Talesof the

WestmarchAuthor/Designer: Randell Doty

Contents1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 HOW THIS MODULE MADE IT TOTHE WEB

1.2 A FEW MORE COMMENTSABOUT CONTENTS

1.3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS2.0 WESTMARCH

2.1 OVERVIEW2.2 A BRIEF TIMELINE2.3 THE LAND

2.31 Geography2.32 Climate2.33 Flora2.34 Fauna

2.4 POLITICS AND POWER2.41 The Calenardhons2.42 The Daen Lintis2.43 The Dúnedain

2.5 THE GOVERNMENT2.6 THE FORCES OF EVIL

2.61 The Earthwell2.62 The Undead

2.7 NPC’S FOR ALL ADVENTURES2.71 Evad2.72 Elarin & Amarla2.73 Lord Targen2.74 Lord Negolos

2.8 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 Derwath3.32 Tilmendir

3.4 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 TABLE8.2 BEAST TABLE8.3 ENCOUNTER TABLE8.4 HERB TABLE8.5 MILITARY TABLE8.6 WEATHER TABLE8.7 PRICE TABLE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 HOW THIS MODULEMADE IT TO THE WEB

This module was written for IronCrown 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 callsinquiring 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 thismight 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.CCG’s if popular are very profitable.Considering ICE’s previous cash-flowproblems, I don’t blame them at all forrerouting resources from the Middle-earthRole Playing line to the expansion of such aprofit 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 Crown’s Jessica Ney-Grimm gavethe go ahead and I formatted it into this hugePDF file. Now you have a module that wasaccepted by ICE but not published. That’sabout as close to cannon as it gets. Thanks forindulging me in this little bit of history. Havefun.

1.2 A FEW MORECOMMENTS ABOUTCONTENTS

Most of ICE’s MERP modules includeseveral sections on terminology, definitions,conversion statistics, etc. I’m assuming that ifyou are knowledgeable about the MERPsystem to take the trouble to download thisthat you probably don’t need this stuff. If youfind abbreviation that you don’t recognize ora term with which you are unfamiliar take thetime to look in your other MERP materials. Ifyou still can’t find it then e-mail me and I willtry to figure out what I meant.

1.3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank ICE for allowingthis module to be published via the web. Iwould 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 isbased on the work of George Bain.

Randell Doty

2.0 WESTMARCH2.1 OVERVIEW

Westmarch. The name brings upimages of lush plains and green fields. Apeaceful 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, asmentioned already Westmarch is not a centerfor excitement…usually.

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 Second Age

1 Noldorin kingdom established inLindon after the fall of Beleriand withGil-galad as king.

32 Númenor founded.

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

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

1200-1500 Númenóreans 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 Sauron’sguidance (as Annatar).

1600 Sauron makes the Ruling Ring.

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

1800-2251 Númenóreans increase their holdingsin Middle-earth. It is during this timethat the circle of Angrenost (Isengard)is smoothed, but the fortress will bebuilt later. Sauron begins to sendemissaries to the Daen Coentis tosubvert their religion and turn themagainst the Númenóreans, whosenumbers will swell above those of theDaen Coentis in the White Mountainsas this time period ends. SeveralDúnadan families with pioneeringspirits settle in what will become

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

3315 Drúedain 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 Númenor 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-dûr is taken and Sauronis overthrown. Isildur cuts theRuling Ring from Sauron’s 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. MoreDúnadan settlers move intoWestmarch, and take over thegovernment there.

500-1400 Calenardhon is a prosperous province.Westmarch is considered the furthestwestern 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 ofdevastating diseases and pestilences,sweeps through Rhovanion, Gondor,and Eriador. Calenardhon begins aslow decline in population.Westmarch loses touch with Gondor intrade and in government for awhile.Trade from the north declines. TheDúnedain slowly begin to lose powerin Westmarch.

1640 The capital of Gondor is moved fromOsgiliath to Minas Anor.

1974-75 The Witch-king’s armies overrunArthedain.

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

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

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

2063 Beginning of the Watchful Peace.Dunmen begin to settle furthersouth of Dunland in Westmarch,reawakening old racial strife andgaining control of Westmarch.

2460-2510 The Balchoth invade Gondor. TheÉothéod, led by Eorl the Young,come to Gondor’s aid and are giventhe land of Calenardhon as rewardby Cirion the Steward. Battlesbegin between the Rohirrim andthe Dunnish over the possession ofWestmarch. 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, Freca’s son, raises a Dunnisharmy to march against Rohan.

2758 The Long Winter grips the landEasterlings 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 theRohirrim are held in siege atHelms Deep and Dunharrow.Helm and his sons are killed.

2759 Fréalaf, Helm’s 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 Council.Saruman begins building forces,(including many Dunmen) and claimsOrthanc as his own. Saruman beginssending servants to search the GladdenFields.

3000 Saruman uses the Orthanc palantír andbecomes entrapped by Sauron.

3018-19 War of the Ring. The Ents attackIsengard. The Dunmen in league withSaruman are defeated at Helm’s Deep,but allowed to return home.Westmarch 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 castout. Saruman passes from Endor.

3021 End of the Third Age.

2.3 THE LAND

2.31 GEOGRAPHY

The land known as Westmarch was giventhat name by the early Númenórean settlers asit 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 toname 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 notablefeature 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 ofAngrenost (Isengard) which was once a volcano.If it is postulated that the northernmost area ofthe White Mountains is indeed thesouthernmost continuation of the MistyMountains, this is easily conceivable. InWestmarch this volcanic nature presents itselfas lonely flat hills of minimal height which aredispersed across the broad plains. These are, ofcourse, 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 that,along 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 ofWestmarch 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 itsdive into a gorge that runs almost the length ofWestmarch. As the river turns west it fallsquickly via a series of stair-step rapids into a

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 antelopehave 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 great.That, 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 thatcome down from the White Mountains and jointhe Angren in its course to the sea. Some ofthese 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

more picturesque rivers in all of Middle-earth.Like the river itself, the Adorn’s 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 awonderful 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 thecoastal 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., ash,rowan, etc.). As the land flattens, the treesbecome decidedly more hardwood. Stands ofvirgin 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 someoccasions, 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 bareskin of human or animal causes an intenseburning pain and later a severe rash. This willcause the person or animal touched to move at50% until the pain subsides (2-5 days)unfortunately the substance causing the paincannot be washed off or neutralized by anyknown antidote. The pain can be reduced,however, by the use of various analgesic herbs.Even 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 ofthese 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

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, withpeople 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 money.The people of Far Harad, and subsequentlyothers that have had association with them,believe that these glands, taken in smallquantities, 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, arefits 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, butwith decreased duration and intensity.Recently, these stimulant properties have beenused by several herbalists to treat states ofcatatonia in patients. The glands are situatedbehind the snake’s eyes and puff out when full.Once dried, they resemble peas and will bring50 gp each, providing that proof of a kill,usually 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 semi-sentient and possess an innate sense (similar toa continual Presence spell) which will allowthem 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 time.Although 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 territorialand will attack trespassers if the party is notoverwhelmingly strong. Otherwise, they willstalk the trespassers and attack themindividually if given the opportunity.

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 morea 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 wildanimals, 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,Dúnedain, some Northmen, mixes of all three,and a scattering of other lesser men. The nobleclass and educated class are primarily made upof the pure Dúnedain.

The craftsman class is mostly the mixedDúnedain/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 ofWestmarch but the Dúnedain 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 LastAlliance 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 travelnorth into what is now Dunland. Some DaenCoentis moved from the south vales of theWhite Mountains into what is now calledWestmarch never quite making it to Dunland.Other 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, butpossibly 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 1640,however, most of these people have at least oneancestor or relative that is Dúnadan. Thesemixed people are fairly well dispersed inWestmarch, although in the southern areas andin particular the city of Derwath, the percentageof Dúnedain 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, butrather stand alone and interact with outsidersonly when absolutely necessary and even thenonly through those who are most likethemselves. They dislike the Dúnadangovernment, but are currently in no position tothreaten it. They feel that they are the higher

order of society and look down on theDúnedain as usurpers and invaders of theirrightful homeland. Of course the Dúnedainview 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 astightly. The most heated rivalries that haddeveloped between clans in Dunland still existbetween their factions in Westmarch, but thetrue lines of strife lie along theDunnish/Dúnadan 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 Dúnedain. This may turn outto be an unsatisfactory relationship for bothparties as the Dunnish make too many wavesand the Dúnedain 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 Dúnadan 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 DÚNEDAIN

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

few families remain relatively undiluted intheir Númenórean heritage. The highestpopulation of the Dúnedain (pure or otherwise)is in the southern regions of Westmarch,particularly Derwath with a general decreasingtrend as one progresses northwards. TheDúnedain of Westmarch are primarily thenobility, quality craftsmen, and educated classof 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 ofthe chief exporting is carried out by theDúnedain, 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 theirproduce 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 permanenttrading run to Westmarch funded by outsiders.

The local government is completelyDúnadan-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 Pre-Plague state of affairs. Even in stable times thegovernment of Westmarch was loosely run dueto the distance from the capital. The officialgovernmental headquarters for Westmarch washistorically at the Aglarond (later to becomeHelm’s Deep), but during these times oftribulation 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 Targen’s home is castle Tilmendirwhich was built to protect the pass through the

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 lord’s true control of the area. Lord Targenhouses a small cadre of militia at Tilmendir thatpatrol 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 Targen’s request. Themilitiamen, because of their age and the factthat this is the first time in their lives theydidn’t 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 soldiersunder his command that are seasoned veteranswhom his father hired in the South six yearsago, just before the Plague. These men are loyalto 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 trainregularly. Lord Negolos also supplementsthese men with any of the young men of thearea who wish to learn the art of fighting.Currently, 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 thatfollows the Angren to the convergence of theAdorn, is very lightly populated and iscurrently ruled strangely enough, by threerelatively young men, Reaslos, Glëan, andCamdin. These three were adventurers in theSouth and in Calenardhon, who happened tofall into circumstances that enabled them tohelp the king’s family personally. To rewardthem for their services he gave them this area ofland 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 offwandering 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 (albeitgreedy at times) and feel responsible for thepeoples safety, so, no real strife has occurredbetween themselves and the people, as of yet.In 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 governmentaloffice 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 act

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 installationsincluding 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 rangers’and particularly Evad’s 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 thelord’s 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 themost 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 Dúnedain, 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 mapsof the area the hill’s name is “The Earthwell.” Itwas 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 thatbeneath 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 Necromancer’s forces. During the SecondAge when the Dark Lord’s 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. UponSauron’s reappearance in Middle-earth as thenecromancer of Dol Guldur around T.A. 1000,he began a rebuilding his network of priests,cults, and informants. It was during this time ofrebuilding that he decided to place a spyingpost in the cave complex of the Earthwell.Sauron deemed it perfect, not because it wasinconspicuous, but rather that the place wasbeyond suspicion because of its location, thepreviously untouched area known asWestmarch. After careful reconnaissance it wasdiscovered that the cave complex remainedundiscovered by the local inhabitants. Soonafter, a team was sent to prepare the complexfor 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 GreatEast-West Road that passes through the gap tothe north and the goings on at the two majorfortresses of Angrenost (Isengard) and theAglarond (Helm’s Deep).

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 reportingstation 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 Earthwell’s 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 theEarthwell’s 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 Earthwell’s 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 BlackNúmenórean 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 thatenables 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 aredesignated by the Seeker, and are limited tothree. Once a place is decided upon, the Seekermust visit there or have access to someone’smind 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 allfive senses. He is also able to utilize any of hisnon physical skills (such as Power Perception)via the eye. Aside from this, the Eye can, on alarger scale, locate small surges in the magicalcontinuum of Middle-earth. These surges areproduced when significant amounts of magicalenergy 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 eye.Once he localizes these surges, he can notifyspies of the activity and start an investigation ifthe 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 externalsecurity for the station. If at any time personsnot privy to the secrets of the Earthwelldiscover 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 artof killing, and has completed numerousmissions of this very kind. He is of commonman stock and is very normal in appearance,which only helps in his field. He is 5’11” tall

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 tomelee, 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 Seeker’s 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 population.The Web is also in charge of coordinating theinternal security of the Earthwell shouldanyone ever intrude. These security measuresinclude the traps that have been constructed, thefour human guards, and the Beast (explainedbelow). The Web is a special woman. She is ofpure Númenórean descent, middle aged, butstill very young looking, and quite striking.She 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 ancientitem, the Raugno staff. This black staff is some

7’ long normally but adjusts itself to the user’sheight. The staff’s 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 hasgreater 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 useany 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 Earthwell.His 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 outat Dol Guldur. Sauron has experimented withbreeding Orcs and Trolls throughout time,hoping to create faster, stronger, and more lightresistant species. The Beast was one of his mostsuccessful experiments in crossbreeding withone drawback; he is sterile and therefore of nofurther use in the experimentations.

The Beast is a mixture of Orc, Human,and Troll. In what percentages these threemake up the beast only Sauron and his breedersknow for sure. Regardless of the percentages,the result is quite impressive. The beast is over7’ tall and extremely muscular. His skin is jetblack and very tough, due to the tiny scales thathe inherited from the Troll side of his heritage.From 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 passagesand 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 specialamulet, keyed to the rock of the Earthwell, thatallows 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 aboutcounter-attacks. The amulet only works withinthe Earthwell. He has taken great pride in hisposition here and regards the safety of the Weband the Seeker as his personnel responsibility.

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 NPC’s FOR ALLADVENTURES

2.71 EVAD

Evad is a the ranger captain in charge ofall the rangers of the region known asWestmarch. He is an imposing physicalpresence standing 6’6” tall and weighing 250lbs. He is a seasoned veteran of severalcampaigns elsewhere and finds Westmarchsomewhat boring. He is half-Dúnadan, half-Northman. His father’s family was one of theEldacar faction in the Kin-strife and wasrewarded quite well in lands and statusafterwards. He has the Northmen’s blond hairwhich makes him stand out even further. Oneof Evad’s strong points is his reasoningabilities. He is a superb detective and tacticianwhich has helped him a lot in his currentstation. Evad is tolerant of visitors inWestmarch, but will not stand for rabblerousers and strife caused by outsiders. He hasbeen here long enough that he knows thesepeople well and considers most an extension ofhis family. He is currently unmarried as hethinks that this would be a poor arrangementconsidering his position requires so muchtravel and odd hours.

Evad, however, has a secret hiddenwithin him such that even he does not know.The day he was born was also the day that hisgreat grandfather Feamond died. Ever since,the ghost of Feamond has followed him as aguardian. Normally the life draining effects ofa ghost in close proximity would kill mostpeople after such a lengthy exposure, but Evadwas also born with limited regenerativeabilities, that maintains him as his greatgrandfather’s ghost drains him. Evad has neverrealized that this symbiotic relationship exists,but 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 ofOrcs.

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

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 relayinformation 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 Evad’s 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 Elf’s 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 tojourney 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 thatshe was the Oracle, that this was her new home,and to go and leave her in peace. He triedseveral times to remove her from the forest,unsuccessfully. The forest seemed to move toblock his passage and finally he gave up.Distraught he left the forest to go get help. Thatis 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 sister,but 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 him,and 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 hastaken a position as a ranger in Evad’s service asa ranger of Gondor, with his territory beingthat nearest the Oracle.

Elarin is now second-in-command of the

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 effectand 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-Drûg) the way they think.Elarin 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 herselfand her realm. Any attempts to read her mindor delve into her mind including generalinfluence spells will be met by a 25th levelmind blank, which will not allow such activityto affect her. Also if a person attempts a mindcontrol or probing spell on Amarla, they must

save versus Mentalisim at 50th level orgo insane from the experience. Ifattacked physically, the power of theOracle will teleport Amarla away intothe woods where the Huorns willprotect her. Either way at the first signof physical aggression the Huorns aswell as the Drughu make their way tothe Oracle at best possible speed andbegin to exterminate the aggressors. (Ifthe Earthnode rules from RolemasterCompanion I are used then Amarlawould be considered a guardian.)

All Amarla’s physical needs are metby the Oracle which grows food for her,but the Drughu also bring her thingsperiodically. They see her most oftenrunning through the forest chasinganimals that she has for playmates.Their devotion to her nears worship forthey believe that she embodies theperfect innocence never ending that noelse could ever attain.

Physically Amarla appears toothers as would a young woman of 14-16 years old in build but withdistinctively Elvish features. Most ofthe 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.

2.73 LORD TARGEN

Lord Targen is ruler of the southernportion of Westmarch. He is an older Dúnadannoble (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 Plague,leaving a very young lord Negolos to acceptduties that have matured him fairly rapidly. Heis only 28 years old, newly wed, and tryinghard to do his best to replace his father.Unfortunately 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 thatalmost resulted in a racial revolt/war in theregion. Whether out of luck or cunning (theargument goes both ways amongst the locals)Lord 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 awhile.Unfortunately 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 again.Because 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.

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 Dúnadan class became mixed withDunnish blood. Not only did the rulers losetheir 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 Dúnadan government with the clansystem of the Daen Lintis that moved south.Most of this transition was a peaceful with a fewexceptions 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 theOracle.

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 thenorthern 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 notmany in Westmarch felt that they owed muchallegiance to Gondor, but the few who didturned out to help the Northern Army. Thisalone would not have been enough to stop theBalchoth, but luckily for the people of Gondortheir oldest and most steadfast allies theÉothéod 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 wasn’t significant to the people ofCalenardhon proper, because in reality thereweren’t many Calenardhons left by this time.This land grant did include Westmarch whichwas more populated. This would become alingering problem for many years. Notincluded in the grant was the fortress ofTilmendir south of the river Adorn. This wouldremain garrisoned by the Dúnedain until theyear 2845 during Folcwine’s reign when theRohan takes over complete control ofWestmarch.

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 wasmuch heavier and were not about to move outof their homes to let the Rohirrim settle there.Fortunately 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 ofthe Rohirrim did move into Westmarchsporadically, and gradually mixed with thepeople of Westmarch to further dilute the racialbackground of the region. This would becomesignificant in years to follow. Over the years,

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 touse 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 atAngrenost 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 Dúnadan 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 daughter’s hand for hisson, Wulf. Helm, the king of Rohan, was notknown for his tolerance and had never failed toexpress his dislike of Freca. So Freca’s 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, Freca’s death was not taken well.His son Wulf was able to use his father’s deathas a rallying point for the Dunnish majority ofthe area. For the next four years, Wulf recruitedDunmen into his army from Westmarch andDunland. Many of the people of Westmarchwho were still loyal to king Helm or were ofRohirric descent left Westmarch afraid of therising tension.

In 2758, the opportunity to attack, forwhich Wulf had been waiting, finally arose.That 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 forthe small predominantly Dúnadan garrison atTilmendir, 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 atthis 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 armies.After the decisive battle at the Fords, Wulf andhis army were able to drive into Rohan andtake over the capitol city of Edoras where Wulfclaimed 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 Mountains.When the spring came, Helm’s nephew and heirFréalaf 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.

A Locator Map for Westmarch

1. Beldwin2. Amon Roch3. The Oracle Site4. The Earthwell (picnic hill)5. The Adventurer’s Tower6. The Rendar/Asirac Valley7. Derwath8. Tilmendir

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 ofthe same people that were part of Wulf’s 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 Freca’s 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 Dunnishdescent that were not loyal to the king,particularly those who are very outspoken orhad ancestors that had participated in Wulf’suprising. 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, theRohirrim 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 thename 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 Folcwine’s 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 ofthe Ring (3018-3019) Westmarch’s racial mixturewas much as it had been before the purge. Thedifference was that everyone that lived withinWestmarch 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 region.Most 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 concerningSaruman’s activities as well as the strength andnumbers of the Rohirrim. They were alsoinstrumental in discovering vital informationabout Boromir’s 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 theNazgûl as they searched.

2.84 WESTMARCH AFTER 3019

In the aftermath of the War of the Ring,the Dunmen that were defeated at the battle ofHelm’s 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 familiesdecided 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 ofsurrender they had to relocate to Dunlandwhich left Westmarch completely under thecontrol of the Rohirrim.

When the War ended, the news ofSauron’s defeat was immediately known to

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 Dúnedain, 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 thelands around Derwath, has three sons who havegrown into manhood in Westmarch. His eldestson Carnil, and his younger son Galendur, werealways more physical, and much the outdoors-men. His middle son Miconur, however, wasalways more introverted and scholarly. For thepast five years, Miconur has been away fromhome. He was sent with his father’s blessingsto become a scholar in Lond Ernil (DolAmroth). Now he has come home for a visitand has been for two months. Unfortunatelyfor everyone concerned he did not study theareas that his father would have most desired.Instead, 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. However,one 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 masterwas a follower of the dark religions and underthe command of Khamûl 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 castle.Since 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 theirformer 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 violentepisodes in Derwath itself. So far no oneoutside the castle knows of Miconur’s return.Only Evad believes that something might be

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 atthe Earthwell discovered that Miconur’s actionscould potentially cause a disturbance whichmight jeopardize their standing in Westmarch,their reaction to this problem is as one wouldexpect…eliminate 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 brother’s 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 wasan 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 brother’s 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 south.Miconur soon learned to trust the man from thesouth, but his mentor was not what he seemed.It wasn’t long before the bond of trust betweenmentor and student allowed Miconur to comeunder the evil influence of his master. For fiveyears now he has been studying intensively themagical arts known as sorcery as well aslearning as much as he could about poisons.Miconur learned more than just magic from hismentor, however, he also learned a distincthatred 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 ofthe dark lord. His mentor did not approve ofhis return to Westmarch, but Miconur’s 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 Dúnadan manwith near pure Númenórean blood. Whichmeans he still in the first fifth of his life. He is6’3” 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 ten.However, his studies, his own emotionalinstability, and his mentor’s 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 ofapproximately 40 militiamen whom he willgladly 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. Carnilwas completely oblivious to his brothers

resentment. He is a commanding figurestanding 6’7” 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

Miconur’s 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 6’4” 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 theimportance of the rangers and because of this henormally remains in contact with them on aregular basis. His absence in this capacity hasbeen noticed since Miconur’s return.

Jozein the Assassin

Soon after the death of Miconur’s mentorwas discovered by servants of the Dark Lord, itwas postulated that Miconur might return to hishome. Upon researching his origins it wasconcluded 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 Miconur’s studiesor about his mentor in the south.

3.3 THE SETTING

The adventure mainly takes place in Derwath,and in Tilmendir castle outside of Derwath,which was built during Gondor’s expansionperiod around T.A. 1050. The castle was builtlarge and once housed a sizable garrison toprotect the pass through the White Mountainsto the southern coast, in case of invasion by sea.Over 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 it.This 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 Westmarch,has been in existence long before Tilmendir wasbuilt. Originally it was a Daen Coentis villagein place long before the Dúnedain sailed fromNúmenor to settle the coastlines. Since then theDúnedain have slowly moved in and resettledthe area in the void left by the dwindling Daen.Derwath is the primary trade and agriculturalcenter for the region. It has several mills and avery active marketplace. The plague caused thecity to lose several key craftsmen, some of thesehave been replaced, but it still feels the effectsof the vacancies at times. Derwath is a peacefulcommunity of hardworking people that rarelyexperiences trouble. In general the poorersection of the town is the northern portions andthe town becomes progressively nicer as