When you decide to create a character, one of the first things to consider is your character’s race—Elf, Dwarf, Hobbit, or Man—and, if applicable, the culture he belongs to. The following pages provide you with general descriptions of the Free Peoples of Middle-earth. While you should stick to the adjustments and abilities associated with each race, you should also remember that individual characters may stray from the norms of their race in other regards.
The choice of races described here primarily aims at campaigns set at the end of the Third Age, the time depicted in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. However, most descriptions can easily be adjusted to different time settings—for instance, Edain characters of the First Age would be created according to the Dúnedain’s description, though maybe with even greater attribute adjustments and a longer lifespan.
Elves were the first of the Children of Ilúvatar to awaken and venture into Middle-earth. Possessing great nobility and power, they are the only people never to have willingly served the Shadow.
Elves stand as tall as Men—taller than some—though they are of slighter build and greater grace. Their features are surpassing fair, evoking awe among the lesser peoples. Male Elves are always beardless. Feeling no bite of cold, Elves wear light garb, often sewn with great skill. They revel in the wonders of nature, the beauty of songs and tales, the glimmer of the stars, and the voice of the waters. But in their hearts, they also possess great sadness, knowing that all things pass, and that they cannot preserve them.
Elves do not age, nor do they die, unless wounds, grief, or some artifice of the Enemy takes hold of them and ends their existence in Middle-earth. To other peoples they seem at once aged and ageless, possessing the lore and wisdom of experience together with the joyful nature of youth. All the Elves who do pass away are gathered in the Halls of Mandos, the Place of Awaiting, in the far west of Aman (Valinor). There they await the End of the World, or are released back into the world to replace another of their line who has perished. In a sense, Elves are often reborn as descendants of themselves.
The Elves revere the Valar (Q. ‘The Powers’) and many know their nature well. Still, they have no formal religion; instead they show their respect through poetry and song, and gather to celebrate life and the gifts from on high. This respect for the way of things is largely tied to their acceptance of their close ties to the Fate set down in the Song of Creation, although much of it also stems from an understanding and joy regarding the creations of nature which have been handed down and overseen by the Valar. Above all but Eru Ilúvatar they worship Varda, Queen of the Valar and fairest of all in creation. She is the bringer of light, and they call her ‘Lady of the Stars’ (Elentári or Elbereth).
The Elves were first to use spoken words and have taught the other peoples of the gift of speech; thus their own name for their kind—Quendi, the ‘Speakers’. All of their speech has a musical quality when spoken properly, lending itself to verse. Elven minstrels, then, have had little trouble in maintaining the histories and epics of their race as a collection of wondrous songs and spoken poetry.
There are two major groupings of Elves in Middle-earth. The Eldar (Q. ‘Elves’, ‘People of the Stars’) are those exalted three kindreds (Vanyar, Noldor, and Teleri) which made the Great Journey across Middle-earth long before the first dawning of the sun. Most of them settled for a time in Aman (the Undying Lands), or along the shores of now-sunken Beleriand. Only the Noldor (High-elves) and Sindar (Grey-elves, who are a group of the Teleri) remained in Middle-earth following the War of Wrath that ended the First Age.
All other Elven kindreds are accounted as Avari (Q. ‘the Unwilling’, ‘the Refusers’). They refused to join the westward march from Cuiviénen. Also known as Silvan Elves, the Avari constitute the majority of the Firstborn. All of the Elves who are not Eldar are Avari, and all of the Avari are Moriquendi (Q. ‘Dark Elves’), although not all Moriquendi are Avari (i.e., the Sindar, Nandor, and Laiquendi).
The Noldor (Q. ‘The Wise’, sing. Noldo) are often called ‘High Elves’, ostensibly because they are considered the most noble of the Elven races in Middle-earth. In reality, the Noldor are so named because they are the only Elves dwelling in Endor who have ever resided in the Blessed Realm of Aman across the Sea. This exalted status is accentuated by their close ties with the Valar, a relationship which accounts for their unique cultural and linguistic roots. Other names for the Noldor include Deep-elves, Golodhrim or Gelydh (Sindarin labels), and Nómin (Adan label).
Powerful and learned, they have great love of lore and the arts of making, and hence are superior crafters whose skills surpass all other peoples’ abilities, even those of the Dwarves. The Three Rings of Power worn by Galadriel, Elrond, and Gandalf are among the many precious and potent artefacts crafted by Noldorin smiths and artisans.
Finwë was the first King of the Noldor, who are counted among the Eldar as the Second Kindred. Finwë’s sons—Fëanor, Fingolfin, and Finarfin—produced the three traditional lines which compose the whole of the Noldor. Following the rebellion against the Valar, led by the great Noldo craftsman Fëanor, they left Aman to settle in Middle-earth. By the end of the Third Age, most Noldor had returned to Valinor via the Grey Havens, leaving only a few Wandering Parties or lords of Elven-kingdoms, who yet preferred to remain in their lands.
ATTRIBUTES: Elves should have high values in most attributes, particularly Reflexes, Intellect, and Will. However, because they are immortal and are slow to develop, Elf characters cannot increase their attribute scores on a scale slower than decades.
THE ART: Although the Elves could potentially make the best sorcerers among the Children of Ilúvatar, they do not willingly learn and use ordinary spells (see ‘Restrictions’ below for the reason behind this reluctance). Instead, they possess ‘magical’ qualities, though they do not think of them in those terms. These qualities are simple, natural abilities most often used for crafting and joy, not domination and power over people and things. The Art of the Elves is delivered from many of the limitations of Mannish Sorcery and passes into all that they make, such as lembas, miruvor, ithildin, cloaks, ropes, boats, and the like. But this virtue of enchantment is by no means the only way how Elves wield their nearly effortless and untainted magic: they also use it to communicate with each other without speaking, or to read one’s heart; they hand down and improvise Songs of Power which allow them to call the motifs of their lays into existence in order to battle their enemies or beguile their audience; some exalted Elves have even mastered to make their sheer thoughts come true.
NATURE-AFFINITY: All elves have an affinity with all of nature. They have great rapport with animals, such as horses and eagles, as well as a knowledge and sense of plants. Their eyes and ears are sharper than mortal folk. They can see in great detail in daylight—such as the number and armament of riders—at up to ten leagues (30 miles) away, if nothing blocks their view. By only starlight, they can see as well as most humans could in twilight. They tread lightly upon the ground, climbing or balancing with grace and nimbleness. To represent this broad affinity, all Elves have 5 levels in the whole Environment Skill Group. Even the most bookish Elf still is the equal of an experienced dwarf, hobbit, or human in matters related to nature.
COMFORT: Elves feel no discomfort in hot or cold weather, and they suffer no ill effects (either test penalties or damage) from it.
ELVEN-SENSE: Elves can sense the presence of power, evil, ancient tragedy, and the subtle menace of the Shadow -- as well as other powers such as the influence of the Ents or of wizards. They can buy up this ability as a skill ("Elven-sense" in the Environmental skill group). With success, they can determine the nature and the source of magical influence upon anything that they can perceive well.
ELVEN-SLEEP: Elves do not sleep as other peoples do. They can obtain all the rest they need through simple relaxation or by letting their minds wander ‘in the strange paths of Elvish dreams’. They automatically recover all lost Weariness Levels with but one or two hours of quiet rest.
FAIR: All Noldor start with the Attractive advantage (Convenience).
GHOST-SCORN: The ghosts of Men hold no terror for the Elves, who are immune to any fear effects they create.
INNER LIGHT: Because the Noldor have lived among the Valar across the Sea, ‘against both the Seen and the Unseen they have great power’. Noldor receive a +4 bonus on all tests to resist or oppose the powers of the Shadow. This includes withstanding the fear caused by the Nazgûl, making attempts to Intimidate Sauron’s servants, and the like. However, it does not include tests to attack or defend against foes such as Orcs or evil Men. A Noldo born in Middle-earth after the Noldor returned from Valinor does not have this ability.
FAST HEALING: Elves heal with great speed. They all have the Fast Healing advantage. Also, they do not become sick or catch illnesses.
GRIEF: While possessed of great potential, Elves see centuries as only a brief time. They are slow to give up immortal treasures, including themselves, that they have accumulated. The Noldor especially are drawn to leave Middle Earth entirely to return to the immortal lands of the West. Elves gain Experience Points and Actions Points at half the rate of other characters.
BUILD: Of all Elves, the Noldor are the strongest and sturdiest of build, although they are still slimmer than Men. Males average 175 pounds at a height of 6’6”; females weigh about 145 pounds at 6’1”.
COLOURING: Most are dark haired and have greyish eyes which betray a proud demeanour. Descendants of Fingolfin and Finarfin are often fair haired and blue eyed, for their blood contains Vanyar influences.
ENDURANCE: They avoid carrying great burdens, but are capable of travelling 16 to 20 hours a day.
LIFESPAN: Like all Elves, the Noldor are immortal and will only die due to violence or if they weary of life and lose the will to live. Their immortality is reflected in the time it takes them to reach adulthood: ‘Not until the fiftieth year did the Eldar attain the stature and shape in which their lives would afterwards endure, and for some a hundred years would pass before they were full-grown’ (J.R.R. Tolkien, Morgoth’s Ring, p.210).
CLOTHING & DECORATION: They favour rich clothing and fine craftsmanship, and often have the appearance of great wealth.
FEARS & INABILITIES: As a group, the Noldor suffer from no particular weaknesses.
LIFESTYLE: Of all the Elves of Middle-earth, the Noldor are the most ordered. While their brethren are content to wander or mark time in quiet diffusion, the Noldor seek to build communities or states in beautiful, guarded places.
MARRIAGE PATTERN: ‘The Eldar wedded once only in life, and for love or at the least by free will upon either part. [...] [They] wedded for the most part in their youth and soon after their fiftieth year. [...] although the wedded remain so for ever, they do not necessarily dwell or house together at all times; for without considering the chances and separations of evil days, wife and husband, albeit united, remain persons individual having each gifts of mind and body that differ. [...] it came to pass that the Eldar brought forth few children; and also that their time of generation was in their youth or earlier life, unless strange and hard fates befell them. [...] There were seldom more than four children in any house, and the number grew less as ages passed’ (J.R.R. Tolkien, Morgoth’s Ring, p.210-13).
BELIEFS: There is no formal religion among the Noldor (or, indeed, any of the Eldar). Therefore, the Noldor’s ritual customs are centred on informal communal celebration and personal meditation. Like the Dwarves, the Noldor are fiery craftsmen who are fast friends of Aulë. The Smith of the Valar imbued them with a heightened respect for physical objects. It is not surprising, then, to find that the Noldor revere Aulë more than any other Vala, save Varda herself. Like all other Elves, they worship Varda as giver of Light and maker of stars.
DEMEANOUR: Regardless of the line, all Noldor are noble of bearing and carry themselves with assurance. They are haughty and often appear to be arrogant. Of all the Elves, they are the most inquisitive and passionate, being full of a desire for experience and expertise in the arts and the ways of the world. Because of this thirst for knowledge, the Noldor have often fallen prey to avidity, impatience, and strife.
LANGUAGES: The Noldorin tongue is called Quenya (Q. ‘The Speech’), and they embrace it as their true tongue (automatic), but largely confine its use to their own environs. It is still the exclusive language of ceremonies, writings, and oral traditions, regardless of circumstances. For speech outside of their own quiet territory, the Noldor employ the language of their more numerous Sinda cousins, Sindarin. When dealing with Men or peoples unacquainted with Sindarin, they rely on the Common Tongue of Westron, or, more rarely, the Adûnaic of the Númenóreans.
PREJUDICES: The Noldor hate Orcs, Trolls, and Dragons above all creatures. Due to their pride, they tend to look down to non-Dúnadan Men.
RESTRICTIONS: Consciously or not, all Elves ‘know’ about, or feel, the tainted and corrupting nature of magic as it is practised by Men. But the fëar (Q. ‘spirits’) of the firstborn Children of Ilúvatar are strong enough to practise a different form of magic, or Art, as they would rather put it, one that does not depend on the disseminated power of Morgoth which still lingers on in Arda (see Chapter Eleven). In game terms, an Elf would not willingly acquire any abilities related to Sorcery.
CLOTHING: Males: Fine linen, cotton, or silk shirt or blouse often pure white in colour; jewel-hued velvet or silk tunic (sapphire, emerald, ruby, amethyst, topaz), sometimes with slashed sleeves revealing the shirt beneath, sometimes sleeveless, usually embroidered or appliquéd with geometric or weapon-inspired motifs; velvet or brocade mantle with wide sleeves, cape-like body, and varying in length from the hip to the ankles or as high as the knees. Females: Fine linen, cotton, or silk shift often pure white in colour; jewel-hued silk or velvet gown, sometimes with slashed sleeves to reveal the sleeves of the shift underneath, sometimes sleeveless, often embroidered or appliquéd at the neck, hem, sleeves; belt of silk, velvet, or decorative cord that encircles the waist and the hips to be knotted or otherwise secured in front; soft slippers or ankle boots; velvet or brocade mantle with wide sleeves, cape-like body, and hanging to the ankles. Females who leave the Elven havens for travelling often don garb similar to that worn by males.
STARTING WEALTH: Equipment and valuables worth a total of 4d10 silver pieces (SP).
Known as the Grey Elves, the Sindar are Eldar and were originally part of the great kindred called the Teleri. Although they began the journey to Aman, the Sindar chose not to cross over the Sea to Aman, but to remain in Beleriand and the West of Middle-earth. They, like the Nandor and Avari, are therefore counted among the Moriquendi, the Dark Elves who never saw the Light of Valinor. Although their love for the wide lands of Middle-earth is strong, since the end of the First Age they have slowly been departing for the Uttermost West. Once awakened in them, the Sea-longing does not die. Although considered less powerful and wise than the Noldor, the Sindar remain more numerous in the Third Age, and they are renowned for their gifts of music and song.
ATTRIBUTES: Elves should have high values in most attributes, particularly Reflexes, Intellect, and Will. However, because they are immortal and are slow to develop, Elf characters cannot increase their attribute scores on a scale slower than decades.
THE ART: Although the Elves would easily make the best sorcerers among the Children of Ilúvatar, they do not willingly learn and use ordinary spells (see ‘Restrictions’ below for the reason behind this reluctance). Instead, they possess ‘magical’ qualities, though they do not think of them in those terms. These qualities are simple, natural abilities most often used for crafting and joy, not domination and power over people and things. The Art of the Elves is delivered from many of the limitations of Mannish Sorcery and passes into all that they make, such as lembas, miruvor, ithildin, cloaks, ropes, boats, and the like. But this virtue of enchantment is by no means the only way how Elves wield their nearly effortless and untainted magic: they also use it to communicate with each other without speaking, or to read one’s heart; they hand down and improvise Songs of Power which allow them to call the motifs of their lays into existence in order to battle their enemies or beguile their audience; some exalted Elves have even mastered to make their sheer thoughts come true.
BUILD: Thin when compared to Men, the Sindar are nearly as tall as the Noldor but are generally slighter of build. They are more muscular than the Avari. Males average 162 pounds at a height of 6’3”; females weigh about 137 pounds at 5’11”.
COLOURING: Most have fair hair and pale blue or grey eyes. Like the Noldor, they have light skin.
ENDURANCE: They do not carry great burdens, but are capable of travelling 16 to 20 hours a day.
LIFESPAN: Like all Elves, the Sindar are immortal and will only die due to violence or if they weary of life and lose the will to live. Not before the age of fifty do they reach maturity, and for some a hundred or more years must pass before they are fully grown.
CLOTHING & DECORATION: Sinda clothing is exceedingly well made, yet subtle and utilitarian. They do not favour the rich garb of their Noldor cousins. Greys and silvers are their chosen colours.
FEARS & INABILITIES: As a group, the Sindar suffer from no particular weaknesses.
LIFESTYLE: The Sindar are the most open and cooperative of Middle-earth’s Elves. They are great teachers and borrowers and have an interest in the works of all races. This is in contrast to the more inquisitive Noldor, who are quick to scoff at things which are subtle or modest in appearance or utility. Grey Elves are a settled people and enjoy the company of others. Unlike the Silvan Elves, they build towns and havens and gather in close-knit communities. Many of the Sindar feel a kinship to the sea. They build superb ships and are renowned sailors.
MARRIAGE PATTERN: Like all Elves, the Sindar wed once only in life, and for love or at the least by free will upon either part. They marry for the most part in their youth and soon after their fiftieth year. See the Noldor’s description for more details on marriage customs and child-birth.
BELIEFS: There is no formal religion among the Sindar. Therefore, their ritual customs are centred on informal communal celebration and personal meditation, just as those of other Elves. Like the Noldor, they revere Eru Ilúvatar and see Varda as their patron Vala. Given their love for sailing and the sea, they also have a special respect for Ulmo, the Lord of Waters.
DEMEANOUR: Of the three Elven races of Middle-earth, the Sindar are the quietest and calmest, and appear to be the most content. They are less frivolous and playful than the Silvan Elves, and are less fiery and passionate than the Noldor. Sindar feelings are deep and not easily aroused, but when they are, they cannot be stayed. This is the root of their Sea-longing.
LANGUAGES: Their own speech Sindarin has become the principal speech of all the Elves of North-western Middle-earth and has heavily influenced Mannish tongues. Nonetheless, the Sindar tend to know Westron, Bethteur or Silvan Elvish, and some Quenya. Depending on their homeland, Sindar also have the opportunity to learn Adûnaic, Atliduk, Logathig, Nahaiduk, or Rohirric.
PREJUDICES: The Sindar are great friends of most races and have remained particularly close to Dwarves. Their chief enemies are Orcs, Wargs and Dragons.
RESTRICTIONS: Consciously or not, all Elves ‘know’ about, or feel, the tainted and corrupting nature of magic as it is practised by Men. But the fëar (Q. ‘spirits’) of the firstborn Children of Ilúvatar are strong enough to practise a different form of magic, or Art, as they would rather put it, one that does not depend on the disseminated power of Morgoth which still lingers on in Arda (see Chapter Eleven). In game terms, an Elf would not willingly acquire any abilities related to Sorcery. Generally, an Elf neither needs to take up an occupation to earn his living, nor does he usually enjoy to limit himself to but a single trade.
CLOTHING: Smock of gauze or light silk; close-fitting waistcoat or tunic of fine linen, cotton, or heavy silk - tunics vary in length from short garments barely extending below the waist to long ones slit up the sides for freedom of movement; leather or metal belt or a sash of linen or silk; closefitting hosiery or a sarong skirt of lucent cloth or heavy silk reaching from mid-calf to the ankles; boots or decorative open sandal's; hip-length cape. The colours of the garments are all variations on white and grey: cream, eggshell, ivory, pearl, lemon, charcoal, taupe, blue-grey, rose-grey, greengrey, smoke, silver, beige, and so on. Embroidery and appliqué are used sparingly, usually to create texture or pattern (as with white on white or cream on lemon) rather than for contrast (white on charcoal or blue-grey on ivory).
STARTING WEALTH: Default starting wealth level 7 (Well-to-do).
Also known as Wood-elves and East-elves, these are the Elves who, like the Sindar, did not undertake the journey across the Sea, preferring to remain in Middle-earth. Those of the Teleri who ceased their journey before even crossing the Misty Mountains became known as the Nandor (Q., said to mean ‘those who turn back’); some of the Nandor later pressed on as far as Ossiriand (the Laiquendi). Others altogether refused to seek the light of Aman and were labelled as the Avari (Q. ‘the Unwilling’, ‘the Refusers’) when the Eldar departed from the original Elven homeland during the Elder Days. Collectively, the Nandor and Avari are also known as Moriquendi (Q. ‘Dark-elves’) because they have never seen the Light of the Two Trees.
The Moriquendi were left to fend for themselves during the days when Morgoth’s Shadow swept over the East. In these dark times they were forced into the secluded safety of the forests of eastern Middle-earth, where they wandered and hid from the wild Men who dominated most of the lands. Hence, they became known as Silvan or Wood-elves.
Accounted of less wisdom, learning, and majesty than either the Noldor or the Sindar, the Wood-elves outnumber their cousins. During the Third Age they often live in realms, such as Lórien, ruled by Noldorin or Grey Elves.
NOTE: When creating a Wood-elven character of Avarin or mixed Avarin-Nandorin origin, use the racial adjustments and physical description given below. If you wish to create a Nandorin Wood-elf (i.e., one hailing from the Teleri), use the Sindar’s racial adjustments and physical description. However, for any other aspects refer to the information presented below. Note that by the Third Age, most Silvan Elves are of mixed ancestry and should be created according to the below guidelines.
ATTRIBUTES: Elves should have high values in most attributes, particularly Reflexes, Intellect, and Will. However, because they are immortal and are slow to develop, Elf characters cannot increase their attribute scores on a scale slower than decades.
THE ART: Although the Elves would easily make the best sorcerers among the Children of Ilúvatar, they do not willingly learn and use ordinary spells (see ‘Restrictions’ below for the reason behind this reluctance). Instead, they possess ‘magical’ qualities, though they do not think of them in those terms. These qualities are simple, natural abilities most often used for crafting and joy, not domination and power over people and things. The Art of the Elves is delivered from many of the limitations of Mannish Sorcery and passes into all that they make, such as lembas, miruvor, ithildin, cloaks, ropes, boats, and the like. But this virtue of enchantment is by no means the only way how Elves wield their nearly effortless and untainted magic: they also use it to communicate with each other without speaking, or to read one’s heart; they hand down and improvise Songs of Power which allow them to call the motifs of their lays into existence in order to battle their enemies or beguile their audience; some exalted Elves have even mastered to make their sheer thoughts come true.
NATURE-AFFINITY: All elves have an affinity with all of nature. They have great rapport with animals, such as horses and eagles, as well as a knowledge and sense of plants. Their eyes and ears are sharper than mortal folk. They can see in great detail in daylight—such as the number and armament of riders—at up to ten leagues (30 miles) away, if nothing blocks their view. By only starlight, they can see as well as most humans could in twilight. They tread lightly upon the ground, climbing or balancing with grace and nimbleness. To represent this broad affinity, all Elves have 5 levels in the whole Environment Skill Group. Even the most bookish Elf still is the equal of an experienced dwarf, hobbit, or human in matters related to nature.
COMFORT: Elves feel no discomfort in hot or cold weather, and they suffer no ill effects (either test penalties or damage) from it.
ELVEN-SENSE: Elves can sense the presence of power, evil, ancient tragedy, and the subtle menace of the Shadow -- as well as other powers such as the influence of the Ents or of wizards. They can buy up this ability as a skill ("Elven-sense" in the Environmental skill group). With success, they can determine the nature and the source of magical influence upon anything that they can perceive well.
ELVEN-SLEEP: Elves do not sleep as other peoples do. They can obtain all the rest they need through simple relaxation or by letting their minds wander ‘in the strange paths of Elvish dreams’. They automatically recover all lost Weariness Levels with but one or two hours of quiet rest.
FAIR: All Silvan Elves start with the Attractive advantage (Convenience).
GHOST-SCORN: The ghosts of Men hold no terror for the Elves, who are immune to any fear effects they create.
MUSICAL GIFTS: Silvan Elves of Telerin origin receive a +2 bonus for Dance, Musician, and Sing tests.
SWIFT HEALING: Elves heal with great speed. They all have the Swift Recovery talent. Also, they do not become sick or catch illnesses.
WOODSY: Silvan Elves receive a +2 bonus for Hunt, Survival: Forest, Weather-sense, and Track tests.
BUILD: Most Wood-elves of Avarin descent are slight of build, and all are thin by mannish standards. Males average 145 pounds at a height of 5’11”; females weigh about 122 pounds at 5’7”.
COLOURING: Ruddy of complexion, with sandy hair and blue or green eyes. Generalisations are difficult, however, since they are many groups of Silvan and there is wide variation among them.
ENDURANCE: They do not carry great burdens, but are capable of travelling 16 to 20 hours a day.
LIFESPAN: Like all Elves, the Silvan Elves are immortal and will only die due to violence or if they weary of life and lose the will to live. Not before the age of fifty do they reach maturity, and for some a hundred or more years must pass before they are fully grown.
CLOTHING & DECORATION: Their preferred clothes are usually forest green, grey, or brown, and range from functional designs to fanciful expressions of individual creativity. Their garments lack the formality and pomp typical of Noldo garb.
FEARS & INABILITIES: As a group, the Silvan Elves suffer from no particular weaknesses.
LIFESTYLE: The culture of the Silvan Elves is best characterised as unstructured and rustic by Elven standards, but rich and relatively advanced when compared to the ways of Men. They have always been independent, but as of late many have settled in kingdoms ruled by the Noldor or Sindar. Still, all the Silvan folk enjoy a good journey or adventure and most look at life much as a game to be played. Music and trickery are their favourite pastimes. The Silvan Elves are also masters of the wood and know much of wood-craft and wood-lore.
MARRIAGE PATTERN: Like all Elves, the Moriquendi wed once only in life, and for love or at the least by free will upon either part. They marry for the most part in their youth and soon after their fiftieth year. See the Noldor’s description for more details on marriage customs and child-birth. Rumours have it that in the Elder Days, when Men and Silvan Elves lived close to one another in parts of Middle-earth, there have been a few unions between Wood-elves and the noblest houses of the Edain. Refer to page 1 for creating Elvenblooded characters.
BELIEFS: There is no formal religion among the Moriquendi. Therefore, their ritual customs are centred on informal communal celebration and personal meditation, just as those of other Elves. Like all Elves, they worship Varda as giver of light and maker of the stars. The principal difference is their strong attachment to the Vala Oromë, the Huntsman and Tamer of Beasts.
DEMEANOUR: The Wood-elves are a fun-loving but guarded folk. Outward mirth often hides their grim intentions. They tend to distrust strangers and outsiders, at least until they get to know them.
LANGUAGES: Silvan tongues, which are often called Wood-speech (Bethteur) are their favoured languages. The Silvan Elves of Mirkwood and places further west, however, generally use Sindarin as their native tongue. Because all Elvish has a song-like quality, however, the slightly unique Silvan vocal pattern betrays their racial origin, even when they employ the tongues of the Eldar. Most know Westron, and a little Quenya. Depending on their homeland, Silvan Elves also have the opportunity to learn Adûnaic, Atliduk, Logathig, and Nahaiduk.
PREJUDICES: The Silvan Elves seclude themselves more readily than the Eldar, for they have a less friendly history of relations with Men. They despise Orcs, dislike Dwarves, and are suspicious of Men.
RESTRICTIONS: Consciously or not, all Elves ‘know’ about, or feel, the tainted and corrupting nature of magic as it is practised by Men. But the fëar (Q. ‘spirits’) of the firstborn Children of Ilúvatar are strong enough to practise a different form of magic, or Art, as they would rather put it, one that does not depend on the disseminated power of Morgoth which still lingers on in Arda (see Chapter Eleven). In game terms, an Elf would not willingly acquire any abilities related to Sorcery.
CLOTHING: Weapon-users: Silk or cotton blouse (white, beige, pale green, or pale grey); trim-fitting tunic (length varies from mid-calf to mid-thigh) of heavy silk and cotton or leather, worked so finely as to drape like fabric (bark brown, leaf green, storm grey); bandoliers crossing the chest, belt around the waist, straps around the limbs to accommodate weapon sheaths; leggings of sturdy canvas or supple leather; sandals or soft boots. Non-weapon-users: Flowing gauze blouse or smock (white, beige, pale green or pale grey fabric with embroidery from a similar colour spectrum), sometimes restrained by a gauze or silk sash, otherwise hanging free; silk leggings, flowing gauze pants similar to a divided skirt, or a many-gored gauze skirt (matching blouse or smock, or bark brown, leaf green, storm grey); heavy silk or gauze mantle fashioned like a cloak with sleeves or elongated (shoulder to waist) arm openings, usually falling to the ankles, often embroidered all over to create a leafy texture; sandals ornamented with gems or carved wood.
STARTING WEALTH: Default starting wealth level 6 (Upper-middle).
Dwarves (or Khazâd in their own tongue) are a short and stocky folk, standing between four and five feet tall, by the measure of Men. Strong and hardy, they endure pain, fatigue, and suffering more readily than other races. At need, they can push themselves hard to cross rough terrain quickly or to come to grip with a foe.
The Dwarves are descendants of the Seven Fathers, the original lords crafted from the earth by the Vala Aulë. He is the Smith of the Valar, the giver of mountains and master of crafts, and the Dwarves call him Mahal (Khuzdul for ‘Maker’). They were created first, but Eru forced his servant Aulë to delay their awakening until after the coming of the Elves. The Seven Fathers awoke from sleep in pairs, even as the Maker had laid them, beneath tall mountains in farsundered places across the Northlands of Middle-earth. All, that is, except for Durin, the Eldest of the Dwarf-kings. He awoke alone, before the others, and wandered the as yet nameless and unpeopled world under the wheeling stars of heaven.
In the course of his wanderings, Durin chanced upon others of his kind, now awakened as he was. These are the names of the Six, given, according to the later custom of Durin’s folk, in the ancient northern speech of Men: Úri and Linnar, who awoke in the Blue Mountains of the West; Sindri and Thulin in the Far North; Var and Vigdís in the East of East. With each of the Fathers Durin also found others gathered, both male and female, whereas to Durin there were none he could call his own. Glad was the meeting of the Dwarves, and the folk revered Durin as First and Eldest.
Some, indeed, took leave of their own Fathers to join Durin in his wanderings, and in time they grew into a great following. Thus it came to pass that the Seven Houses of the Dwarves were established. Although these Seven Houses have since spread across Middle-earth, each delving mansions for their own abode, they have remained close and have spawned a universal reputation for ruggedness, practicality, and unwavering loyalty. Most groups favour the rocky highlands and deep caverns of the mountains, for the Dwarves, perhaps more than any race, remember their origin and heritage.
NATURE: As the Seven Houses vary in nature, history, and attitude, so do their racial adjustments. Therefore, this section provides a brief description of each of their Houses, followed by a general overview of their common features. Note that a Dwarven character from North-western Middleearth usually hails from one of the first three Houses. For more information on Dwarves, please refer to Dwarves of Middle-earth: Seven Houses of the Khazâd, a book contained in the Moria boxed set published by Decipher, Inc.
The Dwarf-kindred best known to Elves and Men of the Westlands of Middle-earth is Durin’s folk. Also called the Longbeards—not only for the length of their beards, but also for their peculiar longevity—Durin’s people are the most physically diverse of the Seven Houses. This is in part because of their eclectic origin and in part due to later influxes of other kindreds into their number, most notably from Ûri’s and Linnar’s folk. They pride themselves less on the purity of their breed than on the aura of reverence they enjoy thanks to their illustrious ancestor.
Still in the days of Durin the Deathless, yet long after they had begun the vast delving of Khazad-dûm (Moria), the Longbeards colonised all the mountains encompassing Rhovanion: east from Gundabad to the Iron Hills, and south as far as the Dimrill Dale. By the late Third Age, most of these lands have been lost. Only Erebor and the Iron Hills remain to them. Following the desolation of Moria by the Balrog, many of Durin’s folk have also migrated west to the safety of the Blue Mountains, though no great mansions were delved there.
The kindred of Úri are instantly recognisable by the fiery hue of their beards. Úri’s folk take great pride in their beards, weighting them with silver ornaments that clink and chime as they walk, making themselves all the more conspicuous. The weighting of beards is a mark of status among this tribe, and strict rules of precedence and honour are observed in the matter of their comportment. Beard-weights denote age, lineage, and deeds of renown, and they can only be bestowed by the king or the eldest living male of a household. Dwarves of Úri’s folk whose beards are so weighted suffer a –1 test modifier to Hide and Sneak tests per 5 points of Renown (or fraction thereof) they have.
Úri woke from sleep alongside Linnar, the father of the Broadbeams, in the northern reaches of the Blue Mountains, and his descendants have always called that range home. His people have a temper to match their appearance: quick, haughty, and vengeful, all beyond the normal share of these vices apportioned to the Khazâd. At their worst, Úri’s folk embody the worst that Dwarves are capable of, as was seen in their murder of Thingol and their war with the Elves of Doriath. Yet, the boastfulness of the Sons of Úri is not empty of content. Their house has produced the greatest blade-smiths in Middle-earth, and their axes have won glory upon many battlefields in defence of the Free Peoples.
Dwarves, as a race, tend to be heavily set. This is doubly true for Linnar’s folk. The Sons of Linnar take corpulence to new levels, gluttony being their only apparent vice. (Bombur was one of the Broadbeams.) This makes them the butt of many Dwarf-jokes, but they take it in stride. They have little reason to fear public disgrace from other houses, for Linnar’s people are the greatest armourers the Dwarves have ever produced.
Despite their unwieldy girth, the Broadbeams do not shirk their duties either in peace or in war. No less forward than their fire-bearded neighbours and friends, Linnar’s warriors merely advance with slower steps. In fact, if the Khazâd were made immovable in will, Linnar’s folk are but the physical embodiment of Dwarf-nature.
During the Elder Days, the smiths of Belegost wove matchless mail for the Elves of Doriath and forged visored helms that would defy Dragon-fire. Even in later times, after dire affliction had befallen them, the descendants of Linnar (who gathered under the lordship of Dáin in the Iron Hills) still continued to forge armour equal to that created in ages before.
In build and bearding, the Dwarves of Sindri’s house closely resemble their northern cousins beyond the Frozen Sea, the Stiffbeards: tall (for Dwarves), gaunt, and grey. But unlike the Stiffbeards (or most other Dwarves), Sindri’s folk succumbed to the Shadow when the Dark Lord offered them gold in payment for arming his minions. In the aftermath of the Last Alliance, the Dwarves of the Westlands universally branded the Ironfists as renegades and turncoats, and ever since Fate has punished them for their treachery: The cataclysm of Númenor’s downfall ruined their chief city in the Spine of Arda—the great central mountain chain of Middleearth—, and in the mid-Third Age, winged Dragons finally drove out the leaderless remainder of Sindri’s folk from their ancient homelands, scattering the Ironfists across Middleearth.
As they found themselves shunned or at best ignored by the western kindreds, the Sons of Sindri settled, for the most part, among Easterling tribes. Only by continuing to dwell among the enemies of the West do they have any hope of a stable existence. Depending on where their itinerant wanderings carry them, the Ironfists may don the indistinct garb of the travelling tinker, or the ritual paraphernalia of the wizened shaman. In the former guise, they have earned from their western kindred the unwelcome appellation of ‘Gutterdwarves’. In the latter, they command the fear and respect of the wild Easterlings. Both postures help them mask a past they would rather forget.
It is said among the Khazâd that Thulin’s folk dwell so far north that their beards grow stiff from the cold. The tale may be apocryphal, but the severity of the arctic climes in which the Sons of Thulin make their home can hardly be exaggerated. The Stiffbeards tread the uttermost North of Middle-earth, clad in the furs of beasts, wearing little or no metal, which burns the skin when so chill. For the most part, their ornaments are carved from wood or bone, bound with sinew. Taller than most Dwarves and slighter of build, Thulin’s folk are well adapted to trudging across snowdrifts or weaving through tangled taiga in pursuit of prey: of necessity, the Stiffbeards, alone of the Seven Houses, procure their own food. Their beards are wispy and grey, their skin pale s bone and tough as hide.
The Sons of Var are dark and brooding, not only in mood but also in appearance. Dwarves of Var’s kindred are readily distinguished by the hue of their beards: black as coal and thick as wire, often left tangled and unkempt, as if the Dwarves are in a state of perpetual mourning.
Indeed, the Blacklocks have much to lament, as their history has been tainted by dealings with the Enemy. This was, however, a crime of the distant past, yet one that continues to haunt them. (More about their implacable feud with the Stonefoots that tempted them into alliance with the Dark Lord is said in Dwarves of Middle-earth: Seven Houses of the Khazâd, published by Decipher, Inc.)
After the Blacklocks renewed their alliance with the Stonefoots, they have, in pursuit of their redemption, taken to a life of wandering throughout the lands of the East and even the deserts of the South and make war against the dominion of Mordor.
The peoples of the East refer to Vigdís’ folk as ‘Red Dwarves’, an appellation alluding to their penchant for staining their skin and beards with a pigment extracted from the red stone that abounds in the Orocarni, their mountainous homeland in the East of East. As the origin of this custom is a well-kept secret, it has given rise to much unfound speculation by Men and Elves, such as the belief that Dwarves are born from stone or that they eat rock for food. The Sons of Vigdís humour such idle fancy, preferring to remain enigmatic and mysterious.
Besides that strange custom, the Stonefoots, a brave folk of fell warriors, are known for having devised a blasting fire which they used to battle the Dragons that besieged their ancient holds. This ingenious defence was contrived with the aid of the—not yet corrupted—White Wizard Curunír (Saruman), who later turned it to wicked purposes of his own.
In general, the following information applies to all Dwarves, regardless of the House they belong to. However, what is said about Dwarvish culture and like factors holds particularly true for the three Houses of the Westlands.
REQUISITE: Normally, Dwarven player characters must be male. Dwarf-women seldom walk abroad except at great need, but if they must go on a journey, they are in appearance and voice so like to the dwarf-men that other peoples cannot tell them apart.
ATTRIBUTES: Dwarves should have high values in Strength and Health in particular. They can raise their attributes with experience as normal.
ANIMAL AVERSION: Dwarves get along poorly with animals. They do not even keep dogs. They suffer a –3 penalty to Ride tests and other tests for dealing with animals.
THE ART: Only the mastersmiths of the Noldor rival the most gifted Dwarven craftsmen in forging weapons and armours, or in cutting gems. Dwarves owe this remarkable facility with materials they delve from the very hearts of their mountain strongholds to the same capability as the Elves.
CRAFTSMANSHIP: The Dwarves practise their crafts obsessively and possess many secrets of making that are unknown to other peoples. They receive a +2 bonus to all skills of the Crafts category that involve forging (for example, Armoursmith and Weaponsmith), and to Stonecraft.
FEAR OF WATER: Dwarves fear open water and Ulmo, the Lord of Waters. They suffer a –10 penalty to all tests involving open or running water, like Swimming or Seafaring.
FIRESTARTING: Dwarves have great skill at starting fires, even in rainy weather. They receive a +2 bonus to all Survival: [Specific Environment] (Firestarting) tests.
HARDNESS OF BODY: Dwarves receive a +2 bonus to their Stamina. Rarely falling ill, they receive an additional +5 bonus to Stamina tests or other tests to resist disease.
HARDNESS OF MIND: Dwarves are strong-willed, and they steadfastly resist any efforts to control them. They receive a +2 bonus to any Fortitude and Will tests to withstand Fear and other forms of domination.
MINE-LORE: Dwarves receive a +3 bonus to any tests pertaining to mines and caverns, including Survival: Underground (Orienteering) or Wisdom tests to find their way through unexplored caverns or unknown mines.
BUILD: Short, stocky, strong, with exceptionally strong limbs. Males average 125 pounds at a height of 4’6”; females weigh about 115 pounds at 4’3”. When creating a Broadbeam, you must either take the flaw Corpulent or roll with 4d10 (instead of 2d10) to determine your character’s weight. The average height of an Ironfist or a Stiffbeard is 55” (instead of 52”).
COLOURING: Black, red, or dark brown hair. Fair to ruddy skin.
ENDURANCE: Tremendous. They can carry great burdens over long distances with little rest.
LIFESPAN: Dwarves become ‘war-worthy’ (able to fight and engage in hard labour) at about age 30. By 40, they have an appearance of age (by the standards of Men) that belies their vitality and strength. They live for 200 years or more, with Durin’s line having the greatest longevity; a Dwarf who has 240 or more winters is thought old, and becomes swiftly weaker as time passes. A few Dwarves reach an age of 300.
CLOTHING & DECORATION: Dwarves (of both sexes!) grow thick, luxuriant beards in which they take great pride, often colouring, forking, or braiding them.
FEARS & INABILITIES: Dwarves fear open water and the Vala Ulmo, and they have a hard time dealing with animals. See the respective ‘Racial Abilities’ above for more details.
LIFESTYLE: Dwarves are superb miners and craftsmen, and unsurpassed stoneworkers. They live in tightly-knit groups and favour underground cities which are usually cut into rugged hills or mountains.
MARRIAGE PATTERN: Monogamous. Only a third of the race is female. They guard their women and children with fierce jealousy and protectiveness. The line is traced through the male.
BELIEFS: Dwarves believe that each lineage has a common spirit which permeates them all and ties them together. They revere their ancestors above all other things but Mahal their maker, and believe that in each King exists a part of his predecessors. Those of the House of Durin, the Dwarves of Moria and the highlands of Wilderland, believe their Kings to all be one Dwarf—Durin the Deathless.
DEMEANOUR: Dwarves are a hardy folk, as hardy in mind as they are in body. They are stern, often stubborn and proud, and resist any attempt to dominate or sway them. They rarely forget insults or wrongs done to them or their families, even over centuries, and they take the burdens of vengeance (and other obligations) placed upon them seriously. But they never forget a favour or kindness, either, and thus the old adage proves true: ‘No friend ever did a Dwarf a favour, no enemy a wrong, without being repaid in full.’
LANGUAGES: Among themselves, Dwarves speak Khuzdul, a harsh-sounding, guarded tongue known by virtually no one but themselves. When in public or about in the wild, Dwarves speak Westron, the Common Speech, or one of the Elvish tongues: Sindarin or Bethteur. Depending on their homeland, Dwarves also have the opportunity to learn Atliduk, Dunael, Logathig, or Nahaiduk.
PREJUDICES: Orcs, Wargs, and Dragons are the sworn enemies of all Dwarven-kind. Above all other races, they despise these the most, although they are extremely suspicious of Elves and sorcerers, too. No Dwarf will ever forget the sly words of Sauron, one whose conjuring enslaved many of their great lords.
RESTRICTIONS: Dwarves are excellent craftsmen, hence they prefer to take up occupations related to forging, stoneworks, and mining. For the same reason, Dwarves usually do not bother to acquire any abilities related to sorcery. By virtue of their skill at engineering complex machinery and crafting tools, they simply do not need to adopt themselves to this (rather alien) form of ‘magic’. Nevertheless, although Dwarves are incapable of employing all forms of the Art at the same scope as the Elves do, their most gifted smiths do craft items of remarkable magical quality while singing in the deepest smithies of their mountain halls.
WEAPONS & ARMOUR: Dwarves seem to have a natural facility with any kind of armour, and they are equally gifted at making them. Yet, they favour chainmail the most. While travelling, they prefer lighter armours made of soft and/or hardened leather. Due to their size, rather small shields are the most common choice among Dwarves who wield one-handed weapons. When great battles are ahead, some rely on Wall Shields instead.
CLOTHING: Outer Garb: Detachable hood with flaps sewn into it, permitting the face to be covered; heavy cloak fastened with a decorated brooch; tall boots of heavy leather; these garments are bright solid colours—scarlet, forest green, blue, golden yellow, royal purple. Inner Garb: A leather jerkin or woollen tunic of a deep hue (maroon, pine green, navy blue, brownish black); a wool or linen shirt (usually a deep hue, sometimes white); closefitting trousers of deep-hued leather or wool; shoes or inner-boots of soft leather.
STARTING WEALTH: Default starting wealth level 6 (Upper-middle).
Hobbits have an unclear origin, although it appears they arose in the east in the First Age, at about the same time as Men. Indeed, they are said to be distantly akin to Men, though they are shorter and less stocky than Dwarves, with a height between two and four feet. Hence they are known as ‘Halflings’ among Men. Their habits, however, are unique: they burrow and dig and reside in ‘holes’; thus their name Kuduk, which means ‘hole-dweller’ (from the ancient Rhovanion Hobbitish kûd-dûkan).
NATURE: Hobbits define three strains among their people, each identifiable by common preferences, habits, and qualities:
The least numerous type of Hobbit, Fallohides are taller and slimmer and have fairer skin and hair than their brethren. They also have more skill with language and song than with craftwork. Oft possessing a streak of boldness and a sense of adventure unusual in Hobbits, they love trees and woodlands and enjoy the company of Elves. Like Bilbo and Frodo, both of whom had a strong Fallohide strain in their ancestry, they often become leaders among their people.
The most numerous of the Hobbits, Harfoots tend to be short than most of their folk, with browner skin. Their neat and nimble fingers make them good at craftwork, and they have better relations with Dwarves than other hobbits do.
They favour highlands and hillsides, and they have retained the old Hobbit custom of living in holes and tunnels.
Broader and heavier than other Hobbits, and with larger feet and hands, Stoors are most common in the Marish and Buckland. They have less shyness of men than their cousins do, and they are the only Hobbits who know aught of swimming, boats, and fishing. They prefer to live in flatlands and beside rivers.
Hobbits of all types share the following characteristics:
ATTRIBUTES: Hobbits cannot have a Strength attribute greater than 5, and their Strength counts as five points higher for the purposes of raising it with experience.
SIX MEALS A DAY: All Hobbits automatically start off with 4 ranks in the skill Cook: Food. Additional ranks must be acquired as usual, though.
SOFT-FOOTED: Hobbits move swiftly and silently, often disappearing so quickly that it seems like magic to the Big Folk (Men). They receive a +4 bonus to Sneak tests, and any who try to track them suffer a –3 penalty to the Track test.
SURE AT THE MARK: Hobbits’ accuracy with thrown objects and shot weapons is legendary among those who know them. They receive a +3 bonus to hit targets with Bows and Throw tests.
TOUGH AS OLD TREE-ROOTS: Though unused to hard labour or dangers, Hobbits possess a curious toughness and resistance to domination. They receive a +3 bonus to Fortitude tests.
WANDERING SONGS: Although they are not aware of it, Hobbits are capable of working minor magic by humming tunes while they are wandering. If a Hobbit succeeds with a TN 20 Sing test and is still within the boundaries of the Shire, he and any Hobbit friends who listen to him or join him singing accumulate only half the normal amount of weariness points for walking at an easy pace. Outside the Shire, a party of singing Hobbits accumulates but three quarters of the normal amount of weariness points for walking. Under normal conditions, the effect of one such Wandering Song lasts for a four hours.
BUILD: Smallest of the speaking people, Hobbits average between two and four feet in height, and tend to be fat or podgy. They have large and hairy feet—to the point of being furry. The Fallohides are the tallest (average: males, 3’6”, 63 pounds; females 3’1”, 50 pounds). The Harfoots are the smallest in size (average: males, 2’11”, 47 pounds; females 2’8”, 41 pounds) The Stoors are the stockiest Hobbit folk and often appear shorter than some of the Harfoots because of their wide profile. Generally, however, they are taller than Harfoots and shorter than Fallohides (average: males, 3’4”, 60 pounds; females 2’11”, 41 pounds).
COLOURING: The Fallohides have fair skin and, of all the groups, resemble Men the most. The most common Hobbits, the Harfoots, are the darkest in colour, having brown skin and hair. Neat and uniformly beardless, they are in many ways the picture of the average Hobbit. The Stoors’ colouration is somewhat of a compromise, for they have curly brown hair which resembles that of the Harfoots. Nonetheless, the most distinguishing features of Stoors are their huge hands and feet (large even by Hobbit standards) and frequent beard growth.
ENDURANCE: Hobbits have a subtle ruggedness which is akin to that of Dwarves and Orcs. When pushed, they can travel long distances over tough terrain, despite the fact that their normal routine requires frequent meals and relaxation.
LIFESPAN: Hobbits have long childhoods, coming of age at 33; they refer to the carefree and irresponsible twenties as the ‘tweens’. Birthdays are an occasion of much celebration in which the ribadyan (celebrant) both receives and gives away presents, often mathoms, objects Hobbits have no use for but do not wish to throw away. Most Hobbits live longer than ordinary Men, but still a Hobbit older than 100 is considered quite elderly and respectable.
CLOTHING & DECORATION: They wear comfortable linen or wool clothes in bright colours, particularly yellow and green, and they bear curly dark hair both on their heads and on the tops of their leathery feet, on which they rarely wear shoes. Occasionally, they don hats.
FEARS & INABILITIES: Hobbits shy away from the bizarre or unusual, but otherwise have normal dispositions.
LIFESTYLE: Generally good-natured, peaceful, hospitable, filled with laughter, and possessing a great love of good food and drink (they consume six meals a day), Hobbits keep to themselves in the land they call the Shire, though a number of them lives in Bree and its neighbouring villages as well.
They are capable craftsmen, but are not friends of complex machines or magic. Their vices are few: six hefty meals a day, pipe weed smoking, and bright apparel. Still, regardless of this dull and insular lifestyle, the Hobbits’ steady approach to life has proved successful; in the face of wars, plagues, and famines, they have survived relatively undisturbed.
Some Hobbits are curious enough to travel or adventure a bit, and the Fallohides have produced a considerable number of rather bold individuals. Each Hobbit tribe has its own favourite locale: Fallohides enjoy woodlands found in cool northern climes; Harfoots favour hillsides and highlands; and Stoors prefer riversides and flatlands. Accordingly, their preferences have had an effect on their living patterns. The conservative Harfoots, for instance, have always had sites for their traditional smials or Hobbit-hole houses, while the Stoors and Fallohides have begun relying on surface dwellings of wood, brick, or stone.
All the Hobbits enjoy the simple life of farmers, millers, and craftsmen. Workshops and sheds dot their territories, uniformly low structures, for the Halflings hate towers and rarely build above the first story.
The Hobbits of the Shire recognise the authority of a leader they call the Thain, though he does little actual governing, it rarely being needed. The chief of the Took family holds this office. Their largest town, Michel Delving, has a mayor elected every seven years. A group of Hobbits called the Watch, or the ‘Shirriffs’, keeps the peace and rounds up stray animals. Three Shirriffs patrol each farthing, and several ‘Bounders’ keep undesirables from crossing the borders.
MARRIAGE PATTERN: Hobbits are monogamous, and bachelorhood (like that of the Ringbearers) is rare: most marry. Having a fondness for genealogy, Hobbits typically trace family lines both paternally and maternally, although Stoors trace their lines only through the maternal side.
BELIEFS: as might be expected, Hobbitish religion is extremely folksy and mundane. The whole of it, not unlike the Elves, is spent in an uncomplicated celebration of the wonders and gifts of nature, although Hobbits are not likely to know the names of the Valar. They simply play games, write happy poems, and dance. But unlike Elves, Hobbits do not feel that they have celebrated until they have finally eaten so much that they can do nothing but sit and chuckle, which is in truth the favourite Hobbitish sport. In short, Hobbits are born, live, and die in joyful harmony with their world, maintaining a delightfully child-like relationship with the powers.
DEMEANOUR: Hobbits are basically cheery, conservative, unassuming, and peaceful folk. Ambition is not part of their makeup. Most are conformists who avoid the unknown and shun adventure, preferring instead to stay within the comforts of neat, humble villages.
LANGUAGES: All Hobbits speak Westron, with some Hobbit words specific to themselves. These words come from their original Kuduk tongue, which was abandoned when they migrated out of Rhovanion in the 13th and 14th centuries of the Third Age. Some Hobbits also have the opportunity to learn Sindarin or Adûnaic.
PREJUDICES: Fallohides are the most prone to mingle with the Big Folk. Stoors rarely deal with other races and the Harfoots, for the most part, prefer to interact with the grim Dwarves. All Hobbits share in hating Wargs and Orcs.
RESTRICTIONS: Hobbits are more disinclined to use magic than any other race. They are a superstitious lot, fearing what they do not know or understand. Besides, Hobbits simply are not interested in the complexity of the theory, philosophy, and alchemy of Sorcery—but maybe it is their very innocence that makes them recoil from its tainted nature. Therefore, the rare example of a Hobbit ‘magician’ would probably concentrate on spells useful for comfort and entertainment.
WEAPONS & ARMOUR: Hobbits favor a club or dagger (serving as a short sword to them). Hobbits usually wear no armour at all, but sometimes (especially in the cold seasons) they don clothes that can be considered soft leather or quilted armour.
CLOTHING: Males: White or cream linen shirt; colourful (royal blue, scarlet, grass green) waistcoat or jerkin, often embellished with embroidery or made from an ornate brocade; leather belt with a pewter, gold or brass buckle; loose woollen trousers with legs that reach anywhere from just below the knee to just above the ankle, often stripped (bright yellow, blue, orange), always vibrantly dyed. Females: White or cream linen blouse and petticoat; dirndl-styled woollen jumper in a bright hue (lemon yellow, fuchsia pink, sky blue, apple green turkey red), reaching to mid-calf; bodice (in a contrasting colour) that laces up the front; lace or crocheted shawl knotted around the top of the shoulders; white or cream linen apron.
STARTING WEALTH: Default starting wealth level 4 (Middle class).
The most numerous and diverse of the Free Peoples in the Third Age, but also among the most numerous and powerful of the Dark Lord’s servants, Men live throughout Middle-earth—from the farthest East to western Eriador, from the jungles and deserts of Harad to the northern wastes. Some are short and ill-favoured, others tall and broad-shouldered. Some speak in harsh dialects, others with fair words. Some honour the spirit of the Valar, while others heed only Sauron.
Men were the Secondborn and first arose in the Far East during the First Age. There, in a land called Hildórien, they awoke to find a wild continent, and it was some time before they first encountered the Firstborn, or Elves. The Eldar gave them the name Hildor (E. ‘Followers’), although they are now more commonly called Atani (Q.) or Edain (S.) which both mean ‘Second People’.
Men differ from the Elves in many ways, the least subtle of which is their ‘Gift of Death’. Men are mortal and live their brief lives with a fire and passion unlike any other race.
They are also more varied in nature and often flawed and vulnerable. Unlike the Firstborn, they are quite susceptible to disease and temperature extremes. At the same time, however, they rarely weary of life.
There are two greater groupings of Men: the High Men, who are commonly called Edain (sing. Adan); and the Common Men, those who did not ally themselves with the Elves in the wars against Morgoth. Some speak of the Northmen as a third group, Middle Men, who are racially close to the Edain, but did not benefit from any contact or alliance with the Elves.
Blessed by their faith in Eru Ilúvatar and his Vala servants, the Adan line is special. High Men are exceptionally large; their great bones and musculature gives them a grand appearance, and only the Noldor Elves rival their strength.
They are not as nimble or resilient as the Elves, however.
The hair of the Edain is dark brown or coal-black—their eyes blue, grey, or black—and they tend toward fair skin. In the Elder Days, those of pure blood lived as long as 250 to 300 years, with their nobles sometimes reaching an even higher age.
Common Men are more numerous and less blessed. Stocky and relatively short, they have produced a wide variety of types. Their hair and skin colours vary from the deepest brown and blacks to the lightest shades of blond and cream. Unlike the Edain, many wear beards and moustaches. From their ranks come the vast majority of Middle-earth’s Mannish lines.
NATURE: By the reckoning of the Men of Gondor in the late Third Age, there are four types of Men: The Dúnedain (described immediately below), the Middle Peoples (pages 50 to 55), the Men of Darkness (pages 57 to 62), and the Wild Men (pages 63 to 64).
These are the Men descended from the Edain who were given the island of Númenor, but who later returned to Middle-earth, either during the days of the rule of Westernesse there, or with Elendil and his sons after the Downfall. They founded the realms of Arnor and Gondor, and rule Gondor still. Though a mingling with lesser Men has much diminished their blood, a few of pure heritage, or in whom the qualities of the Númenóreans live again, still remain by the end of the Third Age, such as the Rangers of the North, or Faramir of Gondor. Some Dúnedain, known as the Black Númenóreans, long ago went to live in the South and East, where they founded realms among lesser Men and became followers of Sauron. Yet another group of Dúnedain are the Corsairs of Umbar, the descendants of Castamir (‘the Usurper’) of Gondor and his followers, the Captains who fled Gondor in the latter days of the Kin-strife.
NATURE: Among all three branches of Dúnedain, individuals of pure or merely faintly diminished Númenórean heritage have become exceedingly rare over the course of the Third Age. Therefore, the physical character and the racial abilities of two categories of Númenóreans—the pureblooded and the lesser Dúnedain—are described separately.
Following these two articles, the three distinct Dúnadan cultures are presented: the Faithful Dúnedain of Gondor and Arnor, the Corsairs, and the Black Númenóreans.
Regardless of to which group they belong, all pureblooded Dúnedain share the following characteristics:
REQUISITE: After around mid-Third Age, this category of Men should only be used for the members of the royal and princely houses of the Dúnedain, (for example, Stewards like Denethor II. and Princes like Imrahil of Dol Amroth), as well as their direct descendents (for example, Rangers like Aragorn). As a rule of thumb, Social Rank +5 or greater is a requisite for creating a pure-blooded Dúnadan. Even several hundred years before that time, a GM may require that a character has Social Rank +3 or greater to create a pure-blooded Dúnadan. Thus, the vast majority of characters with a Dúnadan ancestry are lesser Dúnedain or ordinary Gondorians or Eriadorians, respectively.
ATTRIBUTES: The pure-blooded Dúnedain should have high values in most attributes, and can raise them with experience as normal.
FAIR: All pure-blooded Dúnedain start with the Attractive advantage (Convenience).
TIRELESS: All Dúnedain start with one level of the Tireless edge.
BUILD: Strong and imposing, males average 190 pounds at a height of 6’2”; females weigh about 140 pounds at 5’8”.
COLOURING: The Faithful and the Corsairs: Fair skin and black or dark brown hair. They have grey, hazel, blue, or green eyes. Black Númenóreans: After long years in the hot South, they have tanned, grey-brown skin, and black hair. Their piercing eyes are various shades of grey.
ENDURANCE: Considerable; most Dúnedain can obtain all the rest they need by sleeping but five to six hours a night.
LIFESPAN: Due to their (by Mannish standards) extraordinary long lifespan, the Dúnedain do not reach adulthood long before their twenty-fifth year. In the early days of Númenor, when they did not yet doubt the Gift of Death, the Dúnedain frequently lived to more than two hundred years. Their descendants likewise have a longer lifespan and greater vigour than lesser Men, but even those benefits have dwindled, so that one such as King Elessar, who dies at 210, is unique.
Only three times have Men joined with Noldor, or Sindar of high rank, and the histories of those unions and their offspring are well-known. But some houses of Men, such as the princely house of Dol Amroth, show signs of ancient Elvish ancestry, likely from the Elder Days when Men and Silvan Elves lived close to one another in parts of Middle-earth.
While no player character could truly be Half-elven – like Elros Tar-Minyatur or his brother Elrond – without changing the history of Middle-earth, some could be Elven-blooded like Prince Imrahil. Elven-blooded Men are fair of feature (having the Fair talent at level 1 as a racial ability) and always beardless like their Elven ancestors. They sometimes have other abilities associated with Elves as well and may acquire Accurate, Keen-eared, Keen-eyed, or Night-eyed (at level 1), for example.
An Elven-blooded character must have the following minimum basic attribute scores: Nimbleness 14, Vigour 12, Awareness 14, Bearing 13, Insight 13. In addition, a Social Rank of at least +6 will normally be required to create an Elven-blooded character.
If a character qualifies, he should then take the racial adjustments of the Dúnedain, but otherwise develop his skills as for his chosen Mannish culture.
Regardless of to which group they belong, all lesser Dúnedain share the following characteristics:
REQUISITE: Even lesser Dúnedain become increasingly rare as the Third Age passes. Thus, a Social Rank of at least +3 is normally required to create a lesser Dúnadan character. If a character neither qualifies for being a pure-blooded nor a lesser Dúnadan, use the physical characteristics, adjustments, and abilities of Gondorians, Eriadorians, or—in case of Black Númenóreans from diminished lines— Haradrim instead.
ATTRIBUTES: The lesser Dúnedain should have high values in most attributes, and can raise them with experience as normal.
BUILD: Strong of build, males average 175 pounds at a height of 6’; females weigh about 136 pounds at 5’7”.
COLOURING: The Faithful and the Corsairs: Fair skin and black or dark brown hair. They have grey, hazel, blue, or green eyes. Black Númenóreans: After long years in the hot South, they have tanned, grey-brown skin, and black hair. Their piercing eyes are various shades of grey.
ENDURANCE: The Corsairs do not get seasick.
LIFESPAN: The lesser Dúnedain reach maturity at around the age of twenty. If not slain in battle, taken by illness, or laid low by mischance, most of them live about ninety to one hundred years.
During the Second Age, the Dúnedain of Númenor returned to explore, trade with, colonise, and later conquer many areas along the western, southern, and eastern coasts of Middle-earth; so great was their power and glory that many of the lesser Men they subjugated believed they were gods.
Unfortunately, the Dúnedain’s hubris and desire for power led them to attempt an invasion of the Velar’s Undying Lands. As a result, Eru (the One) destroyed their home island in S.A. 3319.
Those called the ‘Faithful’ opposed the policies and jealous Elf-hatred that prompted the Downfall of Númenor.
The Faithful, led by Elendil the Tall and his sons Isildur and Anorian, were saved when Westernesse sank, sailing east to North-western Middle-earth. There they founded the ‘Realms in Exile’, the kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor.
THE ART: Unlike any other Men, some gifted Faithful Dúnedain are capable of wielding the Art, the subtle and untainted form of magic favoured by the Elves. Although this hints at a distant relationship between the Elves and some houses of the Dúnedain, a Dúnadan character can never master the Art like the Elves do. Instead, this racial ability simply allows him to acquire a Power Level up to one third of his Grace score in (1) the Art of Enchantment and (2) the Art of Ósanwe-kenta by spending an appropriate amount of picks. Among the Corsairs and the Black Númenóreans, hardly anyone knows how to wield the Art, because both groups renounce the legacy of the ancient friendship between the Elves and the High Men of Númenor.
CLOTHING & DECORATION: Gondor: Rich and well made, with elaborate collars. The Dúnedain of lowland Gondor wear light tunics and often go without leggings. Those of colder areas wear more. They favour feathers and white symbols on dark fields. Men grow their hair to their shoulders, women to their waist. Arnor: Traditionally simple and elegant among the Arthedain. Cardolani and Rhudaurans favour more functional clothing. Leggings and tunics are the norm.
FEARS & INABILITIES: The Dúnedain descended from the Faithful do not so much fear death as dread the ending of their works upon Arda, but their obsession with burial rites is seen by most other peoples as a fear of death.
LIFESTYLE: Well organised, comfortable, and centred around cosmopolitan cities and towns.
MARRIAGE PATTERN: Monogamous. The line is traced through the male. While the Dúnedain of Gondor and Arnor often marry folk of other races, the Black Númenóreans avoid to do so.
BELIEFS: There is no formal religion among the Dúnedain of Gondor and Arnor. Therefore, their ritual customs are restrained and personal. They revere Eru Ilúvatar and all the Valar, especially Manwë, Oromë and Varda. They have elaborate burials involving preservation of the body.
DEMEANOUR: Noble, confident, impatient, proud, and often haughty. Many see themselves as teachers and guides to the lesser Men of Middle-earth.
LANGUAGES: Their original tongue was Adûnaic, but nowadays Westron is their mother tongue. Many also speak Sindarin and a little Quenya. Gondorians also have the opportunity to learn Haradaic and Rohirric, and Arnorians may learn Dunael or Labba.
PREJUDICES: The Dúnedain of Gondor hate the Corsairs, for they blame them for the Kin-strife, Gondor’s civil war. They also despise the Black Númenóreans. Dunlendings, Haradrim, Wargs and Orcs have always been their enemies, as were the Angmarrim for their northern brethren.
RESTRICTIONS: None, although most Dúnedain will, due to their superior rank in society, usually only acquire guilded or noble occupational packages.
WEAPONS & ARMOUR: Dúnedain warriors have access to some of the best weapons and armour made, as well as the powerful physique necessary to feel comfortable in the heavier types.
CLOTHING: Arnorian Males: Linen, silk or woollen undershirt, in a rich colour (maroon, celestial blue, purple, navy blue), with close fitting sleeves; woollen under-hose; silk or woollen outer hose; flowing silk, or woollen tunic (rich hues) with wide, flowing sleeves ornamented with fine embroidery and appliqué; decorative leather belt often set with precious stones; silk or woollen collar covering the shoulders and often the neck, decorative bands of embroidery at the top and bottom edges; soft slippers; stout outer boots; quilted cape with generous hood and wide sleeves; fur over-cloak.
Arnorian Females: Linen, silk or woollen undershift, in a rich colour (royal blue, deep red, sky blue, violet, midnight blue), with close fitting sleeves; woollen under-hose; silk or woollen outer hose; flowing silk, or woollen gown (rich hues) with wide, flowing sleeves ornamented with fine embroidery and appliqué; decorative leather belt or girdle often set with precious stones; silk or woollen collar covering the shoulders and often the neck, decorative bands of embroidery at the top and bottom edges; headpiece of lace or embroidered fabric, crescent-shaped, with one point hanging onto the forehead; soft slippers; leather ankle boots; quilted cape with generous hood and wide sleeves; fur over-cloak.
Gondorian Males: Silk or linen undershirt, usually white or a pastel; rich hued silk or linen waistcoat with elaborate sleeves (gathered, slashed, multiple puffs), close-fitting bodice, and wide skirt pieces; belt of finely dyed leather and gold or silver links; decorative collar, elaborately embroidered, covering the shoulders but revealing the neck; sandals or soft shoes; quilted cape with generous hood and wide sleeves.
Gondorian Females: Silk or linen undershift, usually white or a pastel, often sleeveless; rich hued silk or linen gown with elaborate sleeves (gathered, slashed, multiple puffs), closefitting bodice; silk sash or girdle; decorative collar, elaborately embroidered, covering the shoulders but revealing the neck and chest; sandals or soft shoes; quilted cape with generous hood and wide sleeves.
STARTING WEALTH: Default starting wealth level 4 (Middle class).
The Corsairs are descendants of the Dúnadan rebels who fled from Gondor in the wake of the Kin-strife of T.A. 1432–47. Most settled in Umbar in T.A. 1447 and began a long struggle for control with the stronger Haradan and Black Númenórean elements. After they had seized control of Umbar, the followers of Castamir the Usurper became associated with maritime raiding and were labelled ‘Corsairs’.
Since that time, modest inbreeding with the locals has created a somewhat distinct group, although their Dúnadan roots remain strong. Their heritage as sailors and merchantmen from southern Gondor still influences their culture and lifestyle. They long to reclaim Gondor as their own.
NOTE: The term ‘Corsairs’ later became associated with any pirates based in Umbar or along the coasts of Harad. Thus, you may use the guidelines for the Corsairs for creating any Haradan buccaneer.
MARINER: Of all the peoples who trace back their origin to the Men of Westernesse, the Corsairs remain closest to the naval tradition of Númenor. Consequently, they may acquire any edges directly related to seafaring at half their normal pick cost (i.e., the edges Corsair, Diver, Rope-mastery, Sailor’s Eye, Sea Legs, Ship, and Wind-mastery).
CLOTHING & DECORATION: Corsairs favour purple, red, and gold clothing made from silk or fine linen. They wear tunics and only rarely don leggings. Men wear gold collars, while women are well-adorned with jewellery.
FEARS & INABILITIES: The Corsairs are scared of disease and illness, and their own natural mortality.
LIFESTYLE: Corsair culture reflects the conservative elements found among Gondor’s aristocracy, only it is carried to an extreme. The warm coastal influence of Umbar has added some additional influences, most Black Númenórean, and the result is a throwback to the ancient marine culture of Númenor.
MARRIAGE PATTERN: Monogamous. The line is traced through the males.
BELIEFS: Corsair religion is preoccupied with Death and Darkness, and largely revolves around ancestor and hero worship. Great Númenórean kings are revered as godlike. Ceremonies dwell on the perpetuation of the life of the individual and, more importantly, the lineage. The dead are buried with elaborate fanfare and are laid to rest in a preserved state, one of pronounced splendour. Some revere Námo, the Keeper of the Dead, or Varda.
DEMEANOUR: Aggressive, haughty, determined, embittered—the Corsairs have the attitude of royalty in unjust exile.
LANGUAGES: The first tongue of the Corsairs is Adûnaic, since they identify it with Númenor and the line of the Dúnedain. All of them speak Gondor’s Common Speech, Westron, as well as the Haradaic of Umbar’s citizenry. Corsairs also have the opportunity to learn Apysaic, Varadja, or other languages of Far Harad.
PREJUDICES: The Corsairs are a military group and are locked in constant struggle with their allies, the Black Númenóreans and the Haradrim. They look upon both groups with suspicion and some disdain. The Black Númenóreans, like the Faithful Dúnedain, have in many cases married subject peoples and the Corsairs consider this a sign of weakness. They view the Haradrim as yet another inferior race, one which must be tolerated. Their greatest enemy is the Northmen (Rohirrim, Woodmen, Beornings, and other folks), because they are held to blame for the Kinstrife.
RESTRICTIONS: Despite of their obsession for Death and their familiarity with Black Númenórean traditions, the Corsairs are neither more nor less inclined to practise Sorcery than most other Mannish peoples. Due to their superior rank in society, most Corsairs will only acquire guilded or noble occupational packages (see page 242).
WEAPONS & ARMOUR: The Corsairs prefer the falchion or scimitar as their weapon, along with the composite bow. All types of armour are commonly used. The wealthy adorn their armour with gold chasing or engraving. Some favour wearing a modified version of the old karma helm.
CLOTHING: Males: Silk or linen blouse in the rich colours favoured by the Corsairs (scarlet, purple, gold), usually with embroidered borders at the wrists and neck; silk or linen tunic (also in a rich hue), often worn without a shirt, reaching to anywhere between the ankles and just above the knee, possessing an elaborate hem (fringed, crenellated, scalloped); belt of heavy gold plates; sandals or leather boots. Females: Silk or linen blouse with revealing neckline often worn off the shoulder, usually in the rich colours favoured by the Corsairs (crimson, violet, gold); ankle-length silk or linen underskirt, often pleated or gathered into a yoke at the hip, again in rich hues; short over-skirt of silk or damask, falling to midthigh or to the knee, with an elaborate hemline (crenellated, fringed, scalloped); bodice with showy laces; ornamental gold belt; sandals or silk slippers.
STARTING WEALTH: Default starting wealth level 4 (Middle class).
The term ‘Black Númenórean’ is used to describe Men of Dúnadan stock who are descended from the ‘Unfaithful’ Númenórean colonists and conquerors who came to Middleearth during the middle and late Second Age. These Unfaithful had broken with the Elves and the Valar who had bequeathed them the island kingdom of Númenor at the beginning of the Second Age. Many worshipped their own idols or revered the Dark Lord Sauron. Gradually, the Unfaithful came to control Númenor and its colonies, the greatest of which was centred around the Havens of Umbar.
When Númenor was destroyed by Eru Ilúvatar in S.A. 3319, many of the Unfaithful survived in their refuges in Middleearth.
Black Númenóreans are very similar in physical and cultural character to the other Dúnadan groups. Certain changes have occurred after their centuries of separate development, but they have actively sought to remain relatively pure and true to their origins. Still, having served the Shadow for millennia, they make a poor choice for player characters.
DARK LORE: Owing to their ancient alliance with the Dark Lord, the Black Númenóreans are more inclined to practise Sorcery than any other breed of Men. While a GM ought to be very careful about how many and which spells he allows a character to pick, a Black Númenórean should be granted access to a broad array of spells.
CLOTHING & DECORATION: Black and gold are their favoured colours. They wear rich clothing made of dyed silk and linen. Gems and feathers add elaboration. The Karma —Númenor’s famous overlapping scale helm surmounted by a coloured leather fish crest—is still in use.
FEARS & INABILITIES: They fear death, but not in battle. Confidence and passion lead them to believe they can overcome any known physical enemy.
LIFESTYLE: Their culture reflects a rigid slant. Black Númenórean societies are well-ordered and ruled by force of personality, backed by harsh law. Dictators and oligarchs hold sway over the people, most of whom are subject races who serve and pay tribute to the Black Númenórean upper class. Warriors are considered the elite, and most men serve in the army at one time in their lives. This has enabled them to almost always be at war. Superb craftsmen and fighters, the Black Númenóreans are experts at ship-building and naval warfare.
MARRIAGE PATTERN: Monogamous. The line is traced through the male. While the Dúnedain of Gondor and Arnor often marry folk of other races, the Black Númenóreans avoid to do so.
BELIEFS: Organised religion is the norm among Black Númenóreans. The most important cults are those pertaining to death and the afterlife, for these old Númenóreans concerns have been perpetuated and modified. Mummification is the norm. Námo is the only Vala accorded respect. Most revere their own local heroes or gods associated with war, power, terror, and the unknown. They see the untamed Darkness as the only frontier they cannot master; therefore they worship it. Those few that still worship the Valar favour Tulkas the Strong, the greatest master of arms and deeds. It is the always laughing Tulkas who best embodies the spirit of raw strength, for he is quick to make war, weak of counsel, forthright, and sworn of passion and honour.
DEMEANOUR: They are generally haughty and selfcentred—rash, confident, and full of pride. Black Númenóreans believe in their own superiority and support the view that it is the destiny of their race to rule Middleearth. Their views have made them quick to strike a blow; warlike and single-minded, they enjoy a fight. When in a superior position they will rarely offer quarter.
LANGUAGES: They have a strong passion for tradition and have, therefore, maintained the Adûnaic tongue of Númenor in a relatively pure form. Many also know Westron and Haradaic. Black Númenóreans also have the opportunity to learn Apysaic.
PREJUDICES: Black Númenóreans are biased against nearly every other people, but their prejudices against the Elves and the Faithful Dúnedain are particularly vehement.
RESTRICTIONS: None although most Black Númenóreans will, due to their superior rank in society, usually only acquire guilded or noble occupational packages (see page 242). Quite a few of them are among the most unscrupulous and accomplished sorcerers in the service of Sauron.
WEAPONS & ARMOUR: The Black Númenóreans prefer the falchion or mace, with a spear or lance as secondary. All types of armour are known among the Black Númenóreans, but they prefer scalemail armour.
CLOTHING: Males: Silk or linen blouse of rich hue (wine, purple, cobalt, absinthe) with beadwork ornamenting the neck (seed pearls; beads of jade, carnelian, malachite, agate, or lapis lazuli); tabard or over-tunic of silk, black or gold preferred, ornamented with embroidery in metallic thread (gold, electrum, bronze); wrist bracers of gold or bronze with geometric engraving; belt of metal or leather with extensive metallic ornamentation; silken hose; leather slippers decorated with metallic embroidery; cloak of spangled gauze or of feathers. Females: Silk or linen gown of rich hue (burgundy, violet, indigo, cerulean) with beadwork ornamenting the sleeves, neck and hemline (seed pearls; beads of jade, carnelian, malachite, agate, or lapis lazuli: gemstone spangles of diamond, ruby, emerald, topaz, etc.); tabard or over-tunic of silk, black or gold preferred, ornamented with embroidery in metallic thread (gold, electrum, bronze) and gold, onyx, or black opal beadwork; belt of metal or leather with extensive metallic ornamentation; leather slippers with beadwork or embroidery over their entire surfaces; cloak of spangled gauze or of feathers.
STARTING WEALTH: Default starting wealth level 4 (Middle class).
These Men are descended from the same peoples from whom the Dúnedain came, but who did not go to Númenor—and perhaps not even into Beleriand—in the Elder Days. The vast majority of Gondorians also fall into this category, due to centuries of intermarriage with the preNúmenórean peoples of the region. The Rohirrim, most Men of Gondor and Eriador, and the Beornings and other Men of the North are all Middle Men.
Also called Beijabar, Berninga, or Bajaegahar, this dispersed group of large Men has a confused origin. They are a Northman branch related to the Wood-men, Lake-men, and Dale-man of Rhovanion, although they apparently became distinct in elder times, probably before the Northman migrations out of Eriador. Supposedly by the beginning of the Third Age, they had retreated into the high foothills and passes of the Northern Misty Mountains and the Nan Anduin (S. ‘Anduin Valley’).
The Beornings observe a covenant with the bears of the Misty Mountains which forbids them to hunt other mammals for food or fur. It is believed that the bears taught some of the Beorning chieftains the art of Skin-changing in return, enabling them to take on the form of a bear at will. Not all Beornings master this latent gift, but those that do are greatly revered by their kinsfolk and feared by their enemies.
Their numbers have always been few, and some have distinguished them as a clan rather than a separate people. Culturally, and to some degree physically, however, they are unique.
BEAST-MASTERY: Beornings have great rapport with the animals they keep and herd. They have a deep understanding of their beasts’ feelings and receive a +2 bonus with all skills related to animals, except for Ride. Wild animals will not attack a Beorning unless actively provoked. For those Beornings who are Skin-changers, the bonus is +4.
BEAR-SKIN: Only a few noble Beornings have inherited the gift of Skin-changing. To qualify for this racial ability, a character must either have Grace 17 or higher, or he must at least acquire Social Rank +5. The effects of this ability are described immediately below the ‘Outfitting Options’.
HAMMERHAND: All Beornings start with one level of the Hammerhand edge.
BUILD: Physically, the Beornings are the largest of the Northmen, and all are strong of build and bone structure. Men are exceedingly hairy; they average 190 pounds at a height of 6’1”. Women average 150 pounds at 5’8”.
COLOURING: Their complexions are fair, but unlike most Northmen (who are usually blond), the majority has reddish hair.
ENDURANCE: Beornings need sleep only twice every three days.
LIFESPAN: Being of Edain stock, Beornings reach maturity at around the age of eighteen. If not slain in battle, taken by illness, or laid low by mischance, most Beornings live about eighty years.
CLOTHING & DECORATION: They are extremely hairy, and their tendency to wear furs gives them an ‘animal-like’ appearance. Favouring rugged tunics, capes, and woollen pants with leggings, they rarely wear any traditional armour.
FEARS & INABILITIES: They shy away from civilised areas.
LIFESTYLE: Beornings have traditionally lived in small groups or single families on well-tended ‘manors’. Some, like Beorn’s line, have favoured relative lowlands, while the majority reside in the passes and foothills of the Misty Mountains or Grey Mountains. In each case, their presence is extremely subtle. Beorning families tend both themselves and their surrounding manors with the aid of a wide variety of friendly animals, members of the household which appear tame to the outsider (in Atliduk, these animals are called ‘Galaistadiuza’). They do not eat their animal friends, but rely on fish, reptiles, and fowl for food. Males leave their manors for extended periods in order to conduct military, religious, or social affairs.
MARRIAGE PATTERN: Monogamous. The line is traced through the male.
BELIEFS: Beorning religion centres on the ancient Cult of the Bear (old Rhovanic ‘Bairakyn’). The head of the cult, or Waildanbair (Rh. ‘Ruling Bear’), is also the hereditary lord of the whole Beorning clan and is the foremost of the famous Skin-changers. During their secluded ceremonies, these men take the form of bears and recreate their ancient legends and epics using complex dance rituals. These gatherings occur at specific holy places which have some connection to their patron, the Vala Oromë (whom they call Araw).
DEMEANOUR: Beornings are loners by nature, but enjoy their rare moments with others. Generous and normally quiet and introspective, they can become jovial and explosive when in social situations. Their deep, thundering laughter is legend. As warriors, Beornings are fierce and often uncontrollable. This is particularly true of the rare Skin-changers, for they have a tendency to transform into bears when outraged or overly stimulated. Once bears, they can attack with tremendous force, but they have little more than singleminded instinct to work upon.
LANGUAGE: Beornings generally use two forms of communication: their standard language Atliduk and the system of Nature-signals called Waildyth (i.e., a special form of the Signal skill). The latter can be used to speak over long distances without betraying one’s presence, since the sounds are merely variations on the noises of the wild—beasts, the wind, and the like. Most Beornings also know Westron and the Woodman tongue Nahaiduk. Beornings also have the opportunity to learn Labba or Sindarin.
PREJUDICES: Beornings hate Orcs, Wargs, Trolls, Giants, and Dragons.
RESTRICTIONS: Beornings never use Sorcery, and they may only take up unguilded or non-urban occupations.
WEAPONS & ARMOUR: Beornings tend to favor the axe or mace. Rarely, if ever, do the Beornings wear armour made of leather.
CLOTHING: Males: Soft or suede leather tunic (with sleeves reaching from mid-forearm to the wrist) trimmed with fur (rabbit, beaver, mink, marten, sable) at the neck, waist, wrists and hem; leggings of soft or suede leather; stout leather boots; cloak made from a dear, bear or cougar pelt.
Females: The same garments described above with the addition of a full suede skirt (falling to mid-calf or the ankles) trimmed with furs at its hem; or a caftan-styled gown of soft leather with its pleats hanging from a yoke and possessing long wide sleeves. Varying shades of tan, brown, and red are the favoured colours for Beorning garments. Small spots of yellow, white, or sky blue occasionally are used ornamentally in a yoke at neck or waist. Women who go adventuring often wear leggings without a skirt if they must be prepared for combat.
STARTING WEALTH: Default starting wealth level 3 (Below average).
REQUISITE: As explained above, a Beorning must at least have Grace 17 or Social Rank +5 to qualify for the Bear-skin ability.
EFFECT: The Skin-changer can assume the shape of a large brown bear. The transformation back or forth normally requires thirty seconds (i.e., 10 action rounds). However, in dramatic situations the GM may call for a Health check; each Effect Number increases or decreases the transformation time by one round. Any inorganic objects worn or carried must be put off before the transformation, or they will remain on the spot where the transformation took place. In Bear-form, a Skin-changer’s skill ranks and mental attributes all remain unchanged (although he may partially lack the ability to use them properly), but his physical attributes are adjusted as described below. Note that a penalty cannot reduce an attribute below 1, and make sure to re-calculate any affected derived attributes (i.e., Stamina, Swiftness, Health, and Prowess) and the attribute bonuses of crucial skills. Jot down the most important new numbers on the Character Sheet.
ATTRIBUTES: Strength +5, Health +5.
SIZE: Large; Stature 15 (+1).
MOVEMENT RATE: 8 yards/action (5.5 miles/hour)
SKILLS: You may learn Unarmed Combat: Natural Weapons (Paws) and Intimidate (Fear) as additional skills.
SPECIAL ABILITIES: Armour (treat like hardened leather), Bear Hug, Berserk, Natural Weapon (Paws, damage 6/+2 [+Prowess], AP cost, attack: 6 (4), AP cost, parry: 5 (4).
BEAR HUG: On a LoS +2 or greater with a Paws attack, you may grab your target, squeezing for 6 additional points of damage (1 AP). The victim is also considered grabbed (see page 234).
BERSERK: On every full moon, or any time you sustain a Minor injury, you must succeed in a TN 20 Fortitude test or take on bear form until all enemies are beaten. The TN for the Fortitude test is 25 if you receive a Serious injury from a single blow, and 30 when sustaining a Grievous injury. This involuntary change takes only one or two rounds to complete (roll 1d2). If the Fortitude test yields LoF –3 or worse, you totally lose control of yourself and continue attacking everyone, even your fellows and allies, until no one remains able to fight.
INJURIES: If a character is wounded and changes his shape, he retains the Health Level he has been in immediately before the change took place. Any damage in the current Health Level is transferred on a 1:1 basis, to a maximum number of wound points equal to his Health score (i.e., it takes at least one more wound point of damage before the character drops to next lowest Health Level). The Injury Level of any critical injury also remains the same, regardless of which form the Skin-changer assumes.
This is a generalised label for the rural folk of Eriador, the Middle Men inhabiting the lands that once comprised the kingdom of Arnor. Eriadorians contain varying degrees of Daen, Northman, and Dúnadan blood. They bear close resemblance to the rural inhabitants of Gondor, save that many rural Gondorians possess some diluted Haradan lineage. However, the material presented below applies equally well to the rural folk of both Eriador and Gondor.
NOTE: Use this category for characters who are not of pure Dúnadan blood, but are born and raised among the farms, grazing lands, and small hamlets of Arthedain, Rhudaur, Cardolan, and Gondor.
TIRELESS: Used to hard toiling and travelling afoot, all rural Eriadorians start with one level of the Tireless edge.
BUILD: All types, but normally medium. Males average 150 pounds at a height of 5’7”; females weigh about 120 pounds at 5’2”.
COLOURING: Variations of fair to tan skin. All colours of hair and eyes.
ENDURANCE: Considerable.
LIFESPAN: Eriadorians reach maturity at around the age of sixteen. If not slain in battle, taken by illness, or laid low by mischance, most rural Men live about sixty to seventy years.
CLOTHING & DECORATION: Practical wool and linen garb, including cloaks, boots, and so on. Tunics are worn in warmer areas; shirts belted over pants or skirts and leggings predominate in cooler locales.
FEARS & INABILITIES: None, aside from local superstitions.
LIFESTYLE: These rural folk are mostly farmers and herders with little contact with areas outside their village or region.
MARRIAGE PATTERN: Monogamous. The line is commonly traced through the male.
BELIEFS: Variations of subdued rituals are the common form of their infrequent religious services. Most have reverence for local spirits, although the principal worship focuses on Eru Ilúvatar and the Valar. Araw (Oromë) is their patron spirit. As farmers, they often pray to Yavanna, the Queen of the Earth. They call her ‘Dalam’ or ‘Ardalam’.
DEMEANOUR: Practical, hard-working, quiet, loyal, and often shy.
LANGUAGES: The Common Speech, Westron, is their mother tongue. Depending on their homeland, Eriadorians also have the opportunity to learn Dunael, Blarm, Sindarin, Rohirric, or Labba.
PREJUDICES: Eriadorians are suspicious of most outsiders and might be in awe of some. They hate no race, aside from the Orcs and Wargs.
RESTRICTIONS: Being a rural folk, the Eriadorians usually enter unguilded or non-urban occupations. If an Eriadorian should ever master a few spells, they would likely concentrate on magic concerned with nature and farming, crafting, and entertainment.
WEAPONS & ARMOUR: Common weapons such as a hatchet or spear. Soft leather or no armour.
CLOTHING: Warm Regions: Knee-length tunic and wide leather belt or short tunic belted over a full, linen skirt; boots; short wool cape. Cool Regions: Linen shirt under a woollen tunic; wide leather belt; woollen breeches or full woollen skirt over wool leggings; boots; long, hooded, wool cloak. Linens are undyed, unbleached soft white. Woollens are subdued green, grey or brown.
STARTING WEALTH: Default starting wealth level 3 (Below average).
The town folk of Gondor are representative of all Middle Men dwelling in the cities of North-western Middle-earth. The information summarised below applies to the ordinary residents of Calembel, Dol Amroth, Linhir, Pelargir, Osgiliath, and Minas Tirith. Arnorians, people from Annúminas, Fornost, Bree, and Tharbad also fit this description. These folk contain varying degrees of Daen, Northman, Haruze, and Dúnadan blood.
NOTE: Use this category for characters who are not of pure Dúnadan blood, but are born and raised in any of the major cities of Arthedain, Cardolan, or Gondor.
CONTACTS: Having grown up in one of Gondor’s large cities, you know many people in that town and can call upon them for information or for help in acquiring it, as well as for other minor favours. You receive two ranks and your choice of any two specialties in the Locate skill for free.
BUILD: All types, but normally medium. Males average 155 pounds at a height of 5’8”; females weigh about 121 pounds at 5’3”.
COLOURING: Variations of fair to tan or olive skin. All colours of hair and eyes.
ENDURANCE: Average.
LIFESPAN: Gondorians reach maturity at around the age of sixteen. If not slain in battle, taken by illness, or laid low by mischance, most live about sixty-five to seventy-five years.
CLOTHING & DECORATION: Various types of elaborate or practical wool and linen garb, including cloaks, boots, and so on. Tunics are worn in warmer areas; shirts and pants or leggings are worn in cooler locales. Some imported silks and fine linens are in evidence. Hairstyles imitate those of the Dúnedain, men have shoulder length hair and women waist length bound in a net or kerchief for convenience. Most males sport some degree of facial hair.
FEARS & INABILITIES: None, aside from local superstitions.
LIFESTYLE: Urban folk are a varied, rather cosmopolitan lot. Many hail from mercantile or guild backgrounds.
MARRIAGE PATTERN: Monogamous. The line is ordinarily traced through the male.
BELIEFS: Variations of subdued rituals with some organised cults and shrines predominate. Most have reverence for local or community spirits, although the principal worship focuses on Eru Ilúvatar and the Valar, with Araw (Oromë) being the most popular. Many of the elite revere Varda, and people from ports honour Ulmo and Manwë alike.
DEMEANOUR: Practical, aggressive, hard-working, and inquisitive.
LANGUAGES: The Common Speech, Westron, is their mother tongue. Gondorians also have the opportunity to learn Adûnaic, Rohirric, Haradaic, or Sindarin.
PREJUDICES: Although the common folk of Gondor are worldly enough to deal with most outsiders, they share the Dúnedain’s hatred for the Corsairs and the servants of the Enemy.
RESTRICTIONS: The Gondorians normally take up occupations that are in great demand in cities (see page 242). Sorcerers are—despite the Gondorians’ academic interests— extremely rare, particularly outside of the largest cities.
WEAPONS & ARMOUR: Any. Inhabitants of the larger cities (for example, Minas Tirith, Tharbad, or Fornost) have more reliable access to chainmail and types of heavy armour than do those in towns or small cities.
CLOTHING: Warm Locale: Knee-length tunic (fine linen or silk, often finely embroidered) and wide leather belt or short tunic belted over a full skirt (linen or silk); boots; short wool cape. Cool Locale: Shirt (linen or silk) under a tunic (wool or silk); leather belt; woollen breeches or full skirt (wool or silk over a wool petticoat) over wool or silk leggings; boots; long, hooded, wool cloak. Colours depend on the wealth of the wearer. Poorer folk wear linens an undyed, unbleached soft white and woollens of a subdued green, grey, or brown. Wealthier individuals display snow-white linens and woollens and silks tinted with expensive dyes—maroon, purple, forest green, deep brown, indigo.
STARTING WEALTH: Default starting wealth level 4 (Middle class).
While the inhabitants of Esgaroth and the area surrounding the Long Lake are typically Northron in many respects, the Lake-men differ from their kin in their greater emphasis on commerce. Nevertheless, the information given below can easily be adjusted to create a Dale-man. The forefathers of the Lake-men enjoyed a close association with the Dúnedain of Arnor before migrating from Eriador during the first millennium of the Third Age, and thus maintained relatively sophisticated urban living habits in their new homeland.
CONTACTS: Having grown up in Esgaroth, Dale, or another Northron town of the region, you know many people in that town and can call upon them for information or for help in acquiring it, as well as for other minor favours. You start with two ranks and two specialties in the Locate skill.
BUILD: Lake-men are tall, the men averaging 5’11” and weighing about 170 pounds. Women weigh about 128 pounds at a height of 5’5”.
COLOURING: Although the Lake-men are more mixed than other Northron groups, blond hair and blue or green eyes are especially common.
ENDURANCE: Average.
LIFESPAN: Lake-men reach maturity at around the age of sixteen. If not slain in battle, taken by illness, or laid low by mischance, most Lake-men live about sixty-five to seventyfive years.
CLOTHING & DECORATION: Although they are not particularly hairy, the men usually sport well-trimmed beards. Their medium-length britches or (for women) short shifts with leggings, tunics, and cloaks are made of linen, wool, or a combination of the two (linsey-woolsey); they are worn with stitched soft leather shoes.
FEARS & INABILITIES: The inhabitants of Esgaroth are afraid of floods and fires devastating their town. The equally well-founded fear of Dragons does not become an issue until the coming of Smaug in T.A. 2770.
LIFESTYLE: Their towns are ruled by Masters who are elected by all male citizens ‘in good standing’. The once predominant clans and tribes are still recognised, but they have no effect on how social affairs are handled any more. Instead, the Edfreahir (No. ‘Associations’, ‘Guilds’) of merchants and craftspeople nowadays play an important role in politics. Owing to this type of government, there is little unity beyond each individual town, and a general feeling of friendly competition exists among nearby settlements.
MARRIAGE PATTERN: Lake-folk lineage is traced through the father, and couples generally settle with the husband’s family, although exceptions of convenience do occur. Marriage occurs freely outside of traditional clans or tribes (within an Edfreahar, for example), and is sometimes used to seal important commercial agreements.
BELIEFS: Religions of the Lake-town region are typical of Northron culture—centring on sects based on water and land and sources of subsistence. Nearby the Long Lake and the River Running, the Viscnakyn (No. ‘The Cult of the Fish’) predominates.
DEMEANOUR: Modesty is not an especially valued trait among the Lake-men, and clumsy or shy people are often ridiculed. Well-versed in public speaking, they often strike people from other cultures (such as Gondor) as boastful.
LANGUAGES: The Lake-men’s mother tongue is Westron, but some words of their original Northron form of Westron and other Northmen tongues which were abandoned at about mid-Third Age are still in use. The Lake-men also have the opportunity to learn Logathig, Nahaiduk, and Sindarin.
PREJUDICES: Like all Northmen, the Lake-men hate the Wargs and Orcs that sometimes raid their villages; due to their dire experiences, they have also developed an utter hatred of Dragons.
RESTRICTIONS: None, although they produce hardly any sorcerers. Professionals of almost all kinds are known and sought-after among the Lake-men.
WEAPONS & ARMOUR: Each member of the drihten (No. ‘Standing Town Guard’) owns a broadsword and chain- or scalemail short and a reinforced leather pot helm; wealthier individuals may possess a full-length hauberk and an open helm with an embellished nose guard.
STARTING WEALTH: Default starting wealth level 4 (Middle class).
The Rohirrim (S. ‘Masters of Horses’) are the Northman Riders of Rohan and have a complex ancestry. They settled in Rohan (then Calenardhon) about T.A. 2510 at the request of Cirion, the Steward of Gondor. The grant was a reward for the Northmen’s aid in the defeat of the Easterling Balchoth. Between T.A. 1977 and 2510, the ancestors of the Rohirrim—then called the Éothéod—lived in the Northern Anduin Valley. During the period T.A. 1857 to 1977, these Northmen lived further south in the Anduin Valley, between the Old Ford and the Gladden Fields. Prior to T.A. 1857 they were called the Éothraim of Rhovanion and lived south and east of Mirkwood. The Rohirrim call Rohan the ‘Riddermark’.
BORN TO THE SADDLE: The Rohirrim have a natural gift for riding horses and can coax greater effort from them without causing them harm. The effects of this ability are identical to the talent of the same name (see page 114), but every Rohir has it automatically.
HORSEMASTER: The Rohirrim have a special rapport with horses. Whenever a Rohir succeeds with an Ambar test to improve a Ride test, he receives a +9 bonus instead of the normal +5. (Note that this ability is identical to the talent of the same name.)
BUILD: Average to stocky and strong. Men average 170 pounds at a height of 5’11”; women weigh about 130 pounds at 5’5”.
COLOURING: Blond, with fair skin and blue eyes.
ENDURANCE: Average, although they can ride as long as their mounts can endure, and as long as they can stay awake.
LIFESPAN: The Rohirrim reach maturity at around the age of sixteen. If not slain in battle, taken by illness, or laid low by mischance, most Rohirrim live about sixty to eighty years.
CLOTHING & DECORATION: Linen or woollen shirts, medium length pants and leggings. Warriors commonly wear chainmail and carry shields bearing the symbol of their folk, a white horse on a green field.
FEARS & INABILITIES: As a group, the Rohirrim suffer from no particular weaknesses, although they are suspicious of any wielders of dwimmer-craft.
LIFESTYLE: Herders and horse-masters, they spend much of their year living in various semi-permanent camps set out on a circuit of pastures. They return to their permanent homes for the winter. Some garden or farm. Most Rohirrim are also accomplished hunters and fishermen.
MARRIAGE PATTERN: Monogamous. Their lines (in which they take great pride) are traced through the males.
BELIEFS: Rohir religion is—compared to the customs of most other peoples—surprisingly formal. Their rituals celebrate life, fertility, and the cycles of the seasons. Most are held atop hills in mountain vales or at the base of the peaks. They revere Eru Ilúvatar and the Valar and, in particular, Araw (Oromë). The ancient Cult of the Stag and Cult of the Earth are maintained.
DEMEANOUR: Practical, rugged, straightforward and somewhat loud. They enjoy song, celebration, physical games and battle.
LANGUAGES: They speak Rohirric, the descendant of the older Eothrik tongue of Rhovanion. Most also speak Westron. The Rohirrim also have the opportunity to learn Dunael, Sindarin, Atliduk, or Nahaiduk.
PREJUDICES: The Rohirrim hate the Dunlendings and consider the Woses to be lesser beings. They also have an age-old hatred of Orcs, Wargs, Easterlings and Dragons.
RESTRICTIONS: Most Rohirrim prefer to enter outdoor trades, but in Edoras and other major villages, guilded occupations are also held in high esteem (see page 242). Both their straight-forwardness and the wariness they show in their dealings with people who they suspect of practicing magic make Rohir sorcerers more than unlikely.
WEAPONS & ARMOUR: The Rohirrim prefer the broadsword, with a lance and composite bow for fighting mounted. Chainmail with helmet and shield is standard.
CLOTHING: Outer Garb: Txt. Inner Garb: Txt.
STARTING WEALTH: Default starting wealth level 4 (Middle class).
The Woodmen are descendants of the Eriedain (Second Age Eriadorians), who migrated eastward over the Misty Mountains under pressure from Númenórean colonists, during the Second Age. They have long dwelt under the eaves of Western Mirkwood, the great forest of Rhovanion. They are a loose tribe of hunters and gatherers who live in or below the trees as extended families, bands, or clans. They are Northmen and thus related to the Beornings in the nearby Anduin Vales and the foothills of the Grey Mountains; the Rohirrim and the Lake-men are their distant kin as well.
TREE-FOLK: Among all children of Ilúvatar, maybe only the Silvan Elves and the Woses rival the Woodmen’s skill at living in forests. Consequently, they may acquire any edges related to manoeuvring in woodlands at half their normal pick cost (for example, Camouflage, Walk Without Trace, or Woodcrafty), but their effects are limited to forests. However, when a Woodman has long enough lived in a different type of wilderness, he may expand an edge’s effect to that kind of environment by spending another quarter of its pick cost (once its full pick cost has been spent, the edge applies to all environments).
BUILD: Average to stocky, with strong but angular features. The men possess large amounts of facial hair and average 175 pounds at a height of 5’11”; women weigh about 130 pounds at 5’3”.
COLOURING: Fair skin with reddish highlights. They have blond hair and blue or green eyes.
ENDURANCE: Average.
LIFESPAN: Woodmen reach maturity at around the age of sixteen. If not slain in battle, taken by illness, or laid low by mischance, most Woodmen live about sixty-five to eighty years.
CLOTHING & DECORATION: They wear crude woollen tunics and short pants with leggings. Most favour coats, cloaks, and fur hats.
FEARS & INABILITIES: As a group, the Woodmen suffer from no particular weaknesses.
LIFESTYLE: They are an independent lot who have no formal political structure. Living off the gifts of the forest, they reside in small, close groups secluded from other races. They interact with few other than the Beornings and Silvan Elves. Utterly at home in the woodlands, their tracking, climbing, hiding, hunting, and foraging techniques are superb.
MARRIAGE PATTERN: Monogamous. The line is traced through the male. Marriage is outside the family but within the clan. The wife resides with her husband’s family.
BELIEFS: Religious practices are mostly personal and occur within the family or band. Female Wuitan (N. ‘Knowing Ones’) serve as shamans who act as seers, healers, and spiritual leaders. They manage the ancient Cult of Growing (N. ‘Alanakyn’) which meets for rare tribal ceremonies. The Vala Araw (Oromë) is revered above all others.
DEMEANOUR: Quiet, independent, and reclusive.
LANGUAGES: They speak the Rhovanion tongue Nahaiduk. Some also speak a little Westron and Sindarin. Woodmen also have the opportunity to learn Atliduk or Logathig.
PREJUDICES: Woodmen hate Orcs, Wargs, Trolls, and Giant Spiders.
RESTRICTIONS: Woodmen may only take up unguilded or non-urban occupations (see page 242). Their (rare) female shamans concentrate on sorceries dealing with wilderness and nourishment.
WEAPONS & ARMOUR: A hatchet or quarterstaff and longbow is common. None or soft leather armour.
CLOTHING: Smock of beige or soft white wool; short tunic of buff, moss green, or grey wool, ornamented with contrasting crewelwork across the shoulders, chest and at the lower hem; woollen leggings and full trousers ending at the knee, gather into a cuff or full trousers gathered at the knee into a narrow sheath extending to the ankle; short woollen coat in subdued colours; long woollen cloak with hood; fur hat; fur boots, soft but strong for excellent traction on tree limbs.
STARTING WEALTH: Default starting wealth level 4 (Middle class).
The Easterlings are Men who came late to Beleriand, did not belong to one of the Three Houses of the Edain, and who for the most part fell under the dominion of Morgoth and, later, Sauron. As the name records, they came from the East (and South), and live there still in the Third Age, having many realms, kingdoms, and tribes. The Wainriders and the Balchoth are of this stock, as are the Haradrim (Southrons) and the Variags of Khand. The Dunlendings, descendants of Men who once lived in the White Mountains and worshipped dark idols, are also commonly counted among the Men of Darkness.
Compared to the Dúnedain and Middle Men, they are shorter, broader, darker haired and darker eyed, and they usually have swart or sallow skin, from the duskier shades of the Men of Rhûn to the black of the southernmost Haradrim. The Men of Gondor often refer to these Men as ‘wild’.
Most Men of Darkness, having lived long under the sway of the Shadow, bear no love for the Men of the West and war against them frequently. Thus, this type of Man makes a poor choice of player characters for most campaigns. Only the Men of Dorwinion trade peacefully with the West. (In the Fourth Age, King Elessar makes peace with many, but not all, Easterling and Southron realms.)
The Dorwinrim occupy the lower Carnen and Uldona valleys and the hilly region running south from the Redwater to the northwest shore of the Sea of Rhûn—the land called Dorwinion. They are a mixture of Northman and Easterling stock.
ELOQUENT: All Dorwinrim start with one level of the Eloquent edge.
TOLERANT STOMACH: The Dorwinrim are able to take tremendous amounts of wine and other spirits before they get sick. However, their occasionally abusive drinking habits have also resulted in a general tolerance against any drugs. They receive a +5 bonus to Stamina tests to resist poisons.
BUILD: Dorwinrim are slightly larger than most other Men of Darkness. Males average 150 pounds at a height of 5’7”; females weigh about 112 pounds at 5’1”. See page 26 for the guidelines on determining an individual character’s height and weight. Overall, they are somewhat stocky and have wide features; narrow noses and eye slits are the only exception.
COLOURING: Their fair, slightly yellowish complexion is unique. They have subdued eyes which are usually brown (like their straight hair), although some are blue or green.
ENDURANCE: Average.
LIFESPAN: Dorwinrim reach maturity at around the age of sixteen. If not slain in battle, taken by illness, or laid low by mischance, most Dorwinrim live about sixty to seventy years.
CLOTHING & DECORATION: A wide variety of wools and linens. They wear shirts and pants and adorn themselves modestly.
FEARS & INABILITIES: As a group, the Dorwinrim suffer from no particular weaknesses, although they are always anxious about how their vintage is going to be.
LIFESTYLE: They are traders and river-men who abandoned their nomadic past in favour of an urban, albeit rustic life. Dorwinion is known for its fine wines and strong oils. Hardy vines cover the land and provide the principal sources of income: grapes and wine. Trees produce olives and olive oil. Additional revenue comes from the Sea of Rhûn: shellfish products, food, and dyes bring good money to the Dorwinrim.
MARRIAGE PATTERN: Monogamous. The line is traced through the male as often as through the females.
BELIEFS: Dorwinadan religion is a prominent and stable element. It is a unifying force among a people who have no formal law and equate authority with power. Donu, a local manifestation of Yavanna, is the Queen of their pantheon. She is their one ‘Mother Goddess’. Worship centres around the clannish totems (L. ‘Igana’), holy symbols which represent deified heroes blessed by Donu. The heroes are believed to have power over the places they influenced during life and hold sway over their descendants. Therefore, a family or clan guards its territory religiously. The totems are also crucial, since they are believed to have real power and are the sole means of communication with the hero they represent.
DEMEANOUR: The Dorwinrim are known for their hardy, hospitable character. Most favour strong drink and storytelling and never shy away from celebration. Their distinct rolling laughter and physical closeness (for instance, hugging) adds to their reputation of friendliness, although it is somewhat deceiving; a Dorwinadan may appear closer than he really is. The Dorwinrim are amazingly loyal to friends, and distinctly short or cruel with enemies.
LANGUAGES: The Dorwinrim are well-versed in the commercial tongues of northwest and north-central Middleearth. They speak fluent Westron and Logathig, the latter their own home tongue. Since they frequently deal with the Silvan Elves of Mirkwood, many have acquainted themselves with Sindarin. Dorwinrim also have the opportunity to learn Atliduk, Bethteur, Haradaic, Labba, Nahaiduk, and Varadja.
PREJUDICES: Renowned as explorers, traders, and travellers, they have learned much of the spirit of others and enjoy dealing with a wide variety of Elves and Men alike.
RESTRICTIONS: The Dorwinrim have need of a wide range of occupations (see page 242), but sorcerers are exceedingly rare.
WEAPONS & ARMOUR: The Dorwinrim prefer either the broadsword or scimitar, and a shortbow. Dorwinrim prefer the lighter types of armour, although a warrior garbed in a full suit of chain- or scalemail is not unknown.
CLOTHING: Males: Linen shirt or blouse, usually cream or white; short woollen waistcoat, sometimes cut straight, usually with panels of fabric in contrasting earthy hues (rust and black, soft brown and dull yellow, brick and dark brown, etc,); loose woollen trousers in subdued colours (black, dark grey, tan, sienna, bone, taupe, umber, and the like); linen sash or leather belt; wooden clogs or sturdy leather boots; long, full coat, often with quilting and trapunto to provide protection in the severe weather that visits the area in winter.
Females: Linen shirt or blouse, usually cream or white; woollen vest, usually more form-fitting on women of marriageable age, looser on children and matrons, with panels of fabric in contrasting earthy shades (orange and charcoal, black and bone, taupe and dark brown, and the like); full woollen skirt in subdued colours (rust, dark grey, tan, sienna, brick, dull yellow, umber, and the like); linen sash or leather belt; wooden clogs or sturdy leather boots; long, full coat, with elaborate quilting and trapunto.
STARTING WEALTH: Default starting wealth level 4 (Middle class).
Also called ‘Hillmen’, this group of Men traditionally lives in the hills and highlands west of the Anduin valley. Many have become settled farmers and herders and make up majority populations in Eriador. Others remain pure and live in the foothills and mountain vales.
HARD MARCH: Dunlendings are accustomed to journeying through hard lands and can travel through them as swiftly as ordinary men cross unbroken ground. Identical to the edge of the same name, this racial ability exclusively applies when travelling through hills and mountains, though. It allows to reduce the travelling difficulty by one level (for example, from ‘Rough ground’ to ‘Average ground’).
BUILD: They are of medium to stocky build and rugged, with little body hair. Males average 143 pounds at a height of 5’6”; females weigh about 120 pounds at 5’2”.
COLOURING: They have a tanned or ruddy complexion and brown hair.
ENDURANCE: They are superb mountaineers and handle tough terrain with little additional effort.
LIFESPAN: Dunlendings reach maturity at around the age of fifteen. Even if they are not slain in battle, taken by illness, or laid low by mischance, most Dunlendings live but fifty to sixty-five years.
CLOTHING & DECORATION: Crude wool and hide tunics with leggings. They also wear rough over-coats, short cloaks, and fur hats. The woollens are woven in bright plaids, the colours indicating the wearer’s family lines and clan. Ritual tattooing is widespread.
FEARS & INABILITIES: Numerous superstitions, notably a fear of darkness centring around the spirits in the earth and plants which come forth at night.
LIFESTYLE: Hillmen are herders, hunters, and gatherers who live in extended families and reside in villages and fortified clan-holds. Extremely theatrical, they are gifted poets, musicians, singers, and storytellers. Pugnacious, they often settle disputes by raiding, fighting, or even warring on one another (and of course others).
MARRIAGE PATTERN: Monogamous, but one must marry outside the family. Political marriages are common. The line is traced through the female.
BELIEFS: Superstitious rituals devoted to a complex grouping of vengeful petty deities predominate. Many are vaguely based on the Dunlendings peculiar interpretations of the Valar. Oral traditions are crucial to the keeping of histories and law. Sacrifices are widespread and the clergy are both revered and feared.
DEMEANOUR: Suspicious and self-centred, yet vocal and animated. They love to talk, laugh, sing, and scream.
LANGUAGES: Most only speak their native tongue Dunael, though some have picked up a little Westron. Even fewer have adopted one of the Elvish or Dwarvish scripts to write in Dunael, but Dunnish society places a premium on oration and the performing arts anyway. Dunlendings also have the opportunity to learn Rohirric or one of the many dialects of Dunael (like Blarm).
PREJUDICES: Dunlendings generally hate the Rohirrim and Woses above all, although many also despise the Dúnedain, Dwarves, and Orcs.
RESTRICTIONS: Outside their few major villages, most Dunlendings take up unguilded or non-urban occupations (see page 242). Even though the Dunlendings have associated themselves with the Shadow frequently, they hardly produce any accomplished sorcerers.
WEAPONS & ARMOUR: Weapons are usually a hatchet and javelin, though broadswords are valued. None or soft leather armour is the norm. Some elite warriors fight naked.
CLOTHING: Males: Woollen (vibrant plaid in a variety of colours: forest green, scarlet, royal blue, white, yellow, dark blue, orange, and the like) or hide-tunic; breeches or a short skirt of wool or hide; short woollen jacket or cape worn over one shoulder; stout leather belt; decorative torque around the neck; hide leggings; soft leather footgear permitting superb manoeuvring in rough terrain; fur over coat and hat; hair worn in a braid or many small braids or bleached with a limewash causing it to clump in spikes standing away from the scalp like a fistful of daggers. Females: Linen or wool shirt (usually white or cream); full woollen skirt (vibrant stripes or plaid); woollen bodice (sometimes a solid colour); woollen jacket or cape worn over one shoulder; soft leather footgear or stout boots; fur over-coat and hat; hair worn long, usually in multiple braids which are then woven together to form elaborate buns or twists.
STARTING WEALTH: Default starting wealth level 3 (Below average).
This term refers to a collection of peoples who live in north-central Middle-earth, the area to the east of the western shore of the Sea of Rhûn. These nomadic confederations are ever in search of territory and wealth and periodically invade the lands of their neighbours. The Balchoth and Wainriders are two such peoples. Each group has its own subculture and language, although most are related. The following is a general description; where specifics are mentioned, the discussion centres on the westernmost Easterling people—the Sagath.
HORSEMASTER: The Easterlings have a special rapport with horses. Whenever an Easterling succeeds with an Ambar test to improve a Ride test, he receives a +9 bonus instead of the normal +5. (Note that this ability is identical to the talent of the same name.)
WAINRIDER: While most people can hardly keep their balance in a fast-moving wain or a charging chariot, the Easterlings experience no such problems. They do not suffer the –3 (or greater) penalty to physical tests that other do when riding such a vehicle, and never have to make Stamina tests to resist sickness.
BUILD: Compact and agile. Men average 139 pounds at a height of 5’5”; women weigh about 108 pounds at 5’1”.
COLOURING: Swarthy, with a tan or yellowish quality.
ENDURANCE: Normal, although they can ride horses, wains, or chariots for long periods without tiring.
LIFESPAN: Easterlings reach maturity at around the age of sixteen. Even if they are not slain in battle, taken by illness, or laid low by mischance, most Easterlings live but forty-five to fifty-five years.
CLOTHING & DECORATION: Colourful linen cloaks, woollen tunics, leather pants, and lower leg armour. They also wear fur hats with ear flaps, or fur-covered pot helms. Some groups paint their upper bodies and faces.
FEARS & INABILITIES: The Easterlings fear the darkness and thunderstorms.
LIFESTYLE: They are nomads who live in mobile camps and move their camps using great wains (waggons). Warriors all, they also herd horses and cattle. The leaders travel in, and fight from, rugged war chariots.
MARRIAGE PATTERN: Men may take more than one wife, but this is rare and costly since they must pay a bride-price. The line is traced through the male.
BELIEFS: Their religion centres around superstitious rituals concerning nature spirits and heroic ancestral deities. Many worship Darkness and Morgoth.
DEMEANOUR: Cold, determined, brave to the point of foolhardiness. They relish, or are at the least unconcerned with, death in battle.
LANGUAGES: Asdradja is the mother tongue of the Asdriags who occupy portions of the central and eastern Talath Harroch, just east of Dagorlad; the Balchoth speak Ioradja; Logathig and its various dialects are spoken by the Sagath and the Wainriders; the language of the inhabitants of the northern basin of the Talathrant river is Tyran; many of the Easterlings who dwell near the Westlands also know a smattering of Westron. Depending on their homeland, Easterlings also have the opportunity to learn the tongues of their neighbouring tribes (see above), Haradaic, Varadja, and the Black Speech Morbeth.
PREJUDICES: Easterlings have little regard for anyone except their own people. They hate the Dúnedain.
RESTRICTIONS: A nomadic people, the Easterlings normally take up unguilded, non-urban occupations (see page 242). Their relatively primitive culture rarely produces accomplished sorcerers.
WEAPONS & ARMOUR: Easterlings tend to prefer the scimitar as a weapon, with the javelin or longbow for ranged combat. They normally do not don any armour, but they wear helmets and bear shields.
CLOTHING: Males: Woollen or linen tunic (white, cream, lemon, or buff with bright crewelwork on the collar and along the front opening) with long, close fitting sleeves, stand-up collar, a back vent for ease on horseback, opening in front from neck to hem with buttons or individual ties at intervals to secure it closed; leather weapons belt; leather pants; soft, unfitted, knee-high leather boots with lacing on the outside calf to snug them to the leg; colourful linen cloak pieced together from scraps dyed a variety of colours (red, blue, green, yellow); fur hat with ear flaps. Females: Woollen or linen ankle-length smock (white, cream, lemon, or buff with bright crewelwork on the collar and along the front opening) with long, close-fitting sleeves, stand-up collar, with buttons or individual ties at intervals to secure it closed; soft, kneehigh leather boots with lacing on the outside calf to snug them to the leg; colourful linen cloak pieced together from scraps dyed a variety of colours (red, blue, green, yellow); fur hat with ear flaps.
STARTING WEALTH: Default starting wealth level 3 (Below average).
This is a collective name for the peoples who occupy the great arid and semi-arid lands south of Harondor and Mordor, the land called Harad. Since this is rough and unblessed territory, their greatest populations lie beside the seacoast, rivers, bays, and myriad oases. However, Harad contains little true desert, and sparse groups settle or roam the whole region. Haradrim (S. ‘Southmen’) are also called ‘Southrons’ or ‘Haradwaith’ (a term also referring to the land).
The Haruze (H. ‘Godly People’) are the northernmost of the people the Dúnedain call Haradrim. After Gondor retreated from Harondor, the Haruze occupied the dry land between the Poros and Harnen rivers. Their cities hold sway over the rich arable lands of the Harnen and Ode Pezar river valleys.
DESERT-EYES: Their eyes are attuned to extremely bright light, and they are unaffected by brilliant displays which might blind others.
BUILD: North and Central Desert: Most groups are small and wiry, particularly those of the open country. Males average 133 pounds at a height of 5’5”; females weigh about 110 pounds at 5’. Coastal Areas and Far Harad: Most are related to the Men of Mûmakan, and are tall and wiry. Males average 165 pounds at a height of 6’; females weigh about 140 pounds at 5’8”.
COLOURING: Northern groups have greyish or brown skin, straight black hair, and dark brown eyes. Southern groups have dark grey, brown, or black skin, straight or curly black hair, and dark brown or black eyes.
ENDURANCE: Haradrim can travel great distances in hot climes and need little water. They are slowed only slightly by sand, but manoeuvre poorly in the cold.
LIFESPAN: Generally short-lived, the Southrons reach maturity at around the age of sixteen. Even if they are not slain in battle, taken by illness, or laid low by mischance, most Haradrim live but fifty-five to sixty-five years.
CLOTHING & DECORATION: Red, purple, and gold are favoured colours, although white and black are used in practical cases. Both men and women wear their wealth, mostly in the form of gold. They favour silk or cotton blouses and breeches, loose on the form but closed at the wrists to keep damp air around the body. Over this, to further keep in precious moisture and keep out the dust, they wear voluminous robes, broad cloth sashes, and a torft, an elaborately wrapped headdress that covers the neck and ears and can be drawn up to mask the face. Shirts and leggings are either white or black, but outer garments are brilliant reeds, purples, and gold, most of them with intricate embroidery and tassels.
FEARS & INABILITIES: The Haradrim suffer from no particular weaknesses.
LIFESTYLE: Laughter, partying, and violent games are common. Although some groups are nomads, most are used to urban life. Generally well travelled, they are used to interaction with foreign men. Many are or were involved with the caravan trade, and most ride well: horses and camels in northern Harad, horses and elephants in southern Harad. There is a distinct separation between males and females and very strong bonds between members of families and clans.
MARRIAGE PATTERN: Men may take more than one wife, but this is expensive since it involves a bride-price. The line is traced through the male.
BELIEFS: Religion plays an important role in most Haradan societies; their elaborate rituals centre on service to idols which represent various ‘High Gods’. Altars for household gods are carried everywhere.
DEMEANOUR: Passionate, fiery, and instilled with a fierce but peculiar honour. Some consider them cruel and vengeful, especially since life is not particularly valued.
LANGUAGES: The home tongue of the northern groups is Haradaic; quite a few speak a little Westron and Apysaic as well. The southern groups normally use Apysaic, but some are also familiar with Haradaic. Depending on their homeland, a Haradan also has the opportunity to learn Westron, Varadja, and Logathig.
PREJUDICES: Most hate Dúnedain, Elves, Dwarves, and anyone who looks particularly different—although they are suspicious of most peoples.
RESTRICTIONS: The Haradrim’s choice of favoured occupations (see page 242) largely depends on their home region: some dwell in big cities, others live at the edge of the endless deserts. Note that particularly Nomadic sorcerers have access to but a few spells.
WEAPONS & ARMOUR: The Haradrim favour the scimitar or falchion in melee combat, with a spear or shortbow for ranged. Most of the time, the Haradrim restrain from wearing armour due to the climatic conditions of their homelands. Sometimes, however, their elite warriors wear corslets of small, overlapping brazen plates for protection (i.e., scalemail armour). Though not as strong as steel mail, this kind of armour is lighter and more comfortable to wear in the fierce Southron sun.
CLOTHING: Long-sleeved cotton, silk, or gauze blouse (white or cream) with embroidered (red, purple, gold) neck yoke and wrist cuffs; cotton pants with leather panels on the inner leg for riding protection; stout leather boots; loose cotton tunic (white or black) falling to the knees or ankles ornamented with tassels and embroidery at the neck opening, across the shoulders, at the wrists of the wide sleeves; leather weapons belt; cotton head-wrap with trailing portions that protect the neck from the sun; gold bracelets and torques.
STARTING WEALTH: Default starting wealth level 4 (Middle class).
The Variags live in the region of Khand, a semi-arid plateau which lies southeast of Mordor. They are a distinct race, but are occasionally confused with the Haradrim of Far Harad. In reality, they have as many ties to the Easterlings. Brutal and semi-nomadic, they have long been influenced by Mordor and the constant wars with their neighbours.
BORN TO THE SADDLE: The Variags are superb riders and handle horses and camels equally well. They can coax greater effort from their mounts without causing them harm. The effects of this ability are identical to the talent of the same name (see page 114), but every Variag has it automatically.
BUILD: Of medium build, men average 153 pounds at a height of 5’8”; women weigh about 117 pounds at 5’2”.
COLOURING: Extremely dark brown or black skin, straight black hair and red or reddish brown eyes.
ENDURANCE: Variags can travel for extreme periods on horseback with little or no rest.
LIFESPAN: Generally short-lived, the Variags reach maturity at around the age of sixteen. Even if they are not slain in battle, taken by illness, or laid low by mischance, most Variags live but fifty to sixty-five years.
CLOTHING & DECORATION: Variags favour black and red clothing and wear richly adorned garb. Their armour is designed around hideous, frightening beast designs. They carry gold or gilded weapons. Many wear gold trinkets in their ears, noses, cheeks or lips. Ornate, ritual scarring (as opposed to tattooing) is frequently present.
FEARS & INABILITIES: Variags fear darkness (but not the night) and illness or infirmity—anything that might infringe upon their physical prowess.
LIFESTYLE: Always at war, Variags live a brutal and exciting life. Most are herders and raid the stocks of their enemies. Elite warriors and the female priesthood control life.
MARRIAGE PATTERN: Woman take more than one mate, and there is no marriage. A woman’s brother helps raise the children. The line is traced through the female.
BELIEFS: Variags worship a pantheon of cruel gods and have elaborate night time ceremonies; sacrifices abound. The Lord of Darkness is the strongest deity, and is actually a modified incarnation of Morgoth or Sauron. Female priests interpret laws.
DEMEANOUR: Confident, fearless, jealous, abrupt, impulsive and cold hearted.
LANGUAGE:: Their mother tongue is Varadja. Some also speak Haradaic. Variags also have the opportunity to learn Westron, Logathig, and, occasionally, Morbeth.
PREJUDICES: The Variags despise all Men except those who have recently defeated them in battle. They have grudging respect for the races of Mordor, but generally hate all non-Mannish folk.
RESTRICTIONS: A primitive and martial people, the Variags favour rough outdoor occupations (see page 242). Some of their cunning priestesses are said to be cruel necromancers.
WEAPONS & ARMOUR: They favor large battle axes and scimitars. Light armours made of soft or hardened leather, as well as scalemail armour, is commonly donned by the Variags. They also use small, reinforced oval shields and layered leather helms.
CLOTHING: Males: Short or long-sleeved tunic (red or black) spun from camel hair; leather tunic, its front and back surfaces entirely covered with the stylised image of a beast’s snarling face; leather belt; breeches (red or black) spun from camel hair; leather riding greaves covering the inner surfaces of the thigh and calf; sandals; helmet of layered leather with brightly hued tassels and plumes; black camel-hair cloak, its surface entirely encrusted with gold embroidery and metallic red and purple appliqué. Females: Short or long-sleeved tunic (red or black) spun from camel hair; camel hair overtunic, loose flowing sleeves, hem at the ankles; black or red tabard, its surface entirely encrusted with gold embroidery and metallic red and purple appliqué; camel hair breeches (red or black); leather riding greaves covering the inner surfaces of the thigh and calf; sandals; head dress, taking the stylised form of a bat, serpent, lizard, hawk, wild cat, or horse.
STARTING WEALTH: Default starting wealth level 4 (Middle class).
A few races of Men, called by the Gondorians ‘wild’, truly fit that term. Short, squat, and ugly, living rudely in the wilds with strange customs and equally strange speech, they nevertheless possess a certain nobility and powers of their own. They include the Drúedain (Woses) who live in the Drúwaith Iaur, and the Lossoth (the Snowmen of Forochel) who inhabit the Northern Waste.
The Lossoth live in the Far North of western Middle Earth and are often called ‘Snowmen’ or ‘Forodwaith’ (the latter is also a name for their land). They are a sparsely settled, nomadic folk who move with the seasonal migrations of big game and rarely interact with other peoples.
KEEN-NOSED: The Lossoth have an acute sense of smell and start with two levels of the talent of the same name. Thus, they receive a +2 bonus for Observe (Smell) and Track (Scent) tests. Additionally, this racial ability enables them to pick up a man’s scent a mile downwind and one hundred feet upwind (1000’ otherwise).
TIRELESS: All Lossoth start with one level of the Tireless edge. However, this bonus only applies in cold climates and turns into a penalty in hot regions.
BUILD: Stocky and hard, with pronounced muscles. They have wide features and large, podgy hands and feet. Men average 150 pounds at a height of 5’4”; women weigh about 140 pounds at 5’2”.
COLOURING: Fair, with reddish highlights. They have pale blue eyes and fair hair.
ENDURANCE: They are extremely rugged and can travel great distances with little or no rest.
LIFESPAN: The Lossoth reach maturity at around the age of eighteen. If not slain in battle, taken by illness, or laid low by mischance, most male Lossoth live about fifty to sixty years. Women frequently live much longer, usually dying at an age of seventy.
CLOTHING & DECORATION: Fur, leather, and sea mammal hides. Some posses one colourful, patterned coat made of spun fabric and lined with fur. All wear colourful, lined conical hoods.
FEARS & INABILITIES: Many fear the darkness of the long arctic night.
LIFESTYLE: The Lossoth are poor, nomadic hunters and gatherers. They use stonework, bone and limited amounts of wood and metal (mostly copper). Most are primarily fisher folk, employing light (but steady), ocean-ready boats called ‘meriki’. Some herd reindeer and all make use of hunting dogs. Furry horses of reindeer draw their sleighs, although the dogsled is used in areas of extreme cold. Extended families and bands are normally the largest groups.
MARRIAGE PATTERN: Monogamous. The line is traced through the female.
BELIEFS: They worship nature spirits who they believe to be akin to enchanted or godlike beasts. Dance and storytelling rituals make up the bulk of ceremonial life.
DEMEANOUR: Generous, quiet, slow-paced, reserved, and shy—but fearless and persevering.
LANGUAGES: The Lossoth speak Labba, but do not have a script. Some speak a little Westron or Sindarin. The Lossoth also have the opportunity to learn Atliduk or Tyran.
PREJUDICES: They hate Wargs, Dragons, Giants, and Trolls above all things. Those that know of Orcs hate them as well.
RESTRICTIONS: Due to their dire living conditions, their choice of occupations is very limited; Fishermen, Herdsmen, and Hunters make up the majority of the Lossoth (see page 242 on occupations). The rare shaman exclusively uses the riimut runes to achieve magical effects.
WEAPONS & ARMOUR: They favor the knife or spear as regular weapons. Their normal clothing acts as soft leather armour. Besides these clothes, they never wear any armour.
CLOTHING: Soft, suede tunic decorated with beadwork; soft, suede pants also boasting beadwork; females wear a beadwork suede skirt over plainer pants; soft, leather moccasins; heavy, fur-lined leather or wool coat trimmed with designs embroidered using animal hair, fringed leather, and beadwork; heavy, fur-lined leather outer pants; animal (snow hare, snow fox, rodent) pelt pouch (sometimes skinned so that the beasts mouth serves as the opening) on a leather thong or strap worn over the shoulder; thick, fur-lined outer boots; heavy fur-lined mittens attached at the wrist to a cord which passes through the sleeves and body of the coat, preventing the loss of a mitten; conical, fur-lined hood with elaborately beaded, fringed, and embroidered exterior surface.
STARTING WEALTH: Default starting wealth level 2 (Poor), in goods which may be bartered or exchanged for coinage in markets of lower lands.
Of all Men, none surpass the Woses in the arts of woodlore and wood-craft. This very ancient and diminutive race has long been tied to the forests and has remained the greatest lot of woodland warriors ever produced by the Secondborn. Their skills have in fact guarded their narrow survival, for they are considered ugly by Men and Elves alike and have been hunted and persecuted since the days of the First Age.
The Woses are few in number, and their clans are only found in the region of Andrast, the high regions of the Ered Nimrais, and the ancient forest of Drúwaith Iaur in Anórien. It is rumoured that an isolated clan survives in the Rast Vorn.
The Woses have many names. They call themselves Drughu. Drúedain is the label given them by the Elves, while men use various terms: Púkel-men, Wild Men, Drûgs, or Woses. Orcs fear the Woses and have named them Oghorhai.
KEEN SENSES: The wide noses of the Woses are the most sensitive found in Men. Even in an open field, they can smell an Orc before another man can see him. They start with three levels of the Keen-nosed talent. Together with their strong eyesight, they can track better than almost any hunting hound. Only running water will stay their pursuit. This is even true at night, since the Woses also start with one level of the Night-eyed talent and the Keen-eyed talent.
PÚKEL-MAN: The Woses have the ability to sit for days on end without movement. With legs crossed, hands on their laps or knees, and eyes closed or facing downward, they can remain silent as a statue. This affords them peace and allows for recall or meditation. Unfortunately, it apparently does nothing to lengthen their years, for the Woses generally die at a young age. However, mastering this state of meditation is a prerequisite for carving the guardian statues (Púkel-men) the Woses are famous for. These watch-stones (usually depicting Drughu in deep meditation) are crafted and animated by using the Art of Enchantment. Woses can acquire any desired Power Level in this category of the Art at half the normal pick cost, but they are limited to enchanting Púkel-men. The statues crafted by their most skilful ancestors have endured many Ages of the World.
TREE-FOLK: The Woses may acquire any edges related to manoeuvring in woodlands at half their normal pick cost (for example, Camouflage, Walk Without Trace, or Woodcrafty), but their effects are limited to forests.
BUILD: Woses generally have a broad, stumpy profile marked by wide, flat features, and deep-set eyes. Short, thick legs, heavy lower bodies, and pronounced brows help give them an eerie character—unlike any other Men. This uniqueness is accentuated by their peculiar hair growth, for few Wose Men have any hair below eye level. Those that do are revered, although even they have no more than a slender patch of black chin hair which lies well below their wide mouths. Nearly all Wose Men are bald from the forehead to the back centre of their squat skulls, but take pride in the hair they have along the flanks of the head. Men average 130 pounds at a height of 4’7”; women weigh about 100 pounds at 3’11”.
COLOURING: Ruddy skin, black hair, and black eyes. Because the Woses have guarded eyes which are dark and set with black pupils, they appear to gaze from shadowy pools which might be mistaken at a distance for a pair of cavities. One must get quite close to a Wose to notice any eye movement at all, much less any subtle distinctions in the eyes themselves. This haunting feature is made even more unsettling when a Wose is angry; then the pupils glow with a fiery red hue.
ENDURANCE: Average.
LIFESPAN: An extremely short-lived race, the Woses reach maturity at around the age of fourteen. Even if they are spared by ill chances, most Woses live but thirty to fifty years. See page 66 to learn more about age and aging.
CLOTHING & DECORATION: They often braid their hair, pulling it back to join behind in multiple tails. Woses wear little or no clothing or adornments. Instead, they prefer to go about relying on their rugged bodies, using pigments to create imagery. Those that are most acquainted with other Men occasionally don hide leggings and a breechcloth, and in rugged terrain they employ a distinct high, thick-soled laced shoe. Beyond these trappings, they have little use for the costumes of other Men.
FEARS & INABILITIES: Woses do not like towns or cities.
LIFESTYLE: Woses are hunters and gatherers. They live in clans of thirty to forty individuals, made up of four to six family groups. Wose culture revolves around the forests and plants they hold so dear. They are frugal and eat little, even in the best of times, and they partake of no drink but water. Being exclusively vegetarian, they live on the gifts of the woodlands and are quick to acquire an understanding of the nature and location of nearly every plant in an area – regardless of its size. Only the Elves and Ents exceed their skills in carving and plant-lore.
It is for their stone sculpture that the Woses are best known. They carve a variety of motifs and beasts, and employ a particular form in the making of life-like ‘watch-stones’ (Púkel-men). These are guardian statues which they place to protect paths, entries, crossroads, and the like. Legends surround the watch-stones, most of which are true. It is clear that they are enchanted. Orcs fear them most of all, and with good cause, since the Woses can communicate with watchstones of their making and can derive knowledge from the carvings ‘experiences’. Some very powerful watch-stones actually come to life in order to guard their posts—acting instead of their creators—although in such a case, the Wose sculptor will feel all the pain of his creation. They place these watch-stones and hideous statues around the borders of their lands and at various sensitive sites. Some are used to do no more than dishearten their foes.
MARRIAGE PATTERN: Monogamous, producing few young. The line is traced through the female.
BELIEFS: Many of the watch-stones stand over the Wose holy sites. Unlike many of the other men, particularly the Dunlendings with whom the Woses are often associated, the Woses have a strong tradition of organised worship. This is a pronounced animism which revolves around a reverence for nature. They hold Eru and the Valar in proper awe, although they have their own view of the nature of the masters of the world. Of all the Valar, they worship none more than Yavanna, the Giver of Fruits and Queen of the Earth, whom they call Mâm-ugu-Mâm (Pu. ‘First Mother’). It is she who presides over the kelvar (Q. ‘Plants’), and it is the plants which breath life into the world of the Woses.
DEMEANOUR: Woses generally seclude themselves from other folk and do not take on friends easily, but when they do, they are unwaveringly loyal. Those that do get to know them will be impressed by their frequent bouts of laughter, since the Woses will laugh when others sing. Their rich and unrestrained joviality forms quite a contrast to their usual demeanour; normally they appear unemotional and slow to speak.
LANGUAGES: When they do talk, the Woses use the guttural Pûkael tongue which is ideally suited to their deep voices and is alien to that of other Men. Some also speak a little Westron or Dunael. Having neither use for, nor familiarity with, traditional runes or scripts, the Woses have developed their own system of pictographic signs—most quite simple—which they utilise for the most practical purposes, notably to mark paths or signal their brethren while out in the wood (i.e., use the Signal skill).
PREJUDICES: Woses hate Orcs, Wargs, and Rohirrim. The latter group has occasionally made sport of hunting the Wild Men.
RESTRICTIONS: All trades that are needed by the Woses centre around their woodland home; thus, only a few occupations are appropriate for Wose characters (see page 242 on occupational packages). Despite the fact that some show a remarkable talent for the Art of carving enchanted Púkelmen, the Woses produce no other wielders of magic.
WEAPONS & ARMOUR: Most weapons of the Wose are axes and spears with stone blades or tips and wooden hafts. Any such primitive weapons suffer a –2 penalty to their damage. However, the Woses compensate the inferiority of their arms quite effectively by smearing poison on them. Woses rarely wear armour, but tortoise shell, eel hide, and bark strips are the favoured types when it is required. This kind of makeshift-armour usually offers protection equivalent to that of a leather garb.
CLOTHING: Hide leggings; suede breechcloth; suede collar covering the shoulders and falling to the lower ribs; swirling designs in body paint on the face, arms, thighs, and stomach; knee-high shoe with thong fasteners along the outer side of the leg.
STARTING WEALTH: Default starting wealth level 2 (Poor), in goods which may be bartered or exchanged for coinage in markets of lower lands.