien’s “100 Imladris from local people. These are leagues” statement. In my opinion it is 51 Other Minds Magazine likely that he turned to the Gwathló val- ment” offers much adventuring potential. and prevented the re-establishment ley. First, this way was probably easier to In addition, the “Banes of Angmar” intro- of large horse populations in Eriador travel, and second, since riverways are duced in MERP’s Arnor: The Land pre- after the fall of Angmar and the most likely point to find settlements sented a well-devised way to explain the Arthedain. (continued after TA 1975, in a foreign land. They provide water, continued desolation and lack of signifi- though progressively losing its deadli- easy transportation and additional food. cant recovery of Eriador by inventing a ness over the next couple of centu- Returning to the “100 leagues”, a number of low-powered and subtle (e.g. ries) placement of the reference point at about by observance most look and “feel” like Crop and Herd blights: Normal the middle of the Shire (e.g. near Hobbi- regular diseases and problems) magical ailments of crops and herds were ton), the radius would end before the banes that prevent Eriador from follow- partially “improved” by the Witch- Gwathló and Mitheithel (though barely ing “normal” development after TA king and his minions. These more so) and allow small mannish communi- 1975. Some of these banes persist right potent blights served as a major fac- ties in this area—perfect for the type of from the Great Plague in TA 1636 to the tor in limiting the population growth settlements Boromir hints at, and also beginning of the Fourth Age, while oth- th beyond the Shire after TA 1975. allowing for the “barbarous fisherfolk” at ers were introduced only in the 19 cen- (same further development as the the mouths of the Gwathló. tury. Some may also have vanished after Bloodeye Ravish) the fall of Arthedain. Although each indi- Therefore I think it acceptable to The Hound Fire: Designed to kill vidual ailment was not exceedingly lethal place this point in the area of Hobbiton the Arthadan hunting dogs used by per se, every single bane weakened the and thus make both statements compati- the Dúnedain against Angmar’s Free Peoples’ ability to survive and their ble with each other. wolves. It loses its potency similar to collective effect was enough to prevent a the Bloodeye Ravish. That Minhiriath, as a significant part normal recovery of Eriador (and espe- of old Cardolan, was not entirely devoid cially former Arnor). This interpretation The Red Flux: A disease that espe- of people during the timeframe of The seems very likely because it was the cially affected hobbits and prevented Lord of the Rings can be seen as well: Witch-king’s sole mission to destroy the the Shire population from overflow- ing and thereby “helping” to limit the Thence they [the Nazgûl] rode Dúnedain of the North. In this context Hobbits’ settlement area to the origi- through Minhiriath, and even though the devastation and defilement of their nal Shire Grant of TA 1600. (later on they were not yet assembled a rumour of land seems logical. The specific ailments same development as Bloodeye Ravish, dread spread about them, and the crea- are taken from MERP’s Arnor: The Land tures of the wild hid themselves, and (see the same publication, p. 18pp. for but staying more potent over time) lonely men fled away. more details). A short assessment of Stream Fever: A disease affecting —Unfinished Tales. their persistence is given in parenthesis: herbivores and weakening their resis- The Hunt for the Ring The Barrow-wights: Beside the tance to other ailments. (same de- physical danger they represent, these cline as Bloodeye Ravish) creatures attack the Dúnedain’s spir- Wood-blights: These blights con- We have to note that it speaks of its by denying them access to the tributed to the phenomenon of un- “lonely men”, which can mean trappers graves and burial sites of their ances- naturally high level of deforestation for example, living alone in the wild. tors upon the sacred Tyrn Hódhath. in many areas of Eriador even after Their trading places to sell their goods So their effect is highly psychological. human habitation was greatly re- and get supplies would then be said man- (continued until the end of the Third duced and large areas depopulated. nish settlements in the Gwathló/ Age) (same decline as Bloodeye Ravish) Mitheithel river valley. Thus the “emptiness” of Eriador should be seen as The Amok Curse: Designed to dis- In general, these blights become less referring to the absence of organized rupt the organization of Dúnadan potent and effective as time goes by, so settlements. Lonely frontier-men or mages and destroy or at least seri- by the middle of the third millennium, trapper-like hamlets of individual men or ously weaken their magical abilities. many have lost most of their original families, totally dependent on local sub- (vanished almost completely after the power, depending on region. They still sistence and re-supplies along said rivers end of Arthedain) are to be reckoned with in some places, are possible and very likely. The Bloodeye Ravish: A disease that though. In this time (e.g. post-2500 or so), they can be used as a good plot ele- The quotes above set the standard kills horses. It was very effective in robbing the bulk of the Arthadan ment for an adventure or whole cam- when considering the population levels th paign. after TA 1975. This “Age of Abandon- army in the 20 century of mobility 52 Issue 13, March 2012 The sum of these blights should be Neither Minhiriath nor south-east ...and his [Elendil’s] people dwelt in sufficient to prevent any large-scale re- Enedwaith show any forest cover at all many places in Eriador about the covery of Eriador until the beginning of on the map of The Lord of the Rings, thus courses of the Lhûn and Baranduin, but the Fourth Age. The fall of Sauron was strengthening the view that this is not a his chief city was Annúminas beside the accompanied by a general lessening of “complete” map. So, for our considera- waters of Lake Nenuial. At Fornost supernatural evil influences and this ef- tions we can safely infer that for exam- upon the North Downs also the fect, coupled with new techniques and ple, there were some sizable forests in Númenóreans dwelt, and in Cardolan, cures, enabled a recovery and return to these regions, but of course not nearly as and in the hills of Rhudaur;... normal development for Eriador. Fol- widespread as the old forests of the Sec- — The Silmarillion. lowing this line of thought, the banes lost ond Age. Of the and the almost all of their power in the early Third Age years of the Fourth Age. This will lead to a slow recovery as outlined in my article The People The Heirs of Elessar and the Fourth Age in We see that the majority of the men- The Dúnedain Other Minds, Issue 9. tioned Dúnadan dwelling places lies In the context of this article it is of Here we have to consider an issue of within the territory of the later importance how many ethnic Dúnedain the maps found mainly in The Lord of the Arthedain and the prominence of the live in the area of Eriador. Gunnar ad- Rings and Unfinished Tales. This is that settlements along the Lhûn, Baranduin dressed this question already in Other they are thematic and not “complete”. and Nenuial area is explicitly stressed Hands, Issue 4, but a more detailed esti- They contain the information necessary (e.g. noted before the others). See Map mation seems in order because the for the lecture of the above mentioned 3 on page 56 for a visual clue of the dis- Dúnedain are major protagonists in many books, but do not claim to be correct in tribution of settlement centers (not only of Tolkien’s stories of north-western the level of every detail of, say, a mod- for the Númenóreans, but in general, Middle-earth. Having evaluated general ern political or topographic map of Ger- though the Dúnedain are supposed to be population issues, the question of how many or the United States: concentrated in the same areas as the many Dúnedain lived among the indige- “normal” men). I take the “hills of Rhu- I may say that my son’s maps are nous population is of interest for the daur” as to referring to the Trollshaws, beautifully clear, as far as reduction in social, economic and military structure and foothills of the Hithaeglir whereas reproduction allows; but they do not of all their respective realms. Unfortu- the realm’s river valleys were important contain everything, alas! nately it is very difficult to answer. as well. —Letter #144 (April 25 1954) Despite Arthedain’s supposedly ini- Following this thought, the majority tially small population (in comparison to of the Dúnedain (perhaps c. 50%) might Cardolan) I think it’s quite reasonable to Thus we have to accept that they inhabit areas of Arthedain, while Cardo- describe it as the strongest Arnorian suc- show only those parts of north-western lan harbours 35% of the Dúnedain and cessor state because of the relative Middle-earth’s geography that were rele- Rhudaur 15%. Additionally, a sizeable strength of the Arthadan king. Tolkien’s vant for the tales as narrated (or pro- minority of Cardolan’s Dúnedain (e.g. statement that the line of soon vided in the Appendices). Missing infor- about 20%) might be descended from failed in Rhudaur and Cardolan is also an mation is more precisely identified else- Númenórean imperial colonists while in indication of the relative weakness of where: Arthedain the majority is descended these realms. It fits the old belief that the from the Faithful settlers and Elendil’s The origin of the name Gwathló must fortune of the king parallels the fortune companions arriving with him after the be sought in history. In the time of the of the land in the figurative sense: when 6 5 Downfall of Númenor. So, despite hav- War of the Ring the lands were still in the line of kings fails, so does the realm. ing a lesser population than Cardolan, places well-wooded, especially in Min- It is quite possible that Tolkien had Arthedain harbours a greater percentage hiriath and in the south-east of Ened- something similar in mind here as well. of faithful Dúnedain and is stronger due waith; but most of the plains were One has to note though that the total to a powerful central government and a grassland. population levels and the percentages of more pure spiritual state. —Unfinished Tales. the Dúnedain are not necessarily corre- After having evaluated these issues, The Port of Lond Daer sponding for the successor realms: The how many Dúnedain are we talking most important quote on the matter of about? We know that Elendil came with Arnorian population figures is found four ships to Eriador (continued on next here: page): 53 Other Minds Magazine “Nine ships there were: Four for than “lesser” men. The following Table 1 Elendil, and for Isildur three, and for lists approximate measures for Dúnedain Anárion two...” and normal men. The Dúnadan height —The Silmarillion.Akallabêth measures have been extracted from Unfinished Tales: Now, the central question for the Table 1: Average body sizes of normal men and Númenóreans evaluation of the ship type used by Race avg. male height height percentage avg. male weight weight percentage Normal Men 1,70 m (5'7") 100% 70 kg (154 lbs.) 100% Elendil, a quote from the HoMe 12 is of Númenóreans 1,93 m (6'4") 114% 101 kg (222 lbs.) 144% great help—unfortunately the only one 9 where we get the precise description of a These Númenórean galleons (the (or Texas plus Delaware), but Eriador ship type. supposed ship type of Elendil and his already contained an indigenous popula- sons), could carry about 700 to 800 peo- tion as well as Númenorean settlers and “Therefore he [Ar-Pharazôn] began to ple each in cramped conditions (see also their descendants. prepare a vast armament for the assault [13]) Accordingly Elendil’s ships could We learn in the Akallabêth and the upon , that should surpass the have carried a maximum of ca. 3,200 Line of Elros that many Faithful emigrated one with which he had come to Umbar 7 people. This excursus on marine tech- from Númenór when persecution from even as a great galleon of Númenor nology also offers an opportunity for the the imperialistic kings began to threaten surpassed a fisherman’s boat.” decline of Númenórean knowledge that their traditional way of life. Pelargir on —The Peoples of Middle-earth. Tolkien explicitly stresses. In Arnor, the Anduin became their chief haven in The Tale of Years of the Second there was no longer any need for creat- Middle-earth. We also learn that they Age (my emphasis) ing such advanced ships after the fall of emigrated because in north-western Númenor due to a lack of need for such Middle-earth they could still speak with ships. In addition, the northern realm So, even in the closing years of 8 the Eldar of Lindon, implying that a sub- Númenor’s existence, galleons are used never was a major naval power. If stantial number of them settled in as a comparison to demonstrate the Elendil’s ships were indeed built of wood Eriador—close to Gil-galad’s realm. greatness and size of Númenor’s ships. instead of steel (like the even bigger Something similar was incorporated in This is a good hint what kind of ship windjammers) another quote from the MERP’s Arnor books, where the Emyn Tolkien had in mind when he thought of Akallabêth is easy to understand: Uial are the primary area of settlement the late Númenóreans and their maritime “...;but the great wind took him for the Faithful in Eriador. An analysis of achievements. See also my article [Elendil], wilder than any wind that Númenórean demography shows that a Númenórean Maritime Technology in Other Men had known, roaring from the west, population of up to 5,500,000 Minds, Issue 2 for more details on this and it swept his ships far away; and it Númenóreans alive in SA 3319 topic. rent their sails and snapped their masts, (including emigrants in the colonies) is In this context a comparison with the hunting the unhappy men like straws possible and not unrealistic (as far as you real world is of great help. Real-world upon the water.” can speak of “realism” in this context). If galleons were quite small compared to —The Silmarillion.Akallabêth we assume that the minority of the Faith- ful encompassed ca. 15% of the popula- later sailing ships (e.g. the steel-built 10 windjammers), but carried quite a siz- The hulls as well as the masts and tion, and that ca. 45% of these lived in able crew and complement: A great gal- yards of windjammers were built of steel Middle-earth in SA 3319 (or remained leon from the beginning of the 17th cen- and when they were broken or severely true in Númenor and arrived later with tury had a displacement of about 1,000 damaged at sea it was nearly impossible Elendil and his sons), we can expect ca. tons and a total complement (crew plus to repair them without a shipyard. In 380,000 faithful Dúnedain in Endor. Of contrast wooden masts and yards could these perhaps 210,000 might have lived soldiers & passengers) of about 500 men 11 [5]. We have to consider that the receive at least makeshift repairs at sea in the future Gondor while the rest and damaged ships made maneuverable settled in Eriador. The number of (pure) Númenórean galleons were probably 12 very great compared to real historical and seaworthy again. In my opinion, this Arûwânai in Cardolan is much harder is another hint for the type of ships avail- to assess, but a number of no more than ones (perhaps 1,500 tons on average) 13 and that the Dúnadan ships had to be a able to the Númenóreans. ca. 12,000 seems justified. So we end bit bigger for the same complement: We Of course 3,200 people are insuffi- up with ca. 170,000 Dúnedain in the know that the Númenóreans were on cient to form the new élite of a realm area of the future Arnor just after the average significantly taller and heavier roughly the size of France plus Belgium Akallabêth. If we assume ca. 3 additional 54 Issue 13, March 2012 generations with ca. 2% growth in each line concerning ethnic background. As a storey houses—and especially no walls (the Númenóreans are notoriously slow- very rough guideline, in the southern around them. multiplying) until the War of the Last parts up to the Great East Road—as a Table 2 below lists the population for Alliance we have ca. 180,000 pure- convenient, though necessarily imprecise the Shire area: TA 1640 shows the situa- blooded Dúnedain in Arnor. Factoring in divider—people of “haladic” stock pre- tion after the 1409 war has devastated the losses in the war (it cost many lives dominate, while north of that the region and the Great Plague shook of soldiers; all in all perhaps ca. 20% of “Marachians” and “Bëorians” are in the the new settlers (hence the population the Dúnadan population), we end up majority. In local areas this can—and nadir). Just 40 years ago, hobbits began with ca. 154,000 Arnorian Dúnedain at will—be different and is indicated where to immigrate into the Shire and the over- the outset of the Third Age—with a . It necessary. all population density is still very low. seems that Arnor began its decline with Only a fraction of the grant has yet been the end of the war, but ever after a de- The land was rich and kindly, and settled due to a lack of people. On the feat of the Shadow there is always a— though it had long been deserted when fringes, a few areas are still settled by more or less brief—period of respite and they entered it, it had before been well “big folk”, though these vanish within the bliss for the Free Peoples. In this manner tilled, and there the king had once had next century or so. In TA 1974 the Arnor could have seen a steady Dúnadan many farms, cornlands, vineyards, and Fourth Northern War is impending and population for perhaps the first two or woods. the hobbits of the Shire have suffered three centuries of the Third Age. After- —The Lord of the Rings.Prologue from the Red Flux which severely lim- wards their numbers begin to drop ited the population growth as well as (albeit slowly at first). urbanization. After the fall of Angmar, “For the country had once been a the hobbits fare much better and in TA royal park and hunting ground...For 2740 they have become prosperous. The The indigenous the land into which they had come, orcish invasions are imminent though, though now long deserted, had been mannish population culminating in the Battle of Greenfields richly tilled in days of yore, and there Despite the Dúnedain’s prominence shortly after. Thereafter, the Long and in Tolkien’s writings the vast majority of the kings had once had many farms, cornlands, vineyards, and woods. This the Fell winters cause significant losses, Eriador’s population must be of indige- land they called the Shire...” but by c. TA 2941 the population level nous stock. Lalaith’s article in Other of 2740 has been reached again and the —The Peoples of Middle-earth. Hands, Issue 15/16 gives an excellent Shire has a fairly large population though The prologue overview of Tolkien’s thoughts concern- still relatively weakly urbanized— ing the indigenous population in Eriador. Hobbits are not a very urban folk. It can be assumed that these people were of varying stock: Northrons Hobbits Table 2: Supposed population (“Marachian” and “Bëorian” people) and levels in the Shire urban The two passages above show well Period total Hobbits Gwathuirim (“Haladic” people) form the population major ethnic groups. Until the founding how Tolkien envisioned the situation in TA 250 120,500 - 5,700 of Arnor their culture is not as highly the area at the time of the Hobbits’ set- TA 1400 46,100 - 2,200 tlement of the Shire. TA 1640 40,000 35,000 3,200 organized and differentiated as the TA 1974 145,300 145,300 8,900 Dúnadan realms, whereas afterwards After TA 1975 this “realm” was TA 2740 272,500 272,500 22,900 they profit greatly from their Dúnadan among the very few continually inhab- TA 2915+ 273,200 273,200 23,600 overlords and are supposed to have been ited, organized areas in Eriador and de- “dúnedainized” in culture and to a great serves special attention. Unfortunately part identify themselves with the culture Tolkien never gives its exact boundaries and worldview of the ethnic Dúnedain. but its original area (without the West- In this way the relatively few ethnic march and Buckland) may be estimated 2 Dúnedain obtained a mostly loyal popu- at c. 38,200 km . It is assumed that hob- lation that remained true throughout the bit “cities” are smaller in number than Age. So the Dúnedain were able to es- mannish ones, rarely exceeding 3,000 tablish—and defend—a lasting realm. individuals. In addition, their outlook is Concerning distribution in Eriador, it much different. You should not think of is probably justified to draw a certain “classic” towns with walls and high houses, but sprawling burrows, single- 55 Other Minds Magazine Calculating population represents the area that is essentially One of the most important points to inhabited, though only sparsely (e.g. a mention concerns the changing of bor- levels in Eriador relative low density). The darker shade ders. In the North Kingdom we are con- For all calculations we have to keep represents the settlement centers, i.e. fronted with a continual process of one overarching and very important harbouring greater densities. shrinking. Once-controlled lands fall point in mind, which is found in a note in For each timeframe, the individual waste for a variety of reasons. In a few Tolkien’s treatise on the rivers and principalities of the realms are briefly cases, new land is settled as well, creat- names within Gondor: addressed in terms of demography and ing new borders. Accordingly, the rulers urbanization. have to cope with these changes, and the Though none of the regions of the re-drawing of both internal and external The sizes of the respective realms are Two Kingdoms were before (or after!) borders is the consequence. Fiefs which essential to the evaluation of their popu- the Númenórean settlements densely decline to the point of being unable to lation levels. Because of the significant populated as we should reckon it. sustain themselves independently will be differences in the maps found in The Lord —Vinyar Tengwar, Issue #42. absorbed by their neighbours, either of the Rings and MERP publications, I The Rivers and Beacon Hills resulting in the merging of territories or based the realms covered in this article of Gondor the migration of the population (over a exclusively on the map from The Lord of generation or two) until the old fief is the Rings. Obviously, the numbers will abandoned. The former lords then will On the maps, the demographic situa- vary according to your choice in the find (or be given by the king) new of- tion is shown by two shades (see Map 3 placement especially of the internal bor- fices/responsibilities or noble families for TA 250 below): The lighter one ders. simply become extinct.

Map 3: Population densities in TA 250

56 Issue 13, March 2012 To reflect these changes, borders TA 2915+: The era of The Hobbit and The following key shows the assign- within the realms change and cities/ The Lord of the Rings as well as TOR ment of symbols for settlements of vary- towns that once lay in one fief are now in and LotRRPG standard. ing sizes: another. This complicates the tracking of Since the MERP ‘canon’ often had events, but adds depth to the situation by good approaches to world-building ques- avoiding depicting too stagnant or too tions, these were double-checked and artificially predictable a course of devel- 14 retained when deemed reasonable. opment. Where available, content from TOR has In order to avoid overt errors in plac- been integrated as well (especially con- ing cities and assigning inhabitants, we th should consider which factors favor the Determining numbers cerning the tumults of the mid-28 cen- tury). The LotR RPG did not produce development of a city: In Arnor: The Land, Cardolan at its any supplements or information for the The most important prerequisite is peak is assigned a greater population than topic of this article that I know of. The the geographic location: fords, bridges, Arthedain. This may be reasoned because assignment of names and population crossroads, etc. are primary sites for the of the latitude, geography and probable numbers to towns/cities in this article is establishment of a town or city because soil quality of the two realms—all of a three-tiered process: firstly existing travellers of all kind (must) concentrate which are of vital importance to an towns/cities as described by Tolkien are here and tax collecting and business is agrarian (pseudo-) feudal society. Cardo- assigned population numbers that seem profitable and very easy to conduct. For lan seems to be more blessed in these reasonable. In a second step, settlements example, a river is the prime location for respects (perhaps comparable to the found in Arnor: The Land have been given building a city. A river provides the only situation in southern England while most appropriate numbers (though this often viable transport capability for mass of Arthedain might resemble the region leads to divergences from numbers pre- goods, source of water and waste re- of Northumberland). Cardolan’s geo- sented in Arnor: The Land). For this, only moval. In addition bridges or fords, as graphical position also favors trade and names have been retained without con- natural chokepoints, favor trade. fishing/whaling (see MERP’s Northern cern for the MERP canon as such. Second, existing small settlements Waste for more elaborate ideas on this) Thirdly, new towns/cities are invented (villages, towns) grow because of favor- with the resulting revenues. where deemed reasonable. able conditions (good soil, easy traffic, Gunnar’s article [8] gave numbers for The divergence from the numbers as tax exemption, etc.). several periods in Arnor’s history. Simi- presented in Arnor: The Land might be Third, keeps and castles of lords larly, this article presents several popula- regrettable but on the other hand MERP might attract settlers because of the rela- tion numbers. is officially long dead (even though it still tive security these nearby fortifications TA 250: The peak demographic situa- has a sizeable fan-community). Taking up offer. Of course this is only valid when tion of the united Arnor. its good ideas is reasonable though, and the general political situation is relatively opens up the opportunity to use the ex- TA 861: The division of the realm; unsafe and the possibility of war threat- isting descriptions and story hooks for shown only in political terms with no ens the settlement. The right to fortify a these places. population counts. city however, is a granted privilege TA 1400: Last years of the “Golden All the necessary information is pro- (generally from the king) and it goes Age” of the divided realms, compati- vided here—you do not need any of the without saying that the wielding of this ble with the immediate pre-Kin-strife mentioned gaming supplements to use privilege is a powerful tool in the hands era of Gondor. the information in this article. For those of a monarch. who have come to Middle-earth gaming TA 1640: Post-Great Plague; MERP All these factors have to be kept in more recently and who do not have ac- standard. mind when assigning cities and popula- cess to these supplements, this approach tion levels in Arnor. TA 1974: The final years of offers the advantage of not relying on Arthedain. information that may be hard—or ex- TA 2740: The situation from the end pensive—to come by. of Arthedain to the orc invasions of If we follow the structure of urbani- Eriador and the deadly winters. See zation of medieval Europe the majority also Other Minds, Issue 10 for detailed of the cities would be relatively small. information in a revised “Tale of The average size for a city might be at Years” on these events. around 4,500 inhabitants. 57 Other Minds Magazine The following formula (from [7]) was Important Note: Please keep in mind 910,000, 915,000 or 920,000 resi- used to estimate the population levels. that all the numbers calculated in this dents. The scale remains the same, The coastlines are—where applicable— manner should be seen as approxi- and all deviations herefrom can be integrated into the formula. To differen- mate; numbers are not intended to seen as regular demographic errors tiate the “real” area from the “calculated” be correct to the last digit. The (e.g. because of the inaccuracy of one (e.g. accounting for fishing), the speculative nature of this subject sug- counts). coastline as a factor is added separately. gests the numbers should be used as a All distances and areas are given in kilo- guideline for the scale you are operat- meters and square kilometers, respec- ing in. For example, it is not impor- tively. tant whether a given realm has

⎛ WILD ⎞ ⎛ WASTE ⎞ ⎛ URBAN ⎞ POPULATION =()AREA + ()COASTLINE ×10 × ⎜1− ⎟ × ⎜1 − ⎟ × YIELD × DENSITY × ⎜1+ ⎟ ⎝ 100 ⎠ ⎝ 100 ⎠ ⎝ 100 ⎠

The abbreviations in the formula used above are: POPULATION = the total population of the realm AREA = total land area of the realm/region WILD = uninhabited land as a percentage of the total area: 20% is small, 40% is normal, 60% is big WASTE = on inhabited land, area unusable for agriculture, (march, mountains, etc.) as % of total area: 10% is small, 20% is normal, 40% is big YIELD = relative yield acquired from the land: 1.0 is normal, 0.5 is poor and 1.5 is great. Yield depends on a number of factors: crop, land quality, agricultural techniques and climate. Of these, the first three tend to stay relatively constant over a short time period, but the weather may vary a lot from year to year while climatic changes are slower in coming. DENSITY = reference population density per km2 in reference situation: no wasteland, no uninhabited land, yield=1. Density depends on the subsistence type of the culture. You can also figure the effect of technology and crop cycles in here. Some useful numbers are: Nomad: 2/km2 Semi-nomad: 4/km2 Semi-sedentary: 20/km2 Sedentary: 20-40/km2 URBAN = extra people, i.e. specialists, leaders and urban population, living from the surplus of the rural population as a percentage. This depends on the margin of living, but typically not directly, as leaders and other specialists will require more food (i.e. resources) to sustain themselves than rural people. Of course, their work is valuable in increasing the extracted crop yield. Anyway, here are some figures for urban populations one could use: Nomadic: 0% Early Farming: 5% Standard Farming: 10%

Overview of numbers

This section provides you with an detailed layouts for the area and period dred. They must be seen as an approxi- overview of the overall population and in question. The numbers are those cal- mation still and treated accordingly. urbanization structure for Eriador and culated with the formula mentioned The key data for the demographics is settlements mentioned in this article. In above and rounded to the nearest hun- shown in the Table 3 below. the section for each era, you’ll get more

Table 3: Overview of total Eriadorian population figures throughout the Third Age area (km2) population number of towns/cities with inhabitants

overall lightly densely in rural density up to 2,501- 5,001- era settled settled total areas in cities total (per km2) 2,500 5,000 10,000 10,001+ total TA 250 475,100 232,100 707,200 4,744,100 437,200 5,181,300 7.33 24 72 12 2 110 TA 1400 363,400 230,200 593,600 4,634,700 429,700 5,064,400 8.53 22 81 10 2 115 TA 1640 259,000 128,400 387,400 2,467,600 205,900 2,673,500 6.90 48 28 2 1 79 TA 1974 233,900 118,700 352,600 2,252,300 210,200 2,462,500 6.98 57 29 2 0 88 TA 2740 63,100 27,800 90,900 648,200 63,000 711,200 7.82 53 3 0 0 56 TA 2915+ 36,200 22,100 58,300 490,800 46,700 537,500 9.22 31 0 0 0 31

58 Issue 13, March 2012 TA 250 that at the time of The Hobbit and The To represent the supposedly rela- Lord of the Rings, the Breeland area was tively low population of Arnor I chose Most of their [the Hobbits’] earlier less populated than in former times. This rather high averages for “wild” and settlements had long disappeared and coincides well with its strategic location “waste” areas, relative low yields and been forgotten in Bilbo’s time; but one along the most important crossroads in fairly low densities. Together these fac- of the first to become important still Eriador, suggesting a sizeable population tors result in acceptable population fig- endured, though reduced in size; this in times when there was much more ures for Eriador. was at Bree and in the Chetwood that traffic due to a general habitation of In this time, the territories of the lay round about, some forty miles east Eriador by men. of the Shire. future Arthedain, Cardolan and Rhudaur The 250 years since the end of the are not identical with the internal Arno- —The Lord of the Rings.Prologue War of the Last Alliance should be rian fiefdoms, since there were some enough time to recover from the after- changes when Arnor split. The quote above holds crucial infor- math of the war, but there was no fur- Map 4 below shows the internal po- mation, i.e. the changing size of settle- ther growth and the numbers might re- litical division of the realm, while Map ments (here Bree and environs) as well as flect the state of those before the con- 11 depicts the urbanization in this pe- the fact that former settlements have flict. It should be around this time that riod. indeed disappeared, thus reflecting the the realm reaches its demographic peak The key demographic data can be change of demographics. It also tells us in the Third Age. seen in the Table 3 on the previous page.

Map 4: Fiefdoms and Provinces TA 250

59 Other Minds Magazine Arnor Age) is one of the most central and where Elendil awaited Gil-galad’s arrival Eketya densely settled regions of the North for the Last Alliance and which holds the Kingdom. It is administered by the king chief of the northern palantíri. Its most This fiefdom is ruled by the powerful directly. The enclave of Annúminas densely settled lands are found along and Eketya family. Its origin is as the terri- within Tarmëan lands belongs to the Nan south of the Great East Road. tory of one of Elendil’s great captains Túrath. It also includes the Tyrn Hód- Faerdor and has a long military tradition. It com- hath, the ancient burial grounds of the This province along the upper mands the north-westernmost area of kings and their edainic ancestors. Eleven Gwathló and southern Tyrn Hyarmen is Arnor, keeping contacts with the Foro- cities can be found within its borders. chel area as well as with the remaining a prosperous region with the population Dwarves in the north of the Blue Moun- Sûza Aran (Shire) concentrated in the Gwathló basin. Five tains. The fief harbours six towns. The territory of the future hobbitish cities can be found in Faerdor. Many Noirinanya Shire is a royal domain, dotted with people of Marachian descent make their well-tended lands, though the population home here. Their lords came here even The Noirin family is one of the clos- density is not very high. Only three cities before Elendil escaped the destruction of est to the throne, even though they had are found within its borders. Númenor. already settled in this land around SA 2950, when persecution of the Faithful Siragalë Minhiriath was already strong. Traditionally, they This southwestern fief of Arnor is This central province is named after lean toward a less martial and more phi- among the least settled of the realm. Its the region it is located in. Its strategic losophical policy, preferring the occa- pleasant lands are often traversed by location along the Great Road to Thar- sional company of the Eldar and preserv- Wandering Companies and include sev- bad makes it a wealthy and well-tended ing the old Númenórean virtues. Their eral places where the Elves have semi- one. This is another province run by a territory is home to fertile and well- permanent dwellings. In addition, it governor appointed by the king. Six cit- ordered lands graced by seven cities and keeps close ties with the Dwarves of the ies are found here. towns. southern Blue Mountains. The domain is Dol Caladir ruled by the Orro family which arrived Tarmëa A rich province along the middle with Elendil. Only two mannish cities Gwathló, south of Tharbad. Five major The Tarmëa family, like their rivals can be found in this fief. the Eketya, are of the more pragmatic settlements can be found here. It is ad- faction within the Númenórean nobility. Sarn Athrad ministered by House Caladir, a family of They favour a strong and powerful policy The principality of Sarn Athrad com- Númenórean settlers that pre-dated of rule over the “lesser” people and per- mands the most important road into Elendil’s arrival. sist among the most renowned military western Arnor. Therefore it is a well-off Ethir Gwathló land with many people and harbours four contingents of the realm. They are de- This is one of the two most populous cities. It is ruled by the Emerya family scended from one of Elendil’s ship cap- provinces in southern Arnor. It com- which originated from Númenórean set- tains. Their territory contains six towns. mands the lower Gwathló and is home to tlers that arrived here in the 32nd century Rammas Forn seven cities. Its lords come from of the Second Age. A bridge was built at Númenórean settlers that arrived here in The province of Rammas Forn is held this river-crossing in SA 3330, and that the 29th century of the Second Age. by the Foro family, one of Elendil’s clos- lasted almost the entire Third Age. est supporters that arrived with him in Girithlin Hyarromenya Middle-earth. Their territory guards the Girithlin—ruled by the family of the This fief, nestled between the Baran- majority of the northern border of Ar- same name—is among the strongest and duin river and the Blue Mountains, is one nor. Though the biggest territory of the most populous of Arnor’s noble territo- of Arnor’s lesser regions. Though few, Arnorian fiefs, it is very sparsely settled. ries. The Girithlins were among its lords of the Hyarromenya family have Accordingly, only four towns are found Elendil’s most loyal but also militant a reputation as one of Arnor’s finest in it. supporters from the already established Faithful. They came with Elendil to this Nan Túrath Númenórean lordships. Since then, they land. Only two cities can be found in this have become more independent-minded The Nan Túrath (so called as it in- province. cludes the sites of Númenórean victories lords. Situated along the lower Baran- in the war against Sauron in the Second Emyn Sûl duin, it has a strong population and thir- Age—and later Angmar in the Third Another royal domain, the Emyn Sûl teen cities can be found within its bor- province is of great importance, since it ders. 60 commands the tower of Amon Sûl, Issue 13, March 2012 Dyr Maenason Hithaeglir Dor-en-Egladil The southern province bearing the The southern Misty Mountains prov- The “Land of the Elf-point”, or com- name of the Maenas family lies in east- ince is hardly more populated than its monly called “The Angle” is the most central Arnor. The ruling family stems northern neighbour. Only the existence densely populated region in eastern Ar- from Faithful that came with Elendil over of several rich mines’ revenues within its nor. It is ruled by the House of Melossë, the Sea. Along the Gwathló and Mithei- borders give it a greater importance. descended from the captain of one of thel, sizeable communities can be found. Two small cities are the centers of this Elendil’s ships. Four small and medium- The land west of it is relatively empty fief ruled by a family that arrived in Mid- sized cities can be found here. st indeed though. Three cities of moderate dle-earth in the 31 century of the Sec- size can be found within the borders of ond Age. The following Table 4 summarizes this fief. Cameth Brin the various fiefs and provinces of the Dyr Erib This is one of the two most populous realm in TA 250, together with their The province bearing the name of regions in eastern Arnor. The fief is ad- ruling families. “Lone Lands” is quite lonely throughout ministered by a royal governor—the the Númenórean rule. Even though four only one in eastern Arnor. Its capital, small cities are found here, the overall Cameth Brin, is the biggest city in the population density is quite low— whole of eastern Arnor. Altogether, especially for a region lying not on the three cities can be found in the province. fringe of Northern Realm. Its lords come from Númenórean Faithful that emi- grated under Ar-Gimilzôr’s persecu- Table 4: Supposed origin of Ruling Dúnadan Houses tions. settled in Eriador # fief/province ruled by pre-Akallabêth post-Akallabêth Dyr Eldanaryon 1 Eketya Noble House (Eketya) × The “Eldanar Lands” are among the 2 Noirinanaya Noble House (Noirinin) × wildest fiefs of all of Arnor. Even though 3 Tarmëa Noble House (Tarma) × a large province by area, it is only lightly 4 Rammas Forn Noble House (Foro) × settled. The Eldanar family belonged to 5 Nan Túrath Royal Province Elendil’s companions when he returned 6 Sûza Aran Royal Province to Middle-earth. Most of its inhabitants 7 Siragalë Noble House (Orro) × live in the northern part, the indigenous 8 Sarn Athrad Noble House (Emerya) × “Bórian” people—the original inhabitants 9 Hyarromenya Noble House (Hyarromenyar) × 10 Emyn Sûl Royal Province of this area that later is the core of Ang- 11 Faerdor Noble House (Galathir) × mar. The Dúnadan grip on the territory 12 Minhiriath Royal Province is light and Minas Eldanaryaron—the 13 Dol Caladir Noble House (Caladir) × ruling family’s seat—marks the limit of 14 Ethir Gwathló Noble House (Gunion) × Dúnadan settlement. The influence in 15 Girithlin Noble House (Girithlin) × the northern areas is modest at best, 16 Dyr Maenason Noble House (Bengoth) × even though the people do not rebel 17 Dyr Erib Noble House (Denelaith) × against their rarely-seen lords. Five mod- 18 Dyr Eldanaryon Noble House (Eldanar) × est cities dot the area of this fief. 19 Hithaeglir Forn Noble House (Húnen) × 20 Hithaeglir Harad Noble House (Endril) × Hithaeglir Forn 21 Cameth Brin Royal Province This is a true frontier province, al- 22 Dor-en-Egladil Noble House (Melossë) × most empty of men and with a very light impact of Númenórean overlordship. The ruling Dúnadan family stems from settlers pre-dating the Akallabêth. Two small cities can be found here, and only in the southern part of the fief.

61 Other Minds Magazine Urban Centers

Map 5: Urbanization in TA 250

Notes to Table 5 on the next page 1. The river crossing between the principal cities (and the accompanying traffic) in Arthedain would be very likely to give rise to a city, rather than the small village mentioned in [3]. 2. Such an important site (the river crossing of the Great East Road) is very likely to harbour a city. It opens the opportunity to collect bridge tax, a very important source of income for any lord or other authority. 3. Again, like at Iant Baranduin this important crossing is very likely to give rise to the development of a large settlement. During the time of Arnor/Arthedain there might even be a bridge present. Tolkien mentions this site only during times before or after Arnorian rule (during the War of the Elves and Sauron in UT and in LotR respectively). Being an important river crossing for a major trade route a bridge is very likely to be built by Arnor. After the fall of Arthedain the bridge could have been destroyed or fallen into disrepair and eventually collapsed such that by the time of LotR there is again only a ford. 4. This city is also the regional center for the fortress of Amon Sûl. The latter, being a big fortress, has need of many services only a city can offer and a Cardolanian city filling this role fits very well with the complicated politics concerning the possession of Amon Sûl (the main source of strife among the Sister Kingdoms). It also strengthens the relations between the realms and introduces a believable economical and social background for an otherwise lonely, big fortress. 62 Issue 13, March 2012 Table 5: Urban centers in TA 250 # Settlement Province/Fief Population Note # Map # # Settlement Province/Fief Population Note # Map # 1 Bareketta (Mar Eketyaron) Eketya 5,300 Ek1 56 Bondor Dyr Maenason 3,200 DEH1 2 Arading Eketya 3,700 Ek2 57 Erenir Dyr Maenason 3,100 DEH2 3 Bodroth Eketya 4,200 Ek3 58 Faelond Dyr Maenason 3,200 DEH3 4 Faranel Eketya 3,900 Ek4 59 Mistalondë/Sudúri Ethir Gwathlo 9,600 EG1 5 Anglas Eketya 2,700 Ek5 60 Amlolas Ethir Gwathlo 5,100 EG2 6 Gwaelin Eketya 2,400 Ek6 61 Bregnas Ethir Gwathlo 4,400 EG3 7 Nielros Emyn Sûl 2,800 ES4 62 Cathiel Ethir Gwathlo 4,200 EG4 8 Mirion Emyn Sûl 2,300 ES5 63 Dirdabor Ethir Gwathlo 3,600 EG5 9 Bree Emyn Sûl 3,800 ES1 64 Amrelor Ethir Gwathlo 3,800 EG6 10 Minas Malloth Emyn Sûl 3,500 4 ES2 65 Hangireth Ethir Gwathlo 2,300 EG7 11 Andrath Emyn Sûl 4,300 ES3 66 Aspar Faerdor 3,900 Fa1 12 Minas Hyarrómenyaron Hyarromenya 4,200 Hy1 67 Dinach Faerdor 3,600 Fa2 13 Oromruin Hyarromenya 3,600 Hy2 68 Filimer Faerdor 3,200 Fa3 14 Annúminas Nan Túrath 14,200 NT1 69 Gundiok Faerdor 2,500 Fa4 15 Fornost Erain Nan Túrath 8,000 NT2 70 Nidada Faerdor 2,800 Fa5 16 Aradhras (Kingscrag) Nan Túrath 5,200 NT3 71 Minas Girithlin Girithlin 7,200 Gi1 17 Athilin Nan Túrath 4,600 NT4 72 Angoth Girithlin 3,800 Gi2 18 Anglor Nan Túrath 4,500 NT5 73 Annithir Girithlin 3,300 Gi3 19 Barad Garan Nan Túrath 3,700 NT6 74 Annon Baran Girithlin 6,300 Gi4 20 Endroth Nan Túrath 5,400 NT7 75 Balost Girithlin 5,500 Gi5 21 Fanduin Nan Túrath 4,300 NT8 76 Caranthel Girithlin 4,400 Gi06 22 Andrin Nan Túrath 4,700 NT9 77 Cithiel Girithlin 4,600 Gi7 23 Ganderch Nan Túrath 3,800 NT10 78 Cithrenor Girithlin 4,700 Gi8 24 Maegoth Nan Túrath 2,200 NT11 79 Forondir Girithlin 4,200 Gi9 25 Ambon Noirinanyaron Noirinanya 4,900 No1 80 Galathlilval Girithlin 3,900 Gi10 26 Nirthiach Noirinanya 4,200 No2 81 Redhel Girithlin 3,100 Gi11 27 Nelvorin Noirinanya 3,700 No3 82 Herwen Girithlin 2,800 Gi12 28 Nothros Noirinanya 4,300 No4 83 Althil Girithlin 3,300 Gi13 29 Caras Celairnen Noirinanya 4,200 No5 84 Tharbad Minhiriath 25,000 Mi1 30 Bauruin Noirinanya 2,100 No6 85 Arading Minhiriath 4,400 Mi2 31 Lelmoth Noirinanya 2,200 No7 86 Mathlor Minhiriath 4,600 Mi3 32 Cerin Balgrist Rammas Forn 3,600 RF1 87 Metraith (Thalion) Minhiriath 9,400 Mi4 33 Ardum Rammas Forn 3,400 RF2 88 Adandor Minhiriath 2,200 Mi5 34 Heleb Rammas Forn 3,800 RF3 89 Edras Minhiriath 2,400 Mi6 35 Maenthiros Rammas Forn 3,500 RF4 90 Cameth Brin Cameth Brin 5,200 CB1 36 Iach Sarn/Stonehill Sarn Athrad 4,000 3 SA1 91 Enfrivin Cameth Brin 2,400 CB2 37 Minas Ongoth Sarn Athrad 3,100 SA2 92 Girail Cameth Brin 1,900 CB3 38 Nelval Sarn Athrad 3,400 SA3 93 Fennas Drunin Dor-en Egladil 3,200 DeE1 39 Enerond Sarn Athrad 2,000 SA4 94 Thuin Boid Dor-en Egladil 2,900 DeE2 40 Edhelas Siragalë 3,000 Si1 95 Gwahilmoth Dor-en Egladil 3,900 DeE3 41 Endrist Siragalë 3,100 Si2 96 Minas Brethil Dor-en Egladil 4,100 DeE4 42 Iant Baranduin Sûza Aran 2,100 2 SûA1 97 Udandir Dor-en Egladil 3,500 DeE5 43 Nirmolian Sûza Aran 2,000 SûA2 98 Minas Eldanaryaron Dyr Eldanaryon 3,000 DE1 44 Firaen Sûza Aran 1,500 SûA3 99 Dulaich Dyr Eldanaryon 3,100 DE2 45 Mar Tarmëaron (Tarmabar) Tarmëa 5,300 Ta1 100 Kereic Dyr Eldanaryon 2,300 DE3 46 Enerond Tarmëa 3,900 Ta3 101 Crudu Dyr Eldanaryon 2,500 DE4 47 Rood/Rhovanduin Tarmëa 4,200 1 Ta4 102 Arnaro Dyr Eldanaryon 2,300 DE5 48 Cargilin Tarmëa 3,300 Ta5 103 Iant Methed Dyr Erib 2,800 DEF1 49 Orchelor Tarmëa 1,800 Ta6 104 Brildil Dyr Erib 2,500 DEF2 50 Dúragar Tarmëa 4,100 Ta2 105 Ardum Dyr Erib 2,600 DEF3 51 Argond Dol Caladir 4,000 DC1 106 Agand Dyr Erib 2,400 DEF4 52 Benglaras Dol Caladir 3,500 DC2 107 Helegnel Hithaeglir Forn 1,400 HF1 53 Dongril Dol Caladir 4,600 DC3 108 Broig Hithaeglir Forn 3,900 HF2 54 Fangoth Dol Caladir 3,200 DC4 109 Idoch Hithaeglir Harad 2,400 HH1 55 Geleborn Dol Caladir 3,000 DC5 110 Wrech Hithaeglir Harad 2,500 HH2 63 Other Minds Magazine TA 861 realm, its kings were probably always Faerdor – ceded some territory to looking for potential support. For this Tyrn Hódhath For this period no demographic data reason, they were from the beginning is provided. It is only included for the Minhiriath – ceded some terri- interested in good relations with the reference of the new borders after the tory to Tyrn Hódhath. Minhiriath is people north of their realm as well as the split of the kingdom. In most cases, the the only territory held and con- Anduin vales beyond the Hithaeglir. Due former fiefs have been incorporated fully trolled directly by the king. This to the favourable start (in granting them into one of the new realms, but for a few gives him a weaker position than his independence), relations with the borders that have changed. One impor- Arthadan counterpart, who directly “Bórians” in the North were probably tant change took place in the North-east, controls a much higher percentage quite good overall. This would later play near to the new realm of Rhudaur as of his own realm. an important role, especially during and reported by Tolkien: Dol Caladir after the rise of Angmar. Ethir Gwathló Rhudaur was in the North-east and Map 6 on the following page depicts lay between the Ettenmoors, the the political division after the breakup of Girithlin – its rulers were among Weather Hills, and the Misty Moun- Arnor. the most vocal in support of the tains, but included also the Angle be- secession, thereby increasing their tween the Hoarwell and the Loudwater. Arthedain own influence in the now smaller The new realm incorporates the fol- —The Lord of the Rings. kingdom. lowing fiefs. Where applicable, changes Appendix A are noted. Eketya Rhudaur The smallest of the successor king- As we have seen above, at its height Rammas Forn Arnor reached unto the Misty Moun- doms comprises the following fiefs: Noirinanya tains—presumably even in the Far Dyr Eldanarion – exchanged a North—but now Rhudaur’s northern Tarmëa – Royal Annúminas en- few areas with Rammas Forn. It lost border ends at the Ettenmoors, south of clave added to its territory a good part of its densely populated the more southerly of the westward Nan Túrath – see Tarmëa for An- areas to the indigenous people to spurs of the Misty Mountains. We have núminas, Bree area added from the north who became independent to find a solution for Rhudaur not inher- Emyn Sûl themselves. iting all of Arnor’s north-eastern lands. Emyn Sûl – territory south of the Dún Glandagol – the former Dyr In my opinion, the most logical solu- Great East Road ceded to Cardolan, Erib. It lost a small part of its terri- tion is a further secession. The “bórian” Bree area ceded to Nan Túrath tory to Cardolan. Renamed to sepa- people of the future Angmar (see Other Sûza Aran rate themselves from the Cardolani Minds, Issue 7 for more information on hírdor of (now) Dyr Erib and estab- Siragalë these people) were even at Arnor’s lish their own identity Sarn Athrad height only lightly under Númenórean Cameth Brin – the royal domain control. Now, with a split and strife be- Hyarromenya of the Rhudaurian king. tween the Númenórean lords, these local lords took advantage of the situation. Cardolan Hithaeglir Forn – similar to the Perhaps they approached the future Rhu- This successor realm of Arnor has the Eldanar lands, it lost a great part of daurian king with the offer of supporting following fiefs. Changes to TA 250 are its territory, leaving the remainder him strongly in the still undecided seces- noted accordingly. crippled. sion from Arnor (thus giving him a Tyrn Hódhath – a newly created Hithaeglir Harad greater weight for his demands), but in hírdor from parts of former Nan Dor-en-Egladil return they demanded independence Túrath, Emyn Sûl, Faerdor and from the new realm. Seeing the relative Minhiriath weakness of the eastern lands, the future Dyr Erib – mostly unchanged from Rhudaurian king and its other lords there Dyr Maenason, but named was agreed. Thus when Rhudaur became a changed to emphasize claims to the separate realm, so did his temporary old Dyr Erib lands. Also gained a supporters in the north. Due to the fact little territory from Dyr Erib south that Rhudaur was the weakest successor of the Great East Road 64 Issue 13, March 2012

Map 6: Fiefdoms and Provinces TA 861

65 Other Minds Magazine TA 1400 Table 6: Overview of population figures in TA 1400 area (km2) population number of towns/cities with inhabitants overall lightly densely in rural density up to 2,501- 5,001- era settled settled total areas in cities total (per km2) 2,500 5,000 10,000 10,001+ total Arthedain 163,500 94,100 257,600 1,757,400 162,200 1,919,600 7.45 8 33 2 1 44 Cardolan 97,800 91,200 189,000 2,033,900 185,400 2,219,300 11.74 2 31 7 1 41 Dor-en-Egladil 9,600 4,900 14,500 131,500 13,100 144,600 9.99 1 3 0 0 4 Rhudaur 48,200 8,800 56,900 269,100 26,800 295,900 5.20 5 4 1 0 10 Angmar 44,300 31,200 75,600 442,800 42,200 485,000 6.42 6 10 0 0 16

Table 6 above shows the supposed dain in their petty wars. Additionally Map 7 on the next page shows the population patterns throughout the Angmar has begun to show its influence political division of the Eriadorian realms northern realms in TA 1400. through the Witch-king’s manipulation in this era. In this period the population numbers of the climate and the first great war The individual realms and their pecu- have dropped already as Arnor has split, from TA 1352-59. The demographic liarities are decribed in detail on the fol- with the resulting waning of the Dúne- situation is still relatively intact though. lowing pages.

“Then Ilúvatar said to them: 'Of the theme that I have declared to you, I will now that ye make in harmony to- gether a Great Music. And since I have kindled you with the Flame Imperishable, ye shall show forth your powers in adorning this theme, each with his own thoughts and devices, if he will. But I will sit and hearken, and be glad that through you great beauty has been wakened into song.'” - Ainulindalë (The Music of the Ainur) The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien Listen to music by the many musicians around the world inspired by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. Middle-earth Radio make available four different Internet radio streams dedicated to the audio and music inspired by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. You can tune in 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from anywhere in the world where you have an Internet connec- tion, with your favorite streaming media player. And when you hear a piece of music you like, be sure to support the musicians by purchasing their music (if ap- plicable). See the lengthy list of inspired music at the Tolkien Music website: www.tolkien-music.com Tune in today and listen at: www.middle-earthradio.com

66 Issue 13, March 2012

Map 7: Fiefdoms and Provinces TA 1400

67 Other Minds Magazine Arthedain Emyn Sûl Sûza Aran (Shire) Arthedain has already suffered from These lands have suffered the most in This fief of the king has seen much the decline of the northern Dúnedain but the past five centuries. They have been better times. A lot of people have re- still stands strong. The internecine war- the scene of many of the battles of the located to other parts of the realm and fare with Cardolan and Rhudaur after the sister kingdoms as well as the First the population is dwindling fast. Two division of Arnor and lately the rise of Northern War with Angmar. Three small towns are all that remain of the Angmar with the slow worsening of the towns and cities are the remnants of its urban centers here. climate in Eriador caused the population urban communities. Siragalë to fall slightly. The population and ur- Noirinanya Here little changes took place. The banization has decreased noticeably, but The decline in the relatively stable wars of the past five centuries have been this process took place early after the Noirinanya fief has been limited and six far away and the fief’s two cities are es- split of Arnor and since then the demo- cities still dot the landscape here. sentially unchanged. graphic trends have remained relatively stable. Tarmëa The following quote contains some This fief has prof- ited from the incor- Table 7: Urban centers in Arthedain TA 1400 indirect information about a part of # Settlement Province/Fief Population Notes Map # Arthedain: the later Shire: poration of the for- 1 Bareketta (Mar Eketyaron) Eketya 4,900 Ek1 mal royal enclave 2 Arading Eketya 3,400 Ek2 The land [The Shire-to-be] was rich around Annúminas, 3 Bodroth Eketya 3,600 Ek3 4 Faranel Eketya 3,000 Ek4 and kindly, and though it had long and therefore its 5 Rildolach Eketya 1,000 Ek7 been deserted when they [the Hobbits] population has even 6 Nielros Emyn Sûl 2,500 ES4 entered it… increased. Seven 7 Mirion Emyn Sûl 2,300 ES5 cities are now 8 Arduin Emyn Sûl 1,600 ES7 —The Lord of the Rings.Prologue 9 Minas Hyarrómenyaron Hyarromenya 3,400 Hy1 counted within its 10 Oromruin Hyarromenya 3,800 Hy2 borders. 11 Fornost Erain Nan Túrath 14,500 NT2 We have to consider the approximate 12 Aradhras (Kingscrag) Nan Túrath 5,500 NT3 timeframe of this “long” desertion of the Rammas Forn 13 Athilin Nan Túrath 4,400 NT4 future Shire. I think it reasonable to con- The Foro family 14 Anglor Nan Túrath 4,300 NT5 nect it with the war of TA 1409, when has fared badly in the 15 Barad Garan Nan Túrath 3,500 NT6 16 Endroth Nan Túrath 5,200 NT7 Angmarean hordes ravaged it, perhaps past decades. In par- 17 Fanduin Nan Túrath 4,100 NT8 followed by pestilences and famine. Thus ticular, the rise of 18 Andrin Nan Túrath 4,500 NT9 this “emptiness” of the area is not repre- Angmar has led to 19 Ganderch Nan Túrath 3,600 NT10 20 Maegoth Nan Túrath 2,900 NT11 sented on the maps in this article, which great territorial 21 Bree Nan Túrath 4,600 NT12 depict times before (pre-TA 1400) and losses. Since these 22 Ambon Noirinanyaron Noirinanya 4,700 No1 after (post-TA 1601) this period of deso- territories were 23 Nelvorin Noirinanya 3,500 No3 lation. 24 Nothros Noirinanya 4,200 No4 mostly lightly set- 25 Caras Celairnen Noirinanya 4,000 1 No5 The number of Dúnedain has percep- tled, the number of 26 Bauruin Noirinanya 3,100 No6 tibly dropped since TA 250. Through people has not de- 27 Lelmoth Noirinanya 3,300 No7 clined to the same 28 Cerin Balgrist Rammas Forn 3,700 RF1 immigration of exiled Rhudaurian 29 Thaendor Rammas Forn 3,200 RF4 Númenóreans this decline has been mod- extent. Two cities 30 Iant Baranduin Sûza Aran 1,000 SûA1 erated and the percentage of Dúnedain still exist in these 31 Nirmolian Sûza Aran 1,200 SûA2 remained relatively stable. lands. 32 Annúminas Tarmëa 2,500 Ta7 33 Mar Tarmëaron (Tarmabar) Tarmëa 4,700 Ta1 Eketya Nan Túrath 34 Enerond Tarmëa 3,700 Ta3 The core terri- 35 Rood/Rhovanduin Tarmëa 3,500 Ta4 The Eketya lands have shrunken con- 36 Cargilin Tarmëa 3,100 Ta5 siderably. The reduction of territory is tory of the Arthadan 37 Orchelor Tarmëa 2,700 Ta6 entirely due to the losses of little-settled king has fared quite 38 Dúragar Tarmëa 3,700 Ta2 well in the years 39 Iach Sarn/Stonehill Sarn Athrad 4,800 SA1 lands in the north. Accordingly, the 40 Minas Ongoth Sarn Athrad 3,200 SA2 demographic impact has been small. The since the unity of 41 Nelval Sarn Athrad 3,600 SA3 immediate contact with the northern Arnor and the parti- 42 Enerond Sarn Athrad 2,100 SA4 Dwarves has been lost though. Five cities tion in TA 861, and 43 Edhelas Siragalë 2,600 Si1 44 Endrist Siragalë 3,600 Si2 still exist in this fief. still is home to eleven cities. The notes to Table 7 can be found on the next page. 68 Issue 13, March 2012 Sarn Athrad Hyarromenya No changes in territory or number of Similar to the other “southern” fiefs, cities has occurred here. Four towns and the situation has been quite stable. Two cities are still the urban part here. towns represent the continued urban tradition here.

Urban Centers

The Map 8 to the right shows the urbanization of Arthedain in TA 1400 with the other areas grayed out for differentiation. The numbers correspond directly with those in Table 7 on the pre- vious page.

Map 8: Urbanization in Arthedain TA 1400

Notes to Table 7 on previous page 1. Commanding a favorable position on the Lune and ostensibly being Arthedain’s prime harbour, Caras Celairnen seems a bit under- populated with the ICE number of 1,500 people. I therefore propose to radically upgrade the population to reflect the important role this settlement has in western Arthedain (lying at the junction between dwarvish, elvish and mannish realms/settlements). It is not a major port due to the Lindon Elves’ refusal to allow the traffic of a great port to pass through their lands (see [4] for details) but it should serve as the principal center of commerce and im-/export for western Arthedain just as Tharbad does for Cardolan and Enedwaith (though Caras Celairnen operates on a much smaller scale of course). 69 Other Minds Magazine Cardolan prince (already not of Isildur’s direct He [Aragorn] hurried off and disap- Cardolan has fared better than line, but perhaps a distant cadet branch peared again into the darkness. Arthedain in demographic terms (not not deemed of the necessary purity for [...] The night passed slowly and necessarily political, see MERP’s Arnor kingship by Arthedain) accepted Arge- wearily. Dawn was growing in the sky, books for suggestions how this can be leb’s claim, becoming his vassal and de and the dell was filling with grey light, envisioned). The population is still iure subordinate, but de facto still ruling when Strider at last returned. strong and the better soil quality and Cardolan as a separate realm, even if he [...] ‘These leaves,’ he said, ‘I have greater distance from Angmar has miti- recognized Argeleb as overlord. walked far to find; for this plant does gated the Witch-king’s influence on agri- The political situation at the time not grow in the bare hills; but in the thickets away south of the Road I found cultural yield (the central factor for might not have allowed closer re- it in the dark by the scent of its population development). Even more integration, and later events precluded leaves.’ [...] Athelas they named it, and Dúnedain from Rhudaur went to Cardo- any further—even partial—Arnorian re- unification. The situation probably it grows now sparsely and only near lan than to Arthedain and accordingly places where they [the Dúnedain] dwelt looked very favorable for Argeleb: Car- their percentage within the population or camped of old [...] remained stable; similar to Arthedain. dolan—the stronger and better re- sourced sister-kingdom by far—accepted ―The Lord of the Rings. There’s an interesting sidenote by Flight to the Ford Tolkien, shedding some new light on the his overlordship, and only the weak Rhu- political situation at this time: daur with a new—non-Dúnadan—king Since Aragorn was away for a few resisted. The expulsion of the Dúnedain hours at most, he cannot have gone too In the days of Argeleb [r. 1349-56] alone would have been a cause—not to far to find the athelas. Therefore I deem son of Malvegil, since no descendants of speak of a pretext—for war. The Angle it appropriate to place the Dúnedain’s Isildur remained in the other kingdoms, supposedly defies the Rhudaurian king as dwellings south of the Road, near the the kings of Arthedain again claimed well, and only the relatively new and— above mentioned thickets in the vicinity the lordship of all Arnor. The claim was presumably—weak realm of Angmar resisted by Rhudaur. of Amon Sûl. This also elegantly solves might side with Rhudaur. This arrange- the question how the tower and fortress ―The Lord of the Rings. ment probably led Argeleb to the con- were supported when the Emyn Sûl Appendix A clusion that the time was ripe for a final were never settled. re-unification of Arnor under This provides some very interesting Arthedain’s leadership. As it turned out, Faerdor information. First we see that Rhudaur is history took a quite different path No territorial changes happened explicitly named as the single enemy though. here, though the wars since the division while Angmar is remarkably not named. Due to this “semi-independence” of of Arnor have left some marks. Its five This might be because of a perceived Cardolan since Argeleb’s claim ca. 50 towns and cities still stand. “domestic affair” among the successor years ago, the political map for TA 1400 Minhiriath realms. It was then only in the ensuing has Cardolan hatched to show its special war that Angmar featured prominently Similar to Faerdor, the demography political status with respect to Arthedain. is relatively intact. Even the troubles of as a supporter of Rhudaur. The most th important part is about the claim of Tyrn Hódhath the 13 century have been overcome and Argeleb though. It is pointed out that This hírdor is still among the strongest four towns and cities can still be found only Rhudaur resisted the claim. The in Cardolan. Its control of the sacred here. conspicuous absence of Cardolan among Tyrn Hódhath as well as the central part the “resisters” immediately suggests that of the Great East Road and the North this realm accepted the claim. Since we Road still makes it a strong fief. Six know that there was a “prince” of Cardo- towns and cities remain within its bor- lan (indicating a lord of lesser status, but ders. still a ruler), who fell in the war of 1409, Its territory south of the Great East we have a problem though. If the realm Road is later to be of crucial importance. would have been incorporated again into It is what Aragorn refers to when he col- a partially reunited Arnor, there would lected athelas to treat Frodo’s wound on be no need for a separate “prince”. This Weathertop: might be resolved by devising an inter- mediate solution: The Cardolanian 70 Issue 13, March 2012 Dol Caladir Girithlin Dyr Erib Similar to Minhiriath, Dol Caladir’s The only one of the southern fiefs to This fief certainly has suffered the demography is basically intact, and the have suffered noticeably is Girithlin. most from the previous wars. After the number of towns and cities is still at five. Some of the most intense fighting in the civil war of the 13th century, its original th Ethir Gwathló civil war of the 13 century (an added family deposed [14], the name changed event not mentioned by Tolkien) took as well, taking over the label of the old The hírdor has been relatively un- place here, and in addition a small epi- Rhudaurian province (and thereby mak- touched by the past troubles, its demog- demic struck it in the early 14th century. ing a claim to these lands). Never popu- raphy intact, and with seven towns and But still it is the strongest of the Cardo- lous to start with, it suffered loss of ter- cities within its borders. lanian hírdor, with twelve towns and cit- ritory, as well as some of the most in- ies dotting the landscape. tense fighting in the war almost 50 years ago. Only two cities remain here.

Map 9 to the left shows the urbanization of Cardo- lan. Table 8 containing the corresponding names and numbers can be found on the next page.

Map 9: Urbanization in Cardolan TA 1400 71 Other Minds Magazine

Table 8: Urban centers in Cardolan TA 1400 # Settlement Province/Fief Population Notes Map # # Settlement Province/Fief Population Notes Map # 1 Andrath Tyrn Hódhath 7,200 TH1 22 Geleborn Dol Caladir 3,400 DC5 2 Minas Malloth Tyrn Hódhath 5,200 TH2 23 Mistalondë/Sudúri Ethir Gwathlo 9,800 EG1 3 Ningliras Tyrn Hódhath 4,300 TH3 24 Amlolas Ethir Gwathlo 5,400 EG2 4 Iarond Tyrn Hódhath 3,800 TH4 25 Bregnas Ethir Gwathlo 4,200 EG3 5 Helegnel Tyrn Hódhath 4,700 TH5 26 Cathiel Ethir Gwathlo 4,100 EG4 6 Ilfin Tyrn Hódhath 2,000 TH6 27 Dirdabor Ethir Gwathlo 3,900 EG5 7 Bondor Dyr Erib 2,600 DE1 28 Amrelor Ethir Gwathlo 3,800 EG6 8 Faelond Dyr Erib 3,000 DE2 29 Hangireth Ethir Gwathlo 2,700 EG7 9 Aspar Faerdor 3,900 Fa1 30 Minas Girithlin Girithlin 6,400 Gi1 10 Dinach Faerdor 3,500 Fa2 31 Angoth Girithlin 3,600 Gi2 11 Filimer Faerdor 3,100 Fa3 32 Annithir Girithlin 3,100 Gi3 12 Gundiok Faerdor 2,500 Fa4 33 Annon Baran Girithlin 4,000 Gi4 13 Nidada Faerdor 2,800 Fa5 34 Balost Girithlin 5,200 Gi5 14 Tharbad Minhiriath 20,800 Mi1 35 Caranthel Girithlin 4,900 Gi6 15 Mathlor Minhiriath 3,300 Mi3 36 Cithiel Girithlin 3,800 Gi7 16 Metraith (Thalion) Minhiriath 7,100 Mi4 37 Cithrenor Girithlin 3,900 Gi8 17 Edras Minhiriath 3,100 Mi6 38 Forondir Girithlin 4,100 Gi9 18 Argond Dol Caladir 4,100 DC1 39 Galathlilval Girithlin 3,400 Gi10 19 Benglaras Dol Caladir 3,000 DC2 40 Redhel Girithlin 3,900 Gi11 20 Dongril Dol Caladir 3,800 DC3 41 Althil Girithlin 4,200 Gi13 21 Fangoth Dol Caladir 3,600 DC4

72 Issue 13, March 2012 Rhudaur Tegwared Dor-en-Egladil The smallest and least powerful of The former fief of Dún Glandagol has This fief is the only one which still the three successor realms has seen an been renamed to Tegwared. It also has has a Dúnadan lord, and it renounced its even more marked decline than its for- lost much of its territory, but its strategic allegiance to the king in Cameth Brin in mer sister kingdoms. Notably the con- location as a staging ground for western TA 1352 when Rhudaur rejected Arge- flicts with Arthedain and Cardolan have campaigns still gives it enough political leb’s claim that was deemed justified by depleted the realm’s limited resources. weight. Two towns/cities remain within its ruling House Melossë. In this strug- The rise of Angmar in the late 13th cen- its borders. gle, it is supported by Cardolan (and tury at first looked only like a re- Ceredigion especially the lords of the northern hír- dor), which has a great interest in keeping structuring of the old “bórian” lordships, This new fief was formed of parts of this status quo or perhaps even pushing but soon it became apparent that it was the former Hithaeglir Forn and Dún back Rhudaur and Angmar. The result is far more ambitious and governed with a Glandagol when Angmar was founded. It by now a stalemate. De iure the angle is firm hand. is the primary frontier province to the still part of Rhudaur, but de facto autono- As far as Rhudaur is concerned, it is new realm and accordingly the majority mous and recognizing Argeleb’s claim. now wholly dependent on its status as a of the traffic and relations coming from The Great East Road is a disputed terri- junior partner of Angmar. The borders and going there are channeled through tory, but the western two thirds are still in the area near Rivendell have retreated Ceredigion. Three towns can be found held by the forces of the Angle that can somewhat due to the now potentially here. drop back on a well-fortified line of forts hostile territory that the elven haven Pwyll represents for the—fallen—realm in and signal towers that were built to se- league with Angmar. This successor fief to Hithaeglir Ha- cure this part of the road against Hillmen rad was able to appropriate some territo- raids in past times. The relatively stable The inherent numerical weakness of ries from Llyr (former Cameth Brin) as fief has four towns and cities at this time. Rhudaur’s Dúnedain coupled with the well as Dor-e-Egladil. Two towns/cities internecine wars with Arthedain and are the fief’s urban areas. Cardolan and the (potential) hostility of the indigenous population was the main Llyr reason for the failure of the Dúnedain in The former territory of Cameth Brin Rhudaur. The final blow came with the has lost some land to Pwyll, but similarly rise of Angmar which drove the last to the latter was able to appropriate ter- Dúnedain from Rhudaur into the Angle ritory from Dor-e-Egladil to the south. (see below). The majority, though, Three cities are the fief’s urban centers. (about two-thirds) have relocated to Cardolan, while one third emigrated to Arthedain, thus increasing the number of Dúnedain in these realms. To represent the fragmentation of power in these times, an “independent” Angle housing the last of the Faithful of Rhudaur seems a good idea. It both gives lots of adven- turing potential and highlights the failure of the northern Númenóreans. The change in the ruling élite can be seen by naming as well. The territories of Rhudaur have been re-named with indigenous and traditional terms, reflect- ing the expulsion of the Dúnedain and their speech.

73 Other Minds Magazine

Urban Centers Map 10 to the left shows the urbanization situation in Rhu- daur at about TA 1400, while table 8 below lists the corre- sponding numbers.

Table 9: Urban centers in Rhudaur TA 1400 # Settlement Province/Fief Population Notes Map # 1 Fennas Drunin Dor-en Egladil 2,500 DeE1 2 Thuin Boid Dor-en Egladil 3,600 DeE2 3 Gwahilmoth Dor-en Egladil 2,800 DeE3 4 Minas Brethil Dor-en Egladil 4,200 DeE4 5 Iant Methed Tegwared 3,400 Te1 6 Brildil Tegwared 2,700 Te2 7 Cameth Brin Llyr 5,800 Ll1 8 Enfrivin Llyr 3,300 Ll2 9 Dinuis Llyr 2,000 Ll3 10 Idoch Pwyll 2,000 Pw1 11 Girail Pwyll 3,000 Pw2 12 Ardum Ceredigion 1,600 Ce3 13 Helegnel Ceredigion 1,300 Ce1 14 Broig Ceredigion 1,500 Ce2

Map 10: Urbanization in Rhudaur TA 1400

Angmar

This is the first time in which we Hithaeglir and the original “Bórians” who Carn Dûm encounter the Witch-king’s realm, provide the bulk of the Angmarean no- This new royal province once was which was founded in the last quarter of bility. th part of the Eldanaryon lands. It is home the 13 century TA. See also Other The Witch-king’s orcs are another to the capital Carn Dûm which lends its Minds, Issues 7 and 9 for more articles on matter. Before the rise of Angmar the name to the whole province. Three Angmar and its people. few and scattered orc tribes were no real towns and cities are found within this The last 100 years saw a continuous danger to the Eriadorian realms, but northernmost territory of Angmar. stream of immigrants and a much in- since the enforced “peace” among the Nan Angmar creased birthrate within the realm of tribes, the orcish population has grown The vale between the two northern Angmar. These people originate partly significantly. These orcs are used as fod- spurs of the Hithaeglir was once part of from the East but also in dissatisfied peo- der for the Nazgûl-lord’s campaign the Hithaeglir Forn fief. Now it is the ple from the Númenórean realms, as against the Dúnedain. Angmarean province guarding the north- well as people of haladic stock. All these Please note also that by TA 1400 the ernmost pass from Wilderland to ethnicities have already mingled to some Witch-king is preparing his second great Eriador. Two cities can be found in this degree (under pressure from the Witch- assault on the Dúnadan realms of Eriador relatively lightly populated area. king and out of necessity in this relative (which will result in the TA 1409 war). Morkai inhospitable land) and form the Angma- Similar to Rhudaur, the old Dúnadan rim—the Men of Angmar. The only names of the territories have been aban- The Morkai fief once was part of the sizeable groups that have remained ethni- doned and replaced with indigenous Eldanaryon lands. Now it is one of the cally pure are the folk of the Estaravi (a names of the majority of people living frontier provinces guarding Angmar’s branch of the Northmen) that forms the there. western border. Three towns and cities bulk of Angmar’s population east of the can be found within its borders. 74 Issue 13, March 2012 Croit Adastar Audipar Another former Eldanaryon and now One of Angmar’s eastern provinces, The second Estaravi fief, Audipar independent province, Croit at the end Adastar is settled by Estaravi (a North- harbours three major settlements. of the southern Hithaeglir spur has only man branch) people and has four towns/ Urban centers one town within its borders. cities. Map 11 and Table 10 below show the urbanization distribution and numbers, respectively.

Map 11: Urbanization in Angmar TA 1400

Table 10: Urban centers in Angmar TA 1400 # Settlement Province/Fief Population Notes Map # 1 Morkai Morkai 3,400 1 Mo1 2 Minas Eldanaryaron Morkai 1,900 Mo2 3 Cerdim Morkai 1,000 Mo3 4 Carn Dûm Carn Dûm 4,100 CD1 Note to Table 10 5 Angsûl Carn Dûm 2,700 CD2 1. The depiction of Morkai castle in MERP’s Angmar is a gigan- 6 Lesbleic Carn Dûm 2,600 CD3 tic, nearly impregnable fortress, very similar to the Crusader 7 Crudu Croit 2,000 Cr1 castle of Krak des Chevaliers in modern Syria. If Angmar is 8 Litash Nan Angmar 2,800 NA1 generally described as more like a European feudal state (as in 9 Blerei Nan Angmar 2,300 NA2 10 Wrakyaburg Adastar 3,700 Ad1 the article on the Armies of Eriador in Other Hands, Issue 11 Hebidir Adastar 3,300 Ad2 34/34 supplement), a less massive fortification might be more th th 12 Sasinas Adastar 3,100 Ad3 appropriate, e.g. a 11 to 12 century western European 13 Erva Adastar 1,800 Ad4 castle. This might be better to rationalize and fit to the gen- 14 Woumis Audipar 3,500 Au1 eral appearance of Angmar and its resources rather than a 15 Vusbas Audipar 3,000 Au2 16 Idima Audipar 800 Au3 titanic crusader castle.

75 Other Minds Magazine TA 1640 […] but they [the northern Dúne- In the time of the War of the Ring the This period is a time of change for dain] were dwindling fast and the lands lands were still in places well-wooded, Eriador. The Great Plague that ravaged of their North Kingdom were falling far especially in Minhiriath and in the all the North-west of Middle-earth has and wide into waste. There was room south-east of Enedwaith; but most of and to spare for incomers, and ere long the plains were grassland. Since the just passed, leaving shattered communi- the Hobbits began to settle in ordered Great Plague of the year 1636 of the ties and men that begin to re-build what communities. Third Age Minhiriath had been almost is left of their societies. It was the stan- —The Lord of the Rings.Prologue entirely deserted, though a few secretive dard time for the MERP products. Be- hunter-folk lived in the woods. yond this game-specific feature, it offers a unique setting: The North-west is char- Beyond the knowledge of the Shire- —Unfinished Tales. acterized by devastated lands and com- grant this tells us of an overarching The History of Galadriel and munities and a certain gloom should be dearth in the demographics of Arthedain, Celeborn and Amroth found almost everywhere. For Eriador which is reflected in the numbers. The and its demographics, some key informa- total inhabited land has noticeably The population numbers differ sig- tion is available: shrunken. The population densities are not far below those of earlier periods, as nificantly from those of two and a half It was at this time [after the war of people from now depopulated areas have centuries earlier. The Second Northern TA 1409] that the […] clime of partly filled the vacancies in the remain- War and the Great Plague shattered Car- Eriador, especially in the east, worsened ing areas. dolan as a political entity—as well as its and became unfriendly. population—totally and reduced the In the days of Argeleb II [r. TA 1589 overall population of the Eriadorian —The Lord of the Rings. to 1670] the plague came into Eriador realms drastically. Appendix A from the Southeast, and most of the people of Cardolan perished, especially Table 11 below lists the overall population figures for this time. The quote tells of Stoors in the Angle in Minhiriath. The Hobbits and all that left the land due to their increasing other peoples suffered greatly, but the Map 12 on the next page shows the inability to survive there. Thus Tolkien plague lessened as it passed northwards, political boundaries of the fiefs and prov- was well aware of the influence of ad- and the northern parts of Arthedain inces in Eriador at this time. were little affected. verse climate on the agricultural yield (the precondition for a society to sur- —The Lord of the Rings. vive). The map and calculations for this Appendix A time reflect this trend, with increased de-population in eastern Eriador. This gives us the valuable information about the effects of the Great Plague, the major influence upon the population of Eriador at this time. Cardolan suffered the most and lost the majority of its population, whereas the northern re- gions (especially Arthedain) fared better.

Table 11: Overview of population figures in TA 1640 area (km2) population number of towns/cities with inhabitants overall lightly densely in rural density up to 2,501- 5,001- era settled settled total areas in cities total (per km2) 2,500 5,000 10,000 10,001+ total Arthedain 121,500 66,400 187,900 1,256,100 108,200 1,364,300 7.26 13 21 1 0 35 Cardolan 27,300 28,000 55,300 489,100 47,100 536,200 11.69 10 3 1 1 15 Saralainn 7,000 5,300 12,400 163,200 9,200 172,400 13.95 3 1 0 0 4 Rhudaur* 1,600 500 2,100 14,500 1,200 15,700 7.51 2 0 0 0 2 Angmar 101,600 28,200 129,800 544,800 40,300 585,100 4.51 20 3 0 0 23

* In this time, Rhudaur is only represented through the remnant of Dor-en-Egladil (The Angle) 76 Issue 13, March 2012

Map 12: Fiefdoms and Provinces TA 1640

77 Other Minds Magazine Arthedain Noirinanya Nan Túrath The overall settled area has been re- This most sheltered fief of the last The central territory of Arthedain has duced considerably. The following points northern kingdom of the Númenóreans fared relatively well and the inclusion of should be kept in mind when calculating has suffered considerably from the past some territories from the now defunct the Arthedain numbers for this time: ravages and only six cities and towns can Emyn Sûl fief has alleviated the losses as The 1409 war caused many casualties be found here. well. Ten cities and town dot the land- among the commoners, and the Tarmëa scape of the most important royal do- main. Dúnedain, proportionally, were hit This central area of Arthedain suf- even harder fered less than many other areas, proba- Shire Arthedain is supposed to have suf- bly due to influx of refugees from other After the Second Northern war, this fered far less from the Plague as de- territories. The former capital of An- area was mostly left uninhabited, but 40 tailed above núminas had already suffered a sharp years ago the hobbits began their settle- The general waning of the population decline of inhabitants following the re- ment, and now the population has recov- of the Successor Realms during Ang- moval of the royal seat in TA 861, and ered a bit (despite the Plague’s effects). mar’s existence as described by the war of 1409 destroyed the remnants Some inhabitants on the fringes of the Tolkien (even without any other when Angmarean forces conducted a territory are still men, but these are causes such as epidemics, war, etc.) deep raid here. Five towns and cities can dwindling fast and emigrating to other causes an additional decrease in num- be found in the Tarmëa lands. fiefs. Two small hobbit towns can be bers Noddfa Rhaglaw found here. On the positive side, refugees from This exclave is some kind of an Siragalë the devastated areas of Cardolan have anomaly in this time. In former times, This fief has been hit hard by the replaced some of the losses. The this area belonged to the Dyr Eldanaryon Plague, and only a fraction of its former same holds true for the hobbits com- in Arnor and Rhudaur, but after the de- territory and people remain. Its two ing from the rest of Eriador in the cline of the latter, it became an inde- towns have lost a lot of their population. decades after the Shire Grant (TA pendent lordship. Though lying close to Sarn Athrad the—now Angmarean—provinces of 1601) This strategic province has lost dearly former Rhudaur, its people swore alle- All in all the realm is shaken but not in the Plague, but its good location at- giance to the king of Arthedain in For- broken: its institutions are intact, the tracted refugees as well, lessening the nost. Their close proximity to Angmar population stabilizes—albeit at a lower effects. Four towns and cities remain in means, however, that they are on at least level than before the Plague—when the this fief. neutral terms with this realm and often refugees find new homes in Arthedain’s Hyarromenya fiefs. On the positive side, its enemies support travel to and from there. The (primarily and foremost in the form of relative weakness of Angmar following Similar to Siragalë, this fief had its Angmar) have been subdued by the pesti- the Great Plague has helped the people back broken by the Plague, but it persists lence as well. here to stay independent for the time still. Its two towns still exist, though being. Three small towns can be found greatly reduced in size. Map 13 and Table 12 on the next here. page show the urbanization figures for Arthedain in this era. The fiefs and provinces together with noteworthy events are: Eketya Even though the Plague’s effects were not so great in the northern parts of Arthedain, they (and the previous conflicts with Angmar—both small and great) have left their mark. The territory has shrunken further and only three towns and cities can be found here. © ‘Sam and Rosie Cotton’ by Ted Nasmith, used by permission of the artist 78 Issue 13, March 2012

Map 13: Urbanization in Arthedain TA 1640

Table 12: Urban centers in Arthedain TA 1640 # Settlement Province/Fief Population Notes Map # # Settlement Province/Fief Population Notes Map # 1 Bareketta (Mar Eketyaron) Eketya 4,700 Ek1 19 Bauruin Noirinanya 3,900 No6 2 Bodroth Eketya 3,200 Ek3 20 Iant Baranduin Shire 1,300 Sh1 3 Faranel Eketya 1,100 Ek4 21 Nirmolian Shire 1,900 Sh2 4 Minas Hyarrómenyaron Hyarromenya 700 Hy1 22 Mar Tarmëaron (Tarmabar) Tarmëa 4,600 Ta1 5 Rindilas Hyarromenya 1,300 Hy3 23 Enerond Tarmëa 3,600 Ta3 6 Bree Nan Túrath 4,600 NT12 24 Rood/Rhovanduin Tarmëa 3,500 Ta4 7 Fornost Erain Nan Túrath 9,800 NT02 25 Cargilin Tarmëa 3,100 Ta5 8 Athilin Nan Túrath 4,400 NT04 26 Orchelor Tarmëa 4,400 Ta6 9 Anglor Nan Túrath 4,200 NT05 27 Iach Sarn/Stonehill Sarn Athrad 3,000 SA1 10 Barad Garan Nan Túrath 3,500 NT06 28 Minas Ongoth Sarn Athrad 2,700 SA2 11 Endroth Nan Túrath 4,900 NT07 29 Nelval Sarn Athrad 1,400 SA3 12 Andrin Nan Túrath 4,400 NT09 30 Enerond Sarn Athrad 1,200 SA4 13 Ganderch Nan Túrath 3,600 NT10 31 Edhelas Siragalë 1,200 Si1 14 Maegoth Nan Túrath 2,500 NT11 32 Endrist Siragalë 1,400 Si2 15 Mirion Nan Túrath 3,100 NT13 33 Noddfa Rhaglaw Noddfa Rhaglaw 800 NR1 16 Ambon Noirinanyaron Noirinanya 4,600 No1 34 Neddig Noddfa Rhaglaw 750 NR2 17 Nothros Noirinanya 4,200 No4 35 Brynmor Noddfa Rhaglaw 650 NR3 18 Caras Celairnen Noirinanya 4,000 No5 79 Other Minds Magazine “Cardolan” Here we have to look the term remnants that survived the onslaught of Minhiriath. The term is defined here: the pestilence. A great host came out of Angmar in The partial reunification of Arnor in 1409, and crossing the river entered The wide lands divided by the th Cardolan and surrounded Weathertop. Gwathló into the regions called by the the 14 century ended with the death of The Dúnedain were defeated and Ar- Númenóreans Minhiriath (“Between the the last prince of Cardolan in TA 1409. veleg was slain. [...] Cardolan was Rivers,” Baranduin and Gwathló) and His line was the most vocal proponent ravaged. [...] Enedwaith (“Middle-folk”) were mainly for the reunification with Arthedain, and A remnant of the faithful among the plains, open and mountainless. with its end the local lords got the upper Dúnedain of Cardolan also held out in —Unfinished Tales. hand, choosing independence which gave Tyrn Gorthad (the Barrowdowns), or The History of Galadriel and them greater individual power in their took refuge in the Forest behind. Celeborn and Amroth, petty realms. Instead of the king, in TA 1415 a canótar was chosen as the nominal —The Lord of the Rings. King of Lórien Appendix A head of state. In fact, he had little central power and the lords were more or less These quotes define the events that able to do as they influenced Cardolan’s development in pleased. Arthedain this time. In short, the realm of Cardolan was weakened itself has been badly mauled by the 1409 war, and neither able nor suffering majorly from widespread dep- willing to enforce redations by Angmar’s forces and their the planned reunifi- aftereffects. Afterwards, it struggled to cation after the end stabilize until the Plague finished it off of Cardolan’s last once and for all: prince. The exact reasons In the days of Argeleb II [r. TA 1589 to 1670] the plague came into Eriador for the decline of […], and most of the people of Cardo- the Cardolanian lan perished, especially in Minhiriath. population are: —The Lord of the Rings. The 1409 war Appendix A caused many casual- ties: after the defeat of the army north- What remain are isolated communi- ern Cardolan lay ties, mostly along the fringes of the for- open to the enemy mer realm: and the Witch- The region around Tharbad king’s marauding Map 14: Minhiriath The Barrow-downs down to troops deliberately Metraith (at the junctions of the hunted civilians and Great North-South Road and the killed everyone they could find. The As seen on Map 14 above, “between road coming from Sarn Ford) southern forces of Angmar rampaged Baranduin and Gwathló” can be inter- through Cardolan on a devastating The lower Gwathló valley preted differently. Beyond the green and march reminiscent of a medieval The lower Baranduin valley, espe- red shaded areas, the brownish shade chevauchée or Sherman’s March to the cially north of the Eryn Vorn represents the maximum extent of the Sea. Even territories like far-away area between these two rivers. In my Girithlin or Ethir Gwathló (and to an opinion, this would be too far-fetched extent Dol Caladir) were struck, but though, and I see the term applicable to the other hírdor bore the brunt of the the red and green territories. Of these, devastation. Even Tharbad was be- the red ones represent the land depopu- sieged, but able to hold its ground lated by the Plague, while the small until relief arrived. green areas represent the still inhabited

80 Issue 13, March 2012 Cardolan as a whole suffered worse “Saralainn” by its founder, was estab- Dol Tinereb th than any other Eriadorian realm from lished in the mid-16 century composed After the end of the last Prince of the Plague. Since Minhiriath har- partly of former Cardolani as well as Cardolan in the war of TA 1409, the boured the majority of Cardolan’s haladic fisherfolk. It has not recognized former royal province of Minhiriath was principal settlements (see Map 10 on any sovereignty of the Dúnedain, allying at first in the hands of the appointed p. 72) losses have been extreme— with or opposing the former Cardolani canótar, but shortly after that was taken almost all of the region of Minhiriath Númenórean lordships as it sees fit. over by the noble family of Tinereb in (not the political fief) is now deso- Also, according to Tolkien, some- TA 1435 (supported by most lords due late. where during the 17th century Gondor to fears that the canótar might develop The emigration of hobbits from Car- pulled back its remaining garrison from ambitions of a strong central power), dolan to the newly founded Shire in Tharbad, which very likely accelerated transforming it into the hírdor of Dol the decades after TA 1600 caused an the decline of the former metropolis: Tinereb. However, it lost control of the additional significant loss in common- A considerable garrison of soldiers, Tharbad area which remained in the ers and capable farmers. mariners and engineers had been kept canótar’s hands, as well as territory in the The general waning of the population there until the seventeenth century of north which went to Tyrn Hódhath. The of the Successor Realms during Ang- the Third Age. Plague shattered Dol Tinereb, leaving mar’s reign continues. —Unfinished Tales. only two towns/cities within its borders. A few refugees from surrounding The History of Galadriel and Dol Caladir lands might offset for a small part of Celeborn and Amroth, Dol Caladir is only a shadow of its the above mentioned losses. King of Lórien former self. Confined to a small area The Dúnedain of Cardolan were along the Gwathló, it lingers still but has It is not unreasonable to connect this nearly wiped out by the Plague. Its survi- lost any influence beyond its own terri- withdrawal with the aftereffects of the vors flee to either Arthedain or Gondor tory. Two small towns are the sad rem- Plague. Gondor was now itself in dire until about TA 1650 at the very latest. nants of its former urban life. need of manpower, and keeping a garri- Saralainn For gaming purposes, Cardolan offers son in a broken and almost deserted land now interesting possibilities: Imagine the did not make sense. The reasons for In the mid-1550s, the Númenórean PC’s travelling through a region filled maintaining the garrison have evaporated lords of the Ethir Gwathló were ousted with ghost towns whose crumbling rem- with Cardolan’s end. by an indigenous adventurer who set up nants house only scattered stragglers and his own realm, which he named The changes in former Cardolan’s rats. Recently established mass graves “Saralainn”. This non-Dúnadan realm has regions are as follows: can be found everywhere (plus unburied since held its ground within the remains in some more remote areas), Tyrn Hódhath Dúnadan-controlled lands (the former adding to the gloomy atmosphere… This hírdor has profited the most from lords made more than one attempt at a If you are aware of MERP’s take on the war of TA 1409. It enjoyed a great re-conquest). The population has suf- “Cardolan” in this time, you may notice a influx of refugees and Dúnedain, making fered dearly from the Plague, leaving number of major differences. In my it the strongest principality within the only a fraction of its former strength opinion, MERP’s depiction of a political former Cardolan. Following the disaster alive. Four cities and towns can be found system in decay, but generally intact after the defeat of 1409, it enlarged its in Saralainn at this time. does not fit at all into the scenarios as territory at the cost of the hírdor of Min- Girithlin hiriath (which became Dol Tinereb). The described by Tolkien where most of The hírdor of Girithlin is among the Plague ended this brief respite, however. Minhiriath is devoid of human life. In regions most devastated by war and Now four towns and cities remain in its contrast, it is fitting for the pre-Plague plague. Its demography has been shat- territory. decades, where this intact but corrupt tered to the bone and only 4 towns and and slowly disintegrating system is much Faerdor cities remain in the area. more suited. Thus, in my opinion, the Only a small remnant of the once MERP description as found in the Arnor great hírdor is left. For almost 140 years, books or Lost Realm of Cardolan should be it is no longer ruled by the Dúnedain, re-interpreted temporally to better fit to but by the local people themselves after Tolkien’s view. they revolted against the last lords’ tyr- In the south, along the mouth of the annous regime. Two towns are the rem- Gwathló, a petty kingdom of men called nants of the urban community here. 81 Other Minds Magazine Tharbad The territory around Tharbad is part of the former fief of Minhiriath, now held by the canótar. The city has suffered badly from the Great Plague, but could compensate for this partly by refugees coming from other areas. Only one city (Tharbad itself) exists in this territory. Urban Centers The urban communities on the ter- ritory of former Cardolan are detailed in Map 15 and Table 13 on the right. The rows in the table have been shaded with the corresponding colours on the map to ease recognition.

Map 15: Urbanization in “Cardolan” TA 1640

Table 13: Urban centers in “Cardolan” TA 1640 # Settlement Province/Fief Population Notes Map # 1 Andrath Tyrn Hódhath 3,900 TH1 2 Ningliras Tyrn Hódhath 900 TH3 3 Iarond Tyrn Hódhath 2,500 TH4 4 Mathlor Tyrn Hódhath 2,400 TH6 5 Dinach Faerdor 2,500 Fa2 6 Filimer Faerdor 800 Fa3 7 Metraith (Thalion) Dol Tinereb 5,500 DT1 8 Maura Dol Tinereb 2,500 DT2 9 Tharbad Tharbad 15,200 Th1 10 Amlolas Dol Caladir 500 DC7 11 Bregnas Dol Caladir 1,300 DC6 12 Mistalondë/Sudúri Saralainn 4,400 Sa1 13 Cathiel Saralainn 1,900 Sa2 14 Hena Saralainn 1,700 Sa3 15 Morchan Saralainn 1,200 Sa4 16 Minas Girithlin Girithlin 4,000 Gi01 17 Bor Leath Girithlin 1,100 Gi03 18 Annon Baran Girithlin 2,900 Gi04 19 Galathlilval Girithlin 1,000 Gi10

82 Issue 13, March 2012 Rhudaur Rhudaur as a separate realm no longer exists at this time, having been taken over by Angmar shortly after the war of TA 1409: A great host came out of Angmar in 1409, and crossing the river entered Cardolan and surrounded Weathertop. The Dúnedain were defeated and Ar- veleg was slain. The Tower of Amon Sûl was burned and razed, [...] Rhudaur was occupied by evil Men subject to Angmar, [...] — The Lord of the Rings. Appendix A

The only territories of former Rhu- Map 16: Urbanization in “Rhudaur” TA 1640 daur treated as an “independent” prov- ince is the small Dor-en-Egladil. All oth- ers are discussed in the following Ang- Table 14: Urban centers in “Rhudaur” TA 1640 mar section. # Settlement Province/Fief Population Map # 1 Fennas Drunin Dor-en Egladil 650 DeE1 It seems a bit strange that Angmar 2 Minas Brethil Dor-en Egladil 500 DeE4 might have been unable to conquer this little area as well and thereby keeping a vulnerable southern flank. In fact, the relations with Angmar (especially the fief of Carest) are mostly acceptable. It might look like that the valiant defence of the heirs of Dor-en-Egladil enabled this continued independence of these people. This is only part of the truth however. In fact the Witch-king is inter- est in keeping a neutral and non- Angmarean petty realm here. Through its trade with Carest to the north Ang- mar’s envoys and spies can travel to Eriador without having to pass a heavily guarded frontier. Circumventing a direct travel helps to keep these people’s pro- file low, and this is much more worth than the incorporation of this small terri- tory under direct Angmarean rule. The Map 16 and Table 14 to the right show the urbanization in this time.

83 Other Minds Magazine

Angmar

Angmar’s mannish population suf- Carn Dûm Ceredigion fered worse than its main adversaries in The capital region of Angmar has The territory of the former Rhu- Arthedain. For whatever reason, the suffered from the Plague, but the de- daurian fief has changed a lot, losing Númenórean realm was less affected mography is stable and the Witch-king some land to Croit, but also gaining than the more northerly realm of the can wait. He has the time to await the some from Pwyll. Three towns and cities Witch-king. Their little knowledge of right moment for his strike. Three cities exist here. leechcraft (compared to that of the and towns stand in this province. Adastar Dúnedain) surely contributed to the Nan Angmar losses, preventing any serious help for The northernmost Estaravi province those who became infected. A great part The demography in this cool region suffered—like all the eastern lands— of Angmar’s population died, denying has not changed much. Its two cities still dearly from the Plague. Therefore whilst the Witch-king any chance to exploit the stand as before. its three cities still stand, they are greatly Dúnedain’s weakness. Even more than Morkai diminished. the men, the orcs in their filthy and This vital border province has suf- Audipar cramped quarters died like flies, simi- fered from the Plague, but not too badly, The southern Estaravi province was larly eliminating their possibility of seri- and its current three towns and cities are hit even harder than its northern ously damaging Arthedain. testimony of their will to stand. neighbour, with only two cities/towns Pwyll Croit remaining. This province still harbours two cit- This province has been greatly in- Map 17 on the next page and Table ies. creased in size, mostly at the expense of 15 below show show the urbanization Llyr Ceredigion. It has developed into a fron- situation of Angmar in this era. The former royal seat of Rhudaur is tier guard, though the Plague hampered now occupied by the most important its development. It still only has one city. vassal of Angmar in this region to ensure Table 15: Urban centers in Angmar TA 1640 the compliance of the Rhudaurian peo- # Settlement Province/Fief Population Notes Map # ple. There is little danger of uprising, so 1 Iant Methed Carest 900 Ca1 he can concentrate on solidifying the 2 Thuin Boid Carest 1,300 Ca2 hold and weakening the remaining ene- 3 Cameth Brin Llyr 2,000 Ll1 4 Enfrivin Llyr 900 Ll2 mies. Two towns and cities remain in the 5 Idoch Pwyll 700 Pw1 province. 6 Girail Pwyll 1,400 Pw2 7 Ardum Ceredigion 1,500 Ce3 Carest 8 Helegnel Ceredigion 800 Ce1 This new province, founded after the 9 Broig Ceredigion 1,500 Ce2 war of TA 1409, holds territories once 10 Crudu Croit 2,400 Cr1 11 Morkai Morkai 2,000 Mo1 possessed by Llyr and Dor-en-Egladil. It 12 Minas Eldanaryaron Morkai 900 Mo2 is the spearpoint in the effort to totally 13 Cerdim Morkai 1,300 Mo3 eradicate the remnant of the Free Peo- 14 Carn Dûm Carn Dûm 4,000 CD1 15 Angsûl Carn Dûm 2,100 CD2 ples in the Angle. Its strategic position 16 Lesbleic Carn Dûm 2,600 CD3 along the Great East Road gives it con- 17 Litash Nan Angmar 2,100 NA1 trol of revenues and bars Arthedain’s 18 Blerei Nan Angmar 2,100 NA2 access into Rhovanion (and to Rivendell) 19 Wrakyaburg Adastar 2,400 Ad1 20 Hebidir Adastar 2,100 Ad2 via this route. Two noteworthy towns 21 Erva Adastar 1,300 Ad4 are found in Carest. 22 Vusbas Audipar 2,700 Au2 23 Idima Audipar 1,000 Au3

84 Issue 13, March 2012

Map 17: Urbanization in Angmar TA 1640

85 Other Minds Magazine TA 1974 In TA 1974 the population of Eriador is lower than ever before. Centuries of the Witch-king’s malevolent influence have worsened the climate. The constant wars with Angmar—both great invasions and small petty wars on the borders— have made life hard for the Free Peoples. The population numbers reflect the state just before the Witch-king launches his final offensive. It is the first time that the Witch-king is not only able to send greater armies against his enemies, but that his realm actually has a greater population than any other in the area. This careful preparation will ensure his victory against the enemies of his master. Map 18 on the next page shows the overall political boundaries of thze fief- doms and provinces in this era. Table16 below lists the key numbers for this period. The figures for Arthedain have been split further into hobbits and non-hobbits to show the “real” decrease in available manpower of Arthedain. While the hobbits are good subjects of the king, their contribution to the realm’s defense is almost zero beyond © ‘Findarato’ by Tuuliky, used by permission of the artist logistic support.

Table 16: Overview of population figures in TA 1974 area (km2) population number of towns/cities with inhabitants

overall lightly densely in rural density up to 2,501- 5,001- era settled settled total areas in cities total (per km2) 2,500 5,000 10,000 10,001+ total Arthedain (altogether) 101,300 57,100 158,500 983,000 86,300 1,069,300 6.75 20 14 1 0 35 The Shire 30,600 7,600 38,200 136,400 8,900 145,300 3.80 8 0 0 0 8 Arthedain (w.o. hobbits) 70,700 49,600 120,300 846,600 77,400 924,000 7.40 12 14 1 0 27 Galattar 3,500 1,400 5,000 33,900 3,200 37,100 7.47 2 0 0 0 2 Girithlin Forn 2,200 600 2,900 20,600 1,300 21,900 7.64 2 0 0 0 2 Mag Speriang 507 166 673 5,500 700 6,200 9.20 1 0 0 0 1 Saralainn 13,200 6,400 19,500 126,200 10,900 137,200 7.03 4 1 0 0 5 Dol Caladir 950 240 1,200 10,600 1,100 11,700 9.69 1 0 0 0 1 Tharbad 1,700 200 1,900 16,900 4,300 21,200 10.97 0 1 0 0 1 Dor-en-Egladil 320 130 450 2,300 460 2,760 6.07 1 0 0 0 1 Angmar 119,100 52,400 171,500 1,085,100 104,300 1,189,400 6.94 26 13 1 0 40

86 Issue 13, March 2012

Map 18: Fiefdoms and Provinces TA 1974

87 Other Minds Magazine Arthedain Eketya Breeland Arthedain’s population has dwindled The fief has recovered somewhat Breeland has been established as a th steadily due to the perilous proximity of from the demographic nadir in the 17 separate fief after the war of TA 1851. It Angmar. Its military strength is even century. It is home again to four towns was discovered that a stronger local pres- weaker than the population figures sug- and cities. ence was desirable in the face of an at- gest, because a good portion of the resi- Noirinanya tack. The fief is administered by the royal family though, giving the heir the dents are hobbits who are quite un- This sheltered fief harbours five cities 15 opportunity to gain the experience of martial in spirit and not eligible for in this time. Arthedain’s muster. A significant differ- ruling a fief. Three towns and cities exist ence to TA 1640 is the partial enlarge- Tarmëa in Breeland. ment of the realm, through the attempts Similar to Noirinanya, the demogra- Tyrn Hódhath phy of the Tarmëa lands has stabilized, of king Araval to regain the lands of Car- The attempts of king Araval to re- though its borders have shrunken a bit in dolan: settle Cardolan had only very limited the North. success, and the re-establishment of the With the help of Lindon and Imladris Nan Túrath he [king Araval] won a victory over fief of Tyrn Hódhath is testimony to that. Angmar in 1851, and sought to reoc- The royal fief has been diminished in Its population is quite small compared to cupy Cardolan, but the evil wights size, primarily due to ceding of territory earlier times, and consequently only two terrify all who seek to dwell near. to the new fief of Breeland. The remain- towns—and even those of limited size— ing territory has a high percentage of —The Peoples of Middle-earth. exist here. Dúnedain though. Four towns and cities The Making of Appendix A Sarn Athrad remain in the fief. This fief was enlarged in the same The Shire attempt that resulted in the re- As you can see on Map 18 on the The hobbits have taken over almost establishment of Tyrn Hódhath. Now it previous page, the Arthadan territory has the whole territory of the Shire-grant, extends to the crossroads at Metraith and been enlarged only a little in the region even though many areas remain thinly together with the Tyrn Hódhath is all around Bree as well as into the Metraith populated and the overall density is not that resulted from king Araval’s plans for region along the crossroads in the former very high. The land is well-tilled though the re-establishment of old Cardolan’s Cardolan. This represents the very lim- and provides the king with a reliable lands. Four towns and cities are found ited success of Araval in his endeavour of source of food and infrastructure in this here. re-populating Cardolan. The last part of the realm. Eight cities and towns Dúnadan emigrants that left Cardolan in Galattar (small by mannish standards) exist in the the years after TA 1640 helped This was the former fief of Siragalë. Shire. Arthedain to limit the loss of its élite. The province was abandoned by the Nonetheless the overall loss of popula- Númenóreans when its ruling family died tion has weakened the Dúnadan realm out in TA 1639. The former subjects significantly. plus other refugees from the Plague es- tablished a new independent realm near the dwarven city in the Blue Mountains and retain friendly relations with Arthedain. Two small towns are the small realm’s population centers.

88 Issue 13, March 2012 Urban Centers Map 19 and Table 17 below depict the urbanization figures for Arthedain in this period.

Map 19: Urbanization in Arthedain TA 1974

Table 17: Urban centers in Arthedain TA 1974 # Settlement Province/Fief Population Notes Map # # Settlement Province/Fief Population Notes Map # 1 Bareketta (Mar Eketyaron) Eketya 5,000 Ek1 20 Longbottom Shire 900 Sh8 2 Bodroth Eketya 3,200 Ek3 21 Little Delving Shire 900 Sh9 3 Arading Eketya 2,300 Ek2 22 Mar Tarmëaron (Tarmabar) Tarmëa 4,500 Ta1 4 Faranel Eketya 1,400 Ek4 23 Enerond Tarmëa 3,500 Ta3 5 Fornost Erain Nan Túrath 8,500 NT02 24 Rood/Rhovanduin Tarmëa 3,400 Ta4 6 Andrin (Free City) Nan Túrath 3,300 NT09 25 Cargilin Tarmëa 2,400 Ta5 7 Anglor Nan Túrath 2,900 NT05 26 Orchelor Tarmëa 2,000 Ta6 8 Ganderch Nan Túrath 2,700 NT10 27 Bree Breeland 2,100 Br1 9 Ambon Noirinanyaron Noirinanya 4,400 No1 28 Barad Garan Breeland 1,300 Br2 10 Nirthiach Noirinanya 3,000 No2 29 Mirion Breeland 1,200 Br3 11 Nothros Noirinanya 3,800 No4 30 Iach Sarn/Stonehill Sarn Athrad 2,900 SA1 12 Caras Celairnen Noirinanya 3,000 No5 31 Metraith (Thalion) Sarn Athrad 2,000 SA5 13 Dondonwath Noirinanya 3,600 No8 32 Nelval Sarn Athrad 1,300 SA3 14 Greenfields Shire 1,000 Sh5 33 Mathlor Sarn Athrad 1,200 SA6 15 Hobbiton Shire 2,100 Sh3 34 Andrath Tyrn Hódhath 1,000 TH1 16 Iant Baranduin Shire 800 Sh1 35 Ningliras Tyrn Hódhath 2,500 TH3 17 Tookbank Shire 1,100 Sh4 36 Edhelas Galattar 1,900 Ga1 18 Hardbottle Shire 1,000 Sh7 37 Endrist Galattar 1,300 Ga2 19 Brocken Borings Shire 1,100 Sh6 89 Other Minds Magazine “Cardolan” and “Rhudaur” remains the only major settlement in this Girithlin Forn The realms of Cardolan and Rhudaur territory. This small fief has been founded by are no more for centuries now. Even the Mag Speriang survivors of the old hírdor of Girithlin, small fragments of TA 1640 have been The haladic folk of the Speriang that fleeing the fragmenting fief around TA gone. As noted above, the attempt of once belonged to Cardolan have estab- 1710 and founding this new home fur- King Araval of Arthedain to re-colonize lished their own realm after the failure of ther north, but still on the Baranduin. the land after TA 1851 had only very the last Girithlin successors in TA 1720. Two small towns are the urban centers limited success. Now the name has only The last Dúnadan rulers failed already in here. a geographical meaning. Its inhabitants TA 1647, their survivors having fled for Dor-en-Egladil are scattered mainly along the river Arthedain. Afterwards, lords of lesser The Dúnadan lords of the Angle are courses and the only permanent settle- lineage took over until the final end 73 long gone, but their legacy is held in ments remain locally focussed. The years later. It has only one small town. reverence and the local masters try to somewhat diminished realm of Saralainn Dol Caladir emulate their traditions as best as they still persists at the mouth of the can. The Angle’s people have been Gwathló. The pitiful remnants of Dol Caladir exist on a subsistence level only because greatly diminished and are left alone by Dor-en-Egladil as the only commu- no other power has the interest to eradi- Angmar’s men only because they are no nity free of Angmar’s shadow in eastern cate or conquer them. They still profit danger to them and allow traffic to the Eriador is listed here as well, as the somewhat from the limited river traffic southern fiefs of Angmar to pass. names of ‘Cardolan’ and ‘Rhudaur’ both to Tharbad. Only one small town is have only a historical meaning by now. found here. One should not be fooled by Urban Centers the name: The Dúnedain long since left Map 20 and Table 18 below depict this region, and the local people retain Tharbad the urbanization patterns in the two for- the name only out of habit and in mem- The once great metropolis is only a mer realms. ory of better times. shadow of its former self and its territory The rows in the table have been Saralainn has shrunken dramatically as well. Only shaded with the corresponding colours the continued interest of Arthedain here The situation here has stabilized, on the map to ease recognition. (as a relay for keeping contact with Gon- though the population has dropped even dor) keeps the remnants of the city from further. Five towns and cities remain in declining even further. Tharbad itself the “haladic” petty kingdom.

Table 18: Urban centers in “Cardolan and “Rhudaur” in TA 1974 # Settlement Province/Fief Pop. Map # 1 Tharbad Tharbad 4,300 Th1 2 Laganin Dol Caladir 900 DC8 3 Mistalondë/Sudúri Saralainn 4,000 Sa1 4 Amlolas Saralainn 1,500 Sa5 5 Hena Saralainn 2,000 Sa3 6 Morchan Saralainn 1,900 Sa4 7 Cathiel Saralainn 1,600 Sa2 8 Bor Leath Mag Speriang 700 MS1 9 Balost (Cûban) Girithlin Forn 630 GF1 10 Tharni Girithlin Forn 700 GF2 11 Fennas Drunin Dor-en Egladil 500 DeE1

Map 20: Urbanization in “Cardolan” and “Rhudaur TA 1974

90 Issue 13, March 2012 Angmar Morkai Llyr Angmar’s population has risen dra- The key border province is bigger The old Rhudaurian capital area still matically compared to three-and-a-half than ever, with three thriving towns and has two towns within its borders. centuries earlier and it is once more on cities located here. Pwyll the verge of unleashing its armies upon Croit Similar to Llyr, the situation in Pwyll Arthedain. Even the formerly thinly populated has not changed much. Two towns can Angmar has incorporated almost all Croit has grown dramatically. Three be found here. of the former territory of Rhudaur into towns and cities can now be found here. Carest its own realm. In particular, the Mithei- Noddfa Rhaglaw thel river valley is the core of these terri- The province occupies now most of tories as it commands a strategic position The independent princedom was able the Angle. Two towns are found here. for an attack upon Arthedain. Further- to maintain its status until TA 1840, Adastar when Angmar—in the buildup to the more, this incorporation of former Rhu- This is the period of peak numbers invasion of TA 1851—gave the people daur conveniently cuts Arthedain’s easy for the eastern provinces. Four towns there the choice of joining Angmar or lines of communication with Rivendell and cities can be found here now. being swallowed up by it. The people of and Rhovanion via the Great East Road Audipar and at the same time secures these lines Noddfa Rhaglaw chose the former, but of supply from the Anduin Vales and they are hardly staunch supporters of the Similar to Adastar, Audipar now is at Rhovanion for Angmar itself. The Witch-king—although they give no open its greatest with four towns and cities Witch-king hopes that this can divide his reason for retaliation or punishment. within its borders. opponents and destroy the northern They might be called nominal members Deldined of the Angmarean Empire. At least they Dúnedain before help from the Elves can This most recent of the Anduin vales have profited from the membership, arrive. In addition, some wilderness ar- provinces was created in TA 1830. The now having three medium towns in their eas have been cleared to make room for once independent town of Mathlaburg is territory. more people. its chief settlement, besides which four In the Anduin Vales, the realm is Ceredigion other towns are found here. bigger than ever as well, reaching south Ceredigion has profited greatly from almost to the Old Road, bordering on the influx of new people and the growing the Éothéod lands. numbers. Four towns are to be found Carn Dûm here during this time. The demographic situation is better Fereic than ever. Three cities still are located This new province was created in TA here, bigger than ever before. 1820 to bring the staging area for inva- Nan Angmar sions of Arthedain even farther west- ward. It has remained a territory of many There are still only two cities here, of the most fanatic Angmareans. but they are at their peak now.

91 Other Minds Magazine Urban Centers Map 21 and Table 19 below detail the urbanization patterns of the Witch-king’s realm in this era.

Map 21: Urbanization in Angmar TA 1974

Table 19: Urban centers in Angmar TA 1640 # Settlement Province/Fief Pop. Map # # Settlement Province/Fief Pop. Map # # Settlement Province/Fief Pop. Map # 1 Certhalc Carest 900 Ca3 15 Broig Ceredigion 2,000 Ce2 26 Hebidir Adastar 2,100 Ad2 2 Thuin Boid Carest 1,800 Ca2 16 Crudu Croit 3,300 Cr1 27 Sasinas Adastar 2,500 Ad3 3 Cameth Brin Llyr 2,300 Ll1 17 Vamnus Croit 1,200 Cr2 28 Pudarid Adastar 1,400 Ad5 4 Enfrivin Llyr 1,000 Ll2 18 Smyeka Croit 1,100 Cr3 29 Woumis Audipar 2,000 Au1 5 Idoch Pwyll 1,200 Pw1 17 Morkai Morkai 3,700 Mo1 30 Vusbas Audipar 2,500 Au2 6 Girail Pwyll 1,200 Pw2 18 Minas Eldanaryaron Morkai 2,000 Mo2 31 Girchiron Audipar 1,400 Au4 7 Iant Methed Fereic 1,800 Fe1 19 Cerdim Morkai 1,400 Mo3 32 Idima Audipar 1,800 Au3 8 Brildil Fereic 2,700 Fe2 20 Carn Dûm Carn Dûm 7,500 CD1 33 Matlaburg Deldined 5,000 De1 9 Rugamba Fereic 2,000 Fe3 21 Angsûl Carn Dûm 3,600 CD2 34 Hemnolaud Deldined 3,400 De2 10 Noddfa Rhaglaw Noddfa Rhaglaw 1,900 NR1 22 Lesbleic Carn Dûm 3,300 CD3 35 Idima Deldined 3,600 De3 11 Neddig Noddfa Rhaglaw 1,400 NR2 23 Litash Nan Angmar 2,700 NA1 36 Haroburg Deldined 3,400 De4 12 Brynmor Noddfa Rhaglaw 1,300 NR3 24 Blerei Nan Angmar 3,000 NA2 37 Audeld Deldined 3,600 De5 13 Ardum Ceredigion 2,100 Ce3 25 Wrakyaburg Adastar 4,000 Ad1 25 Wrakyaburg Adastar 4,000 Ad1 14 Helegnel Ceredigion 1,300 Ce1 92 Issue 13, March 2012 TA 2740 smaller, or otherwise less able to protect tection, organisation, agricultural tech- themselves, and accordingly a stronger niques and general development. The When the kingdom ended the Dúne- presence was deemed necessary here. Rangers protect the area of former dain passed into the shadows and be- The settlement patterns have changed Arthedain (and to an extent, all of old came a secret and wandering people, though. Apart from the hobbitish Shire, Arnor) however, compensating to some and their deeds and labours were seldom the major mannish settlements can now extent for the lack of a central govern- sung or recorded. Little now is remem- be found in central Eriador, whence the ment and its military. bered of them since Elrond departed. majority of the surviving Arthadan popu- After the war, most surviving people Although even before the Watchful Peace ended evil things again began to lation that stayed in Eriador relocated, from Arthedain emigrated to the security attack Eriador or to invade it secretly, and where the Dúnedain made their of Gondor. The Rangers (i.e. the the Chieftains for the most part lived bases as well. Númenóreans as a whole and their fami- out their long lives. A number of circumstances influence lies), however, remained, intent on holding their claim to their ancestral —The Lord of the Rings. the demographic development within the lands and protecting it from evil crea- Appendix A borders of former Arthedain. In detail these are: tures to the best of their ability. In addi- tion, a substantial number of the com- The war of TA 1974/75 devastated This is a thrilling and pivotal time mon people stayed as well, forming most the economic and political structure of period in the history of Eriador, after the of the isolated settlements apart from the Arthedain. After his victory on the bat- end of the North Kingdom and before Shire. tlefield, the Witch-king’s marauding the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. In addition, it is also most of- troops deliberately hunted Arthadan ten overlooked. Demographically, it is civilians and livestock all over the realm. The coloration on the “realms” on still a transitional period between the Additionally the harsh winter very likely Map 22 is thematic: final years of Arthedain and the almost caused many losses among the dislocated Yellow—in counsel with the Rangers empty Eriador of the very late Third people. This deliberate hunting of people and allied with them (even if they are Age. It is, however, representative of the can be deduced from The Lord of the unaware of the true identity of these demographic situation after the fall of Rings, in the following quote. tall people) Arthedain, and the establishment of the The Shire-folk survived, though war Green—generally friendly towards the remaining Eriadorian settlement pat- swept over them and most of them fled Rangers and often open to their ad- terns. Some areas of mannish population into hiding. To the help of the king vice, but otherwise neutral. they sent some archers who never re- were able to maintain themselves beyond Blue-Purple—neutral people with no turned; and others went also to the the end of Arthedain. Many of them are special amity nor enmity towards the battle in which Angmar was overthrown sheltered by the relative protection the Rangers. Reactions depend largely on Rangers provide. Map 22 on the next (of which more is said in the annals of the South). the situation rather than a pre-existing page shows the political fiefdoms/ positive attitude. entities in this time. —The Lord of the Rings. The Dúnedain have split their pres- Appendix A ence after the end of the North King- dom. Their smaller community is lo- You only have to hide, when you are cated in the North Downs, managing in fear of being killed, so this can be seen affairs with the Arthedain remnants in as a hint for the Angmarean policy of the Lhûn and Emyn Uial region. Due to genocide on Arthedain’s people. the relative strength of these communi- ties of “lesser men”, it was decided they The defeat of Angmar and the depar- needed less Númenórean presence for ture of the Witch-king from the North defense. led to a gradual improvement of the The other Dúnadan settlement area is weather and lessening of the military in the South Downs, and covers the pro- threat (e.g. Orcs and Trolls are now tection for the areas of old Cardolan and largely disorganized and few). These southern Arthedain, including the Shire. advantages are largely offset by the lack These are more scattered and generally of a centralized realm’s benefits of pro- 93 Other Minds Magazine

Map 22: Fiefdoms and Provinces TA 2740

Independent principalities in ers need more warriors than they them- Hîmaran counsel with the Rangers selves can provide. It was founded two years after These “realms” and lordships are gen- Ruthran Ruthran. During the campaign that sys- erally in coordination with one another, This realm was founded in TA 1978, tematically destroyed Angmar’s infra- helping and supporting one another when the bulk of the Gondorian soldiers structure, Hîmaran—together with whenever possible. The mannish lord- have almost entirely left the North again. Ruthran—was an important logistic base ships are generally well able to defend Two small towns are located here. for these troops. Two towns stand themselves and are the most important within its borders. resource for manpower when the Rang- 94 Issue 13, March 2012 Rilurâph kindness and respect. Therefore they can Dor-en-Egladil This is the youngest of the Evendim be counted on by the Rangers—if these The ancient Angle community has area lordships. It was founded by settlers people can be persuaded that the re- recovered somewhat after the fall of the from Hîmaran in TA 2378 and devel- quested action is in their own interest as Witch-king and has —for Eriadorian oped into astrong lordship, for Eriador at well. standards of the time—a big town as its this time. Two towns are the centers of The Shire center. this small realm. The hobbits have thrived very well Mag Speriang Hlothran since the end of Arthedain. Seventeen— The Speriang have prospered since This is the smallest and weakest of albeit small—towns dot the landscape. the end of Angmar, and two large vil- the “western quartet”. Two small towns They tend to not involve themselves in lages are the urban centers of this realm. outside affairs, but are kind people. (actually big villages) are its centers. It Girithlin Forn was founded in TA 1992, when the last Breeland This community thrived after the end Gondorian troops finally left the North. The Breelanders have fared quite well of the Witch-king as well, increasing Sarn Athrad and even in this time profit from their their numbers. Two large villages are Due to the importance of this cross- location on the most important cross- now the principal centers here. road, a noteworthy community has re- roads in Eriador. Three towns of signifi- mained here. Two large villages are the cance exist here at this time. Independent principalities that area’s centers. Galattar are neutral towards the Rangers Noddfa Rhaglaw Independent from the Dúnedain for These people have neither a special The people of this ancient region almost a millennium, they are nonethe- friendship nor hostility with the Rangers survived even Angmar’s fall, having pre- less worthy folk and friends of the few and generally treat them like any other viously been more or less forced into its dwarves that live nearby. This and the stranger (i.e. with a considerable degree empire. They are among the Rangers’ remote location have led to modest pros- of caution). perity and two small towns are the urban most faithful supporters. One small Caladir centers of this small realm. town is the center of this region. These people did not fare as well as Forncírbann Rangaza many others in Eriador. Their numbers The Rangers living here primarily This small lordship along the upper have not changed much and a single small watch over the mannish remnants of the Mitheithel was founded in TA 1998 by town acts as the principal center. people from Angmar who had renounced old north-central part of Arthedain. A Sonn the Witch-king’s rule. They are on large village forms the communities’ This relatively young lordship center. They keep a low profile to keep friendly terms with Noddfa Rhaglaw, but not in close contact with the Dúnedain. (founded TA 2480) is numerous, but its the knowledge of their existence here as people are barbarous by Númenórean obscure as possible. Three small towns/large villages are the centers found here. standards. Three towns tell of their suc- Rhúncírbann cess in settling the coast. Barnâtha The southern (and most easterly, Saralainn This realm was founded in TA 2005, hence the name) territory of the Rangers The old kingdom of Saralainn has lies strategically situated to watch over from Angmarean refugees as with Ran- gaza, plus refugees from the former Car- seen better times, and only three towns the southern remnants of Arthedain. It is are the remnants of its urban centers. larger than its northern counterpart, and dolan. They are in close friendship with also has a large village at its center. Simi- Rangaza and Noddfa Rhaglaw. Two large Senana larly to its northern cousin, it keeps a villages form the region’s centers. The people of this relatively new low profile in the open matters of Tharbad lordship (founded TA 2367) are of the Eriador. The once great city is little more than kin of the people of Saralainn and the a pale shadow of its former glory. Its last Dunlendings. Despite their primitive Independent principalities biggest asset was lost with the fall of culture, three thriving towns tell of their friendly towards the Rangers Arthedain. Since then, a gradual success in shaken Eriador. These are the mannish communities (further) decline set in. Even now, it is that are not especially amicable to the the greatest settlement in Eriador, which Dúnedain per se, but generally treat tells a lot about the urban centers in that friendly and good-willed people with region as a whole. 95 Other Minds Magazine The Former Angmar able by the remnants of the foundations, The realm of Angmar is no more. All silent testimony of the once thriving its major settlements and fortifications mannish settlements here. Mostly no- were thoroughly dismantled by the Gon- mads (Lossoth and Dunlending-related dorians before they left Eriador (ca. TA people) roam the region west of the 1990), leaving only ruins that are at best Hithaeglir while its prime inhabitants are usable as lairs. Many are only recogniz- again Orcs.

Population figures Table 20 below shows the overall population figures. Map 23 on the next page depicts the urbanization in the western and central parts of Eriador in this era.

Table 20: Overview of population figures in TA 2740 area (km2) population number of towns/cities with inhabitants overall lightly densely in rural density up to 2,501- 5,001- era settled settled total areas in cities total (per km2) 2,500 5,000 10,000 10,001+ total The Shire 23,600 14,800 38,400 249,600 22,900 272,500 7.10 17 0 0 0 17

Ruthran 1,400 300 1,700 13,200 1,600 14,800 8.97 2 0 0 0 2

Hlothran 1,400 400 1,800 11,300 1,100 12,400 6.72 2 0 0 0 2

Hîmaran 1,500 500 2,000 18,300 1,900 20,200 10.03 2 0 0 0 2

Rílûraph 1,400 700 2,100 23,200 2,100 25,300 11.84 2 0 0 0 2

Breeland 4,100 800 4,900 41,700 3,645 45,333 9.19 3 0 0 0 3

Forncírbann 810 120 930 3,600 700 4,300 4.59 1 0 0 0 1

Rhúncírbann 3,400 200 3,600 9,200 800 10,000 2.78 1 0 0 0 1

Sarn Athrad 1,500 300 1,800 10,000 900 10,900 5.90 2 0 0 0 2

Noddfa Rhaglaw 1,000 100 1,100 10,700 1,200 11,900 11.02 1 0 0 0 1

Galattar 3,800 1,500 5,300 28,500 2,400 30,900 5.81 2 0 0 0 2

Girithlin Forn 1,800 800 2,600 18,000 1,600 19,600 7.53 2 0 0 0 2

Mag Speriang 640 260 900 13,800 1,300 15,100 16.58 2 0 0 0 2

Rangaza 3,950 350 4,300 17,600 2,700 20,300 4.71 3 0 0 0 3

Barnâtha 2,250 850 3,100 13,500 1,300 14,800 4.79 2 0 0 0 2

Tharbad 420 90 510 12,100 2,700 14,800 28.9 0 1 0 0 0

Dor-en-Egladil 600 800 1,400 18,900 1,600 20,500 14.56 1 0 0 0 1

Caladir 800 200 1,000 8,600 800 9,300 9.05 1 0 0 0 1

Sonn 2,500 1,400 3,900 24,300 1,900 26,200 6.76 1 2 0 0 3

Saralainn 3,900 2,300 6,200 64,100 5,600 69,700 11.15 3 0 0 0 3

Senana 2,100 1,100 3,200 38,000 4,400 42,400 13.23 3 0 0 0 3

96 Issue 13, March 2012 Urban Centers The central and western areas of Eriador together with their settlement centers and urbanization can be found below. The rows in the tables below and on the next page have been shaded with the corresponding colours on the map to ease recognition.

Map 23: Urbanization in western & central Eriador TA 2740

Table 21: Urban centers in western and central Eriador TA 2740 # Settlement Realm Province/fief Population Map # # Settlement Realm Province/fief Population Map # 1 Greenfields Shire Northfarthing 2,000 Nf1 18 Bree Breeland Breeland 1,500 Br1 2 Long Cleeve Shire Northfarthing 1,300 Nf2 19 Andrath Breeland Breeland 1,300 Br2 3 Brocken Borings Shire Eastfarthing 800 Ef5 20 Mirion Breeland Breeland 1,200 Br3 4 Whitfurrows Shire Eastfarthing 1,300 Ef1 21 Nirthiach Ruthran Ruthran 800 Ru2 5 Frogmorton Shire Eastfarthing 1,100 Ef2 22 Caras Celairnen Ruthran Ruthran 800 Ru2 6 Willowbottom Shire Eastfarthing 1,400 Ef3 23 Bareketta Hîmaran Hîmaran 1,300 Hî1 7 Scary Shire Eastfarthing 1,000 Ef4 24 Tharanin Hîmaran Hîmaran 600 Hî2 8 Brandy Hall Shire Buckland 800 Bu1 25 Tarmabar Rilurâph Rilurâph 1,500 Ri1 9 Longbottom Shire Southfarthing 1,500 Sf1 26 Kalbucar Rilurâph Rilurâph 600 Ri2 10 Beeching Cross Shire Southfarthing 1,300 Sf2 27 Bodroth Hlothran Hlothran 600 Hl1 11 Hardbottle Shire Southfarthing 1,200 Sf3 28 Rimazan Hlothran Hlothran 500 Hl2 12 Heed Torton Shire Southfarthing 1,200 Sf4 29 Iach Sarn/Stonehill Sarn Athrad Sarn Athrad 500 SA1 13 Hobbiton Shire Westfarthing 1,800 Wf1 30 Metraith (Thalion) Sarn Athrad Sarn Athrad 400 SA5 14 Tookbank Shire Westfarthing 1,900 Wf2 31 Carathir Arnor Rhúncírbann 800 Rh1 15 Michel Delving Shire Westfarthing 1,700 Wf3 32 Foronarth Arnor Forncírbann 800 Fo1 16 Boldercross Shire Westfarthing 1,100 Wf4 33 Edhelas Galattar Galattar 1,400 Ga1 17 Little Delving Shire Westfarthing 1,300 Wf5 34 Endrist Galattar Galattar 1,000 Ga2

97 Other Minds Magazine

Map 25: Urbanization in eastern Eriador TA 2740

Map 24: Urbanization in southern Eriador TA 2740

Table 22: Urban centers in southern Eriador TA 2740 Table 23: Urban centers in eastern Eriador TA 2740 # Settlement Realm Province/fief Population Map # # Settlement Realm Province/fief Population Map # 1 Tharbad Tharbad Tharbad 2,800 Th1 1 Gamanas Rangaza Rangaza 800 Ra1 2 Laganin Caladir Caladir 800 Ca1 2 Cameth Brin Rangaza Rangaza 900 Ra2 3 Bor Leath Mag Speriang Mag Speriang 900 MS1 3 Enfrivin Rangaza Rangaza 900 Ra3 4 Aithfinn Mag Speriang Mag Speriang 400 MS2 4 Bastuca Barnâtha Barnâtha 800 Ba1 5 Balost (Cûban) Girithlin Forn Girithlin Forn 1,000 GF1 5 Tîregad Barnâtha Barnâtha 500 Ba2 6 Tharni Girithlin Forn Girithlin Forn 600 GF2 6 Fennas Drunin Dor-en Egladil Dor-en Egladil 1,500 DeE1 7 Aithan Sonn Sonn 2,700 So1 7 Noddfa Rhaglaw Noddfa Rhaglaw Noddfa Rhaglaw 800 NR1 8 Brascua Sonn Sonn 2,600 So2 9 Dolbralran Sonn Sonn 1,300 So3 10 Hena Saralainn Saralainn 2,500 Sa3 11 Icain Saralainn Saralainn 1,800 Sa6 12 Cathiel Saralainn Saralainn 1,200 Sa2 13 Sconnla Senana Senana 2,000 Se1 14 Vainche Senana Senana 1,300 Se2 15 Weolpaid Senana Senana 1,000 Se3

98 Issue 13, March 2012 TA 2915 onward Rangers. Reactions depend largely on their range and power. The Dúnedain the situation rather than a pre-existing and their allies are hard pressed to con- In the time of the War of the Ring the positive attitude. tain this threat. The defensive line in lands were still in places well-wooded, The population numbers reflect the eastern and northeastern Eriador is especially in Minhiriath and in the breached several times due to the vast south-east of Enedwaith; but most of state after ca. TA 2915. In general number of invasion routes. One of these the plains were grassland. Since the Eriador is only very sparsely populated raids is then defeated by the hobbits in Great Plague of the year 1636 of the and no form of central government exists the Battle of Greenfields in TA 2748. Third Age Minhiriath had been almost that affects more than a few villages or entirely deserted, though a few secretive towns (save in the Shire—in a sense). Others looked for—and found—targets in former Cardolan, devastating a num- hunter-folk lived in the woods. In contrast to TA 2740, several major ber of smaller settlements and weaken- changes can be observed. Three major —Unfinished Tales. ing others before being finally defeated. disasters struck the north-west shortly The History of Galadriel and The Dúnedain’s settlements suffer as after this time, leading to a sharp drop in Celeborn and Amroth, well, leading to some serious losses. In the overall population outside the bor- King of Lórien this respect, Forncírbann in particular is ders of the Shire. almost annihilated. From TA 2740 to about 2750, orcs This quote is of great interest for the Only a few years later, in TA 2758, from the Misty Mountains invade Eriador interpretation of both the population the Long Winter struck the north-west in hope of plunder, pillage and increasing levels as well as the maps provided in The of Middle-earth. Its extreme length and Lord of the Rings and Unfinished Tales. Both depict Eriador as almost entirely devoid of forests (apart from the , the Trollshaws and Eryn Vorn). Combined with the quote above it is very likely that these maps show primarily those geo- graphical features necessary for the story rather than being a particularly accurate representation of actual ground cover. Therefore it is safe to assume that Min- hiriath had much greater wooded areas than shown on the maps, though cer- tainly not as widespread as the ancient forests of the Second Age before the Númenóreans began to cut them down for their shipbuilding program. The quote seems to suggest that the “few secretive hunter-folk” refers specifically to the era of The Lord of the Rings. Map 25 on the right shows the politi- cal situation of this era. Like in TA 2740, the coloration on the “realms” on Map 22 is thematic: Yellow—in counsel with the Rangers and allied with them (even if they are unaware of the true identity of these tall people) Green—generally friendly towards the Rangers and often open to their ad- vice, but otherwise neutral. Blue-Purple—neutral people with no Map 26: Fiefdoms and Provinces TA 2915+ special amity nor enmity towards the 99 Other Minds Magazine harshness hit the war-torn and weakened “Mutton yesterday, mutton today, Independent principalities in communities especially hard, leading to and blimey, if it don’t look like mutton counsel with the Rangers many deaths and the total collapse of a again tomorrer,” said one of the trolls. These “realms” and lordships are gen- number of communities. [...] erally in coordination with each other, The Fell Winter in TA 2911 finished William choked. “Shut yer mouth!” he rendering help and support. The man- off the smaller settlements that had just said as soon as he could. “Yer can’t nish lordships are generally able to de- expect folk to stop here for ever just to recovered from the effects of the Long fend themselves against local threats, but be et by you and Bert. You’ve et a vil- Winter. Many people died from the win- for the defence against stronger threats ter and its effects (e.g. marauding preda- lage and a half between yer, since we come down from the mountains. How are reliant on the Rangers (even if this is tors like wolves) and even the relatively sought in secret). well-sheltered Shire suffered dearly. much more d’yer want?” Noddfa Rhaglaw These events caused the Dúnedain to —The Hobbit.Roast Mutton The three disasters struck the people re-evaluate their former strategy of set- hard, but they survived. One small town tling in dispersed areas. They had suf- The cold, famine and diseases of the is the urban center here. fered losses as well and saw the necessity two great winters spelled the end of for keeping an even lower profile. Thus many settlements, and only along the Arcírbann the remnants of the Northern Dúnedain lower Mitheithel and in the Angle did This is the last surviving territory re-located to an area of the Angle in ter- any mannish settlement worth mention- directly under Dúnadan “rule” and con- rain well suited to shielding them from ing remain east of Bree. trol. It is their only home since ca. TA the eyes and ears of casual travellers. In Table 24 below gives an overview of 2760 After the defeat of the orcs in TA addition, active and close patrolling pre- the the total population and urbanization 2750, the Dúnedain re-evaluated their vents any unwanted chance encounters. levels in this time. strategy—not the least due to their To keep their food supply better After the end of the community at grievous losses—and decided that a stocked, they also use a wider territory Sarn Athrad, the ancient bridge there change was necessary. Moving closer to extending up to the Trollshaws for herd- collapsed in the wake of the Long Win- Rivendell and concentrating in one area ing sheep. Beside this practical value, it ter when great floods from the melting offered much better chances for survival. gives the Dúnedain (in the guise of herd- snow swelled the river. From then on, a One small town is the center of their ers) an additional source of intelligence ford existed at this place as it had before urban life here. without attracting undue attention. It the bridge was built. Dor-en-Egladil may be some of these sheep (and perhaps They suffered from three great ca- an outlying village) that fell victim to the lamities, but the influx of survivors from three Trolls in The Hobbit (cont. next the lost communities alleviated the ef- column): fects, and now it is a relatively strong community again with one sizeable urban center.

Table 24: Overview of population figures in TA 2915 and after area (km2) population number of towns/cities with inhabitants overall lightly densely in rural density up to 2,501- 5,001- area settled settled total areas in cities total (per km2) 2,500 5,000 10,000 10,001+ total The Shire 23,600 14,800 38,400 249.605 23.574 273.179 7,12 17 0 0 0 17 Breeland 1,015 85 1,100 8.641 1.121 9.762 8,69 1 0 0 0 1 Noddfa Rhaglaw 770 90 860 6.833 790 7.623 8,91 1 0 0 0 1 Arcírbann 2,500 300 2,800 8.026 1.402 9.428 3,41 1 0 0 0 1 Dor-en-Egladil 1,200 1,000 2,200 18.736 1.691 20.427 9,23 1 0 0 0 1 Sonn 900 1,000 1,900 44.632 4.300 48.932 25,99 2 0 0 0 2 Meach 700 800 1,500 27.020 2.410 29.430 19,79 2 0 0 0 2 Senana 1,600 1,300 2,900 43.659 5.140 48.799 16,92 2 0 0 0 2 Saralainn 3,900 2,800 6,700 83.627 6.256 89.882 13,39 3 0 0 0 3

100 Issue 13, March 2012 Independent principalities towards these Rangers than before. Two Azelanduzur (Thorin’s Halls)— friendly towards the Rangers towns remain in the area. founded in TA 2810 by the Longbeard king Thorin II “Oakenshield”, they are These are the mannish communities continually inhabited until the early that are not especially amicable to the Independent principalities that Fourth Age, though after the death of Dúnedain, but generally treat friendly are neutral towards the Rangers Smaug and the re-establishment of Ere- and good-willed people with kindness Saralainn bor, many of its people re-locate to the and respect. Therefore they can be th The old Saralainn perished in the 28 Lonely Mountain. Also see Other Minds, counted on for the Rangers, if they can century, but many refugees fled south- Issues 4 and 5 for more information on be persuaded that it is in their own inter- ward, mingling with other people of this site. (V) est. their kind and founding a new Saralainn Imladris—Elrond’s House is inhabited The Shire north of the Mouths of Isen in TA 2762. throughout the Third Age. (VI) The Shire has recovered from the Three towns exist in this barbarous, but Gundabad—In the Third Age, this is effects of the three disasters, and the thriving community. inhabited at different times by both population levels are almost the same as Meach dwarves and orcs. See Other Minds, Issues in TA 2740. The hobbits still have seven- This realm was founded on parts of 4 and 5 for more details on its compli- teen towns in their realm. the ruined old Saralainn, but it wasn’t as cated history. (VII) Breeland fortunate. Two small towns can be found in this rustic lordship. Goblin-gate—the second most impor- Breeland has shrunken dramatically tant habitation of the Misty Mountain since TA 2740. This is partly due to the Senana orcs for the first two millennia of the mentioned three disasters, but also to the The principality of Senana developed Third Age. (VIII) much decreased traffic along the roads. well since ca. TA 2740, and three towns Khazad-dûm/Moria—the greatest Only one major settlement (Bree itself) dot the landscape of this small realm. dwarf-city of all time. Shortly after the remains here. Map 27 and 28 as well as Table 25 on end of the North Kingdom it is taken The population can be roughly ex- the next page show the demographics. over by the Balrog and the dwarves are trapolated because of Prof. Tolkien’s expelled for the remainder of the Third details given for this settlement. In LotR Age. (IX) there are ca. 100 stone houses of men Peripheral Regions —the most important Gon- plus several hobbit holes. This might lead There are a number of peripheral Angrenost dorian fortress for almost the whole of to a total population of ca. 1,000 or settlements in Eriador that do not belong the Third Age until Saruman is given its 1,500 people, enough for a small town to the core areas discussed here. Of custody in TA 2759. (X) (e.g. a regional center). As long as Ar- course the cities and principalities in nor/Arthedain existed it held a key role: Eriador are not isolated from the rest of Harnost/Hornburg—an important It commanded the crossway between the the region, and accordingly a short de- Gondorian fortress until the Rohirrim two principal communication routes (the scription of the other important settle- took it over and initially called it Great East Road and the Greenway) in ments on the fringes of Eriador is in or- Súthburg. (XI) Eriador and is the most likely site to der. On the maps, they are marked by Bauzdûm-Mazar—the Place of Awak- place an urban community with its wide roman numerals. ening for the second and third Houses range of services for all travellers (not to Forlond—the primary elven port of of the Naugrim (Firebeards and Broad- mention tax collection). Therefore the Forlindon (I) beams, respectively). Abandoned in TA people of Bree should always be well-off Harlond—the primary elven port of 1480. See Other Minds, Issues 4 and 5 for and a regional center. When Arthedain Harlindon (II) more information on this site and its fell, their importance shrank drastically people. (XII) Mithlond—Círdan’s seat and the but the pragmatic Breelanders made the greatest elven center in the West (III) Baruk-zigil/Mount Gram—a man- best of it and the old city shrank to the sion of the third House of the Naugrim Kalbarazûd (Tumnogoth Iaur)— town we read of in the The Lord of the (the Broadbeams) until finally con- occupied throughout the entire Third Rings. quered by the orcs in TA 1305 shortly Age by dwarves of the second House of Sonn after the official founding of Angmar. the Naugrim (the Firebeards). See also th See Other Minds, Issues 4 and 5 for more In the troubled times of the 28 cen- Other Minds, Issues 4 and 5 for more in- information on this site and its people. tury, Sonn received some aid from the formation on this site and the status of (XIII) Rangers, which aided in their survival. its population. (IV) Therefore they are now more friendly 101 Other Minds Magazine

Map 27: Urbanization in central Eriador TA 2915+

Table 25: Urban centers in central Eriador TA 2915+ # Settlement Realm Province/fief Population Map # 1 Greenfields Shire Northfarthing 2,100 Nf1 Map 28: Urbanization in southern 2 Long Cleeve Shire Northfarthing 1,100 Nf2 Eriador TA 2915+ 3 Brocken Borings Shire Eastfarthing 800 Ef5 4 Whitfurrows Shire Eastfarthing 1,500 Ef1 5 Frogmorton Shire Eastfarthing 1,100 Ef2 6 Willowbottom Shire Eastfarthing 1,400 Ef3 7 Scary Shire Eastfarthing 1,300 Ef4 8 Brandy Hall Shire Buckland 1,000 Bu1 9 Longbottom Shire Southfarthing 1,500 Sf1 10 Beeching Cross Shire Southfarthing 1,300 Sf2 11 Hardbottle Shire Southfarthing 1,100 Sf3 12 Heed Torton Shire Southfarthing 1,000 Sf4 13 Hobbiton Shire Westfarthing 1,800 Wf1 14 Tookbank Shire Westfarthing 1,900 Wf2 15 Michel Delving Shire Westfarthing 1,700 Wf3 16 Boldercross Shire Westfarthing 1,300 Wf4 17 Little Delving Shire Westfarthing 1,500 Wf5 18 Bree Breeland Breeland 1,300 Br1 19 Noddfa Rhaglaw Arnor Noddfa Rhaglaw 800 NR1 20 Andring Arnor Arcírbann 1,400 NR1 21 Fennas Drunin Rhudaur Dor-en Egladil 1,500 DeE1

Table 26: Urban centers in southern Eriador TA 2915+ # Settlement Realm Province/fief Population Map # 1 Levanard Saralainn Saralainn 2,000 Sa7 2 Clothrad Saralainn Saralainn 2,400 Sa8 3 Ceinduire Saralainn Saralainn 1,900 Sa9 4 Brol Meach Meach 1,300 Me1 5 Colaigar Meach Meach 1,100 Me2 6 Tacnana Senana Senana 2,000 Se1 7 Gollaig Senana Senana 1,300 Se2 8 Ienin Senana Senana 1,800 Se3 9 Brascua Sonn Sonn 2,200 So2 10 Alsa Sonn Sonn 2,100 So4 102 Issue 13, March 2012 Readings Notes The following publications were used 1. These were Thoughts on the Population 7. Depending on your references this in creating this article: of Gondor and Arnor and More on Popula- number can be very variable of course. tion: A Response to Jason Beresford. The [1] The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. 8. Even Gondor was “relatively” uninter- latter was an answer to the former Tolkien, © by Allen Unwin Ltd. ested in naval matters until the reigns which came to quite different solu- of the Ship-kings from the 9th century [2] Unfinished Tales by J.R.R. Tolkien, tions for the population problem. I onwards. Therefore the southern © by George Allen & Unwin developed my analysis in line with realm also sees a decline in naval tech- (Publishers) Ltd 1980 Gunnar’s tendency because I judged nology. his arguments more reasonable. Both th [3] Arnor: The Land by Wesley J. Frank 9. In mid-14 -century France the aris- are available as part of ‘The Other tocracy is estimated at around (Revision Author), © 1997 by Iron Hands Restoration project’ that was 500,000 out of a 21 million total (ca. Crown Enterprises published in Other Minds, Issue 10. 2.5% of the population). [4] Arnor: The People by Wesley J. Frank 2. On an area comparable to the state of 10. By choosing this percentage they re- (Revision Author), © 1996 by Iron Washington (or Bulgaria and Czech main a minority while being numerous Republic combined). Crown Enterprises enough to still remain relatively power- [5] Die Galeonen – Große Segelschiffe um 3. See Armies of Eriador in Other Hands, ful and not easily overturned. Issue 33/34 for further explanations of 1600 by Peter Kirsch; Bernard & 11. Owing to the proximity of the princi- this term. Graefe Verlag pal haven – Pelargir. 4. Or the “France” of the 5th century; [6] Northwestern Middle-earth Gazetteer by 12. The “King’s Men”. according to estimate. Mark Raben, © 1992 by Iron 13. Counting in the fact that all the other 5. Or at least seriously weakened as in Crown Enterprises colonies in Endor also had some the case of Gondor during the Stew- Númenóreans living there and the [7] From Land to Subsistence by Juha ards’ rule. majority still lived in Númenor. Juuso Vesanto 6. Such a difference might not be impor- 14. This concept is discussed in greater ([email protected]). ‘The Guild tant at first glance but for Tolkien such detail in the articleThe Phenomenon of Companion’ e-zine, May 2000 spiritual and philosophical differences http://www.guildcompanion.com “Eternal Realms” in Middle-earth RPG are of great importance (resulting in settings in Other Minds, Issue 12. [8] Thoughts on the population of Gondor the demise and decline of the less and Arnor by Gunnar Brolin, Other Faithful). See also the first paragraph Hands, Issue #3, 1993 and More on (“The Dúnedain”) for such philosophi- cal considerations. population: A response Jason Beresford, Other Hands, Issue #4, 1994 [9] A response to “Thoughts on the popu- lation of Gondor and Arnor” by Jason Beresford, Other Hands, Issue #3, 1993 [10] Other Hands, Issue #15/15, p.28-32 [11] The One Ring—AdventuresOver the Edge of the Wild by Francesco Ne- pitello, © 2011 by Cubicle 7 and Sophisticated Games [12] The History of Middle-earth, Vol. 12: The Peoples of Middle-earth by J.R.R. Tolkien and Christopher Tolkien (editor), © 1996 HarperCollins Publishers [13] Númenórean Maritime Technology, Other Minds, Issue #2 [14] Religion in Angmar, Other Minds Issue #9 103 Other Minds Magazine Fineprint

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Table 2: Supposed population levels in the Shire Table 1: Average body sizes of normal men and Númenóreans urban Period total Hobbits Race avg. male height height percentage avg. male weight weight percentage population Normal Men 1,70 m (5'7") 100% 70 kg (154 lbs.) 100% TA 250 120,500 - 5,700 Númenóreans 1,93 m (6'4") 114% 101 kg (222 lbs.) 144% TA 1400 46,100 - 2,200 TA 1640 40,000 35,000 3,200 TA 1974 145,300 145,300 8,900 TA 2740 272,500 272,500 22,900 TA 2915+ 273,200 273,200 23,600

Table 3: Overview of total Eriadorian population figures throughout the Third Age area (km2) population number of towns/cities with inhabitants

overall lightly densely in rural density up to 2,501- 5,001- era settled settled total areas in cities total (per km2) 2,500 5,000 10,000 10,001+ total TA 250 475,100 232,100 707,200 4,744,100 437,200 5,181,300 7.33 24 72 12 2 110 TA 1400 363,400 230,200 593,600 4,634,700 429,700 5,064,400 8.53 22 81 10 2 115 TA 1640 259,000 128,400 387,400 2,467,600 205,900 2,673,500 6.90 48 28 2 1 79 TA 1974 233,900 118,700 352,600 2,252,300 210,200 2,462,500 6.98 57 29 2 0 88 TA 2740 63,100 27,800 90,900 648,200 63,000 711,200 7.82 53 3 0 0 56 TA 2915+ 36,200 22,100 58,300 490,800 46,700 537,500 9.22 31 0 0 0 31

Table 4: Supposed origin of Ruling Dúnadan Houses settled in Eriador # fief/province ruled by pre-Akallabêth post-Akallabêth 1 Eketya Noble House (Eketya) × 2 Noirinanaya Noble House (Noirinin) × 3 Tarmëa Noble House (Tarma) × 4 Rammas Forn Noble House (Foro) × 5 Nan Túrath Royal Province 6 Sûza Aran Royal Province 7 Siragalë Noble House (Orro) × 8 Sarn Athrad Noble House (Emerya) × 9 Hyarromenya Noble House (Hyarromenyar) × 10 Emyn Sûl Royal Province 11 Faerdor Noble House (Galathir) × 12 Minhiriath Royal Province 13 Dol Caladir Noble House (Caladir) × 14 Ethir Gwathló Noble House (Gunion) × 15 Girithlin Noble House (Girithlin) × 16 Dyr Maenason Noble House (Bengoth) × 17 Dyr Erib Noble House (Denelaith) × 18 Dyr Eldanaryon Noble House (Eldanar) × 19 Hithaeglir Forn Noble House (Húnen) × 20 Hithaeglir Harad Noble House (Endril) × 21 Cameth Brin Royal Province 22 Dor-en-Egladil Noble House (Melossë) ×

108 Issue 13, March 2012 Table 5: Urban centers in TA 250 # Settlement Province/Fief Population Note # Map # # Settlement Province/Fief Population Note # Map # 1 Bareketta (Mar Eketyaron) Eketya 5,300 Ek1 56 Bondor Dyr Maenason 3,200 DEH1 2 Arading Eketya 3,700 Ek2 57 Erenir Dyr Maenason 3,100 DEH2 3 Bodroth Eketya 4,200 Ek3 58 Faelond Dyr Maenason 3,200 DEH3 4 Faranel Eketya 3,900 Ek4 59 Mistalondë/Sudúri Ethir Gwathlo 9,600 EG1 5 Anglas Eketya 2,700 Ek5 60 Amlolas Ethir Gwathlo 5,100 EG2 6 Gwaelin Eketya 2,400 Ek6 61 Bregnas Ethir Gwathlo 4,400 EG3 7 Nielros Emyn Sûl 2,800 ES4 62 Cathiel Ethir Gwathlo 4,200 EG4 8 Mirion Emyn Sûl 2,300 ES5 63 Dirdabor Ethir Gwathlo 3,600 EG5 9 Bree Emyn Sûl 3,800 ES1 64 Amrelor Ethir Gwathlo 3,800 EG6 10 Minas Malloth Emyn Sûl 3,500 4 ES2 65 Hangireth Ethir Gwathlo 2,300 EG7 11 Andrath Emyn Sûl 4,300 ES3 66 Aspar Faerdor 3,900 Fa1 12 Minas Hyarrómenyaron Hyarromenya 4,200 Hy1 67 Dinach Faerdor 3,600 Fa2 13 Oromruin Hyarromenya 3,600 Hy2 68 Filimer Faerdor 3,200 Fa3 14 Annúminas Nan Túrath 14,200 NT1 69 Gundiok Faerdor 2,500 Fa4 15 Fornost Erain Nan Túrath 8,000 NT2 70 Nidada Faerdor 2,800 Fa5 16 Aradhras (Kingscrag) Nan Túrath 5,200 NT3 71 Minas Girithlin Girithlin 7,200 Gi1 17 Athilin Nan Túrath 4,600 NT4 72 Angoth Girithlin 3,800 Gi2 18 Anglor Nan Túrath 4,500 NT5 73 Annithir Girithlin 3,300 Gi3 19 Barad Garan Nan Túrath 3,700 NT6 74 Annon Baran Girithlin 6,300 Gi4 20 Endroth Nan Túrath 5,400 NT7 75 Balost Girithlin 5,500 Gi5 21 Fanduin Nan Túrath 4,300 NT8 76 Caranthel Girithlin 4,400 Gi06 22 Andrin Nan Túrath 4,700 NT9 77 Cithiel Girithlin 4,600 Gi7 23 Ganderch Nan Túrath 3,800 NT10 78 Cithrenor Girithlin 4,700 Gi8 24 Maegoth Nan Túrath 2,200 NT11 79 Forondir Girithlin 4,200 Gi9 25 Ambon Noirinanyaron Noirinanya 4,900 No1 80 Galathlilval Girithlin 3,900 Gi10 26 Nirthiach Noirinanya 4,200 No2 81 Redhel Girithlin 3,100 Gi11 27 Nelvorin Noirinanya 3,700 No3 82 Herwen Girithlin 2,800 Gi12 28 Nothros Noirinanya 4,300 No4 83 Althil Girithlin 3,300 Gi13 29 Caras Celairnen Noirinanya 4,200 No5 84 Tharbad Minhiriath 25,000 Mi1 30 Bauruin Noirinanya 2,100 No6 85 Arading Minhiriath 4,400 Mi2 31 Lelmoth Noirinanya 2,200 No7 86 Mathlor Minhiriath 4,600 Mi3 32 Cerin Balgrist Rammas Forn 3,600 RF1 87 Metraith (Thalion) Minhiriath 9,400 Mi4 33 Ardum Rammas Forn 3,400 RF2 88 Adandor Minhiriath 2,200 Mi5 34 Heleb Rammas Forn 3,800 RF3 89 Edras Minhiriath 2,400 Mi6 35 Maenthiros Rammas Forn 3,500 RF4 90 Cameth Brin Cameth Brin 5,200 CB1 36 Iach Sarn/Stonehill Sarn Athrad 4,000 3 SA1 91 Enfrivin Cameth Brin 2,400 CB2 37 Minas Ongoth Sarn Athrad 3,100 SA2 92 Girail Cameth Brin 1,900 CB3 38 Nelval Sarn Athrad 3,400 SA3 93 Fennas Drunin Dor-en Egladil 3,200 DeE1 39 Enerond Sarn Athrad 2,000 SA4 94 Thuin Boid Dor-en Egladil 2,900 DeE2 40 Edhelas Siragalë 3,000 Si1 95 Gwahilmoth Dor-en Egladil 3,900 DeE3 41 Endrist Siragalë 3,100 Si2 96 Minas Brethil Dor-en Egladil 4,100 DeE4 42 Iant Baranduin Sûza Aran 2,100 2 SûA1 97 Udandir Dor-en Egladil 3,500 DeE5 43 Nirmolian Sûza Aran 2,000 SûA2 98 Minas Eldanaryaron Dyr Eldanaryon 3,000 DE1 44 Firaen Sûza Aran 1,500 SûA3 99 Dulaich Dyr Eldanaryon 3,100 DE2 45 Mar Tarmëaron (Tarmabar) Tarmëa 5,300 Ta1 100 Kereic Dyr Eldanaryon 2,300 DE3 46 Enerond Tarmëa 3,900 Ta3 101 Crudu Dyr Eldanaryon 2,500 DE4 47 Rood/Rhovanduin Tarmëa 4,200 1 Ta4 102 Arnaro Dyr Eldanaryon 2,300 DE5 48 Cargilin Tarmëa 3,300 Ta5 103 Iant Methed Dyr Erib 2,800 DEF1 49 Orchelor Tarmëa 1,800 Ta6 104 Brildil Dyr Erib 2,500 DEF2 50 Dúragar Tarmëa 4,100 Ta2 105 Ardum Dyr Erib 2,600 DEF3 51 Argond Dol Caladir 4,000 DC1 106 Agand Dyr Erib 2,400 DEF4 52 Benglaras Dol Caladir 3,500 DC2 107 Helegnel Hithaeglir Forn 1,400 HF1 53 Dongril Dol Caladir 4,600 DC3 108 Broig Hithaeglir Forn 3,900 HF2 54 Fangoth Dol Caladir 3,200 DC4 109 Idoch Hithaeglir Harad 2,400 HH1 55 Geleborn Dol Caladir 3,000 DC5 110 Wrech Hithaeglir Harad 2,500 HH2 109 Other Minds Magazine Notes to Table 5 on the previous page

1. The river crossing between the principal cities (and the accompanying traffic) in Arthedain would be very likely to give rise to a city, rather than the small village mentioned in [3]. 2. Such an important site (the river crossing of the Great East Road) is very likely to harbour a city. It opens the opportunity to collect bridge tax, a very important source of income for any lord or other authority. 3. Again, like at Iant Baranduin this important crossing is very likely to give rise to the development of a large settlement. During the time of Arnor/Arthedain there might even be a bridge present. Tolkien mentions this site only during times before or after Arnorian rule (during the War of the Elves and Sauron in UT and in LotR respectively). Being an important river crossing for a major trade route a bridge is very likely to be built by Arnor. After the fall of Arthedain the bridge could have been destroyed or fallen into disrepair and eventually collapsed such that by the time of LotR there is again only a ford. 4. This city is also the regional center for the fortress of Amon Sûl. The latter, being a big fortress, has need of many services only a city can offer and a Cardolanian city filling this role fits very well with the complicated politics concerning the possession of Amon Sûl (the main source of strife among the Sister Kingdoms). It also strengthens the relations between the realms and introduces a believable economical and social background for an otherwise lonely, big fortress.

Table 6: Overview of population figures in TA 1400 area (km2) population number of towns/cities with inhabitants overall lightly densely in rural density up to 2,501- 5,001- era settled settled total areas in cities total (per km2) 2,500 5,000 10,000 10,001+ total Arthedain 163,500 94,100 257,600 1,757,400 162,200 1,919,600 7.45 8 33 2 1 44 Cardolan 97,800 91,200 189,000 2,033,900 185,400 2,219,300 11.74 2 31 7 1 41 Dor-en-Egladil 9,600 4,900 14,500 131,500 13,100 144,600 9.99 1 3 0 0 4 Rhudaur 48,200 8,800 56,900 269,100 26,800 295,900 5.20 5 4 1 0 10 Angmar 44,300 31,200 75,600 442,800 42,200 485,000 6.42 6 10 0 0 16

110 Issue 13, March 2012 Table 7: Urban centers in Arthedain TA 1400 # Settlement Province/Fief Population Notes Map # Table 8: Urban centers in Cardolan TA 1400 1 Bareketta (Mar Eketyaron) Eketya 4,900 Ek1 # Settlement Province/Fief Population Notes Map # 2 Arading Eketya 3,400 Ek2 1 Andrath Tyrn Hódhath 7,200 TH1 3 Bodroth Eketya 3,600 Ek3 2 Minas Malloth Tyrn Hódhath 5,200 TH2 4 Faranel Eketya 3,000 Ek4 3 Ningliras Tyrn Hódhath 4,300 TH3 5 Rildolach Eketya 1,000 Ek7 4 Iarond Tyrn Hódhath 3,800 TH4 6 Nielros Emyn Sûl 2,500 ES4 5 Helegnel Tyrn Hódhath 4,700 TH5 7 Mirion Emyn Sûl 2,300 ES5 6 Ilfin Tyrn Hódhath 2,000 TH6 8 Arduin Emyn Sûl 1,600 ES7 7 Bondor Dyr Erib 2,600 DE1 9 Minas Hyarrómenyaron Hyarromenya 3,400 Hy1 8 Faelond Dyr Erib 3,000 DE2 10 Oromruin Hyarromenya 3,800 Hy2 9 Aspar Faerdor 3,900 Fa1 11 Fornost Erain Nan Túrath 14,500 NT2 10 Dinach Faerdor 3,500 Fa2 12 Aradhras (Kingscrag) Nan Túrath 5,500 NT3 11 Filimer Faerdor 3,100 Fa3 13 Athilin Nan Túrath 4,400 NT4 12 Gundiok Faerdor 2,500 Fa4 14 Anglor Nan Túrath 4,300 NT5 13 Nidada Faerdor 2,800 Fa5 15 Barad Garan Nan Túrath 3,500 NT6 14 Tharbad Minhiriath 20,800 Mi1 16 Endroth Nan Túrath 5,200 NT7 15 Mathlor Minhiriath 3,300 Mi3 17 Fanduin Nan Túrath 4,100 NT8 16 Metraith (Thalion) Minhiriath 7,100 Mi4 18 Andrin Nan Túrath 4,500 NT9 17 Edras Minhiriath 3,100 Mi6 19 Ganderch Nan Túrath 3,600 NT10 18 Argond Dol Caladir 4,100 DC1 20 Maegoth Nan Túrath 2,900 NT11 19 Benglaras Dol Caladir 3,000 DC2 21 Bree Nan Túrath 4,600 NT12 20 Dongril Dol Caladir 3,800 DC3 22 Ambon Noirinanyaron Noirinanya 4,700 No1 21 Fangoth Dol Caladir 3,600 DC4 23 Nelvorin Noirinanya 3,500 No3 24 Nothros Noirinanya 4,200 No4 # Settlement Province/Fief Population Notes Map # 25 Caras Celairnen Noirinanya 4,000 1 No5 22 Geleborn Dol Caladir 3,400 DC5 26 Bauruin Noirinanya 3,100 No6 23 Mistalondë/Sudúri Ethir Gwathlo 9,800 EG1 27 Lelmoth Noirinanya 3,300 No7 24 Amlolas Ethir Gwathlo 5,400 EG2 28 Cerin Balgrist Rammas Forn 3,700 RF1 25 Bregnas Ethir Gwathlo 4,200 EG3 29 Thaendor Rammas Forn 3,200 RF4 26 Cathiel Ethir Gwathlo 4,100 EG4 30 Iant Baranduin Sûza Aran 1,000 SûA1 27 Dirdabor Ethir Gwathlo 3,900 EG5 31 Nirmolian Sûza Aran 1,200 SûA2 28 Amrelor Ethir Gwathlo 3,800 EG6 32 Annúminas Tarmëa 2,500 Ta7 29 Hangireth Ethir Gwathlo 2,700 EG7 33 Mar Tarmëaron (Tarmabar) Tarmëa 4,700 Ta1 30 Minas Girithlin Girithlin 6,400 Gi1 34 Enerond Tarmëa 3,700 Ta3 31 Angoth Girithlin 3,600 Gi2 35 Rood/Rhovanduin Tarmëa 3,500 Ta4 32 Annithir Girithlin 3,100 Gi3 36 Cargilin Tarmëa 3,100 Ta5 33 Annon Baran Girithlin 4,000 Gi4 37 Orchelor Tarmëa 2,700 Ta6 34 Balost Girithlin 5,200 Gi5 38 Dúragar Tarmëa 3,700 Ta2 35 Caranthel Girithlin 4,900 Gi6 39 Iach Sarn/Stonehill Sarn Athrad 4,800 SA1 36 Cithiel Girithlin 3,800 Gi7 40 Minas Ongoth Sarn Athrad 3,200 SA2 37 Cithrenor Girithlin 3,900 Gi8 41 Nelval Sarn Athrad 3,600 SA3 38 Forondir Girithlin 4,100 Gi9 42 Enerond Sarn Athrad 2,100 SA4 39 Galathlilval Girithlin 3,400 Gi10 43 Edhelas Siragalë 2,600 Si1 40 Redhel Girithlin 3,900 Gi11 44 Endrist Siragalë 3,600 Si2 41 Althil Girithlin 4,200 Gi13

111 Other Minds Magazine

Table 8: Urban centers in Cardolan TA 1400 # Settlement Province/Fief Population Notes Map # # Settlement Province/Fief Population Notes Map # 1 Andrath Tyrn Hódhath 7,200 TH1 22 Geleborn Dol Caladir 3,400 DC5 2 Minas Malloth Tyrn Hódhath 5,200 TH2 23 Mistalondë/Sudúri Ethir Gwathlo 9,800 EG1 3 Ningliras Tyrn Hódhath 4,300 TH3 24 Amlolas Ethir Gwathlo 5,400 EG2 4 Iarond Tyrn Hódhath 3,800 TH4 25 Bregnas Ethir Gwathlo 4,200 EG3 5 Helegnel Tyrn Hódhath 4,700 TH5 26 Cathiel Ethir Gwathlo 4,100 EG4 6 Ilfin Tyrn Hódhath 2,000 TH6 27 Dirdabor Ethir Gwathlo 3,900 EG5 7 Bondor Dyr Erib 2,600 DE1 28 Amrelor Ethir Gwathlo 3,800 EG6 8 Faelond Dyr Erib 3,000 DE2 29 Hangireth Ethir Gwathlo 2,700 EG7 9 Aspar Faerdor 3,900 Fa1 30 Minas Girithlin Girithlin 6,400 Gi1 10 Dinach Faerdor 3,500 Fa2 31 Angoth Girithlin 3,600 Gi2 11 Filimer Faerdor 3,100 Fa3 32 Annithir Girithlin 3,100 Gi3 12 Gundiok Faerdor 2,500 Fa4 33 Annon Baran Girithlin 4,000 Gi4 13 Nidada Faerdor 2,800 Fa5 34 Balost Girithlin 5,200 Gi5 14 Tharbad Minhiriath 20,800 Mi1 35 Caranthel Girithlin 4,900 Gi6 15 Mathlor Minhiriath 3,300 Mi3 36 Cithiel Girithlin 3,800 Gi7 16 Metraith (Thalion) Minhiriath 7,100 Mi4 37 Cithrenor Girithlin 3,900 Gi8 17 Edras Minhiriath 3,100 Mi6 38 Forondir Girithlin 4,100 Gi9 18 Argond Dol Caladir 4,100 DC1 39 Galathlilval Girithlin 3,400 Gi10 19 Benglaras Dol Caladir 3,000 DC2 40 Redhel Girithlin 3,900 Gi11 20 Dongril Dol Caladir 3,800 DC3 41 Althil Girithlin 4,200 Gi13 21 Fangoth Dol Caladir 3,600 DC4

Table 9: Urban centers in Rhudaur TA 1400 Table 10: Urban centers in Angmar TA 1400 # Settlement Province/Fief Population Notes Map # # Settlement Province/Fief Population Notes Map # 1 Fennas Drunin Dor-en Egladil 2,500 DeE1 1 Morkai Morkai 3,400 1 Mo1 2 Thuin Boid Dor-en Egladil 3,600 DeE2 2 Minas Eldanaryaron Morkai 1,900 Mo2 3 Gwahilmoth Dor-en Egladil 2,800 DeE3 3 Cerdim Morkai 1,000 Mo3 4 Minas Brethil Dor-en Egladil 4,200 DeE4 4 Carn Dûm Carn Dûm 4,100 CD1 5 Iant Methed Tegwared 3,400 Te1 5 Angsûl Carn Dûm 2,700 CD2 6 Brildil Tegwared 2,700 Te2 6 Lesbleic Carn Dûm 2,600 CD3 7 Cameth Brin Llyr 5,800 Ll1 7 Crudu Croit 2,000 Cr1 8 Enfrivin Llyr 3,300 Ll2 8 Litash Nan Angmar 2,800 NA1 9 Dinuis Llyr 2,000 Ll3 9 Blerei Nan Angmar 2,300 NA2 10 Idoch Pwyll 2,000 Pw1 10 Wrakyaburg Adastar 3,700 Ad1 11 Girail Pwyll 3,000 Pw2 11 Hebidir Adastar 3,300 Ad2 12 Ardum Ceredigion 1,600 Ce3 12 Sasinas Adastar 3,100 Ad3 13 Helegnel Ceredigion 1,300 Ce1 13 Erva Adastar 1,800 Ad4 14 Broig Ceredigion 1,500 Ce2 14 Woumis Audipar 3,500 Au1 15 Vusbas Audipar 3,000 Au2 16 Idima Audipar 800 Au3

Table 11: Overview of population figures in TA 1640 area (km2) population number of towns/cities with inhabitants overall lightly densely in rural density up to 2,501- 5,001- era settled settled total areas in cities total (per km2) 2,500 5,000 10,000 10,001+ total Arthedain 121,500 66,400 187,900 1,256,100 108,200 1,364,300 7.26 13 21 1 0 35 Cardolan 27,300 28,000 55,300 489,100 47,100 536,200 11.69 10 3 1 1 15 Saralainn 7,000 5,300 12,400 163,200 9,200 172,400 13.95 3 1 0 0 4 Rhudaur* 1,600 500 2,100 14,500 1,200 15,700 7.51 2 0 0 0 2 Angmar 101,600 28,200 129,800 544,800 40,300 585,100 4.51 20 3 0 0 23

* In this time, Rhudaur is only represented through the remnant of Dor-en-Egladil (The Angle)

112 Issue 13, March 2012

Table 12: Urban centers in Arthedain TA 1640 # Settlement Province/Fief Population Notes Map # # Settlement Province/Fief Population Notes Map # 1 Bareketta (Mar Eketyaron) Eketya 4,700 Ek1 19 Bauruin Noirinanya 3,900 No6 2 Bodroth Eketya 3,200 Ek3 20 Iant Baranduin Shire 1,300 Sh1 3 Faranel Eketya 1,100 Ek4 21 Nirmolian Shire 1,900 Sh2 4 Minas Hyarrómenyaron Hyarromenya 700 Hy1 22 Mar Tarmëaron (Tarmabar) Tarmëa 4,600 Ta1 5 Rindilas Hyarromenya 1,300 Hy3 23 Enerond Tarmëa 3,600 Ta3 6 Bree Nan Túrath 4,600 NT12 24 Rood/Rhovanduin Tarmëa 3,500 Ta4 7 Fornost Erain Nan Túrath 9,800 NT02 25 Cargilin Tarmëa 3,100 Ta5 8 Athilin Nan Túrath 4,400 NT04 26 Orchelor Tarmëa 4,400 Ta6 9 Anglor Nan Túrath 4,200 NT05 27 Iach Sarn/Stonehill Sarn Athrad 3,000 SA1 10 Barad Garan Nan Túrath 3,500 NT06 28 Minas Ongoth Sarn Athrad 2,700 SA2 11 Endroth Nan Túrath 4,900 NT07 29 Nelval Sarn Athrad 1,400 SA3 12 Andrin Nan Túrath 4,400 NT09 30 Enerond Sarn Athrad 1,200 SA4 13 Ganderch Nan Túrath 3,600 NT10 31 Edhelas Siragalë 1,200 Si1 14 Maegoth Nan Túrath 2,500 NT11 32 Endrist Siragalë 1,400 Si2 15 Mirion Nan Túrath 3,100 NT13 33 Noddfa Rhaglaw Noddfa Rhaglaw 800 NR1 16 Ambon Noirinanyaron Noirinanya 4,600 No1 34 Neddig Noddfa Rhaglaw 750 NR2 17 Nothros Noirinanya 4,200 No4 35 Brynmor Noddfa Rhaglaw 650 NR3 18 Caras Celairnen Noirinanya 4,000 No5

Table 13: Urban centers in “Cardolan” TA 1640 Table 15: Urban centers in Angmar TA 1640 # Settlement Province/Fief Population Notes Map # # Settlement Province/Fief Population Notes Map # 1 Andrath Tyrn Hódhath 3,900 TH1 1 Iant Methed Carest 900 Ca1 2 Ningliras Tyrn Hódhath 900 TH3 2 Thuin Boid Carest 1,300 Ca2 3 Iarond Tyrn Hódhath 2,500 TH4 3 Cameth Brin Llyr 2,000 Ll1 4 Mathlor Tyrn Hódhath 2,400 TH6 4 Enfrivin Llyr 900 Ll2 5 Dinach Faerdor 2,500 Fa2 5 Idoch Pwyll 700 Pw1 6 Filimer Faerdor 800 Fa3 6 Girail Pwyll 1,400 Pw2 7 Metraith (Thalion) Dol Tinereb 5,500 DT1 7 Ardum Ceredigion 1,500 Ce3 8 Maura Dol Tinereb 2,500 DT2 8 Helegnel Ceredigion 800 Ce1 9 Tharbad Tharbad 15,200 Th1 9 Broig Ceredigion 1,500 Ce2 10 Amlolas Dol Caladir 500 DC7 10 Crudu Croit 2,400 Cr1 11 Bregnas Dol Caladir 1,300 DC6 11 Morkai Morkai 2,000 Mo1 12 Mistalondë/Sudúri Saralainn 4,400 Sa1 12 Minas Eldanaryaron Morkai 900 Mo2 13 Cathiel Saralainn 1,900 Sa2 13 Cerdim Morkai 1,300 Mo3 14 Hena Saralainn 1,700 Sa3 14 Carn Dûm Carn Dûm 4,000 CD1 15 Morchan Saralainn 1,200 Sa4 15 Angsûl Carn Dûm 2,100 CD2 16 Minas Girithlin Girithlin 4,000 Gi01 16 Lesbleic Carn Dûm 2,600 CD3 17 Bor Leath Girithlin 1,100 Gi03 17 Litash Nan Angmar 2,100 NA1 18 Annon Baran Girithlin 2,900 Gi04 18 Blerei Nan Angmar 2,100 NA2 19 Galathlilval Girithlin 1,000 Gi10 19 Wrakyaburg Adastar 2,400 Ad1 20 Hebidir Adastar 2,100 Ad2 Table 14: Urban centers in “Rhudaur” TA 1640 21 Erva Adastar 1,300 Ad4 # Settlement Province/Fief Population Map # 22 Vusbas Audipar 2,700 Au2 1 Fennas Drunin Dor-en Egladil 650 DeE1 23 Idima Audipar 1,000 Au3 2 Minas Brethil Dor-en Egladil 500 DeE4

113 Other Minds Magazine

Table 16: Overview of population figures in TA 1974 area (km2) population number of towns/cities with inhabitants

overall lightly densely in rural density up to 2,501- 5,001- era settled settled total areas in cities total (per km2) 2,500 5,000 10,000 10,001+ total Arthedain (altogether) 101,300 57,100 158,500 983,000 86,300 1,069,300 6.75 20 14 1 0 35 The Shire 30,600 7,600 38,200 136,400 8,900 145,300 3.80 8 0 0 0 8 Arthedain (w.o. hobbits) 70,700 49,600 120,300 846,600 77,400 924,000 7.40 12 14 1 0 27 Galattar 3,500 1,400 5,000 33,900 3,200 37,100 7.47 2 0 0 0 2 Girithlin Forn 2,200 600 2,900 20,600 1,300 21,900 7.64 2 0 0 0 2 Mag Speriang 507 166 673 5,500 700 6,200 9.20 1 0 0 0 1 Saralainn 13,200 6,400 19,500 126,200 10,900 137,200 7.03 4 1 0 0 5 Dol Caladir 950 240 1,200 10,600 1,100 11,700 9.69 1 0 0 0 1 Tharbad 1,700 200 1,900 16,900 4,300 21,200 10.97 0 1 0 0 1 Dor-en-Egladil 320 130 450 2,300 460 2,760 6.07 1 0 0 0 1 Angmar 119,100 52,400 171,500 1,085,100 104,300 1,189,400 6.94 26 13 1 0 40

Table 17: Urban centers in Arthedain TA 1974 # Settlement Province/Fief Population Notes Map # # Settlement Province/Fief Population Notes Map # 1 Bareketta (Mar Eketyaron) Eketya 5,000 Ek1 20 Longbottom Shire 900 Sh8 2 Bodroth Eketya 3,200 Ek3 21 Little Delving Shire 900 Sh9 3 Arading Eketya 2,300 Ek2 22 Mar Tarmëaron (Tarmabar) Tarmëa 4,500 Ta1 4 Faranel Eketya 1,400 Ek4 23 Enerond Tarmëa 3,500 Ta3 5 Fornost Erain Nan Túrath 8,500 NT02 24 Rood/Rhovanduin Tarmëa 3,400 Ta4 6 Andrin (Free City) Nan Túrath 3,300 NT09 25 Cargilin Tarmëa 2,400 Ta5 7 Anglor Nan Túrath 2,900 NT05 26 Orchelor Tarmëa 2,000 Ta6 8 Ganderch Nan Túrath 2,700 NT10 27 Bree Breeland 2,100 Br1 9 Ambon Noirinanyaron Noirinanya 4,400 No1 28 Barad Garan Breeland 1,300 Br2 10 Nirthiach Noirinanya 3,000 No2 29 Mirion Breeland 1,200 Br3 11 Nothros Noirinanya 3,800 No4 30 Iach Sarn/Stonehill Sarn Athrad 2,900 SA1 12 Caras Celairnen Noirinanya 3,000 No5 31 Metraith (Thalion) Sarn Athrad 2,000 SA5 13 Dondonwath Noirinanya 3,600 No8 32 Nelval Sarn Athrad 1,300 SA3 14 Greenfields Shire 1,000 Sh5 33 Mathlor Sarn Athrad 1,200 SA6 15 Hobbiton Shire 2,100 Sh3 34 Andrath Tyrn Hódhath 1,000 TH1 16 Iant Baranduin Shire 800 Sh1 35 Ningliras Tyrn Hódhath 2,500 TH3 17 Tookbank Shire 1,100 Sh4 36 Edhelas Galattar 1,900 Ga1 18 Hardbottle Shire 1,000 Sh7 37 Endrist Galattar 1,300 Ga2 19 Brocken Borings Shire 1,100 Sh6

Table 18: Urban centers in “Cardolan and “Rhudaur” in TA 1974 # Settlement Province/Fief Pop. Map # 1 Tharbad Tharbad 4,300 Th1 2 Laganin Dol Caladir 900 DC8 3 Mistalondë/Sudúri Saralainn 4,000 Sa1 4 Amlolas Saralainn 1,500 Sa5 5 Hena Saralainn 2,000 Sa3 6 Morchan Saralainn 1,900 Sa4 7 Cathiel Saralainn 1,600 Sa2 8 Bor Leath Mag Speriang 700 MS1 9 Balost (Cûban) Girithlin Forn 630 GF1 10 Tharni Girithlin Forn 700 GF2 11 Fennas Drunin Dor-en Egladil 500 DeE1

114 Issue 13, March 2012

Table 19: Urban centers in Angmar TA 1640 # Settlement Province/Fief Pop. Map # # Settlement Province/Fief Pop. Map # # Settlement Province/Fief Pop. Map # 1 Certhalc Carest 900 Ca3 15 Broig Ceredigion 2,000 Ce2 26 Hebidir Adastar 2,100 Ad2 2 Thuin Boid Carest 1,800 Ca2 16 Crudu Croit 3,300 Cr1 27 Sasinas Adastar 2,500 Ad3 3 Cameth Brin Llyr 2,300 Ll1 17 Vamnus Croit 1,200 Cr2 28 Pudarid Adastar 1,400 Ad5 4 Enfrivin Llyr 1,000 Ll2 18 Smyeka Croit 1,100 Cr3 29 Woumis Audipar 2,000 Au1 5 Idoch Pwyll 1,200 Pw1 17 Morkai Morkai 3,700 Mo1 30 Vusbas Audipar 2,500 Au2 6 Girail Pwyll 1,200 Pw2 18 Minas Eldanaryaron Morkai 2,000 Mo2 31 Girchiron Audipar 1,400 Au4 7 Iant Methed Fereic 1,800 Fe1 19 Cerdim Morkai 1,400 Mo3 32 Idima Audipar 1,800 Au3 8 Brildil Fereic 2,700 Fe2 20 Carn Dûm Carn Dûm 7,500 CD1 33 Matlaburg Deldined 5,000 De1 9 Rugamba Fereic 2,000 Fe3 21 Angsûl Carn Dûm 3,600 CD2 34 Hemnolaud Deldined 3,400 De2 10 Noddfa Rhaglaw Noddfa Rhaglaw 1,900 NR1 22 Lesbleic Carn Dûm 3,300 CD3 35 Idima Deldined 3,600 De3 11 Neddig Noddfa Rhaglaw 1,400 NR2 23 Litash Nan Angmar 2,700 NA1 36 Haroburg Deldined 3,400 De4 12 Brynmor Noddfa Rhaglaw 1,300 NR3 24 Blerei Nan Angmar 3,000 NA2 37 Audeld Deldined 3,600 De5 13 Ardum Ceredigion 2,100 Ce3 25 Wrakyaburg Adastar 4,000 Ad1 25 Wrakyaburg Adastar 4,000 Ad1 14 Helegnel Ceredigion 1,300 Ce1

Table 20: Overview of population figures in TA 2740 area (km2) population number of towns/cities with inhabitants overall lightly densely in rural density up to 2,501- 5,001- era settled settled total areas in cities total (per km2) 2,500 5,000 10,000 10,001+ total The Shire 23,600 14,800 38,400 249,600 22,900 272,500 7.10 17 0 0 0 17

Ruthran 1,400 300 1,700 13,200 1,600 14,800 8.97 2 0 0 0 2

Hlothran 1,400 400 1,800 11,300 1,100 12,400 6.72 2 0 0 0 2

Hîmaran 1,500 500 2,000 18,300 1,900 20,200 10.03 2 0 0 0 2

Rílûraph 1,400 700 2,100 23,200 2,100 25,300 11.84 2 0 0 0 2

Breeland 4,100 800 4,900 41,700 3,645 45,333 9.19 3 0 0 0 3

Forncírbann 810 120 930 3,600 700 4,300 4.59 1 0 0 0 1

Rhúncírbann 3,400 200 3,600 9,200 800 10,000 2.78 1 0 0 0 1

Sarn Athrad 1,500 300 1,800 10,000 900 10,900 5.90 2 0 0 0 2

Noddfa Rhaglaw 1,000 100 1,100 10,700 1,200 11,900 11.02 1 0 0 0 1

Galattar 3,800 1,500 5,300 28,500 2,400 30,900 5.81 2 0 0 0 2

Girithlin Forn 1,800 800 2,600 18,000 1,600 19,600 7.53 2 0 0 0 2

Mag Speriang 640 260 900 13,800 1,300 15,100 16.58 2 0 0 0 2

Rangaza 3,950 350 4,300 17,600 2,700 20,300 4.71 3 0 0 0 3

Barnâtha 2,250 850 3,100 13,500 1,300 14,800 4.79 2 0 0 0 2

Tharbad 420 90 510 12,100 2,700 14,800 28.9 0 1 0 0 0

Dor-en-Egladil 600 800 1,400 18,900 1,600 20,500 14.56 1 0 0 0 1

Caladir 800 200 1,000 8,600 800 9,300 9.05 1 0 0 0 1

Sonn 2,500 1,400 3,900 24,300 1,900 26,200 6.76 1 2 0 0 3

Saralainn 3,900 2,300 6,200 64,100 5,600 69,700 11.15 3 0 0 0 3

Senana 2,100 1,100 3,200 38,000 4,400 42,400 13.23 3 0 0 0 3

115 Other Minds Magazine

Table 21: Urban centers in western and central Eriador TA 2740 # Settlement Realm Province/fief Population Map # # Settlement Realm Province/fief Population Map # 1 Greenfields Shire Northfarthing 2,000 Nf1 18 Bree Breeland Breeland 1,500 Br1 2 Long Cleeve Shire Northfarthing 1,300 Nf2 19 Andrath Breeland Breeland 1,300 Br2 3 Brocken Borings Shire Eastfarthing 800 Ef5 20 Mirion Breeland Breeland 1,200 Br3 4 Whitfurrows Shire Eastfarthing 1,300 Ef1 21 Nirthiach Ruthran Ruthran 800 Ru2 5 Frogmorton Shire Eastfarthing 1,100 Ef2 22 Caras Celairnen Ruthran Ruthran 800 Ru2 6 Willowbottom Shire Eastfarthing 1,400 Ef3 23 Bareketta Hîmaran Hîmaran 1,300 Hî1 7 Scary Shire Eastfarthing 1,000 Ef4 24 Tharanin Hîmaran Hîmaran 600 Hî2 8 Brandy Hall Shire Buckland 800 Bu1 25 Tarmabar Rilurâph Rilurâph 1,500 Ri1 9 Longbottom Shire Southfarthing 1,500 Sf1 26 Kalbucar Rilurâph Rilurâph 600 Ri2 10 Beeching Cross Shire Southfarthing 1,300 Sf2 27 Bodroth Hlothran Hlothran 600 Hl1 11 Hardbottle Shire Southfarthing 1,200 Sf3 28 Rimazan Hlothran Hlothran 500 Hl2 12 Heed Torton Shire Southfarthing 1,200 Sf4 29 Iach Sarn/Stonehill Sarn Athrad Sarn Athrad 500 SA1 13 Hobbiton Shire Westfarthing 1,800 Wf1 30 Metraith (Thalion) Sarn Athrad Sarn Athrad 400 SA5 14 Tookbank Shire Westfarthing 1,900 Wf2 31 Carathir Arnor Rhúncírbann 800 Rh1 15 Michel Delving Shire Westfarthing 1,700 Wf3 32 Foronarth Arnor Forncírbann 800 Fo1 16 Boldercross Shire Westfarthing 1,100 Wf4 33 Edhelas Galattar Galattar 1,400 Ga1 17 Little Delving Shire Westfarthing 1,300 Wf5 34 Endrist Galattar Galattar 1,000 Ga2

Table 22: Urban centers in southern Eriador TA 2740 Table 23: Urban centers in eastern Eriador TA 2740 # Settlement Realm Province/fief Population Map # # Settlement Realm Province/fief Population Map # 1 Tharbad Tharbad Tharbad 2,800 Th1 1 Gamanas Rangaza Rangaza 800 Ra1 2 Laganin Caladir Caladir 800 Ca1 2 Cameth Brin Rangaza Rangaza 900 Ra2 3 Bor Leath Mag Speriang Mag Speriang 900 MS1 3 Enfrivin Rangaza Rangaza 900 Ra3 4 Aithfinn Mag Speriang Mag Speriang 400 MS2 4 Bastuca Barnâtha Barnâtha 800 Ba1 5 Balost (Cûban) Girithlin Forn Girithlin Forn 1,000 GF1 5 Tîregad Barnâtha Barnâtha 500 Ba2 6 Tharni Girithlin Forn Girithlin Forn 600 GF2 6 Fennas Drunin Dor-en Egladil Dor-en Egladil 1,500 DeE1 7 Aithan Sonn Sonn 2,700 So1 7 Noddfa Rhaglaw Noddfa Rhaglaw Noddfa Rhaglaw 800 NR1 8 Brascua Sonn Sonn 2,600 So2 9 Dolbralran Sonn Sonn 1,300 So3 10 Hena Saralainn Saralainn 2,500 Sa3 11 Icain Saralainn Saralainn 1,800 Sa6 12 Cathiel Saralainn Saralainn 1,200 Sa2 13 Sconnla Senana Senana 2,000 Se1 14 Vainche Senana Senana 1,300 Se2 15 Weolpaid Senana Senana 1,000 Se3

Table 24: Overview of population figures in TA 2915 and after area (km2) population number of towns/cities with inhabitants overall lightly densely in rural density up to 2,501- 5,001- area settled settled total areas in cities total (per km2) 2,500 5,000 10,000 10,001+ total The Shire 23,600 14,800 38,400 249.605 23.574 273.179 7,12 17 0 0 0 17 Breeland 1,015 85 1,100 8.641 1.121 9.762 8,69 1 0 0 0 1 Noddfa Rhaglaw 770 90 860 6.833 790 7.623 8,91 1 0 0 0 1 Arcírbann 2,500 300 2,800 8.026 1.402 9.428 3,41 1 0 0 0 1 Dor-en-Egladil 1,200 1,000 2,200 18.736 1.691 20.427 9,23 1 0 0 0 1 Sonn 900 1,000 1,900 44.632 4.300 48.932 25,99 2 0 0 0 2 Meach 700 800 1,500 27.020 2.410 29.430 19,79 2 0 0 0 2 Senana 1,600 1,300 2,900 43.659 5.140 48.799 16,92 2 0 0 0 2 Saralainn 3,900 2,800 6,700 83.627 6.256 89.882 13,39 3 0 0 0 3

116 Issue 13, March 2012

Table 25: Urban centers in central Eriador TA 2915+ Table 26: Urban centers in southern Eriador TA 2915+ # Settlement Realm Province/fief Population Map # # Settlement Realm Province/fief Population Map # 1 Greenfields Shire Northfarthing 2,100 Nf1 1 Levanard Saralainn Saralainn 2,000 Sa7 2 Long Cleeve Shire Northfarthing 1,100 Nf2 2 Clothrad Saralainn Saralainn 2,400 Sa8 3 Brocken Borings Shire Eastfarthing 800 Ef5 3 Ceinduire Saralainn Saralainn 1,900 Sa9 4 Whitfurrows Shire Eastfarthing 1,500 Ef1 4 Brol Meach Meach 1,300 Me1 5 Frogmorton Shire Eastfarthing 1,100 Ef2 5 Colaigar Meach Meach 1,100 Me2 6 Willowbottom Shire Eastfarthing 1,400 Ef3 6 Tacnana Senana Senana 2,000 Se1 7 Scary Shire Eastfarthing 1,300 Ef4 7 Gollaig Senana Senana 1,300 Se2 8 Brandy Hall Shire Buckland 1,000 Bu1 8 Ienin Senana Senana 1,800 Se3 9 Longbottom Shire Southfarthing 1,500 Sf1 9 Brascua Sonn Sonn 2,200 So2 10 Beeching Cross Shire Southfarthing 1,300 Sf2 10 Alsa Sonn Sonn 2,100 So4 11 Hardbottle Shire Southfarthing 1,100 Sf3 12 Heed Torton Shire Southfarthing 1,000 Sf4 13 Hobbiton Shire Westfarthing 1,800 Wf1 14 Tookbank Shire Westfarthing 1,900 Wf2 15 Michel Delving Shire Westfarthing 1,700 Wf3 16 Boldercross Shire Westfarthing 1,300 Wf4 17 Little Delving Shire Westfarthing 1,500 Wf5 18 Bree Breeland Breeland 1,300 Br1 19 Noddfa Rhaglaw Arnor Noddfa Rhaglaw 800 NR1 20 Andring Arnor Arcírbann 1,400 NR1 21 Fennas Drunin Rhudaur Dor-en Egladil 1,500 DeE1

117

Table of Contents Other Minds Magazine, Issues 1-13

What you see before you is a comprehensive table of content for all Issues of Other Minds published so far. It will be regularly updated as new Issues become available. If you need a more flexible tool, please visit our website at http://othermindsmagazine.com/. There you can find a simple spreadsheet with an option to filter for several criteria. The Issue listing below should be largely self-explanatory. The “page” column lists the beginning page of the contribution in question.

Issue 1, July 2007 (49 pages) Title Author Page Game System Editorial: Here we are! Thomas Morwinsky, Hawke Robinson 2 any Opinion – The Acroteriasm of Other W.A. Hawke Robinson 3 any Hands The Battle Over Role Playing Gaming W.A. Hawke Robinson 6 any Mapping Arda Thomas Morwinsky, Stéphane Hœrlé, 9 any Gabriele Quaglia, Oliver Schick, Christian Schröder Of Barrow-wights – Part One Neville Percy 21 any Magic in Middle-earth Chris Seeman 28 any Thoughts on Imladris – Part One Thomas Morwinsky 31 any

Issue 2, January 2008 (75 pages) – Focus theme: Númenor Title Author Page Game System Category Editorial: Ready for Round Two! Thomas Morwinsky, Hawke Robinson 2 any Other Minds Conventions Thomas Morwinsky 3 any J.R.R. Tolkien’s love of Trees and the W.A. Hawke Robinson 6 any Core Environment Númenóreans in Endor Gabriele Quaglia, Stéphane Hœrlé, Thomas 10 any Optional Morwinsky Númenórean Maritime Technology Thomas Morwinsky 26 any Optional, House A Response to ‘Mapping Arda’ Eric Dubourg 37 any Optional, House Mapping Arda - Reloaded Thomas Morwinsky, Stéphane Hœrlé, 41 any Optional Gabriele Quaglia, Oliver Schick, Christian Schröder

Issue 3, May 2008 (45 pages) Title Author Page Game System Category Editorial: Third time is a charm Thomas Morwinsky 2 any Of Barrow-wights – Part Two Neville Percy 5 any Core J.R.R. Tolkien, Words, Phrases & Chris Seeman 9 any Core Passages in The Lord of the Rings – A Game Designer’s Guide to Parma Eldalamberon 17 The Rings of Power – History and Thomas Morwinsky 15 any Core, Optional Abilities The Palantíri Chris Seeman 31 LotR RPG House The Venturers and the colonies of Eric Dubourg 34 any House Númenor

Issue 4, July 2008 (49 pages) – Focus theme: Dwarves Title Author Page Game System Category Editorial: Baruk Khazâd – Khazâd ai- Thomas Morwinsky 2 any mênu Whither MerpCon Hawke Robinson 3 any The Problem of Dwarven Women Neville Percy 6 any Optional A Brief History of the Dwarven Thomas Morwinsky 11 any Optional Mansions A Dwarven Runic Cryptogram Neville Percy 22 any House Swept Off By Your Feet... Thomas Morwinsky 24 any House Outer Names for the Western Dwarves Neville Percy 25 any House The Giant Armoured Moldewarp Neville Percy 28 MERP House The Sword of Aulë Tom Davie 30 MERP House

Issue 5, March 2009 (35 pages) Title Author Page Game System Category Editorial: Back for good Thomas Morwinsky 2 any Tolkien and Transformational Thought Michael Martinez 3 any Core Tolkien’s Impact on Beowulf W.A. Hawke Robinson 6 any Core Thoughts on Imladris - Part Two Thomas Morwinsky 9 any House Minas Ithil Name Glossary Chris Seeman, David Salo 13 any Optional Mithril and MERP Chris Seeman 18 any House Amending “A Brief History of the Thomas Morwinsky 25 any Optional Dwarven Mansions”

Issue 6, May 2009 (77 pages) Title Author Page Game System Category Editorial: Back on track! Thomas Morwinsky 2 any Clad in Mail Oliver Hauss 4 any Core White Hand Rising Lev Lafayette 8 any House Númenórean longevity Thomas Morwinsky 10 any Optional The Eöldrim José Enrique Vacas de la Rosa 23 any House Tharbad Map Name Changes Chris Seeman, David Salo 28 any Optional Banks of the Northern Anduin Johannes Lomborg 30 MERP House – An Overview José Enrique Vacas de la Rosa 58 any House Book Review – “Isildur” Thomas Morwinsky 60 any Core

Issue 7, July 2009 (42 pages) Title Author Page Game System Category Editorial: A Magical Number Thomas Morwinsky 2 any Inside Information Thomas Morwinsky 3 any The Angmarrim Thomas Morwinsky 4 any Optional The Other Side José Enrique Vacas de la Rosa 10 any Optional MERP Supplementary Rules Thomas Morwinsky 16 MERP House The Ebbs and Flows of Númenórean António Simões 26 any House Technology

Issue 8, November 2009 (39 pages) – Focus Theme: Magic Title Author Page Game System Category Editorial: Surprise! Thomas Morwinsky 2 any A Sense of Magic Neville Percy 4 any Core Sense of Magic Neville Percy 6 MERP House Between Canon and Dogma Daniel “Vaco” Vacaflores 8 any Core A Journey in the Dark Daniel “Vaco” Vacaflores 15 any Core The Ways of Magic Daniel “Vaco” Vacaflores 19 any Optional The Nine Nazgûl António Simões 24 any House The Age of Sauron – Preview Padraig Timmins 32 any House

Issue 9, February 2010 (65 pages) – Focus Theme: The Fourth Age Title Author Page Game System Category Editorial: The Dominion of Man Thomas Morwinsky 2 any Inside Information Thomas Morwinsky 4 any The Age of Sauron Padraig Timmins 5 any House The Heirs of Elessar and the Fourth Age Thomas Morwinsky 14 any House A Fourth Age Chronology Tom Davie 29 any House Religion in Angmar Thomas Morwinsky 39 any House

Issue 10, August 2010 (69 pages) Title Author Page Game System Category Editorial: Finally Here! Thomas Morwinsky 2 any do not have wings Thomas Gießl 4 any Core –but they do fly! The problem of Gil-galad and the Thomas Morwinsky 13 any Core ‘House of Finrod’ A History of Story-Telling Games and Travis Henry 23 any House other Imaginary Depictions of Middle-earth The ‘Other Hands’ Restoration project Thomas Morwinsky and Ronald K. 25 any House An October weekend in Middle-earth Thomas Abbenhaus 28 any House The Art of Magic – a magic system for Daniel “Vaco” Vacaflores 31 house system Optional/House Middle-earth

Issue 11, January 2011 (126 pages) Title Author Page Game System Category Editorial: A belated Christmas and New Thomas Morwinsky 2 any Year’s present Inside Information Thomas Morwinsky 4 any Agazlam Severin, Isildur’s Heir 6 any House Roleplaying Battles in Middle-earth José Enrique Vacas de la Rosa 77 any House Simplified System—Chronicles of Daniel “Vaco” Vacaflores 79 own system House Middle-earth Moldewarp stats for LotRRPG José Enrique Vacas de la Rosa 87 LotRRPG House Things a PC should know Tom Davie 89 any Optional/House The Tale of Years Thomas Gießl 90 any Core Únati and Axani Neville ‘Osric’ Percy 107 any Core

Issue 12, July 2011 (57 pages) Title Author Page Game System Category Editorial: Holding our breath Thomas Morwinsky 2 any Inside Information Thomas Morwinsky 4 any Númenórean Longevity Revisited Thomas Morwinsky 5 any Core An Unexpected Party David Daines 11 any House The Phenomenon of “Eternal Realms” in Thomas Morwinsky 16 any Optional Middle-earth RPG settings Quendi – The Elvish peoples of Middle- Daniel “Vaco” Vacaflores 23 own system Optional earth

Issue 13, March 2012 (131 pages) Title Author Page Game System Category Editorial: Not an unlucky number! Thomas Morwinsky 3 any Inside Information Thomas Morwinsky 4 any The Road Goes Ever On Thomas Morwinsky 6 any The One Ring: Adventures Over the Neville “Osric” Percy 10 any House Edge of the Wild – A Review The Art of Magic over the Edge of the Daniel “Vaco” Vacaflores 20 TOR Optional/House Wild – An alternative magic system for TOR Iglishmêk – The Secret Gesture- Neville “Osric” Percy 38 TOR, Optional language of the Dwarves LotRRPG, MERP, D&D, Fate Population and Urbanization in Eriador Thomas Morwinsky 42 any Optional/House Appendix 108