The Complete Guide to Umbar
The Complete Guide to Umbar
"Oh, there is trade in Umbar. The whole city is based on
trade...trade of information, trade of goods, trade of people,
trade of loyalties. It is a mighty city, surrounded by a great
impenetrable wall and holding an impossible amount of people
inside. Six Towers made long ago stand watch over this all, with
her Lords and Ladies at times squabbling and making war on each
other and at times working together for the good of the city. It is
a wild place filled with intrigue, but it is also a wonderful
place, where anyone can succeed if they just have the luck and
skill to. It can be a very fair place... and sometimes fairness can
be harsh."
- Lady Arali, Tower Lord of Umbar, Farside Tower
Calendar
In Umbar the day is considered to be from sunrise to sunrise.
There are 356 days in a year, 7 days to a week, and 12 months to
the year. Ten months have 30 days and two have 31. There are three
days in the year that are considered to belong to no month: the
first day of the year, yestare; the middle day of the year, loende;
and the last day of the year, mettare. Every fourth year two days
called enderi are substituted for loende.
The Complete Guide to Umbar: Ecology
The climate of Umbar is subtropical, dry. This means that the
city has hot summers (75-80 degrees F) and mild winters (45-50
degrees F), giving it a moderate temperature variation of about 30
degrees per season.
Precipitation ranges from virtually nothing during the summer to
five inches per month during the two midwinter months. It averages
20 to 30 inches per year.
There are red and yellow soils around the bay with brown and
yellow-brown in the areas behind the bay. These all fade into the
red, barren soil of the desert that backs Umbar.
The vegetation around the bay is mostly broad-leaf evergreen
forest (the source of our wood resource) and broad-leaf evergreen
shrubs. Farther away from the bay, the forest gives way to
scattered broad-leaf evergreen shrubs, and even nearer the desert
you find mainly scattered broad-leaf deciduous dwarf shrubs. In the
desert itself there are two major types of vegetation: drought
evaders, which grow fast during rare periods of wet and lie dormant
as seeds otherwise; and drought resisters, which have lowered their
need for water by storing it and by reducing leaf area.
The main crops grown by Umbar are wheat and rye. A few vegetable
farms are near the city, but only for their own needs; Umbar does
not export any crops other than wheat and rye. There are also
grazing lands for cattle, mumakil and goats, and some herds of
pigs. (The pigs are barely tamed, and will attack anyone except
their usual keeper.)
In addition to wheat and rye, Umbar also exports copper and
iron. There are several mines in the area for each. There was also
a small gold mine, but it has been played out for generations.
Umbar now imports all gold from the south.
The most well protected crops in Umbar are those necessary for
the building of ships. Wide fields of flax provide linen for their
sails, and two types of trees are used for the ships themselves.
The tall 'mast pine' is prized for its straight form and strength.
It is a major crime to cut down such a tree. The second tree is the
'southwood tree' used as planking and ribs for the hulls.
The types of animals found in the wilds vary as one travels from
the fertile area surrounding the coasts to the arid desert. Owls
and hawks can be seen along the coast, but they are replaced by
quails and doves as you enter the more barren lands bordering the
desert. In the desert itself, are swifts, swallows, and wrens.
Vultures are everywhere.
One of the strangest birds of the desert is the road runner.
This fast running bird is a hunter who feeds on snakes. It is not
unusual to see a road runner with half a snake hanging out of its
beak. Sometimes they kill a snake that is simply too big for their
stomach to hold, and they must wait for the first length swallowed
to be digested before they swallow the next few inches.
The most deadly snake of the desert is the viper (of which there
are several types). It has adapted to the sands of the desert, and
moves through them in such a way as to leave parallel grooves
pointing diagonally in the direction that the snake is moving.
Another poisonous inhabitant of the desert is the fire ant; but
they are small, and each ant can only give limited damage. They are
not dangerous unless a person is unable to move and brush them off.
However, if a man should be tied down over a fire ant mound, death
could result.
There are numerous non-dangerous animals in the area: rabbits,
deer, squirrels, chipmunks, etc. It is possible to live off the
land except in the desert. To do so in the desert requires
specialized knowledge and training, and no little luck. The [link
here] Narakshi are one such example of a success (or luck)
story.
There are also types of dangerous animals that live off the game
in the area. The most dangerous are the wild dogs, for they have
lost their fear of man and will attack him. They are highly social
hunters and will cooperate to run down game. Wolves also cooperate
on the hunt, but are less likely to attack men unless driven to it.
There are a few packs that orcs have taught to hate man by
provoking them with weapons bearing man-scent. These packs will
attack any people that they encounter. However, these wolves are
found more closely north of the city nearer the Poros River, where
the Uruk population is more highly concentrated.
The desert puma has also been known to attack any man entering
its hunting area, for these rare sand-colored cats are extremely
territorial. They usually live in pairs, but it is possible that
two to three half-grown cubs may hunt with the mother. They are
found only in the southern deserts, and in the lands bordering the
desert. They are small, rarely growing more than five feet in
length.
Largest, by far, of the animals native to the dry reaches of the
area called the Haradwaith is the mumak (mumakil, plural). They
were used primarily as beasts of war, and carried war-towers. They
also proved quite frightening to horses. Being virtually
indestructible, they were most effective as the center of defense
for the Haradrim in battles. Their one weak point was their eye; an
arrow to this small, elusive target could bring a mumak down and
kill it. The other name this great best might be known by is
"oliphaunt."
The strangest animals of the area surrounding Umbar is the Giant
Sloth Bear (so named for its looks, rather than any provable
kinship to either of these animals.) The creature is from 15-20
feet in length, has a deep, thick, dark-brown fur, and is reputedly
the stupidest animal on the continent. Even orcs seem smart by
comparison. They live entirely underground in winding sets of
tunnels that they dig with their sharp claws, claws that can even
go through the softer rocks. They are not aggressive, but they are
not timid either. Rather, they continue on whatever they have
decided to do, while ignoring anything around them. They can, and
will, dig right through a man if he is standing where they want to
dig and doesn't get out of their way fast enough. Since they are
huge beasts (2500 to 4000 lbs) and run much to fat, it is difficult
for a warrior to hit a vital organ. There is much reason to suspect
that either their brain is not in their head or that it is not a
vital organ, since head blows rarely kill them.
The Complete Guide to Umbar: General Political Structure
Umbar is currently ruled by an oligarchy of six who are called
Tower Lords. Each has his own naval and ground military forces,
loyal to him and completely at his disposal, as well as being
direct liege lord of approximately one sixth of the arable lands
around the Havens. They are evenly balanced in power, which
explains why there is an oligarchy rather than a Kingship. But
while they contrive against and compete with each other, the
Kin-Strife is clear enough in their memory to prevent open warfare,
for they were bred from the losers of that conflict and civil war
is still a bitter thing to them.
Umbar is a warrior society, and warriors are deemed to be
superior to non-warriors. The lowest ranking seaman considers
himself vastly superior to the richest merchant, even though the
merchant, by reason of his riches, may command vast influence.
Those who serve on the ships consider themselves superior to the
city guard and household guards of the wealthy, a position that the
city guard and household guards have been known to take exception
to. But it goes hard on any non-warrior who resents the warrior
attitude - mainly because the warrior is trained in weaponry and
the citizen is not.
All of the oligarchy are Lord-Warriors. The personal devotion of
their followers is based primarily on pride in their Lord's
military abilities, and [link to the religion page] religious
following. They have an unvoiced, but unbroken (so far), agreement
not to meddle with each other's territory during absences caused by
raids, since they know that they must all raid or lose respect, and
thus lose power. This, of course, does not count for any other
types of absences, and so they all seek loyal and strong
fiefholders to guard their rural interests when they are in Umbar,
and Tower Captains to Guard their urban interests when they are out
of the city on business. This poses no little problem since a weak
landholder or Captain is useless and a strong one might be a
threat. The Tower Lords have solved this problem in various ways -
or believe they have.
The Complete Guide to Umbar: Geographic Description
Umbar lies on an inlet of the Bay of Belfalas. The inlet
provides a calm berthing for the Fleets of the Corsairs, while the
fertile lands surrounding the inlet provide farming area to feed
the city. Umbar raids not out of necessity out of desire. To the
north lies Gondor and to the east the deserts of Harad. Mordor,
home of Sauron, who has cast his shadow over Umbar, is to the
Northeast. To the south lie desolate desert regions, mostly
inhabited by nomadic tribesmen.
The Complete Guide to Umbar: General History
Umbar in The Lord of the Rings
In the Second Age, the island kingdom Numenor began establishing
colonies on the coast. Destined to be the greatest of these was the
fortress Umbar. She was built strongly and richly by Numenor and
great was her pride, perhaps too great.
In S.A. 3261, Ar-Pharazon, having seized the throne of Numenor
some six years before, assembled a great army and marched forth to
challenge Sauron, Lord of the Dark and chief wielder of the Power
of he who forged the dark, Morgoth. He disembarked his army at the
great fortress city of Umbar and seemed to overawe Sauron so that
the Dark Lord surrendered to the might of Numenor. Sauron was
marched through the streets of Umbar and taken prisoner to Numenor.
But while Ar-Pharazon seemed to have conquered by force, Sauron, in
truth, had conquered by guile. Under the Evil One's influence,
Ar-Pharazon was led to assail Valinor, the Undying Lands, seeking
the secret of eternal life that was not meant to be given to Men.
Although some of Numenor remained Faithful to the old beliefs, they
were not strong enough to prevent Ar-Pharazon's attempt against
Valinor. Numenor was destroyed for seeking that which it had no
right to seek, and it disappeared beneath the waves.
The Dunedain of Umbar also fell to the influence of Sauron and
became known as the Black Numenoreans. The realms of Gondor and
Arnor, who were to be the main opponents of Umbar, were founded in
S.A. 3320 by the Faithful of Numenor who had not followed
Ar-Pharazon and were un-touched by Sauron. Their fleet had sailed
just before the seas rose over Numenor.
In S.A. 3441, Sauron was overthrown and the Third Age began, but
the shadow did not depart from Umbar. Falastur of Gondor
established the Fleet that was to oppose Umbar's control of the
sea, and in T.A. 933 Earnil I, nephew of Falastur, defeated Umbar
and made it a fortress of Gondor. The Faithful built on the highest
hill above the Haven, a monument to commemorate Sauron's defeat, a
great white tower topped by a globe of crystal which shown like a
star under the light of the sun or the moon so that it could be
seen on the coasts of Gondor and far out in the western sea.
Although the fortress of Umbar was taken, the area about it was
still under the hand of the Black Numenoreans, and from 933 to 1030
they laid seige to Umbar. During the siege, King Ciryandil of
Gondor was killed, but Umbar was not re-taken by the Black
Numenoreans owing to Gondor's seapower.
There were other factors rising against Gondor and Arnor in the
next 500 years that were to lead to the establishing of the Corsair
State at Umbar. Dol Guldur became a holding of the evil and the
Nazgul, the chief servants of the Dark Lord, reappeared. Sauron
reformed and re-established his power. In 1409, the Witch King,
Lord of the Nazgul, invaded Arnor. But the worst blow to Gondor was
the Kin-Strife which began in T.A. 1432. There followed 16 years of
civil war to determine who would be King. In 1448, the rebels,
having lost the Kin-Strife, fled from the port of Pelargir and
seized Umbar to form the Corsair State. From 1448 to T.A. 1810 the
Corsairs raided Gondor.
The men of Harad who roamed the deserts behind the fertile strip
of farm land dominated by Umbar were firm allies of the Corsairs.
In 1540 their alliance warred with Gondor, and killed King Aldamir.
Later Hyramendacil II of Gondor defeated the Harad, but less than
100 years afterwards the Corsairs burned Pelargir and killed King
Minardil. The Great Plague of 1636 hampered Gondor's attacks
against Umbar, but in 1810, almost 400 years after the rebels took
Umbar, King Telumehtar re-captured the city for Gondor.
Yet, as Sauron rose again in power the Men of Harad fell fully
under his sway. They retook Umbar and destroyed the monument built
to his defeat. By T.A. 2710, Umbar was again actively warring
against Gondor, this time as a city of the Haradrim. During the
reign of Ecthelian II, Thorongil attacked the fleets of Umbar and
burned many ships, but Umbar was not taken. Umbar has remained at
war with Gondor and under the influence of Sauron ever since. The
Complete Guide to Umbar: Ships & Sailors
The planking on the sides of the ship overlaps rather than
having the edges flush. They are thicker at the water line and
where the oar holes are. This type of hull construction produces a
very elastic hull which gives with the movement of the ship. The
bottom of the mast rests on a large block of wood that is fixed to
two of the ribs rather than to the keel. The mast will be 40-50
feet tall. The oar ports are round with notches in the side so that
the oars may be put in place from inside; they will have port
covers to close them off when the oars are not being used.
Most Umbarean ships are lateen rigged, as the Haradrim prefer
manoeuvreable ships, and one of the raiders' greatest strengths are
their capabilities when sailing upwind. The triangular fore-and-aft
rigging design provides less resistance when moving close-hauled
into the wind. This advantage, combined with oars and sleek ship
design, ensures that a raider is very rarely outrun when sailing
into the wind. Some merchant ships as well as some heavy ships of
Numenorean design are square-rigged for better running capabilities
before the wind.
A merchantman or smuggler will be shorter and wider, although
many relatively narrow, sleeker versions can be seen. They
generally have a flatter bottom and fewer oars.
The larger fighting ships vary considerably in design, but
generally enjoy similar approaches to construction. The Haradrim
have obtained significant skills in shipbuilding from the past
Umbareans. Even the average raider ships are made with care and
skill, and those vessels of pure Numenorean origin are usually
exceedingly well built.
The most infamous trademark of the Corsair ships is the ram.
Most raider vessels have steel-enforced bows with heavy rams
pointing out in the bow. There are countless stories of ships being
torn open or even split by these devices.
The fleet of Umbar consists of a colourful variety of ships of
many designs obtained from the past Umbarean generations and
inhabitants. In theory, any kind of a ship (except for Swan-ships
and other elven designs) can be found from the port of Umbar, but
it is clear that most designs are clearly overshadowed by the
traditional Corsair and Numenorean designs.
The primary fleet within the city is that of the Corsairs.
Comprised of warships designed for long-range raiding, the Corsair
fleet uses keeled ocean-going galleys and specially designed raider
ships for the most part. Long, well-armed deck crews and large,
expendable rowing crews mesh well with their "close and board"
fighting tactics and their inland raids. Generally being average
sailors, they do not often venture far from shore. Some gifted
captains, or ones with enough cash to hire an astrologer, have
explored the entire coast and developed maps and charts that can be
used to navigate if care is exercised and someone on board has the
skill.
The Haradrim trading fleet is also extensive. Consisting mainly
of sailing vessels, the trading fleet still uses soldiers on all of
their merchants and all of the rowing crews are slaves. Plying up
and down the coast in great numbers, the merchants are not averse
to pirating a weak or stricken ship.
There is also a war fleet in Umbar, but its reputation is not as
glorious as that of the Corsairs, as it seems that many warships
and other vessels with enlisted crews (with monthly wages) and
chains-of-command issued from above spend most of their time idling
at port or patrolling safe nearby waters.
The Black Numenoreans have left a rich legacy of shipbuilding
knowledge and designs to the Haradrim. While the most popular
designs have been obtained by Corsairs, certain ones remain built
and maintained by the remaining rare Black Numenorean nobility.
They are the only ones to use catamarans these days. The most
popular Numenorean design is the war prog. Coming in two varieties,
light and heavy, these ships are renowned for their viciousness.
The infamous rams were originally invented in these ships. War
catamarans are the cavalry of the fleet and also provide a stable
firing platform for some light artillery. The final, major ship
type is the most important, overall, since it is a design based
entirely upon those ships that were built in Numenor. Called the
Palanrist, or "Far Cleaver," these ships maintain the Black
Numenorean's cultural integrity. A true sailing vessel, they vanish
for years at a time on voyages of adventure, trading, exploration,
and looting.
In general, a corsair is a sailor who is also a warrior. In the
lands of other seafaring nations, all seafaring Haradrim (except
for friendly merchants) are known as Corsairs, for the people of
Umbar have become infamous through the Corsair warfare. For
Umbareans, a Corsair is a member of a raiding crew and participates
the dangerous but profitable strikes into the waters and coast of
Gondor.
A Corsair crew is a rather democratic community. The crew
consists of men hired for a single expedition and it sails together
until it divides up its plunder and disperses. These expeditions
are mostly single strikes in Gondor, but sometimes they may consist
of months of raids, trade and piracy. When the loot is divided up,
it is divided into equal shares. The shipboard officers and Captain
get larger shares respective to their greater responsibility at sea
and in battle.
Corsair Captains are usually aligned with a Tower. In return of
an oath of loyalty, a Captain is granted a letter of marque (and
sometimes a ship or a loan for purchasing one). The letter grants
the Captain a permission to board and capture enemy ships and sack
enemy towns in the name of his Lord, a permission to fly the
colours of his Tower, and the promise of protection against any
threats caused by such activity. The Captain will be free to raid
as he wishes, but he is obliged to join his Lord's expeditions or
battles should he be asked to do so.
Also individual Corsairs may swear allegiance to a particular
Tower. This makes them citizens of Umbar, which is sometimes of
great advantage. Joining a Tower can often get a Corsair a
"permanent" position in the crew of a raider ship. This does not
deprive him of the permission to continue raiding in one-time
expeditions, but rather makes sure he will not be turned down by
his "own" Captain when seeking to raid.
Every raid is taxed. An officer's share goes to the Harbour
Master of Umbar, and Towers mostly tax a share slightly larger than
that of the Captain from the whole income of the expedition.
Attempts to cheat with taxes accounts as smuggling.
Not all Corsairs are aligned with a Tower, however. The bulk of
the Corsair mass is unaligned. They sign up on an expedition, raid
on it, get paid, and then spend the loot at their leisure before
signing up on the next raid. Some Captains, mostly noblemen and
Corsair houses, choose to remain unaligned as they can afford their
own ship and crew. While such crews pay no taxes to a Lord, they
still have to pay the Harbour Master's taxes. According to Umbar
Constitution, even the unaligned Corsairs must gain a permission to
raid the north (most Corsair houses are being "sponsored" by
Towers). While being unaligned brings freedom from taxes and other
obligations, it also means that a Captain lacks a Lord's protection
should he be captured, sunk, accused of treason or otherwise put
into jeopardy.
Raiders known to attack friendly ships are treated as pirates.
Pirates are outlaws, and their sinking leads to no charges.
Sometimes there is a price on a pirate's head. Piracy is relatively
rare in Umbar, as there are ways to loot and plunder legally. Some
pirates are known to sail the southern seas, however, often finding
shelter from island havens and smuggler hideouts.
Light Raider
Heavy Raider
Coast PatrolA small, poorly-equipped ship designed mainly to
police the rest of the navy, especially any foreign craft. Several
will be on customs duty outside of the port at all times. The
excess, about twenty, will be wherever the main fleet units are
located.
Large Slaver
Large Merchant
Small MerchantFit mainly for coastal travel, these ships usually
travel in convoys of 5-15 with an escort commensurate to the worth
of the cargo. About 150 are enrolled in the name logs, but many
unofficial ones exist.
Heavy Prog
Light ProgA smaller faster version of the heavy prog. It has a
proportionally larger rowing crew, however, and can accelerate even
faster, although the ramming attack is somewhat less fearsome.
These ships favor a shearing attack rather than a full ram and use
the heavy ballista in the bow to great effect during pursuits,
their favorite action. Twenty of these ships exist.
War CatamaransAn unusual ship class, the war catamaran is a fast
and nimble sailor with good close hauling abilities. This makes
them a good scouting force and gives the ability to attack from any
angle. The dual hull makes them a stable firing platform an one or
more heavy artillery pieces are placed on each ship. Twelve of
these ships exist.
Palanrist
War GalleyWar Galley is a worn-out patrol ship design.
Seventy-two War Galleys exist and are stationed in two areas, the
main fleet located in the city itself and the vanguard fleet
assigned near the mouth of the Bay of Umbar. Smaller versions with
slightly reduced statistics number about thirty and are stationed
in units of three at the numerous small towns spread around the
bay. Unkeeled hulls make them unseaworthy and ships of this type do
not stray far out of the Bay.
MerchantThe Bay of Umbar houses a large quantity of these ships
and their range extends far up and down the coast out of the Bay.
Going on their way unescorted, the captains and crews of these
ships have a reputation for toughness and fearlessness. Estimates
of their number range from 75-300.
Patrol BoatA generally useless ship due to its poor design and
size. Used mainly for picket duty outside of the small ports along
the bay, these ships often board merchantmen ships while performing
surprise customs searches.
Khurn-Nagla "Lively Wind"The Khurn-Nagla is a special ship for
its design originates not from Numenor but from the native Haradrim
traditions. A sub-culture has sprung up around these ships and
their crews have fully adapted to homeless life at sea. Strong
endurance and excellent sailing characteristics make this ship a
good choice for long-range trading missions and the traders aboard
use these attributes to fully indulge their nomadic tendencies. Due
to the secretive nature of the crews, estimates of their number
vary from 25-150. The captains and their subordinates are hard to
approach and caution should be used.
The Complete Guide to Umbar: People and Culture
There are three major types of people in Umbar: the descendants
of Numenor who rule, the coastal people who lived on the edge of
the sea before Umbar was built, and the Haradrim who came to the
city from the desert.
The husband is the head of the family, but he does not have
absolute control over his wife and grown children. He does have
sole control over who will be head of the family after him. Usually
this is the son most adept in war, but not always. It is unusual,
but not unheard of, for a daughter to inherit. The mother decides
on the disposal of her dower property, but it generally goes to her
daughters. Two or three children is average, and five considered a
large family. Marriage with the other races of the coast is not
forbidden, but because of their pride, is rare. However, marriages
for love are more common than marriages for advantage or to
consolidate holdings. They are strictly monogamous, and divorce is
also rare. A man who cannot hold his wife's attention is considered
a subject for jokes and taunting. Wives are expected to be
faithful, but husbands are not.
The husband is responsible for fighting, maintaining his battle
equipment, and commanding his men if he is of a rank to have men to
command. The wife runs the home, raises the children until they are
old enough to start being trained with weapons (both boys and girls
are so trained), and handles the family finances. Women are
permitted to be warriors, but only a few do. They do fight,
however, when the city needs defending. The children normally
belong to the father's family, but if a woman's family has a few
living members it is possible for the man to join her lineage group
and raise the children as members of her family, so that it does
not die out. This is considered to be a reasonable practice, but
only a younger son of a large extended family would consider
it.
Their diet consists of meat, bread, cheese, and wine. They
believe red meat to be necessary for warriors and scorn fish unless
starving. Green vegetables are considered to be food for peasants
or rabbits.
They speak Haradaic as their official language, but most also
speak Adunaic fluently. Westron (Common Speech) is considered a
second language even though they dislike its relationship to
Elvenish.
They are a strong and long lived people. A typical lifespan for
one of pure Numenorean blood is 300 years.
The man is ruler of the family, and the wife and children are
considered to be his property. In most cases this is true, but in
some cases, where the wife is strong willed, it is but a polite
fiction. Families are large, for having children proves the
strength of the husband and the worth of the wife. A family with
few children is pitied, and one with many honored - even if most of
them die young from a poor diet and too little attention. The
inheritance goes strictly to the eldest surviving son, but it is
his duty to provide for his mother if she outlives the father. She
is expected to live with him, and takes precedent over his wife.
Marriages are arranged by parents, and love is considered to be
ill-bred. A man may divorce his wife, but she may not divorce him.
Family structures are patrilineal, i.e. traced through the male
line.
Their diet consists mainly of fish, because fish is cheap,
unless they belong to one of the trading families who are trying to
imitate the Numenorean Lords of the City. The lower class families
will also eat cabbage and lettuce, foods that the upper classes
consider fit only for cows or pigs. A few of their sons have found
their way into the warrior society of Umbar as Corsairs or even
Tower militia, but most are fishermen, traders, smugglers, or
thieves.
The coastal people are not a strong race, perhaps because of
poor conditions in childhood, and do not have a long lifespan. To
them 60 is a ripe old age and most die in their 50's.
A Haradrim may have as many wives as he wishes, but is disgraced
if he cannot support them and their children adequately. Although
the man is the head of the family, inheritance is through the
female. A man's oldest sister's son inherits, and then the husband
joins the wife's clan.
They are a warlike race, with much courage. For the most part,
they are either warriors or work for one of the Towers, bringing
goods across the desert trade routes or providing their military
services to the Tower defenses. They still tend to wear loose
clothing that is best suited to the desert, although they have
learned to wear leather armour.
They speak the language of the Haradrim, Haradaic. Many are
versed in some of the desert dialects used primarily by the outland
tribes-people. Westron is also a language many are well versed in
used commonly when dealing with members of higher echelons.
They are tall and dark and much given to the wearing of gold
ornaments. They are excellent riders of their small desert horses.
They were of a nomadic race, and their diet is still influenced by
that. They are fond of goat meat, goat milk, and cheese made of
goat's milk. They also like wine, and their women are famous for
making a flat bread that they say tastes best when made from wild
grain. But their eating habits were based on what was available and
not truly custom, so they are in no way reluctant to adopt the meat
of the Numenoreans or the fish of the coastal peoples into their
own dietary repertoires.
The Haradrim are a strong, tough race spawned by the desert.
They have a lifespan that is shorter only than those of Numenorean
blood, but those living in the city have become softer over the
years as harsh conditions no longer kill the weaker of their
offspring. They now measure the expected life of one of their race
in terms of 90 to 100 years.
More information on the Narakshi is available at
harad.elendor.net/narakshi.
The Complete Guide to Umbar: Religion in Umbar
The majority of Haradrim (especially the desert tribes) worship
the Dark Lord (also called the Eye) in one form or another. This
cult-like worshipping stems from the beginning of the Third Age
when the Black Numenoreans were swayed into allegiance with
Morgoth's chief servant Sauron. In Umbar-proper this takes the form
of The Dark Religion, which perhaps 90% of the populace
practices.
The central focus of the Dark Religion in Umbar is the Dark
Citadel, located on the eastern side of the city, just off the Rath
Bad-nez. Housed within the Citadel is the priesthood of the Eye,
led by the High Priest or Priestess. Within the dark temple,
prayers and meditations are offered, as are sacrificial
victims.
Some of the Corsairs either exclusively, or in combination with
the Dark Religion, practice a form of Hero Worship. Traditionally
this has been the religion of choice for the aristocracy of the
city, as they themselves hope to one day be canonized as a
god--though they will acknowledge that the Dark Religion is the
more powerful of the two forms of worship. Even though not everyone
follows the Dark Religion, nobody speaks openly against it or
publicly denounces it. Conventional wisdom says, "It's not wise to
anger Gods."
Within the walls of inner Umbar, on the Rath Corsair, is the
Hero's Shrine. Within that temple reside golden and bronze statues
of the war heros since elevated to mythical stature: Sangahayndo,
Ar-Gimilzor, Ar-Pharazon, Castamir, Angamaite and Illandra. These
are but a few of those the Haradrim call 'the Heroes.'
The Dark Citadel of Umbar
The majority of Haradrim (especially the desert tribes) worship
the Dark Lord in one form or another. In Umbar-proper this takes
the form of The Dark Religion, which perhaps 90% of the populace
practices.
Some of the Corsairs either exclusively, or in combination with
the Dark Religion, practice a form of Hero Worship. Traditionally
this has been the religion of choice for the aristocracy of the
city--though they will acknowledge that the Dark Religion is the
more powerful of the two forms of worship. Even though not everyone
follows the Dark Religion, nobody speaks openly against it or
publicly denounces it. Conventional wisdom says, "It's not wise to
anger Gods."
The Complete Guide to Umbar: The City Plan
In 2280 S.A., Umbar was made in to a great fortress of Numenor.
The First Wall was built encircling the higher ground overlooking
the Bay of Belfalas, and the city laid out inside it. The
stoneworking of this wall is superior, the best example of the
genius of Numenor, both strong and beautiful with alternating sizes
of stone forming a pleasing pattern.
But as Umbar grew, the area inside the wall was filled, and many
were forced to build outside the protection of the Wall due to lack
of space inside. In 3270 S.A., pride in the part that the city
played in Ar-Pharazon's 'defeat' of Sauron led to an expansion of
Umbar and the building of the Second Wall. This wall has now been
dismantled. At this time the Black and Desert Towers were begun. It
took two years to complete Black and three for Desert. The towers
guarding the inlets to the port were built in 3275 S.A. as the last
part of this expansion.
In 1449 T.A., the rebels from the Kin-Strife began the Third
Wall and the Great Towers that are now occupied by the Tower Lords.
This wall was the first one that included the harbor. After the
Third Wall was complete, they ordered the Second Wall dismantled,
for they believed that if there were too many inner defenses to
drop back to the defenders would not fight as strongly as they
should on the outer defenses. The stone from the Second Wall was
used for the six great towers. What remained was left for whomever
wished to cart it off for building, and soon the Wall was part of
many houses about the city. At this time Eradas, Caldur, Maros and
Pellardur were begun. They were all completed within 5 years.
The outer wall is 40 feet thick and 65 feet tall with a ditch
backed by a palisade in front of it. The main purpose of the ditch
is to prevent attackers from undermining the walls. Along both the
First and the Third Wall are 'D' shaped two story towers. The top
story is used for shooting at attackers while the bottom is used as
storage, quarters, or armory for city guards. There are always one
to three guards in each of the outer towers and one in each of the
inner ones.
There are two main gates and two postern gates in each wall. All
four are accessed by relatively good roads, and there is a good
road just inside the Third Wall. The rest of the paths are narrow,
winding alleys. The area inside the walls is not wasted on wide
streets.
The Postern gates are all alike, small gates five or six feet
above ground level that permit only one person in or out at a time.
They are used to send out spies in time of war or to mount attacks.
The two in the outer wall have palisades around them for use as a
staging area for counter-attacks against besieging armies.
The two gates in the Inner Wall are identical, great circular
two-story towers. The road goes through the first story of the
tower, and there is a large hole in the second story through which
defenders can shoot arrows or pour hot oil or tar on attackers.
There is a stout door to close off the outside of the tower and a
portcullis to cut off the inside wall. Stairs go up to the second
floor from the outside of the tower, inside the First Wall. No one
can get to the second story from inside the first story.
The Harbour Gate of the Third Wall is a narrow passageway
between two round towers. The Harad Gate is a ''Z' shaped twisting
passage that ends at two flanking towers with a connecting bridge.
The purpose of the gates is two-fold, both protection and
tax-gathering. Going through the gates can take a while, and so
some enterprising merchants and tavern owners have establishments
just outside the gate for those waiting to get in.
Walking is the main means of transportation for most citizens,
so it is important for them to be close to one of the major roads;
otherwise so much time is spent walking to the centers of supply
that there is not enough time left in the day for working at their
crafts and pursuing their livelihood. This accounts for the
starfish-shape of the city layout. Areas too far from trade centers
or roads are economically unsound.
Most of the houses are two or three stories and narrow, allowing
maximum living space on the smallest possible area of land.
However, all the wealthier citizens will have a private courtyard
behind their houses.
The central market place has a deep artesian well that forms a
fountain. The run-off goes into a giant cistern beneath the market
place. The six main towers and guard headquarters also have either
a well or a cistern or both. There is a large system of cisterns in
Umbar for use during sieges.
The port is now completely enclosed with towers guarding the two
inlets to the harbor. The wharves are divided into merchant and
military areas. Unauthorized people are not welcome in the
well-guarded military part of the port. The Fleets of Umbar
The fleets of Umbar sport many types of vessels, from the
infamous and gigantic Galleys to the small cattamarans, they all
excel in their purpose. The bulk of the cities war ships align with
one of the six towers, even though some remain independant (for
now). The ships of Umbar operate on a ship parent constructed
specificly for them. The Harad Ship Parent, better known as HSP,
has been around in one form or another for some 3 years. We do not
support Belegrils ship parent due to reasons that I wont go into
here. In the hope of keeping it simple, the HSP is a rather
'bare-bones' parent in that it doesnt provide much more than the
basic sailing commands for use in navigating the water ways of
Middle Earth. Fleets Black - Desert - Farside - Flame - Harbour -
Seaward - Unaligned/Merchant
Black Tower Fleet: Defunct
Desert Tower Fleet: Klejona - For many years she sat a derelict
in the docks of Umbar, forgotten by her owners and left to gather
barnacles. Harbour Master Magius siezed the ship in the stead of an
unpaid bill, and subsequently sold it to Desert Tower. Though her
past is somewhat blemished, considering what she was used for
during her long spell at the docks, Klejona has recently pulled
herself from the gutter and assumed the role as Desert Tower's
leadship.
Farside Tower Fleet: Klamath - Much like Klejona, Klamath spent
many years at port, discarded by the Lord of Farside Tower (then
Lenina). Upon Orion's successful coup of Farside Tower, Klamath has
recieved much attention in the way of a new Captain and crew, and
has begun serving her Lord and Tower.
Flame Tower Fleet: Belegzor - Not Submitted. Bug Torus to get
off his lazy arse and write this up.
Harbour Tower Fleet: Cutter - Not Submitted.
Seaward Tower Fleet: Torath - Flagship of the Seaward Fleet,
newest vessel in the Harbour Master's fleet. Magius, then Fleet
Master of the Seaward Tower, had the ship built to his
specifications and lead it on its maiden voyage, where they nearly
sunk the Gondorian Flagship. Now under its new Captain, Lucasto of
House Hassad, The Torath stands out as a beacon of Naval Power in
Umbar. See log page for more on its exploits(under several
captains).
Unaligned/Merchant Ships: Caergoth - The private vessel of
Umbar's Harbour Master, Caergoth is a relic of his past career as a
merchant. An ship of an older style, Caergoth measures some 30 feet
long and 13 across, double masted and a fare sized cabin below the
deck.
Antildar - Property of the infamous House Hassad in Umbar, the
Antildar was hijacked while it sat moored in the Anduin River. As
one of the largest private vessels in Umbar, and its Gondorian
craftsmanship, it stands out on the docks like no other. This is
also a sister ship of The Alcarondas, archnemesis to all Corsair
vessels. See log page for more on its exploits.
Earrame - Another ship of the growing fleet of House Hassad and
Caldur. Also once a Gondorian ship, but now it bears the color and
marks of the Haradrim and the Umbar House of Hassad.Umbar's Code of
Laws
1) Unauthorized beasts of Burden are not allowed in the city.
Penalty: Sacrifice of the beast and 100 copper pennies or 1 day's
imprisonment.
2) Fighting in the city:
Civilized fights or duels are to be held at the Square of
Judgement in a scheduled, public forum.
Weapons training can only take place in one of three places: 1)
The Training Center in Upper Umbar. 2) Ar-Pharazon's Isle. 3)
Outside the city's outer walls.
Fighting in the city by non-residents: If they survive (subdued)
and are captured, use the formula (7-x)*100 copper pennies + x days
imprisonment.
Fighting in the city by residents: If they survive (subdued) and
are captured, use the formula (5-x)*100 copper pennies + x days
imprisonment
Murder of City-residents: If they survive (subdued) and are
captured, the penalty is death by the method chosen by the
capturing TL/COG/HM (subordinates yield the method to the TL)
Murder of non-residents: If they survive (subdued) and are
captured, use the formula (10-x)*100 copper pennies + x days
imprisonment. In addition, any fees due to loss of property (ie, a
slave or prisoner) may be applied.
3) Travel:
Unapproved travel into enemy territory is not allowed. A TL must
approve such travel beforehand, and notify the other TL's of the
action. A TL may authorize his/her own travel. Penalty: If a TL's
subject is caught in unapproved travel, he/she will be stripped of
all armor and weapons, and the TL fined 500 copper pennies.
Approved ambassadors must have their papers in order (signed by
as many TL's as possible) and should be accompanied at all times by
a guard. Penalty: Loss of Ambassador status.
4) Treason: any TL without question may declare citizens
treasonous. Any Tower personal accused of treason must be reported
to the respective Lord and may by TL request have a trial. TCs and
FMs are entitled to trial by all TLs, unless the TC/FM's Lord has
declared the act as treasonous. HM, CG and HP are entitled to
trial.
Penalty: Public execution and loss of armor/weapons/money.
5) Visitors:
Non-Haradrim are not allowed into Upper Umbar except upon
approval by a TL. Non-Haradrim must be escorted in Upper Umbar at
all times, unless given a Writ of Passage signed by at least 3
Tower Lords.
Any other non-Haradrim in the Upper City will be considered
spies (same penalty as treason).
Quendi and Gondorians are not allowed in the city at all.
Penalty: (see Treason).
6) Exemptions: TL's are exempt from judgement, except by
judgement of a TL vote.
7) Raids/War:
Any TL may authorize a raid into enemy territory with the
following provisions:
The TL may only use his/her own forces
The TL is accountable for all losses of his/her own
forces/property
The TL is accountable for any damage done to other TL's
forces/property due to reaction from the enemy
The TL keeps all but one percent of the gains which goes to city
funds to support the Harbormaster and Captain of the Guard
The Captain of the Guard must be aware of the raid involving
land forces
The Harbormaster must be aware of the raid involving sea
forces
Failure to notify the appropriate person before a raid will
result in a ten percent share of the gains going to the respective
fund.
War may only be declared by a TL council vote
All TLs are responsible for defense and supplying forces for war
even if they didn't vote for the war
Profits from the war are divided by percentage of the total
forces supplied by each tower
Harbormaster and Captain of the Guard act as Admiral/General for
the combined forces
The TLs may collectively overrule the decisions of the HM and
CotG but no TL may individually overrule the decision of the
commanders
8) Docks: Docking ships at the inappropriate docks will result
in a fine of 1 GF/ft of deck length. THE NARAKSHI
An Introduction
The Narakshi are one of many tribal, semi-nomadic peoples of the
Haradwaith that have roamed the deserts and plains of Harad since
the time of Ar-Pharazon or possibly earlier. They are a clanninsh
people, very distrustful of outsiders even including other
Haradrim, but particularly towards non-Haradrim and even more so of
non-humans. Out in the desert the tribes cherish their freedom and
take great pride in being ruled by thier own Chiefs rather than
being pressed under the crushing rule of either the Tower Lords of
Umbar nor the heavy enslavement of the Eye. The Narakshi have long
held a primary Camp on the Harad Road at the Poros Crossing. There
they watch the border against incursions of both Gondorians and
non-human Mordain and are the northern eyes of Umbar should trouble
arrise as Narakshi Riders are reknown and swift horsemen.. the
communication link for many tribes.
Description MenNarakshi Women's Garb
The women of the tribe normally prefer deep rich colors in
fabrics in contrast to the men's lighter shades. They remain in the
shade of the tents most of the long hot days and are out and active
at dawn and dusk so have less need to concern themselves with
blending into the desert or for heat. Loose robes or gowns are the
usual clothing with bare feet. Again, the women are slim, shorter
than average and rarely stand over 5'5" tall. They too are dark
coppery skinned with black hair and eyes. Color is an important
part of a woman's clothing. Bright embroidary, dyed goat or horse
hair belts, jewels and finely worked metal jewelry if the woman is
wealthy within her tribe. Veils or other head coverings when
outside the tents or outside the tribe are commen but it is not
tabboo to forsake them. Facial or body tattooing is fashionable for
both men and women and is often a mark of beauty. Designs in
embroidary, jewelry, and tattooing are often intricate and
stylized. The HerdsWeapons & Armour
For the most part, steel is precious and hard to come by for the
Narakshi. All men and many women carry long, curved knives worn
tucked in thier belts to be used as both weapon and daily tool.
This is often the only steel a person might own. Slim wooden
hunting lances and bows are most commen hunting implements and only
a few of the men can boast to have a scimitar. Although the
Narakshi have traditionally been herders they are not without their
history in warfar. Using gurrilla tactics from horseback they can
be exceptionally devastating fighters and frightening in hand to
hand combat with their famous long knives but are primarily
ineffectual against an army. They serve better as scouts, message
bearers or raiders. Therefor tribesmen do not usually have armour
of anykind as it's really impractical in the desert heat. Stealth
and speed are instead more important. On a rare occation,
ceremonial and decorative armour might be used, made from boiled
leather and painted.
Other Haradrim Tribes
Although they are less well known than the Narakshi, there are
numerous other tribes both along the coast bordering the sea north
and south of Umbar and in the deep desert of Far Harad. Little is
known about these tribes as they are many, scattered and mostly
small, being little more than Clans compared to the Narakshi. Those
along the coast north of Umbar are like the Narakshi, pure blooded,
sharp featured people with dark brown skin and medium height. Those
south of Umbar tend to me mixed blooded and drifters from that city
itself. Those in Far Harad are rumored to be hugely tall and
muscular in comparison, black and bare skinned, painted and wear
garish amounts of gold and other ornament. These distant and
secretive people are loosely termed as being of the 'Black Tribe'
and are greatly feared by the other tribes nearer to Umbar and most
certainly respected from Legends of old. They and their kin are
rarely seen in and around Umbar in recent memory. Instead of horses
they long ago tamed the Mumakil of the forests there.
Ranks Within the Tribe
These are the rank structures in the Narakshi tribe in order of
highest to lowest down to the tribesmen and women. For more
information on who currently holds these positions, please type:
+umbar rp_roles_tribes
Chieftain: - This is the IC Leader of the tribe and giver of
Law. His word is absolute unless vetoed by a unnaminous vote of the
other ranks presant. This position is traditionally held by a man
who has risen to take the Leadership with his tribe's support. This
will most likely be the OOC leader for the tribe as well so see
them if you wish to join, etc.
Outrider Leader - This is the position second in rank to the
Chieftain and in the Chief's absence, rules in his place under the
same guidlines. This traditional male role sets up and leads the
Outriders who are scouts and protectors for the tribe.
HeadWoman - This is a position held by the most respected woman
of the tribe and a critical advisor to the Chieftain. In the
absence of the Chieftain she may order the tribe with the Outrider
Leader. This position is currently being held by a puppet for lack
of players.
Shaman - This person, male or female is the tribe's spiritual
leader and carries a heavy influence if he or she has the tribe's
support. On very rare occurances this position might even outrank
the Chieftain if concerning a religious matter and has the backing
of the tribe. But absolutely no Shaman may lead the tribe in the
Chieftain's place.
Master Herder: - This man (or woman) is the one who oversees the
management of the Herds and the resources produced for the tribe.
This person should have contacts with those who are the
craftspeoples and traders of the tribe as most of the resources are
used by them or trade with Umbar for needed goods.
Tribesmen & Tribeswomen: - These are the non-council members
of the tribe who have no outstanding ranks in the ordering of the
tribe. They are the Shepherds, Outriders, Craftspeoples, Traders,
children, etc who comprise the peoples of the Narakshi Tribe. They
as a group have a voice in counsil and may influence tribal
desicions but individually don't carry much weight. All new members
to the tribe will begin here and are encouraged to seek out and
place in his or her IC background what IC skills or jobs they wish
to hold within the tribe. This is the rank ICly most in the tribe
will have and hold unless thier role play and activity are suitable
for a higher rank and that rank is open or can be taken in
challenge.
Narakshi Positions Available
There are many types of jobs/positions available within the
tribes. The following is a listing of some -possible- in character
jobs you might hold but by all means you are welcome to come up
with others. This is intended only as a guide to give you ideas.
Just keep in mind that this is a small desert tribe, a closely knit
family where everyone depends on his/her tribemates for survival. A
Clan. Everything any character does ICly should benefit his or her
tribe in some fashion. There are basically two types of jobs...
those one does while in the tribe, for the tribe, and those types
of short term jobs one might take on in Umbar or abroad. You will
find suggestions for each listed here.
Positions within the tribe are earned one of two ways; One may
learn a trade early on in life by apprenticeship or one may climb
the social ladder within the tribe and earn jobs of rank. Sometimes
these are two may be intertwined. Listed below are some job ideas
one would do for one's tribe.
ShepherdTannerBow Maker
Water WitchLance MakerHerbalist
BrewerBaker/cookHealer
Animal HealerFalconerScout/Tracker
HunterWeaversPotters
Lore MastersTent MakerMisc Craftsmen
Knife MakerJewelersTattoist
These are some suggested outside jobs that a character might
gain on a temporary or long term basis along with one or more of
the jobs within the tribe. The jobs within the tribe often do not
pay anything but jobs taken outside the tribe are normally for gold
or other valuables.
MercenaryGuidesTrackers
AssasinsSpies/informentsMessengers
Horse TrainerMerchant/TraderAnimal Healer
Keep in mind that these positions would be obtained through RP
in Umbar or abroad with other players and not within the tribe.
Who is Who - Narakshi Tribe
This is a current listing of the regularly ICly active players
within the tribe and what they do ICly. The list is maintained in
order of oldest active with the Narakshi.
Leuthyn - Chieftain and weapons trainer. Breeder of some of the
finest Narakshi horses in the tribe.
Fuxan - Outrider Leader and close confident of the Chieftain.
Dabbles in falcons and herb-lore.
SEAWARD TOWER
....History
The Seaward Tower, once known as Minas Gaerlin, looks down upon
Umbar from its place in the north-western quadrant of the City of
Corsairs. Built against the outer wall of the city itself, this
mighty edifice is perched upon the top of a great escarpment rising
up from the sea itself, beneath which the roar of the waves can be
heard at all times.
The Tower of Seaward is known for its strong, noble Lords, from
Armand Fenmore to Adrazor of the Eldrakhori. During the rule of the
current Lord, the Seaward Tower has grown a Fleet the like of which
has not been seen in Umbar for decades. The Tower has kept isolated
ever since the incidents that followed Lord Khazamr's coup, and few
outsiders have seen the Tower Grounds enclosed by the great walls.
A stronghold of Corsairs, the Seaward Tower continues to prosper in
its own way, often scorned and criticised by the rest of Umbar.
But also envied.
Learn more about this Tower's history in the chronicles of the
Seaward Wars.
Learn more about some of the important Personas from Seaward's
past.
EPISODE I: THE NAZGUL MENACE
Before Khazamr the Corsair became the Lord of Seaward, the Tower
was ruled by Lord Andrah, a young woman whose politics were very
friendly towards the rest of Umbar. She was an exception from the
line of rulers such as Lord Daneel, Corsair Lord Adrazor and Regent
Pentalion. She did not rule for long, but even in that short time
she earned the respect of Seaward.
It is not exactly sure what happened to Lord Andrah. At the time
of her disappearance, a Nazgul was seen circling around the parapet
of Seaward with a Winged Beast, Then, one night, when Andrah had
gone to wander around the Gardens of Seaward with Fleet Master
Khazamr, she did not return. The nazgul took her away, but why or
where was not to be learned. The Fleet Master could have known, but
he would not tell. For a long time, he spoke nothing and did
nothing.
A time of confusion followed. The Tower had only recently risen
from a total decay left by the rude imprisonment of the leading
figures of Seaward after the departure of Lord Adrazor. Now it
threatened to come back. People were afraid, started to move away,
not willing to submit under the rule of a puppet of the other Lords
of Umbar. The time of change had come...
....The Tower Lords
Black Khazamr continues to reign on the throne of the Corsair
Lord. The Seaward Tower has grown a fleet of substantial power. The
Corsair organisation has changed from a navy-like fleet into a navy
of independent, gold-hungry Corsairs. There is great wealth and
prosperity in today's Seaward, yet the Tower is almost completely
isolated from the rest of Umbar by the Lord's suspicions.
Game note: You can get information on the current Lord by using
+tower lord while on ST grounds.
Here we shall share with you the stories of Seaward's
rulers...
Khazamr 3017 to present. The current Lord of Seaward originally
rose into power through a coup, but soon proved himself to be a
vicious and strong Corsair Lord. Today, he is a feared legend in
the land of Gondor.
Andra'kel an'Selar 3016 to 3017, After serving as Regent for a
year and a day, Andrah was elected Lord of Seaward Tower. The
summer after her ascension she suddenly disappeared, leaving the
throne empty once again.
Helluin "Pentalion" Elrakhor 3015 to 3016, former Regent,
Adrazor's Steward, his politics made him extremely unpopular. After
news of a disastrous order became public, he was charged with
treason and placed under house arrest in Seaward Tower. During his
imprisonment he was spirited out of the Tower and murdered.
Lucasto ben-Jabar ben-Hassad al-Sayf 3013 to 3015, Last Lord of
Seaward Tower, took the reign name Adrazor. He stepped down,
disappearing from the city with his wife, lady Gaelle.
Daneel 3009 to 3012, Once High Priest of the Dark Religion, Lord
Daneel took the mantle of Lord of Seaward until he disappeared into
the desert after the Lord of Flame, Namir, along with his
Lieutenant Even. Captain Morrahd was left to govern in his
place.
Armand Fenmore 2995 to 3003, Captured by Rohan during the
Gondorian occupation of Umbar, believed killed there by Theoden.
Later showed up in the south, proclaiming himself the new
Emperor.
LeVaath before 2995 to 2995, Disappeared silently. Gondor
suspected.
Learn more about some of the other important Personas from
Seaward's past.
....Black Khazamr
The Lord of Seaward bears many feared names. He is Black
Khazamr, the Dread Captain, Lord of the Corsairs. By many fearless
Raids, many killed men and burnt homes, he has earned himself a
feared and respected reputation all across the Seas.
Little is known of the life of the man named Khazamr before his
arrival at the City of Umbar. In his early days, Khazamr was known
as a young, loyal and humble Corasir among his crewmates. The young
warrior proved great potential during his early years as he served
the famous Captains Magius and Lucasto. Steadily, the young man
climbed up the ranks of Corsairs in the crew of the mighty
Torath.
After the Seaward Tower was left without a Lord by the sudden
disappearance of Lady Andrah, Khazamr the Corsair rose to power by
seizing the Tower with force and executing those who opposed. Only
some months later, after getting terribly wounded by the now
deceased Lord of Desert, Suldarthen, his mind bent more and more
into the way of bitter and aggression. From that day, he has born
his famous and terrible jet black Iron Mask, never revealing his
face -or, it is rumoured, what remains of it- again.
Lord Khazamr proved his worth as a Corsair Lord sooner than many
had expected. Commencing immediate renovations in the Corsair
organisation of the Seaward Tower, the Lord's near-fanatic waging
of naval war against Gondor made Seaward soon strong and rich
again. The Tower Gates were closed from the rest of Umbar by the
command of the Lord, and this policy of isolation was used to
promote more vigorous and enthusiastic concentration on the Lord's
primary intention - Corsair warfare.
The Lord of Seaward soon reached a name of fear in the land of
Gondor. He became Black Khazamr, the Dread Captain of Umbar, Lord
of the Corsairs. His career is unlike any other in the near history
of Umbar, as he has known to have struck Gondorian merchantmen,
warships, coastal towns and major cities more than fifteen times
during his six-year regime.
And the tale of the Corsair Lord is far from its end, for Black
Khazamr continues to rule with his iron fist and determination,
bowing little before non-Seawarders but earning their respect with
his deeds of valour and glory. ....Past Lady, Andrah
Andra'kel an'Selar was born around 2996 TA to a Naraskshi horse
breeder. She was the third daughter of seven children, and appeared
doomed to follow in her mother's footsteps; to simply marry and
become a mother herself. Discontent with this sort of a future,
Andrah took it upon herself to shape her own destiny. Disguising
herself as a boy, Andrah stole a horse and departed her family's
tents forever.
After her arrival in Umbar, Andrah signed on as a cabin boy
aboard the Klamath, shortly bound for Lond Daer. It was on that
near-tragic voyage that Andrah made the first of many friendships,
and the most enduring. The Priestess, Naiara, first took Andrah
under her wing, but it was to Lord Lucasto that Andrah swore her
devotion and service in the Seaguard, upon their return to Umbar.
Her service under Lucasto, who came to be known as Lord Adrazor,
swiftly resulted in her promotion to Corporal.
Only once did Andrah stray from her oath to Seaward, and that
was during the war with Gondor. The current Regent, Pentalion,
forbade Seaward's participation, which she felt was imperative, and
so (now a Lieutenant) she resigned her post and joined the campaign
as a mercenary. Severly injured in the war, she returned with the
armies to Umbar, but not to Seaward Tower.
At the next Council of Lords, Andrah and the Seaward Tower
Captain, Khazamr, attended hoping to be able to speak and plead
their case against Pentalion. In a surprising move by Lord
Suldarthen, Andrah was nominated for Tower Lord, and the motion was
backed by Lord Torus. However, this nomination was voted down due
to Andrah's youth and lack of experience, but she was named Regent
in Pentalion's place, with the next vote for Seaward's Tower Lord
to be put off for a year and a day. Despite some difficulties, when
her probationary period ended, Andrah was voted in as Lord of
Seaward Tower.
The summer after gaining the throne, Andrah's repeated defiance
towards the minions of Sauron led to her downfall. She disappeared
one night, allegedly taken back to Mordor by the Wraith-Lord Indur.
What punishments she'll suffer may never be known.
For more about Andrah, visit her page at
http://www.midnightgarden.com/andrah/....The Former Regent
Helluin Elrakhor was born in TA 2951, one of several children,
into one of the noble Numenorean houses of Umbar. He grew up in a
military house, hearing the tales of his ancestors, the "Masters of
the Foam" that were the eponymous lords of his line. Apprenticed
from youth to Sea-Captains, he began as a cabin-boy at age thirteen
and moved up the ranks to be Mate of the _Remmirath_ by 2975.
Under Captain Sothud on the three-masted palanrist, Helluin
earned a savage reputation among the men, and a nickname as well:
"Pentalion", from the Sindarin "Penna
Thalion"--'downward-slanting-strength', for his habit of swinging
brashly onto the decks of enemy ships from stray lines in his own
vessel's rigging.
After several years, he was given command of his own ship, the
_Drachaer_, a smaller vessel but nonetheless glorious, and sought
the hand of the Lady Adrabeth, a relative of the House Hassad, even
though she was also Numenorean by birth. Beautiful and terrible in
her youth, Adrabeth nevertheless was pleased by the choice of
Pentalion, as he was now most oft called, as her husband, and
before theyear was out she was with child. In her career, the
clipper _Drachaer_ served mostly raiding and rearguard duties,
keeping the seas free of pirates other than those who flew Umbar's
colors, and most notably in 3004 captured a Gondorian party on a
"trading mission"--suspected to be spies of Dol Amroth. One
Eridanus, anemissary of Dol Amroth, was brought to Umbar and
executed at the Dark Citadel. However, Pentalion was troubled by
this, and began moving away from duties that would require the
destruction of the Amrothians. For he, like all his line, had
studied the histories and knew that the Ernili of Amroth's line
were as pure in the Blood as those of Numenor.
Fathering four children, two young men and two women, Pentalion
nevertheless spent most of his time at sea, leaving them to the
cares of his wife. At age thirteen, his youngest, in 2997, signed
on with the _Drachaer_, but was lost in a battle--something for
which his wife never forgave. The other son and daughter disparaged
the ways of the past and left the confines of Umbar for the deserts
beyond, leaving only his eldest daughter Elenazil to take up
position as the next curator of the family's history and
lineage.
In 3008, Pentalion's vessel was destroyed in the Gondorian
attack on Umbar, and he was forced into retirement by the then-lord
of Seaward, Daneel. Taking up the bottle rather than returning to
his now-shrewish wife, Pentalion spent several years in the gutters
of Umbar, nurturing his always strong predilection for drink.
Finally, with the ascension of Lucasto Adrazor, the new Lord of
Seaward, Pentalion was given a place as Chamberlain and then, upon
Adrazor's own retirement to Caldur, the Regency of the Tower.
....Past Lord, Adrazor
Born Lucasto ben-Jabar ben-Hassad al-Sayf, Adrazor the Young is
the younger cousin of Dubhglas the Infamous and a member of the
Corsair House Hassad. His father, Jabar, was not so fortunate as
the current head of the House, Garad; Jabar died a true hero's
death in the Gondorian siege of Umbar some eight years ago,
defending his ship from the sailors of Dol Amroth, who sought to
(and eventually did) burn her. A traditionalist, Jabar named his
only son for Castamaite, the grandson of Castamir who slew the
Gondorian King in 1634. His mother Adrabeth of the Eldrakhori,
meanwhile, named the boy Adrazor... a name he would not go by until
much later in life.
With such a lineage and namesake to live up to, Lucasto fully
bought into House Hassad's doctrines of honour and duty; to Umbar
and his House first and foremost, to the Corsair tradition which
they represent, and to his Lord. A Corsair in the service of
Seaward Tower since he was old enough to sail, he was already an
experienced seaman as he approached the prime years of his
life.
Serving as an officer on several smaller ships over the first
few years of his Corsair life, Lucasto was eventually chosen to
Captain the Torath, Seaward Tower's leadship, by the Harbour Master
Magius himself. As Magius' hand-picked successor, the youngest lead
Captain in the fleet led his ship upon a series of daring raids.
These included the burning of Edhellond's ancient elven library and
a bold dawn attack on Pelargir, and culminated in the kidnapping of
Prince Amrothos of Dol Amroth upon his return from the first Lond
Daer expedition.
Named a Lord of Umbar following the hit-and-run triumph in
Pelargir, Lucasto set about ordering Seaward Tower after his own
tastes. With the aid of his friend and fellow Corsair Daerith the
Dreadblade, whom he swiftly promoted to Commander of his new marine
force, the Seaguard, Lucasto built a Tower based on loyalty between
Lord and liegemen--rare indeed in this modern-day Umbar. It was
soon following the return from Dol Amroth that he assumed the name
Adrazor, given him by his mother in the Adunaic tongue, and took
his place among the Black Numenorean leaders of Umbar.
...Past Lord, Armand
Armand Fenmore was born in the year 2975 with the name Malenkir
(Cut of Gold) to father Nicanor and mother Yalina. Nicanor, Lord of
Farside Tower had ruled for nearly 45 years at the time of his
second sons birth. His older son Talan had been sent out as a
mercenary, to return and take his place as Captain of the Tower.
Malenkir was sent to Caldur to study under a mastersmith and learn
the trade of weaponsmithing. Under the tutelage of Master Falin,
Armand learned many arts, but lacked the lessons due his ancestry
of the Numenoreans. Master Falin was unable to provide this and
sent for Master Armand, khazad weaponsmith from Emyn-Engrin
(residing in Umbar as the proprietor of Dulimers Forge) to continue
his education and provide lessons in several dwarven
techniques.
When Armand was only about 17 years old, Lady Rachael
infiltrated Farside Tower, driving the Fenmore family out and
killing Nicanor and Yalina. The few people that knew of Malenkirs
and Talans existence fled the Tower, sending warnings to Master
Falin. Malenkir took the name Armand in his new Masters honor.
Talan was never heard from in all the years away and assumed dead.
Malenkir, now Armand moved to the city to take the place of his
dwarven master who left in search of rumors of a dwarven ring.
Establishing himself firmly as the new proprietor of Dulimers
and Mastersmith quality, he grew a reputation for himself, though
none knew of his past except that he came from Caldur. Developing
in his mind were plans to kill Lady Rachael and claim the Tower
once more for his family. Unfortunately for Armand, the Lady
Rachael proved a most beautiful and intriguing woman. She
eventually asked him to become her own Tower Captain, fighting by
her side and securing Farsides strength. Still seeking revenge and
finding a perfect opportunity, he accepted. However, as the years
passed, he truly fell in love with the Lady.
Lord LeVaath of Seaward Tower disappeared in the year 2995,
leaving the Tower free for conquest by any wishing to take charge
of its soldiers and lead them. Armand sought and won his Ladys
approval of his desires. He walked into Seaward, killed all that
got in his path and ended with a single officer left who accepted
Armands worth as a Lord after his display. The officer, Enelgar,
helped Armand establish the troops as his own, securing the Tower
as Armands. The Tower Council, little surprised by the arrogance
displayed by the former Tower Captain of Lady Rachaels (arrogant in
her own right), approved Armand as the new Lord of Seaward.
Lord Armand ruled the tower for several years following the
hostile takeover. Pledging his love to Lady Rachael, they were
engaged, but never wed. Armands brother Talan reappeared in the
city sometime in the years that passed, eventually revealing
himself as the High Priest of the Dark Religion. Armands own
dedication to the faith strengthened considerably with the new
discovery. It was this event which unfortunately lead to the end of
Armands reign in Seaward Tower in 3003.
It was a well planned and highly important sacrifice to be
performed in front of the Mouth of Sauron himself. Armand prepared
and performed the ceremony well. Success and power were soon hoped
for him. However, it was soon after the ceremony that an invasion
of forces combined of many enemies collaborating to free the
victim, too late however. In the battle, Armand was taken captive
as was Lord Lukthil of Black Tower and Armands brother, the High
Priest Talan.
Imprisoned in an Imladris jail awaiting trial, they were fought
for and won by the Rohirrim for crimes against their own lands and
people. On the journey moving to Rohan, the Haradrim attacked and
freed Lord Lukthil and Talan, but Armand was unfortunately assumed
dead, beheaded by the King himself. This is where the story of Lord
Armand ends for the Haradrim in Umbar.
The story continues Lord Armand, devout worshipper of the Eye,
had sought the power to save his own life, finding what was his
best chance. During the battle, Armand switched places with another
Haradrim, using the confusion to escape himself. The Haradrim still
in custody and assumed to be Armand was beheaded on the spot.
Armand made his way to the south, skipping Umbar completely and
working into the ranks of the Empire in the south.
Eventually, Armand worked his way into the position of Advisor
of the Emperor. Building his own loyalties amongst the guards,
Armand guided the Emperor to make decisions which in 3013 enraged
many of the Empires tribes. Taking advantage of the new anger,
Armand killed the Emperor and claimed the title for himself. So
began the tribal wars
....Personas
EPISODE IV: RETURN OF THE CHAMPIONS
This is a list of some important people seen in the past of the
Tower of Seaward. They are mainly those whose deeds still affect us
here in Seaward today.
Adrazor - The Lord of Seaward before Lord Andrah. Also known as
Captain Lucasto, Adrazor was one of the greatest Corsairs the world
ever knew. A feared man of House Hassad, a strong ruler, this man
was feared by the other Lords of Umbar, and his charm ensured him
the absolute trust of the Seaward personnel. After ruling his own
time, he decided to retire to Caldur with his wife, Gaelle. Despite
his resignation, Adrazor is remembered in Seaward as a Lord of
Power and charisma, and his dream still lives on in the new
ruler.
Daerith - The Champion of Adrazor. Daerith the Dreadblade served
Lord Adrazor as his Tower Captain. He has recently returned to
Umbar, rousing both cheers and anger. Pentalion - Regent Pentalion,
named by Lord Adrazor upon his departure, leaving the Tower under
Pentalion's regency until Daerith would claim the throne. Daerith
disappeared with his Lord, leaving Pentalion into power. Pentalion
almost became a Lord, but was later imprisoned and accused of
treachery because of reluctancy to coordinate the troops with the
Lords at war against Gondor. He was imprisoned along with the Tower
Captain Khazamr. Unlike Khazamr, Pentalion did not survive the
imprisonment but was assassinated by a mysterious assassin named
'Red Hand'.
Andrah - The previous Lord of Seaward. Andrah was but a Tower
Lieutenant when she returned from the war in Gondor. Since Khazamr
and Pentalion were both accused of treachery, she remained the
highest officer on duty. Andrah was made the new Regent of Seaward
and later, when she had created amiable relations to the Lords of
Umbar, she declared herself a Lord. Her regime ended suddenly one
night, when a Nazgul of Mordor took her away as a punishment for
her crime against the Dark Religion.
Arali - The former Tower Captain of Lord Khazamr. She was made a
Tower Captain during the Gondorian invasion. She served Lord
Khazamr with loyalty, but for an unknown reason, she lately
resigned from her post. Arali presently serves as the Tower
Lieutenant of the Flame Tower. ....SeaguardThe Army and Navy
The two military branches have been separated in Seaward again
because of an evolution that occurred during the construction of
the new Fleet. The branches are not combined in one versatile
Seaguard anymore.
Similarly, all battles are being divided into two categories: At
sea and on land. The general outline is that if the Corsairs of
Seaward will be taken into a land battle, all the land officers are
considered to be higher than their naval equivalent. On the other
hand, if the Raiders carry soldiers for support, or for some other
reason the Seaward soldiers are involved in Corsair activity, the
seaside officers become more important.
Generally, if an operation is in such a big scale that a
combined sea-land assault or defence is used, the Lord himself is
almost always present to lead the battle. In such cases, though,
land officers are considered to be more important than the naval
officers, due to the simple fact that the targets are located on
land.
The Tower of Seaward is a true Corsair Tower. Therefore, the
Umbar Constitution is at a conflict against the Tower's interest in
lifting the Fleet Master above the Tower Captain when it comes to
political and legal rights and position, as well as the inheritage
of Lordship. While officially the post of a Tower Captain is still
held higher, it is true that within the Seaward Tower, the Fleet
Master is the true second-in-power.
(Click on a position for a more detailed description, and to see
who holds it. For simplicity's sake, all positions are referred to
as 'he' though there's no prohibition against a female holding any
of these positions.)
Tower Captain
Fleet Master |
|
Lieutenant
Ship Captains |
|
Seargent
First Mates |
|
Corporal
Boatswains |
|
Seaguard
CorsairsSee Corsairs for additional information.
Game note: You can get a list of ST personnel by using +towerwho
while on ST grounds. Tower Captain: (OPEN)
The Captain runs the military structure of the Tower. Per the
lead or instruction of the Tower Lord, the Captain organizes and
executes all military actions of the Tower army. In addition, the
Captain serves as the liason between the troops and the Lord. The
Captain acts as the highest level of law enforcement over the Tower
forces but may be overruled by the Tower Lord. All grievances, and
anything else that a soldier or officer thinks the TL should be
informed on, are brought to the Captain. The Captain also functions
as the chief judicial officer for military personnel, often serving
as an advisor on all tower affairs.
Lieutenant: (OPEN)
The Lieutenant is the second in command to the Tower Captain,
overseeing more of the day-to-day tasks and training of the
Seaguard. The Lieutenant is sometimes in charge of diplomatic
missions (not necessarily being a diplomat in the mission). He also
helps coordinate between the army and the navy.
seargent: (OPEN)
The Seargent is in charge of the weapons and weapons training.
It's his (or her) responsibility to keep a sharp inventory of
Seaward's arms. Nothing leaves the armoury without his
knowledge.
Corporal: Ramadil, Corporal of the City Guard of Seaward.
The Corporal's duties include maintaining an up-to-date roster
of the Seaguard, making sure that new recruits are properly
oriented- showing them where they, eat, sleep, and bathe,
explaining when they get paid, about leave, etc.
The Seaguard: (See also Corsairs) (OPEN)
The Seaguard, as Seaward's main land force is known, is the body
of the military. They are highly trained men and women, equally
skilled in land and sea combat.
Tower Fleet Master: At the moment, there is no Fleet Master of
Seaward, but Daerith Dreadblade is the Marine Commander
The Fleet Master is the highest naval officer in the Tower. He
runs the Seaward Navy, and oversees the disposition of its ships,
men and equipment. He has the right to lead any naval offensive,
but can hand off to a Captain (no one below a Captain may lead an
offensive). All hirings, terminations and transfers should be
authorised by him, although he often delegates this to his Ship
Captains. The Fleet Master acts as the highest level of law
enforcement over the Tower's naval forces but may be overruled by
the Tower Lord. He also is in charge of all disciplinary actions to
be taken.
Ship Captains: Khazamr, of the Raider Torath, Harbour Master
Vrael, of the Suleiman
Each Captain has full command of his or her ship, and has final
say over all actions taken aboard it when at sea, unless the Fleet
Master or Tower Lord is aboard. At harbour in Umbar, he is
answerable to each of them. He is expected to maintain discipline
and efficiency within his crew. He also oversees new personnel, and
either hires/terminates or presents them to the Fleet Master, at
the preference of his superior.
First Mates: Thera, of the Raider Suleiman.
The First Mate is the right hand of his Captain. He often is the
one in charge of dispensing discipline and maintaining order. He is
also in charge of keeping crew morale high, and staving off any
possibility of mutiny. He has the right to lead a boarding action,
if the Captain does not request it.
Boatswains: (OPEN)
The Boatswain is in charge of keeping the ship running
efficiently, and making sure it has been provisioned properly. He
also oversees the disposition of all booty taken, the inventorying
of it and the safe return of it to harbour.
Corsairs of the Torath: Daerith, Korbel
Corsairs of the Suleiman: Matrim, Thera
Corsairs make up the fighting force of the ship. Even mercantile
ships owned by the Tower have a force of at least half a dozen, to
help protect its goods. The warships can have upwards of fifty men
to skirmish and take merchant ships, or fight against another ship
of the line.
....Corsairs
Tthe key to a military triumph over Gondor are the Corsairs.
They used to be the true spirit of Umbar. "Corsairs" is the name
the Haradim are known with in Gondor and lands beyond, and it is
unfortunate that the men and women of Seaward are the last of the
true Corsairs of Umbar. With pride they serve, and now that the
great Fleet of Seaward has been rebuilt, there is again hope in the
horizon - hope of making all the lands up North to kneel before the
power of the azur blue of Seaward. No dress codes or strict,
disciplined trainings are needed to keep the loyalty of Seaward
Corsairs. A Corsair of Seaward is a Corsair at heart, and that
means that he will serve his Tower and Home with all that he
can.
There are two kinds of Corsairs; the aligned Corsairs and the
unaligned ones. The difference at sea is little, but on land, the
two are easily distinguished.
When a person joins the Navy of Seaward as an aligned Corsair,
he will swear loyalty to the Tower of Seaward and to the Captain of
his ship, and after this he will be christened in a ceremonial
drinking party. Being aligned means that the Corsair is one with
the Tower of Seaward; he will follow the Tower's will on land,
serve the Tower and its Lord the best he can, and never betray
another Seawarder. In return, the might of Seaward is on his side,
offering protection against the opportunism and anarchy within
Umbar... Not to mention the equipment and money granted to them by
the Tower Lord over the time.
The unaligned Corsairs are pirates and sailors hired for single
expeditions. Once they join a crew for an expedition, they oblige
themselves to follow the Captain of the ship with utmost obedience.
In return, they are offered an equal status with an aligned Corsair
of Seaward. The pay will be the same, the discipline will be the
same, and the workload will be exactly the same. The contract of an
unaligned Corsair is based on trust that lies on one's honour; the
Captains do trust their unaligned Corsairs as if they were true
Seawarders, no matter what the relationship is between the
Corsair's Tower and Seaward. The Corsairs of Seaward raid for their
own people and the glory of Seaward and Umbar; any pure-hearted men
are free to join them on their quest for glory and fortune.
See Corsair Pay for details on Corsair salaries.
....Personnel
These are the people who make up Seaward Tower and keep it
running. We are always looking for men and women to fill positions
within the Tower. If you're interested in becoming part of Seaward
Tower, please +mail one of the people below. (Click on a position
for a more detailed description, and to see who holds it. For
simplicity's sake, most of the positions are referred to as 'he'
though there's no prohibition against a female holding any of these
positions.)
Tower Lord |
-------------------------
| |
Steward Lord's Advisor | |
Mistress/ Lawspeaker - Lorekeeper Master of Keys |
| Scholars &
---------------------------------- Students / | \ \------|
Gardeners Household Head Groom Pages &
Servants | Messengers Stable HandsSee Salaries for details on
how to earn your keep.
Game note: You can get a list of ST personnel by using +towerwho
while on ST grounds.
....Personnel
These are the people who make up Seaward Tower and keep it
running. We are always looking for men and women to fill positions
within the Tower. If you're interested in becoming part of Seaward
Tower, please +mail one of the people below. (Click on a position
for a more detailed description, and to see who holds it. For
simplicity's sake, most of the positions are referred to as 'he'
though there's no prohibition against a female holding any of these
positions.)
Tower Lord |
-------------------------
| |
Steward Lord's Advisor | |
Mistress/ Lawspeaker - Lorekeeper Master of Keys |
| Scholars &
---------------------------------- Students / | \ \------|
Gardeners Household Head Groom Pages &
Servants | Messengers Stable HandsSee Salaries for details on
how to earn your keep.
Game note: You can get a list of ST personnel by using +towerwho
while on ST grounds.
Steward: (OPEN)
The Steward is the Second in Command of all of Seaward, acting
as the head of the Tower when the Lord is away, overseeing
political interactions, the running of the household inside and
out, and to a minor degree, the Seaguard. In addition, the Steward
serves as the liason between the non-military personnel and the
Lord, and performs any additional duties the Lord sees fit to
assign.
Lord's Advisor: (OPEN)
He is the only member of the Seaward household personnel who
does not answer to the Steward, unless the TL is away. He acts
strictly as an advisor and isn't really part of the chain of
command, though the Lorekeeper and any scholars or students within
the Tower fall under the Advisor's jurisdiction.
Mistress/Master of Keys: (OPEN)
This person is responsible for the day to day running of the
Tower. The Master of Keys oversees all of the indoor and outdoor
staff, including all servants, pages, gardeners, and grooms. All
grievances, and anything else that a servant thinks the TL should
be informed on, are brought to the MOK.
Lawspeaker: (OPEN)
The highest authority when it comes to laws and cultural customs
in politics, policies and activities. The Lawspeaker is an advisor
and informant, and even though answers to the Lord's Advisor, his
particular role is to provide the Lord himself with aid and
interpretation of the complex laws and manners of Umbar.
Lorekeeper: (OPEN)
The chief archivist of the tower, in charge of the history of
the Tower, as well as keeping the genealogies of the Lords. It is
the Lorekeeper's duty to be able to identify by heraldic signs the
other houses, and know something of their ancestries as well. The
Lorekeeper only answers to the Lord's Advisor or to the TL. Often,
students and scholars will study under her tutelage.
Scholars & Students: (OPEN)
These are youths of Umbar who have chosen to align themselves
with Seaward while pursuing their studies. They may occasionally be
called upon to do services such as research by the Lorekeeper,
Lord's Advisor, or Steward. Or perhaps, even by the Lord.
Head Groom: (OPEN)
He is in charge of the stables, ensuring that the horses are
well cared for, groomed, fed, doctored, and ready to go when
needed. The Head Groom answers to the Master of Keys.
Stable Hands: (OPEN)
These are the people actively caring for the horses, cleaning
out the stables, and feeding the animals. The stable hands answer
first to the Head Groom, but also to the MOK.
Gardeners: (OPEN)
Quite simply, the gardeners maintain the grounds, planting,
pruning, sweeping, and raking year round. These people answer
directly to the Master of Keys.
Household Servants: (OPEN)
Everyone from maids to butlers to cooks. These people answer
directly to the Master of Keys.
Pages & Messengers: (OPEN)
These are usually the youngest working members of the Seaward
household, charged with such errands as shopping for the cooks or
delivering messages. These servants equally answer