Board Thread:Custom Lore Development/@comment-26535281-20170707162808

Here are some of my notes on Rhûn mainly based around some concepts, people, names, lands, and some extra 'flesh' added to the bare bones Tolkien left. If you really like an Idea that I will soon talk about or list please tell me so I know what to flesh out more and what I can keep on the back burner for now.

Now for some Ideas/concepts I wanted throughout all of Rhûn:

- Judging by the way Easterling armor is shown in the movies some if not most Easterlings understand the concept of both mass production and interchangeable parts (armor wise) this is going off of Easterling armor being made of a series of lames. Now this can either come from the home forges of the Easterlings, bought from the dwarves, or a mix of both. I do favor the latter as it gives the dwarves some business and has the Easterlings needing the dwarves but not being fully dependent on them.

- As a rule Harad was more 'tribal' in nature then the west now I assume that the people of Rhûn would follow this trait with those centered around the seas and coasts being more 'civilized' then those who live on the steppes.

- Lots of blood mixing in Rhûn seeing as they have a mix of natives, southrons, and Northmen all thrown together in an unhappy melting pot.

Now for some of the people/cultures I have thought up:

- Hyikkûs:

The Hyikkûs people are who have roamed and settled the steppes of Rhûn since the first awakening of men. They are a proud people known for the mighty armies they can amass in battle and their almost fanatical spirit. Hyikkûs are known to grow long bears and bear great axes in battle while the slaves and lesser clansmen are the spear men and slingers of the Hyikkûs army. They are ruled by a individual known simply as the 'God King' who is the living embodiment of the Sun and demands both mighty temples and sacrifices of all sorts. For this purpose the Hyikkûs frequently organize raiding parties to gather people and materials to offer to their god.

- Saskû:

The Saskû are a fierce nomadic people known for fighting from 'battle wagons' and make use of fierce light cavalry dedicated to raiding and the capture of slaves to sell to the markets of the great cities near the inner sea. It is from these people that the Balchoth derived (Balchoth being a lesser clan driven from their homeland after a fued with a larger clan).

- Assûr:

The Assûr are the big and bad guys of Rhûn one of the most powerful local Empires that frequently shoves around their neighbors and own client people. The people of Assûr are divided into two main groups: The city folk/ruling class and the steppes folk/slave people. This divide comes from the nature of the Empire which has over the ages has grown to swallow entire tribes and cities whole. To keep the Empire 'united' they employ both brutal yet simple tactics they will organize large armies of rather 'rowdy' or 'rebellious' in large raiding parties to both gain wealth for the state and to kill off some rebellious subjects. They also practice deportation and in more extreme cases decimation or extermination of entire cities or tribes that have crossed the state in one way or another. It is from Assûr that the Wainriders originated.

- Varag:

The Varag are a 'semi-united' people who formed many small kingdoms and mercenaries throughout Rhûn. They originally hailed from the Northmen who followed the great rivers past the Inland sea looking for glory and wealth. It is from these people that the Variags derive.

Thoughts? 