| Region | |
| Dominions of the Seven | |
|---|---|
| General Information | |
| Other names | Seven Lands, Mírenor (Q.), Zimrathâni (A.) |
| Location | The Far South |
| Type | Region |
| Major Settlements | Ostelor, Rô-molló, Arpel |
| People and History | |
| Inhabitants | Men, Elves, Dwarves |
| Map | |
 | |
In Middle-earth Role Playing, the Dominions of the Seven or Seven Lands (Q. Ostodori), often simply called the Dominions, were a loose union of realms in the far south of Middle-earth, in the lower half of the Metharn or Hyarnúmente peninsula. They were all coastal realms bordering the Yellow Mountains. For a while, they were united as the Princedom of Zimrathâni or Mírenor[1][2] By the 17th century of the Third Age, the rule of these lands had become largely titular. The Valdaclian Council of the Seven claimed power over the lands and followed Númenórean traditions. Their rule was often rejected by the cities and peoples of the region, who instead set their own laws. The lords thus generally operated from the shadows out of their dominion citadels. This also meant that in practice, the Seven Lands often no longer neatly corresponded to the original Númenórean fiefs.[3]
The Dominions are the subject of the Shadow in the South supplement.
History
Already long inhabited by Fuina Elves and tribes of Adena, Drel and Pel, the region saw the arrival of Númenórean settlers in S.A. 1251. Ardulion, Lord-captain of Tar-Anarion's fleet, was tasked with establishing the colony of Lond Anarion at the river's delta. The colony quickly expanded inland, and though peaceful, the settlers quickly dominated the locals. From S.A. 2386 to S.A. 3212, the land was united as the Princedom of Mírenor or Zimrathâni, which served as a fief for younger children of the King. Er-Imrazôr, the second son of Ar-Sakalthôr, despised his children and instead divided the land equally among six sons and eight daughters, hoping to cause conflicts after his death. This indeed happened, but during the resulting wars, the youngest seven allied as the Valdacli and defeated their older siblings in S.A. 3215. Their dominions gave the land its collective name.[1]
Dominions
Most of the dominions are not named in the supplement, but are generally identified by the names of their respective Valdaclian lord.[note 1]
Dominion of Seregul
Seregul ruled as an autocratic king over his dominion in Southern Pel, advised by a council of female elders called the Concordant Circle.[4][3][5] Its capital was Orp Angwi, a Pel port city which was originally founded as Caras Angwi by Elves.[6]
Dominion of Arthrazoc
Arthrazoc gave much leeway to his subjects in his dominion in Pel. His capital of Arpel was largely self-ruled by the Chamber of Boughs, whose four chambers derived from the Pel clans.[4]
Dominion of Daroc
Daroc ruled over the Yellow Mountains north of Seregul's and Arthrazoc's dominions.[3] The dominion was allied to the dwarves who had settles the mountains.[5]
Dominion of Terilaen
Terilaen was an elf who ruled over the Forest of Valagalen in Drel, north of Daroc's dominion. Its banner was a blue tree on a grey field.[3][5]
Dominion of Araphor
Araphor ruled southern Mírenor.[3] Her realm's banner consisted of a light green chrysanthemum on a dark blue field.[5]
Dominion of Imrazôr III
Imrazôr III ruled northern Mírenor.[3] Its banner was a circle of seven golden seven-sided stars on a dark red field.[5]
Dominion of Phorakôn
Phorakôn's dominion was named Sûlcoron, encompassing the western part of the Elornan peninsula. He himself lived on Tol Turgul.[3]
Regions
The various regions, as previously mentioned, do not strictly correspond to the dominions.
Elorna
Elorna was a coastal wetlands region north of the Yellow Mountains. Not fit for farming or herding, most of it remained dense and wild.[7] Between T.A. 602 and T.A. 674, it was an independent kingdom with the city of Mispír as its capital.[8]
Mírenor
Mírenor[note 2] (Jewel-land) or Zimrathâni[9] was a coastal plateau north of the Yellow Mountains.[10] Its name was once also used to refer to the entire Seven Dominions during the Second Age.[1]
Its chief city was Alsarias, a port founded in T.A. 1022 and mostly inhabited by Adena.[6]
Drel
Drel was a region at the southwestern end of Middle-earth, named after the Apysan tribes who lived there. They were related to the Pel and Adena. The region was dominated by the Forest of Valagalen.[11]
Ostelor was a fortified port city in the region. Originally founded in S.A. 2222 by Cameär, a captain of Tar-Ancalimon, the Númenórean haven was later razed in S.A. 3263 by Ar-Pharazôn as a penalty for unpaid tribute. The city was rebuilt in T.A. 984 by Elorion the Elf-friend and grew into one of the Dominions' largest cities. It was governed by the Makutano, an oligarchic council of fourteen members known as Carashiri who elect a High-lord, or Malana, to rule for life. The city's banner followed that of Elorion: a white demonic skull on a red field, for Elorion's ancestor Olorakhor who had allegedly defeated Lungorthin. In T.A. 1440, to placate their neighbours, the Makutano added a black Drel rune meaning prosperity, as well as a purple ribbon to honour the Fuina.[6]
Rô-molló was an island city and the primary cultural center of the Drel people, situated atop a volcanic plug in the Bay of Drel. It was originally the site of Unulló, a Second Age monastery built by the mystic Arvarien (who named Mírenor) in S.A. 1666 and later razed by Ar-Pharazôn. The current city was founded in T.A. 349 by the Drel Lord Hembur Smep. It too was governed by a Makutano, which met at the Headman’s Hallow to elect four tribal Headmen to rule the Drel. The city's flag represented showed a white orb over a field divided in four. Each field was coloured to represent a tribe, but because two of the tribes were originally one, those two shared a colour.[6]
Pel
Pel was a humid region named after the four Apysan tribes who lived there. They initially welcomed the Númenórean settlers, who helped develop their society and economy. The region encompassed two forests, Tathom and Taur Galen.[4][12]
Arpel was the largest city in the Dominions, situated on the western bank of the River Usira in central Pel. Built upon the site of the abandoned Númenórean port Lond Hithir (S. "Misty-river Haven"), the modern city was founded in T.A. 1203 and was further expanded over two centuries. The city became the political center of the Pel, ruled by the Chamber of Boughs whose Benches corresponded to the four Pel clans. Its banner was the Pel war-banner, a a blue and yellow eight-petaled flower over a field divided diagonally in red and purple. The flower was the Flower of Unity, calling back to the old confederation of Drel and Pel, while the divided field denoted the division of the two peoples. A black rune meaning prosperity was added in the red bottom corner of the flag.[6]
Notes
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Chris Stone, Pete Fenlon (1988), Shadow in the South (#3900), p. 6
- ↑ Mark R. Feil (1997), Hands of the Healer (#2026), p. 74
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Chris Stone, Pete Fenlon (1988), Shadow in the South (#3900), p. 24
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Chris Stone, Pete Fenlon (1988), Shadow in the South (#3900), pp. 20-21
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Chris Stone, Pete Fenlon (1988), Shadow in the South (#3900), pp. 27-28
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Chris Stone, Pete Fenlon (1988), Shadow in the South (#3900), pp. 32-38
- ↑ . "Elorna". Iron Crown Enterprises
- ↑ Chris Stone, Pete Fenlon (1988), Shadow in the South (#3900), p. 35
- ↑ Mark R. Feil (1997), Hands of the Healer (#2026), section 3.10 p. 74
- ↑ . "Mirëdor". Iron Crown Enterprises
- ↑ . "Drel". Iron Crown Enterprises
- ↑ . "Pel". Iron Crown Enterprises