Twin Nations

The Twin Nations of Mag and Tûmag

Location of Twin Nations (MERP)
Type	Realm (Kingdom)
Region	Utter South, Middle-earth

The Twin Nations, formally Kog Pa Lamusk ikog Omgeg (Ma. "The Twin Nations of the Rhino"): An epithet for the combined nations of Mag and Tûmag (qq.v.) since their unification in Second Age 2016.

Two nations, and equally one nation. South of the Yellow Mountains, in the tropical grasslands of the ancient Elven realm of Cirinsala-cuennûr (Av. "Land [of] Red Grass", lit. "Red-grass-land"), lived the people of Mag and Tûmag. The land of Mag lay west of the Rusek river, Tûmag to the east. Here, between the southern sea and the mountains, the ﬁght for land, the ﬁght between good and evil, and the ﬁght to survive all raged daily.
Always a land of conflict, the Twin Nations in T.A. 1640 were now thriving in uncertain peace. But many powerful enemies were near and had plans for Mag and Tûmag. In that time of quiet, the darkness had begun closing in… .

History[]

In S.A. 610, six Ankanli tribes began migrating westward because of territorial disputes in later Ûsakan. They eventually settled in all the vast lands west of the Putoruk forest and east of the Cupiga-Witu. The immigrants quickly realized the value and beauty of their new home. They later named the realm Mag, which means wide, open land in proto-Ûsakanian.
Alter only one hundred years of growth, the people of later Mag fell into civil war. Aﬂer a year of ﬁghting, the six tribes ended the war, only now the tribes would no longer share a single nation. The three tribes east of the Rusek river named themselves the Tûmag, meaning simply "East-Mag". The peaceful era following the war was very stressful because of the new systems being put in order. Later Mag and Tûmag both went on slightly different social and political paths after that time.
In S.A. 1260 a Númenórean party, led by a Lord Alyarillë, landed on the shores of later southern Mag. The proto-Mag immediately threatened to attack the Númenóreans, but were paciﬁed by the Tûmag, who believed that the Númenóreans could possibly provide something useful. Alyarillë did not have any plans to rid the later Twin Nations or their people, but he was intent on establishing a sizable haven at the mouth of the Rusek, and if the natives objected, they would be sorry.
The years after the Númenórean arrival were characterized by the growth of Adan influence in later Mag and Tûmag. The city of Londë Alyarrilëva (S. "Alyarillë's Haven") was built on the eastern side of the Rusek's mouth, while various sea-side communities were established to house the Númenóreans. In 1880 the governor of Alyahopa, Humazir, was ordered to make the later Twin Nations into a Númenórean kingdom. Humazir was declared king of Londë Alyarillëva, although with great resistance from the proto-Mag.
Thirty years passed in later Mag and Tûmag before the natives decided to rid their lands of the Númenóreans. The proto-Mag and Tûmag united and declared war on their Númenórean overseers. The bloody war lasted for five years, during which many devastating battles took place. Eventually the tribes broke the Númenórean hold and drove out the last of the Adan lords. The proto-Mag and Tûmag decided to remain united, creating a single nation: Kog Pa Lamusk ikog Omgeg (Ma. "The Twin Nations of the Rhino”) in S.A. 2016.
Since that time, the two countries have remained relatively strong, despite a nineteen year civil war spurred by the ﬁrst Tamska (Ma. "Queen"). The Tamska was killed by her own daughter, who replaced her on the throne. Her rule kept peace in the Twin Nations throughout the rest of the Second Age. Her successors' reigns all had varying degrees of beneﬁcence concerning Mag and Tûmag.
The Third Age had brought a new threat to the peace in Mag and Tûmag: Sauron and his evil schemes. His dark influence was now closing in on the Twin Nations, as it was on all the realms of the South.

Timeline[]

First Age[]

A small group of Avarin Elves move into this land, which they call Cirinsala-cuennûr (Av. "Red-grass land"), later called Mag and Tûmag by Men. They settle in the Nols Aulda and build a great structure, a "monestary" in contemplation of what faint memories they have about tales on Eru Ilúvatar and the Ainur.
Jovkuar, a wood spirit corrupted by Morgoth comes to Cirinsala-cuennûr, making his home in the upland bamboo forests to plague the Elves. Soon after, the Elves in the area consider it to be a place of darkness.
By the end of the First Age, most of the Elves have left the land.

Second Age[]

S.A. 1-50: Founding of Númenor.
S.A. 100: Founding of the earliest predecessors of Kôronânde and Hathor.
S.A. 353: Founding of later Ûsakan.
S.A. 442: Death of Elros Tar-Minyatur, the first King of Númenor.
S.A. 500: Sauron begins to stir once more.
S.A. 610-640: Six proto-Ûsakani tribes migrate into the tropical grasslands to the south. They name their new realm "Amághu" (in later times "Mag"), meaning "Wide Land."
S.A. 650: The ancestors of the Drêl-People resettle in the wooded country around the Bay of Drêl after thirty years of conflict with the ancestors of the Adena.
S.A. 703-7: Four proto-Drêl clans move southward through the Tûr Betark and settle on the southern coast of Middle-Earth. They will later become known as the Pél.
S.A. 705-6: Civil war in the forerunner of later Mag leads to the splitting of the six tribes. The western three remain ald will later be known as the Mag, while the eastern three are the ancestors of those who will later become known as the Tûmag, "Eastern Mag".
S.A. 705: The sundering of the tribes leads to the proto- Mag and Tûmag developing as separate cultures.proto- Mag and Tûmag become independent nations.
S.A. 1000: Sauron moves to Mordor and makes it his own.
S.A. 1100-1250: Ancestors of the Sedêre tribes from later Ûsakan migrate into the open plains of later Mag and Tûmag.
S.A. 1260: A large group of Númenóreans land at the mouth of the Rusek and establish a colony on the eastern banks. They are welcomed by the Tûmag's ancestors, for they are seen as a source of wealth and knowledge. They are disliked by the Mag's ancestors, who consider the colonists intruders in their lands.
S.A. 1265-1289: A small group of Halfling-kin, the Nimblefingers of later Ages, stumbles into Gan. Their coming is noticed by few.
S.A. 1300: Founding of Lond Hallacar (later Tantûrak) on the eastern shore of the later Ûsakan Bay.
S.A. 1350: The Court of Aranórë meets again for the first time in the Second Age.
S.A. 1600: Sauron completes the One Ring.
S.A. 1666: Founding of Mírënórë (later Zimrathâni) by the insane Númenórean mystic Arvarien.
S.A. 1693: The War of the Elves and Sauron begins.
S.A. 1750: Agents of Sauron enter later Mûmakan and begin influencing the conjurer-lords of the land of the Mûmakani's ancestors.
S.A. 1753: Athum, a corrupted Noldo from Mordor, arrives in later Mag, and remains at the ancient Avarin structure in the Nols Aulda.
S.A. 1800-2251: Darkness falls over Númenor as the split between the King's Men and Faithful begins.
S.A. 1869-2029: Númenor begins to militarily exact concessions from the peoples of Middle-earth, including in Mag and Tûmag.
S.A. 1880: Tar-Ciryatan orders Governor Humazir of later Alyahopa to annex future Mag and Tûmag and create a Númenórean client-state.
S.A. 1888: Khôrahil is born in Númenor.
S.A. 1904: Founding of the Númenórean client state of Ciryatanórë, later An-Balkûmagân.
S.A. 1965: Indur Dawndeath is born in the predecessor of the later city of Kôrlan.
S.A. 2000: Khorahil and Indur accept Rings of Power, and become the Fourth and Fifth of the Nazgûl. "The Magician" arrives in later Tantûrak.
S.A. 2001: The Fifth of the Nazgûl begins his reign as Amâv II in later Mûmakan.
S.A. 2010-2015: Growing hatred for the Númenóreans causes the ancestors of the Mag and Tûmag to unite and declare war on the "Men of the West". The native peoples defeat the Númenóreans in the spring of 2015, killing almost all of the intruders. The city of later Alyahopa is reduced to ruins, but their legacy survives in the tropical lands.
S.A. 2016:the ancestors of the Mag and Tûmag sign a treaty, and name their land the "Twin Nations of the Omgeg".
S.A. 3000:later Tantûrak declares itself an independent kingdom and severs relations with the Avarin realm of Tâlirân. Association with the predecessor of Kôronânde is reduced.
S.A. 3213-3215: Succession war in Zimrathâni between the fourteen children of its Prince. The younger seven children form the Balân-lâi, the alliance of seven principalities.
S.A. 3215: The Dominions of the Seven are founded by the Balân-lâi.
S.A. 3262: Sauron is taken prisoner by Ar-Pharazôn of Númenor.
S.A. 3319: The Downfall of Númenor by the hand of Eru.
S.A. 3320: Sauron returns to Mordor in a hideous form.
S.A. 3411: Verjana Pan crowns herself the first Tamska "Queen" of later Tûmag. She breaks the ancient treaty with the predecessor of Mag and declares war on its people.
S.A. 3420: The queen is killed by her own guards, said to be incited by her own daughter. Peace returns to the Twin Nations when the new Tamska, Dagema, ascends to the throne. She is well liked among the later Tûmag and Mag.
S.A. 3441: The Second Age comes to an end. The Ringwraiths pass into the shadows when Barad-dûr is broken and Sauron overthrown.

Third Age[]

T.A. 187: Akos, the capital of future Mag, is founded.
T.A. 203: A group of wandering Ents in search for the entwives arrive in the Wamo-Kuala-Deg, the Green Sky Wood.
T.A. 256: later Cikahopa is founded on the south-eastern shore oflater Cika Mag.
T.A. 659: The ancestors of the Mag and Tûmag attack future Pél in the hope of expanding their domain.
T.A. 664: Imrazôr II of the Dominions defeats the Mag at the Battle of the Misty Hills and subjugates future Tûmag later in the year. Queen Jamena of future Tûmag is killed.
T.A. 666: Imrazôr II is assassinated by his own mother. His empire crumbles, and the Twin Nations regains their freedom.
T.A. 667: Pagtuna Ogeda rises to the throne as Tamska Ogeda, first queen since the occupation of Zimrathâni. She is revered as a diety and rules later Tûmag for seventy years.
T.A. 737: Tamska Ogeda passes away, and is succeeded by her daughter Pagtuna II.
T.A. 785-799: The ruined Númenórean city of later Alyahopa is rebuilt by the ancestors of the Tûmag. This becomes the largest city in all the Twin Nations.
T.A. 1000: Sauron begins to stir once more.
T.A. 1050: The Nazgûl reappear and Sauron resurfaces.
T.A. 1062-1067: A large group of a Khyan-related people from later Ûsakan migrate into the hills of later eastern Tûmag. They are tolerated but generally disliked by the Tûmag's ancestors.
T.A. 1264-1640: The Fourth of the Ringwraiths rules Mûmakan once more as Amâv III.
T.A. 1270: Athum begins the Cult of the Black Tide in Mag and Tûmag, receiving support of the Ringwraiths in the form of specially suited soldiers.
T.A. 1365: Under the influence of "The Magician", Tantûrak declares war on Kôronânde. The conflict lasts seven years.
T.A. 1449-1450: Arcastur of Pél reveals the Speakings of the Fire, the dualistic tome incorporating the words of the Light and the Shadow. He becomes the first prophet of the Servants of the Real Fire.
T.A. 1462: Athum experiments with demonic spells, but in turn is transformed into a lesser demon and is driven insane.
T.A. 1467-1470: The demonic Athum corrupts the few Ents in the Green Sky Wood, and they begin to make the jungle an evil domain.
T.A. 1597: Tamska Hanan comes to power.
T.A. 1633: The Half-Troll Hargrog forms the Slayers.
T.A. 1640: The Ringwraiths return to Mordor.
T.A. 1641: Trouble in the Twin Nations.
T.A. 1705: Eclipse over the Shân-ta-Rhôn.
T.A. 2000: The rise of the Aûdrat Vâtra in Far Harad.
T.A. 2178: The sacred well at former Tresti fails. The city is abandoned and Moon worship begins its decline.
T.A. 2194: Pon Ifta is crowned king in the sucessor of Bôzisha-Dâr.
T.A. 2460-2941: The Fourth of the Ringwraiths rules former Mûmakan again as Amâv IV.
T.A. 2838: Jenna Chy is born.
T.A. 2865-2875: The Island Wars.
T.A. 2850-2890: The Servants of the Real Fire seize control of Mag and Tûmag's successors. Athum entombs himself in the Avarin monestary until the Fourth Age.
T.A. 3021: The Third Age ends when the Ringbearers sail to the West.

Fourth Age[]

Fo.A. 1: Naromod the Mighty overthrows the Servants of the Real Fire in one day, on the first day of the second month.

Geography[]

Regions, Rivers, and Bodies of Water[]

Borovat Canyon Cika Mag (Lake) Cupiga-Witu (Thunder Wood) Durkandig Grasslands Emyn Feleg Haragaer Huskulf (Modune Bay) Modune Nols Cos Nols Jedil Nols Osktrug Nols Vakaj Ojava Swamp Paga Deg Putoruk Rusek River Sajoc Pul (Sun Road) Sopukij River Straight of Tûmag Tûmag Habor (plain) Uan Gepelek (Blue Wedge Bay) Uan Omgeg (Rhino Bay) Ugab Mag Ûsakan Bay Vaem Degi (Bamboo Forests) Wamo-Kuala-Deg (Green-Sky-Forest) Yellow Mountains

Settlements and Points of Interest[]

Akos Alyahopa (Capital) Dark Tide Monastery Falls of the Crocodile Gesathago's Lair Guishas Hosis Jesbutu Kimej Naurlindol Okavango Rakal Sajoc Pul (Sun Road) Sarataira Sashal Sessin Temple of the Hurthaz Thega Wedrulma

Peoples and Cultures[]

Races and Peoples inhabiting the Twin Nations:

Men: Black Númenóreans Lom'chy Mag (People) Sedêre Tûmag (People)

Politics and Power[]

This section describes conditions as they were in T.A. 1640-1650.

Control of the Twin Nations had changed hands many times throughout the centuries. In the First Age it was the Elves, in the Second Age the Mag and Tûmag had to ﬁght each other as well as the powerful Númenóreans for dominion over their realm. Since the mid-Second Age the Twin Nations had been united, and they afterwards together fought all opposition. The leaders of Mag and Tûmag faced many adversaries in those days, although open war had yet to be seen.

The Tamska[]

Since S.A. 3411, when Verjana Pan gave herself the title of queen, the Twin Nations had been ruled by Tamskas. The Tamska was a monarch who commanded the executive, judicial, and legislature branches of the government. She oversaw the military, conducted diplomacy, conferred titles, and decreed punishments. From her citadel (Sjolukela) in the heart of Alyohopa, the Tamska of Tûmag controlled her realm with a silken fist. Her power came not from displays of military might, but from successful military tactics. This did not mean, however, that her position was humble. The Tamska was worshiped as a godess because her people believed that she was a divine being.
The Tamska was chosen by a six-membered council of wise men. Every child born on the first day of the year was "tested" for signs of divinity by that council. Once the heiress to the Tamska's throne was discovered, she was raised secretly at Koorul, the ancient monastery in the Nols Jedil. There she was educated in language, diplomacy, the ﬁne arts, and magic. In the time around T.A. 164O, no child had yet been found to replace the Tamska. The wise men of Koorul were anxious to find a girl, as the current Tamska was moving into the last stage of her life.

The Tribal Leaders[]

Logajan and T'del of the Usij
The two leaders of the Usij clan lived in a fortress situated in southern Durkandig. They were calm, intelligent, and just. The Usij tribe was the smallest of the three, and therefore had less to do with Mag's structure. The Worake and his wife tended to their dominion, and rarely involved their tribe with anything out of the ordinary.
Logajan was 5'10" tall, had brown eyes, short black hair, and tanned skin. He was 61 years old. T'del was tall (6'). She possesed light brown hair and hazel eyes. Her skin was dark. She clearly had elven blood. She was 52.
Kadamb and Alginda of the Gamikis
Kadamb and his family lived in Rakal. The Gamikis tribe was the most populous and influential tribe of Mag. The two clan leaders were strong, and sometimes harsh, and usually got what needed to be done, done. Alginda was quick to condemn foreigners. Kadamb was more thoughtful, though he seemed to care more for his own tribe than for the whole nation.
Kadamb was an excellent warrior and stood 6'1" tall. He had medium length black hair, brown eyes, and tanned skin. His wife, Alginda, stood 5'4" tall, had black hair, grey eyes, and medium tanned skin. Her ears were stretched to her shoulders, unusually long, after the fashion of her people.
Obral and Cynolis of the Mudug
Obral and Cynolis were the oldest clan-leaders, Obrai being 73 and Cynolis 69. Their tribe provided much of Mag's wealth. Their fisheries and trade kept the economy stable. However, the Mudug seemed to rarely proﬁt much from their endevours. They did not recieve the respect they deserved. Obral was once the greatest naval captain of Mag.
Obral looked very old. His hair was grey, his eyes dark brown, his skin tan. He stood 5'9", hunched over. Cynolis had aged well and she loved her husband dearly. She was 5'5" tall, had grey/black hair, brown eyes, and lightly tanned skin. They lived in Jesbutu under the protection of Aekil, the eastern warlord of Mag.

Cults, Groups, Guilds, Orders, Organizations[]

The Army of the Southern Dragon The Black Tide Cult of the Guna Ucar Followers of The Shadow Gamikis (clan) The Garks (Desert Screamers, or Rovers) The Hurthaz Mudug (clan) The Slayers Usij (clan) Yutjuk

Followers of the Shadow[]

The presence of the Shadow in the Twin Nations was significant, but not as focused as it was in the Dominions of the Seven, the lands of Mûmakan, and Greater Harad. Because the people of Mag and Tûmag did not yet pose a great threat to the adjacent realms of Indûr and Akhôrahil the Ringwraiths, their efforts were directed elsewhere. In the mid 1600's, Sauron had allowed more attention to be payed to Mag and Tûmag. The presence of the cruel princess Sendla had urged Indûr to seek an "alliance" with the Twin Nations. This only when Sendla took control and became a minion of Sauron.

Main article: Slayers

The Slayers served as a constant reminder of Sauron's strength. They were led by a powerful Half-troll, Hargrog, who was once one of Indûr Dawndeath's chief lieutenants. Often airborne, these assassins struck during the night, or a storm's dark hours. Their nimble Fell Beasts knew virtually all of the routes through the Yellow Mountains, and possessed an uncanny sense of direction that enabled them to find their enemies in even the worst weather. Hargrog's foul mount, Udom, was the largest of these ﬂying creatures, and was said to be the offspring of a Ringwraith's wicked pet.
Because of the presence of the Black Tide, the Slayers rarely operated to the east of their mountain stronghold. The Slayers employed a pendant, a small red dagger on a black chain, as their emblem.

Perhaps the most inﬂuencial evil-doer in the realm was the legate of Indûr, Aellitat. His words twisted Sendla, and through his advice, the wishes of Indûr found life in her. Aellitat at this time had to continue the ideals of Indûr, though the Ringwraith had returned to Mordor. The forces of the Cloud-Lord were no longer in a position to attack any popular resistance in the Twin Nations. However, the Army of the Southern Dragon was ready and willing under the "stewardship" of Uthcu. So Aellitat carried out Indûr's plan of corruption.

Characters[]

First Age: Jovkuar the Demon
Second Age: Alyarul Athum the Elf-Demon Tamska Dagema Pan Humazir Tamska Verjana Pan
Third Age: Bloodbark the Ent Greyroot the Ent Windcatcher the Ent
- Ca. Third Age 1640-1650: Aekil, Mag warlord Aellitat, legate of Indûr Alginda Cynolis Admiral Gashal Tamska (Queen) Hanan Kadamb Kaluthur the Pirate Ko (Queen's page) Logajan Obral Pothek (Chief of Modune) Rakija, Priestess of the Hurthaz Princess Sendla T'del Vaal Gark

Olvar and Kelvar[]

Flora[]

Curfalaka Dagmather Gort Hutha trees Oduluda Shadamabo Slírd Tarnas Thudula Vaem Zulsendura

Fauna[]

Crocodiles Degalkari Grey Apes Guna Ucari Higovi Jai Kekinug Legakoni Meplaki Mûmakil Omgegi Pemjegi Tedejagi Ûlkarkaen

Unnatural Beasts[]

Dragons: Marsh-drakes Rain-drakes Sea-drakes
Other: Ninevet Fell Turtles Giant Spiders Kraken

Notes[]

Original forms of names in MERP Fan Modules:
- ~~Emyn Feleg~~ → Nols Aulda (no one here spoke Sindarin)
- ~~Okavango~~ → Cikahopa (real-world name changed to in-world name)
- ~~Sederi~~ → Sedêre
- ~~Tumag~~ → Tûmag

Original form Fan modules group: Cerensilicuinor = Cirinsala-cuennûr

References[]

The Wild Lands South and East, Gazetteer by Pete Fenlon (archived, latest available)
MERP Fan Modules: #3001 The Twin Nations of Mag & Tumag (.PDF)