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Rohirrim

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Rohirrim Empty Rohirrim

Post by Oddberry Fri Jul 12, 2019 1:15 pm

The Rohirrim

Other Names:
Eorlingas (their term for themselves)
Rohirrim is the Sindarin for Horse-lords

Origins:
The Eotheod (horse-land; the term is used both for the people and their land), located in Northwest Rhovanion, near the Vales of Anduin

Location:
Rohan - Rhovanion

Language:
Rohirric
Westron

History:
The Rohirrim are descended from the Eotheod, who dwelt at the fork between the rivers Langwell and Greylin where they had fled with their king, Frumgar, at the fall of Angmar. Little is known of their history, aside from a few notable deeds. Fram, son of Frumgar, slew the dragon Scatha, Leod, son of Fram, died trying to tame Felarof, first of the Mearas. Eorl the Young, son of Leod, tamed Felarof and took him into his service as a weregild for the death of his father.

Under attack from the Easterlings the steward of Gondor, Cirion, sent messengers to Framsburg, capital of Eotheod, and King Eorl answered his call for aid. He took most of his warriors, leaving few behind to guard his people, and arrived in time to defeat the Easterlings on the Field of Celebrant. In return Cirion asked for Eorl and his people to watch over Calenardhon, a plain far south of Eotheod, bordered by Fangorn and the White Mountains. Cirion and Eorl met atop Amon Anwar and there, before the Tomb of Elendil, the steward gave the land of Calenardhon to the Eotheod and Eorl swore an oath of eternal friendship. And so the last of the Eotheod departed their lands and so the Eotheod they were no more; now they called themselves the Eorlingas, the followers of Eorl, and to all others they became known as the Rohirrim, the Horse-lords of Rohan.

Eorl reigned as King of the Mark for 35 years before falling in battle to the Easterlings, he was buried outside Edoras, though he had reigned from Aldburg, for Meduseld was not yet finished. His horse Felarof was buried beside him, and so his only child, Brego, became King of Rohan in his stead. Brego completed the construction of Meduseld in TA2569 and so Edoras became the capital of Rohan. However Brego too died an early death, of grief, for his son Baldor swore an oath to traverse the Paths of the Dead and so disappeared into the Dimholt forever. Brego died the following year, in TA2570.

Brego’s death triggered the Golden Age of Rohan under his son Aldor the Old, who reigned for 75 years and died at the age of 101. The Dunlendings were chased back through the Gap of Rohan and the Rohirrim prospered. The far reaches of Rohan were colonised and Dunharrow established as a refuge at the mouth of the Dimholt. This Golden Age did not last long after Aldor’s death however. His son was already a grandfather by the time he died and so both Frea’s and his son’s, Freawine, reigns were short. It was during the nineteen year reign of Goldwine, son of Freawine that the guard on Rohan’s border lessened, and the Wildmen of Dunland began to creep back into the edges of northern Rohan.

The birth of Deor, son of Goldwine, meant that five generations were living in one royal house and he too, had to wait until his twilight years for his turn to reign. He was left with a troubled realm and though he rode north to fight the Dunlendings, he was too late and they took the unassailable fortress of Isengard and he returned to Edoras, having to accept the threat to his realm. And so began the long struggle between the Rohirrim and Dunlendings who raided Rohan from their newfound stronghold.

And so, eventually, the title fell to Helm Hammerhand. He became king at age 50 and his reign would be defined by war. Helm was called Hammerhand because of his immense strength and power in his fists, and he often fought bare-handed. Helm clashed with a powerful Rohirric lord with Dunlending blood who claimed to be a descendant of Freawine. He was named Freca and thought very little of Helm, turning up to Helm’s councils only at his pleasure. In TA2758 Freca marched on the King’s council in an attempt to threaten Helm into accepting an arranged marriage between Freca’s son Wulf and Helm’s daughter. Helm merely laughed and insulted Freca who became enraged and further threatened Helm. Helm waited until after the council when he marched Freca out of Meduseld and struck him with such a blow that Freca died soon after. Helm declared Freca’s men and all his kin enemies of Rohan and so they fled back to their stronghold in the West.

4 years later Wulf assembled a force of Dunlendings, aided by the Corsairs of Umbar and so Wulf enacted his revenge. His force defeated Helm at the Crossing of the Isen, forcing Helm and his younger son, Hama, and their forces, to retreat to the Hornburg, later renamed as Helm’s Deep. And so the siege began. While they were trapped, Helm’s elder son, Haleth, fell at the doors Meduseld, the last defender of Edoras. And so Rohan was overrun. In the winter, shortly after Yule, Prince Hama led a small force on a search for food, and were lost in a blizzard, never to return. Helm, fueled by grief and hunger, became fierce and terrible, slaying his enemies with his bare hands; it was said as long as Helm bore now weapon, no weapon could harm him, and so all his foes came to fear him. When the great battle-horn of the Hornburg was blown Helm would break through the Dunlending ranks, slaying many of their men, to return victorious. He seemed invincible, until one day, in TA2759, he did not return. And so Helm Hammerhand, the last of the First Line of Kings of Rohan, died. He was found the next morning, still standing, frozen, eyes open ready for battle. It is said that even in death, the wraith of Helm Hammerhand wanders the plains of Rohan, defending her from her enemies.

While Helm was besieged, his nephew, Frealaf Hildeson, led Helm’s people to the refuge of Dunharrow and after the Long Winter he and a small force of the surviving Rohirrim succeeded in retaking Edoras and Meduseld, and with the aid of Gondor they drove the Dunlendings out of Rohan, back across the Isen and Adorn, and purged the Corsairs from the mouths of the Isen and Lefnui.

With Helm’s sons dead, the Second Line of the Kings of Rohan began with Frealaf, who was the son of Helm’s sister Hilde. The wizard Saruman, who had been absent for many years, returned for Frealafs coronation and wooed the new King, who convinced Beren, steward of Gondor to hand Saruman the Keys of Orthanc, so he could dwell in Isengard so long as he prevented it from falling into the hands of the Dunlendings again. Frealaf also had the body of Helm recovered, so he could be buried in the Ninth Mound of the Kings of Rohan.

Rohan’s troubles did not end however, for war between Dwarves and Orc drove the Orc southwards towards the White Mountains, and so the people of Rohan were once again at war. Their campaigns were overall successful, although in TA2851 King Walda, son of Brytta, son of Frealaf, was slain at Dunharrow in an Orc raid, only nine years into his reign. His son, Folca, made an oath that no animal would be hunted in Rohan until all the Orc had been driven out and after thirteen years, he succeeded. In TA2864 Folca decided to hunt the Great Boar of Everholt. He succeeded, however, the boar also killed him. With the Orc expunged from Rohan, Folcwine’s eyes turned to Gondor’s troubles with the Haradrim. He sent a large force of riders, commanded by his sons, Folcred and Fastred, to aid Turin II. Although their forces were victorious, Folcwine’s sons were slain and Turin II paid him a large Weregild. Folcwine was automatically succeeded by his youngest son, Fengel, who spent much of his reign quarrelling with his family and military commanders. Indeed his son Thengel resided in Gondor with first his mother’s and then his wife’s (Morwen Steelsheen) family until his father’s death. Living in Gondor, Thengel adopted Sindarin and Westron in his house, and Rohirric was seldom spoken by him and his heirs. After Thengel’s death he was succeeded by the current King of Rohan, Theoden.

Culture and Daily Life

The Rohirric culture revolves around their horses; the breeding and trading of them. The Eorlingas are skilled horsemen and it is for this reason that they have received the name ‘Rohirrim’, Horse-lord in Sindarin. Most prized among the horses of the Rohirrim are the Maeras, who live lives as long as a Man and, since the days of Felarof, only permit those of the blood of Eorl to ride them. They are the noblest and fastest of all horses in Arda and some Rohirrim believe that their ancestors were brought to Middle Earth by the Vala Orome, whom they know as Bema. The Rohirrim value their horses over anything and would never send them away. One only has to look at their buildings to see their fierce love for horses, they are carved into every pillar, woven into every tapestry, beaten into every sword. A white horse on a green field is their flag.

They are fiercely independent and conservative people, with many of their number speaking no other tongue than Rohirric. They do not lightly permit strangers to cross the border into their lands, and indeed they have few neighbours who would wish to. The Rohirrim do not tend to refer to their lands as Rohan, more commonly calling it The Mark, or Riddermark. Their population is spread between a scattered selection of larger towns/cities, but the majority of them live in small villages, located where the land is good for their herds, oft with some members of each village, known as horse-herds, living a semi-nomadic life, following the herds and guiding them back to their lands if they stray too far. In times of war these horse-herds ensure the eoreds have spare mounts ready at any time. As times darken these people and their herds are drawn ever closer to the protection of the cities such as Edoras and Aldburg. Horses and battle are the passion of the Rohirrim, yet there are still those that farm, for farming is essential to their survival.

Aside from the fortress of Helm’s Deep Rohirric buildings tend to be of timber and thatch. The heart of each Rohirric town and (larger) village is the Mead Hall, of which Meduseld is the greatest. The mead hall is a place of community, of celebration and gift-giving where fires blaze and songs are sung, mead is drunk and feasts are consumed; they are a sanctuary from the growing cold and darkness outside. As such weapons must not be taken into the halls; indeed the larger, more important Mead Halls have Door-wardens, who ensure any guests are announced to the Lord and are relieved of their weapons before entry. In such halls gifts are also given to guests, as a sign of good faith, and peace between lord and guest. The larger of these halls also serve as a book, a collection of tales from their history carved into the pillars, the eaves, the ceilings. Tapestries depicting the greatest, and darkest, moments of their people adorn the walls, immortalising those they depict.

The Rohirrim depend little on written word, instead recounting their knowledge and history through song. They are a fatalistic people; their lives are governed by their Doom. Death is expected, awaited even, and a brave warrior welcomes a glorious death that seals their fate in song and history. For the Eorlingas, to achieve glory in life is to achieve immortality in death. Theirs is a culture steeped in tradition, their history of the utmost importance to their future. One only has to look at their songs and poems to see the heart and history of the Eorlingas.

Rohiric jewellery is characterised by the imagery of crouching beasts and running horses; belt buckles, cloak clasps, wrist claps and brooches are common items among them. If it can be afforded, gold is a metal of choice, and jewels of red or green.

While the role of women in Rohirric society is much as it is in others the women of Rohan are not feeble by any measure. All can ride and those who wish are also trained in the art of war, to defend their homes and their herds when the men are away; they are the Shield-maidens of Rohan and can also be trained to be skilled healers.

The Eorlingas know of Eru and the Vala, due to contact with the elves in the past, most probably when the Eotheod moved to Rohan, but they do not worship them, having few religious practices. They do however hold Orome, whom they call Bema, in high regard.

Crafts and Warfare.

The Rohirrim are skilled craftsmen, of weapons and jewellery, and of armour. They hold a good story-teller and poet, one who can re-tell their history over and over, in high regard. They excel in the breeding, rearing, and training of horses, and their stock is much sought after throughout Middle earth.

The Eorlingas are famed for their skill in battle on horse-back and as such the majority of their troops are mounted. They are skilled archers who can accurately fire a bow from a galloping horse. The Rohirric military is split into units known as Eoreds. A full Eored stands at 120 Riders, although they are often made up of irregular numbers. The standing army of Rohan is relatively small, and career soldiers are otherwise limited to the royal bodyguard at Edoras and high-level commanders who reside at the larger settlements. However the rest of the Rohirric people act as a well-trained militia, some of Riders, and others as infantry and archer units.

When Rohan is threatened by war every able-bodied man is summoned to the Muster, but it is not only the men who go to war. Any woman who wishes is trained alongside her fellow man and as such, becomes a Shield-Maiden. Some Shield-maidens stay behind to guide and protect their people while others follow the men to war. They are not part of the attacking force, instead they guard the camp once the men have ridden out to battle, guard the horse-herds (who make sure each Rider has a fresh spare mount, even on the battle-field), and once the battle is finished, brave the field searching for their dead and wounded. A few among them even act as medics, while they do not go to the front lines, they still brave the edge of the field during the battle and treat those most direly wounded when it appears the flow of battle has moved on. And in times of dire need they are there, ready, as reinforcements.

What armour a soldier wears can vary wildly. Those of the Royal bodyguard wear hauberks of plate-mail, over red tunics and with green cloaks. They also wear helms with flowing horse-tails. Important lords may possess plate armour, though a boiled leather cuirass over mail is far more common. Aside from the royal bodyguard there is little uniformity, other than the large range of mail, both chain-mail and plate-mail, and the green cloak. Some wear helmets, some coifs of mail, some have leather armour, some only have their hauberk. Each soldier wears and wields what they can afford.

Appearance

The Rohirrim are, for the majority, tall and fair-haired, with blue eyes. Their clothing tends to be plain and practical, of linen and wool for the most part, although those of richer birth may have a few items of more expensive materials such as velvet or silk.

Relations
They have an Oath of friendship with Gondor, but are otherwise distrustful of strangers.

Notable Members
Past
Eorl
Brego
Aldor the Old
Helm Hammerhand
Present
Theoden

Oddberry
Chaos Master

Posts : 524
Join date : 2019-05-25
Race : Hobbit
Nationality : Test
Occupation : Adventurer
Age : Test

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