Rammas Forod

(S. "Great Wall of the North") The Rammas Forod is a low line of hills marking the divide between the downlands of northern Arthedain and the watershed of the Wash Tundra. To its west the Rammas broadens to form the Talath Muil, while eastwards its hills fade into the Lonelands. In origin wreckage from the downfall of the Iron Mountains in the War of Wrath, the excess rock and soil of the Rammas eroded into the vales on either side of it, enabling the growth of modest forests. Its clear air and narrow defiles offered excellent opportunities for small farms and gardens, and at one time the Rammas, much like the lower but more precipitous downlands to the south, served as a religious retreat for the Faithful of Arnor.

When the snow melts in the spring, the plateau bursts forth for a few weeks of spectacular, multicolored beauty as the grass grows and wildflowers bloom. As spring passes into summer, the lack of moisture and rainfall turns the grass brown and causes the wildflowers to wilt and wither. While many blame the Witchking of Angmar for this, the dry fields are actually a natural phenomenon caused by the landlocked character of the plateau. The Blue Mountains to the west and the vastness of the Endless Plain to the east combine to shield the area from the spring and autumn rains. The Rammas Forod receives about 10 to 20 inches of precipitation a year, but most of this falls as snow, blowing down from Forodwaith in winter (rainstorms are rare, occurring only when conditions are right).

When the fortunes of war turned against Arthedain in T.A. 1325, a line of fortifications was built along the Rammas, anchored upon its eastern flanks by the great keep of Dol Gormaen. After that citadel's fall to Angmar in T.A. 1408, the Rammas became an exposed frontier, hotly contested by Arthadanian and Angmarean troops. Any who wander here may find themselves suddenly in the midst of battle or taken for a spy by either side. Orcs of Angmar are plentiful, and lone travelers are ill-advised to spend the night in these highlands.

The Lumimiehet wander the northernmost portions of the Rammas Forod from early spring to mid-autumn. Perched upon the rocky slopes of the hills, Lumimies settlements are usually no more than crude hunting camps established to serve a day's or a week's sojourn, but no more. Shy and reserved, the hunters may pack up and move rather than deal with uncouth strangers; however, if approached cautiously, the camps are an excellent source of information concerning local geography, nearby hazards and other points of interest.