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    Tales

    of the

    WestmarchAuthor/Designer: Randell Doty

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    Contents1.0 INTRODUCTION

    1.1 HOW THIS MODULE MADE IT TOTHE WEB

    1.2 A FEW MORE COMMENTS

    ABOUT CONTENTS1.3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

    2.0 WESTMARCH2.1 OVERVIEW2.2 A BRIEF TIMELINE2.3 THE LAND

    2.31 Geography2.32 Climate2.33 Flora2.34 Fauna

    2.4 POLITICS AND POWER

    2.41 The Calenardhons2.42 The Daen Lintis2.43 The Dnedain

    2.5 THE GOVERNMENT2.6 THE FORCES OF EVIL

    2.61 The Earthwell2.62 The Undead

    2.7 NPCS FOR ALL ADVENTURES2.71 Evad2.72 Elarin & Amarla2.73 Lord Targen

    2.74 Lord Negolos2.8 WESTMARCH AT OTHER TIMES2.81 Westmarch 1640-25102.82 Westmarch 2510-27592.83 Westmarch 2759-30192.84 Westmarch After 3019

    3.0 THE HOMECOMING3.1 THE TALE3.2 THE NPCS3.3 THE LAYOUTS

    3.31 Derwath

    3.32 Tilmendir3.4 THE TASK3.41 Starting The Players3.42 Aids3.43 Obstacles3.44 Rewards

    3.5 THE ENCOUNTERS

    4.0 RESTORING THE BALANCE4.1 THE TALE4.2 THE NPCS4.3 THE SETTING

    4.31 The Asirac Tombs4.32 The Rendar Tombs

    4.4 THE TASK4.41 Starting The Players4.42 Aids4.43 Obstacles4.44 Rewards

    4.5 THE ENCOUNTERS5.0 TIL DEATHS DO US PART

    5.1 THE TALE5.2 THE NPCS5.3 THE SETTING

    5.31 Beldwin5.32 Amon Roch5.33 Lady Sirris Prison Cabin5.34 The Mar Hogo Clan Hold

    5.4 THE TASK5.41 Starting The Players5.42 Aids5.43 Obstacles5.44 Rewards

    5.5 THE ENCOUNTERS6.0 OTHER PLACES OF NOTE IN

    WESTMARCH6.1 THE ORACLE6.2 THE EARTHWELL

    7.0 ALTERNATIVE ADVENTURES7.1 QUEST FOR THE ANSWER7.2 HUNT THE WULF7.3 MISSING

    8.0 TABLES8.1 NPC TABLE

    8.2 BEAST TABLE8.3 ENCOUNTER TABLE8.4 HERB TABLE8.5 MILITARY TABLE8.6 WEATHER TABLE8.7 PRICE TABLE

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    1.0 INTRODUCTION

    1.1 HOW THIS MODULEMADE IT TO THE WEB

    This module was written for Iron

    Crown Enterprises in 1989-1990 and wassubmitted for publication as you see it now.This was my third module behind Dunland andthe Southern Misty Mountains and Ents ofFangorn. Right about that time, however, ICEunderwent some philosophy changes aboutwhat products to publish. They beganreformatting some of there older works intothe new city and fortress books. During thistime Westmarch warmed the bench as it werewaiting for its chance. After several calls

    inquiring about the date when it would bepublished I basically decided that I should notget my hopes up.

    When I finally got a copy of theNorthwestern Middle-earth Gazetteer I got aglimmer of hope back because several of mycreations for Westmarch were included as partof that tome. The towns of Beldwin andDerwath along with their ruling lords and oneof the castles were all there. I hoped that this

    might be an indicator that Westmarch mightbe published after all.

    Soon though these hopes weresquelched again when I realized that ICE wasgoing to get into the collectable card business.CCGs if popular are very profitable.Considering ICEs previous cash-flowproblems, I dont blame them at all forrerouting resources from the Middle-earthRole Playing line to the expansion of such a

    profit stream. It did, however mean thatWestmarch was unlikely to ever be publish.

    Several years had passed when in the summerof 1998 I got an e-mail from Chris Seemanwho publishes Other Hands. Chris asked meif I would be willing to have my emailaddress posted so that people could ask mequestions about the modules I wrote. I toldhim that it would be fine. As an afterthought,

    I asked Chris if he would be interested inproviding space for a previously unpublishedMERP module (Westmarch) to be put up onthe web for MERP players since it wasunlikely to ever be published by ICE He saidthat he would and agreed to speak to ICEabout getting permission to publish it on theweb. Iron Crowns Jessica Ney-Grimm gave

    the go ahead and I formatted it into this hugePDF file. Now you have a module that wasaccepted by ICE but not published. Thatabout as close to cannon as it gets. Thanks foindulging me in this little bit of history. Havefun.

    1.2 A FEW MORECOMMENTS ABOUT

    CONTENTSMost of ICEs MERP modules include

    several sections on terminology, definitionsconversion statistics, etc. Im assuming that iyou are knowledgeable about the MERPsystem to take the trouble to download thisthat you probably dont need this stuff. If youfind abbreviation that you dont recognize ora term with which you are unfamiliar take thetime to look in your other MERP materials. I

    you still cant find it then e-mail me and I wiltry to figure out what I meant.

    1.3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

    I would like to thank ICE for allowingthis module to be published via the web. would like to thank Chris Seeman for makingit happen. I would like to thank my wifeDonna for her continued support of myeccentricities.

    Several graphics used for paragraphseparation are copyrighted to ICE and areused with permission. The rest of the interiorart can be blamed on me. The Celtic art ibased on the work of George Bain.

    Randell Doty

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    2.0 WESTMARCH2.1 OVERVIEW

    Westmarch. The name brings upimages of lush plains and green fields. A

    peaceful farming area where everything ispleasant. Nothing is closer to the truth. It isall these things, but it is also an area not usedto the turmoil seen in the lands to the south,east, and north. Many people from thepopulated South think of this area almost asan untouched Garden of Eden, as it were.Most adventurers also seem to think this.Therefore travel in the area for purpose ofadventure is unlikely, and usuallyunprofitable for the adventurer, because, as

    mentioned already Westmarch is not a centerfor excitementusually.

    Westmarch in 1640 is, like most ofMiddle-earth, recovering from the GreatPlague of 1636, which hit Westmarch as it dideverywhere, but not as hard as easternCalenardhon, or Dunland to the north. This ismainly due to the limited travel into and outof the area. The Great East-West Road runsthrough Dunland to the north and crosses theAngren at the great fords into Calenardhon,therefore bypassing Westmarch to the south.Because of this isolation from travelingcarriers of the Plague through Westmarch,fewer people died there than in other areas.This, however, did not make the deaths anyless painful to the inhabitants, on the contrary,since the area is a rural farming and ranchingarea with few cities, some of the deaths havehad a greater impact because some of the keycraftsmen that died during the Plague havenot yet been replaced. The coming of thePlague brought about an unusual period ofturmoil in Westmarch which has slowlycorrected itself for the most part, but unliketypical life in peaceful Westmarch there havebeen some strange occurrences lately.

    2.2 A BRIEF TIMELINE

    The S econd Age

    1 Noldorin kingdom established in

    Lindon after the fall of Beleriand withGil-galad as king.

    32 Nmenor founded.

    600-1200 Nmenreans explore much oMiddle-earth and make contact withthe Daen Coentis of the WhiteMountains.

    750 The Noldor found Eregion and buildOst-in-Edhil.

    1200-1500 Nmenreans begin buildingfortresses and havens all along thewestern coast of Middle-earth. Duringthis time they begin to use the greatsouthern forests extensively for shipbuilding.

    1500 Elves of Eregion begin to make therings of Power under Sauronsguidance (as Annatar).

    1600 Sauron makes the Ruling Ring.

    1693-1700 Sauron makes war on the Elves oEregion. Most all of Eriador is laidwaste to by his armies. Sauron isdefeated by the Nmenreans and theElves, and retreats to Mordor.

    1800-2251 Nmenreans increase their holdingin Middle-earth. It is during this time

    that the circle of Angrenost (Isengardis smoothed, but the fortress will bebuilt later. Sauron begins to sendemissaries to the Daen Coentis tosubvert their religion and turn themagainst the Nmenreans, whosenumbers will swell above those of theDaen Coentis in the White Mountainsas this time period ends. SeveraDnadan families with pioneeringspirits settle in what will become

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    Westmarch looking to Angrenostfor protection. Some of the DaenCoentis from the southern vales ofthe White Mountains also migrateto Westmarch to escape theDnadan intrusion, therebyswelling the ranks of the clansalready there and causing

    numerous clan wars.

    3315 Dredain split with the DaenCoentis due to their evil ways.They take up residence in the deepwooded areas of the WhiteMountains and the Enedhwaith.

    3319 The downfall of Nmenor and theBending of the Seas.

    3320 Foundation of the Realms in Exile.The Daen Coentis swear an oath ofloyalty to Isildur .

    3325-3341 Many of the Daen Coentis migratenorth either to Dunland orRhudaur. The first groups do sobecause of disagreements in thenew dark religions. The latergroups migrate to escape the fearcaused by the oath breaking.

    3430 Last Alliance of Elves and Men isformed to confront Sauron.

    3434 The Daen Coentis are called by theAlliance; they refuse, and therebybring the curse of the oath-breakersupon them.

    3441 The Barad-dr is taken and Sauronis overthrown. Isildur cuts theRuling Ring from Saurons fingerand keeps it as his own.

    Third Age

    1 The tower of Orthanc isconstructed.

    2 Isildur is ambushed and dies at theGladden fields while enroute to Arnor

    250-850 Arnor declines gradually.

    250 Calenardhon begins to be settledalong the Great East-West Road. MoreDnadan settlers move into

    Westmarch, and take over thegovernment there.

    500-1400 Calenardhon is a prosperous provinceWestmarch is considered the furtheswestern province of Gondor

    1000 Sauron stirs again, and the Istari aresent to Middle-earth as a balance to hispresence.

    1050 Gondor at the height of its powerexpands and builds many borderfortresses, mainly in the north, but afew are constructed in Westmarch.

    1300-1350 Witch-king founds Angmar.

    1432-1447 The Kin-strife tears apart Gondor.

    1600 Hobbits settle in the Shire.

    1636-37 The Great Plague, a collection o

    devastating diseases and pestilencessweeps through Rhovanion, Gondorand Eriador. Calenardhon begins aslow decline in populationWestmarch loses touch with Gondor intrade and in government for awhileTrade from the north declines. TheDnedain slowly begin to lose powerin Westmarch.

    1640 The capital of Gondor is moved from

    Osgiliath to Minas Anor.

    1974-75 The Witch-kings armies overrunArthedain.

    1980 The Witch-king reenters Mordor andgathers the Nine. The Balrog of Moriacomes forth.

    2050 Orthanc is locked with only a smalhereditary force left to guard the

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    fortress. The last king of Gondordies without an heir, and the firstof the Ruling Stewards rulesGondor. Few pure Dnedainremain in Westmarch

    2063 Beginning of the Watchful Peace.Dunmen begin to settle further

    south of Dunland in Westmarch,reawakening old racial strife andgaining control of Westmarch.

    2460-2510 The Balchoth invade Gondor. Theothod, led by Eorl the Young,come to Gondors aid and are giventhe land of Calenardhon as rewardby Cirion the Steward. Battlesbegin between the Rohirrim andthe Dunnish over the possession of

    Westmarch. The Aglarond isrebuilt.

    2710 Dunmen take control of the circleof Orthanc.

    2754 Freca, a half Dunnish noblemanfrom Westmarch, is killed by HelmHammerhand, King of Rohan.

    2754-58 Wulf, Frecas son, raises a Dunnish

    army to march against Rohan.2758 The Long Winter grips the land

    Easterlings invade Rohan fromacross the Anduin. The Haradrimof Umbar attack Gondor. Seeinghis opportunity at hand, Wulfmarches his army into Rohandefeating the Rohirrim in the deepsnow at the fords of the Isen. TheAglarond is renamed after the

    Rohirrim are held in siege atHelms Deep and Dunharrow.Helm and his sons are killed.

    2759 Fralaf, Helms nephew, surprisesthe Dunmen in Edoras and killsWulf, and upon their rout iscrowned king, first of the secondline of kings in Rohan. TheDunmen are also driven fromIsengard, but not Westmarch.

    Saruman is given the keys of Orthanc.

    2830-2903 Reign of Folcwine in Rohan. TheRohirrim drive the Dunmen fromWestfold.

    2911-12 The Fell Winter strikes Eriador andRhovanion.

    2941 The White Council drives Sauron fromDol Guldur.

    2953 Last meeting of the White CouncilSaruman begins building forces(including many Dunmen) and claimsOrthanc as his own. Saruman beginsending servants to search the GladdenFields.

    3000 Saruman uses the Orthanc palantr andbecomes entrapped by Sauron.

    3018-19 War of the Ring. The Ents attackIsengard. The Dunmen in league withSaruman are defeated at Helms Deepbut allowed to return homeWestmarch was not counted on byeither side as an ally due to the mixedracial heritage and is therefore sparedconflict except for stray Orcs. The OneRing is destroyed and Sauron is casout. Saruman passes from Endor.

    3021 End of the Third Age.

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    2.3 THE LAND

    2.31 GEOGRAPHY

    The land known as Westmarch was giventhat name by the early Nmenrean settlers as

    it is the furthermost region of the southernkingdom of Gondor. The name is also usednow by the Daen Lintis and will be used laterby the Rohirrim. The geographical boundariesof the land so named are: the White Mountainsto the east, the Adorn river to the south, theriver Angren to the north and the convergenceof the rivers Angren and Adorn to the west.

    The Mountains

    The White Mountains directly to the eastof Westmarch are tall and twisted into a hugemass of jumbled rock, caused by the forces thatformed the Misty Mountains and the WhiteMountains, coming together at a near rightangle. This area, where the two perpendicularlines of force cross, erupted into a knot ofgnarled peaks of great height, which are nearlyimpassable. Due to their height thesemountains are snow topped year around, hencetheir name. This would seem strange to most to

    name a set of mountains white just because ofthe snow, but one must consider that this isunique to these mountains at this latitude. Justthe fact that they remain snow covered year-round this far south was unique enough forthose who first beheld them. The rest of theWhite Mountains which extends south and westfrom this point are, by comparison, much lowerand less treacherous, offering several passesthrough them to the coastal regions. To thewest, the mountains fall steeply from theirgreat height to the few foothills that lay belowon the Westmarch side, which quickly mergeinto the rolling plains that make up most ofWestmarch. To the east the range extends inthis nearly impassable state in a line that runsjust south of due east and ends at the Anduinvalley as the back wall of Minas Anor.

    The Plains

    The Plains of Westmarch roll away fromthe White Mountains like a green carpet dottedwith tilled fields and lines of trees breaking theland up in the more populated areas. A notable

    feature throughout the plains in Westmarch isthe continuation of the volcanic nature that ispresent in the southern end of the MistyMountains, and in particular the Ring oAngrenost (Isengard) which was once a volcanoIf it is postulated that the northernmost area othe White Mountains is indeed thesouthernmost continuation of the MistyMountains, this is easily conceivable. InWestmarch this volcanic nature presents itselas lonely flat hills of minimal height which are

    dispersed across the broad plains. These are, ocourse, the small extinct volcanoes that at onetime formed this land as well as being one ofthe sources of its fertility. Currently, there areno active volcanoes in Westmarch nor havethere been in recorded history, but when theywere active the amounts of ash spewed forthenriched the soil in such a lasting way thatalong with the duel rivers, have madeWestmarch one of, if not the most fertile areasof Middle-earth.

    The Rivers

    The fertility of Westmarch cannot whollybe attributed to its volcanic past, however. Itsvery borders are another source that combineswith this to make Westmarch the most fertileregion in Western Middle-earth. Theseboundaries are the Adorn and Angren rivers tothe south and north, respectively. Theseprovide the moisture needed for the crops of

    Westmarch as well as bringing soil from therun-off of the mountains to be deposited in theriver basins.

    The Angren river crosses theCalenardhon before taking its westerly turn tothe sea. It is at this point it becomes thenorthern border of Westmarch. It also starts itdive into a gorge that runs almost the length oWestmarch. As the river turns west it fallsquickly via a series of stair-step rapids into a

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    canyon which at its deepest point reaches some200 in depth. Although deep in parts the gorgeis often wider at its base than at its apex. Insome places this canyon is so overhung that thetop gap actually becomes quite narrow. Closeenough in a few places for the right horse to beable to jump it, although few have tried it(fewer still have succeeded). Herds of antelope

    have been known to use this as an escape route.This overhang causes the cliffs to be completelyunscalable. As the river makes its way west andsouth the gorge lessens in depth and the riverwidens. The gorge provides some naturalprotection for the people of Westmarch fromany invasion from the north as there are fewplaces to cross it. The army would have to crossat the fords of the Great East-West Road in thegap, go far enough west where the gorge breaksand fording is possible, or use one of a few

    small bridges constructed over the gorge inplaces where the distance across is not too greatThat, however, would allow only two to threehorses to cross at once which is highlyunadvisable, tactically speaking. Other than itssource in the Misty Mountains the Angren isalso fed by several small rivers and streams thacome down from the White Mountains and join

    the Angren in its course to the sea. Some othese drop over the edge of the gorge inbeautifully scenic waterfalls.

    The Adorn is born high in the WhiteMountains. It washes down the mountainsdropping in and out of caves finally to emergeas a wide shallow river that snakes its way toconnect with the Angren before coming to thesea. Because of its source, the Adorn is a verycold river for its first 50 miles and is crystalclear throughout its length. It is one of the

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    more picturesque rivers in all of Middle-earth.Like the river itself, the Adorns valley is quitea bit wider and more useful for farming thanthe Angren and more large plantations can befound in south Westmarch. The Adorn rarelyoverflows its banks, and levees have been builtin the places where it is most likely to do so.Due to its cold clear water the Adorn is also a

    wonderful trout fishing river and men ofleisure from the southern provinces sometimescome to Westmarch for that very purpose.

    2.32 CLIMATE

    Westmarch is again blessed by nature asit seems when referring to weather. It ispleasant nearly year around. Its proximity tothe coast gains warmth for it, but the mountainsto the south and east shield it from many of the

    coastal storms of the south, but not those thatenter from the west. These are the only stormsthat cause severe weather in Westmarch. Theyenter from the west and rebound off the WhiteMountains to bring extended thunderstorms tothe area during the spring and fall of the year,but the window for these storms is relativelyshort and only two or three of these largestorms happen each year. The people ofWestmarch are well aware of this and take thenecessary precautions. Once every three to fouryears a hurricane grounds on the coast to thewest bringing monsoon type conditions thatcan last for days or even weeks. Wind damageand flooding can occur, but again this is rareand usually enough warning is received tomake the proper arrangements. No amount ofpreparedness can cover every possibility,however, and there are usually severalcasualties. The winters in Westmarch are mildexcept for in the foothills of the WhiteMountains which can remain snow covered fortwo to three months. The plains regions havesnow also but the snow usually does not layaround longer than two to four days. Thisallows cattle and sheep to graze year roundwith little supplementation of diet necessary.However, most ranchers take the precautions tohave enough fodder around regardless of howmild the winter seems. In the summer thetemperature rarely reaches above 100 and thehumidity is not so bad as to make it feel

    stifling. All in all Westmarch would be awonderful vacation spot for those capable oftaking one.

    2.33 FLORA

    Although, for the most part, Westmarchis either covered in short grass or farmland

    there are a few forests and scattered trees. Inthe high vales of the White Mountains, the treesare predominantly coniferous mixed with thetypical high mountains hardwoods (i.e., ashrowan, etc.). As the land flattens, the treesbecome decidedly more hardwood. Stands ovirgin forest not unlike that found in Fangornor the old forest can still be found in the deeprecesses of the lower mountains vales. Thesimilarity to these old forests also includes thepresence of active trees or Huorns, and on some

    occasions, Ents. Other than those alreadymentioned, there are a few other plants that areof interest.

    Nethlequat.

    This grass grows in patches across theplains. It is longer than the normal grass of thearea, and reddish in color, however, to theunknowing observer it can cause quite somedifficulty. The touch of these weeds to the bare

    skin of human or animal causes an intenseburning pain and later a severe rash. This wilcause the person or animal touched to move a50% until the pain subsides (2-5 daysunfortunately the substance causing the paincannot be washed off or neutralized by anyknown antidote. The pain can be reducedhowever, by the use of various analgesic herbsEven when the pain is removed or subsided thediscomfort of the rash will leave the person at-25% movement. The rash resolves after one totwo weeks by itself. It can be temporarilyheld off by any of the antihistamine herbs orany of the stimulant type herbs, whichunfortunately can have other effects, includingaddiction. On the outside chance that one othese plants was ingested by a human (animalsknow better), it would produce such a laxativetype effect, that the partaker would need to savevs a 7th level poison or die from complete loss

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    of their digestive tract. Those that do save willbe incapacitated for 1-4 weeks.

    Majon

    Majon is a budding flower found on thetops of low hills in the plains. Early in thespring when it blooms it has a milky white 5-

    petalled flower with lavender centers. After thebloom withers, a pod forms in the samesummer. In the fall the plant blooms again, thistime with red blooms and black centers. Thepod formed during summer bursts at this timeand releases its spores. The pod if eaten duringthe summer produces a dream like state whilethe partaker is still awake; the dreams beingsuperimposed upon their reality. The pods areused mainly for recreational purposes. Thiscauses an psychological addiction in most, with

    people refusing to take on certain tasks (such ascombat or making important decisions) beforeeating pod. Unfortunately these dreams are notnecessarily pleasant. Nightmares can occureven while the person is awake causing anextreme psychotic phase in some people whichmay start or stop with no warning. Thesenightmares can be induced in chronic users orin those who were once chronic users byextended periods of stress or personal trauma.This has brought on the accidental deaths ormaiming of several people by the hand of theimbiber. The chance of one of these episodesoccurring increases with the total number ofdoses taken by an individual. Each doseincreases the attack level of the poison by 1 andthe individual must make a saving throwversus poison each time he becomes overlystressed (i.e., prolonged battles, lack ofappropriate sleep, use of stimulant herbs, etc.).

    2.34 FAUNA

    Besides the typical fauna of foxes,hunting cats, beavers and other small animals,there are a few animals that are special andshould be noted.

    Green Asps

    Green asps should be noted for the valueof their poison glands, which can be sold to

    certain individuals for large sums of moneyThe people of Far Harad, and subsequentlyothers that have had association with thembelieve that these glands, taken in smalquantities, are a powerful aphrodisiac. If theyare ingested in larger doses (2-3 glands) thesubstance can be a potent organ restorer. Oneside effect of these larger doses, however, are

    fits of ungovernable madness that can recurunexpectedly up to three days after the dosewas taken. The first of these fits passes quickly(within an hour usually). Recurring attacks canstrike at any time for the next few days, buwith decreased duration and intensityRecently, these stimulant properties have beenused by several herbalists to treat states ofcatatonia in patients. The glands are situatedbehind the snakes eyes and puff out when fullOnce dried, they resemble peas and will bring50 gp each, providing that proof of a killusually in the form of a skin, can be shown as amark of authenticity.

    Blue Bears

    Blue bears are rare, reclusive and mostcommonly found in the White Mountains. Bluebears are unique in nature in that they are semisentient and possess an innate sense (similar toa continual Presence spell) which will allow

    them to perceive all living creatures aroundthem within 50 regardless of obstacles orsensory deprivation. Blue bears appear to besinister in nature to some because they seem toseek out men to kill from time to timeAlthough this may be the case, it might also betrue that their increased intelligence allowsthem to realize that man is a constant threat totheir survival. They are extremely territoriaand will attack trespassers if the party is nooverwhelmingly strong. Otherwise, they wil

    stalk the trespassers and attack themindividually if given the opportunity.

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    2.4 POLITICS AND POWER

    2.41 THE CALENARDHONS

    The people of Westmarch are consideredCalenardhons, because Westmarch technicallyis part of that province. However, this is more

    a term for convenience rather than accuracy asthere is really very little interaction betweenmost of Calenardhon and Westmarch. There issome trading between the two areas, and attimes traders from both regions travel to theothers trading fairs. The only otherconnections are those friendships that haveformed between some of the families thatsettled in the north of Westmarch and some ofthe families of Westfold who settled near theborders of Westmarch or around the Aglarond.

    The Calenardhons of Westmarch like theothers in Calenardhon proper are anadventurous lot, or at least their sires were, elsethey would not have settled in Westmarch,which, although peaceful, is still a border area.Now, the people of Westmarch are somewhatdifferent than their pioneering predecessors.Years of blessed peace have caused the peopleto lapse into a relative state of complacency.The only enemies they have dealt with in thelast 200 years have been occasional wild

    animals, severe weather, and of course thePlague. This lack of strife in and aroundWestmarch has caused its people to forget thatthey live on the edge of the wild, but so far theyhave had no reason to remember or regret this.When those new to the region arrive they seemto have a heightened sense of the need of beingprepared for disaster or attack of some sort,which the people who were raised inWestmarch find odd, unnecessary, and quitehumorous.

    For the most part the Calenardhons are amixed people including mainly Daen Lintis,Dnedain, some Northmen, mixes of all three,and a scattering of other lesser men. The nobleclass and educated class are primarily made upof the pure Dnedain.

    The craftsman class is mostly the mixedDnedain/Daen Lintis with some Northmenand others falling in here sporadically, and thelower class are primarily Daen Lintis and mixed

    Daen Lintis, although, almost any of thepreviously mentioned peoples can fall into thisclass given the proper circumstances and badluck. The lines of races tend to blur in most oWestmarch but the Dnedain and Daen Lintisdeserve some mention individually to follow.

    2.42 THE DAEN LINTIS(DUNMEN, DUNNISH)

    Westmarch in the Second Age was part ofwhat the Daen Coentis (the Daen Lintisancestors) called home. By the time of the LasAlliance of Men and Elves, and the end of theSecond Age, most of the Daen Lintis had left orwere soon to leave the vales of the WhiteMountains due to the oath breaking and travenorth into what is now Dunland. Some DaenCoentis moved from the south vales of the

    White Mountains into what is now calledWestmarch never quite making it to DunlandOther groups of Daen Coentis already lived inWestmarch during the Second Age, and hadlittle to do with the other Daen to the south. Afew of these clans were independent of the DaenCoentis kingdom and did not swear the oath toIsildur, however, the effects of the oath-breaking on the land also affected them, bupossibly to a lesser extent. Some of these alsomoved north at the end of the Second Age whilea few clans stayed. It is the descendants of theseclans and the Daen Lintis that moved back fromDunland later, that comprise the Dunnishconstituent of Westmarch at this point in timeand now make up the working class. By 1640however, most of these people have at least oneancestor or relative that is Dnadan. Thesemixed people are fairly well dispersed inWestmarch, although in the southern areas andin particular the city of Derwath, the percentageof Dnedain is higher. The groups of theDunnish that moved back to Westmarch fromDunland more recently, are more pure in theirbloodlines and their lifestyles and therefore arenot true members of society as it stands, burather stand alone and interact with outsidersonly when absolutely necessary and even thenonly through those who are most likethemselves. They dislike the Dnadangovernment, but are currently in no position tothreaten it. They feel that they are the higher

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    order of society and look down on theDnedain as usurpers and invaders of theirrightful homeland. Of course the Dnedainview these people as ignorant barbarians.

    The true Dunnish (those that are not ofmixed blood) live in extended family units andstill keep track of clan lineage, but boundariesbetween the clans are not drawn quite as

    tightly. The most heated rivalries that haddeveloped between clans in Dunland still existbetween their factions in Westmarch, but thetrue lines of strife lie along theDunnish/Dnadan axis. The true Dunnishnormally are hunter/gatherers, but asignificant number have developed intofarmers and herders since relocating toWestmarch. Recently several of these familygroups have fallen on hard times and have goneto work along side the mixed peoples in thefields of the rich Dnedain. This may turn outto be an unsatisfactory relationship for bothparties as the Dunnish make too many wavesand the Dnedain are too arrogant to allow anychanges in their lives.

    The natural progression of a split societyof this type if left alone is to slowly progresstowards a median for the most part withoutliers in both directions. However, sinceNew Dunnish still move into the area fromDunland this will finally skew the mix to theDunnish side as is seen later in the Third Age(i.e. just previous to the time when theRohirrim claimed the area). For now thesepeople are assimilating into the existing societyand are slowly becoming more like theirneighbors and vice-versa a kind of societydilution, as it were. This dilution occurs in bothdirections as the Dnadan influence and laterRohirrim influence on Westmarch and itspeople never entirely leaves the area either.This is the reason that during the later years ofthe Third Age and in particular the War of theRing, the people of that area were not countedon by either side because of their ties to theenemy.

    2.43 THE DNEDAIN

    Like the rest of Calenardhon there issome dilution of the pure Dnadan blood inmost people that claim to be Dnedain. Only a

    few families remain relatively undiluted intheir Nmenrean heritage. The highespopulation of the Dnedain (pure or otherwiseis in the southern regions of Westmarchparticularly Derwath with a general decreasingtrend as one progresses northwards. TheDnedain of Westmarch are primarily thenobility, quality craftsmen, and educated clas

    of the region. Most of them have been raised inWestmarch but there is a small amount ofmovement to and from the frontier of craftsmenand scholars as the demand dictates. Most othe chief exporting is carried out by theDnedain, also as they are the owners of thelarge ranches and farms. Several of these menwith particularly large plantations have joinedforces to form a shipping company that isWestmarch specific, in that they only trade theiproduce in the South for items that they canbring back to Westmarch to sell. They thereforecontrol both ends of the trading. This seems todrive some of the prices for items up, but it alsoallows the region to have access to goods fromthe South on a regular bases which wouldnormally be unusual considering the distancefrom the capital and the lack of a permanentrading run to Westmarch funded by outsiders.

    The local government is completelyDnadan-controlled and is discussed below.

    2.5 THE GOVERNMENT

    The struggles of the time Post-Plague(1636-1640) left much of the government inloose control at best compared to the PrePlague state of affairs. Even in stable times thegovernment of Westmarch was loosely run due

    to the distance from the capital. The officiagovernmental headquarters for Westmarch washistorically at the Aglarond (later to becomeHelms Deep), but during these times otribulation it has fallen upon the local lords(however well suited) to act as policeman, taxcollector, and judge. The two lords that covermost of Westmarch are Lord Targen to thesouth, and Lord Negolos to the north.

    Lord Targens home is castle Tilmendirwhich was built to protect the pass through the

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    White Mountains to the south. The territorywhich he rules was given to his familyhundreds of years ago, and mainly includes thatland along the Adorn from the WhiteMountains to the convergence of the Angren.However the further east one goes, the less isthe lords true control of the area. Lord Targenhouses a small cadre of militia at Tilmendir that

    patrol his territory regularly. However, theyhave seen very little action. In fact they havenot been in an actual skirmish of any type fornearly fifty years. The militia is currently madeup of 50 young men between the ages of 18 and24. They are local men and each is required toserve 3 years as a militiamen. This law wasenacted in earlier, less peaceful times, and nowis really not needed but has never beenchanged. They are taught fighting skills byLord Targen, two of his sons, and the three fulltime soldiers that have been stationed there bythe government at Lord Targens request. Themilitiamen, because of their age and the factthat this is the first time in their lives theydidnt have to work in the fields or at a craftevery day, seem a happy and carefree lot. Attimes they get somewhat boisterous and out ofhand both in town and when riding through thecountryside on patrol. Many of them view thethree year experience as a vacation, and a timeto sow some wild oats. This makes the wholeatmosphere at castle Tilmendir somewhat likethat of a country club, and Lord Targen neverseemed to mind. This casts a shadow on thefunctionality of this group if the militia wereactually needed; a point noted by the rangers atevery opportunity.

    The northeastern corner of Westmarch intheory, is still under the direct governorship ofthe commander of the Aglarond. However,control of the area has been passively delegatedby the commander of the Aglarond to LordNegolos. Lord Negolos owns a fortress and alarge estate near Beldwin, and is actually theruler now, but he does try to maintain morecontact with the government at the Aglarondthan lord Targen, partially because he is muchyounger and less sure of his ruling abilities, butalso just because his domain happens to becloser to the Aglarond. He is more fortunatethan Lord Targen in the respect that his militarycontingent is professional rather than

    homespun, for the most part. He has 20 soldierunder his command that are seasoned veteranswhom his father hired in the South six yearsago, just before the Plague. These men are loyato Lord Negolos as they were to his fatherbefore he died in the Plague. They enjoy life inWestmarch, but are getting a little soft from thelack of combat even though they train

    regularly. Lord Negolos also supplementsthese men with any of the young men of thearea who wish to learn the art of fightingCurrently, there are 12 of these young mentraining along side the regulars. His men makeregular patrols of the area and occasionallyrelay messages back and forth to the Aglarondand Tilmendir to the south.

    The northwestern area of Westmarch thafollows the Angren to the convergence of theAdorn, is very lightly populated and iscurrently ruled strangely enough, by threerelatively young men, Reaslos, Glan, andCamdin. These three were adventurers in theSouth and in Calenardhon, who happened tofall into circumstances that enabled them tohelp the kings family personally. To rewardthem for their services he gave them this area oland for their own, along with an old borderwatch tower. Now, they are actively trying tofigure out how to govern, and secretly wishingthey could drop the whole thing and go ofwandering in search of new thrills. Mercifullythe people they are supposed to be governingare few and very patient. They consider thethree their pet rulers and treat them likeadopted sons, for the most part. Theadventurers are basically good men (albeigreedy at times) and feel responsible for thepeoples safety, so, no real strife has occurredbetween themselves and the people, as of yetIn fact, the three have standing dinnerengagements at the house of a local rancherwhose wife worries about them not eatingright. They have fixed up the tower in the twoyears that they have been there and it serves astheir home as well as garrison for the ten menthey have as retainers and servants.

    The one remaining central governmentaoffice still operating effectively in Westmarch isthe Border Guard or Rangers Service which hasbeen operating in Westmarch since it was madean official province of Gondor. The rangers ac

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    as reconnaissance for the Aglarond as well aswandering peace officers and detectives for theterritory. Their headquarters are in Derwathand their commander is a capable ranger namedEvad, who will be discussed in more detaillater. He and his 12 men are responsible forlong range patrols of the region and theinspection of government installations

    including government maintained bridges anddikes. Currently there is some confusion aboutjurisdiction as the local lords feel that they andtheir men are the local government, case closed,and see the rangers as somewhat superfluous.The rangers actually do more than the lords andthe people know, and feel that they are theactual law enforcement agency of the area. Thelords, for the most part, tolerate what theyconsider an intrusion because of the rangersand particularly Evads expertise in the area ofreconnaissance and criminal behavior, as wellas their ability to track down the occasionalmarauding bear. This conflict shows itself mostopenly when an investigation or manhunt isrequired in or around one of the towns in thelords domains, and at these times words can beswapped. There are 12 rangers, including Evad,that roam the land in zones and patrol circles.Each of these men is a capable fighter and ableto take care of himself in the wild. Their officein Derwath is also their main barracks but it isunlikely that more than four of them are thereat any one time. They are helped in their tasksby the astrologer, Garamund, that lives inDerwath and serves them as a message center.He does this as a favor to Evad as they are closepersonal friends.

    2.6 THE FORCES OF EVIL

    As mentioned in the introduction, for the

    most part, Westmarch is a peaceful place in T.A.1640. In other times this may or may not be thecase depending on the current politics betweenthe Dnedain, Dunmen, and Rohirrim, but in1640 the reason for this peaceful existence inWestmarch comes not from the presence of agreat good as one might expect, but rather fromthe presence of a great evil.

    2.61 THE EARTHWELL

    As mentioned in Section 2.31, the landcalled Westmarch is dotted with solitary flattopped hills that are the last evidence of thevolcanic activity which birthed this land. Oneof these hills set in the middle of Westmarch isknown to the locals as Picnic Hill. On mapof the area the hills name is The Earthwell. Iwas called this because of the deep pool thatoccupies the center of the volcanic depressionthat is the top of the hill. It was given its newname many years ago when the locals beganusing the bowl of this old volcano with itscrystal clear pool and cool breezes as a place forfamily outings. Little did they know thabeneath the surface of that hill lies a complexwhich houses minions of the Dark Lord himself

    Besides being a lovely picnic spot, theEarthwell is also the home of a small elite unitof the Necromancers forces. During the SecondAge when the Dark Lords forces swept throughvirtually all of Middle-earth, the evil onelearned of the small cave complex located underthis hill; a piece of information he filed awayfor many years until he had need of it. UponSaurons reappearance in Middle-earth as thenecromancer of Dol Guldur around T.A. 1000he began a rebuilding his network of priestscults, and informants. It was during this time orebuilding that he decided to place a spyingpost in the cave complex of the EarthwellSauron deemed it perfect, not because it wainconspicuous, but rather that the place wasbeyond suspicion because of its location, thepreviously untouched area known asWestmarch. After careful reconnaissance it wadiscovered that the cave complex remainedundiscovered by the local inhabitants. Soonafter, a team was sent to prepare the complex

    for occupancy. Then, approximately threehundred years ago, the Earthwell becameoperational as a spying station. From itsvantage point in Westmarch the occupants wereable to garner information about all aspects ofwestern Gondorian politics and troopmovements as well as the traffic on the GreaEast-West Road that passes through the gap tothe north and the goings on at the two majorfortresses of Angrenost (Isengard) and theAglarond (Helms Deep).

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    Information gathered by the contingentat the Earthwell is taken by courier via deepunderground tunnels and caves that reach fromthe Earthwell to the White Mountains. Fromthere it is sent overland or by messenger birdor bat to Dol Guldur. The location of theEarthwell has proved very useful not only as aprimary spying position but also as a reporting

    station for agents through the western regionsof Middle-earth. Because of the success of thisstation, Sauron has declared a moratorium onOrkish raids or other Sauron-backed activitiesin the area that might cause a reactionaryincrease in diligence by the people ofWestmarch and therefore cause detection of thestation. This decree has caused the peacefulperiod that Westmarch has experienced for thelast three hundred years. (See Section 2.41.)

    Living in the Earthwells tunnel andchamber complex are the four beings sent thereby the Necromancer some 100 years ago to runthe station. They live here alone except for asmall group of guards and servants. Here theyeach carry out the task that they are assigned toaccomplish their ultimate goal: the collectionand processing of information of any type fortheir master, Sauron. Occasionally theEarthwell also acts as a stop-off for specialcouriers, spies, and assassins. These occurrencesare rare, however, and absolutely no one entersor leaves the Earthwell during the daylighthours. Even then, the only exits to theEarthwells tunnel complex is through afarmhouse located nearby and a concealedentrance below the water line of the pool in thebasin of the hill. The house is exactly authenticfor the area, and the Earthwells staff actuallyfarm the area surrounding the house for theirfood and to keep up appearances. The fourprimary inhabitants have specific jobs and titlesand are outlined below. When they wereassigned here, they dropped their old namesand since then are only known by their titles,leaving behind their histories as well.

    The Seeker

    The Seeker is a 200 year -old BlackNmenrean of pure blood, whose only job isto scan Middle-earth for bits of information. Heis a 20th level Seer with a specialty in long

    distance eaves-dropping. To assist him, theNecromancer has given him a device thaenables him to focus his power. It is called theSeeing Eye. It is a spherical crystal 4 indiameter with a black double spiral imbeddedinside that seems to turn as one concentrates onit. This device allows the Seeker to view fixedplaces at great distances. These fixed places are

    designated by the Seeker, and are limited tothree. Once a place is decided upon, the Seekermust visit there or have access to someonesmind who was there regularly to set the placein his mind. From then on, using the Eye, hecan watch those places simultaneously andexperience everything that happens there in alfive senses. He is also able to utilize any of hisnon physical skills (such as Power Perceptionvia the eye. Aside from this, the Eye can, on alarger scale, locate small surges in the magicacontinuum of Middle-earth. These surges areproduced when significant amounts of magicaenergy are released. Any spell greater than 5thlevel can produce these surges and aredetectable by the Seeker. Spells greater than15th level can be seen by anyone using the eyeOnce he localizes these surges, he can notifyspies of the activity and start an investigation ithe location indicates that the surge could besignificant. It is by this method that the DarkLord locates potential servants of the dark bytheir use of magic. Then they can be approachedand selected for service.

    The Assassin

    The Assassin of the Earthwell currentlyuses the name Jozein when he is on a mission(See Section 3.2.) The position of assassin of theEarthwell has the responsibility of externasecurity for the station. If at any time personsnot privy to the secrets of the Earthwel

    discover anything about it or by their actionsmight cause discovery of the Earthwell, it is histask to seek out those persons and kill them insuch a way as to make others believe it to be anaccident if at all possible, or at least the work ofsomeone else. He is a seasoned expert in the arof killing, and has completed numerousmissions of this very kind. He is of commonman stock and is very normal in appearancewhich only helps in his field. He is 511 tal

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    with light brown hair and brown eyes. He hasno distinguishing marks, and wears clothes thatare a drab combination of styles that do notlend to identification of his land of origin. Hehas a wide variety of poisons in his possession,as well as the normal weapons of his trade. Hisfavorites are the blowgun, throwing stars, andshort bow when at a distance. He will try not to

    melee, but if forced to, he uses two shortswords. He is a master at disguise and stealth.His magical cloak allows for this most easilyfor it can change the color of any item on hisperson by just visualizing it. This has becomeso commonplace for him now that he canchange the look of his entire outfit in less than 5seconds. This makes for quick escapes intocrowds. He just turns a corner and viola! he isno longer in the same clothing. One thing hewill never do, however, is allow himself to becaptured. He has a ring that storesthree spells. They are: Teleport, (x2)and a Longdoor. He also has a beltthat allows Invisibility 1 3x/day. Ifthese are not enough and he iscaptured, he will kill himself eitherby poison or dagger. If neither ofthese work or he is healed by theparty, he will trigger the delayedfireball that is stored in the falsewisdom tooth implanted in hismouth. If he is unable to do this theWeb (See below) will, along withthe Seekers help, detonate thefireball from the Earthwell. Theyconstantly monitor the Assassinwhen he is on a mission.

    The Web

    The Web is the overallcommander of the Earthwell andthe coordinator of all the spyingnetworks which are operated fromthe Earthwell. This entailsinstructing the Seeker where tolook for information, whatinformation is important enough tosend to Dol Guldur, as well asproviding insight into possibleinterpretations of the informationconsidering the associated regional

    politics. She is in charge of assigning tasks forthe Assassin as well as maintaining the disguiseof the farm family that was set up to insulatethe Earthwell from the indigenous populationThe Web is also in charge of coordinating theinternal security of the Earthwell shouldanyone ever intrude. These security measuresinclude the traps that have been constructed, the

    four human guards, and the Beast (explainedbelow). The Web is a special woman. She is opure Nmenrean descent, middle aged, bustill very young looking, and quite strikingShe is a very efficient commander who has highintelligence and an intuitive feel for her command

    Not only does she have her own skills asan 15th level evil Mage but she also has beenentrusted with and allowed to use an ancienitem, the Raugno staff. This black staff is some

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    7 long normally but adjusts itself to the usersheight. The staffs top is carved into a bizarrecross between a dragon and a spider with thelength of the staff becoming the tail of thecreature which terminates in a diamond shapedblade. In this configuration, the staff is a x5spell multiplier for evil Mages, and is able to bethrown as a spear. When thrown, the spear has

    greater accuracy due to the wings on the tinytop figure which correct the flight, giving thestaff the same effect as if it had an Aim Truespell cast upon it. If the staff misses or isdislodged, it can return to the user by flight. Ifthe staff is being held, against the will of theuser, or is stuck in someone or something, it canreturn to them via a Longdoor, however, if itcannot be commanded to do this it has a will ofits own and will return when and if it isbeneficial to the staff.

    The real power of the staff, however,allows the user to merge with it to take on theform of the Black Widow Dragon, a demoncreature with the foul temperament and nastyfeatures of both creatures. It is some 90 long with8 legs, a long flexible neck and tail, jet black incolor except for the red hourglass on itsunderside. It has a poisonous bite as well as theability to spray webbing from a reservoir at theend of its tail. It can breathe fire as well as use

    any of the magical abilities of user. For theuser, however, this process is not necessarilyreversible at will. The power available to theuser can be intoxicating and each time the usertakes this form they must save vs a 30th levelcharm spell or remain as the creature. Eachweek they get another saving throw thatdecreases by 5% each week, (i.e., the secondweek would be vs 25th level). If the personremains as the Dragon for >4 weeks the staffconsumes the soul of the person and returns toits base staff state, sans user. The Web knowsall the abilities and liabilities of the staff andwill be very hesitant about invoking themerger unless it seems to be her only option.One other side effect of the long termpossession of the staff is a certain cannibalisticurge towards mates. The men of the Earthwellknow of this tendency and make no advancestowards her despite her seductive nature.

    The Beast

    The Beast is directly under the Web aspart of the internal securities of the EarthwellHis position requires him to be the safety valvefor security if the normal security measures ofthe Earthwell are breached. The Beast is unlikeany other creature in Middle-earth. He is theend-point of a series of experiments carried ouat Dol Guldur. Sauron has experimented withbreeding Orcs and Trolls throughout timehoping to create faster, stronger, and more lighresistant species. The Beast was one of his mossuccessful experiments in crossbreeding withone drawback; he is sterile and therefore of nofurther use in the experimentations.

    The Beast is a mixture of Orc, Humanand Troll. In what percentages these three

    make up the beast only Sauron and his breedersknow for sure. Regardless of the percentagesthe result is quite impressive. The beast is ove7 tall and extremely muscular. His skin is jeblack and very tough, due to the tiny scales thahe inherited from the Troll side of his heritageFrom the Orkish side he received a hunger forbattle and a ruthlessness in combat that is quitefrightening. Most importantly, however, fromhis human heritage he gained the intelligenceand self discipline to become a highly skilledwarrior rather than the hack and slash normamong Orcs and Trolls. He is skilled in themartial arts as well as several weapons whichhe wields with great effect.

    In the Earthwell, with its secret passageand winding tunnels, he makes for a formidablefoe by himself, even if the others were unableto defend themselves. If this were not badenough, the Beast has been given a speciaamulet, keyed to the rock of the Earthwell, tha

    allows him to move through the rock as if itwere not there. His ability to effectivelyambush anyone in the tunnels from anydirection is almost assured, as is his ability tostrike and withdraw without worrying aboucounter-attacks. The amulet only works withinthe Earthwell. He has taken great pride in hiposition here and regards the safety of the Weband the Seeker as his personnel responsibility.

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    2.62 THE UNDEAD

    Westmarch, as mentioned in Section 2.42,is part of what was the homeland of the DaenCoentis. So the Daen of Westmarch fell victimto the same fate as those clans that live in thesouthern vales of the White Mountains with fewexceptions. These clans are fewer than the clansto the south so the interaction that occursbetween the living and undead of Westmarchare fewer than those of Erech and the areasurrounding the paths of the dead. Becausethese clans were fewer and separated theyusually had private family burial sites similarto those in the paths of the dead but scaleddown for a single or at most two clans. Most ofthese burial sites were cut into the rock of theWhite Mountains. For this reason, only thosepeople of Westmarch that travel regularly nearthe mountains are ever exposed to the presenceof the undead in the area, and most of theinhabitants know only the stories that havebeen handed down by legend. Elarin the Elfranger is the only person in Westmarch thatconfronts the undead on any regular basis. Heknows the locations of all the major Daen burialsites and also knows what times of year that theundead are most active.

    2.7 NPCsFOR ALLADVENTURES

    2.71 EVAD

    Evad is a the ranger captain in charge oall the rangers of the region known as

    Westmarch. He is an imposing physicapresence standing 66 tall and weighing 250lbs. He is a seasoned veteran of severacampaigns elsewhere and finds Westmarchsomewhat boring. He is half-Dnadan, halfNorthman. His fathers family was one of theEldacar faction in the Kin-strife and wasrewarded quite well in lands and statusafterwards. He has the Northmens blond haiwhich makes him stand out even further. Oneof Evads strong points is his reasoning

    abilities. He is a superb detective and tacticianwhich has helped him a lot in his currenstation. Evad is tolerant of visitors inWestmarch, but will not stand for rabblerousers and strife caused by outsiders. He habeen here long enough that he knows thesepeople well and considers most an extension ohis family. He is currently unmarried as hethinks that this would be a poor arrangemenconsidering his position requires so muchtravel and odd hours.

    Evad, however, has a secret hiddenwithin him such that even he does not knowThe day he was born was also the day that hisgreat grandfather Feamond died. Ever sincethe ghost of Feamond has followed him as aguardian. Normally the life draining effects oa ghost in close proximity would kill mospeople after such a lengthy exposure, but Evadwas also born with limited regenerativeabilities, that maintains him as his greatgrandfathers ghost drains him. Evad has neve

    realized that this symbiotic relationship existsbut it has saved his life in several battles. Hecan not explain why he has heard warnings ofattack, when no one remembers sayinganything to him. Nor, was he ever able to findthe person who rescued him after he wasknocked unconscious in a battle with a band oOrcs.

    In battle Feamond can do several thingsto help his descendant. He can move from Evad

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    to his opponent and thereby begin to drainenergy from the opponent while Evad getsstronger. He can fight just as he was in life, asghosts can, but only if Evad has been renderedunconscious, or he can overlay his greatgrandson in a spectral image that only hisopponents can see which will act as a True Auraand a Fear spell. At any time, he can relay

    information to Evad by barely audible whispersthat Evad has come to accept as part of histhought process. Given these assets it is easy tosee how Evad could be a formidable friend orenemy. The only evidence that can ever be seenof Evads ancestor, other than by his opponents,is the rare sparkle of light that can be seenfollowing Evad just at the moment the sun setsor rises. A few people have seen this, but theyusually brush it off as optical illusion and Evadhas never actually seen it himself.

    2.72 ELARIN & AMARLA

    Elarin was originally from the Elvishhold of Edhellond with brethren at Rivendell.It was his intention 10 years ago, to travel toRivendell to visit with them and seek help forAmarla when both their lives changed forever.His sister Amarla was not right. She was only20 years old (a baby from an Elfs point ofview), but it had been clear for years that shewould never be normal. Several of the Elvishhealers at Edhellond had tried to correct thesituation, but none were successful. She wasmentally retarded and would never progressto a state beyond that of a 5 year-old child.Elarin would not accept this and decided to journey with his sister to his relatives atRivendell to see if anything could be done.On his trip through Westmarch they werestaying close to the hills to avoid the localpopulation, and therefore any stares andquestions, when Amarla ran off into thenearby woods. The forest was virgin andincredibly thick. He tracked her as best hecould, but gained little information from thesigns which seemed to be erased in a randomfashion. Finally two days later, after no sleep,he found her lying fast asleep in the ancienttemple which crowned a grassy hill in themiddle of the forest. She awoke with a start.It was then he noticed it, something was

    different about her. She spoke to him(previously she had rarely done so) but thevoice was not her own.

    The voice which came from her said thashe was the Oracle, that this was her new homeand to go and leave her in peace. He triedseveral times to remove her from the forestunsuccessfully. The forest seemed to move to

    block his passage and finally he gave upDistraught he left the forest to go get help. Thais when he met the Drughu. Their chieftainexplained the power of the Oracle and the factthat it had been vacant for so long. At first hewas not willing to accept this fate for his sisterbut the Drughu explained that this was anhonor not frequently bestowed nor lightlygiven and that she would have a purpose in lifenow rather than being wholly dependent onothers all her life. Finally they convinced himand he left sorrowful but, convinced that thiswas right. Upon returning to Edhellond, hefound that his parents had died in a constructionaccident (they were both shipwrights)Disgusted with his lot in life, he returned toWestmarch to be near his sister. Now he hataken a position as a ranger in Evads service asa ranger of Gondor, with his territory beingthat nearest the Oracle.

    Elarin is now second-in-command of the

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    rangers and the only Elf in the Rangers Servicein Westmarch. For that matter, he is the onlyElf besides Amarla (his sister) that frequents thearea with any regularity at all. Since the deathof his parents and the selection of his sister tobe the Oracle, he has thrown himselfcompletely into his work with the rangers. Hislosses have not been without emotional effect

    and Elarin is much darker in mood than he wasonce. He rarely speaks to anyone other than therangers and then mostly to Evad. The localsseem somewhat wary of his presence because ofhis race. He does nothing to remedy this either,because he is usually in no mood to socialize.Because his territory is in the foothills he hasdone significant exploration into the mountainsand probably knows the area as well as anyone.He also acts as a liaison to the Drughu when

    needed. The paths of the Drughu and humansof the area rarely cross, but when they do Elarinhas been useful to both races because he is

    capable in both languages and understands (aswell as any non-Drg) the way they thinkElarin is a capable hunter and fighter and he hasoften taken hunting trips with Evad into themountains to hunt bear and boar.

    Amarla as the mouth of the Oracle hasbeen given special abilities to defend herseland her realm. Any attempts to read her mindor delve into her mind including generainfluence spells will be met by a 25th levemind blank, which will not allow such activityto affect her. Also if a person attempts a mindcontrol or probing spell on Amarla, they mus

    save versus Mentalisim at 50th level orgo insane from the experience. Iattacked physically, the power of theOracle will teleport Amarla away intothe woods where the Huorns wilprotect her. Either way at the first signof physical aggression the Huorns awell as the Drughu make their way tothe Oracle at best possible speed andbegin to exterminate the aggressors. (Ithe Earthnode rules from Rolemaste

    Companion I are used then Amarlawould be considered a guardian.)All Amarlas physical needs are me

    by the Oracle which grows food for herbut the Drughu also bring her thingsperiodically. They see her most oftenrunning through the forest chasinganimals that she has for playmatesTheir devotion to her nears worship forthey believe that she embodies theperfect innocence never ending that no

    else could ever attain.Physically Amarla appears toothers as would a young woman of 1416 years old in build but withdistinctively Elvish features. Most othe time she will be streaked with mudand have twigs and straw sticking from

    her hair in a most unkempt manner, aswould any young girl that plays in the woodsevery day.

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    2.73 LORD TARGEN

    Lord Targen is ruler of the southernportion of Westmarch. He is an older Dnadannoble (140) who is considered by most peopleof the area to be an open and caring person. Heis known for his sense of fair play and hisenjoyment of life. To the people of his domainhe is less of a ruler than a friend. He can oftenbe seen carrying on in a most unlordly manner.It would not be uncommon for Lord Targen tobe seen standing knee deep in water of theAdorn fishing for trout with a group of localmen and boys while his assistants remindedhim repeatedly he was supposed to beelsewhere. This type of contact with the localson a regular bases has not undermined hisauthority, however, because many havewitnessed his anger and have seen him dole outharsh punishment to the unfortunate criminalsbrought to his court. Lord Targen resides some15 miles southeast of Derwath across the Adornriver in the castle Tilmendir, which was builtseveral centuries ago to maintain close watchon the pass through the White Mountains thatcrosses there. His family has controlled thisarea for as long as the castle has been inexistence, and he is quite comfortable here. Thecastle now houses two of his three sons, hisservants and approximately 50 militiamen. Hiswife died 25 years ago, after giving birth to hisyounger son, and his middle son is away southbecoming a scholar.

    2.74 LORD NEGOLOS

    Lord Negolos has only been lord of thisarea for three years. His father was in theprime of his life when he died from the Plagueleaving a very young lord Negolos to accepduties that have matured him fairly rapidly. Heis only 28 years old, newly wed, and tryinghard to do his best to replace his fatherUnfortunately for Negolos, the area he governsof late has had some significant racial problemsbrought about by the Dunnish that have movedback from Dunland to what they consider to betheir rightful home. In the last year there havebeen several near misses in racial relations thaalmost resulted in a racial revolt/war in theregion. Whether out of luck or cunning (theargument goes both ways amongst the localsLord Negolos has temporarily abated thisproblem by marrying the daughter of a DaenLintis nobleman that moved his entire extendedfamily to Westmarch some ten years ago. Hisnew wife, Sirris, is well loved in the Dunnishcommunity and this marriage seems to havebrought together the races for awhileUnfortunately for Lord Negolos, the rumorsthat this was a cunning feat of diplomacy areentirely false, and although he loves his newwife deeply, he has no notion of what to do ifthe current peaceful status erodes againBecause of his inexperience, he has of late beenasking the advice of Lord Targen and Evad theranger on several trips that he has taken to theDerwath in the past few months.

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    2.8 WESTMARCH ATOTHER TIMES

    2.81 WESTMARCH 1640-2510

    From 1640 to 2510 of the Third Age,

    change was slow but steady in Westmarch.With the decline of the population ofCalenardhon proper, the north trade throughWestmarch to those regions slowed as did themigration of craftsmen and new settlers fromthe South. In Westmarch this meant that thepopulation became more and more mixed astimed passed because of the slow yet constantinflux of Dunmen. As this occurred even theruling pure Dnadan class became mixed withDunnish blood. Not only did the rulers lose

    their bloodline distinction during this timeperiod, but much of their power as well. Astime went on, many of the rulers became justrich influential men with great tracts of lands.This, along with the decline in the influence ofGondor on the government, over time allowedthe people of Westmarch to take over most ofthe governmental functions, blending thehistorical Dnadan government with the clansystem of the Daen Lintis that moved south.Most of this transition was a peaceful with a few

    exceptions in the form of clan wars andconfrontations with the rangers in the region.During this time, the points of interest of 1640change very little. The Rendar and Asirac arestill at a stalemate, Amarla is still the mouth ofthe Oracle of Yavanna, and the Earthwell is stilloperating as a spying station for Dol Guldur.Elarin the Ranger lost interest in his service as aranger and traveled north to Rivendell to livewith his relatives there. He journeys back andforth once every 2-3 years to see his sister at the

    Oracle.

    2.82 WESTMARCH 2510-2759

    T.A. 2510 was as significant as a yearcould get for the people of Westmarch. Havingheard the rumors of the possible threat from theBalchoth, Cirion the Steward of Gondormustered as many troops as he could for the

    northern Gondorian army thus swelling theranks of the garrison at Angrenost. (TheAglarond had long since been abandoned.)Some of these new volunteers were fromWestmarch, but not many. By this time nomany in Westmarch felt that they owed muchallegiance to Gondor, but the few who didturned out to help the Northern Army. Thialone would not have been enough to stop theBalchoth, but luckily for the people of Gondortheir oldest and most steadfast allies the

    othod came to their rescue in the nick of timeat Parth Celebrant. The aftermath of thisconflict saw Cirion the steward of Gondorceding all of Calenardhon to Eorl and hispeople. This wasnt significant to the people oCalenardhon proper, because in reality therewerent many Calenardhons left by this timeThis land grant did include Westmarch whichwas more populated. This would become alingering problem for many years. Noincluded in the grant was the fortress ofTilmendir south of the river Adorn. This wouldremain garrisoned by the Dnedain until theyear 2845 during Folcwines reign when theRohan takes over complete control oWestmarch.

    Once the land was granted to them theRohirrim moved in over a few years time withlittle adjustments necessary. The only problemarea was Westmarch. Here the population wamuch heavier and were not about to move ou

    of their homes to let the Rohirrim settle thereFortunately the Rohirrim had plenty of room inthe other regions of Calenardhon, and thereforedid not insist upon moving into Westmarchright away. Over the years, however, some othe Rohirrim did move into Westmarchsporadically, and gradually mixed with thepeople of Westmarch to further dilute the raciabackground of the region. This would becomesignificant in years to follow. Over the years

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    while Calenardhon was mostly unoccupied,Dunnish clans had moved closer and closer toCalenardhon. This brought about frequentborder conflicts between the Rohirrim and theDunnish.

    When Cirion had given Calenardhon tothe Rohirrim, he also gave them the rights to

    use the Aglarond which had been abandonedfor years and had become run down. Excludedfrom the grant to the Rohirrim was Angrenost(Isengard) and the tower of Orthanc which hadbeen garrisoned by a hereditary force ofGondorian solders since 2050, when the lastGondorian king was killed and the regulargarrison was recalled. This force over the yearsbecame less disciplined and more friendly withthe Daen Lintis clans that had moved nearer. In2710, the commander of the garrison at

    Angrenost died without an heir, which enabledthe Dunmen to work their way into the fortressand take it over with a combination ofdiplomacy, deception, and force. This positionallowed their raids to be more effective as wellas allowing them a power base to launch moresignificant raids when the opportunitypresented itself. That opportunity would comein 2754.

    In 2754, Westmarch would become thesource of one of the worst wars in its history.

    At this time in Westmarch there lived a mannamed Freca was considered a nobleman ofsorts to the people of Westmarch. He was froma wealthy family, and claimed to be adescendent of the Dnadan lord that had onceruled the area around Beldwin, a theorysupported to some extent because his familyhome was the castle occupied by those lords.He also claimed descent from the kings of theRohirrim through an obscure relationship aswell as some rights to nobility among one ofthe Daen Lintis clans. Freca was a shrewdbusinessman and wise in his policies regardingthe people of Westmarch, but he let hisarrogance get the best of him, when he claimedthat he should be included on the ruling counciland asked for the kings daughters hand for hisson, Wulf. Helm, the king of Rohan, was notknown for his tolerance and had never failed toexpress his dislike of Freca. So Frecas requestfor a marriage arrangement was met with a flat

    no. Insults were exchanged and when Helmhad had enough, he hit Freca so hard on the topof the head that Freca died instantly. InWestmarch, Frecas death was not taken wellHis son Wulf was able to use his fathers deathas a rallying point for the Dunnish majority othe area. For the next four years, Wulf recruitedDunmen into his army from Westmarch and

    Dunland. Many of the people of Westmarchwho were still loyal to king Helm or were oRohirric descent left Westmarch afraid of therising tension.

    In 2758, the opportunity to attack, forwhich Wulf had been waiting, finally aroseThat year, the Easterlings attacked Rohan fromthe east and the Corsairs of Umbar attackedGondor from the south which meant that Rohanwould not receive any help from their closestallies. The Corsairs attacked all along thecoastal fiefs of the southern provinces ofGondor and drove inland. This brought themthough the passes of the southwest arm of theWhite Mountains and into Westmarch. Herethey met with very little resistance except fothe small predominantly Dnadan garrison aTilmendir, and soon were met by Wulf and histroops. A quick agreement allowed the twoarmies to join forces to defeat the Rohirrim at abattle at the fords of the Isen. The Corsairs athis point were too over-extended on men andsupplies to continue the campaign and returnedhome, having successfully completed their taskof occupying the Rohirrim so that they couldnot come to the aid of the Gondorian armiesAfter the decisive battle at the Fords, Wulf andhis army were able to drive into Rohan andtake over the capitol city of Edoras where Wulclaimed the kingship. During the winter, Helmand his sons died defending the Hornburg (theAglarond). The rest of the royal family andmany of the people of Edoras survived byretreating to Dunharrow, the ancient DaenCoentis holy site high in the White MountainsWhen the spring came, Helms nephew and heirFralaf led a surprise raid into Edoras andkilled Wulf on the steps of the throne in theGolden Hall itself. Without their leader, theDunnish fled Rohan pursued by the Rohirrimending the first Dunnish invasion of Rohan.

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    A Locator Map for Westmarch

    1. Beldwin2. Amon Roch3. The Oracle Site

    4. The Earthwell (picnic hill)5. The Adventurers Tower6. The Rendar/Asirac Valley7. Derwath8. Tilmendir

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    2.83 WESTMARCH 2759-3019

    After the short-lived takeover by Wulf,things returned much to the way things werebefore in Westmarch, but only to a point. Thedispossessed Rohirrim from Westmarch slowlymoved back into Westmarch alongside some of

    the same people that were part of Wulfs army.Racial strife abounded over the next centuryand the goal of the kings of Rohan was to ridWestmarch of all Dunnish. Regular sortieswere led into the region and by the year 2800, agarrison had been established in the fortressthat had once been Wulf and Frecas home.During the reign of king Folcwine, theRohirrim started a campaign in Westmarch torid the region of its Dunnish influence. Theybegan by seeking out families of Dunnish

    descent that were not loyal to the king,particularly those who are very outspoken orhad ancestors that had participated in Wulfsuprising. These families were first told thatthey should leave, or suffer stiff penalties andtaxes for staying. This worked for some ofthese families, but many resisted these tacticsand remained in Westmarch despite thepressure.

    When these tactics did not work, the

    Rohirrim upgraded to more harsh measures ofburning crops and driving off livestock. Thisdrove most of the others, but a few stubbornDunnish clansmen maintained their claim to theland. It is said that history is written by thevictors. History says that the Rohirrim riddedWestmarch of the Plague of the Dunnish thathad troubled them for so long. If the Dunmenhad written history, the Rohirrim might nothave looked quite as valiant in their efforts.Many of the acts the Rohirrim committed in the

    name of patriotism were cruel and vicious, andare not spoken of among polite people whohave respect for the crown and the traditions ofthe Rohirrim. The Dunnish remembered themlong afterwards, and they only served to fueltheir hatred for the Rohirrim.

    Regardless of the tactics, however,Westmarch was rid of the Dunnish influence by2903, the end of Folcwines reign. This was

    short-lived, without the constant surveillanceneeded to keep Westmarch racially pure. Soonthe Dunnish were moving back into Westmarchand reestablishing ties with people they onceknew there. In fact, by the time of the War othe Ring (3018-3019) Westmarchs racial mixturewas much as it had been before the purge. Thedifference was that everyone that lived within

    Westmarch seemed to get along. The onlyfighting during the time before the war wasbetween the Dunmen of Westmarch andsoldiers of Rohan that were new to the regionMost of these skirmishes were highly protestedby the residents of Westmarch, which is whyduring the War the people of Westmarch couldnot be counted on by either side, so split weretheir loyalties. Westmarch itself played nosignificant role in the war, but the inhabitantsof the Earthwell played a major part inproviding information to Sauron concerningSarumans activities as well as the strength andnumbers of the Rohirrim. They were alsoinstrumental in discovering vital informationabout Boromirs ride to Rivendell, and incoordinating the information gathering servicesfocused on locating the fellowship of the Ringas well as acting as a stopping off point for theNazgl as they searched.

    2.84 WESTMARCH AFTER 3019

    In the aftermath of the War of the Ringthe Dunmen that were defeated at the battle oHelms deep returned home to Dunland andWestmarch dejected and humbled. The newking of Gondor and Arnor, ceded the landcalled Dunland to them to live in for as long asthey so desired if they lived peacefully. Becauseof the war the male population of Dunland wassignificantly decreased. This was also the casefor the Dunnish families of Westmarch whosemen went off to war. Many of these familiedecided to move back to Dunland to rejoinrelatives for a more stable family structure. Theones that decided to stick it out in Westmarchsoon learned that as part of the conditions osurrender they had to relocate to Dunlandwhich left Westmarch completely under thecontrol of the Rohirrim.

    When the War ended, the news ofSaurons defeat was immediately known to

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    those at the Earthwell. Having lost theirmaster, the inhabitants fell into dissension andmost left to flee eastward way from the powerof the Rohirrim and Gondorians. Two of themdecided to stay at the Earthwell with theirservants and hide out until such time as theycould begin to exert control over the area bytheir own means.

    Also remaining in Westmarch after thewar were the Rendar and the Asirac. Unlike theother undead clans of the Daen Coentis whowere released from their curse by Aragornduring the war, these clans never swore an oathto the Dnedain, but rather became undead ontheir own; the Rendar to continue their foulexistence and the Asirac to counter them. Whenthe war ended, the threat and terror of theundead in the southern White Mountainsstopped, but in Westmarch the tales of ghosts inthe mountains continued for years.

    3.0 THEHOMECOMING

    3.1 THE TALE

    Lord Targen, who is in charge of the

    lands around Derwath, has three sons who havegrown into manhood in Westmarch. His eldesson Carnil, and his younger son Galendur, werealways more physical, and much the outdoorsmen. His middle son Miconur, however, wasalways more introverted and scholarly. For thepast five years, Miconur has been away fromhome. He was sent with his fathers blessingsto become a scholar in Lond Ernil (DoAmroth). Now he has come home for a visitand has been for two months. Unfortunately

    for everyone concerned he did not study theareas that his father would have most desiredInstead, Miconur was sucked in to studying theblack arts while away in the south and hequickly took a liking to the power that wasassociated with sorcery. His mentor taught himwell and Miconur learned quickly. Howeverone thing he was not able to pick up on werethe seeds that his master planted in his mind togrow into hatred for his family, and his peoplein general. Unbeknownst to him, his master

    was a follower of the dark religions and underthe command of Khaml in Dol Guldur.

    Miconur arrived home six weeks agounannounced and acted completely normal forthe first week while he slowly introduced mindaltering substances into the food of the castleSince then, he has imprisoned his father andolder brother, and has his younger brother, thehousehold servants and the militiamen of thecastle under his control. He has been makingthe militiamen into a cruel parody of their

    former selves. For the last month the normallyhappy and cavalier militiamen have beenraiding villages and farm houses disguised asbandits under the orders of Miconur. Thenwhen the militia was asked to step up patrols toeliminate the raids, they laughed. Morerecently there have actually been a few violenepisodes in Derwath itself. So far no oneoutside the castle knows of Miconurs returnOnly Evad believes that something might be

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    wrong at the castle and he is worried aboutLord Targen who has not been seen in publicfor six weeks. Evad, having only sketchyevidence and hunches, realizes that furtherinvestigation into the disturbances and thestatus of the castle are mandatory.

    There is another complicating factor tothis tale, however. When the powers of evil at

    the Earthwell discovered that Miconurs actionscould potentially cause a disturbance whichmight jeopardize their standing in Westmarch,their reaction to this problem is as one wouldexpecteliminate the problem at the source.Miconur must be stopped before his actionsdraw attention to Westmarch. The Assassin hasbeen dispatched to deal with the problem.

    3.2 THE NPCS

    Miconur

    From an early age, Miconur showedsigns of great intelligence. His father was veryproud of him for his excellence in his studiesbut Miconur always felt inferior because helacked his older brothers physical prowess.

    This drove a rift between he and his brotherCarnil; a resentment that has lasted to thepresent. When Miconur was 20 he had learnedall he could from the local sages and men ofpower, and desired to go south to one of thelarger cities to learn the ways of power. Hisfather put this off for five years before heallowed him to travel to Lond Ernil. His fatherhoped that he would study one of the moregentle magical arts, or even better become ahistorian or scholar of some sort. The latter was

    an end Lord Targen prayed for daily, for he wasuncomfortable with his second son seeking theways of power, and with good reason. Becauseof his physical inability when compared to hisbrothers, Lord Targen was afraid that Miconurwould seek to become magically powerful tobalance his brothers physical abilities in hisown mind. Lord Targen knew his son all toowell, for it was not long after Miconur arrivedin Lond Ernil and commenced his studies in the

    field of Astrology that he was taken under thetutelage of man who proclaimed himself to be afamous teacher of magic from the southMiconur soon learned to trust the man from thesouth, but his mentor was not what he seemedIt wasnt long before the bond of trust betweenmentor and student allowed Miconur to comeunder the evil influence of his master. For five

    years now he has been studying intensively themagical arts known as sorcery as well aslearning as much as he could about poisonsMiconur learned more than just magic from hismentor, however, he also learned a distinchatred of his own people, and in particular hisolder brother and his father. This mindmanipulation was part of the bargain involvedin learning the magical arts from the minions othe dark lord. His mentor did not approve ohis return to Westmarch, but Miconurs hatredand skills had grown to the point that he wouldnot be stopped, and in a fit of rage he killed hismentor and headed home.

    Miconur is a 30 year-old Dnadan manwith near pure Nmenrean blood. Whichmeans he still in the first fifth of his life. He is63 tall with black hair and pale blue eyes. Heis a genius and has learned more in the last fiveyears of study than most could learn in tenHowever, his studies, his own emotionainstability, and his mentors manipulations ofhis mind have driven him quite mad. Hismadness makes him impossible to reason withhim and gives him a +40 on saving throws vsany mental attack or manipulation. He is an 8thlevel sorcerer who now has control oapproximately 40 militiamen whom he wilgladly sacrifice to kill his enemies or savehimself. He has no objection to killing anyonefor that matter, except for his younger brotherGalendur who was the only person he everreally loved. Currently, he has Galendur undercontrol just like the other militiamen but hewill not force Galendur into combat like theothers.

    Carnil

    The eldest of the three sons Carnil is thebest at arms and good administrator, but it wasthese skills that drove his brother away. Carniwas completely oblivious to his brothers

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    resentment. He is a commanding figurestanding 67 tall with black hair and dark greyeyes. He is a 7th level Fighter but has not seenany real action for nearly ten years. He is 50years old.

    Galendur

    Miconurs younger brother Galendur ismore like Carnil than he is like Miconur, butunlike Carnil, Miconur and Galendur werealways close because only two years separatedthem. Galendur is 28 years old. He is 64 tallwith dark hair and blue eyes. He acts as one ofthe officers for the militia. He is a 5th levelRanger, and although he appears less seriousthan Carnil he takes his responsibilitiesseriously. He is also one of the few menconnected with the militia that recognize the

    importance of the rangers and because of this henormally remains in contact with them on aregular basis. His absence in this capacity hasbeen noticed since Miconurs return.

    Jozein the Assassin

    Soon after the death of Miconurs mentorwas discovered by servants of the Dark Lord, itwas postulated that Miconur might return to hishome. Upon researching his origins it was

    concluded that his return to Westmarch couldbe threatening to the security of the Earthwell ifhe caused any trouble. The Earthwell wasnotified and the Assassin (See Section 2.61) wasdispatched to take care of the situation. Thatassassin is called Jozein. He is now en route toDerwath disguised as a merchant selling ropesand cloth. As for his attempt to kill Miconur,his plan is to silently scale the walls of the castleand pick a vantage point that will allow him tomonitor the movements, of Miconur. Once helocates Miconur or realizes a pattern in hismovements he will move in for an Ambushattack. If need be, he will adopt the guise of amilitiaman in order to get close enough. If herealizes that the party is there to act to correctthe situation he will still try to kill Miconurbefore the party can get to him, so they cannotglean any information about Miconurs studiesor about his mentor in the south.

    3.3 THE SETTING

    The adventure mainly takes place in Derwathand in Tilmendir castle outside of Derwathwhich was built during Gondors expansionperiod around T.A. 1050. The castle was buillarge and once housed a sizable garrison to

    protect the pass through the White Mountainsto the southern coast, in case of invasion by seaOver the course of time, however, the castle hasbecome less and less populated and now onlyhas a garrison of 50 militiamen as noted inSection 2.5. The castle itself has several areasthat are unoccupied now because of therelatively low number of people occupying itThis all makes for some areas of the castle thatare dark and spooky (according to some of theyounger men).

    3.31 DERWATH

    Derwath, the largest town in Westmarchhas been in existence long before Tilmendir wasbuilt. Originally it was a Daen Coentis villagein place long before the Dnedain sailed fromNmenor to settle the coastlines. Since then theDnedain ha