Dunlendings

Other Names
Gwathuirim, Wild Men of Dunland

Origins
Various tribal Men inhabiting the areas South and West of the Misty Mountains

Location
Dunland, West of the Misty Mountains, near Isengard

Language
Dunlendish, Westron

History
Before the Númenóreans began to explore and settle along the coasts of Middle Earth in the Second Age various scattered tribes of Men already inhabited the hilly areas, grassy plains, and valleys South and West of the Misty Mountains.

The first contact between them and the Númenóreans was, for the most part, marked by friendly curiosity and cultural exchange, even the occasional joint hunt or warfare. Soon, however, dispositions changed and members of the tribes came to be persecuted and killed by their new neighbors to such a degree that by the Third Age their numbers had shrunken dramatically.

While some of the remaining tribes moved North, the majority of them settled in Dunland and accordingly became known as Dunlendings. During a short period of relative peace they prospered and became a seemingly inseparable part of those lands, confident enough to once again reach out to others and expand their skill set and knowledge heralding a Golden Age that was short-lived.

The tribes of the White Mountains were driven out by the Gondorians while the large area that would henceforth be known as Rohan was given to Eorl and his people who, on their part, drove the Dunlendings from it, across the Isen and farther into the hills. This is a perceived injustice that to this day fills every Dunlending with hatred and a lust for revenge that manifests in frequent attacks against outlying Rohirrim settlements and patrols.

Their most successful attack was carried out by Wulf, son of Freca. Freca, himself a Rohirric noble man with Dunlendish blood, was killed in a marriage dispute by King Helm Hammerhand of Rohan, trying to arrange a marriage between Wulf and the king’s daughter. In response many of the tribes joined forces in an unprecedented coordinated attack against Rohan. For this attack Wulf also found allies among the Umbari Corsairs who prevented the Gondorians from aiding their neighbors. Wulf drove Helm and his troops into Hornburg and took Edoras, sitting as king in Meduseld until the son of Helm’s sister, Fréaláf, surprised and slew him, retaking Edoras. While not lasting, this victory, as well as Freca’s and Wulf’s deaths are remembered among the Dunlendings. They are not likely to be forgotten soon.

Surprisingly, the Dunlendings have always been on friendly terms with Isengard. They closely watch what takes place there these days, but do not interfere.

Culture and Daily Life
Little is known about the culture of the Dunlendings by those who are not part of them. Once they mingled freely with their neighbors and guests were offered food, drink and a place by the fire, as one never knew if a wanderer was truly only a mere mortal or in fact a creature of much higher power, able to reward or punish beyond measure, and respected greatly for known past and possible future deeds. Whether stranger or trader, poet and wise man or messenger of their own people there was always a safe place to be had among the Dunlendings of the past.

Much has changed. Guests brought sickness and disease, brought murder and theft, stole children and wives and burned down forests and declared that the land that everyone walked on was now theirs alone. The Dunlendings of the present are a hostile people, reclusive and wary of strangers. They speak their own language that differs greatly from those used by other Men, sing their own songs and eat their own food while their rich culture fades into the shadows and their numbers dwindle.

They live in scattered tribes, each ruled by its own king, most of the time chosen by birth, but sometimes determined by extraordinary deeds or great wealth; in theory women can also rule, although this is rare. They can be separated into three major classes: a ruling class of warriors, a seer class of often travelling wise men and women who are healers and herbalists, poets and lorekeepers, adjudicators and advisors, and everyone else. This system meant any travelling stranger would automatically be considered a seer and were welcomed. There is evidence that many Dunlending tribes used to take captives and had them live among them with full rights, except the one to leave, and lesser standing, effectively forming a fourth class of communally shared general servants; this class has all but vanished. The Dunlendings no longer take captives, they kill defeated enemies on the spot and take only their heads.

Since in their understanding the head is considered the seat of wisdom and memory they not only take and keep the severed heads of their enemies, but also cut off those of their own fallen to take back home. Some Dunlending heroes are even described as carrying the head or skull of an ancestor or loved one with them on their journeys and into battle. Others are said to have been beheaded, only to move on, now carrying their own severed head in their hands instead of on their shoulders. Another reason to take an enemy’s head as far away from their body as possible or to blindfold or gouge out the eyes when taking it home.

The remaining Dunlending settlements are small, well-hidden hillforts and duns, often near deposits of metals like lead, iron, silver or gold which skilled smiths and metal workers use to create weapons and jewellery ranging from basic to elaborate and very distinctive in style. They do not use coins and offering them is considered an insult. It also betrays the stranger, the enemy. Just as a lack of knowledge of the names of their secret places or a mispronounced word does. Those who react with disgust to an offered drink based on fermented goat’s or horse milk are also outed as strangers. This is a drink the Dunlendings consume throughout the day, instead of eating or drinking anything else, and which they attribute near miraculous powers to. It does have a rather strong odor and flavor, however.

While they only use their own form of writing for ceremonial purposes, their oral tradition is strong and their repertoire of epic poems, songs and local legends is immense. Their material is depicted on fabrics, leather and metal work, on simple everyday objects and rare treasures alike. Though, they are never told in the presence of strangers.

Dunlending women may in theory hold any rank that a man can hold, including that of king and warrior. They may incite, participate in and even assume command in battle. Females are often buried, similar to Rohirric tradition, with weapons and armour to indicate their rank, and poems about female heroes are among the most popular ones. However, in practice female Dunlending warriors are seldom seen and most of the contemporary known kings and tribal leaders are men. Perhaps it is simple preference, perhaps it speaks of a more desperate attempt to preserve their people’s uncertain future.

Their way of communing with each other more freely than many other people has also often been interpreted as such. Yet, when confronted with it a Dunlending is likely to be proud to consort openly with the best, instead of doing so in secret with the worst. Relationships are open and diverse, but prostitution is considered something that strangers do in their vile cities. Marriage is sacred and once committed a betrayal of one’s spouse’s trust will be shunned by the whole tribe and spread among all other tribes like wildfire. Distance has never stopped a Dunlending gossip, it is said.

In general rumors, even if they are known to be completely fabricated or hurtful, are seldom discounted or attempted to be dispersed. The Dunlendings hold firmly to the idea that there is something to learn from every story. One such story goes that Dunlending queens will venture out into wilds to sire the next heir to the throne with a beast. Thus the first born of a royal line will often be named after the creature his mother is said to have lain with, and it will be considered his patron and second nature in battle.

Their stance on stories and rumors has often lead outsiders to believe the Dunlendings to be superstitious and easy to fool and mislead. Yet, nothing could be further from the truth. The fact that they listen to and share such stories publicly and uncommented does not mean that they themselves actually believe them word for word. In fact, it is expected of every member of a tribe to know how to interpret such stories and draw their own conclusions. Telling a lie is no crime among the Dunlendings, but falling for one puts one to shame.

While they are known to kill the children of others as mercilessly as their adult enemies, their own children tend to grow up well protected and loved, despite or perhaps because of a high rate of infant mortality among them. Gender or birth defects of their own children do not matter as far as a general acceptance in society goes. Instead the latter is often considered a sign of great things to come, as many Dunlending heroes of legend are believed to have faced sickness and injuries far more often than the common man or woman, some even before they were born. Subsequently they are often imagined as being recognizable by malformed appearance or strange behavior. Every child is celebrated and a gift to not only their parents but to the tribe as a whole. They will be defended to the death even if their father was a Rohirrim or an orc.

Crafts and Warfare
Circumstances have turned the Dunlendings into fierce warriors, merciless in battle and after, known for the carnage and destruction that they cause. They take heads instead of captives and lay waste to whole villages, burning and smashing whatever signs of their enemy they can find in an attempt to cleanse the world of them.

They fight with trance-like fury, like ones possessed, with no regard for their own safety or finesse. Part of the reason why they do so is a ritual, involving ingested and applied substances, that some warriors undergo before battle. They believe that it turns them into ferocious animals: wolves, bears and wild boars the furs, heads or skulls of which they wear in battle. In part as a warning even to their own brothers-in-arms, as their battle rage and blood lust does at that point no longer allow them to tell friend from foe. It dulls their minds and perception, makes them highly aggressive, impervious to pain and seemingly stronger. A state so overpowering that it leaves many of those who survive such a battle in a permanent condition of emotional deadness and with a vulnerability to explosive rage.

A much milder form of such rituals was once used for hunting and the Dunlendings remain talented hunters whose expertise even the Dúnedain of old used to value. They are also skilled foragers, fishers and artisans. While they do not keep domesticated animals in their houses and practice little to no animal husbandry they often do take stolen or captured animals home with them and let them roam the vicinity. Especially products from goat’s or horse milk are hugely popular, and there is no woman more coveted than the one who can catch and milk a wild goat.

Trade of goods and agriculture, on the other hand, are practiced little to not at all. The goods of others are usually destroyed and remade, coin is hated and fields burned for the wilder nature to take over again. Their own travelling members trade in experience, knowledge and stories, spreading ancient traditions and the newest rumors alike. As such the Dunledings are talented musicians and storytellers.

Appearance
Once open to influences and innovations from others and very much shaped by them the Dunlendings of this Age make it a point to distinguish themselves from the other peoples around them and to remain free from outside influence. Outwardly they show this by the way they dress.

They wear their hair and beards long and unkempt. Their clothes reflect the harsh conditions under which they live and are made from wool, linen and other fabrics made from plant fibres, leather, fur, bone and metal. Broad, flat brooches, belt buckles and amulets are popular, often depicting elements from epic poems and legend. Such elements can also be found woven into the fabrics of their clothes and etched into shields and armor. The more precious pieces are treasured and seldom worn.

On average the Dunlending is slightly shorter than a Gondorian or Rohirrim, but still strikes an impressive figure, big and powerful, with strong limbs and broad shoulders. They are hardy people and it shows in their features. Their beauty is a rough one, but not less because of it.

Their coloring mirrors the area in which they live, dark and earthy, with tanned, ruddy to olive skin and black to reddish hair. The color of their eyes varies some more, betraying their former close contact to Númenóreans and others, but darker colors are becoming more prevalent. A too foreign appearance, especially the blond hair typical for Rohirrim or softer elven-like features, is considered rather ugly.

Relations
The Dunlendings are a reclusive people and do not seek contact with outsiders without good reason. Such contact oftentimes comes about when others are viewed as intruding on their territory or in war against enemies who have previously done so.

Even though they historically consider their human neighbors, especially Rohirrim and Gondorians, enemies and many tribes have been given new incentive from Mordor to fight them more rigorously to drive them from their lands, they hold no love for orc, Southron or Easterlings either. They are their own allies and the different tribes tend to often go their separate ways, choosing their own enemies and their own allies.

Notable Members
In the past:
- Freca and his son Wulf