Variags

The Variags are a Culture from the Land of Khand, southwest of Mordor.

They fought for Sauron in the War of the Ring, under the command of Gothmog, the lieutenant of Morgûl.

The Variags in MERP

The Variags are usually described as descendants of the Ioriags, an easterling Culture of the second Age.The Ioriag were a tribe of the Talatherim or "peoples of the plains" in Central middle-earth and so descendants of the Aravador, those men who fought on the side of Fankil in the Battle of Palisor and who bowed before Melkor, who had appeared as a mighty and noble man before the Hildor and rejected the voice.

The mighty Ioriag-Lord Ûvatha was one of the nine mannish Kings who had accepted a Ring of Power in the second Age and was turned into a Nazgûl.

Ûvatha became the father of the Variag-People who moved to the neighbourhood of Mordor and became a people that served the shadow.

The Variags are a fierce people of Warriors and swift Horsemen.The Variags are ruled by a small caste of female Priestesses,the Vracarathí, and a male caste of elite-Warriors, the Osvoda.The formal King of Khand is known as the Khûdriag.The Khûdriag is asisted by several Beg ("Advisors") who might hold more power than the actual King.Ranks above the Osvoda are the Osvodeg ("Warlord" or "Leader") and the Orodriag ("Prince" or "ruling Lord").Few exalted Variag-Kings are considered Khûdriag-Ata ("God-Kings" chosen by the Nameless).The Heads of the Variag Clans are called Kekhavrathí and in uneasy rivalry with the Vracarathí.

The Variags revere Sauron, whom they call Tûmrakhi in Varadja, their own language, as a god-like being.Despite their mostly dry and barren land, their loyalty to Sauron and their role as Mercenaries, Slave-Traders, Assassins and guardians of the Dark Lord´s Caravan routes has made the Variag society rich and prosperous.

A Weapon unique to the Variags is the Usriev.

Appearance

The Variags are usually seen as a people of mixed descent with Easterling, Haradrim as well as Daen ancestors.They are usually brawny and of middle height, with dark, sometimes even black, complexion.They often have ornamental brandings, tattoos and scarifications adding to their barbarous appearance.Men sometimes wear beards, often long, thin moustaches and braided hair or ponytails.Usual dresses are made of leather and loin and preferably black, red or brown.Men sometimes wear pelted caps, women elaborate headdresses. Animal totems often show depictions of Bats or Horses.Golden and bronze jewellely is much favoured among the well-to-do.

see:Variag Helm

known variag-clans

• Akhev (Achef)
• Ankiv (Ankif)
• Irbo
• Itakh
• Olêna
• Orath
• Ovan
• Ûdo
• Ûrpov

The Variags in LotR SBG

In the LotR SBG the Variags are the Warriors or Mercenaries of the Khandish-People. They are Horsemen and Charioteers and fight with Horsebow and Axes.The Variags are seen as a divided people, led by a number of rivalrous kings with no supreme head of the realm, although some kings, as Vangaris or Keiseimu hold more power than others.The Variag Lords are constantly in war with each other and their neighbours in Rhûn and Haradwaith and slave-traders for Mordor and Sauron.Khandish Mercenaries are not subjugate to any tribal king but ruled by their own chieftains, who are not much more than independent bandit-lords.

The Variags in LoTRRPG

The Variags are considered to be Men of Darkness and fight with large Axes.The Khandish language is said to be non-related to any other mannish tongue but rather similar to the Black Speech or Orcish.

The Variags in the fan-modules Version

Originally Variag was but one single Clan or Tribe among the Ioriags.When Ûvatha returned to Khand he found a people of primitive horse-nomads descending from his ancient clan.He returned and ruled over Khand in disguise of a mighty King, the first Khûdriag-Ata and created Khand and it´s People became later known as the Variags (retaking the name of the mythic clan of the second Age).The Variags evolved into a fearsome Culture of Warriors and Mercenaries, often employed as Soldiers and Assassins by Haradic and rhûnish Lords.

The Variags are a mixed-people of Easterling- Haradrim- and Daen-blood, having enslaved Easterling Tribes from Rhûn, Chey Sart, Nûrad and Relmether as well as Haruze from Near-Harad and men from Núrn for centuries.

The Variags are the ruling-caste of Khand while the lower classes of Khand are considered Variag-Bastards or merely slaves.

Variags of Renown

Aivaisa Asternak Azzad Beg Balun Brodvaga Achef Caljar Curuband Gorovod Gorovod II Harvâl Itana Ovan Itana Ovan II Keiseimu Khurubra Kionid I Kionid II Mionid I Mionid II Nomid Achef Odavith Achef Olryag Achef Omad Achef Othour Ito Ovag Ito Ovaisa Ito Ôvatha Ôvatha II Ôvatha III Ôvatha IV Ôvatha V Ôvatha VI Raishâ Tukrai Ulruth Ûonid Irbo Urdrath Urdrath II Ûrig Ûrpof Ûrig II Ûvatha Usriev Vangaris Vronkhar Warlog Wastaph