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24-08-08 1811

The Dunlendings (Du."Dynion") were descendants of the Daen Lintis or Dunmen of Calenardhon who had taken these lands in possession after the largest part of the original Calenardhonian populace had dwindled and Gondorian governance of the province had faded. After Calenardhon was given to the Eorlingas (in T.A. 2510) and was renamed Riddermark or Rohan, the Dunmen were driven out and settled along the western foothills and marshlands of the Hithaeglir. A bitter enmity against the Rohirrim, whom the Dunlendings regarded as having stolen their homelands, remained deeply in the hearts of the tribes later known as the Dunlendings, or heathen.

Clothes[]

Dunlendings usually wore simple clothes made of wool and leather, usually tunics, leggings or stockings, hoods and plaids often combined with pelts (usually goat but sometimes bear or wolf). Some clans used distinct colours or patterns. Some clans wore dark war-paint or camouflage when they marched into battle.

Religion[]

The Dunlendings had superficial beliefs of spirit-worship and the cult of the dead. The guardians of their religious traditions were the order or clan of the Derudh and local wisewomen known as the Gurach.

Weapons and Armour[]

They usually wore boiled leather (Kurbul) or linen armour. Dunlending helmets were mostly leather caps. Iron helmets and mail were quite uncommon but were sometimes provided by the smithies of Isengard or the Westmarch or even the Dwarves of Dunland. Common weapons were dunnish broadswords, similar in design to the Uruk Hanksar (which were maybe derivatives of the dunnish model), broad Baw and Buyeill Axes, Wheebs, and several short Pole arms such as Derfels and Tridents or Forks, and various very long Guisarmes (similar to Glaives, Voulges, Bill-Hooks or Pole-axes) used as anti-cavalry-weapons, as well as hide-covered Roundshields. Dunlendish Hunters were also skilled Archers who used relatively short Selfbows. The Dunlendings also had viable Horsemen, usually the warrior-Nobility of the clans, but most Dunmen were foot-soldiers.

Clans[]

The Dunlendings were divided into various rival clans or tribes; additionally there were the Algraig, clans of Dunlendings or closely related to them who had moved into the eastern Enedhwaith.

Three Clans inhabited northeastern Enedhwaith:

  • the Draig-Lûth, Dragon-Clan, a clan controlled by Saruman the White.
  • the Turch-Lûth, Boar-Clan, a now-extinct clan of dunnish deserters in eastern Enedhwaith.
  • the Uch-Lûth, Ox-Clan, a clan not controlled by Saruman.
  • plus the Derudh, a small community of Dunlendings who were chosen by their clans to enter the Mournshaws and commune with the spirits who lived there.

Several more clans were indigenous to Dunland proper:

  • the Avanc-Lûth, Clan Afanc, a neutral clan.
  • the Caru-Lûth, Stag-clan, a neutral clan.
  • the Dievlig, Dunlending outcasts.
  • the Draig-Lûth
  • the Hebog-Lûth, Falcon-clan, a clan affiliated with Saruman.
  • the Turch-Lûth, a nearly extinct clan enslaved by the Uch-Lûth
  • the Uch-Lûth

The Dunlendings were ruled by tribal petty-kings or hill-chiefs, known as Brenhins.

Dunlendings in ELENDOR[]

In addition to a Stag-clan and a Falcon-clan the ELENDOR MUSH also mentions a Wolf-clan, a Boar-clan and a Bear-clan.

The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game[]

The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game mentions a Dunlending Hero, Thrydan Wolfsbane, as highest Warchief of Dunland and leader of the Tribes.

The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game[]

The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game has two Dunlending Chieftains who may be descendants of Freca and Wulf, Lords of the Westmarch in 2754 to 2759 TA.

Dunlendings of Renown[]

Acca Alfric Balafren Brina Bron the Blind Burlag Cadwalader Camrynn Casferoch the Cold Culmaud Deallus Delwin Dianach Doeth Dremidudh Drust Dúach Einion Lawspeaker Eryrban Eva of Dunland Feanan Redwing Fréamund Freca the fat Freca Croyu Frída Tallspear Gabren the Shepherd Gálwa Garnoc Gemma Gergenau Gerwun Geth Glenys Gorûlf Ironskin Grumhal the Elder Grumhal the Younger Gureiddrhi of Carreglyn Huva Hywelaedd Iago the Huntsman Iracil Kenned Laodegan Lavel Lheu Brenin Lhew Lhugad Llygad the Blade Lod Madin Brenin Neilun Nevid Oldenad Peath Penrith Perchen Prudwen Ralsora the Treasure-HunterRhimaur Rhuwalhan Rurik the Red King Selyf Huon Shona Brenin Sibroch of the Algraig Slugen Crowfoot Tanguistel Tetnak Thrydan Wolfbane Thurferth Tora Torannen Toryin the Lorist Trehéarn BreninTudur Ungust of Lhanuch Unnell Usgawun Wadu Wulf son of Freca Wulf Gredig Yagthak

Speculations[]

It seems obvious that names of clans and confederations changed over the centuries and thus the names from LOTRO just reflect recent developments in 3019TA while the MERP setting is over one millennium earlier. This may be reflected by the use of Welsh to represent the language of the Dunlendings in 3019 while their ancestors, the Dunmen of 1650, spoke a more archaic form of Dunael. It may well be that the Algraig of northeastern Enedhwaith were in fact the descendants of the Dynion Celfydd who, in opposition to Saruman, had to flee from Dunland proper, while Saruman's allied clans, such as the Draig-Lûth, were the descendants of the Dynion Ingnaut who came under Saruman's influence.

References[]

  • LOTRO:
  • MERP:
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