Short Version:
The group rides towards the Gap of Rohan, intending to enter the Wose forest and retrieve a shield artifact. However, some disagreeable weather holds us up in a cave. Soon, a floating island is barreling towards us, and a Man in Black Armor with a palantir, already possessing several artifacts, is demanding all of our artifacts, on pain of death. After many attempts, we find that magic and weapons have no effect on his impenetrable armor, and he seems to control even gravity itself. The group is forced to return with him to his floating castle, where half of the group swears loyalty to him, and begins a new quest to seek artifacts for him. The other half of the group is thrown in prison, awaiting their fates.
Long Version:
Showing posts with label Rohan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rohan. Show all posts
Friday, October 7, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Preview: Edoras and Rohan
The Preview series of posts typically feature whatever dungeon or city the group is entering and give some facts about it.
Country: Rohan
Other Names: Land of the Mark (Horse-Mark)
Capital: Edoras, as seen in the movie Two Towers. A beautiful hilly city that somehow did not burn during the War of the Rings. Bigger than what the movies would have you believe.
Other Cities: Don't exist. The rest of Rohan consists of small and mid-sized towns in the countryside.
Ruler: Eomer, 18th King of Rohan, 1st of the Third Line. Married to Lothirel, princess of Dol Amroth, a coastal principality. Known to be a great leader, warrior and friend of Aragorn; a handsome and loyal man. He has no children.
Military Power: At the battle of Pelinor Fields, the Army was about 6,000 men; it is currently a little smaller.
Population: If the assumption is made that in a total war situation about 5 to 10% of a population serves as the army, then the total is somewhere between 60,000 to 120,000 people.
Military Specialty: The Horsemen of Rohan are well-trained, and have the best horses in all the lands. No other country dares compete with the Rohirric horsemen. Rohan has no navy.
Size: about 5300 square miles, or about the size of New York State
Climate: Mild Summers, Cool winters, but overall bearable. Winds are a bit unpredictable.
Terrain: Rohan is renowned for its grassland and hills, allowing the easy production of horses and farmland. The Grasslands are unique in that much of Middle Earth is covered with sparse woodland; Rohan being the exception. The White Mountains are to the South and usually covered in snow; they are lit when the call is needed. The White Mountains are about 600 miles long, and contain limestone quarries. Most of the highest peaks are about 10,000 feet; some are so high that they are among the highest in Middle Earth.
Neighbors: The dwarves of the Glittering Caves, led by Gimli, have begun to prosper and are close friends. The Dunlendings to the West are uneasy neighbors; Dunlendings, or Hill-People, have in the past fought the Rohirric over control of Rohan, though they are currently relatively friendly. Many Dunlendings are also solid mercenaries and traders. Woses live in the nearby Drúadan forest. During the third age, the Rohirric would hunt Woses down for fun; but after the Woses helped the Rohirric arrive at the Battle of Pelinor Fields on time, the Rohirric have left the Woses in peace, and the Woses leave all in peace. Minas Tirith is also a few days ride to the southwest, and Mordor is a few days ride to the southeast. Being in a central location, Edoras is a natural starting point for many adventures, including Elves heading to the Undying Lands.
Trivia: Hobbits originate from the area as well, but migrated during the third age. The term Hobbit is thought to be from the word "Hole-Digger" in Rohirric.
Famous For: The Mearas. Legendary, almost godlike horses, Mearas were bigger, faster and stronger than any other horse. They could nearly double the speed of other horses and travel in half the time, and were beautiful to boot. Blessed with the ability to comprehend human tongue (and theoretically speak it as well!), Mearas were traditionally the crown jewels of the Royal Family, Gandalf being the exception during his time with Shadowfax. Due to Eomer's reforms, though, many Mearas farms have sprung up throughout Rohan, though they are almost always sold only to the Rohirric. In addition, any good Rohirric PC starts with one.
History: The Rohirric were distantly related to the Dunedain, and were originally from a valley Northwest of Mirkwood, the dark forest seen in the Hobbit. Gondor was being invaded by Orcs from Mordor and Easterlings from....the East, when Gondor requested help from all the neighboring human lands. Only the Rohirric came to help, and with their cavalry saved the day. Gondor, grateful for the Rohirric's help, gave them the lands of Rohan as a reward and also signed a treaty, to ensure that the Rohirric would come to gondor's aid once again. The Rohirric, signing this treaty about 2509 Third Age (or about 500 years before the LOTR), have followed it closely ever since. (As an aside, Gondor gave the land freely because most of the people there had been killed either in the invasion or in the Great Plague). The Rohirric have ruled Rohan ever since, save for a brief period of instability where the Dunlendings took over. Rohan's help in saving Minas Tirith (after saving themselves at Helm's Deep) once again showed the world the tenacity and ability of the Rohirric. Rohan, under King Eomer, has been rebuilding and prospering since the start of the Fourth Age.
Famous Rohirric Characters in Previous Games: William Wallace I (Jon), William Wallace III (Jon).
Country: Rohan
Other Names: Land of the Mark (Horse-Mark)
Capital: Edoras, as seen in the movie Two Towers. A beautiful hilly city that somehow did not burn during the War of the Rings. Bigger than what the movies would have you believe.
Other Cities: Don't exist. The rest of Rohan consists of small and mid-sized towns in the countryside.
Ruler: Eomer, 18th King of Rohan, 1st of the Third Line. Married to Lothirel, princess of Dol Amroth, a coastal principality. Known to be a great leader, warrior and friend of Aragorn; a handsome and loyal man. He has no children.
Military Power: At the battle of Pelinor Fields, the Army was about 6,000 men; it is currently a little smaller.
Population: If the assumption is made that in a total war situation about 5 to 10% of a population serves as the army, then the total is somewhere between 60,000 to 120,000 people.
Military Specialty: The Horsemen of Rohan are well-trained, and have the best horses in all the lands. No other country dares compete with the Rohirric horsemen. Rohan has no navy.
Size: about 5300 square miles, or about the size of New York State
Climate: Mild Summers, Cool winters, but overall bearable. Winds are a bit unpredictable.
Terrain: Rohan is renowned for its grassland and hills, allowing the easy production of horses and farmland. The Grasslands are unique in that much of Middle Earth is covered with sparse woodland; Rohan being the exception. The White Mountains are to the South and usually covered in snow; they are lit when the call is needed. The White Mountains are about 600 miles long, and contain limestone quarries. Most of the highest peaks are about 10,000 feet; some are so high that they are among the highest in Middle Earth.
Neighbors: The dwarves of the Glittering Caves, led by Gimli, have begun to prosper and are close friends. The Dunlendings to the West are uneasy neighbors; Dunlendings, or Hill-People, have in the past fought the Rohirric over control of Rohan, though they are currently relatively friendly. Many Dunlendings are also solid mercenaries and traders. Woses live in the nearby Drúadan forest. During the third age, the Rohirric would hunt Woses down for fun; but after the Woses helped the Rohirric arrive at the Battle of Pelinor Fields on time, the Rohirric have left the Woses in peace, and the Woses leave all in peace. Minas Tirith is also a few days ride to the southwest, and Mordor is a few days ride to the southeast. Being in a central location, Edoras is a natural starting point for many adventures, including Elves heading to the Undying Lands.
Trivia: Hobbits originate from the area as well, but migrated during the third age. The term Hobbit is thought to be from the word "Hole-Digger" in Rohirric.
Famous For: The Mearas. Legendary, almost godlike horses, Mearas were bigger, faster and stronger than any other horse. They could nearly double the speed of other horses and travel in half the time, and were beautiful to boot. Blessed with the ability to comprehend human tongue (and theoretically speak it as well!), Mearas were traditionally the crown jewels of the Royal Family, Gandalf being the exception during his time with Shadowfax. Due to Eomer's reforms, though, many Mearas farms have sprung up throughout Rohan, though they are almost always sold only to the Rohirric. In addition, any good Rohirric PC starts with one.
History: The Rohirric were distantly related to the Dunedain, and were originally from a valley Northwest of Mirkwood, the dark forest seen in the Hobbit. Gondor was being invaded by Orcs from Mordor and Easterlings from....the East, when Gondor requested help from all the neighboring human lands. Only the Rohirric came to help, and with their cavalry saved the day. Gondor, grateful for the Rohirric's help, gave them the lands of Rohan as a reward and also signed a treaty, to ensure that the Rohirric would come to gondor's aid once again. The Rohirric, signing this treaty about 2509 Third Age (or about 500 years before the LOTR), have followed it closely ever since. (As an aside, Gondor gave the land freely because most of the people there had been killed either in the invasion or in the Great Plague). The Rohirric have ruled Rohan ever since, save for a brief period of instability where the Dunlendings took over. Rohan's help in saving Minas Tirith (after saving themselves at Helm's Deep) once again showed the world the tenacity and ability of the Rohirric. Rohan, under King Eomer, has been rebuilding and prospering since the start of the Fourth Age.
Famous Rohirric Characters in Previous Games: William Wallace I (Jon), William Wallace III (Jon).
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