Dunmen

The Dunmen (S.: "Harnedrim"; lit. "Southerners"; Du. "Dynion lann", "people of tje heath") were a people in Eriador in the early to mid-third Age.They were descendants or northern relatives of the Daen Coentis who had settled in southern Eriador, especially in Enedwaith but some tribes also had moved to Cardolan and Rhudaur.The Dunmen of the north assimilated to the Angmarrim, the Hillmen and the Vulseggi of the Egladil while the cardolanian Dunmen, partly intermixed with cardolanian northmen, became the clansmen of Saerlann and Hil Fferid. Other Dunmen settled in Calenardhon and became the ancestors of the later Dunlendings. The term "Dunmen" was probably a corruption of Daen Lintis, the name they gave to themselves although it may have be understood as Men of the Duns (Men of the Hills or Men of the Hillforts) or Dark Men.

The Dunmen in MERP[]

The People known to outsiders as the Dunmen was split into two factions: the Dynion Ingnaut ("Betrayed People"), a number of Clans who had sworn to take back their ancestral Lands and to drive out all Dúnedain, and the Dynion Celfydd ("Skilled People"), a few clans who tried to return to the ways of their ancient ancestors and who had begun to renew friendship with the Drûghu.The dunman language was called Dunael.

Society[]

Most Dunmen-Clans lived in small Villages, either of moveable Hide-Houses or wooden, fortified and situated on Hill-Tops.Village Chiefs were called Teyrn (Du."Master") Penn (Du."Head") and tribal-chiefs Pennard ("High-Head").Many tribes were male-led but matrilinear.

Religion[]

The Priests of the Dunmen were their Conjurers, also known as Megis-tûr. They followed a number of ancestral spirits and gods, most of them based on twisted memories of tales about the valar, chief gods were the Lord of Hunt, Turac (Orome), the Dark Mother Dûranu, the goddess of marriage Yfan and the Earth-Mother (Yavanna) but the god of Smiths, Gofan (Aule), was also revered.The Dark Lord was known as Saudurlech or Maureb in dunnish myth.

Weapons and Armour[]

Dunmen usually wore boiled leather (Kurbul) or linen armour.Dunman 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 the dunnish broadswords, similar in design to the uruk Hanksar (which may have been derivates of the dunnish model),Cleef-Axes, Wheebs and Derfels and similar Pole arms as well as hide-covered Roundshields.Dunnish Hunters were also skilled Archers.

Appearance[]

The Dunmen were relatively tall by Daen standard, similar in height to the Calenardhonian Commoners but smaller than the nobility which also had Dúnadan-blood.They had a slightly swarthy complexion and dark hair which they wore unkept or braided, men used to wear wild and stringy beards.

Clothes[]

Dunmen usually wore simple clothes made of wool and leather, usually tunics or baggy shirts and leggings or stockings for the males and long baggy wool or linen dresses for the females, hoods and plaids often combined with pelt (usually Goat but sometimes Bear or wolf) and leather boots or light leather-shoes.Some clans used distinct colours or patterns.Some clans wore dark war-paint or camouflage when they marched into battle.

The Clans of Dunfearn[]

Dunlclans — Enmity and friendship among the Clans of Dunfearn

In there were 15 major clans in Dunfearn, some of whom had control over a number of smaller clans:

Corddwallon
Crun
- Gurd
- Semarch
Cyllgarr
Dubach
Ariantig
- Cymrhech
- Allseith
Eucbenn
Euwain
Gurgan
- Bertin
- Taranberth
- Nidlus
Leu
Madoc
Ogeryn
- Carn
- Gorrhech
Rhod
- Truthel
Rudd
Sunmarr
- Guemaelguyn
- Marr Hu
Tra Mod
Trebhearn
- Marrwain
- Niul

The Corrdwallon,Cyllgarr, Dubach, Madoc, Ogeryn and Sunmarr were considered Dynion Ingnaut while the Trebhearn, Rhod and Euwain were the traditional Dynion Celfydd.

Other Clans Mentioned:

Gelach
Crois Marroc
Gogafael
Rhyddyll
Machu Mor
Mabtyuysog
Magronu
Meiriog
Hil Nynniau
Hil Fferid
Taranberth
Tref-Dugen

Dunmen of Renown[]

Notes[]

Original forms in MERP: Corddual (Arailt), Crun (Grun), Gurd (Guerd), Semarch (Semarg), Cyllgarr (Colgar), Dubach(Dobac), Ariantig (Erastoc), Cymrhech (Coinrach), Allseith (Ealsaid), Eucbenn (Eogbann), Euwain (Ewen), Gogafael (Faighoin), Gurgan (Feargan), Bertin (Baertin), Taranberth (Torbet), Nidlus (Nathlos), Leu (Leonn), Madoc, Ogeryn (Ogaron), Carn (Cearn), Gorrhech (Goirich), Rhod (Roth), Truthel (Trothel), Rhudd (Ruadh), Sunmarr (Sonmar), Guemaelguyn (Guemmelon), Marr Hu (Mar Hogo), Tra Mod (Tar Moid), Trefearn (Treforn), Marrwain (Marvan), Niul (Niald)

Other clans: Airguyddel (Airghiallu), Caerin (Caerinn), Corgaill (Cairill), Carrin (Cairinn), Cathin (Caithinn), Gelach (Calach),Cercain (Circinn), Crois Marroc (Cruaidh Maroich), Tref-Dugen (Dreub-dign), Eurocllann (Drocalaentis), Ferchar (Fearchar), Guerthyru (Fortriu), Rhyddyll (Freawul), Cynguigid (Gundiok), Llygu (Lugiu), Machu Mor (Macha Mur), Mabtyuysog (Magtosh), Moelgwynn (Maolfinn), Moelrunaedd (Maolrunaidh), Moelcled (Maolseclain), Magronu (Mhaigren), Meiriog (Meorag), Mag Luynnin (Moc Lennen), Morcad (Murchadh), Padri (Padraic), Hil Nynniau (Siol Nûnaw), Hil Fferrid (Siol Speriag), Merthu (Smertiu)