Men of Rohan

In the Steward’s Common, Westron, the proud people of Rohan are known as the Rohirrim or by their ancient title the Éothéod. Others will call them the Horse-Lords or Riders of the Mark or simply Men of the North.  What is known is that they hale from Rohan which is a kingdom north of Gondor, west of Rhovanion and bordering the forbidden land known as Dunland. This land was once a part of the Kingdom of Gondor, a land known as Calenardhon. It was granted to the Men of Rohan after the Great Plague for their assistance in defeating the terrible Easterlings.

Rohan is known as a pastoral expanse, commonly referred to as being Seas of Grass for the grasslands that spread between its borders. Often windswept, the grasslands are said to suffer from many storms that come up suddenly and with a fierce power behind them. Rohan is made up of directional districts containing a loose confederacy of small settlements and homesteads overseen by fort-like settlements known as burgs (like Aldburg and Framsburg) and only one true city - Edoras which is home to Golden Hall, Meduseld, home and hall of the King of Rohan.

 Playing an Eorlingas:  Quick Tips

-For accents please see Accents of Middle-Earth Cultures 

-To a man of Rohan, the Rohirrim, is the proper term for the King’s cavalry and mustered force of war. As a people, the Men of Rohan call themselves the Eorlingas, the followers of Eorl, in respect to Eorl the Young, the first King of Rohan who established the great Oath and friendship with the kingdom of Gondor and was famous for having Felaróf as his mount, one of the great Mearas, the mythical bloodline of horses rode only by the line of Rohan’s kings.

- Eorlingas are commonly tall and hale compared to an average Rhovanion or common-born Gondorian. Their sole competition in loftiness is the nobility of Gondor, the Dúnedain (or the Greyborn as the Eorlingas are known to call them).  Men of Rohan range in height between 70 and 76 inches while the women range between 68 to 74 inches in height. Men of Rohan tend to have broader shoulders and thinner hips and the women tend to be slender but well-defined given the physical nature of life in the kingdom. Pale, fair-skinned and blond-haired, their eyes linger in the shades of blue from pale to brilliant. Brown hair and brown eyes are uncommon amongst them, as is a shorter stature – these things would be a sign of having their bloodline watered by Dunlending or Easterlings and is not a compliment by any means. Black and red hair are all but non-existent in a true-blooded Man of Rohan as too are green or grey eyes.

The only noted exception is the glaucous blue-grey eyes that display in the lines of the King at times as a hint to their occasional marriages with the Dúnedain nobility of Gondor as sign of the lasting friendship and union between the two kingdoms.

- Eorlingas from the common farmer to the King tend to follow an old tradition of utilizing the name of their father as their proper family name. A man named Gregor, son of Dru would introduce himself properly as such, noted as Gregor Druson in abbreviation on in the tales of skald and poet. A female would introduce herself as Dalla, daughter or Dru, or Dalla Drudottir.

Only in extremely rare circumstance would a man instead identify as the son of his mother. This is only done so properly in the case of Kings or nobles who do so to note they inherit their title or position through their mother’s line such as Fréaláf Hildeson, nephew of Helm Hammerhand. In the case of a common-born man or woman, it is a mark of shame - it is a mark that their father is unknown to them, and worse, to their mother. For even the children born to a widow heavy with child when their father passed in battle are named after him.

-Naming is of great importance to the Eorlingas, who believe in the inherent power of an uppnefi, a nickname granted to you by others. They believe that this named trait becomes essentially true by the repeated speaking of it. These nicknames tend to remember one’s physical characteristics, habits, temperament, deeds, or occupation. Helm Hammerhand and Brytta Léofa (léofa meaning the beloved) are two of the Kings granted such an uppnefi. One cannot give themselves an uppnefi, which would be seen as inauthentic and false.

The naming of a child is equally of import. Amongst the nobility this is generally done in honor of ancestors or great heroes of song and tale and the kings of old. For the common born man or woman, it is commonly based on the aspects of the names of one’s parents. Common-born with rare exception name females after their mother and males after their father. (The only exception to this rule is daughters who are planned for promise as a shieldmaiden who may be named after aspects of the name of their father or a warrior of note to grant them a male’s courage and strength in battle.) Either the beginning or the end of their parent’s name is utilized to form a new name. If a woman is named Manwyn and her husband is name Deordel, their daughters will likely either be Man- or -wyn and their sons will likely be Deo- or -el. The rest of the name formed by a trait or name desired for the child to heavy. Hence Deonod (Brave son of Deo) or Fridwyn (Peaceful daughter of Wyn) as names for the children of our imagined couple.

It is believed that naming a child after a person is to beseech Béma to grant them the characteristics of those they are named after. As such, it is not uncommon for a newly born child to not have a name until a proper one is decided upon. When it is, a naming day feast often takes place, wherein the father declares for public, kith, and kin who attend, “I call this child son/daughter. They are so named ___ .” As such, Men of Rohan are more apt to celebrate their naming day than the day of their physical birth, as it is the day they were accepted and named as part of their people and their kin.

- Eorlingas are a stern, grave and serious people often remarked as being proud and arrogant, though despite all this they are known to be generous and hospitable to the wayward traveler passing through though that hospitality does not welcome outsiders to linger long. It is not very common that outsiders are welcomed into the fold to live in Rohan unless their bring with them a skill or inheritance of note, generally related to horses or horsemanship. The nobility are known to intermarry with nobles of Gondor to maintain the ancient ties between the kingdoms. Marrying of outsiders for frivolous reasons is highly frowned upon, and generally gets those with family and kin in Rohan cut-loose from the family reins and sometimes ostracized wholly from society.

- In Ages past, before the time of book and tome, it is said the Men of Rohan and Rhovanion shared a common lineage in the Edain, the Men of the North whom the Dúnedain would call Middle Men. Their two mother tongues - Rohirric and Dalish sprang from a shared language now lost to the Ages, but there are shared traits and elements among the traditional cultures of the two peoples. (Please see “The Old Ways” for more here.)

While the West-Men learned from Elves, Men of the North learned from Dwarves. The Stoneborn taught them the Cirth runes used for the writing of their languages, and so it is said, a love for song, ale, and even a manner of dress. That the Lords and Kings of Men amongst Rohan and in Dale in the treasured past all dressed in velvet with belt and crown like the King Under the Mountain is a curious thing to consider. The Men of Dale remained in good favor with the Dwarves of Erebor, studying masonry and metalwork from them until the fall of both kingdoms from the terrible wrath of Smaug the Terrible. Men of Rhovanion through Laketown remain in contact with the Iron Hills, the last remaining Dwarven stronghold in the region.

The love between Dwarven kind and the Eorlingas was similarly interrupted by a dragon’s wrath after the infamous scuffle between the Dwarves of the Grey Mountains and Fram, Lord of the Éothéod over the treasure of Scatha the Wyrm. The distrust between the Eorlingas and Dwarven-kind remains at a low rumble to the present day, and they rarely trade directly, instead dealing through intermediaries such as in Laketown.

- Keeping one’s hair long in Rohan is not a sign of financial stability so much as it is for the rest of the known world, in Rohan serf and King keeps their hair longer than the average compared to other Middle Earth peoples. Few keep it shorter than shoulder length, as any shorter questions one’s health and prowess. It is a sentiment rumored to be in part due to desiring to share a common look with their beloved horses as much as it is in their veneration for their flowing haired imagine of the Vala Oromë the Hunter, whom in their own tongue and legend they call Béma, whose great mount, Nahar is the sire of the line of mystical Mearas. To honor Béma they hold seasonal hunts which are much like festivals full of song, beer, great company and good cheer.

Hair braiding is generally considered an artform amongst the Eorlingas, both men and women, and done regularly. Though it is more common among low-born men than noblemen. The reason for this is that when braided, it is easier to conceal unclean hair than it is to conceal it when left loose thus braiding is the way of commoners in society. Noblewomen generally keep their long and flowing hair free, though tradition dictates that hair is to be braided during certain feasts and traditions held by the nobles, and during the mourning period for one’s spouse or kin.

- Beards are very much a consistent trend in Rohan across the classes. Usually kept neat and well-cared for beards are a trend amongst men and the greater care taken to keeping it clean, combed and trimmed shows off one’s wealth. Riders and younger men generally keep theirs shorter than older men. (According to legend, Helm Hammerhand had the longest beard of the kings to date.) For a man to have braids in his hair or beard is a sign that he is married or in the process of it, for it is considered a woman’s touch. Men who want to take themselves off the market, so to speak, have be known to do it themselves but a discerning Eorlingas woman can tell the difference between a man’s braiding and a woman’s though it would be considered rude and in poor form to call him out on such publicly.

-  The common clothes worn in Rohan are made up of felted wool and worsted with imported cotton or linen from Gondor. Nobility are known to import fine velvet or woolen brocades with deep colors of scarlet and crimson saved traditionally for the line of kings. Not unlike other cultured countries in Middle-Earth, the more cloth worn, the more one’s wealth is displayed. Leather is also commonly worn with fine deerskins and lambskins amongst the most desireable. Fur is worn for warm and style, with finer and rarer furs a mark of wealth and status.

Men dress in masculine attire of such things as long vests, tunics, jerkins, and deeply-cowled cloaks and favor long-legged trousers that are easily tucked into riding boots. Most clothing in Rohan is composed of shades of green, blue, golden yellow, or brown, stemming from the weld and woad grown and found readily on the Riddermark. Shades of red made from madder are the mark of the nobility, and black is traditionally only worn during periods of mourning.

Women dress in feminine attire of such things as shifts and chemises worn beneath simple gowns and dresses often with removeable sleeves for ease of work. Bodices tend to be the mark of a field working woman or a Shieldmaiden as practical, protective affairs with a close, contoured fit and extending past the waistline and to the hips. Upper class women tend to wear more flowing styles in riding-skirts, over-dresses and fine gowns with long almost impractical flowing sleeves. Fashionable women sport belts both wide and girdle-like or long lean and trailing. The former are usually tooled or embossed leather and stained colorfully to bring out the design. The latter tend to be embroidered or woven with intricate patterns and brocades with golden sea-silk thread imported from Gondor popular among the nobility, while the common man uses woolens or even trimmed horse-hair for their belts.

Heels are not common in footwear for fashion sense nor are worn by any self-respecting rider as they are a sign that one cannot keep himself in saddle without them. Only amongst the infirm or elderly are they accepted as an augmented ride is still better than a man who does not ride at all.

Traditional female footwear are slippers, whether cloth or leather, for women and tall boots for men. Footwear, like girdles, are often tooled, embossed, or embroidered. In the colder months, both sexes might wear turn-shoes with woven footwraps or fur-lined boots.

-  The Eorlingas take a great pride in embossing, tooling, or embroidering armor, clothing, saddles, and everything that can be decorated or stylized. Similar attention is given to stone or woodwork in the decorating of Halls and houses. The weaving of grand tapestry is the artform of choice rather than painting as pursued elsewhere.Traditional styles in all of these arts are geometric and stylized in nature, and horse imagery is most prevalent. Other utilized images are knotwork patterns, spears, shields, hunting horns, evermind, woad, and weld flowers (generally for women), dragons, or decorated with Cirth runes of words in Rohirric.

- Rohan is one of the prime contributors to the world’s oat supply, growing it predominantly as their staple grain for the feeding of man and horse. They grow little of wheat which is more common in the lands around Bree or Gondor or barley common to Rhovanion.

- Other than oats, straw, and dyestuffs in weld, woad, and madder, Rohan is unbested in the horse offering renowned saddles, saddle-soap and other needs for an ostler’s art. The kingdoms steeds, mares, and ponies are unrivaled. Yet, horses of Rohan are not easily bought nor cheaply. Their warhorses especially are highly coveted and parted with only under very special conditions.

- Horses and hunting dogs are favored companions of Rohan and protected. Someone who brings harm to either suffers some serious societal difficulties as well as fines and time spent in gaol depending on the severity of the harm. It is not unheard of that the Marshalls of the districts have hung or quartered one who has harmed the King’s horses or dogs. The hunting dog of Rohan is a sleek, long-snouted and long-legged canine commonly blond or light brown so as to blend in with the grasslands and have thin, long and straight hair which earns them the comparison to matching their masters.

- The common livelihoods of the common man of Rohan are herdsmen and farmers, horsemen, and those serving the Calvary (Riders) or the Infantry (Spears). Women typically assist in their husband’s work, but also earn note as healers and midwives, herbalists, weavers, and seamstresses work seen as in the feminine domain. In the fortified burgs there is a very small class of artisans, and smaller still are the number of folk who serve as servants in the Halls of the Marshalls and nobles.

- Inheritance falls to the first born male and if such is not living continues through the male line. If in the event that there are no more males, even distantly related, it is not uncommon for the nearest female kin of the deceased to be quickly married off if not already so. If already married, it is her husband who inherits.

- Women are delicate, meant to be protected and not treated cruelly, uncouthly, crassly or without honor. To strike a woman is considered a man’s way of claiming himself not a man for there is no honor in striking a woman. Women strike women, if such rebuke is truly necessary. A man would be proclaiming himself a gelding to strike one, even in dispute. The only situation this has ever socially been acceptable to hit a woman is during a true battle where the King has called a Muster or during an attack on one of Rohan’s settlements. The Easterlings, most notedly the Balcoth and Wainriders are known to have female soldiers in their ranks.

The only situation a woman is not a delicate flower to shield from the darkness of the world is a Shieldmaiden – a woman wed to her service to the King and his Marshalls, a woman with an oath to never marry, never bear a child. The unit of Shieldmaidens serving the King is few in numbers and very elite, which means becoming a Shieldmaiden is no easy pursuit. Families tend to look at such as a prestigious but disadvantaged affair as it will mean no continuation of the blood line through that particular daughter.  For a family of no means to marry a daughter well, however, it is a path for her to earn respect and standing. There are stories and songs sung often of their might and their valor and their fierceness in battle.

- Every man of Rohan is obligated by oath and law to respond to a Muster of the Rohirrim - a call for every able-bodied man of age to gather his horse and ride to war to protect kith and kin. A Muster of the Rohirrim is generally Rohan’s offensive strategy of war. Rohan and typically all men, common to noble alike have served time in martial training so as to encourage all are ‘ready’ should a Muster be called. This training is highly-suggested and sometimes, in some families and settlements, not a suggestion or a question, but a requirement of manhood and thus at the age of 18, when a boy becomes a man, he will enlist with the King’s Cavalry (colloquially known as the Riders) or the King’s Infantry (the Spears)  to serve for a year. That year they’re trained and prepared for battle and expected to remember this training even years later should a Muster be called. After their year of training, some continue to serve with the Riders as a profession, serving to patrol the borders of kingdom under the King’s Marshalls and Captains.

Rohan does not send her Infantry for war outside of the borders of it’s own lands, likely from experience in the past fighting the Wainriders of ages past and has well-learned the advantage of warfare on horseback. However, for internal troubles, the King’s Infantry, often known as the Spears handle the internal issues of the kingdom and respond for defense. During times of peace, men of the Spears serve much as the Watch or Guard do in other lands of Men.

Those who spend their training year learning to serve as Spears learn to fight aground as spearmen, shieldmen, or archers to protect their settlements in case of dire need. This training also assists the men in having the basic training to hunt or to protect his flocks or herds should the need arise from foe man or animal. Thus Spears training is the more common choice for herdsmen or farmers particularly in the Wold. Those who choose to continue to serve as Spears are assigned under the King’s Marshalls and Captains to assist the nobles of the kingdom in keeping order and law and should need arise, applying the king’s justice.

Like a Muster of the Rohirrim, a Muster of the Spears requires every able bodied man to report for duty. When such a call is given by the King, it is a grave proclamation, and means that the women and children of the Kingdom are to report to Edoras, Dunharrow, or the Hornburg to be protected. A Muster of the Spears is thus Rohan’s defensive strategy of war.

- There are superstitions about the chaotic weather that stirs up across the grasslands of Rohan. This weather is commonly the fault of winds and temperatures caught between the mountains bordering Rohan and is erratic at best, causing long, sweltering summers and cold, brutal winters. During the transitioning seasons it is not at all uncommon that one day the weather rises to a warm temperature affording the removal of cloaks and thick layers while the very next day is near freezing and snow dumps upon the grasses only to melt quickly with the rising heat of the following day. Storms often roll across the grasslands and mostly without warning, rushing over the fields with screeching winds, harsh hail and thunder that crashes and drums until the ears feel as though they will bleed.

The superstitions that follow these storms, in particular, are those of Stormhorses, great runners who range the Sea of Grasses with massive manes and thunderous hooves which beat into the very earth. While horses are revered in Rohan, Stormhorses can be seen as very dangerous and wholly unbreakable spirits and due to this many of the Eorlingas will travel with small pouches of rock salt in their pockets. It is said that throwing salt into a brewing storm will stave off Stormhorses from trampling them in their raging run across the grasslands if the horses stop their running, even briefly to gather the desired treats.

-  For men of consequence a mound should be raised to their memory, and for all other warriors who had been distinguished for honor and bravery a standing stone.

Simbelmynë (Evermind) flowers are known to grow on the graves and tombs of the Men of Rohan. They are particularly prevalent in the Barrowfield, the line of the graves of the Kings that stretches outside of the main road of Edoras. Every man, woman, and child entering the city must therefore past by the graves of the Kings and it is said remember Oath and country.

Other nobles similarly bury their line outside of their Halls. For the line of kings or nobles like, their tombs are generally great mounds, marked with stone hailing their name and lineage. For Riders, Spears, King’s Guard, and Shieldmaidens who served with fortitude and bravery they have a smaller grave marked with a named standing stone. Those soldiers who die in remarkable feats of bravery man have a stone carved in their likeness or will be buried under the keystone of the Hall of their Lord as a lasting memorial. Common men are burned by pyre and a smaller statue is carved or a tapestry woven in their likeness and kept by their kin.

At the funeral, a great moment is when the firstborn (or eldest living) son of a man is called forth to take his father’s sword or spear and to promise to honor it. Should a man have no living sons, his elder nephew shall take the call. Likewise for a woman, her eldest unmarried daughter is called to answer who will keep hearth and home in her honor. In all cases, skalds are often hired to sing and tell the story of the dead’s life and a funeral feast is held by farmer and noble alike. For the common man, it usually means a ceremony of three days, for a noble a week, at the death of a king, the people are in remembrance until the next king is crowned.

Eorlingas/Rohirrim Reference

- Rohan is made up of two large provinces: The Westemnet and the Eastemnet. Further distinguished within them are lands known as the Eastfold, the Westfold, the Wold, and the King’s Lands that surround the capital of Edoras and the Harrowdale.

- Rohan is bordered on the north by Fangorn Forest, the rivers Anduin and Limlight while following the hills of Evendim. It is bordered to the east by Sunlending and to the south by the White Mountains. To the west spans the Rivers Anduin and Isen to which borders Isengard, Dunland (home of the Dunlendings), and the Gap of Rohan.

- Edoras, the capital city of Rohan, is a fort-like city atop a hill and is by any means the only ‘city’ of Rohan by the standards of other Men. It is home to the Meduseld, the Golden Hall, which is home to the King of Rohan. The First Marshall beneath the King of Rohan is responsible for the lands around Edoras known as the King’s Lands, keeping things in order with the laws of the land and the King with his company of Spears and patrolling the borders of the King’s Lands with the Riders. Traditionally, the First Marshall is the heir to the throne.

- In the Westfold lies the Hornburg at Helm’s Deep, a mountain-born fortress built into the very walls of the White Mountains north of Edoras. Too, Snowbourne lies in the Westfold, east of Edoras, where Rivers Snowbourne and Entwash converge. The Second Marshall beneath the King of Rohan is responsible for the Westfold, keeping peace and order with his company of Spears and cultivating the growth and training of the western company of Riders.

- In the Eastfold lies Dunharrow, a cliff-top refuge of a settlement within the White Mountains south of Edoras and overlooks the valley of Harrowdale, traveled to upon the Stair of the Hold. Too, there in the southern mountains lies Dimholt and through it lies the Path of the Dead. Aldburg, which was once the capital of Rohan, is much like Edoras is; a fort-style settlement atop a hill though it is much smaller than the newer capital. The Third Marshall beneath the King of Rohan is responsible for the Eastfold, keeping peace and order with his company of Spears and cultivating the growth and training of the eastern company of Riders.

- In the Wold lies many small farmsteads and herdsmen villages for the Wold is expansive and flat, earning much of Rohan’s nickname as the Seas of Grass. Officially, by tradition the Wold does not have it’s own assigned Marshall. Despite it’s unofficial status, a Captain of the Riders is often assigned to patrol the Wold and a Captain of the Spears assigned to ensure law and order are kept. Whomever of the two the men of the Wold respect more is usually called and hailed as Fourth Marshall which can create an interesting dynamic. Village leaders in the Wold are responsible for working with the Captain of the Spears assigned to the Wold in keeping peace and order and ensuring proper cultivating of farms, herds, and horses for the King.

- The Eorlingas keep no books, hold no interest in books, and instead put the virtue of their rich culture and long-rooted history orally and keep it living and breathing in the art of song held by their bards, known as skalds. Events and people to be remembered in image as well as song, are recorded instead in beautiful and elaborate tapestry, often displayed in Halls

- Houses and structures within Rohan are very uniform in the aspect of being long, hall-like structures. Poor housing is a single room, long, narrow and usually built half in the earth with naught more than the peaked and thatch-covered roof exposed above it. Few windows will adorn the houses of the poor and common, though when present there is not much glass to be had and the window coverings used are likely to be tanned hide draped on the inside and bolted shutters on the outside to ward off many of the grassland’s storms.

Houses within settlements maintain the similar look, hunkered into the earth or built on hill-tops with foundations and half-walls of stone though continue to be a long, narrow and often single-room structure. Cellars are cut into the earth below to act as larders and pantries. Glass panes are generally used by the wealthy for importing and maintaining the glass is a costly venture. The lavish halls of nobility are often entirely of stone and high-reaching with vaulted ceilings and exposed beams ornately carved in the likeness of running horses or jousting stags or other decorative work. Where the floors of the poor and common are generally exposed earth with oat-thrush rugs thrown over, the flooring of the wealthy become planks of wood or tiles of stone and the nobility even more lavish – often inlaying their wood and stone floors in intricate knot-work patterns and designs to show off their family’s crest.

- Rohan is honor-bound to Gondor to come in need, to fight in their battles, when the Beacons along the White Mountains from Amon Dîn to Edoras are lit.

- Rohan is made up of three social classes: the nobility, men of the King’s Calvary (often known as Riders) and men of the King’s Infantry (often known as Spears), and common men who live as farmers, hunters, herdsmen and the like.

- Honor, Loyalty, and Bravery are the greatest tenets of the Eorlingas culture. To be disloyal, an oathbreaker, or a coward is a shame to oneself and one’s family. And to infer that someone else is one is the highest insult to be given. Being a people of few books and less concept of litigation, such accusations are generally handled by right of trial by combat a form of dueling known as Anwig. Though the doom and seriousness of such a request and the true threat of grave injury leads it to be a rare event, indeed many have only seen one such match in their lifetime.

Nobility

The nobility of Rohan is crowned by its absolute monarchy beneath the King of Rohan and is made up of ten families, four of which are prominent and six which are less than so and that prominence is dependent on who is Marshall, and who is not. Not unlike Gondor, the politics of Rohan can quickly shift the powers and position of the noble families. Another difference from the noble families of Rohan in comparison to those of Gondor is that they descend from the Edain, sometimes known as Middle Men and thus are not Dúnedain as those of Gondor are. As the Eorlingas do not bear family names in the manner of nobiles elsewhere and with their curious custom of uppnefi, their kinships of the nobility are instead noted by their Hall and crest.

The nobility are granted rank and privilege in Rohan in return to their unwavering loyalty and service to the King. They collect taxes on the lands in their watch and send the proper portion to Meduseld and assist in assuring that a proper number of sons are promised to the Riders and Spears and maintain Oaths to protect the boundaries near their Halls. They listen to and settle the disputes of the common-folk and serve as the bearer’s of the King’s law in civil and petty matters while working with the Spears of the King to settle matters of the king’s justice.

Those of the Golden Hall: The family of the King of Rohan which reside in Meduseld within Edoras. To those of Gondor, they are known as the House and line of Eorl. The symbol of their line is the battle flag of the kingdom - a rampant white horse upon a verdant field.

Those of the Heron Hall: The noble family which resides in Hereinseld within Edoras. Those of Hereinseld have for many years held one of the highest positions of prestige amongst the other noble families with strong connections to the King via marriages into his family and line as well as producing many of history’s finest King’s Guard. Heron Hall stands at the northwest corner of Edoras atop a hill overlooked by Meduseld which stands at the highest of hills in the fort-style settlement. Due to the tradition of being prominent and in kinship to the line of kings, those of Heron Hall are often assigned duties in the King’s Guard, serving as the king’s personal protectors and counsel. Those born of Heron Hall are typically tall even for the rest of Rohan, of a willowy nature with a deceptive fragility to them which often gets them foolishly overlooked as competition in battle. Sporting winter-white skin, rich, deep dark-blue eyes and golden-blond hair, those of Heron Hall are often remarked for their beauty even amongst the men.

The symbol of Heron Hall is a flying heron over a grassy field upon a backdrop of the White Mountain range. Their shields, scabbards and other accoutrements standardly are marked with a heron knotwork.

Those of the Black Hart Hall: The noble family which resides in Blaecheorotseld, a hall located in great valley gorge at Helm’s Deep. Known for being carved into the very walls of the mountain itself outside the Hornburg, Black Hart Hall is small and austere in comparison to other noble halls and produces much of Rohan’s cavalry in not only its sons but in those that serve the hall and the family. Those born of Black Hart Hall often vie for Second Marshall with the sons of Grey Hall and White Fox Hall, both of which lie in the Westfold. Those born of the Black Hart Hall vary between genders. Their sons are often stalwart, thick-shouldered, thin-hipped and sport a muscular build while their daughters are of a short stature amongst the Rohirrim and often bear a little more flesh about their figures than any others of the noble lines. Their skin-tone is pale, fairly compared to being florid with pinkness to their cheeks and common to flush with emotion. Remarked for having the darkest of blond hair amongst the other lines, the hue is that of dark-blonde, or sometimes described as honeyed, being a bronze-blond with hints of brown at the roots. In the summer months their hair is known to lighten quickly and hold nigh through winter with it. Those born of the Black Hart Hall have pale, crystal-blue eyes and are known for easily freckling in the sun.

The symbol for Black Hart Hall is a running black rabbit across an iron-grey field. Rabbit knotworks often find their way into the accoutrements of those born to the family.

Those of the Grey Hall: The noble family which resides in Fealuseld, a hall lying in a small settlement east of Helm’s Deep, north of river Snowbourne in a hamlet that dips down into a shallow valley within the grasslands which affords the village much respite from storms. The hall is not overly lavish, nor grand is size. It has a simple, rustic appeal to it made of stone with a vaulted ceiling and thatched roof. Its stone-wrought structure and height is all that sets it apart in outward look from the other long-houses surrounded in the village but within, the air of nobility is quickly measured. The floors are said to be inlaid with painted stones so as to create the map of Rohan itself and its walls are keenly adorned with windows and the walls strung with many tapestries depicting the hall’s history. Often in competition with Black Hart Hall and White Fox Hall for Second Marshall status, Grey Hall is another producer of much of Rohan’s cavalry. Brute strength, though, is not their way as it is said to be with Black Hart Hall, instead they train in their horsemen speed and agility within the saddle as well as archery. Some of the country’s finest saddle-archers are born to the Hall or trained therein. The look of those born to the Hall’s family are fair in all aspects; fair skinned, fair, pale-blonde hair and clear, cornflower-blue eyes. Wearing grey at Grey Hall is a standard and traditional practice and of all the noble lines, they are very strict in adhering to custom and in so, any who step outside of custom by watering down the lines with unwelcomed unions or marrying out of the family’s favor they’re banished from Grey Hall and never spoken of again.

The symbol of Grey Hall is an iron-grey stallion rearing and kicking on a white backdrop. Grey and horses are a predominant feature to all their design work and accoutrements.

Those of the White Fox Hall: The noble family which resides in Fyxenseld, a small, rather lavish stone-built hall standing at the heart of Snowbourne, a settlement at the cusp of rivers Snowbourne and Entwash. The stone-built hall is kept white-washed though the reason is up for much debate; whether it is the reason for the name of the hall or it is in honor of said name. The beams supporting the high, vaulted shingled roof of the hall is made in the likeness of spreading oak boughs and the supporting beams rising up the stone-tiled floor too take on the aspect of oak trees. Knotwork foxes, rabbits and hind are hidden amongst the hall’s décor, subtly etched into the face of the tree-like beams as if part of the faux wood’s grain. Ever in competition for Second Marshall with halls Black Hart and Grey, White Fox is by the far the smallest of the three though quantity, in this case, does not trump quality. White Fox produces the fastest of riders in Rohan’s cavalry as well as the best of its scouts. There are some who believe that it is the coloring of their sons and daughters that truly give the hall its name for they are of a snow-white complexion that does not freckle though easily burns in the warm months though cannot seem to hold a tan and their hair is silvery-blonde. What sets them apart from their brethren noble lines and makes them notable even in a crowded room is their long lashes, vulpine aspect in the point of their nose, heart-like shape to their face and the clear, water-blue hue to their almond-shaped eyes. Striking and beautiful are terms often used in describing their sons and daughters.

The symbol of White Fox Hall is the silhouette of a standing white fox, ears perked, head turned to face the onlooker giving little definition to its features and it superimposes a nigh-dark field. Fox knotworks often take precedence in the design work of their attire and accoutrements.

Those of the Ash Hall: The noble family which resides in Aescseld, a black-stone hall in the heart of the fort-style, hill-top settlement of Aldburg, the once-capitol of Rohan. Stark in hue against the long-muted grey of the other stone and wooden long-houses and halls around it, Ash Hall has a powerful and stalwart look to it. Having been destroyed and rebuilt from previous battles and storms, the Hall has different eras of architecture to it and some airs of Gondor by way of being multi-storied along with having stone-wrought bridges between levels and conjoined halls that create more of a manse-style hall than the traditional long-houses of the rest of Rohan. Ash Hall has been the predominant producer of Third Marshals over the Eastfold though has in the last few generations been bested politically by Guarding Hall and Valley Hall. Rooted in the ways of old, Ash Hall is stern and stoic, breeding the rumors of Eorlingas being proud, quiet and arrogant fixtures upon their saddles. Ash Hall is responsible for training a good bulk of Rohan’s Spears, training spearmen, archers, swordsmen and more. The sons and daughters of Ash Hall are rather bland in look though remarkably alike to one another with their fair, ivory-white skin easily sunburnt and just as easily tanned thereafter, flax-blond hair and clear, sea-blue eyes. Their noses and faces have a long, chiseled look to them, often earning them a descriptor of being ‘horse-faced’ and they’re builds are somewhat rangy, slim and prone to being board-like in that they lack much of a waist, curve or hip to their silhouette.

The symbol of Ash Hall is an ash-shafted arrow with an iron head and blue fletching superimposing a flax-gold field of windswept grass. Arrowheads and ash trees often are depicted in the knotwork designs in their accoutrements. They are rumored to only use eagle feathers for their personal use during battle.

Those of the Guarding Hall: The noble family which resides in Biberghseld, a hall of mighty granite built on the very precipice of a cliff at Dunharrow overlooking the valley below. While at first entering the hall, one can assume it is like others of the noble line in being long with vaulted ceilings though here is where much of the uniformity ends for Guarding Hall descends into the mountain it perches upon with many levels carved into the stone supporting it. Every wall is hung with colorful, intricate tapestries depicting the history of Rohan and the West while the floors are hand-hewn stone inlaid with polished pieces of wood that form sinuous knotworks that snake through the rooms and end at one wall only to seemingly begin anew on the other side. Windows adorn the east-face wall which overlook the valley below and are massive, clear portals that let in much of the light during the day and on a clear night seem to float amongst the stars themselves. The support beams and columns that rise amidst the halls are each carved in the likeness of a horse-lord born of their line, each bearing a round shield and a spear at their side as if waiting for a coming battle. Though Ash Hall for many generations held position as Third Marshall, in the last few Guarding Hall has had success alongside Valley Hall in playing politics in their favor though more and more Guarding Hall has come ahead therein. Guarding Hall, like Ash Hall, produce much by way of Rohan’s trained infantrymen and Spears and while those below in the grasslands and valleys are trained for combat on such terrain, those of Guarding Hall and Dunharrow are trained to battle in the unique features of the White Mountains. The sons and daughters of Guarding Hall are a stocky sort amongst the Eorlingas, not short, though not overly tall either, they’re prone to broad shoulders and thin-hips with a sinewy build between amongst their men while their women favor a slender, willowy physique that is apt to produce a curved hip and a more buxom figure. Straw-blond hair, cerulean-blue eyes and long, hawkish noses give them a conspicuous air of similarity amongst their line. They are prone to freckle, their skin described often as fair and ruddy at the cheeks. Wing-shaped eyebrows are a definitive feature amongst them as is their thin-lipped and bow-shaped mouths.

The symbol of Guarding Hall is an iron-grey falcon with its wings outspread on a white field. Feathers, wings and soaring falcons are often in the design work of their accoutrements.

Those of the Valley Hall: The noble family which resides in Denuseld, a stone-built hall in a small settlement in Harrowdale, the valley spreading out beneath the White Mountains and the Stair to the Hold which wends its way along the mountains reaches to Dunharrow. Valley Hall stands at the heart of its small settlement, built of rough-hewn rock that appears to have been cut from the very face of the mountains and dropped in a rectangular tangle into the earth and from where they fall is where the hall was raised betwixt. This aspect gives the hall the ability to easily blend in with the terrain around it as massive, moss-strewn boulders rock the hilly valley floor in haphazard intervals. The shingle and thatch-clad roof, like the boulders, and the longhouses around it, are sheathed in moss so as to also blend in with the greenery around. Few windows adorn the walls of the hall and where present they are tall and thin, little more than glass-fitted slits in the face of the stone no wider than a handspan. Once within, the finery of the family is quickly spread out before all the senses. Rich, colorful tapestries depicting the countryside and the plethora of crops and herds within cover the walls and the floors, carved of stone, are inlaid with polished marble and gemstone in a knotwork pattern. Massive, hand-sculpted hearths and columns compose the central spine of the front of the hall and from it spreads outwards the rest of the hall’s living quarters. The high, vaulted ceiling support beams take on the likeness of blades and spears and the belly of the roof above them is painted in a depiction of Rohan’s histories. Not as successful as Guarding Hall in trumping Ash Hall for Third Marshall, Valley Hall is still competition for them and while still battling Guarding Hall in politics, they are easily surpassing the old seat of Ash Hall. Valley Hall like the other halls of the Eastfold, produce a skilled body of infantry and are rather famous for their spearman.

The symbol for Valley Hall is a sleek, flax-coated hunting dog standing against a green field. Hunting dogs and pine marten are often used in their knotwork designs within the Hall and in their accoutrements.

Those of the Hollow Hall: The noble family which resides in Aholianseld, a hall situated within a village in the Eastemnet near where the Fangorn and river Limlit meet along the North Wall of Rohan and some distance south of Lorien. The hall and its settlement are built with the advantage of the hilly and rock-strewn terrain of the grasslands, built within the gully of sister-hills. The hall, much like the long-houses around it are half-built into the earth itself and some portion of each is dug into the very hills around them. The rooftops are thatched so as to better blend in with the grasslands as well as the walls, wrought of stone and little of wood, are scattered with patches of moss. Where the windows of the long-houses are shutter bolted, those of the Hollow Hall are wrought of iron and glass and designed in a tall, narrow manner to let in light but not afford an enemy access through. The great doors of Hollow Hall are intricately carved, massive doors taller than two man standing atop one another and are led to by a stone-tiled pathway descending down into the earth where the threshold has been dug out. The innards of Hollow Hall are in lavish contrast to that of its exterior in that every column, beam, corner and molding of the Hall is intricately carved in the likeness of various types of horses to which give Hollow Hall much of its prestige within Rohan. Hollow Hall due to its herds of sheep and cattle to which is keeps, producing the finest fiber in all of Rohan. Hollow Hall is also the main producer and manufacturer of wood in Rohan, braving the mysteries and rumored dangers of Fangorn. The most notable features of the sons and daughters of Hollow Hall are their deep-set, heavy-lidded light-blue eyes, curly, ash-blond hair, rounded, dimpled cheeks and signature heart-shaped mouth. Their builds are slender, prone to being described as willowy, broad shouldered as well as being ‘top-heavy’.

The symbol of Hollow Hall is a flaxen sheep against a green backdrop. Sheep and cattle as well as trees dominate most design work in the accoutrements of those born to Hollow Hall.

Those of the Star Hall: The noble family which resides in Daegsteorraseld, a hall in a settlement of Eastemnet in the hills along the East Wall of Rohan near Sarn Gebir which is situated between the Emyn Muil and Falls of Rauros. The settlement is small, built atop a small rise in the pastoral expanse of the eastern grasslands and the Star Hall is built at its heart. The hall and the long-houses surrounding it are mostly made of stone and thatch, the former of which is adorned with patches of moss and sprouting flowers which bloom in the proper seasons. Cobble-stone pathways and trails spiral through the village, coming to an apex at a small plaza set before the Star Hall which is tall and surrounded in great oak trees and flower gardens. The hall itself is little different in look as the houses around it though it dwarfs the others in its size. Within are vaulted ceilings with columns and supporting roof-beams all made of ironwood carved intricately with the columns appearing as trees of the forest and the beams above decorated with stars. Great glass oil lamps done in the likeness of the moon passing through its stages of waxing and waning run down the length of the hall’s center, lighting the main entrance while deeper into the hall, the vaulted hall become multiple levels of various living quarters of the sons and daughters still yet living there. Stone-tiles compose the flooring and are inlaid with gemstones in celestial patterns. Star Hall is said to provide the finest bred steeds in all of Rohan, a position which has established the family much in the way of holding the so-called Fourth Marshall seat and the responsibility of the Wold as a whole though at times, due to embarrassing situations with some rebellious sons and daughters, has lost face with the King and the other noble lines and lost to both Hollow and Sun Halls. It is not overly common and the family is very cut-and-dry now with the honor of the family Those born of Star Hall are remarked for their white-blond hair often riddled with waves, dark, night-sky-blue eyes, and fair skin often remarked as peaches-and-cream, being pale and touched with a little bit of rose along the curves of their features which give them a soft pink tone to their complexion. Their builds are slender and they’re reputed for being rather coltish in a long-legged sort of way.

The symbol of Star Hall is a star-browed black warhorse, mane flowing in the wind against a green backdrop. Warhorses specifically dominate most design work in the accoutrements of those born to Star Hall.

Those of the Sun Hall: The noble family which resides in Daegcandelseld, a hall of a small settlement lying in the northern reaches of the Eastemnet along the banks of rivers Limlit and Anduin, east of Fangorn, south of Lorien and west of the Brownlands. Sun Hall lies at the northern edge of a fort-like settlement sprawling across a few stacked hills rising up from the pastoral grasslands and is surrounded by a mighty wall of stone and moss. Copses of trees grow here and there within the settlement and the long-houses are much like any other in Rohan; made of stone, roofed in thatched and bearing mostly shutter bolted windows and rarely sporting glass. Sun Hall itself is mighty in comparison though not by height, the sprawl of its size is that which sets it apart in look alone for otherwise it too is wrought of wood and thatch-roofed. The hall spreads out along the bank of River Limlight, living quarters dotting the grass terrain flanking either side of the larger, central hall. Within, the hall is made up of stone-tile floors inlaid with polished iron and copper and rare pieces of silver and gold in a whimsical pattern of leaves and petals in a swirling knotwork. Tall, narrow windows overlook the river to the north and gardens to the south, each outfitted with glass. The walls are strung with tapestries depicting harvests and seasons while otherwise the hall is rather simple in contrast to other noble halls. Competing often with Hollow Hall in an attempt to pry Fourth Marshall from the fingers of Star Hall, the hall produces much by way of crops in the Wold and oversees export throughout the rest of the kingdom in terms of grain and woad which they grow and manufacture more than any other farming community in Rohan. Those born to Sun Hall are known to bear fair skin tones in comparison to the common caste around them which often, in the summer months, brown with the crops. Blond hair described as straw or being sun-kissed-blond and pale, sky-blue eyes, chiseled cheekbones and dimpled chins give a definitive look to their line as does their broad-shouldered and willowy build. The sons and daughters of Sun Hall blood are prone to becoming rather portly.

The symbol of Sun Hall is a golden sunburst against a blue backdrop. Often sunbursts are used in the design work of their accoutrements.

- It is important to note that the nobility of Rohan are referred to as Lord (Ealdor/Ealdorman) or Lady (Ides) and to give that title, even in jest to someone who is not nobility of Rohan is an insult to nobility and the King himself.

- One does not speak uncouthly or crassly in front of nobility, even if of nobility. Such informal and private conversation should be done just that – privately.

- Nobles greet each other by varying degrees. Informal greetings consist of tapping one another’s shoulder with a fist and only with the left hand – which is one’s rein-holding hand. Formal greetings consist of embraces which can range from forearms to shoulders to full on ‘hug’ like embraces which is generally reserved for very close kin or close friends within nobility.

Nobles do not share this familiarity with commoners, instead the offer commoners a reserved duck-down of their chin in a nod-like manner or as simple as a drop and lift of their eyes to acknowledge them.

- No one rides a noble’s horse, or touches it, without their express permission. They generally have a single groom who handles all their personal horses.

The King’s Cavalry

The Cavalry is divided into irregular units called eoreds which are made up of two thousand riders each. Riders typically train as spearmen, swordsmen, or javelineers. Armor is typically iron maille with padded gambesons underneath or a leather reinforcement on top. Their helms are preferred to be light and are generally topped with horsetail decorations.  The higher a man’s rank, the more decorative his armor and arms are likely to be. On a field of battle, one can always spot the King or his Marshalls, as only they are bidden to wear crimson-tinted armor.

The Cavalry is broken up into the following ranks:

Dreng (Recruit) – The symbol of this rank is a simple boiled-leather arm-torc stamped with the sigil of Rohan.

Thane (Private) – The symbol of this rank is a simple iron-wrought arm-torc etched with the sigil of Rohan.

Jarl (Corporal) – The symbol of this rank is a simple copper-wrought arm-torc etched with the sigil of Rohan.

Hundredman (Sergeant) – The symbol of this rank is a simple bronze-wrought arm-torc etched with the sigil of Rohan and capped with bronze horse heads at either end.

Heafodman (Captain) – The symbol of this rank is a simple bronze-wrought arm-torc etched with the sigil of Rohan and capped with silver horse heads at either end.

First, Second, and Third Marshall (Commander) – The symbol of this rank is a simple silver-wrought arm-torc etched with the sigil of Rohan and capped with gold horse heads at either end.

The King’s Guard – The personal unit of bodyguards tasked with protecting the King and his family.

The King of Rohan

- Women are not welcomed into the cavalry or infantry. The only women who serve the King by way of combat are the elite Shieldmaidens – women who swear oath to their weapon and their King never to marry, never to bear a child. This small, rare unit does not train with the rest of the cavalry or infantry and to join is not only very difficult as a woman, it generally comes with being cut off from their family. Not all women who want to become Shieldmaidens are accepted. To take a man while amongst them, or to become with child, means breaking their oath and they are banished not only from the Shieldmaiden ranks but generally from Rohan for their family more than likely cannot bare shame stacked on more shame. Only the King himself can excuse a Shieldmaiden from her Oath.

Commoners

The common caste of Rohan is not overly different from the common of Gondor or other lands in that they serve and work for the nobles, the forces of the King, and the King himself. Commoners work the fields, herd the herds, serve in the Cavalry or Infantry and honor the King and his Marshalls as well as the traditions and laws of Rohan. To deviate from this service is to be akin to spitting on the King and on Rohan and the traditions and oaths of one’s forebear.

- Commoners greet each other generally by hailing them with the term Eadignes which means happiness and prosperity offered. This is a greeting that offers and welcomes friendship and kinship, it usually will invite the other person to converse with the greeter. To be polite, but not as welcoming, the greeting would be eadwela where you wish them still happiness and prosperity, but you are not inviting further conversation, and is utilized generally when one is in hurry.

- To be publicly rude is considered to bear little by way of manners and reflects poorly on the person being rude’s kin, family and friends and is always done in very poor taste.

- Oat-bread or oatcakes and mead or fresh, room-temperature milk is generally served with every meal amongst commoners and in meat is reserved only for evening-meal. Morning meal is generally an oat-based pottage or sops, with a break mid-day during which commoners will consume oat-bread or oatcakes, cheese with fruit, nuts or a prepared root vegetable dish. Dinner is usually a heavier pottage or stew with meat when available (domestic or game) or root vegetables and other and more oatbread or oatcakes. Parsnips and turnips are a favorite of those of Rohan over potatoes. A delicacy amongst the common folk is horse-milk cheese and such is reserved for very special occasions.

- Not even the lowest of low, the poorest of poor or the most desperate would eat horse meat. A true son or daughter of Rohan would sooner starve to death than kill a horse or even partake of an already dead horse’s flesh.

What Would Other PCs Know About Rohirrim?

- The Rohirrim are horse-lords and are the best riders in all of Middle-Earth and there are rumors they’re bred and born in saddle.

- The Rohirrim are stern, reserved, and very proud, often arrogant but welcoming to passing travelers though not in a capacity to welcome them to stay. A visit is best kept short.

- The Rohirrim prefer wearing cloth to leather unless in uniform in the service to the King’s cavalry and infantry.

- You are more likely to lose a finger than to be considered welcome or polite to touch a Rohirrim’s horse unbidden.

- Black and red hair are extremely uncommon amongst the Rohirrim. Green eyes are exceptionally uncommon and bluish shades of grey found only in their noble bloodlines. A Rohirrim is known, generally, by their fair hair, fair skin and blue eyes. Rohirrim are taller than Rhovanions, common-bred Gondorians and common-bred Dorwinions, beat only by the noble line of Gondor, the grey-eyed Dúnedain (and rumors holds their kin, the Corsairs.)

- Rohan is an absolute monarchy, ruled by the King of Gondor and his Marshalls.

Suggested Backgrounds and Roles

These roles require certain amounts of RPP and they vary with each role. Use of a background outside of the roles below are by Special Application only and require Elder Staff approval before submission.

Farmer or Herdsman of the Wold - Requires 3 RPP.

Strongly Suggested Skills: Farming, Handle

Other Useful Skills: Gardening, Dalish, Butchery

Background: You hale from the Seas of Grass in the Eastfold of Rohan, an area known as the Wold. You were born and raised a commoner and like those around you, you’re fair in hair and skin and have blue eyes. You served as a farmer or herdsman on a farmstead either leased by your parents and kin, to which you worked on, or on one of those owned by the Sun Hall; one of Rohan’s noble families. You are familiar with Rohan, the traditions and cultures of your people, it’s histories, and it’s laws. You live by the honor-bound style of your brethren, or so you were raised. You’ve heard the call of work in the northeast. Whether by fortune or misfortune, you find yourself in Laketown.

Handle given at Open Skill Level, +10 to Farming, Native Language of Rohirric granted.

Groom of the Eastfold

Requires 3 RPP.

Strongly Suggested Skills: Farming, Handle

Other Useful Skills: First-Aid, Dalish

Background: You hale from the Seas of Grass in the Eastfold of Rohan, an area known as the Eastemnet. You were born and raised a commoner and like those around you, you’re fair in hair and skin and have blue eyes. You served as a groom either a farmstead leased by your parents and kin, to which you worked on, or on one owned by the Star Hall; one of Rohan’s noble families famous for the finest steeds bred in all of Middle-Earth. You are familiar with Rohan, the traditions and cultures of your people, it’s histories, and it’s laws. You live by the honor-bound style of your brethren, or so you were raised. You’ve heard the call of work in the northeast. Whether by fortune or misfortune, you find yourself in Laketown.

Handle given at Open Skill Level, Lorimer craft set opened, Native Language of Rohirric granted.

Cavalryman or Infantryman of Rohan

Requires 3 RPP.

Strongly Suggested Skills: Long-Sword, Polearm, Handle

Other Useful Skills: Sole-Wield, Dual-Wield, Dalish

Background: You hale from the Seas of Grass of Rohan, either from the Westfold, Eastfold or the Wold. You were born and raised a commoner and like those around you, you’re fair in hair and skin and have blue eyes. You either grew up in one of the settlements, in Edoras, or on a leased farm or homestead owned by one of the noble families. You served in the Cavalry either in the cavalry itself, as an infantryman or archer and had a rank no higher than Thane. You are familiar with Rohan, the traditions and cultures of your people, it’s histories, and it’s laws. You live by the honor-bound style of your brethren, or so you were raised. You’ve heard the call of work in the northeast and you find yourself bereft of position within your unit either because you have concluded your ‘suggested’ service or were removed from the ranks for some infraction. Now, whether by fortune or misfortune, you find yourself in Laketown.

+5 to a Combat Skill, Handle and Native Language of Rohirric granted.

Cavalryman or Infantryman Officer of Rohan

Requires 4 RPP.

Strongly Suggested Skills: Long-Sword, Handle

Other Useful Skills: Sole-Wield, Dual-Wield, Dalish, Common

Background: You hale from the Seas of Grass of Rohan, either from the Westfold, Eastfold or the Wold. You were born and raised a commoner and like those around you, you’re fair in hair and skin and have blue eyes. You either grew up in one of the settlements, in Edoras, or on a leased farm or homestead owned by one of the noble families. You served in the Cavalry either in the cavalry itself, as an infantryman or archer and had a rank no higher than Hundredman. You are familiar with Rohan, the traditions and cultures of your people, it’s histories, and it’s laws. You live by the honor-bound style of your brethren, or so you were raised. You’ve heard the call of work in the northeast and you find yourself bereft of position within your unit either because of some crippling injury, age or were removed from the ranks for some infraction. Now, whether by fortune or misfortune, you find yourself in Laketown.

+10 to a Combat Skill, Handle and Native Language of Rohirric granted

Disinherited Lord or Lady of Rohan

Requires 5 RPP.

Strongly Suggested Skills: Handle, Education

Other Useful Skills: Dalish, Music, Crafting Skills

Background: You hale from the Seas of Grass of Rohan, either from the Westfold, Eastfold or the Wold. Born to one of the noble family halls to parents low on the rung of power and position in said family, you were raised in luxury and freedom of your social rank. You are familiar with Rohan, the traditions and cultures of your people, it’s histories, and it’s laws. You live by the honor-bound style of your brethren, or so you were raised. Due to some issue, be it rebellious and capricious youth, an arranged marriage you want naught of, or some other dispute or want of travel, you have said goodbye to your family and Hall, cut off from their financial or political support and connections. Now, whether by fortune or misfortune, you find yourself in Laketown. 

Handle and Native Language of Rohirric granted.

Stories and Songs

Players are encouraged to submit songs and stories for the Eorlingas as they’re playing. Please respect all Copyright Laws. If it is someone’s work, heavily or loosely based on someone else’s work, or even that of work too old to maintain a maker’s name – give the source, when submitted, due credit.