Stronghold: The Eastern Guard

Though positioned a great distance along the Khand Road eastbound, the Eastern Guard is a formidable stronghold with great strategic value. It resides on a raised expanse of land on the banks of the Ered Lithui, overlooking the wide Khand Gap connecting the lands of Mordor and Khand. It is protected on the northern side by the first cliffs of a mountain as part of the Ered Lithui, and on the eastern side by a precipitous landslide leading down into the first steppes of Khand. It is approachable by the west, along a furtive pass beginning at ground level and rising with the growth of the Ash Mountains, however the pass is easily defensible by a small amount of men as it is narrow enough to limit accosters to but four abreast. To the south, a wide space of land rises on a steady incline towards the fortress, though it is blocked when reaching the top by the Guard's largest and widest outer wall. The material making up the walls and structures in the Eastern Guard is a sturdy stone, blackened over time by the deposits of ash that gave the overlooking mountains their name, and the volcanic resemblant ground in which it originates. The stone is supported and surrounded by towers of wood, which sections the circle of stone and provides walkways along the several layers of the Eastern Guard. The fortress' interior is quite restricted, a street from wall to wall can only boast a mere twenty buildings, and the only buildings existing are nomadic and rough living spaces, accompanied by various forges and storage houses.

Commander: Tarkhun the Kekhavrathí

Tarkhun stands at a towering six-foot-nine, and his bulk matches his height at two-hundred and seventy pounds. His excess weight is mostly muscle, meaning he is extremely strong and can lift three times his own body weight. He is fairly dark-skinned, and his hair hangs in traditional black braids reaching down to his upper back. His eyes are a dark brown, almost black, and his face is rough and uncomely, and it rarely smiles. He is a master of weaponry from swords to javelins, but he favours the great-axe, and it is widely rumoured that an axe he keeps by the name of Feogur's Tooth is the same axe that the Khûdriag-Ata Ûvatha used at the battle of Noz Peka. He neglects the usage of a bow and arrow, a strange thing for a Variag as it is the foremost weapon in their society. He is skilled in horse-riding as befits a Khandish warrior. He sports various battle-scars from conflicts throughout his life, and the fourth and little finger on his left hand were cut off in a fight with an Orc not a year before the present. He has no inhibiting diseases or physical afflictions.

Description:

Tarkhun was born in Lâorki, the son of a wealthy warlord among the Ôsvodeg. His father had been an associate of Kionid and the ruling caste of the Variags based in Upper Khand, though unlike most in the area, he and his son were not part of the Akhev clan. In truth, Tarkhun's father was the leader of the Ithokh Clan from further south - meaning he was a Kekhavrathí, but his clan and it's loyalists had fallen out of favour with Keiseimu, the Variag-King, after their open heresy towards Sauron - known and revered as Tûmrakhi in Varadja. Tarkhun's father and his associates still worshipped the older deities that had been officially dismissed, though many still prayed to them in secret. After this, Tarkhun's father publicly disbanded the Ithokh clan, though the loyalists remained throughout Khand and in communication with Tarkhun's father despite him travelling north. When the time of the War of the Ring came, and the Variags fought the Kingdom of Gondor in Sauron's forces, Tarkhun's father had died of old age and a meeting of the members of the Ithokh clan was required to designate a new Kekhavrathí. They assembled in Eastern Lithlad while the Variag forces travelled through Mordor along the Khand road, in a barren plain close to the Eastern Guard. Several hundred Variags arrived for the proceedings, many of whom were members of the Ithokh clan under Tarkhun's father's leadership.

Tarkhun was the obvious and most appropriate choice to be promoted to Kekhavrathí, as the son of the previous leader and a mighty warrior. He was indeed elected, though a handful of competitors grew angry of their own ambitions being crushed and either left the reformed clan or made attempts on Tarkhun's life. They were promptly defeated by the new clan-leader and his loyalists, leaving the Ithokh as a strong and close faction without the years of strife other clans had built up. Tarkhun was the leader and commander of everything relating to combat, and he chose a handful of advisers to help him with other matters. These advisers held some power in the clan and they had great input into each of their respective fields of expertise. The rest of the men were equals, as workers and warriors, depending on what the situation required. A great deal of respect was awarded to Tarkhun, and he returned the good intent to his men. The new clan with their days of proceedings had fallen back to the last dregs of Variags travelling to Sauron's aid - a large force that travelled slowly through the dangerous conditions the Khand road provided. As such, the Ithokh clan had barely breached the Gorgoroth plateau when Orodruin erupted in a devastating fury and Barad-dur's destruction heralded the death of Sauron.

They were able to escape the rapidly spreading lava and fatal products of Sauron's defeat, unlike many of the Variags and the other dark forces, and they retreated north-east, following the outstretch of the Ered Lithui that separated much of Gorgoroth from Lithlad. The clan's only option was to continue moving east, and it took them some time until they finally sighted the Eastern Guard and the plain where they had reformed the clan. The resources the Variags had had been ample for the intentions of travelling through Mordor, but they were not enough for an extended stay in the region - and so Tarkhun had to organise rationing with the help of his advisers to try and maintain most of the clan's forces. Some still died from airborne diseases and malnourishment, though they made it to the shadow of the Eastern Guard without many of their men dying. After hours of scouting and surveillance of the seemingly empty fortress, a couple of men located the beginning of the pass that would take them up to the fortress above. Tarkhun and his men found only a couple of small parties of Orcs in the stronghold, who quickly dispersed at the sight of the formidable clan. They had no knowledge of any other Variag clans surviving, and they likely would not be a welcome sight to many Orcs throughout the land because of countless disputes since the Second Age, so Tarkhun thought it best to remain in the fortified stronghold to wait out the aftermath of Sauron's defeat and see what opportunities for a re-entry into Variag prominence arose.

Resources:

Fell Wargs: [Larger, stronger versions of the Orc's favoured Warg. Not used as the typical transportation creature, they are more effective as quick, heavy units in battle - though their ferocity if uninhibited could turn to their owners also.] 3 for 5.
Horses: [Optimal beasts for mounts, fast and long-lasting.] 1 for 20.
Sabre-tooth Cats: [Adept trackers and hunters. Domesticated beasts commonly used by Variag clans.] 1 for 20.
Aryx: [Large, docile oxen-resemblant creatures from eastern Khand. Effective for storage and the safe meat found on their breast and legs. Relatively useless in combat, unless used as a vantage point.] 2 for 15.
Fell Beasts: [A variation of the lesser drake, with a larger wing and tailspan. Previously used by the Nazgûl as mounts. Occasional combatants, using their size and sharp claws and teeth as weapons.] 4 for 2.

Agenda and Concerns:

The Eastern Guard is a bulwark of safety, yet it simultaneously proves as a hindrance in matters of transporting goods and large numbers of men. The large Aryx are not able to pass along the walkway towards the Guard, meaning they need to be left in the exposed areas below and require constant supervision to make sure none of them wander off. The fortress' position in the middle of the Eastern Desolation means there is no viable source of cultivation close by and despite it's relatively short distance to Khand it would still be dangerous to travel there in search of aid.

Resource Allocation:

Horses: 3 Points (60 Horses)
Sabre-tooth Cats: 1 Point (20 Sabre-tooth Cats)
Aryx: 2 Points (15 Aryx)
Fell Beasts: 4 Points (2 Fell Beasts [Breeding Pair])

Stronghold: Cirith Ungol
The many towers and fortifications that dot Cirith Ungol have been repaired and repopulated by the Mor Mûl. Much of its infrastructure has been preserved, making it a valuable asset to control. Cirith Ungol is central to the routes connecting other strongholds of Mordor, and as such, the Mor Mûl is keen on exploiting this to their advantage. Vast caverns below the surface are home to the warband's goblin component, and the last resting places of many trespassers. One such dwelling is home to the warband's prized lesser drakes.

Commander: Saakaf, or “The Falcon”
Saakaf is a high-ranking Black Uruk. His head is shaved bald, though he sports a short beard and manchu-style mustache. He is not particularly tall, standing just shy of six feet, but he is lean and athletic, with strands of whipcord muscle lining his body. He dons the armor of a high-ranking Easterling, rather than the blackened plate worn by the forces of Mordor. The lesser drakes within Cirith Ungol's caverns are considered to be his personal pets, and he rides one when making grand appearances.

Description: By the time the Battle of the Black Gate had been lost, Saakaf and his troops were stationed in western Nurn, and thus, managed to avoid loss of life when Sauron and Barad-dûr had been toppled. When it was realized what had transpired, Saakaf marched his troops northwards, no longer bound by Sauron's command.

Passing through Gorgoroth, Saakaf found Cirith Ungol to be largely undermanned, with evidence of a fortress-wide battle having taken place in the not-too distant past. Gathering the remaining orcs, he took command of the fortress and established his own base of operations, with which to prepare for the power struggle that was sure to break out between the surviving orc hordes.

When he'd learned of the cause of Cirith Ungol's poor state – that is, following the incident involving a dispute over some Hobbit, Saakaf took it upon himself to whip the orcs back into shape. Replenishing lost numbers with fresh troops from his warband, Saakaf tightened his disciplinary noose and reinstated a proper chain of command across the fortress.

Resources:WIP

Agenda and Concerns: Cirith Ungol is a valuable position, as the roads between Minas Morgul, Durthang, Nargroth, and Thaurband branch close to its sphere of control. With this in mind, Saakaf intends to milk this location for profit and establish tolls for passing through. Trade between other strongholds, if they so choose to barter, could earn the Mor Mûl a hefty fortune. The fortress and the many watchtowers that supplant its shadow over this territory threaten to keep the denizens of Minas Morgul out of Mordor, should Saakaf will it. This makes either conflict or negotiation between the two fortresses inevitable.

Resource Allocation:
2 Lesser Drakes (3 pts.)
5 Demi-Trolls (2 pts.)
100 Uruks (1 pt.)
10 Orcish Chirurgeons (2 pts.)
250 Goblin Slaves (2 pts.)

Stronghold Durthang
A castle built by Gondor during the Last Alliance of Men and Elves, the fortress fell in the Third Age following the Great Plague. Following the War of the Ring, Durthang became a haven for fleeing Orcs and Haradrim. Now a place of great unrest, as competing factions among the survivors of the Battle of Morannon fight for dominance, it has fallen into disrepair and it's supplies dwindle.

Commander Gorgol
A uruk of a sickly grey complexion, his brute strength and sheer ferocity has propelled him into one of the leaders of Durthang, though pockets of resistance still defy him in the fortress under-tunnels. Once a commander among Sauron's army, Gorgol led his company back to Durthang after Sauron's fall, along with a company of Haradrim. Conflict soon followed, as leaders among both factions jostled for power and the right to rule the fortress. Gorgol seems poised to win this struggle.

Description
Known as Zi Vadok, or Black Death, the warband are infamous for burning their enemies alive before eating their blackened and charred remains. Routed from the Battle of Marannon, Gorgol led his warband back to Duthang. Here they have led a brutal existence as perpetual conflict between rival orcs and haradrim for dominance of the fortress ensued. Gorgol and his inner circle excel at keeping the lesser Orcs in line through fear and intimidation. Those who do not submit are made examples of.

Gorgol was the commander of a Uruk band during the war, but most were killed during the Battle of Marannon. Rounding up all the survivors he could, Gorgol was routed back toward Durthang, where Haradrim and other Orc bands sought refuge. Though the fortress has kept these survivors safe from external threats, within the fortress, internal conflict ensued.

Following a long and bloody fight with lesser Orc bands and the Haradrim, Gorgol claimed victory over the fortress proper, with rebels taking up strongholds within the under tunnels. Gorgol and Zi Vadok have vowed to flood the tunnels with the blood of these vermin.

Goals and Challenges
Zi Vadok are locked in a power struggle for control of Durthang. The under-tunnels of the fortress are a stronghold of rebel factions of Orcs and Haradrim. To finally claim supremacy over the castle, Gorgol must finally defeat these vermin.

The supplies of Durthang are dwindling. The castle's stores are often raided by rebels, and are being steadily consumed by the warband. Gorgol must secure new supply lines if he has any hope of remaining here, or he must relocate elsewhere in Mordor.

Respources
Zi Vadok have captured a large number of Haradrim rebels from the undertunnels. Those culled into submission have been enslaved, those who remained defiant were made to suffer before their end. Goblins who thought to rebel after Sauron's fall were quickly brought in line and serve as the prominent labour force of the warband. Gorgol has been able to subjugate these slaves through the use of his Uruk underlings, the survivors of his company during the war.

Resource Allocation
Demi Trolls - 2 points (5)
Goblin Slaves - 2 points (250)
Human Slaves - 2 points (400)
Uruk - 4 points (400)

Stronghold: A work in progress in the fields of Nurn.

Commander: Tuskkar

Tuskkar was not a solder for the Dark Hordes of Mordor in the dark days of their fiery master; He had been spared becoming yet another slave solder of the eye to be thrown into the meat grinder of Mordor's war machine in order to serve as a farmer in the fields of Nurn. Tuskkar stood around 5 and a half feet tall with some rather impressive muscle on his frame, but it was the muscle built from the hard work of toiling in the fields alongside his fellow orcs, goblins and human slaves rather then that of combat or dark experimentation like those found in the military.

Many believed that Tuskkar was simple minded for an orc, considered too stupid by the guards with whips to go out into the world to raid and kill the enemies of Mordor like a real orc and thus little better then the slaves tending the fields alongside him. In a way, they were correct; Tuskkar was very simple minded. He lacked the ability to come out with new methods of cruelty that the guards boosted of. He lacked the hatred for humans that drove so many of his kind to seek to kill them all. He didn't even have it in him to look down on the human and goblin slaves that worked beside him.

The thing that they got wrong was that simple does not mean the same thing as stupid. Tuskkar was very intelligent.

Description:
When the Dark Master of Mordor fell and fire rained down from the skies, the overseers and guards of the plantation that Tuskkar was living at fell into confusion and panic; Something of great importance had taken place and something fundamental had changed, but they were blind as to what had actually happened and didn't know what it was that they were meant to do next. Had they been given time, they might have worked something out. They didn't.

Led by Tuskkar, the farmers and slaves of the farm rose up in revolt and turned on their former overseers with their tools, a desire for freedom and pure rage. Understaffed and disorganized, armed more for 'motivation and fear' then actual combat, the guards and overseers were slaughtered to an orc.

Before the rebellion had the chance to splinter and turn on itself due to old racial hatreds, Tuskkar started to speak. He spoke of the death of their dark master. He spoke of how they had all been slaves to him, willingly sacrificed for no purpose then to push his own dark designs. He spoke of their freedom and how easily they could lose it and their lives if they did not unite, if not to the other bands of orcs that were no doubt forming at this very moment then to the humans and elves even if they managed to escape Mordor; The orcs and goblins would be slaughtered outright while the humans would be reduced to little more then beggars and serfs, ignored and used by their kings because they were beneath them.

Why be a beggar, a serf or a slave when together they could become something more? The Dark Lord that had enslaved them all had finally passed and in the place of his darkness it was an Aukhen Agon, an Ashen Dawn for them all. While the warrior can only spill blood, they were farmers and had one major advantage over their rivals; They knew how to grow something new from the blood soaked ashes of Mordor and that it would be them who decided what Mordor would become.

Getting to work building up a new fortified settlement, Tuskkar's message was spread to the other farm camps like a fresh breeze; Orc, Human or Goblin, all would be welcome as equals to create a new nation and way of life for them all.

Resources: WIP

Agenda and Concerns: Tuskkar has five main objectives for the Aukhen Agon:
1. Create a secure base of operations in Nurn for the Aukhen Agon to operation out of.
2. Unify orcs, human and goblin under the same banner as equals.
3. Spread the influence of the Aukhen Agon throughout as much of Nurn and Lithlad as possible; An army marches on its belly and having a monopoly on food production and possibly the water supply would greatly strengthen the Aukhen Agon's position, influence and power in Mordor.
4. Defend against all aggressors.
5. Rebuild Mordor into something greater then it has ever been before,

Resource Allocation:
400 Humans slaves 2 points
250 Goblin slaves 2 points
10 Orcish Chirurgeons 2 points
10 Demi-Trolls 4 points

Note: The official and enforced position of the Aukhen Agon is that goblins and humans are no longer slaves and are considered equals. In the case of humans, they are given the following offer: Join the Aukhen Agon and work and defend your right to be a free and equal member of the new Mordor or be given some food and water and allowed to leave their lands unhindered. It is also made quite clear that in the unlikely event that they somehow get out of Mordor alive without being enslaved or killed by the other warbands of orcs, the environment, the wildlife, dying of thirst or starvation they would still have to cross a lot of hard to travel, hostile wilderness before they arrived anywhere even remotely friendly to them; At which point their reward for surviving the trip would most likely to be a serf or a beggar for the rest of their lives.

Shakhbûrz Goshur

Stronghold: Seregost

Seregost is a place of lava and red rocks. Serving as the eastern gate to the Lilithlad in a gap at the Mithram Spur. It has been said that the Black Uruk's of Barad-dûr came from here, hiding there after the defeat of their master in the Second Age, awaiting his return. At the time of the War of the Ring this structure was a place of Dark Sorcery and continued to serve as the breeding ground for the eltie Black-Uruk-Hai. But with the destruction of the one ring and the fall of Sauron the fortress fell into decay but remained standing on its molten foundations. Serving even now as a great fortress that guards the Eastern Road. The river of Caranduin flows down a mountain close to the fortress, all the way down to the sea of Núrnen. What once served as fuel for the many smithing stations and as a means of transport for supplies, is now mostly used as a source of water.

Commander: Ukshak the Bone Collector

Ukshak stands at seven feet tall, an uncommon sight for Black Uruk-Hai though made much more intmidating as of recent, with the elimination of most of his kin. He is clad in an armour literally made from the bones of those that opposed him, serving as a reminder to those under his command that they too, if not showing unquestionable obedience could suffer a similar fate. The skull of a troll is the most notable piece of his armour, adoring his head like a helmet. The remainder of his armour appears to be a mixture of the standard issue Uruk armour but modified, removing weight and armament to instead make place for several large bones and thus exchanging protection for intimidation. He keeps two large blades hanging from his belt, showing that he prefers to fight using two weapons at once over a single blade. The belt that holds his swords shows an equal display of craftsmanship as the rest of his armour, holding several skulls of different races.

Description:

After the destruction of the one ring and the Battle of the Black Gate most of Sauron's forces were either destroyed or fled the scene, the notable exception being those most loyal to the dark lord. Most notably the Easterlings, Haradrim and the Uruk-Hai. Though in the end, most if not all of the Easterlings and the Haradrim surrendered, forcing the remainder of the force to retreat inside the ruins of Mordor.

Amongst those forced into the tactical withdrawl was Ukshak and his company of men. From the scattered remnants of the once mighty force, several companies of the disciplined black Uruk-Hai united under a single banner and attempted to unite the other creatures under their sway. Their ultimate goal being to form a new army and to regroup at their former home, the fortress of Seregost. On the march there they encountered several groups of Orcs, distraught and without proper leadership they offered little resistance to assimilation into the army. And so, as the miles they travelled increased, so did the size of the newly found army.

The eruption of Mount Doom proved to have destroyed most of Northern Mordor, leaving many dead in its wake and making the already inhospitable plains of Gorgoroth into an even more unbearable wasteland of lava and toxic clouds. Those whom did not know the path were doomed to certain death, many amongst those unfortunate to get lost were former servants of the Dark Lord. Goblins, Orcs, Uruk's and even Humans. The latter could offer no resistance and once caught were made prisoner and led to a fate worse then death.

Eventually the group was reunited with the the stronghold of Seregost. It had suffered some damage from the eruption and aftermath of Saurons destruction, most of the inhabitants had also left or escaped. The force that remained were former slaves, the breeders and smiths of their former masters whom had attempted to make the fortress their new home.

The Goblins proved to be no match against the onslaught of the Orcs and Uruk-Hai and were swiftly defeated and forced into slavery once more. The days and weeks that followed saw fighting amongst the inhabitants, eventually leading to a newly established chain of command but leaving many dead in its wake.

Hierarchy:

The Black Uruk-Hai make up the leadership and most influental part of the Warband, despite being one of the smallest in terms of numbers. They are the strongest and therefor fit to be at the top, the leadership chain is one of dominance and brute force. If you wish to gain a rank you need to face the former holder of that position and challenge him for it, even the leader can be challenged. Though these duels can often lead to death and are not attempted often. The Uruks keep the group together and ensure that Goblins and humans are not killed or harmed in order to ensure they remain available for duty.

Below the ruling class of the Black Uruk-Hai are the Orcs, large in numbers and chaotic. Wickedness and violence are their nature, and they are known to quarrel and kill each other over petty things. Without firm leadership, Orcs have been known to go into battle in complete disarray and without any semblance of formation or tactics. Their strength in combat comes from numbers and sheer violence. They hold no position of power in the Warband and are subjected to brutal forms of discipline and order to keep them in line and from fighting amongst eachother. To keep them satisfied and obedient they are allowed to push around those below them, the Goblin slaves and Humans.

The Goblins are much like the Humans in terms of status, both are used for construction purposes and have to face their superiors with unquestioning obediance. Goblins however enjoy the privilige of standing above the Humans in rank and even they are allowed to push around the men and woman unfortunate enough to be their slaves. The Humans have little rights and in desperate times could be used a source of food.

Resources:

Most of the resources were simply there when they returned in the aftermath of Sauron's destruction, the large Demi-Trolls and groups of Goblin slaves had been used to oversee the breeding process and the creation of new structures and armament. The Black Uruk-Hai that now serve as the leadership of the fortress already called it their home before being forced to retreat back to the safety of its walls. The only other real resource the stronghold acquired was the army of Orcs and the group of Human slaves whom they simply guided like sheep, to the stronghold with the promise of safety and shelter.

Agenda and concerns:

The river Caranduin flows from the mountains close to the stronghold of Seregost and serves as its only source of water. The large fortress has no source of food and the once fertile lands of the Gorgorth Plains have been all but destroyed and the only viable way left to gather supplies is to follow the Caranduin river down south to more fertile lands, or to travel the rough and harsh Deamon Road to the slave fields.

This puts the Warband at a disadvantageous position, having no usuable land close to the stronghold forces them to seek food elsewhere. Fortunately though, their former position as a breeding ground means they hold large stockpiles of armour and weapons, which could possibly be used to barter. Though the current leadership seeks to use it to wage war and gain themselves a more fortunate position closer to the fertile lands down south.

Resource Allocation:

5 Demi-Trolls (Two points.)
300 Black Uruk-Hai (Three points.)
500 Goblin Slaves (Four points.)
200 Human Slaves (One point.)