Research for TATW:DaC? Help appreciated!

[Vaz]

Hi guys, my names Vaz, and I'm a Team Member of Divide and Conquer, for Third Age Total War, and I've tasked myself with doing some research for our Variag and Easterling Factions.

Now, I've heard about Christopher Tolkien has given the team the Thumbs Up for your Variags, so I thought I'd ask in particular about them. Thanks in advance for any time you can spare!

[Radders24]

I really really want to help as i have a great book on the history of Middle Earth, but have flippin lost it if i find it i will be sure to post anything i find out!

got something on khand:

Land in southeastern Middle-earth. Khand was located southeast of Mordor. Rhun was north of Khand, and Harad was to the southwest. Khand was inhabited by people called the Variags.

In the 1900s, the people of Khand came into conflict with the Wainriders of Rhun, who were expanding southward. But then the Wainriders made an alliance with Khand and with Harad. Their common enemy was Gondor.
In 1944, they attacked Gondor on two fronts. The Haradrim invaded Ithilien from the south while the Wainriders and the Men of Khand attacked from the northeast. They gathered near the Sea of Rhun and then marched alongside the Ash Mountains to the Black Gate of Mordor, where they took the Northern Army of Gondor by surprise and defeated them. King Ondoher of Gondor and both his sons were killed.
The Southern Army of Gondor led by Earnil first defeated the Haradrim and then attacked the Wainriders after they made camp to celebrate their victory. The Wainriders were routed in the Battle of the Camp and many fled into the Dead Marshes where they perished. The fate of the Men of Khand is not recorded, but it seems likely that they met the same end as their allies.

3019

During the War of the Ring, Variags of Khand were allied with Sauron. They fought in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields on March 15, 3019. They were held in reserve in Osgiliath and were sent onto the battlefield by Gothmog after the death of the Lord of the Nazgul. The Variags were eventually driven back by the Knights of Dol Amroth. Sauron's forces were defeated that day by the Men of Gondor and Rohan.
Names & Etymology:
The meanings of Khand and Variag are not known. These names are in the language of the people of that region. In our own history, Variag is another name for Varangian. The Varangians were a Viking people who expanded eastward from Scandinavia into Russia. Their name may have been derived from the Old Norse Væringjar, possibly defined as "sworn men" from várar meaning "pledge, troth." Khand is a word meaning "realm" in India.

something for Rhun aswell Khamul aswell

easterlings:

http://www.tuckborough.net/rhun.html


Between 2957 and 2980, Aragorn journeyed throughout Middle-earth, and his travels took him eastward into Rhun. Aragorn's purpose was to gain a better understanding of the Men in different parts of the world, and also to learn what he could about Sauron's plans.
Sauron was gradually rebuilding his strength. He had returned to Mordor, and he summoned Men from Rhun and Harad to increase his forces. The armies from the East included swordsmen, spearmen, and archers mounted on horses, while their chieftains rode in chariots.
On June 20, 3018, Sauron launched an attack on Osgiliath with an army that included Easterlings and Haradrim. The Men of Gondor led by Boromir and Faramir held the river crossing, but Sauron's forces captured the eastern half of the city.
Frodo Baggins saw an army of Easterlings enter the Black Gate on March 5, 3019. On March 10, a force comprised of Easterlings and Orcs captured the island of Cair Andros in the Anduin and crossed into the region of Anorien north of Minas Tirith. They blocked the Great West Road in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent the Rohirrim from coming to help Gondor. The Easterlings in this force were of a kind unknown to the Men of Gondor. They were broad and bearded and wielded axes.
Easterlings fought at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields on March 15. Sauron's forces were defeated in that battle, but the Easterlings and Haradrim put up a fierce resistance. They held out until sunset and were the last to be overcome by the forces of Gondor and Rohan, but at last nearly all of them were slain or driven into the river. The Easterlings and Orcs who had been in Anorien retreated and were routed back toward Cair Andros by the Rohirrim.
That same day in the north, an army of Easterlings attacked the Men of Dale and the Dwarves of the Lonely Mountain. The Battle of Dale lasted three days. On March 17, King Brand of Dale and King Dain of the Lonely Mountain were killed. The Dwarves and the Men of Dale retreated inside the Lonely Mountain where they were besieged by the Easterlings.
On March 18, the armies of Gondor and Rohan set out for the Black Gate of Mordor. Easterlings and Orcs tried to ambush them on March 21, but they were thwarted by the vigilance of the Rangers of Ithilien. As the Host of the West approached the Black Gate, the main force of the Easterlings awaited in the shadows of the Ash Mountains.
The Battle of the Morannon was fought on March 25. It lasted until the One Ring was destroyed in Mount Doom and Sauron was utterly defeated. When that happened, most of Sauron's forces scattered in fear and confusion. Some Easterlings fled eastward, while others surrendered. The most hardened Easterlings and Haradrim made a last stand against the Host of the West, but they were defeated.
News of Sauron's defeat spread to the Lonely Mountain in the north. The Easterlings' siege was broken, and Brand's son Bard II and Dain's son Thorin Stonehelm drove them away into the East. After Aragorn became King of the Reunited Kingdom of Gondor and Arnor, he pardoned the Easterlings who had surrendered, and he also received ambassadors from the peoples of Rhun. Not all of the Easterlings were at peace with the Men of western Middle-earth, but Aragorn and King Eomer of Rohan rode out beyond the Sea of Rhun and subdued them.


Rhûn:
The name Rhûn means "east" in Sindarin. (App. E of LotR, p. 401)
The Eastlands, the East:
Rhun was also referred to as the Eastlands or simply the East in the Common Speech.
Easterlings:
Easterlings was a collective term for all the Men of Rhun. Different groups of Easterlings included the Wainriders and the Balchoth. Wainriders:
The Wainriders were so called because they travelled in wains - which is another word for wagons - and their chieftains rode in chariots. (App. A of LotR, p. 329)

harad

http://www.tuckborough.net/harad.html



Khamûl


Second-in-command of the Nazgul. Khamul is the only one of the Nazgul whose original name is known. He was once an Easterling - a Man from Rhun in the far east of Middle-earth. Khamul was given one of the Nine Rings by Sauron and he was enslaved to Sauron's will and became one of the Wraiths known as the Nazgul. The Nine first appeared as Nazgul around the year 2251 of the Second Age.

Khamul was one of the most powerful Nazgul, second only to the Lord of the Nazgul. He was readily able to sense the presence of the One Ring, although in daylight he became confused and his power was diminished.
In the year 2951 of the Third Age, Sauron sent Khamul as his lieutenant to command the stronghold of Dol Guldur in Mirkwood. One or two of the other Nazgul were sent with Khamul.
In March of 3018, Aragorn brought Gollum to Mirkwood to be held captive by the Elvenking Thranduil. Khamul's spies later learned of this and Khamul sent word to Sauron around late April. On June 20, Orcs from Dol Guldur attacked the Elves. Khamul may have directed the attack. Gollum escaped from captivity, but he managed to elude the Orcs as well.
That same day, the Lord of the Nazgul began the hunt for the One Ring and the land of the Hobbits known as the Shire. On July 22, Khamul met the Lord of the Nazgul in the Field of Celebrant. Khamul reported Gollum's escape and said that there were no Hobbits living in the Vales of the Anduin. The Nazgul continued searching and eventually made their way to Isengard and were directed north to Eriador.
On September 23, Khamul and three or four other Nazgul entered the Shire after defeating the Rangers at Sarn Ford.* Khamul went to Hobbiton seeking someone named Baggins. He spoke to Gaffer Gamgee, who pointed him in the direction of Buckland.
Khamul pursued Frodo Baggins and his companions down the Stock Road. He came close to catching Frodo during the day of September 24 but the Hobbits hid from him and Khamul was hesistant and uncertain in the daylight. At twilight, Khamul became more aware of the Ring and he approached Frodo in the Woody End but fled as a company of Elves led by Gildor Inglorion arrived. The presence of the Elves interfered with Khamul's ability to sense the Ring.
Khamul continued his pursuit the next day - September 25 - and the Hobbits saw him on a ridge above them and later heard his cry as he summoned another Nazgul. Khamul then went to Bamfurlong, the home of Farmer Maggot, and offered the farmer gold in exchange for news of Baggins, but Maggot refused. That evening Khamul saw the Hobbits crossing the Brandywine River using the Bucklebury Ferry, but he was unable to pursue them across the deep moving water and the river interfered with his ability to sense the Ring.
Khamul summoned the other Nazgul who had dispersed across the Shire. The five Nazgul assembled on the morning of September 26. One Nazgul was ordered to watch the Brandywine Bridge, while two others were sent along the Great East Road to report to the Witch-king.
Khamul and another Nazgul secretly entered Buckland through the North-gate. Khamul did not want to attract attention so they searched for Frodo slowly and stealthily.
On September 28, Khamul found the house at Crickhollow where Frodo had stayed. Khamul kept watch on the house and sent his companion to bring back the Nazgul who had been left guarding the Brandywine Bridge. The three assembled at Crickhollow on the night of September 29.
Khamul led an attack on the house at Crickhollow in the early hours of September 30. Frodo was long gone, but his friend Fatty Bolger had remained behind. Fatty fled and raised the alarm. The three Nazgul rode to the North-gate past the guards and out of Buckland. They rendezvoused with the Witch-king on September 30.
On the night of October 3-4, the Nazgul attacked Gandalf on Weathertop. Gandalf escaped with four Nazgul in pursuit, but Khamul and the Witch-king remained behind with three others to keep watch for the Ring-bearer.
Frodo arrived at Weathertop on October 6, and the five Nazgul tried to capture him. The Witch-king stabbed Frodo with a Morgul-knife, but Frodo invoked the name of Elbereth - one of the Valar whom the Nazgul feared - and Aragorn advanced on them with flaming brands. The Nazgul retreated, expecting Frodo to become a Wraith as a result of his wound and fall under their power.
On October 11, Khamul and two other Nazgul encountered Glorfindel on the Last Bridge. Glorfindel was one of the High Elves who had lived in the Undying Lands and had power in the Unseen world. Khamul and the other Nazgul fled from him.
The Nine Nazgul pursued Frodo to the Ford of Bruinen on October 20. Khamul followed the Witch-king into the river despite his dislike of water, but the Nazgul were washed away in a flood created by Elrond. They returned to Mordor and assumed new forms and were mounted on flying steeds called Fell Beasts.
Nothing further is known about Khamul's individual actions during the War of the Ring. The Nazgul took part in the siege of Minas Tirith and the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, where the Lord of the Nazgul perished on March 15, 3019. Khamul most likely became the leader of the Nazgul at that time.At the Battle of the Morannon on March 25, the Nazgul flew above the battlefield. When Frodo claimed the Ring at Mount Doom, Sauron summoned the Nazgul to seize him. They raced to the mountain, but Gollum fell into the Cracks of Doom with the Ring. Mount Doom erupted and the Nazgul were engulfed in flames and were destroyed

use this webpage, it may help http://www.tuckborough.net