The myterious east.

[Murazor]

Hi all I'm looking for some advice and inspiration.
The fellowship are looking like they are about to head off into the east on a quest to help an easterling friend.
Any one got any thoughts on what they might find out beyond the sea of Rhun ?

[Blubbo Baggins]

This doesn't have a ton of info, but take a look through it: http://www.dicefellowship.org/viewforum.php?f=791
(He is working on a setting for a TOR game in the East)

[Otaku-sempai]

The Easterling tribes nearest to north-west Middle-earth seem to largely resemble either the Mongols or the early inhabitants of eastern Russia. More diverse peoples were probably further east. The region south-east of Mordor and Khand might have resembled pre-Islamic Arabia, while the Far East would represent an early civilization of pre-Mongolian China. Early Chinese cultures (including the earliest examples of Chinese writing) can be traced to the Neolithic Age, roughly equivalent to the Third Age of Middle-earth. An explorer should probably encounter a pre-Indian people as well.

Here is how Arda might look in the Third Age (based on drawings by Prof. Tolkien):



By way of contrast, here is the map developed for MERP (image too big to post directly): http://i.stack.imgur.com/A9fa6.jpg

Unfortunately, Tolkien's drawings of Arda are of very limited use in terms of modern geography. The MERP map is even less so, as it was developed before the release of The Shaping of Middle-earth which included Tolkien's illustrations.

[Murazor]

Cheers guys - I'm going to be loosely basing things on merp-canon. Particularly the ICE map and those intriguing character bios in the lords of middle earth books.

[Otaku-sempai]

Whatever works best for you! I, personally, might be tempted to use some of the MERP info for cultures, but adapted to the geography based on Tolkien.

One interesting question is whether there might be Eastern or Southron Cultures that have not been tainted by (or have proven resistant to) the corruption of Sauron and his servants. Perhaps the Blue Wizards had some positive influence after all.

[Murazor]

That is my thinking too - I'm planning to have several factions some utterly devoted to darkness some more or less decent and some neutral ones for the fellowship to try and steer toward the light. Blue wizards will certainly be involved.

[Wbweather]

Just a thought, but would shadow creatures be influenced by the cultures of the men/dwarves in the region? Orcs in the west seem to have some grasp of Westron and Bilbo's stone trolls seem very "western". Is there a similar "universal" language in the east? Would orcs and trolls there have more of an oriental flare?

[Murazor]

Interesting thought, I'm planning on avoiding direct cultural parallels but yes I think I will have local beasties be different to those in the west.

[Otaku-sempai]

Just a thought, but would shadow creatures be influenced by the cultures of the men/dwarves in the region? Orcs in the west seem to have some grasp of Westron and Bilbo's stone trolls seem very "western". Is there a similar "universal" language in the east? Would orcs and trolls there have more of an oriental flare?

Good questions. Westron would become less known the farther one travels from the north-west lands. One might need to hire or otherwise acquire a translator or learn a new trade language.

There is the Asian Oni that might be an eastern equivalent to a Troll or Ogre. Yeti might be no more than eastern Snow-trolls.

The Bakamono might be the Goblins of the East.

Some of the more animalistic monsters of the East might be creatures from the Spring of Arda, corrupted by Morgoth and/or Sauron. Demon-spiders, Spirit Centipedes and the like might be creatures who have been bonded with evil spirits or corrupted Maiar; or they might be powerful evil spirits in their own right like Ungoliant.

Eastern Dragons traditionally have a very different character versus their western cousins, but I'm not sure that that should be reflected in Middle-earth. At the very least, it might require some justification.

Dwarves (and Hobbits?) might have a more eastern flavor. Perhaps Hobbits of the East fit the mold of the Korobokuru.

Ainur wandering in the East might have given rise to half-human or half-elven Spirit Folk (Yes, I'm borrowing a lot here from D&D's Oriental Adventures).

[Robin Smallburrow]

Murazor, here is a link to an Essay on the Blue Wizards:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/987 ... izards.doc

And here is a link to a map of Central Middle-earth:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/987 ... -earth.png

Robin S.