This article is for the Faction, for the NPC, see here.
Though their crafts and way of life may seem primitive to the Men of the North, the Moredain lead long and comfortable lives. Their chieftains are wise and just, there is no shortage of wealth due to trade with Near Harad, suffering is rare as times of war are almost unheard of and the only threats are the wild animals. They are strong warriors in battle, sometimes riding on zebras against their enemies, and wielding spears, clubs, axes, and daggers.
History
The Moredain are descendants of the second tribe of Haradrim, which we now call the “Plains Peoples”. These tribes split from the “Forest Peoples” (the ancestors of the Tauredain and Limwaith) and the “Desert Peoples” (the ancestors of the Southrons of Near Harad) in the First Age and settled the Great Plains of Far Harad. The Plains People settled the wide savannas and bushlands and diverged over the centuries, forming the two distinct groups of tribes: the Moredain and Cernrinim.
The Moredain are a remarkable tribe, since they kept many of the customs and traits of their ancestors. Having a small population, the Moredain nevertheless settled a giant area covering all the savannas of Far Harad, which contributed to their relative isolated lifestyle. Typically, the Moredain of yore (and also of the present) lived in small village communities ruled by chieftains, who often competed for power with neighboring tribes.
Traveling from one Moredain village to another is a dangerous quest, due to the many predatory animals in the savannahs and the long distances between them. Therefore, contact among the Moredain themselves was limited. The Moredain never developed a centralized form of government, but instead remained in their tribal communities, which makes the tracking of their history a complicated matter. Moredain History in the Second Age and onwards can best be observed from a geographical viewpoint.
The Northern Moredain of the Arid Savannahs developed close ties to their Southron neighbors in Near Harad from very early on. Moredain Hunters sold exotic goods like lion fur and rhino horns to the Southron merchants, while the merchants in return provided weapons. Besides being trading partners, the Northern Moredain became famous over the centuries in Near Harad as reliable and brave mercenaries. It is said that, prior to her departure for Gondor, Queen Berúthiel of Harad maintained a personal guard of Moredain Warriors from the Arid Savannah. It is rumored that these Warriors were a gift from a powerful Moredain chieftain to the south, one of many of her lovers. Moredain Warriors particularly earned their fame during the siege of Umbar in TA 1015, when a Moredain mercenary slew the fourteenth King of Gondor, Ciryandil. Yet in the end neither Southron nor Moredain forces were able to stop the Gondorian invasions of Near Harad, which was completed by King Hyarmendacil in TA 1050. After his victory Hyarmendacil send envoys to the northern Moredain tribes to establish tributary relations with the warriors who bravely opposed him and his ancestors. These envoys were always violently rebuffed.
Still, Gondor’s hold on Near Harad weakened significantly over the following centuries, and the Southrons managed to drive the Gondorian forces further and further north. They often relied on Moredain mercenaries in the early years of reconquest. During the late Third Age, the northern Moredain were to some extend involved in the Southron advances north. After Sauron returned to Mordor, the northern Moredain followed their Southron allies and joined his forces. Now, they rally for war on the Dark Lord’s part, and the coming war may see many more brave deeds of the Moredain Merceneries.
The Moredain of the east settled around the Great Lakes of Far Harad, as far as the lands today known as Pertorgowaith. The Eastern Moredain lived in isolation from their kin and any other Haradrim tribes until around SA 1800, when monstrous creatures known as Half-Trolls started raiding the mainland from Tol Torog. During the next two hundred years, the Half-Trolls raged through the lands east of the Seregduin. The local Moredain fell victim to the Half-Trolls, who were known to devour captives whole. The Moredain named those creatures “Grey Demons” and fled in masses westwards, crossing the Seregduin.
Around SA 2130, the Eastern Moredain became subjects of the newly founded Tauredain Empire of Kimen Kaah. The city-state was founded by Tauredain refugees fleeing the chaos of the Jungles after the fall of their Empire centuries earlier. The rulers of Kimen Kaah promised the local Moredain protection against the Half-Trolls in exchange for their service, which the Moredain accepted. Yet in the end the Tauredain did not follow their end of the promise, and in SA 2161 the city fell to the invading Half-Troll hordes.
In complete desperation, the Eastern Moredain united their small forces and through luck were able to drive back the Half-Trolls to the lands east of the Seregduin. Infighting between the Half-Trolls enabled the Moredain to strike back. At around SA 2200 the eastern Moredain allied with nearby Limwaith tribes to secure the Seregduin river and stifle Half-Troll attacks as much as possible, yet occasional but brutal Half-Troll raids could not be prevented. This situation continued deep into the Third Age.
In the late Third Age, Half-Troll attacks intensified extremely for no known reason. The Half-Trolls seemed to have become more organized than ever before, and threatened the lands settled by the eastern Moredain. But around the time of Sauron’s return to Mordor, the Dark Lord send out envoys to the chieftains of the Eastern Moredain, with the promise to free them of their Half-Troll enemies in exchange for their service. The desperate Moredain accepted, and suddenly all Half-Troll attacks stopped. The gracious Moredain then prepared to join Sauron in his quest to conquer Gondor. Without the knowledge that their savior was responsible for their suffering all along, the Eastern Moredain have joined their northern brethren, and will soon march north to war.
The Southern Moredain settled the fertile lands along the mighty Haraduin and the Savannahs south of the great Jungle. They relied more on agriculture than their neighboring kin, yet sometimes went deep into the Jungles to hunt as well. With the rise of the Tauredain Empire in the Second Age, the Moredain fell under the influence of the jungle warriors, who conquered the lands along the Haraduin around SA 1200. The Tauredain High King Matlal imposed his strict rule on the southern Moredain, who were forced to grow corn and yams to feed to ever-expanding Empire. During the Tauredain rule the Southern Moredain suffered enormously. Tauredain High Kings and nobles were known to treat them like slaves. Although a few Moredain rose to prominence as warriors in the Tauredain Empire, most Moredain had to endure severe hardships, as the Tauredain High Kings enforced high tribute payments and forced labor. Many Moredain tribes rebelled against their Tauredain overlords several times, yet with no success, as Tauredain civilization proved to be too powerful. The last resisting southern Moredain tribes were subjugated around SA 1600, thus securing Tauredain hegemony for another 100 years.
But in SA 1700, a young boy became the High King of the Tauredain Empire after the sudden death of his father. He quickly fell under the influence of Sauron, and he accepted one of the Nine Rings of Power. He was a sadistic ruler, who left the Empire in ruins. He bled his own people for his amusement, which at around SA 1850 led to the downfall of the Empire after his disappearance. The Southern Moredain used this opportunity to regain their freedom, and even take revenge for hundreds of years of torment. As the once-mighty Tauredain Empire collapsed into many petty chiefdoms and princedoms, the Moredain flooded the northern Jungles with their warriors, establishing many Jungle chiefdoms of their own. Over the next hundred years, one by one the true Tauredain realms fell victim to the Moredain invaders, until almost all of the Jungle was ruled by Moredain chieftains. Yet the influence of Tauredain culture started to show. As invading Moredain and Tauredain merged more and more, so did their cultures. Many Moredain rulers started slowly to adopt ancient Tauredain traditions, seeking legitimacy in the history of the fallen Empire. Over time, all the peoples of the Jungle started to again call themselves Tauredain, although the people inhabiting these lands were not anymore.
Those of the Southern Moredain that remained in the plains hated the new Tauredain, and many southern tribes have dedicated themselves to finishing what their ancestors started. Now Moredain raids in the Jungle have begun once more, as the Tauredain and Moredain clash in a battle of ancient hatred.
Of the final Moredain group little is said. These were the Western Moredain, and dwelt in a narrow strip of savannah west of the Mountains of Harad. It is likely that these came under the dominion of the Númenoréans from early on, as the Men of the West formed colonies on the western coasts of Harad. However, these colonies quickly fell to evil, and the Black Númenoréans used the Western Moredain as soldiers and slaves. Throughout the Third Age the various Black Númenoréan colonies collapsed, with the remaining Men of the West opting to move to Mordor and Umbar. However, dominion over the western Moredain was retained by Umbar, who also enslaved the Western Moredain. Few of those now remain.
The men of the Sunlands are tough and hardy, and willing to fight for the Red Eye. But their allegiance lies foremost with the Great Lion, and it is under his banners, not Sauron’s, that they walk. Divided into many tribes and petty chiefdoms, they are disunited and without great settlement. It may be one day that one shall unite them and lead them forth to new glory. But that day, should it ever come to pass, is long off, and as the shadow lengthens, the Eye colors the plains in the scarlet light of a dying sun.
Alignment
Isolated as they are, the Moredain are neutral with most factions. They are however enemies with the Tauredain, and the enemies of their allies Mordor Mordor and Near Harad.
Inter-faction relations
| Allies |
Friends |
Neutral |
Enemies |
Mortal Enemies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| •Mordor •Near Harad |
•Angmar •Blue Mountains |
•Dúnedain of the North •Gondor |
NPCs
- Moredain - Basic Moredain Civilian.
- Moredain Warrior - Moredain clad in Moredain Armour and wielding Moredain Equipment. Will attack any enemies of the Tauredain faction. May be mounted on a zebra.
- Moredain Huntsman - A Moredain trader that can be found in the trader hut of a village.
- Moredain Hutmaker - Traders found in villages who will sell hut-making blocks to players with enough alignment.
- Moredain Chieftain - Tribal leaders, clad in the sacred pelt of lions who will sell Moredain warriors to players with enough alignment.
Structures
Compared to Northern factions, the Moredain are industrially relatively undeveloped.
- Moredain Hunter Camp - A small camp containing several hunting shacks around a Moredain crafting table.
- Moredain Village - A cluster of 3-5 huts, 0-1 chieftain huts and 0-2 trader huts.
Items
- Moredain crafting table - Crafting tables used to craft all of the following.
- Moredain Banner - The banner of Moredain, depicting a golden lion on an orange field.
- Moredain Equipment, daggers, battleaxes, spears and clubs. Curiously enough, the Moredain spear has a base damage of +7, making it higher than the base damage of other Moredain weapons.
- Moredain Armour and Moredain Chieftain Armour - the armour worn by warriors, and the armour made from the sacred pelt of lions, worn by chieftains.
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The Westlands:
Angmar •
Blue Mountains •
Bree-land •
Dale •
Dol Guldur •
Dúnedain of the North Rhûn:
Harad:
Half-Trolls • Morwaith • Near Harad • Taurethrim The Deeps of the Earth:
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