Sîrayn

The land of Sîrayn (Tz."Watered Earth"), known to the Gondorians as Greater Harad (S."Panncharad"), was be divided into five major areas: Îsra, Kîrm Lesra (including Kîrmlesran Hills and the Dalad Kîrm), the eastern coast and forest (the Sára Básk), the Plain of Cénnacatt, and the Tûr Betark. Dominating them all, the Sîresha River ran 600 miles from its source in the Tûr Betark to its delta in the Bay of Ormal. Its inhabitants were collectively known as the Sîrani or Sîranians, Haradrim with a strong Khailûzan heritage, including the Bausairin, Cénnacatti, Haráni, Póa, and Tyari. Their main language was known as Tazinain; most of them were adherents of the Tayé Faith although a minority belonged to the Keepers of the true Flame and the Tayb.

Sîrayn in T.A.1640:[]

South of the burning sands of the Haradwaith lay Greater Harad and the seven cities of Sîrayn , the intellectual and economic hub of southern Middle-earth. The territory comprised the fertile hills and vales along the northern flank of the Tûr Betark. Although Near Harad boasted the magnificent naval port of Umbar, and Far Harad sheltered the dazzling trade center of Bôzisha-Dâr, Greater Harad eclipsed them both with the size of its population, the extent of its lands and the rigors of its history. Many dynasties had risen and fallen as kings had attempted to Control this verdant strip of earth. One dynasty would rule for centuries only to be succeeded by another as climatic changes, natural disasters, and political upheavals caused whole cities to be abandoned and new ones founded. Curiosity seekers might still find undisturbed ruins from the Second Age in remote areas. The cities of Sîrayn were founded along the Sîresha River and its tributaries. The Sîresha rushed from the slopes of the Yellow Mountains in western Cénnacatt through steep ravines and foaming rapids, slowing as the current passed through Îsra and Kîrm Lesra to become wide and lazy at its mouth in the Bay of Ormal. The cool streams and rolling grasslands characteristic of the river Valley provided a welcome relief to weary travellers from Bôzisha-Dâr or Harshandat.

The breadbasket of the south, the lands of Sîrayn were a prize worth holding. Even the Dark Lord and his minions schemed to control this area. Following T.A. 1632, Tartas-Izain, the Taraskôn (Tz. “Wisdom-lord”) and chief councilor to the Taryb (Tz. “Mighty lord”) of Tûl Îsra, infiltrated the government of that city. Through his dark designs, he hoped to subjugate the free dwellers of Sîrayn, thus cementing the Dark Lord’s hold over this region of Middle Earth. Tartas-Izain’s superior, the Taryb, was a weak and inefficient ruler whose flaws had allowed the Taraskôn to obtain inappropriate power, effectually ruling the kingdom. Tartas-Izain wished to control the whole of Sîrayn and so had undertaken a plan to subjugate all of the cities under the Taryb’s rule. Once his power was secure in Sîrayn, he intended to conquer Harshandatt, as well as An-Balukkhôr and Bôzisha-Dâr in the West. Six of the seven cities of Sîrayn fell to the forces of Tûl Îsra and Tartas-Izain between the years 1631 and 1636. The seaport of Tûl Harar was the only city to maintain its independence. The port’s distance from the other cities, due to the presence of the tangled forest Sára Básk and the badlands of Kîrm lesra, as well as the difficulty of leading an army through these inhospitable geographic features, made a successful campaign untenable.

Timeline[]

Second Age[]

c. S.A. 1-100: Apysaic-speaking peoples move into and inhabit the fertile river valleys of Sîrayn.
c. S.A. 450: The now-settled peoples start to build cities in later Cénnacatt and Îsra.
c. S.A. 600: Thirteen independently self-governing cities are fully established along the Sîresha River and its tributaries.
S.A. 1211: Thrár the Proud's Folk, the Blacklocks found the city of Mablâd-dûm in the central Yellow Mountains.
S.A. 1929: Early in the year, King Khôrahil of An-Balkûmagân, the Blind Sorcerer, attacks later Baud Selen. By the end of the year, all of later Cénnacatt has fallen to his forces.
S.A. 1930: Khôrahil sends his general Wyatan to conquer later Îsra and the lands east.
S.A. 1933: Early in the year,the predecessors of Rask and Tûl Îsra falls to Wyatan's forces. Later in the year, the predecessor of Tyarett succumbs.
S.A. 1935: The forces of Wyatan attack the city of later Cárnesra. The combined forces of later Cárnesra and Tûl Harár are able to win the battle at the expense of the city, which is ruined in the process.
S.A. 1940: Wyatan reassembles his forces and begins a fifty-nine-year campaign against the ancestors of Tûl Harár and Harshandatt.
S.A. 1979: The nomads of later Kîrm Lesra submit to Khôrahil after ten years of internal strife.
S.A. 1995: the predecessor of Tûl Harár surrenders to An-Balkûmagân, spelling doom for later Harshandatt.
S.A. 1999: On the last day of the year,later Harshandatt falls to An-Balkûmagân. The Blind Sorcerer begins his political restructuring of his newly conquered lands, placing governors in each province and city of later Sîrayn.
S.A. 2280: A Númenórean army defeats Khôrahil after he declares full independence from Númenor and razes his capital. He flees to Mordor, and it becomes known that he has been a Ringwraith for centuries.
S.A. 2281: In the power vacuum after the flight of Khôrahil, the people of later Sîrayn rise up and defeat his governors. In the process, the predecessors of Îsra and Cénnacatt are destroyed. Númenor has no interest in subjugating later Sîrayn.

Third Age[]

T.A. 83:a forerunner of Tûl Îsra is refounded by members of Clan Másra from the Tamet Bazain.
c. T.A. 93:the forerunners of Tyarett and Cárnesra are rebuilt.
c. T.A. 115: Reconstruction begins in the cities of later Cénnacatt.
c. T.A. 400: The first Tayê temples are built in early Sîrayn.
c. T.A. 550: A group of young slaves being brought through the area from Northern Middle-earth escapes in the Tûr Betark. They form a mountain group called the Danak.
T.A. 777: The city of Nárad-dûm is founded by Nár and his followers. They believe that the city will never fall due to the circumstances of its founding.
T.A. 1051: Khôrahil moves to the fortress of Ny Cénnacatt. From this stronghold, he plans to begin to reconquer the south. He gathers Orcs and Demons for his great army.
T.A. 1103: The Blind Sorcerer's forces are turned loose in Sîrayn. The cities of Îsra and Cénnacatt are attacked. Nárad-dûm closes its doors to the outside world.
T.A. 1111: The Blacklocks found the city of Naragûldûm.
T.A. 1201: Obed the First of Clan Másra unites the people of Sîrayn and destroys the southerly horde. He enlists the aid of Nár's Folk in battle. This is therefore the first year of the calendar of Sîrayn.
T.A. 1350: Tartás-Izain is born in Îsra.
T.A. 1380: Clan Bulgan led by Bazaud Izain, a follower of the Storm-King, takes over the government of Tûl Îsra through a bloody coup.
T.A. 1385: Tartás-Izain becomes the Taraskôn of Tûl Îsra.
T.A. 1397: Temples to the Silent One (Sauron) are first seen in Sîrayn.
T.A. 1436: Clan Másra regains power and frees Tûl Îsra. Tartás-Izain flees to Chamesra, ruled by his uncle Shuftás-Gabâr.
T.A. 1457: The forces of Chamesra attack Tûl Îsra. They are defeated and forced back to their own city walls by the combined forces of Tûl Îsra and Tyarett. Cárnesra is destroyed in the process. Tartás-Izain and Shuftás-Gabâr escape.
T.A. 1526: The Keepers of the True Flame first roam Sîrayn.
T.A. 1555: Clan Bulgan takes power in Tûl Îsra again through a bloody coup.
T.A. 1557: Tarb of Tûl Îsra begins a campaign to take the other cities. Over the next twenty-five years, they fall in the following order: Rask, Tyarett, Baud Selen, and Tartaust.
T.A. 1578: Internal strife stops the advancement of Tûl Îsra's forces.
T.A. 1629: Tartás-Izain comes to power again in Tûl Îsra.
T.A. 1640: The populace rises against the rule of Clan Bulgan and overthrows the government. Clan Másra comes to power again. Khôrahil prepares to abandon his realm when he receives summons to return to Mordor.
T.A. 2858: Yenna-Sy a ruler of the descendants of the Sâre takes the port city of former Tûl Harár.

Inhabitants[]

Ainur

Demons of Vatra River Fays Sand-Demons

Dwarves

Blacklocks, Ehazt

Elves

Hawnin

Giants

Clay Giants Stone Giants

Men

Black Númenóreans Drûghu:Yatali-Gan Mountain Men of the Tûr Betark:Danak Sîranians:Bausairin, Bulgan, Cénnacatti, Haráni, Másra, Póa, River-valley People, Tyari

Orcs

Desert Orcs Fighting-Orcs Jungle-Orcs Mountain Orcs Unik

Trolls

Desert Trolls Hill Trolls Jungle-Trolls Mountain Trolls Stone Trolls

Regions[]

Akhúlsú Altin River Ayn Bosiri Brû Isra Cénna-Valley Cénnacatt Dalad Kirn Desert of Kirmlesra Devesu Dredar Erim Póa Eskisú Harshandatt Hayk Sarzain Isra Israsú Kek Donemeck River Kirm Kirm Lesra Kirmlesran Hills Mard Isauba Maudar Vale Mavi Ne Tava Ornad Póansú River Rásk River Rók Sara Bask Sel Sîresha river valley Sîrsis River Vale Skara Riskal Skara Sársas Tarmet Bazain Tûr Betark Ulsú

Places of Note[]

Sirayn — Isra, Kirmlesra and the Sara Bask

Abandoned Caravansary Abandoned dwarf-outpost Akhûl Akhúlsu Aksari Ancient Lighthouse Apisêr Ayn Bál Bampóa Baud Selen Bóa Ters Bóas Altin Bóas Isra Bóas Ortu Bóasîri Cemetary of Mumalik Charnesra Danak Drêd Eskisú Evefalin Evepóa Eveselen Fhûl Galataj Gausas Ghabaras Hayk Surzain Ingelis Isresk Karaskon Ravine Kelen Kenk Kirm Kref Masar Kun Anyam Kuyu Altin Kuyu Akrep Kuyu Mavi Kuyu Selen Mablad-dûm Mara Gaib Mejhat Memphet Moghóly Dask Muraett Murghyr Naerphys Narad-Dûm Né Saik Ny Chennacatt Ocí Ostkêr Póan Pyarador Rask Rîntark Rók Skara Riscal Skara Sarsus Tarnet Barzain Tartaust Tûl Harar Till Isra Tûl Isra Tûl Póac Tûr Aylra Tûr Kirimar Tuthys Tyarett Ulsú Uyvhan Adesh Valley of Tombs Xyunai Yatali Kîrgan Yenndrêd Yûl Deve

Roads[]

Emek Ka Sirtina Kek Dínemek Kek Iliri Kek Irmak Kek Tepé Né Saiki Né Suik Yól Cénnacatt Yól Isra Yól Sari

Creatures[]

Animals: a-lori-ma-lau Blue Monkeys caja Camels Cattle Cougars Dogs eagles Foxes Goats Ground squirrels hanajaib hawks Hill Cats lizards predatory birds Rabbits Sheep songbirds vultures Wild dogs

Olvar[]

Barley coco nut cork Cotton date palm fig flax gorse grasses kafe legumes magnolia marauba palm nettles olive plametto rice Siranean sukpalm Tasab tough grass wheat wifwif willow

References[]

MERP: Greater Harad
MERP: Nazgûl's Citadel
merp.com wiki