descriptions and buildings have to be added |
Note: Please do not confuse these settlements with the old Southron village. This was removed in Update 34 and replaced by the following five types of settlements.
Southron settlements are built throughout Near Harad. Besides some camps, that can also be found here, there are currently five sub-factions of Near Harad and their bigger settlements in the game:
- Nomad settlements in the half-desert.
- Harnedor settlements in Harnedor.
- Gulfing settlements in the Gulf of Harad.
Those three are described on separate pages. Please follow the links above. The two next are so similar to each other, that they are described on one shared page in the following:
- Umbar settlements in Umbar.
- Coast Southron settlements in the Southron Coasts.
As both biomes share a common border, both variants may even be found side by each there. Both are very large structures respectively in Umbar or the Southron Coasts. They can occasionally be found throughout the biome, and generate in a similar fashion to vanilla villages, with varying structures. Small, rural villages are the most common, with fortifications being rarer, and towns being the largest and rarest.
Near Harad players will definitely want to visit those settlements, as there's lots of loot to be found in them, and they offer plenty of questing opportunities. Most settlements have a name, and a date that they were founded, which was sometime in the Third Age.
Differences between Umbar and Coast Southron variants
The most obvious difference between the variants is, that the Umbarians use the dark Númenórean brick and red/grey/brown tiled roofs for their buildings, whereas the Coastlings build out of the white Haradric brick, whith reed and red tiled roofs. Also, the statues look quite different, but have got quite similar foundations of exact the same size.
In addition, the settlements are of course populated by members of the related people and guarded by their respective warriors.
More to be added here?
Types of settlements
Fortifications
Fortifications are squarish, medium sized structures and more militaristic in style. They are proctected by an outer wall, which can be entered via a gate. In the center, there's a fortress protected by an inner wall. In each corner of the outer wall, there's a watchtower. The inside of the outer wall features in addition two barracks, some farms and pastures, two stables, and a training ground between them.
Village
Ordinary, rural villages are medium sized, and built in a square. The well is the very center of them. A signpost there shows name and founding date of the village. The main building to one side of the well is a tavern, or rather an inn, as it offers also accomodation for the night. The three other inner spots around the well are occupied by mansions.
Two of the outer sides of the square are made up by farms, pastures and hay bales. The other two sides are a mixture of ordinary houses, stables and smithies.
Town
Towns are the really huge settlements. Together with Gondor towns, they are among the biggest structures in the Mod. They hold around forty buildings and are entirely surrounded by a rectangular wall, which is reinforced by corner towers. It's easy to loose ones way inside. Thieves have an easy game here.
Maybe the most important part for a weary traveller is the one long side of the town, which holds the gatehouse. It always has a smithy left of the entrance, and a tavern (or rather an inn) right of it, which is followed by stables and more town decorations.
The center of the town is always a bazaar, flanked on the two long sides by four mansions each. The short sides near the bazaar hold wells and flower beds. If you walk towards the walls, those are followed by ordinary houses, smithies, a statue, planted trees, more wells, and a long row of ordinary houses towards the imressive town wall. Lamp-posts illuminate the whole town.
Finding settlements
As with all the Mod's settlements, those settlements need a large amount of flat land to spawn. That means that the first rule of thumb when searching for settlements is to look for an area of flat land. Then, keep on looking, as settlements don't spawn very frequently. Note, that they do no longer spawn in scrubland (since Update 34.3). They're well worth finding, however, owing to their plentiful loot and questing opportunities.
Structures
The following structures can be found in those settlements:
- Barracks
- Bazaar
- Farm
- Fortification Gate
- Fortress
- Hay Bales
- Gatehouse
- House
- Lamp-post
- Mansion
- Pasture
- Smithy
- Stables
- Statue
- Tavern
- Town Corner
- Town Flowers
- Town Tree
- Town Wall
- Training Ground
- Village Signpost
- Wall
- Well
- Watchtower
Besides of those structures above, normal Near Harad landscape features may accidentally spawn inside the settlements as well. Those are not described here. They may sometimes hinder, certain features to be included in the settlement:
- Boulders
- Trees
- Camps (normally not in unwalled settlements)
- Small stone ruins
- etc.
Southron Watchtower
These watchtowers are only guarding fortifications. Towns have different ones, and rural villages are unprotected. Watchtowers are made of bricks/cedar wood and brick/brick. The outside is decorated with banners of Umbar/Harad and skulls on each side.
The three floors are interconnected by a climbable rope. Only the ground floor contains a reed basket with some loot, a barrel with some alcoholic drink, a vanilla crafting table, and a drinking vessel. The middle floor has two weapons/weapons mounted onto the walls. The top floor has a fence railing and a torch for illumination.
The towers are occupied by armed soldiers/warriors and archers/archers.
Southron Town Corner
These towers form the corners of towns only. Fortifications have different ones, and rural villages are unprotected. Town corners are made of tiles/sandstone and brick/brick. They are only accessible from the town wall. The foundations are massive and hide no secrets. The windows are barred with iron/bronze portcullis. The inside is illuminated by a chandelier.
Southron Bazaar
If you are visiting a town for the opportunity to trade goods, the bazaar is the right place to go. Southron bazaars can only be found in the center of towns. They look like an open marquee, made mainly out of brick/brick, with some pillars and torches as decorations.
Inside, six random market stalls are located, in which different traders/traders sell their goods and are willing to buy some of your stuff. Besides of the stalls, you'll find melons, logs, empty barrels, cauldrons, some hay bales, suspended cages with birds in them, an armour stand with some pieces of armour, an empty reed basket, and a butterfly jar.
Missing Structures
To be added:
- Barracks
- Farm
- Fortification Gate
- Fortress
- Hay Bales
- Gatehouse
- House
- Lamp-post
- Mansion
- Pasture
- Smithy
- Stables
- Statue
- Tavern
- Town Corner
- Town Flowers
- Town Tree
- Town Wall
- Training Ground
- Village Signpost
- Wall
- Well
- Watchtower