Nan Curunir Work-camps

Work camps could be found throughout the Wizard’s Vale, operating continuously day  and  night. Many of  these   camps   devoted   themselves   to  gathering  of  wood  to  fuel  the  great  furnaces   Saruman   had   constructed  beneath  Isengard. Others, however,  worked   the   mines on the slopes of Methedras,  the  main  source  of  the  iron ore needed for crafting the arms  and  armour  for  the  armies  of  the  White Hand. A few  rare  camps  were  charged  with  the  assembling  of  the  ingredients  for  the  Fire  of  Orthanc  that could not be gotten underground. The majority of the camp workers were  Orcs  and  Hill-men,  with  some  Half-orcs   filling   out   their   ranks. Half-orc and  Uruk  overseers  commanded  these  workers  by  tongue  and  lash, to enforce the cruel will of their  unforgiving master Saruman. Work camps  dotted   the   landscape  throughout  Nan Curunír. These were  torn  down  or  abandoned  when  they  had  deforested  or  thoroughly  mined  a  given  area,  and  new  ones  raised  where  resources  were  more  plentiful, though   several   dozen   camps   might  be  in  operation  at  any  given  time.

A typical  work  camp  outside  the  Ring  of  Isengard  was  comprised  of  a  series  of  tents  or  wooden  structures,  depending  on  the  particular  camp’s  intended   longevity. Mining  camps,  for   example,   usually   remained   viable  for  longer  periods  of  time,  and  were  therefore  constructed  to  last  for  several   months   or   more. Tents,  used  for the shorter-term logging encampments,  were  made  of  thick,  grey  canvas  supported  by  poles  cut  from  the  surrounding   woods   or   brought   to  the  site  by  the  workers. Wooden structures  were  shabbily  built,  mortarless  cabins  with  dirt  floors. They were  usually erected without peg or nail to  facilitate  tear  down,  after  which  the  materials  could  be  dragged  across  the  Vale by horses or Orcs, and then reassembled in a new location. Most tents and buildings served as housing  and  storage,  though  some  also  functioned  as  smithies  and  tool-repair  workshops,  stables,  and  guard  posts. The number  of  workers  manning  these  camps  ranged  from  ten  to  fifty,  depending  upon  its  assigned  task. Long-term details  working  far  from  Isengard  also  retained  a  transport team responsible for hauling the  camp’s  yield  to  Orthanc,  and  returning  with  replacement  supplies  and  fresh workers. The camps  operated  primarily  during  the  night  time  hours,  although  workers might be forced to work through  the  daylight  hours  when  Saruman’s  projects required more materials.