Anna Arquette: 111 Sale Lane #905, Red Bluff, CA 96080, USA
The following two-part essay was originally conceived as a contribution to Rohirrim and Other Northmen, a projected volume in ICE's "Peoples of Middle-earth" series which never reached completion. (The book was to be a revision and expansion of materials which had appeared in the 1985 Riders of Rohan module.) Written and submitted to ICE in 1995, the contents of this essay naturally do not take into account subsequently published MERP material relating to the Beornings or Woodmen (e.g., The Northern Waste and Hands of the Healer); nor did the author have access to information concerning the Northmen made available in 1996 by The Peoples of Middle-earth. Some discrepancy between this essay and the aforementioned works is therefore inevitable. Rather than attempting to completely update the piece, it is here presented as it was written (with minor editorial changes)—as one writer's interpretation of these two Northman cultures.
The origin of the Beornings is not swathed in mystery, nor is it forgotten in
time—it is just a highly guarded secret. The roots of this Northman clan reach back
to the Awakening of Men. Some even trace their blood to Bëor the Old, who died in
Beleriand.
Beornings are descendants of the thousand who followed Bereg, great grandson of Bëor, out
of Beleriand when Morgoth's shadow was cast upon their hearts (Sil: 145). These were the
first Men to knowingly turn their backs to the fight against the Black Enemy. As their
descendants, the Beornings remember this with shame, and vow to hunt until all Shadow is
destroyed. At first, this was not so. The Years of Wandering, during the late First Age,
when the Darkness was still fresh upon their hearts, brought no prosperity and little hope
to the despairing band. Ever they traveled, their numbers fading. These wanderings
eventually brought them into contact with the Gwathuirim of southern Eriador. With promise
of a peaceful home, the band settled. Lore, craft and blood mingled between the peoples.
Life was good, but the darkness on their hearts weighed heavy.
It was there, on one of his hunting forays, that the Vala Oromë discovered them. He
lifting the Shadow from their hearts, he opened their minds to Eru and the Song once
again. Many realized the folly in letting their fears control them, taking flight from
Beleriand, and so they begged forgiveness of Oromë. It was in his Song to do so that day.
Taking the repentant into the Misty Mountains, Oromë began teaching their women-folk of
the friendship of animals, their men of the hunt. In the seventh year of the Second Age,
deeming them ready, he set them, henceforth, to hunting far and wide the scattered minions
of Morgoth. But first, a blessing he gave them, and to some a gift:
"Of the warriors, Oromë chose five—Otrugar, Erskine, Beraulf, Owein, and Targrin—to receive his gift. He took them aside and taught them in secret, as would they, in turn, teach future generations. These gifted five were known ever after as the Shifters."
—from the teaching of Bair
Thus began the five secret houses of Bëor, the Hounds of Oromë, a people unto
themselves. Hunting continually, the Beornings prospered on the western slopes of the
Misty Mountains. Yet ever northward the secret clan was pushed as Eriador became more
populated. They had grown in number to a few thousand when Sauron's host invaded Eriador
during the Second Age. Vastly outnumbered, the Beornings begrudgingly retreated into the
highest vales of the Misty Mountains. Within four years, there was no trace of any lowland
settlement.
For three thousand years, the high mountain valleys were their homes, the majestic
carrocks their hunting grounds. In the Third Age, when dark things began to stir once
more, 4,000 Beorning warriors made ready for the hunt. Angmar proved the stronger, and
many died. Reluctantly, the Beornings began slowly moving to new homes in the lower
valleys on the eastern side of the Misty Mountains, into the Anduin Vale, and over to the
Grey Mountains of the North.
By T.A. 1640, the war with Angmar had taken its toll. There were only 2,500 men, women and
children left in the clan. Thankfully, the Plagues little affected this secluded people.
Dragons on the other hand, lay waste to the Narrows of the Grey Mountains, forcing the
houses to flee to their kinsfolk in the West. There was a slight reprieve when, with the
fall of Angmar, the Orcs of Gundabad lost their organized force. Thus, not until Sauron
began to stir again (T.A. 2480), were the last of the Beornings forced to give up their
mountain homes, pushing east across the Anduin.
By the time Beorn carved the steps into his Carrock, few Beorning manors remained, due to
the relentless onslaught of the Orcs. The clan's numbers were now as few as when Oromë
first gifted them, but still the Shadow did not touch their hearts. In T.A. 3019, Mirkwood
was cleansed of its evils. The Beornings were granted a section of it, but for the present
they renewed their vow of old, once again setting out to hunt in the mountain vales.
The leader of the Beornings is called the waildanbair. He has the final say in all
matters concerning the safety of the clan as a whole. Due to the independent nature of his
people, he is rarely bothered except in times of emergency or war. To become waildanbair,
a man must shift and be chosen by consensus of all of the family heads.
The waildanbair is advised by the heads of the Five Houses. These five men come to their
decisions by listening to the heads of each manor belonging to their house. These in turn
listen to the heads of the families who reside within the manors. A man entering the Order
of the Bair must relinquish any authority he may possess as head of a family, manor or
house. His authority passes on to his brother or eldest son.
It is not unheard of for couples to marry at the age of fifteen, but because of the long
lifespan of the Beornings (80-100 years), weddings are most common around the twentieth
year. Some men even wait until their thirtieth year or later, so as to fully develop their
martial skills.
At the age of seven, every Beorning child receives a necklace hung with a number of
carved, wooden bear claws (denoting the child's house) and braided with warg-leather
(denoting his or her family). When a couple marries, they retain their number of claws,
but re-braid the leather into their own unique pattern. This is done in a private
ceremony, and the promises exchanged are personal. An extremely festive celebration
follows, sometimes lasting for days. Kinship in Beorning society is always reckoned
according to the father's house. If a woman is widowed, she has the choice of remaining
with her late husband's kin, returning to her own, remarrying or living at the Place of
Women. Women are not allowed to be heads of families, manors or houses. However, the
eldest female oversees all the daily activities of a Beorning manor. She is responsible
for the teaching of animals and the smooth operation of such mundane tasks as laundry,
cooking and child-rearing. A well-run manor displays such oddities as raccoons dicing
carrots in the kitchen, badgers digging potatoes in the garden, deer and cows holding
laundry in their horns so that squirrels can fasten it to a line, sheep and dogs setting
tables for meals, geese keeping watch over young toddlers, and goats ever fussing over the
perfection of great thorn hedges. All items in a manor are constructed so that animals can
manipulate them with ease, except for the one chair at the head of the table, which never
moves.
The befriending of animals, as taught by Oromë, is the reason Beornings seldom eat meat.
When eaten, it is always warg-flesh. Fish and eggs are not considered meat, and are eaten
freely by all. Naive Beornings visiting another culture may mistakenly assume that the
meat being eaten is warg. Once they learn otherwise, they tend to be reclusive around meal
times. (Getting sick-at-the-stomach is a common Beorning ailment when adventuring.) One of
the most joyful Beorning festivals is the celebration of the last days of winter. Families
gather together for the first hunt. Running wargs from the lowlands and valleys, hunting,
slaughtering and feasting through an entire night (sometimes two) are interrupted only by
singing and dancing. The Dance of Sun Return, the Maiden Toss and the Joy Dance are
popular at this active feast. All is not considered done until the last drops of the
winter brews have vanished from the kegs.
The summer solstice, known as the Gathering, marks another large festival. The entire clan
convenes for two weeks in a large mountain meadow. Although the Gathering involves
religious ceremonies, its focus is purely social: counsels are held, goods bartered,
contests of strength and skill are undertaken (most favored are the honey-judging,
brew-tasting and jam-sampling). Games that are very physical are also enjoyed.
A favorite game with the men is otterball. This game developed by watching river otters at
play, and is best described as "no-rules rugby in the river" (drowning opponents
is frowned upon). An odd custom, cultivated by this game, is the stealing of some or all
of a young man's clothing by a girl who finds him attractive. This mission, if successful,
shows the daring and stealth of the young lass. It is then left to the lad to show his
intelligence and wit by finding her and his clothes. Any differences are settled with an
excellent meal or the promise of an embroidered outfit, thus furthering the woman's claim
by showing her skills as a wife.
Though self-sufficient, the occupants of a Beorning manor commonly barter with their
neighbors (within the clan) to add more variety to their lifestyle. Such exchange
stimulates the perfection of crafts, such as brewing, tanning and needlework. It also
encourages friendly competition between households. Thus Beornings are famous for their
honeys, waxes, candles, leathers, yarns, felts and brews.
Surplus goods are traded for the buttons, buckles and other fine products of the Woodmen.
Sewing needles, swords and other metal items are acquired from the Gondorians or their
Northman allies. With Elves the Beornings barter for frivolities: spider silk, fine
thread, jeweled hair combs and musical instruments. Never do the Beornings use their
animals or bees as trade goods.
Beorning lifeways are founded upon the teachings of Oromë—nothing is more revered
than the hunt, nothing more precious than their animals. All Beornings respect Eru and the
Valar deeply, and many are the ceremonies in their honor; but these pale in comparison to
the devotion given to Oromë. He is the Remover of the Shadow, the Giver of the Gift, the
Master of the Hunt. Individual families frequently hold private ceremonies or prayers, the
entire house gathers for the two most important ceremonial days (the spring Blossom Feast
and the Day of the Gift). If a Beorning is traveling and can not attend these festivals,
the entire day is spent in meditation and prayer.
Beornings celebrate the coming of spring with great praises to Yavanna and with the
Blossom Feast, which focuses on the harvesting of the first blossoms of the grapeleaf
magnolia by the young maidens. These blossoms, woven into garlands and wreaths, are worn
by the maidens throughout the festival. (Later these will be made into herbal
distillations for other ceremonies.) The ritual ends with the Blossom Dance, but it is not
until the "Blessing of the Bees" (the Honey Dance) that the festival is over.
The shifters of the clan imbibe liquors made with the blossoms in the most sacred of
dances: the Dance of the Gift. This is enacted in the fall, before the first snow comes,
at the Festival of Oromë on the Day of the Gift. For this festival, all shifters return
to their houses to celebrate with their relatives the sacredness of Oromë and his
teachings. This is the one night when shifters dance openly in bear-form. Animals too
dance this night as the women of the clan renew their bond of friendship in the Dance of
the Living.
It is Beorning women who teach and train the animal servants of their homes. From mother
to daughter the teachings of Oromë pass, but there is a great mother who guides this to
ensure that the teachings are correct. The great mother lives in a manor forbidden to men
(the Place of Women) where she oversees the teachings of Oromë. This manor has extensive
flower, herb and vegetable gardens for learning the ways of plants, healing and cooking.
Many women come to aid in this teaching, or to further their own learning. None except men
are ever refused entrance, and a woman may come for nothing more than wanting peace.
When a great mother dies, she is buried with respect equal to that of a waildanbair. Her
manor is tended solely by animals until another woman asks for the title. Though there
have been times of two or even three great mothers (none are refused who ask), there has
never been a time of none.
All Beornings adhere to the true Cult of the Bear, but only shifters are allowed to
participate in the Order of the Bair. Such men transmit the teachings of Oromë to the
clan. The waildanbair serves as head of this order, being advised matters of cultic
observance by a council of three: the orobair. These preside over most Beorning
ceremonies. It is a great honor to host an orobair in one's house.
Subordinate to the orobair are eight bair whose duty is to teach the children of the clan
all aspects of Oromë's teaching. Each year at the Gathering, five are chosen to teach the
houses, and one to study under the orobair and guide the twenty-one tirbair. Tirbair spend
four months out of the year under the tutelage of this bair and the other eight traveling
far and wide to gather news, carry messages and hunt. It is this constant movement of the
tirbair that helps keep the Beornings so closely-knit as a people.
The teachings of Oromë mark off several creatures and things as sacred. Here follow some
of the most notable items:
Bears. The most sacred of animals, it is thought to be good luck to come across
one in the wild. Mercy killings (e.g., for a rabid or badly wounded bear) are accompanied
by great sorrow, and a day of mourning follows the burial. Bears motifs are a common
feature of all Beorning crafts (pottery, sewing, scrimshaw, leatherwork, etc).
Bees. As honey is the staple of their cuisine and helps them to observe their
dietary prohibitions, Beornings always ensure that there are enough flowers surrounding
their manors to keep their bees happy. The bees of the Beornings are uncommonly large, but
not aggressive around their keepers. As with bears, bees are a leit-motif of Beorning
artwork, especially as decoration between flowers on embroidered things.
Naming Necklaces. Given to a child at the age of seven at a child's public
naming ceremony (See above.), the expertly-crafted bear claws of a naming necklace are
carved from stained hardwood. It is an Absurd maneuver to perceive they are not real.
Red Mead. Brewed from bee's honey derived from the grapeleaf magnolia blossoms
(also gathered in spring by maidens for use in special herbal distillations). All parts of
the magnolia plant are widely used in ceremonial situations and are a common motif on
clothing and jewelry.
Splayfoot Goodwart. The root of this plant is pounded into flour and mixed into
the batter of travel honey cakes (+5 for 4 hours).
Though each Beorning household has its war leader, it is the waildanbair who directs
their tactics. In most cases the main force keeps an enemy busy while the shifters sneak
to the flanks and rear in bear-form. Charging at the signal, the shifters surround the
luckless fiends. A shifter in bear-form may sometimes carry an archer on his back,
depositing him in an advantageous spot. If the foe holds a strong line or has many ranks,
shifters serve as shock troops. Charging as a unit, teeth bared and growling, they scatter
the opponent's lines by force or fear, supported by the rest of the Beorning warriors,
wielding polearm, spear, javelin, throwing mace and bow. Enemies that escape are
ruthlessly hunted down.
The Beornings use warg-leather for armor. Designs range from a rigid breastplate to softer
coats. Bone and horn (from goat and deer) are used as stiffeners and plates for added
protection. Shifters do not wear armor, preferring to fight in bear-form (though they use
weapons when in man-form).
The throwing mace is a stone-headed mace, balanced for throwing. If wielded in hand it is
-10. (Use 1HC/mace table.) Its ranges are as follows: 0'-10' (-0), 11'-25' (-15), 26'-50'
(-30), 51'-60' (-45). Other widely used weapons are slings, clubs and quarterstaves. Less
common, but still used, are broadswords and hand-axes.
Beornings are the greatest among the Northmen in stature, the males standing 6'4"
on average and weighing 215 lbs or more (most of this in the chest and shoulders), the
women, equally hardy, averaging 5'7" and 145 lbs (though rarely stocky). Most
Beornings have red hair, varying in shades from mahogany to strawberry. Occasionally, the
old blood comes through, and a child is born with black hair. (These are almost always
shifters.) All Beornings have fair complexions and eyes that tend towards grey or light
blue.
Women in the clan make clothes from furs, leather and wool. All leather and fur is warg,
the softest being from the young. Earth pigments are used to dye these various shades of
brown and red. Wool is traditionally kept its natural color (tan, brown, black), but is
often spun into tweeds. Special materials, such as white leather (tanned with stale
urine), wool of green or blue (dyes obtained through trade), or Spider silk (from the
Elves at high price) are reserved for feast day garments.
The average Beorning owns two sets of clothes for everyday wear, and one for festivals.
The tradition of embroidered woolen garments harks back to a legend that Owein, one of the
original shifters, changed form while still dressed, thus ripping apart his clothing.
There was naught to do but sew it back together, hiding the odd seams with embroidered
decoration. This is why most Beornings know how to sew, and the women take this craft to a
perfection, rivaling even the Elves.
Men wear a mid-sleeved soft leather over-tunic, reaching to mid-thigh and split for
walking, over a long-sleeved woolen under-tunic (both trimmed or embroidered at hem,
sleeve and collar). Stout wool or leather breeches accompany this. Women replace the
breeches with a suede skirt, lengthening the over-tunic to knee-length, or have a fine
wool under-dress (ankle-length) and a stouter over-dress (suede or heavier wool) that
reaches at least to the lower calf. If a woman must go out on extended travel, she wears
breeches, like the man's, but with a knee-length tunic.
Tunics and dresses are belted at the waist with finely tooled leather belts, or lavishly
embroidered cloth ones. Buckles and buttons are made of wood, bone or horn. Silk and other
rarities are used for special clothing and frivolities, such as wedding clothes, hair
ribbons and undergarments.
Shifters never wear fur unless a cloak of shame is involved. (See below.) They go barefoot
or wear cross-gartered sandals. Loose fitting woolen trousers and tunics are preferred.
Some have adapted to wearing a kilt-type garment if doing a task that may involve
shifting. On no account will animal parts be worn by a shifter, be it simply a horn
button.
Heavy woolen cloaks lined with warg-fur are used during the colder months. Fur hats and
hoods keep heads warm. As the weather warms, lighter woolen weaves and felt hats are worn.
Stout-soled leather boots designed for rough, mountainous terrain are worn by everyone
when outside the manor, but women prefer suede slippers when at home. Thick, knitted wool
socks help protect the feet. Children resent clothing and are generally found without it.
Shifters are Beorning men who shift into the form of a bear at will. Not all Beornings
can do this (7% chance). Women do not shift, but they may become berserkers if the 7%
chance was made. This ability is treated as battle lust (there are no controlled berserk
states), and those subject to such fits may also succumb to blood lust (Treat as
insanity.) women who berserk are rebellious and often become warriors. They are sought as
wives, for their blood is said to be strong; and a union between a shifter and one of
these women increases the chance of an offspring being gifted with shifting to 14%.
Shifting takes 1 full round to complete. (Treat as spell casting.) Clothes and accessories
do not shift, falling to the ground or entangling the wearer. A solid bracelet, if it does
not break, becomes embedded in the flesh. Shifters necklaces are always measured for fit
in bear-form. Shifters do NOT eat meat (fish and eggs being the only exceptions); nor do
they wear ANY animal parts (fur, buttons, sinew, etc), unless it be of warg origin or a
cloak of shame.
For every week during which a shifter consumes animal flesh (mistakenly or otherwise), he
suffers a -5 penalty to all control rolls vs. blood lust. This penalty can only be removed
by an extensive and painful purification ritual. A control roll must be attempted each
time meat is eaten, increasing the penalty for every week in which this is done, until the
shifter is cleansed. (E.g., Tsadhoq eats a vegetable soup made with beef broth: roll
control at -5. Next week, he eats pie that has finely ground neat in it: roll control at
-10. Three months later, unaware he has eaten meat in the past, he is served meat at a
peace meeting with the Woodmen. Not wanting to insult his host he eats: roll control -15.)
Blood lust is an affliction of Beorning shifters who eat meat. It manifests itself as a
loss of control over their Mannish side. If a shifter succumbs to blood lust (loses
control after eating meat), he is no better than a rabid bear and must be killed. There is
no cure. The affliction brings great shame upon the shifter's house and family, incurring
the following punishment:
1. The immediate family of the shifter skins, tans and makes a cloak of the his pelt.
2. The eldest male of the house wears this cloak.
3. All other men are given a scrap of the remaining pelt to wear openly on their left arm.
4. After a year and a day, a ceremony is held to remove the cloak and "bury" the shifter. (The stigma of shame is harder to shake.)
Blood lust is not to be confused with battle lust (a loss of control due to pain and
excitement). Though the latter shows immaturity and lack of control, it does not convey
the great shame of the former. When a shifter receives a critical blow in man-form, he
attempts a Control roll at Static (after melee). The results of a failure to stave off
battle lust may be represented in one of the following ways:
A set penalty of -10/severity level of critical received (A = -10, B = -20, etc). If 2 or more criticals are received in the same round, roll for each.
A cumulative penalty of -5/critical received (3 criticals taken in 1 round = -15; if hit with only 1 the following round, the penalty increases to -20). Make only 1 roll/round. If a shifter succumbs to battle lust, he becomes enraged and will attack anyone or thing in sight. In this state, it is a Folly maneuver to distinguish friend from foe, all prior stun is negated, DB is -10, OB is +10, concussion given is x2. Attempts to regain control may not be rolled while in a combat environment.
Name Target Duration Range 1. Calm I 1 or 1 hive 1 min/lvl 100' 2. Teach Speech (Rank 1) 1 animal Permanent Touch 3. Train (Simple) 1 animal Permanent Touch 4. Calm II 2 or 2 hives 1 min/lvl 100' 5. Teach Speech (Rank 3) 1 animal Permanent Touch 6. Calm III 3 or 3 hives 1 min/lvl 100' 7. Calm IV 4 or 4 hives 1 min/lvl 100' 8. Train (Complex) 1 animal Permanent Touch 9. Teach Speech (Rank 5) 1 animal Permanent Touch 10. Dance 1 animal Permanent Touch
1. Calm I (F/RF10): Target takes no aggressive/offensive action, fighting only if attacked. 1 bee hive is considered a target.
2. Teach Speech (Rank 1) (U/RF5): Caster may teach an animal to understand any known language to Rank 1. Animals cannot speak or write, but may read. This spell is cast on the animal 1x/day for 1 week (requiring 2 hours of concentration/day).
3. Train (Simple) (U/RF5) As Teach Speech (Rank 1), but an animal may be trained to perform a simple task (e.g., wash vegetables, open doors, etc).
4. Calm II (F/RF10): As Calm I, but all targets must be in view.
5. Teach Speech (Rank 3) (U/RF5): As Teach Speech (Rank 1), but animal may learn up to Rank 3.
6. Calm III (F/RF10): As Calm I, but 3 targets or hives may be affected.
7. Calm IV (F/RF10): As Calm I, but 4 targets or hives are affected.
8. Train (Complex) (U/RF5): As Train (Simple), but a complex task may be learned (dicing carrots, manipulating lanterns, etc.).
9. Teach Speech (Rank 5) (U/RF5): As Teach Speech (Rank 1), but animal may learn up to Rank 5. (Caster must also know Rank 5.)
10. Dance (U/RF5): As Train (Simple), but a dance may be learned. (Used for Dance of the Living.)
Name (#) Lvl Hits AT DB Sh Gr Melee OB Missile OB MovM Waildanbair (1) 20 190 No/1 15 — — 130 100 25 (as bear) 20 380 SL/8 110 — — 145Medium 145Large 140Huge — 50 Orobair (3) 16 180 No/1 15 — — 110 95 25 (as bear) 16 360 SL/8 105 — — 140Medium 130Large 120Huge — 50 Bair (8) 8 120 No/1 15 — — 90 75 25 (as bear) 8 240 SL/8 85 — — 100Medium 85Large 75Huge — 50 Tirbair (21) 5 90 No/1 15 — — 80 55 25 (as bear) 5 180 SL/8 70 — — 85Medium 75Large 70Huge — 50 Headman, Warrior (3) 12 150 RL/12 15 Y Y 135 115 15 Headman, Scout (2) 12 90 RL/12 20 Y Y 110 100 20 (as bear) 4% chance 12 295 SL/8 95 — — 125Medium 120Large 95Huge — 40 Elite Warrior (80) 7 115 RL/10 15 Y Y 110 95 15 Elite Scout (20) 7 70 RL/10 20 N Y 95 75 20 (as bear) 4% chance 7 230 SL/8 85 — — 100Medium 90Large 75Huge — 40 Adult Warrior (140) 4 85 RL/10 15 Y Y 90 60 10 Adult Scout (60) 4 50 SL/8 20 N Y 80 55 10 (as bear) 4% chance 4 170 SL/8 85 — — 85Medium 75Large 60Huge — 30 Young Warrior (350) 2 85 RL/9 15 Y N 60 40 5 Young Scout (50) 2 40 SL/7 20 N N 55 40 5 (as bear) 4% chance 2 120 SL/8 45 — — 65Medium 60Large — 30 Great Mother* 10 75 No/1 10 — — 60 — 20 *Animist: 11 spell lists; base 20; directed 35; 20 PP.
In spring, colts were broken to ride. Faedred was sixteen this year—the horse he broke would be his to keep and he would be a man. Unfortunately, he picked badly, and rode worse. Faedred woke, remembering flying through the air, and his left leg was numb. The knee shattered in landing, and the healer could not repair the damage. He would never ride a horse again.
For a month he lay in bed, feeling helpless and thinking. Seeing the riders go out one morning, he realized that he was no longer one of the Ehwathrumi, and he began making ready to leave. He packed his axe, a small box of nails, two lengths of rope and supplies. Picking up a walking stick, he did not look back.
Upon hearing of his departure, Ceara, his betrothed, stopped him. Standing shoulders squared, drawn up to her full height, she insisted that he not leave her behind. After some debate, Ceara's two woolly goats were placed upon leash lines, and her sewing kit and cloth-knives were secured among the supplies.
Some time later, as the two were traveling past the eaves of Greenwood the Great, Faedred stopped. Turning towards the trees, he smiled.
"There are no horses in the wood, Ceara," he stated thoughtfully
"No, Faedred, only trees," she replied, beginning to move on.
Starting towards the trees, Faedred remarked, "We will live among them."
"We will?"
"Yes."
Faedred hobbled towards the forest, Ceara bemusedly following. Deep in the wood the couple stopped, and finding a clearing to his liking, Faedred began building a house. It was not on the ground, but in the trees as was suggested by an Elf they met in passing two days previous. With rope and nails, they fastened rough planks to the sturdier branches of a great oak. Faedred's arms were strong, and he soon found that it was easier to move about from branch to branch than it was to hobble on his useless leg.
The eleven sons Ceara eventually bore to Faedred all emulated and improved upon their father's style of traveling through the trees. Surpassed only by the Elves, they quickly became known as the Woodmen.
The forest had taken hold of the hearts of Faedred's sons; and though each left for a
time to find wives, all eleven returned. Some set up tree-houses alongside their father's,
others found favored trees further away, but all maintained contact with one another. The
Wood-elves frequently saw two or more of Faedred's sons hunting together; other mortals,
intrigued by this lifestyle, occasionally joined their community.
The persistence of these fraternal traditions from generation to generation has led to the
consolidation of the Woodmen as a loose-knit tribe, scattered throughout the forest. The
Woodmen trade with the Wood-elves or Beornings for that which they cannot gather or hunt,
welcoming these visitors graciously into their arboreal villages. In T.A. 1640, the
largest of these was Burh Widaus (population: 200), followed closely in size by Burh
Tregarth (population: 175) and Burh Thignstat (population: 150). The remaining bulk of the
8,000 Woodmen during this time live in countless smaller settlements of ten to seventy
people. Never evolving beyond its humble beginnings early in the Third Age, the hunting
and gathering lifestyle of the Woodmen remains unchanged.
Their love of the forest likewise remained constant. Diminishing in number as the
Necromancer's forces drove them ever northward, they never abandoned their homeland, even
though it became known as Mirkwood. In later years, after the War of the Ring, the
Elven-king Thranduil rewarded them for their valiant efforts by permanently gifting the
central region of the forest as theirs to share with the Beornings.
Though each Woodman settlement has its headman, the loose structure and independent
nature of his culture rarely leads a Woodman to appeal to the nominal thign (chieftain) of
Burh Widaus. If there is an emergency that may affect the whole tribe, a runner is sent
with news. Headmen are the eldest male of a settlement and the thign is the most respected
of these.
The real institutional linchpin for Woodman society are the blood-brotherhoods. Though
reclusive by nature, Woodmen enjoy camaraderie on the hunt; many swear blood-oaths of
brotherhood, an act which crosses all lines of family and band. Two blood-brothers will
take no part in a feud between their families. There are many brotherhoods, but the three
largest are that of the bear, the forest cat and the stag. The Brotherhood of the Bear is
often confused with the Beornings. The two are entirely different, and men of this
brotherhood sometimes kill Beorning shifters unknowingly. Members of this fraternity enjoy
wearing bear-skins and adorning themselves with jewelry made from the teeth and claws of
that animal. A man is not considered fully part of this brotherhood until he partakes in
the hunting and killing of a bear. (Some parties never return.) Dogs are extensively used
by these warriors, and their favored weapons are the spear and shortsword.
Forest-cat brothers prefer to emulate their totem rather than kill it. It is of high honor
to find and raise a forest cat from kittenhood. Men of this brotherhood disdain having to
touch the ground, and spend hours each day honing their acrobatic skills so as to avoid
this embarrassment. Stalking along limbs, they pounce upon their prey with knives or
ensnare them with rope nooses. A game of stealth they play is the cutting of a horse's
tail right under the nose of one of the Ehwathrumi.
The stereotypical Woodman can be found in the Brotherhood of the Stag. These men love to
hunt. They are exceptional trackers and marksmen, preferring the bow and axe as weapons
(knives are reserved for skinning their quarry). They are also trap-builders, and will
wait patiently for an unsuspecting animal to be caught in their deadly snares. Most hate
to use noisy dogs, and prefer to hunt singly or in small groups. They often ornament
themselves with staghorn trinkets.
Some Woodwomen "take up the sword" and join a sorority known unofficially as the
Sisterhood. (It has no formal title.) Its members are not shunned, but rather admired by
men and women alike. The Sisters enjoy gathering to hunt, regretting that it is not as
often as they would like, due to mundane duties. A huntswoman is still expected to be a
wife and mother, though some never marry.
The house of a Woodman family ranges from a one-room fort with a rope, to a multi-level
domain with several rooms per level. Privacy is of utmost importance to a Woodman, and it
is not rare to find one sitting alone, enjoying his solitude. Mobile rope and wood ladders
give access to the tree-homes from the ground and may be pulled up in times of need. Most
houses also have a winch-and-basket device for hauling heavy or cumbersome loads, animals
or wounded into their reach. At ground level, in a Woodmen yard, can be found pens for
goats and geese, outbuildings, work or practice areas, and a small garden for vegetables.
(These are not extensively developed except in larger areas like Burh Thignstat or Burh
Widaus, as the Woodmen know that any building on the ground can be easily destroyed.)
Woven rugs and tapestries decorate the interior of the house, and some even serve as walls
that can be rolled up on sunny days. Furs and down quilts are used to cover beds, some of
which are intricately carved in motifs of trees, leaves and animals. Woodwork abounds,
varying from a highly polished but plain sewing box to a perfectly carved and detailed
statuette. All houses have a bug-swatter, made of a horse-tail braided, bound and attached
to a carved wooden handle.
Water is hauled from nearby streams or springs, and is stored in wax-lined barrels on the
first floor of the house for daily use. Sand is also collected from these sites and stored
in pots throughout the house. Fire is a deadly threat to Woodmen and every precaution is
taken to prevent it.
Woodmen are not farmers, and so have few animals—dogs, geese and goats are all they
keep. Occasionally, a child makes a pet of a squirrel or some other woodland beast. It is
every boy's dream to find the nest of a great falcon, steal the egg and raise the bird as
his companion. Wood-dogs are used in the hunt, and are indispensable as playmates and
guards for children. They climb sloped trees well, moving along the larger branches with
ease. When hunting, these dogs wear wooden-spiked leather collars to protect their necks.
Geese are kept for meat, eggs and feathers (the smaller down for quilts and pillows, the
larger feathers for quills and fletching arrows). An added bonus of keeping geese is their
knack for warning of danger by incessant honking.
An animal as unique as the Woodmen is the tree-goat, a longhaired, pygmy beast called
fanras (pl. fenrais) by Elves who have seen them. These goats have adapted (as have
the Woodmen) to life among the trees, and are as at home in a tree as they are on the
ground. One often finds a fanras in the branches of a tree nibbling at its leaves.
Woodman children brush these goats daily to collect their wool, which is later woven into
fine cloth. Billy goats provide horn for armor, leather for gloves and meat when the hunt
is unsuccessful. Nanny goats enrich the Woodmen diet with milk and cheese. Fenrais
are loved by the Woodmen, who believe them to give good luck to their owners.
Besides goat-cheese, the Woodmen produce raw lumber, finished wood products, tree saps
(maple syrup, pine resin, oakum), dyes from lichens, hides and furs. They also collect
forest herbs and nuts. These are all used in trade with the Beornings and the Wood-elves.
From the Beornings they receive products such as bees-wax, yarn, honey and produce. Silk
ribbon, hair combs, weapons and sewing needles are bartered for with the Elves. The
Woodmen do not trade with the Ehwathrumi, but some of the brotherhoods take up raiding the
horse-lords' herds as a past-time. In this way they get horse-hide for armor and
horse-tails for bug-swatters. Relations between Ehwathrumi and Woodmen have never been
good.
Wood-carving is a tradition that is handed down from father to son. It is said that
"Woodmen do not eke out a living, but carve theirs away." Years may be spent in
the carving of a single puzzle of interlocking pieces which stack in only one way. The
Woodmen delight in the complicated and confusing. A special box made by master carvers
known as the inereneraban is filled with hidden compartments which cannot be found
save by the owner (if the gift was given in good faith). Artisans decorate their carvings
with designs of favorite leaves or trees. Animals are more commonly carved as statuettes,
and there is a subtle competition between masters to make the details truly life-like.
Patterns that repeat or groupings of eleven, twenty-two, thirty-three, etc. are common
themes. Numbers and things that appear the same backwards and forwards amuse the crafty
Woodmen.
Children develop skills early with games like hunter and quarry, tree-racing and climb
higher. These contests, though learned in childhood, never grow old and are enjoyed by
all, especially at festivals. As boys grow older, men begin including them in more martial
competitions. Most girls decline these, learning instead weaving and tailoring from their
mothers.
Though the Growithatriggwa festivals are enjoyed as social events, their serious
undertones keep festivities in hand. At other times, whenever there is a reason, someone
calls for a celebration. These range in size from one settlement to the gathering of the
entire tribe. Common reasons are births, deaths, marriages, name days, new houses and good
hunts. During these festivals men roll out large wooden drums, women sing and sometimes a
dance is started. These dances are athletic and have many acrobatic displays.
Most festivals are one-day celebrations, but some last longer. The largest and longest of
these is the Festival of Berries, an annual event held when the forest berries are at
their peak in the best patch of that year. Thus, the time and location of this event
changes from year to year. The Woodmen know the forest and its seasons, and so never miss
this festival. The entire tribe spends the week picking berries for the making of pies,
jams and brandies. Anything can happen at this event, and mothers often warn.
The cultic life of the Woodmen is defined by the Growithatriggwa, a body of lore said
to have been handed down to them by their Wood-elven neighbors, which combines reverence
for the Valar with an array of ritual practices related to life in the forest. The
observances of the Growithatriggwa are supervised by a female shamanic figure called the wita
(pl. witans), who is also often sought out for advice. A favored saying among them
is that "Woodmen will climb if you show them a tree." These women take it upon
themselves to show everyone the right "tree."
The rituals of the Growithatriggwa are practiced privately except on two occasions: the
Festival of the Hunt in fall and the Festival of Rebirth in spring. These gatherings
include the singing and chanting of praises to the Valar. Traditionally, the fall
celebration is accompanied by a bear-hunt followed by a display of the conquered prey. In
spring, each person plants a tree that they have tended from the time of its seeding. It
is hoped that these trees will grow and replace those that the Woodmen use for homes and
crafts.
All men and most women know how to use at least one of the following: shortbow,
hand-axe, wood-axe, throwing hatchet, club, quarterstaff, spear, knife or shortsword. For
armor, Woodmen wear soft or reinforced leather coats of buck or horse-hide sewn with bone
and horn discs or scales. Over this is worn a close-fitting surcoat (woven either of light
wool or of patchwork) designed for camouflage. Depending on its quality, such cloth adds
+5 to +15 to Hide maneuvers.
In battle, the Woodmen are ingenious at using terrain to their advantage. Often setting
static traps such as, snares, pits, nets or falling logs in the path of a foe, they avoid
open confrontation by using strike-and-fade tactics. In this way the Woodmen lead
opponents away from their homesteads and into lairs of dangerous woodland creatures.
If a Woodman homestead is invaded, everyone (goats and geese included) takes refuge in
tree-forts. Pulling up ladders and ropes in their wake, they uncover concealed archery
slits in the walls and floors. Men utilize these openings for spear and bow-work, while
women stand ready with water and sand in case of fire. Children keep geese and goats out
of the way, and away from the furnishings.
Coming from Ehwathrumiska stock, the Woodmen are a fair-skinned people. Their hair,
unbleached by the sun, shows all of the golden and brown tones which the plainsfolk lack.
Blue and green eye-coloring predominate. Woodmen tend towards stockiness, and women rarely
stand taller than 5'9" (averaging 5'5" and 135 lbs). The men average 6' and 195
lbs. Their size and build is adapted for excellent maneuvering among the trees.
Woodmen track and hunt, almost daily. Because of these escapades, Woodwomen are
outstanding tailors, as clothes must be kept snug to avoid catching on branches and
underbrush. No scrap of cloth from tailoring is ever wasted; they are sewn together into
larger patchworks. Woman take much pride in their patchwork patterns, and go to great
lengths to beautify the cloth by hiding the many seams with crewelwork.
Men's trousers are full-length, snug, cross-gartered below the knee and tucked into boots.
Their boots are of soft leather, usually buckskin, for added traction on tree limbs. Well
tailored hip-length tunics of patchwork are tied at the waist with sturdy leather belts.
Kidskin gloves protect hands, and caps of fur or leather keep dirt and leaves out of the
hair (which is commonly kept short). In times of celebration, men advertise their skill in
the hunt by wearing coats, caps and boots made from a variety of furs (squirrel, raccoon,
forest-cat, bear). Their festive wear is loose-fitting but still well tailored. Solid
colors (especially blues) are preferred.
Woodwomen wear comfortable trousers and thigh-length tunics, patterned after those worn by
the men, when doing daily chores. Hair is braided and hidden under scarves to keep bugs,
twigs and leaves from making it their home. Jewelry most commonly worn is necklaces,
armbands and earrings. (Most of this is crafted from wood.) On holidays and festivals, the
women let down their hair and bring out their dresses. All these have full skirts, often
with matching gloves. If not of solid coloring, a patchwork pattern similar to that found
on inlaid wood is used. The stunning designs are made to catch and bedazzle the eye with
every shifting of the fabric. Accenting this is a stole or cloak made from fox or rabbit
pelts. Soft suede slippers adorned with crewelwork emphasize a woman's dexterous feet, a
feature of high importance among the men.
A WOODMAN SONG
Woodman, Woodman, where are you now?
I live in the wood, and touch not the plow.
Man of the woods, oh what do you then?
I climb high and hunt, unlike other men.
Where came you from, grey man of the wood?
Know you that not? I think that you should.
I came from the tree-bark and the thorns of the roses,
I came from the bush-roots, and the oaks in the groves.
Man of the wood in green woolen patches,
What is it that your eye most catches?
I have love of the hunt, of the bush, of the flower,
I have love for wooden tools high up in my bower,
But what I hold more dear than any of these,
Is my tiny tree-goat, for she gives me cheese.
Woodman, Woodman when will you climb down?
When I am home safe in my Woodman-town.
I hunt in the trees and I'll never be caught,
For I am the Woodman and that you are not.