Humanity and civilization peaked last about 2700 years ago, when the empire of Hyallondie ruled all the area from Meriandor to what is today Hyarstar in the south, and far inland. Civil war, pestilence and pressure from barbarian tribes, neighbouring realms and invasions of evil hordes eventually tore it asunder 1500 years ago. Some of the barbarian tribes pushing in rallied to save the remnants, ally with it, and push the Orks, Trolls, Undead, etc. out. Then founded their own realms in the ruins over the next 500 years while the core Hyallondie rebuilt and retook some of their lost lands. But since then; humanity has been in decline, and with it the other “good races”; Elves, Dwarves, Halflings, Gnomes who all depended on trade with humans and peace along trade routes to prosper. Occasionally a Barbarian kingdom has risen and conquered a larger area, but it usually does not last more than a generation, and for years borders have been fairly stable. Especially as there is no population pressure on resources to expand; for depopulation has slowly eaten away at humanity as pressure from evil races and pestilence has taken its toll- decade after decade. The world is thus heavily depopulated, and ruins of former grandeur is everywhere. The three exceptions to this are Sulayfjord in the north, where Norse barbarians has formed a loose kingdom from which they raid their neighbours, fight with Giants and Dragons of the mountains, has many children (and bring home slaves) and in fact thrive in their harsh homeland. As does the Barbaric Hill Tribes of Ered Mantar/Crumnor and Gwlad y Bryniau (Hill-Land, formerly Cardolan “Red Hill Country”))
Civilisation has dwindled so much that only in Anadûne is the wheel plow in use, Arbonne and Rshail has forgotten its use, and in the more barbarian kingdoms there is little agriculture.
Rishail (Long Coast in ancient Grathmarian) and Meriandor (land of running rivers in Adûnaic).
One of the kingdoms growing out of the mixture of barbarians, Adun-men and the regional populations of their old realm of Hyallondie, is Rishail. The Kingdom in which we start our story.
This great Kingdom consists of four duchies; Iltharn/Dor-Emyn, Vrakir, Meriandor and Grathmar (from south to north), and is one of the more successful and civilized successor states to the Hyallondie Empire. And retains some of their lore, magic and science. Especially as it is the mortal realm where the most Elven and Dwarven enclaves survive and thrive. Particularly in Meriandor with several Dwarven mines, Elven forests and Gnome/Halfling towns. Meriandor is ruled by Baron Inthall Melbrane. Largely Human, but with enclaves of Elves and Dwarves, and many large areas of wilderness, especially after the recent wars. Darkforest is ruled by Queen Melrianna.
King Caedmon Anstachar rules Rishail from Senecran in Grathmar- the ancient homeland of the Grathmar Tribe that invaded and took what is now Vrakir and Meriandor during The Calamity to unite into the kingdom of Rishail (“Long-Coast” in ancient Grathmarian). For long Dor Ermyn was an independent Hyallondie enclave between Rishail and Gwlad y Bryniau with ties to the home country, but 700 years ago, as humanity and Hyallondie waned, they elected to apply to be the fourth duchy in Rishail, yet they are clearly still of pure Hyallondie blood.
Meriandor is a duchy divided in two by the Berenheim Range a (relatively) low mountain range with a large gap rising from the sea towards the Cloudpeaks in the East. Its capitol city; Senachran, is in the southern, more populous part of the dutchy, where fine grapes for white wine are grown as is an abundance of other agricultural produce. The Northern parts of the duchy is a high valley between two mountain ranges and thus with a colder climate. The soil is also poorer, and crop yield is lower here- as is population density. It is the home of both Dwarven and Elven realms. But mostly it is empty, the only Human settlement of any size is the village of Amril, located at the crossroads between The Tradeway and the Dwarven Road. Here caravans and traders stop over before setting out into the dangers of Deception Pass, or rest when they have come through it. And where each Saturday and Wednesday there is a market with several travelling merchants and peddlers, even Dwarves come here to sell their goods on the way to Grathmar. Sir Adalbert strives from his castle in Amril, to ensure the peace and safety of the village and roads, but they are unsafe these days.
This insecurity is mostly due to the Goblins in Harpy Woods. These woods were never fully controlled by humans or Elves and are said to be haunted. But as Meriandor became depopulated, Goblin tribes seeped in slowly and settled there with their Wargs, allying with the Harpies already there to the benefit of both. Eventually the Elves of Darkforest noticed and began to slowly commit to containing the Goblins, but with their limited numbers and anarchic lifestyle, they could and would do little more without a major threat to Darkforest materialising. This happened five or so years ago, as a large tribe of Hobgoblins with a red Mohawk moved in to take power and started hunting and raiding and expanding.
This
is intolerable and if the Free Peoples take the offensive and win
terrain; the Goblins are likely to launch some sort of
counteroffensive to regain their hunting grounds. Which may lead to
intense fighting. Adalbert will start to train a local Amril militia
of 50-ish locals, reinforced by 25 reserves and the 20 professional
soldiers of Adalbert the Knight.
Your characters would
know that there are traders, merchants and peddlers twice a week in
Amrill, and that spells can be purchased from Elves if you are on
good terms with them, just as weapons and armour can be bought from
Dwarves.
This is based on the prices of Medieval England and Ancient Rome.
Metal
exchange rate is fairly stable in this period (silver to gold between
9:1 and 14,2:1 from Rome and to this day) 1 gr gold = 12,5 gr silver,
1 gr silver = 2,5 gr Bronze and 5 gr copper
However precious
metals seems to have been quite widespread in the Middle Ages, with
inflation from Rome to 15th/16th century of which we know a lot. A
Roman legionnaire (elite, heavy infantry) or cavalrist at the time of
Augustus got paid around 20 gr of silver a month; in the 14th
century a well-trained heavy infantryman would be paid 300 gr and 400
gr in the 16th.
Auxilia got paid 7 gr a month and “Welsh Infantry” around 100 gr.
However, a Centurion under Augustus would gain 1265 gr a month, while
a Centenar during the Hundred-Years-War got 6oo gr. The same trend
shows with other officers. Perhaps the inequality was just so much
larger in Roman times (I know it was large, I am a historian, but not
as large as this, if that is the cause). The fact that Cicero paid
about a ton of silver for a table- which is about half of the cost of
a Legion which Crassus said you could not call yourself rich if you
could not recruit- would indicate as much. Sadly the coins were so
debased at Diocletian’s time that I have left his Edict of 301 out
of my list. I am simply not enough of a numismati historian to do
that with validity. Maybe some later date.
Most of the Medieval prices I found are from 13th- 16th century, and I have adjusted them to reflect my version of Middle-earth and my homebrew world. The soldier’s wage is much like in Rome, but the higher ranks are not as extravagantly paid.
Prices
Name: Sindarrin |
Name: Westron |
Weight (gr) |
Value |
Mithril Erin |
Truesilver Crown |
2,5 |
200 GP |
Malanor |
Truesilver Orb/Sun |
1 |
20 GP |
Harancor |
Gold Tenpiece |
10 |
10 GP |
Erin |
Gold Crown |
1 |
1 GP= 12.5 SP |
Nimloth |
Silver Tree |
4 |
4 SP= 10 BP |
Celebarn |
Silver Royal |
1 |
1 SP= 2.5 BP |
Peret |
Silver “Half” |
½ |
½ SP = 1.25 BP |
Tamp |
Bronze Piece |
1 |
1 BP= 2 CP |
Benhar |
Copper Bit |
1 |
1 CP= 20 TP |
Alchar |
Tin Bit |
2 |
1 TP |
Kythain Calendar
The Elves, due to their longevity, reckons in a period of 144 years called, the yén (Quenya). This is divided into 8766 six-day "weeks", or enquier. They also recognise the solar year, which is called a coranar ("sun-round") or loa ("growth"). In Lagon and Eryn Elmoth, the loa begins on the spring equinox and is divided into six "months" or seasons, as follows.
Quenya name |
Sindarin name |
English translation |
Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
tuilë |
ethuil |
spring |
54 days |
lairë |
laer |
summer |
72 days |
yávië |
iavas |
autumn |
54 days |
quellë |
firith |
fading |
54 days |
hrívë |
rhîw |
winter |
72 days |
coirë |
echuir |
stirring |
54 days |
Five other days, two between coirë and tuilë (called Yestare and Mettare) and three between yávië and hrívë (called the enderi), means the calendar added up to 365 days. Irregularities were allowed for by adding another three days every twelve years, except the last year of a yén.
The year (loa) begins on March 21. That day is called Yestare. The next day begins the season of tuile. Tuilé ends on May 14. Laire begins on May 15 and ends on July 25. Yavie begins on July 26 and ends on September 17. The next three days are the enderi (September 18, 19, and 20th). Quelle begins on September 21 and ends on November 13. Then Hrive starts on the 14th. It ends on January 24. Coire begins on January 25 and ends on March 19. The next day is Mettare. These dates only work until the enderi have been doubled. Once every twelve years the elves will double the enderi to replace having a leap year.
Númenórean calendar
The calendar adopted by the Men of Middle-earth is called the King's Reckoning, and is very similar to our own. It has a week of seven days, and divided the 365-day year of the Elves into twelve months (astar), ten with 30 days and two with 31. Also like our calendar, the Númenórean year began in midwinter. They retained the two days between the end of one year and the start of the next (mettarë and yestarë), but reduced the mid-year days to one (loëndë, essentially adding the other two to the mid-year "long months"). Leap years had two mid-year days. In the Second and Third Ages, years were reckoned from the beginning of the Age.
Various irregularities occurred in this calendar, especially following the Downfall of Númenor. In TA 2060, Mardil Voronwë revised the calendar, and the new version became the Steward's Reckoning. The months of Steward's Reckoning all had 30 days, and there were two additional "extra" days at the equinoxes, tuilérë and yáviérë. The five extra days (the equinoxes, midsummer and two at midwinter) were holidays. The Steward Hador added an extra day to the calendar to try and eliminate some of the irregularities.
The months of the Reckonings were in Quenya (or Sindarin among the Dúnedain) and were:
Quenya name |
Sindarin name |
Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
Narvinyë |
Narwain |
January |
Nénimë |
Nínui |
February |
Súlìmë |
Gwaeron |
March |
Víressë |
Gwirith |
April |
Lótessë |
Lothron |
May |
Náríë |
Nórui |
June |
Cermië |
Cerveth |
July |
Urimë |
Urui |
August |
Yavannië |
Ivanneth |
September |
Narquelië |
Narbeleth |
October |
Hísimë |
Hithui |
November |
Ringarë |
Girithron |
December |
Elven Holidays
Nost-na-Lothion (the Birth of Flowers) is a spring festival on the 40th day of Lairië (Lótessë/May 1st).
Tarnin Austa (Passage into Summer). Summer Solstice in fact. “And now at great length is that great fest of Tarnin Austa or the Gates of Summer near at hand. For know that on that night it was their custom to begin a solemn ceremony at midnight, continuing it even until the dawn of Tarnin Austa broke, and no voice was uttered in the city from midnight until the break of day, but the dawn they hailed with ancient songs.”
Durufui (Fire Night - Winter Solstice), Turuhalmë (The following morning)
Spring and Fall Equinoxes
Harvest Festival
Darkforest Valley Dwarves
There are three Dwarven settlements in Meriandor, all in the Darkforest Valley; Thoral, Berlorn and Tzordar. Thoral is an ancient Hyallondie mining outpost of old then named Celeb-Ost (Silver Hall), as there is silver below it. It also serves as the trading post of the Meriandor Dwarves, and the only settlement Humans and Elves normally get to see. Tzordar is a small and hardly accessible mine that yields Gold and small amounts of Diamonds, Sapphires, Rubies and Adamantite. Berlorn is the central settlement and seat of Chieftain Dorgal, copper, gold, silver, turquoise and Malachite.
All the current Dwarven settlements in Meriandor are fairly recent (by Dwarven standards) and settled by wandering and homeless Dwarves once driven from their settlements further east. They found homes either in Sulayfjord or here in the empty lands of Meriandor, which they infused with some more life and power, and made a tribe of Elves from Lagon relocate themselves to. But as Humans dwindle, so does income, and the Meriandor Dwarves have to travel further and further to make ends meet. It is not as bad as when wandering in small family groups and earning their pay as blacksmiths and coalminers in scattered Human villages, but the greybeards do chew their whiskers and grumble about dark times ahead.
Thoral has a population of 98 Dwarves, mostly supporting the traders’ enterprise. Tzordak’s population is 154, mostly miners, but also a heavy military presence to ward off incursions of monsters and Goblinkind from the mountains.
Berlorn is the main city and seat of the chieftain; Dolgan. 448 Dwarves live here.
Human farms and hamlets surround the area near Berlorn, as the Dwarves need food and cavalry to guard their settlements and caravans. And while the Dwarves are the minor partner of the alliance in Sulayfjord, in Meriandor, they are more in control though- just like the Elves of Darkforest- they have sworn fealty to the Duke. Also just like the Elves, they are free of military service in exchange for taxes, and largely left to their own devices.
Dwarven civilisation blossomed before the human one, and their main stronghold fell before it as they dug too deep and awoke something really terrible. The survivors spread to the east and north as they did not want to live in Hyallondie lands, where they would be at the mercy of this dwindling, but still strong, empire. Here they founded new strongholds in The Wildlands, but as evil tribes, Goblinoids and Dragons pushed in and supplanted the Northmen barbarians there; pushing them into the Hyallondie realm, then exploiting the breach themselves; the Dwarven strongholds fell as well. Often with few survivors and little treasure and records left. Thus few memories of the original great stronghold(s) survive, only vague memories of a name, or not even that. These were the wandering years, but eventually some surviving clans settled in Meriandor, where they found good mining and some trade. Currently Dolgan is sort of the chieftain there, but though he is a descendant of the Dwarf kings of old, he refuses to call himself king and his rule is flat and informal.
Thoral/Celeb-Ost
Thoral/Celeb-Ost
Behind a spur in the East part of the Berenheim Range lies a Dwarven settlement in an old Human silver mine. As the Dwarves discovered the silver, in contrast to the Humans a millennium before, they delved a settlement into the rock and started to mine.
History of the Elves
The first intelligent race on Kythain were the Elves, who was made by The Creator to nurture the beauty of nature, they spread over the world, some to Kythain itself, some to sit at the side of the good gods, enriching their realm as well. The Chaos entities under The Dark One (whose name may not be mentioned by mortal because I have not invented it yet, and it is a cool feature if it curses the one naming him), reacted by creating the accursed races of Goblinkind to drive them away and cast the world into chaos, during this war, the Dwarves awoke from stone and joined the fray. Thus was the first war between order and chaos fought, and as all was dark and things hung in the balance; portals were opened for Demons to stream in while Dragons took sides and Celestials led the High Elves from Elvenhome to save the world. After the war, and as Humans arrived in the world; the remaining Elves settled down to nurture enclaves and knowledge. As humanity flourished, so did Elves, and as Human civilisation rose and fell over the millennia; Elves were always there, sharing knowledge and supporting the younger races. But the High Elves ever dwindling and almost none are left, while some of the Wood Elves have been seduced by evil and become Drow, and others have gone partly mad, feral and wild. The only known old Elven enclave left in the west of the world is Lagon. Darkforest is a recent colony from there, and Eryn Lasgalen was given to Elven refugees from the east as they were overrun by evil Men and Orcs.
Dor-Emyn.
Dor-Emyn is much like Arthedain, a very spiritual place of Adûn-Men with a few tough wardens. Maybe the key to restoring hope to Humanity is to lead this spirituality to Hyallondie where it is largely forgotten. Maybe let a player be a prince or noble of Hyallondie to go and train in Iltharn.
Southern Meriandor
More fertile, warm and gentle than Nan Uial. Think England, Denmark, Northern Germany, Holland, Belgium. But more mountains. Latitude is about Denmark’s, but a warm sea current makes the climate warmer (more like Ireland, England, Belgium). On some southern slopes, grapes for white wine can even be cultivated, and is. It is heavier populated, but not as the countries mentioned above; war, famine and plagues have withered the population from its high two and a half millennia ago.
Small hamlets and villages are spread out at a distance of 5 to 7 km (vs 2-5 in Denmark from the 2nd to 18th century). They are all surrounded by a palisade to defend against bandit and Goblinoid raids. There are no single farms, but occasionally a fortified larger farmhouse, more like a small manor. And every five to 30 km there will be a castle; large or small.
Towns and cities of note:
Senachran, residence of Duke Inthall Melbrane, Population 7640. Based on Carcassone.
Twelve Towers, Home of the Magician’s School and residence of Jao Carainen, The Archmage of Meriandor. Population 6853. The town is a self-ruling entity directly answerable only to the King, and the Archmage ranks as a Duke of the Realm. Under him is a small group of Masters of the school, town council and a few rich merchant families, all ranking as Knights. Then the artisans and traders, and lowest the workers.
Vinyalondë, Military Harbour of Meriandor. Population 6003. Meriandor hosts a small, but professional navy, supplemented in wartime, by merchant ships. It is the most powerful naval force between Adúnor and Sulayfjord. Lord Admiral Hamos Tirain, a former pirate, leads the southern wing here in Vinyalondë, while Baron Wilhend administers the adjoining city and logistics base, drydocks, storehouses, etc. Vinyalondë is very much revolving around the fleet andits function.
Corcollo (Raven’s Bluff), ruled by Mayor Cuthbert. Population 5964. This is a mercantile port, with the resultant influx of foreigners, smugglers, thieves, coins and wares. Wizard in upper quarters named Æthelic.
Khazit (Bree), a town of Hobbits and Humans. Population 5315. Sort of not ruled at all, but with the Inn-keep Barliman Butterbur as official Mayor.
Luna, Residence of Airëdan (Bishop, means Holy Man) Randolf who answers to Baron Elric in his castle right outside of town.
Kobfertruk (Hupperdook from Wildemount), Gnomes, Dwarves and Humans. Mayor Staromma Fletcher. Population 4863. Mining and fine finished goods like telescopes and watches.
Kobfertruk, Gnomes (2500), Dwarves (350) and Humans (1013). Population 4863. Mining and fine finished goods like telescopes and watches
Government: Mayor Staromma Fletcher “Hupperdook” (Gnome) works with Guild representatives and choose the militia commander (Braga Cook FM Human Paladin).
Commerce: Dwarves and Gnomes cooperate to extract iron and copper. Which is smelted, and then turned into finished goods like toys, telescopes, watches, crossbows, etc. As well as jewellery and ale/beer with a distinctive “Gnomish” style”. Much of this is exported and in exchange the city imports foods, wine, cloth, etc. And the upper city has many taverns, inns and places of revelry to help forget the hard work of daytime.
Organisations: Craftsmen and traders have formed powerful guilds in the city, and a few families of all three races have risen to wealth through the produce of the city.
Religion: Religion of the city tends to focus on Aule, but other good Gods major and minor has small temples as well.
The mainly Gnomish community of Kopfertruk is located on the eastern face of the Helvellyn Range of mountains, is often marked by columns of smoke and steam from its mining operations, which is a contrast to the rest of Meriandor; a place of great natural beauty and agricultural bounty. Culture in Kopfertruk prices hard work and hard play. The long work days makes the population want to let off steam on days off and festivals, and even sometimes normal evenings. And as sparks fly and clangs of metalworking fill the days, nights off are filled with music, song and dance in celebration of life. Mixed with heavy alcohol, this has given the city a reputation as a place to visit to celebrate- especially for Bards, Gleemen and other entertainers.
Staromma Fletcher “Hupperdook” looks bombastic, but in reality has a sharp mind for problem solving and furthering Kopfertruk’s place in the Kingdom.
Kopfertruk is divided in two; an upper an lower part. The lower part is soot-stained, dusty and smoky with a mixture of workers’ residences, workshops, small-scale industry, and the actual mines. Meanwhile the charming residental region of Upper Kopfertruk sits about two hundred feet above the lower level, on a platform of levelled rock. This level is divided into two areas. One is the beautiful Silver Falls Grove where a massive waterfall tumbles from atop the mountainside and into a small lake surrounded by residential areas. And the other is the commerce and recreational area, where colourful markets, shops and social gatherings sprawl amongst a few residences of the owners.
Arbonne
In the south, the olive trees and vineyards of Arbonne flourish, and the troubadours fill the air with songs of love and desire, in the warm, fertile lands of Arbonne. The troubadours and courtiers of the south are soft--or so they appear. But for all their devotion to music and passion for beauty, the people of Arbonne will fight when invasion comes.
Arbonne is the pinnacle of “troubadour-ism”, with a court of love and women wielding great power on equal footing with the men. This is rare. Usually a Princess of the realm presides over The Court of Love, where troubadours play and artists paint and sculpt and The Moon Goddess is worshipped. It is based on Provence of the 13th century; lush, warm, with the air full of the smell of flowers and herbs, and excellent wine being produced in almost all the country. At present it is ruled by the dowager Queen Siygnie de Barbantaine, whose only surviving daughter, Beatrice, is a consecrated High Priestess of the Moon Goddess and thus unable to inherit, her daughter Ariane too, is a cleric of the same order, and with a husband that prefers the company of men. She is Queen of The Court of Love, and has enjoyed many affairs of the heart, but used her goddess’ arts to avoid pregnancy, though she might just have time yet. There is thus no clear heir, and to make matters worse; the two Counts of the country, both with claims on the throne are barely held from engaging in open war with each other, over an affair 23 years ago.
Playable Races
Humans (in many different forms)
Elves (Wood, High, Wild and Drow)
Dwarves (Hill and Duergar)
Hobbits/Halflings
Gnomes
Half-Elves
Half-Orcs
Countries and Peoples:
The
Northern Waste is unpopulated by good peoples, as is most of the
central mountain massif in the North.
Sulayfjord: Northmen/Norse & Dwarves. Viking Age Scandinavia/Saga Iceland. Classes: Barbarian, Bard*, Cleric*, Druid, Fighter, Paladin*, Ranger, Rogue*
Rishail: Mixed Men, Wood Elves, Dwarves, Halflings. Originally Adún-Men with Dunmen in the south, overrun by Norse from the North to create a mixed culture based on 8th to 13th century England. Dor-Emyn/Iltharn is the exception with very pure Adún blood to this day, based on Arthedain/Malkier/Hadati. Classes: Any, except Dor-Emyn – Ranger, Rogue, Paladin, Fighter, Cleric, Barbarian*
Crumnor/Ered Mantar: Dunmen/Welsh. Never really integrated in the empire. Classes: Druid, Cleric, Barbarian, Fighter, Ranger, Warlock, Rogue
Kábe: Illyria/Albania/Rhudaur. Hillmen. Only temporarily conquered by the empire for a few generations. Classes: Druid, Cleric, Barbarian, Fighter, Ranger, Warlock, Rogue
Kharadûne: Bulgars/Hillmen/Turks. Used to be part of the empire, but ethnically cleansed by the Kharadûni. The cruellest of the Successor Kingdoms and allied with Kábe and Crumnor in the occupation of Dor-Emyn, as the leader of that alliance under the Nazgûl Akhôrahil AKA The Storm King or The Blind Sorcerer. Classes: any except Paladin
Arbonne: 13th century Provence/Arbonne. Mixed Men of Adûn-men, Dunmen, Norse and Merya (Italians). Classes: Any
Gwad I Bryniau: Mixed Men of very few Dunedain and Lugorans (original people much like the people of Iberian Peninsula that are again a mix of Dunmen and Merya). Classes: Druid, Cleric, Barbarian, Fighter, Ranger, Warlock, Rogue
Potesda: Medieval Italian City States. Mixed men of a few Adún-Men and Merya. Classes: Any.
Hyarlondie: Gondor/Byzantium. Dunedain with some Merya, Norse, Dunmen and Southrons mixed in, in various percentages. Nobles and royal line is relatively pure, as are the people of Hirdor (Dor-en-Ernil). Classes: Any
Hyarstar: Southrons/Arabs/Levant/Ûmbar, once part of the empire, now taken and ruled by Mor-Adún leading Southrons (Arabs/Haradrim).
Atlador: Easterling realm. Once the easternmost province of the empire.
Calednarhon: Mixed Men of Norse/Dunmen/Adûn-folk. Smaller version of Holy Roman Empire. Very rarely does the “Emperor” have any real power, and though allied with Hyarlondie, there is often strife between them due to warlike and unruly nobles in Calednarhon.
Andesalcë: Rohan/Visigoths in Ukraine. Norse horserealm. Often at war with Kábe and the wild tribes to the east.
Drow and their origins.
Morgoth captured many Nando Elves and Men, and twisted and perverted them eventually into the foul Orks. This gave rise to two new races as intervening steps that were both useful, but not as obedient as the Orks.
These were Kaukareldar and Gong.
KaukarEldar are a creation of Morgoth, they are made both in mockery of and imitation of the true Eldar. Specifically made to be able to go amongst men and elves and spread dissension between them. It is not yet determined if they are Faërie or debased children of Iluvatar (they are actually both). In Sindarrin Kaukar means bent, crooked, humped, Kaurë means fear, kaurëa means timid and kauko means humpback, and in Quenya kawa means stoop and kawin “I bow”. “...and he fashioned the false-fairies or KaukarEldar in their likeness, and these deceived and betrayed men.”1 My interpretation of this is that KaukarEldar are indeed captured Nando elves, twisted, tortured and interbred with twisted Feähini, serving Melkor. Thus he has produced a race looking like the fair Eldar but who are wholly twisted and full of an indiscernible hatred. Looking like Eldar, the Kaukareldar walks among men and elves spreading dissent. Fortunately, few of them are left.
Gong or Drow
Gong are a kind of “Proto-Orks”, perhaps the missing link between the fair elves and the foul goblins, they are sometimes confused with KaukarEldar and must therefore be fair not foul.2 They are indeed very fair, but their hearts are as foul as the most wicked Ork, their origin is very similar to that of the Kaukareldar, but their purpose is different, they are indeed but a missing link between Eldar and Ork. Breed by twisting and corrupting Nando elves and interbreeding them with Feädegnir, the Gong are small and slender creatures of an average height of 5’5’’ for both sexes. Their skin is black and their long lustrous hair white and their eyes glow evilly red with infravision, further, they have lost immortality and can reckon on growing little older than 600 years. Still hateful of Morgoth and thus not useful, but also not without potential, they were kept in the deep pits of Angband and Utumno where they never knew the light of day or starlight of night, and in hatred of both the Elves walking and singing under both on the surface, and their foul master, who tortured them to break them and twist them and fill them with hatred. Instead they turned to the only being they knew were capable of resisting him; a twisted interpretation of the memory of the foul spirit Ungolianth, whose webs were Darkness. Or to the angelic being that would (pretend to) give them succour and hope in their enslavement. A being calling himself Annatar, “The Lord of Gifts”. Sauron, whose cunning mind implanted that idea in them, as he wanted to keep them from the light, and slowly to the worship of Melkor who they hated. Unfortunately for Sauron, The War of Wrath came, and destroyed all his plans.
The few surviving enclaves of these escapees from the breeding-pits and dungeons live in the underdeeps, far beneath the earth and rarely venture above ground as the sun hurts their eyes. They revere some twisted and perverted merger between the ideal of their own females and Ungolianth; called L’loth, though a few individuals still adhere to Annatar “The Lord of Gifts”. Their realms are ruled by female priests to this twisted deitiy and as a result cities are known to wage war on each-other rather than the Free Peoples who they are reared to hate. Their communities are governed by great aristocratic houses warring and scheming amongst themselves for advancement in the strict internal hierarchy- to a Gong, position means everything and there is only one rule “if you can get away with it without it being noticed it never happened”.
Most of their cities are situated near Melkor’s old strongholds of Angband and Utumno. In their own legends built on the propaganda of Morgoth and Sauron, they were once living peacefully with the other Elves when these suddenly and for no apparent reason summoned the terrible “light-elves” with light in their eyes and glowing around them- light of hate, hate for the innocent Gong who they pursued with fire and steel until the great master saved them. This was after the Light-elves had pursued them with fire and terrible steel underground and toppled the Master. The few surviving Gong settled and survived in their new environment but forever do they burn with hatred of and fear for the Light-elves (the Noldor). This hatred has been transcended to all surface races and they frequently launch raids and hold it the greatest achievement of all to slay a surface elf.
1 Book of Lost Tales I, P. 239. Very sketchy information to build a race on, but he gives no more
2 See Book of Lost tales I- P. 245.
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