Easterlings
Race: Men
Land: Rhun Religion: Worshipped Morgoth and Sauron Life Expectancy: 50 years Languages: Easterling Allies: Sauron, Morgoth, Orcs, Haradrim, Balchoth, Wainriders, Men of the Wide Eastlands, other evil beings Enemies: Gondorians, Edain, Elves, Dwarves, other good beings Famous Easterlings: Ulfang (for betraying he elves and Edain to Morgoth) |
Cultural Information and History
Easterling at the Black Gate in the New Line film
The Easterlings were a race of Men inhabiting eastern Middle-Earth, in the Land of Rhun. They dwelt near the Sea of Rhun due to its many natural resources (the rest of Rhun being a desert). The Easterlings awoke in the Far East and were instantly despised by Morgoth. The Easterlings allied with the Edain (white men) and the Druedain (black men) to oppose Morgoth. The three cultures fought with Elves in the Battle of Sudden Flame. Later it was rumored among men that Morgoth was ready to strike. So, they gathered their armies and marched upon him. But, deep in Rhun, unknown to the most Easterlings, Ulfang made a deal with Morgoth. He would surprise the rest of the Easterlings and reveal himself as bad. He would then lead an army of orcs to stop the faithful and the other two cultures of men. Just when the Elves, Edain, Druedain, and Easterlings thought they had this battle in the bag, Ulfang came out with his army and destroyed all good forces. This Battle became known as the Battle of Unnumbered Tears. Luckily, Ulfang was killed. But the King of the Easterlings, Bor, was very unhappy with many of his people. The Easterlings no longer fought for many years. Rhun went into a "depression" and then a Civil War. At the end of the Second Age, some Easterlings were sent to ally Gil-Galad in his attack on Mordor. Some, however, were sent to fight under Sauron. The Easterling Civil war was still in session at this time. In the Third Age, the Faithful Easterlings were shocked to realize the Balchoth, a seemingly small and Barbaric tribe, had sided with Sauron, and were outnumbering. The good Easterlings did not dare send soldiers in service of Gondor because they soon came to realize most of their people were women and children. It was then that Bor's Folk surrendered, and the unfaithful continued to sent out messengers in service of Sauron. Gondor grew lucky, and rebelled Rhun's forces quite easily. In the War of the Ring, soldiers were sent to Mordor to fight. Some were viewed by Frodo and Sam passing through the Black Gate. Some fought in the Battle of Pelennor Fields, well armed with axes. Only several continued to gather in Mordor after so many defeats. At the fall of Sauron, Aragorn II, King Elessar of Gondor and Arnor, granted the unfaithful Easterlings the land of Mordor to make green and beautiful again. The good Easterlings remained in Rhun, where they rebuilt massive buildings and built beautiful sculptures.