[Home] of many sturdy men, and to their land between the Mountains and Mirkwood neither orc nor wolf dared to go. “Indeed,” said Glóin, “if it were not for the Beornings, the passage from Dale to Rivendell would long ago have become impossible. They are valiant men and keep open the High Pass and the Ford of Carrock. But their tolls are high,” he added with a shake of his head; “and like Beorn of old they are not over fond of dwarves. Still, they are trusty, and that is much in these days.” - Account of the Valesmen
Campaign Features
The Passes of the Anduin
Keep the roads of Anduin and the passes through the Misty Mountains safe and supplement your war effort with the tolls from passing travellers and allies
Cleanse Mirkwood
Assist Galadriel and Thranduil in cleansing Mirkwood of it’s filth, bring peace to your lands recieving military aid from your elven allies
Beorn and his son Grimbeorn are members of a secretive, elusive and powerful race of 'Skin-Changers', men who can literally change their physical structure to that of a ferocious animal, in this case, a bear. Although they rarely use these forms to fight in open battle, these men are an absolutely formidable opponent. Not all of them are true Skin-Changers, many are welcomed into the group by Beorn for their heroic feats on the battlefield or out of loyalty to him, so the ranks of Skin-Changers are made up of a mix of true sons of the changelings and men who will fight will equal determination. Like Saruman's twisted Berserkers, they survive through some horrific wounds and their adrenaline will keep them fighting long after many others would fall.
The Valesmen are the ancestors of the Rohirrim and the horse breeding skill of their people still runs true and so they ride across the Anduin in majesty and with pride. Despite the hardy nature of their cavalry, their human population is low and they cannot form many battalions of horsemen so the Valesmen take to forming up their numerous scouts into groups of dependable cavalry units. The Outriders take their name from the scouting nature of their role, they seek out the enemy and only engage if victory is assured. Many of the men in the Outrider formations are simple woodsmen or farmers but their strong mounts ensure they can still pack a punch.
The Beornings are a people who inhabit the Vales of the Anduin and the followers of the mighty Beorn. Though not all possess the shapeshifting ability of their kin they are nevertheless proud, fierce warriors and possess great strength in their own right. These warriors, though relatively lightly armoured, carry gargantuan wooden shields into battle presenting a formidable barrier to any attacking force and providing crucial protection from missile to their axe-wielding brothers.
The Beornings are a people who inhabit the Vales of the Anduin and the followers of the mighty Beorn. Though not all possess the shapeshifting ability of their kin they are nevertheless proud, fierce warriors and possess great strength in their own right. Preferring raw power over defence these ferocious men march to war with little armour protection but with an incredible attack strength. Woe betide the Orc who stands on the way of a Beorning charge.
North of the Old Ford, there is a small rocky island in the middle of the river Anduin. The top is flat and accessible through small steps carved out by Beorn in his early years. In later years, when the Beornings began to proliferate; Beorn ordered a special force to guard the Carrock and both banks of the river Anduin. These men were called the Guardians of the Carrock and they were experienced and skilled warriors. They were hand-picked by Beorn himself to guard the Carrock because of their skill in battle and for their courage. An advantage that maintaining a small elite force to guard the Carrock provides is the ability to spy the land from atop the Carrock, which provides an excellent view of the surrounding lands.
The Guardians of the Carrock carry great battle axes and are protected by mail armour and helmets. They are truly formidable warriors and can often be seen at the very forefront of the Beornings' fearsome charge cleaving through enemy lines and clearing a path for their brothers.
Although many of Éothéod left the Anduin to answer Cirion's call in 2509 of the Third Age, there were many that stayed behind or returned after the great battle against the Balchoth. While the promise of new pastures and safer lands appealed to many, there were also many who had not forgotten the hardships they had endured to secure these lands and for them, the Anduin Vale was their home.
These great and noble warriors, the Sons of Marhwini, claim lineage from their great ancestor who first settled these lands. Far too familiar with the evils surrounding the Anduin, they ride into battle wielding huge javelins that can skewer Half-Troll and spider alike.
With the establishment of a perceivable kingdom in Anduin has come the re-establishment of The Éothéod Knights. Many are drawn from the last remnant of their people who remained in the north after Eorls migration to establish Rohan. A few are men of Mirkwood descend from Rhovanion noble lines. Most are more recent immigrants as the north vale has remained a likely destination for banished or mixed blooded Rohirrim. The collective linage these men loosely share is often displayed on their shield. Regardless of their family history, The Vale of Anduin is their home and these elite warriors will fight accordingly. This new breed of Éothéod Knights have excellent morale and are one of the last to flee from the battlefield.
With the establishment of a perceivable kingdom in Anduin has come the re-establishment of The Éothéod Knights. Many are drawn from the last remnant of their people who remained in the north after Eorls migration to establish Rohan. A few are men of Mirkwood descend from Rhovanion noble lines. Most are more recent immigrants as the north vale has remained a likely destination for banished or mixed blooded Rohirrim. The collective linage these men loosely share is often displayed on their shield. Regardless of their family history, The Vale of Anduin is their home and these elite warriors will fight accordingly. This new breed of Éothéod Knights have excellent morale and are one of the last to flee from the battlefield. On foot these men fill the vital role of heavy spearmen, leaving skirmishers and Beornings free to harass or smash the enemy’s flanks.
Essentially mounted scouts drawn from the shepherds and herders of the vale in times of dire need, the Riders patrol a vast area from Framsburg to the High-pass and from the Grey Vale to Mirkwood. These men typically avoid combat in favour of a Khandish style of archer skirmishing. Their horses are bred for speed more akin to Elvish horses, though they are somewhat far from either Elvish warriors or mounts. As such, direct engagements with wargs and trolls will likely go badly, though these men will fight better than many of their class in wooded or snowy conditions.
Though the Beornings are mostly made up of tall and muscular men, some are not as tall and strong as most of their tribesmen. These men find themselves unable to wield the heavy axes of their larger Beorning brethren. Instead of wielding such an axe, they use a longbow with quality wooden arrows. Their longbow is made of yew wood and is well suited for use in the forests of the north and near the valleys of the river Anduin. The Éothéod Longbowmen do not shoot as accurately as their Elven counterparts, nor are they as heavily armoured as Gondorian archers, but they are still decent archers. Besides the longbow, they also carry a small stabbing knife and for protection they are equipped with a helmet and leather armour. These archers are better suited for close-combat than most other archers of Middle-earth, due to their courage and fierceness in battle.
Most Éothéod Longbowmen are recruited from Beorn's Halls and the surrounding villages, but others come from villages which are located on the western bank of the river Anduin. Though the Éothéod Longbowmen are considered men who care for the land and the animals inhabiting it, it is well known that they sometimes shoot at the Great Eagles if they attempt to hunt their sheep.
The borders of Mirkwood are home to a strange and forgotten folk who are often simply called the ‘woodsmen’. They are relatives of the Beornings and can trace their ancestry back to the days of the princes of Rhovanion and to the Edain of old. Their mostly blonde hair and tall stature has convinced the lore masters of the Upper Vales that the Woodmen are relatives of the House of Hador. Whatever their history, they are a rough folk who have endured the terror of Dol Guldur for many years. Their constant battle against the shadow has made them secretive and distrustful and they have taken to ambushing any who step foot under the boughs of the Greatwood.
The men of the wood have long practised with the bow as a means for food and protection but their dedication to the weapon has birthed a troop of outstanding archers known only as 'The Foresters’. With keen sight, formidable accuracy and strong longbows; crafted with the skill of the Éothéod, these men are excellent killers. Like all woodsmen they deeply love their home but they often spend long periods away; tracking the foul creatures of the Mountains and Dol Guldur and, where possible, ambushing the enemy unawares.
The Silvan Marchwardens are ambushers matched by none in terms of stealth, secrecy and camouflage. They are an elite bowmen unit and are far stealthier than any archer in Beorn's army. They carry quality longbows with sharp, poisoned arrows, and if necessary they can draw their knives for close-combat. If there is one disadvantage that the Mirkwood Marchwardens have, it is the fact that they are not protected by heavy armour; they are only equipped with light leather armour. This does, however, make them manoeuvrable troops, but it does not shield them as well from danger as heavier armour would have. They are supremely suited to guerrilla warfare and should not be expected to perform well in the open field.
Their tasks often take them far away from the borders of Mirkwood, further than anyone from Thranduil's army has ever been; for it is their duty to ensure the safety of the Woodland realm and to keep at bay any invading army that intends to enter Mirkwood.
When confronted by an overwhelming number of enemies, the Mirkwood Marchwardens will sometimes join forces with the Woodmen who live on the borders of Mirkwood. Together they have succeeded in keeping the hosts of Dol Guldur and those of the Misty Mountains at bay for centuries.
The origins of Hobbits remains a mystery, but it is believed that after coming from the east, the Hobbits have settled in the Upper Vale of Anduin, near the Gladden Fields. It was from this place that they made their first contact with the Northmen who lived nearby. Relations were friendly and soon trade was established. After the arrival of the Necromancer in Dol Guldur, it became dangerous for them to remain in the area where they lived and thus they were forced to flee to safer regions. Most of them inhabited the areas where the Gladden flowed into the river Anduin. Years later they were forced to flee once again from their villages because of the rise of the Witch-king and his evil Kingdom of Angmar. While most of the Hobbits went westwards to settle in Eriador, some decided to remain in the Gladden Fields and others forsook the journey to Eriador and went back to their old settlements. Since that time the Hobbits, who are mainly of Stoorish ancestry, have survived in the Upper Vale of Anduin. Despite being weak warriors they have managed to survive, mainly due to their secretive way of life.
Due to their small stature, Hobbits try to cover their disability in close combat by wielding short bows to thin the enemy’s formations. Surprisingly, their marksmanship is disproportionate to their size and discipline.
The origins of Hobbits remains a mystery, but it is believed that after coming from the east, the Hobbits have settled in the Upper Vale of Anduin, near the Gladden Fields. It was from this place that they made their first contact with the Northmen who lived nearby. Relations were friendly and soon trade was established. After the arrival of the Necromancer in Dol Guldur, it became dangerous for them to remain in the area where they lived and thus they were forced to flee to safer regions. Most of them inhabited the areas where the Gladden flowed into the river Anduin. Years later they were forced to flee once again from their villages because of the rise of the Witch-king and his evil Kingdom of Angmar. While most of the Hobbits went westwards to settle in Eriador, some decided to remain in the Gladden Fields and others forsook the journey to Eriador and went back to their old settlements. Since that time the Hobbits, who are mainly of Stoorish ancestry, have survived in the Upper Vale of Anduin. Despite being weak warriors they have managed to survive, mainly due to their secretive way of life.
The Stoor Fisher folk are regular Hobbits called upon to fight; they carry a knife and throw stones. And though they do not wear armour, they do wear a cloak which shields them from unfriendly eyes.
The men of the Vale have developed a fierce reputation as strong capable defenders, indeed, the passes of the Mountains are kept open through the grim determination of these men. The ranks of Defenders are a testimony to that fact, and they use their long spears well to hold attacking hordes at a distance while their Woodmen allies shower the enemy with arrows and the Beornings savage the enemy flanks. They can form formidable spear walls and their spears have claimed many throats of hapless Goblin warriors and their Warg mounts. They are however vulnerable to arrows and if the enemy can breach or outflank their formation, these men can be easily slain.
Sometimes there is need for the Beornings to call upon the common folk to go to war. The men who are called upon to fight are mostly farmers living on the fertile banks of the river Anduin, where the ground is suited to agrarian purposes. Although they are scarcely clad and not properly equipped to fight in battles, they are still fierce warriors, since the same blood runs through their veins as that of their Beorning brothers. When their land, their families, or their own lives are endangered these men are willing to take up arms against those that threaten them.
The Anduin Vale is a land of creatures; many seek to kill the Human inhabitants but many just roam the land living on as they always have. It is the job of these archers to discern what is a threat and what is a meal and in both cases, bring the creature down with lethality. They wield small yet capable bows and can catch an enemy of guard if used well. Years of hunting has allowed these men to be invisible virtually everywhere and they bring this excellent skill to bare on the battlefield.
Near the borders of Mirkwood lives a strange folk; secretive people who excel in guerrilla warfare. They are relatives of the Beornings; both trace their ancestry back to the days of the princes of Rhovanion and even further back to the Edain of old. Their mostly blonde hair and tall stature has convinced the lore masters of the Upper Vale of Anduin that the Woodmen are relatives of the House of Hador. A remnant of these ancient people has survived near the borders of Mirkwood even late into the Third Age. They are rough folk, for they have endured the terror of Dol Guldur for many years. It has made them secretive and slow to trust outsiders. It has also, however, made them a brave people and excellent ambushers.
The men who belong to the ranks of the Wardens are recruited from the bravest and strongest of their tribes and are protected by mail armour forged by the finest smiths of the Valesmen; a rarity due to the scarcity of metal in Mirkwood. They will shower invaders with a barrage of spears, before rushing into battle with swords and heavy wooden round shields and are thus almost as capable in open battle as they are striking from ambush.
Near the borders of Mirkwood lives a strange folk; secretive people who excel in guerrilla warfare. They are relatives of the Beornings; both trace their ancestry back to the days of the princes of Rhovanion and even further back to the Edain of old. Their mostly blonde hair and tall stature has convinced the lore masters of the Upper Vale of Anduin that the Woodmen are relatives of the House of Hador.
A remnant of these ancient people has survived near the borders of Mirkwood even late into the Third Age. They are rough folk, for they have endured the terror of Dol Guldur for many years. It has made them secretive and slow to trust outsiders. It has also, however, made them a brave people and excellent ambushers. The men who belong to the ranks of the Woodmen Warriors are the bravest and strongest of their tribes.
They are protected by leather armour, a choice borne out of necessity rather than choice due to the rarity of metal in Mirkwood. Some of their most favoured weapons are axes, clubs and swords. Furthermore they wield a shield and are considered to be amongst the best ambushers in the whole of Middle-earth. It should be noted that though they excel at guerrilla warfare, they are less dangerous on the open field.
