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races

GOOD RACES

elf

Modern fantasy literature has revived the elves as a race of semi-divine beings of human stature. Fantasy elves are different from Norse elves, but are more akin to that older mythology than to folktale elves – they are unlikely to sneak in at night and help a cobbler mend his shoes. The grim Norse-style elves of human size introduced Poul Anderson's fantasy novel The Broken Sword from 1954 are one of the first precursors to modern fantasy elves, although they are overshadowed (and preceded) by the Elves of the twentieth-century philologist and fantasy writer J. R. R. Tolkien. Though Tolkien originally conceived his Elves as more fairy-like than they afterwards became, he also based them on the god-like and human-sized Ljósálfar of Norse mythology. His Elves were conceived as a race of beings similar in appearance to humans but fairer and wiser, with greater spiritual powers, keener senses, and a closer empathy with nature. They are great smiths and fierce warriors on the side of good. Tolkien's Elves of Middle-earth are immortal in the sense that they are not vulnerable to disease or the effects of old age. Although they can be killed in battle like humans and may alternately wither away from grief, their spirits only pass to the blessed land in the west called Valinor, whereas humans' souls leave the world entirely.

elves of the Second and Third Age
After the War of Wrath, the Valar tried to summon the Elves back to Valinor. Many complied, but some stayed. During the Second Age they founded the Realms of Lindon, Eregion and Mirkwood. Sauron, Morgoth’s former servant made war upon them, but with the aid of the Númenóreans they defeated him.

During the Second and Third Age they held some protected realms with the aid of the Rings of Power, but after the War of the Ring they waned further, and most Elves left Middle-earth for Valinor. Tolkien's published writings give somewhat contradictory hints as to what happened to the Elves of Middle-earth after the One Ring was destroyed at the end of the Third Age.

It seems clear from Tolkien's published works that with the destruction of the One Ring, the power of the Three Rings of the Elves would also end and the Age of Men would begin. Elves that remained in Middle-earth were doomed to a slow decline until, in the words of Galadriel, they faded and became a "rustic folk of dell and cave," and were greatly diminished from their ancient power and nobility. Tolkien does not explicitly state how long this "dwindling" process would take, but implies that while the power of the remaining Noldor would be immediately lessened, the "fading" of all Elvenkind was a phenomenon that would play out over hundreds and even thousands of years; until, in fact, our own times, when occasional glimpses of rustic Elves would fuel our folktales and fantasies.

What presumably happened to the Elves of Middle-earth in the years and decades immediately following the War of the Ring is less clear, however.

There are many references in The Lord of the Rings to the continued existence of Elves in Middle-earth during the early years of the Fourth Age. Elladan and Elrohir, the sons of Elrond, do not accompany their father when the White Ship bearing the Ring-bearer and the chief Noldorin leaders sails from the Grey Havens to Valinor; they are said to have remained in Lindon for a time. Celeborn is also absent from the farewell scene at the Havens, and his words to Aragorn at their parting heavily imply that he does not expect to join Galadriel in Valinor at any point in the near future. Celeborn is said (in Appendix A) to have added most of southern Mirkwood to the realm of Lórien at the end of the Third Age, but elsewhere Tolkien wrote that Celeborn dwelled for a while in Lindon before at last leaving Middle-earth for Valinor.

Tolkien also wrote that Elves moved to Ithilien during King Elessar's reign, and assisted in the rebuilding of Gondor. They primarily resided in southern Ithilien, along the shores of the Anduin. It is also implied that Elves continued to dwell at the Grey Havens, at least for a certain period. Tolkien states that Círdan did not sail with Elrond, Galadriel, and the others at the end of The Lord of the Rings, and Sam Gamgee sailed from the Havens decades afterward, so it would seem that at least some Elves remained in Mithlond at that time. Círdan would supposedly leave on the last ship ever to leave the havens. Legolas also sailed to Valinor after Elessar's death, and although the reference to this in The Lord of the Rings states that it was Legolas himself that built the ship, it seems unlikely that any Wood-Elf from Mirkwood could have done so without the assistance of Círdan's folk, whom Tolkien elsewhere said were the only Elves remaining at the end of the Third Age with the skill to build the great ships that sailed from Middle-earth to the Blessed Realm.

Finally, the many descriptions of Lórien and the Woodland Realm in Mirkwood suggest that a significant population of Elves remained in Middle-earth for some time during the Fourth Age. In The Lord of the Rings, Caras Galadhon is called a "great city," and the impression is that the population of Silvan Elves that constituted the majority of Lórien's people numbered at least in the thousands. Descriptions of Thranduil's Woodland Realm in northern Mirkwood suggest an even larger population. Without the burning compulsion to return to Valinor that most of the Noldor and Sindar feel, it perhaps seems unlikely that the thousands of Silvan Elves remaining east of the Misty Mountains would suddenly choose to abandon Middle-earth at precisely the moment when all of Mirkwood was again open to them and the Shadow of Sauron was gone forever.

On the other hand, Tolkien made many references to a sharply depopulated Elven world in Middle-earth that are difficult to reconcile with the above. Especially in "The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen" that is found in Appendix A, Tolkien depicts a Middle-earth where most Elves have already left. The majority of those who remained lived in Mirkwood, while a much smaller population was in Lindon. Aragorn speaks of the empty garden of Elrond in Rivendell, and Arwen tells him that whether she would repent of her choice or not. Most strikingly, after Elessar's voluntary death, she flees to a Lórien that is depicted as wholly abandoned, and gives up her own spirit in its sad and silent confines. Apparently, the entire remnant of its population now resided in East Lórien (southern Mirkwood). However, it is also possible that Arwen meant that the option to board a ship and go into the West was closed to her, even if there were still Elves at the Havens, because she had chosen a mortal life.

As with so many elements of Tolkien's famous creation, these contradictions must remain just that: examples of the various ideas and themes that the author explored at different times, and fodder for discussion among his legions of fans.

It is assumed those of the Quendi who never travelled to Aman, such as the Avari, succumbed to the change and mortality of the Middle-earth, their bodies being consumed by time, and simply faded away, not unlike the ring-wraiths, turning into purely spiritual creatures invisible to human eye.


elf jobs and stats

elf swordsman
life: 7
attack: 2
defence: 4

elf archer
life: 7
attack: 3
defence: 3

elf lancer
life: 7
attack: 4
defence: 2


Men

Although all Men are related to one another, there are many different groups with different cultures.

Here below follow the short descriptions of the most important groups of Men in the First, Second and Third Ages.


Edain
Main article: Edain
The most important group in the tales of the First Age were the Edain. Although the word Edain refers to all Men, the Elves use it to distinguish those Men who fought with them in the First Age against Morgoth in Beleriand. Those Men who fought against Morgoth in the First Age were divided into three Houses.

The First House of the Edain was the House of Bëor, which entered Beleriand in 305 F.A. and was granted the fief of Ladros in Dorthonion by Finrod Felagund.

The Second House of the Edain was led by one Haldad and later by his daughter Haleth and settled in the Forest of Brethil. The House called itself the House of Haleth after their matriarch.

The Third House of the Edain, which became the greatest, was led by Marach and later his descendant Hador, and they settled in Dor-lómin. This house was known both as the House of Marach and the House of Hador.


Dúnedain
Main article: Dúnedain
Through their services and assistance rendered to the Elves and the Valar in the War of Wrath at the end of the First Age, the Edain were rewarded with a new land of their own between Middle-earth and the Undying Lands. This was the land of Númenor, an island in the form of a five-pointed star far away from the evil of Middle-earth.

They were led to this island by Elros with the help of his father Eärendil, who sailed the heavens as the bright star of the same name. Once there Elros became the first king of Númenor as Tar-Minyatur and the Edain became known as the Dúnedain (Sindarin for Men of the West). The kingdom of Númenor grew steadily in power, and the Dúnedain became the noblest and highest of all Men on Arda. Allied to the Elves, Númenor fought against Morgoth's lieutenant Sauron.

Now that the Men of the West had become powerful, they came to resent the Gift of Men, death. They wanted to become immortal like the Elves and enjoy their accumulated power for all time. The Númenóreans turned away from the Valar, began to call the Gift of Men the Doom of Men and cursed the Ban of the Valar which forbade them to sail west beyond sight of Númenor or to enter Valinor. In 2899 S.A., Ar-Adûnakhôr became the first king of Númenor who took his royal name in Adûnaic, the language of Men instead of Quenya, the language of the Elves. This led to civil war in Númenor.

The people of Númenor were divided into two factions: the King's Men, who enjoyed the support of the King and the majority of the people. They favoured the Adûnaic language. The minority faction, the Faithful, were led by the lord of Andúnië, the westernmost province of Númenor, remained friendly to the Elves and favoured Quenya.

Sauron, who by the second millennium of the Second Age was nearly defeated by the Elves, took advantage of the division. He surrendered to the last Númenórean King, Ar-Pharazôn, and worked his way into the King's counsels. Ultimately, Sauron advised him to attack Valinor and claim immortality. This he foolishly did, and as punishment Númenor was swallowed by the sea. However, some of the Faithful escaped and founded the twin kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor.


Gondor
Main article: Gondor
The Men of Gondor gradually mingled with other groups, such as the Northmen. This led to the civil war called the Kin-strife, when Eldacar, a man of mixed descent and the rightful heir to the throne, was challenged by Castamir, who was of pure Dúnedain blood. Eldacar was forced into exile, and Castamir, called the Usurper, took the throne. After a decade Eldacar returned with allies from the North and defeated Castamir. However his sons and many of his followers managed to escape to Umbar.

Also counted among the Men of Gondor were people coming from its provinces and fiefdoms who were not of Númenórean descent. Some of these Men had darker complexions; prominent among them were Forlong the Fat and the Men of Lossarnach who reinforced Minas Tirith before the siege of the city began.


Black Númenóreans
Main article: Black Númenóreans
The Faithful were not the only Númenóreans left on Middle-earth when Númenor sank. When Númenor grew in naval power, many Númenóreans founded colonies in Middle-earth. In the second millennium of the Second Age, there was an exodus of Men from an overcrowded Númenor: the King's Men, who wanted to conquer more lands, and the Faithful who were persecuted by the Kings. The Faithful settled in Pelargir and the King's Men settled in Umbar. When Númenor was destroyed, the remaining King's Men became known as the Black Númenóreans and remained hostile against the Faithful of Gondor.

From their ranks, Sauron recruited Men who would become some of the nine Ringwraiths in the second millennium of the Second Age. Umbar was conquered by Gondor in 933 T.A.

Among the Black Númenórean race was the wicked Queen Berúthiel, wife of Tarannon Falastur, King of Gondor.


Corsairs of Umbar
Main article: Corsairs of Umbar
During the Kin-strife of Gondor, the defeated rebels of Gondor fled to Umbar. Umbar became the hated enemy of Gondor. They mingled with the Black Númenóreans and became known as the Corsairs of Umbar.

Castamir's faction took with them a large part of Gondor's fleet, thus weakening Gondor and strengthening the naval traditions of Umbar. Gondor later conquered Umbar again but lost it again soon after.

By the time of the War of the Ring, the Corsairs had mingled with the Haradrim, becoming a mixed people where Númenórean blood was mostly gone. During the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, a combined fleet amounting to "fifty great ships [of Umbar] and smaller vessels beyond count" was raiding the port city of Pelargir in Lebennin, but these were captured by Aragorn and the Army of the Dead, and were sailed to Minas Tirith to relieve the siege of the city.


Dunlendings and related folk
When Elendil founded the Kingdom of Arnor its borders were quickly extended towards the river Greyflood, and Gondor likewise extended up through Enedwaith. In Enedwaith and Minhiriath lived a group of Men related to the House of Haleth, and they were known as the Dunlendings. They had lived in the great woods that covered most of Eriador, and when the Númenóreans started to chop these woods down to build their ships in the Second Age, the Dúnedain of Númenor earned the hostility of the Dunlendings. Although the two peoples were related, the Dúnedain did not recognize them as kinsmen for their language was too different. The Dunlendings later became bitter enemies of Rohan after the people of Rohan moved into their territory and founded their kingdom.

The Dunlendings served Saruman in the War of the Ring and participated in the Battle of the Hornburg.

The Men of the Mountains, who were cursed by Isildur and became the Dead Men of Dunharrow, were related to the Dunlendings.

The Men of Bree were also descended from the Dunlendings.


Haradrim
Main article: Southrons
Further east of Umbar lived another group of Men, the Haradrim, the Southrons or Men of the South. They were dark-skinned Men and waged war on great Oliphaunts or mûmakil. Hostile to Gondor, they were subdued in 1050 T.A., by Hyarmendacil I.

Both Umbar and the Harad were left unchecked by Gondor's waning power by the time of the War of the Ring, and presented grave threats from the south. Many Haradrim fought with Sauron's forces in Gondor in the war. However, Tolkien strongly hints that they, as well as the Easterlings, were at worst deceived and at best unwilling pawns to Sauron.


Easterlings
Main article: Easterlings
Most Men who fought in the armies of Morgoth and Sauron were called Easterlings, who came from the region around the Sea of Rhûn in the East.

In the First Age, some tribes of Easterlings offered their services to the Elvish kingdoms in Beleriand; the strongest among them were Bór and Ulfang (called the Black), and their respective sons. This proved to be disastrous for the Elves in the Nirnaeth Arnoediad when Ulfang and his clan switched sides and defected to Morgoth, while Bór and his sons died bravely fighting on the side of the Eldar.

After Morgoth's defeat, Sauron extended his influence over the Easterlings, and although Sauron was defeated by the Last Alliance of Elves and Men at the end of the Second Age, the Easterlings were the first enemies to attack Gondor again in 492 T.A. They were soundly defeated by King Rómendacil I but invaded again in 541 T.A. and took revenge by slaying King Rómendacil. Rómendacil's son Turambar took large portions of land from them. In the next centuries, Gondor held sway over the Easterlings. When Gondor's power began to decrease in the twelfth century Third Age, the Easterlings took the complete eastern bank of the Anduin except Ithilien crushing Gondor's allies, the Northmen.

The Easterlings of the Third Age were divided in different tribes, such as the Wainriders and the Balchoth. The Wainriders were a confederation of Easterlings which were very active between 1856 and 1944 T.A. They were a serious threat to Gondor for many years, but were utterly defeated by Eärnil II in 1944 T.A. When Gondor lost its royal dynasty in 2050 T.A., the Easterlings started to reorganize themselves and a fierce tribe called the Balchoth became the most important tribe. In 2510 T.A., they invaded Gondor again and conquered much of Calenardhon, until they were defeated by the Éothéod, coming to Gondor's aid.

Until the War of the Ring the Easterlings did not launch any invasion. In the war, they were amongst the fiercest warriors deployed at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields by Sauron.


Northmen
Main article: Northmen (Middle-earth)
The Northmen were composed of two principal groups. First, not all the Men who remained east of the Blue Mountains and Misty Mountains were tempted by Morgoth or Sauron. They were joined after the War of Wrath by those of the Edain who did not wish to travel to Númenor (similar to how, at the end of the First Age, various Eldar remained and went east, becoming lords of the Silvan elves). The Northmen who dwelt in Greenwood the Great and other parts of Rhovanion were friendly to the Dúnedain, being for the most part their kin, and many of them became Gondorian subjects. The Men of Dale and Esgaroth were Northmen, as were the Woodmen of Mirkwood, and the Éothéod, who became the Rohirrim.


Woses or Drúedain
Main article: Drúedain
Another group of Men were the Woses. They were small and bent compared to other Men. They lived among the Folk of Haleth in the First Age and were held as Edain by the Elves, who called them Drúedain (from Drûg, Halethian name for them, plus Edain).

At the end of the Third Age, some Woses lived in the Drúadan forest (named for them) in Rohan, small in number but experienced in forest life. They held off Orcs who strayed into their woods with poisoned arrows. Through a grievous misunderstanding, they were hunted as beasts by the Rohirrim.

In the War of the Ring, they were vital in securing the aid of the Rohirrim in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields; they guided the host unseen through the forest, and thus the Rohirrim were able to surprise their enemies. In gratitude, Théoden pledged to stop hunting them.

After Sauron's downfall, King Elessar granted the Drúadan forest "forever" to them in the Fourth Age.


Hobbits
Main article: Hobbit
Hobbits were strictly an offshoot of Men rather than a separate race. The origin of Hobbits is obscure; they first appeared in the records of other Men in the Third Age.



human jobs and stats

human ranger
life: 5
attack: 3
defence: 4

human archer
life: 5
attack: 2
defence: 5

human swordsman
life: 5
attack: 4
defence: 3


dwarves

Unlike Elves and Men, the Dwarves are not counted among the Children of Ilúvatar. They were created by Aulë the Smith. They were kept asleep until after the Awakening of the Elves. Aulë created the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves, from whom all other Dwarves are descended. Aulë's work was doomed, though, because he did not have the power to grant independent life to his creations, that is, free will — that power belonged to Ilúvatar alone. Aulë later repented and confessed to Ilúvatar. When the Dwarves were completed, though, the voice of Ilúvatar spoke to Aulë and agreed to grant them true life and include them in his plan for Arda. Ilúvatar granted the Dwarves life, and therefore they are known as the Adopted Children of Ilúvatar.

They mined and worked precious metals and stones throughout the mountains of Middle-earth with consummate skills derived from their maker Aulë. Gandalf described gold and jewels as the dwarves' toys and iron as their servant. In ancient times, they were said to have preferred working with copper and iron, though in later days they wrought gold and silver, and the mithril they found in the mines of Khazad-dûm.

Since they mainly live underground, Dwarves do not like farming or herding, and they obtain all their food supplies through trade with Elves and Men. As stated in 'Of Dwarves and Men,' the Dwarves have often formed trade relations with Men whereby they exchange the items of their smithcraft in return for food grown by the Men, in a mutually beneficial relationship.

Dwarves were famous for using axes in battle. However, as seen in The Hobbit, they also used swords, shields and bows. The Dwarves of the Iron Hills, in addition to axes, carried mattocks and shields slung on their backs, with short swords as secondary weapons. Unlike in other fantasy settings, there is no mention of Tolkien's Dwarves using war hammers; these weapons are used by the Olog-hai trolls instead.

Dwarf jobs and stats

Dwarf axman
life: 5
attack: 5
defence: 2

Dwarf archer
life: 5
attack: 4
defece: 3

Dwarf guardian
life: 5
attack: 3
defence: 4






EVIL RACES

orcs

In J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings, Orcs or Orks are a race of creatures who are used as soldiers and henchmen by both the greater and lesser villains of The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings — Morgoth, Sauron and Saruman. The Orcs also work independently as the common antagonists in The Hobbit, though in that work they are called Goblins.

Although not dim-witted and even crafty, they are portrayed as miserable beings, hating everyone including themselves and their masters, whom they serve out of fear. They make no beautiful things, but rather design cunning devices made to hurt and destroy.


orc jobs and stats

orc swordsman
life: 5
attack: 3
defence: 4

orc archer
life: 5
attack: 2
defence: 5

orc raider
life: 5
attack: 4
defence: 3


goblins

(see orcs)


goblin jobs and stats

goblin drummer
life: 7
attack: 2
defence: 4

goblin archer
life: 7
attack: 4
defence: 2

goblin swordsman
life: 7
attack: 3
defence: 3


uruks

The race of Uruk-hai, described as large black orcs of great strength, first appeared about the year 2475 of the Third Age, when they conquered Ithilien and destroyed the city of Osgiliath. These original Uruks were not of Sauron's breeding, but Saruman bred his own, making further improvements like resistance to sunlight, and giving them different armour and weapons. Being stronger, the Uruk-hai looked down upon and often bullied and cowed other kinds of Orcs.

In The Two Towers, Aragorn observes that the fallen Uruk-hai at Amon Hen were not like any breed of Orc he has seen before. Since he had previously served in the Army of Gondor as "Thorongil" and probably encountered the Uruks of Mordor, this strongly implies that those of Isengard are a different breed of Uruk, modified by Saruman. Treebeard speculates that Saruman has crossed Orcs with Men, a "black evil".

Other forces in Saruman's armies, and under his command in the Shire, definitely were hybrids, though these individuals, called "half-orcs" and "goblin-men" in The Two Towers, were as tall as Men and are never described simply as Orcs, as the Uruk-hai frequently are, and an account of the first battle of the Fords of Isen in Unfinished Tales (part of Tolkien's hitherto unpublished writings) apparently treats Uruk-hai and "orc-men" separately.

These Uruk-hai made up a large part of Saruman's army, together with the Dunlendings and other human enemies of Rohan. They were faster, stronger, and larger than normal Orcs and could travel during the day without being weakened, although they still did not like it. These Uruks called themselves "the fighting Uruk-hai" (The Two Towers, "Helm's Deep"). Saruman's Uruk-hai fought against the Rohirrim at the Battles of the Fords of Isen, at the first of which King Théoden's son Théodred was killed, and the Battle of the Hornburg, where they were defeated and destroyed.

The Uruks and other Orcs in the service of Barad-dûr, the folk of Mordor, used the symbol of the red Eye of Sauron. The Red Eye was also painted on their shields. At least one, a guard, on the march with Merry and Pippin had a black knife with a long saw-edged blade, used by Pippin to cut through the ropes on his hands. These Uruks of Mordor referred to Sauron as the Great Eye, and Grishnákh was one of their captains. They were all long-armed and crook-legged, not as tall as the Isengarder Uruks but larger than the Moria (common) Orcs, who could see better in the dark than the Isengarders.

The Uruk-hai of Saruman the White used an elf-rune, similar in appearance to the mathematical symbol < with the value of "S", wrought in white metal on the front of their iron helms. It was clear this "S" stood for Saruman, because their shields had a small white hand (the symbol of Saruman) centred on a black field, as well as Sauron's general desire not to have his name written or spoken, as mentioned by Aragorn. He also commented that their gear was not in the manner of other Orcs at all. Instead of curved scimitars, they used short, broad-bladed swords. They also appeared different physically: they were taller, almost man-high, and had thick, straight legs (Orcs of Mordor were described to be bow-legged) and large hands. Although they did not like the light of the sun, they could withstand it better than other orcs. Saruman promised them man's-flesh as a treat. He aided them with his wizardry as well: when Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas followed the party of Uruks who kidnapped Merry and Pippin, Saruman's will caused weariness of the heart for the pursuers and lent speed to the Orcs. Uglúk led the Uruk-hai of Isengard, and since they were the strongest he felt that he led the hobbit march as well, insisting on going back by way of Isengard. This was the group that slew Boromir. Uglúk accepted an offer of help from Mordor Uruks at face value, although Grishnákh's hidden objective was to recover the Ring for Sauron. Even in defeat, the Isengarders showed training and discipline, retaining unit cohesion in their desperate drive for the forest's safety when the other Orcs scattered.

uruk jobs and stats

uruk bowman
life: 5
attack: 3
defence: 4

uruk pikeman
life: 5
attack: 4
defence: 3

uruk swordsman
life: 5
attack: 5
defence: 2

character profiles

user name: rioliogio
character name: Aramor Elenost
race: Dúnedain (Man)
job: human ranger
age: 42
appearance:
bio: One of the Dúnedain, he and one of his kin followed the fellowship to Rivendell. There, they split up, Aramor remaining at Rivendell for a short time, his kinsman heading eastward.
gender: male

user name: bludrgn0
character name: Ayron Viefiliale
race: Elf
job: elf Swordsman
age: 100
appearance: http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r23/bludrgn00/rp guys/animeguy4.jpg
bio: Born in a village that isn't there anymore. It was destroied by orcs.
gender: male

reserved

k, I'm back now, so you can pm profiles to me.