Swarthy skinned, dark eyed and fiery tempered, we were what the men of the
West called the Easterlings, though we were not the soldiers that came to
the Dark Lord's call in the last war of the Ring. We were the slaves of the
slaves of Sauron, because unlike the Orcs and Balrogs and dark creatures of
those lands West of Mount Doom, our overlords had none other creatures or
races to enslave but their own. It was a countryside torn apart by greed
and lust and evil. Shackles that, with our pitiful numbers and battered
shape, we could never break free of on our own. For weeks we awaited the
return of the troops that governed us from the borders of the ruins that
marked where the Dark Lord once resided. It became apparent that they were
not coming back. So it was that the day we watched the land of Mordor fall
was also the day that marked the start of our uprise. Our successful
uprise... With hand and foot, with axe and broken chain, we slew our
captors and fellow countrymen and claimed for ourselves the intoxicating
elixir of freedom...
Men and women whom had been pressed into life-long labor and prostitution wanted the heads of every man woman and child of the ruling class. Looting and pillaging and raping of the higher class briefly flitted across the countryside. And though the perpetrators were caught when found and put to the gallows, the rioting left a bitter taste in the mouths of the victorious rebels whom sought to unite the countryside rather than splint it farther into two. Chaos would have reigned in our lands immediately following the take down of the powers that were, had it not been for the great deeds and sacrifice of our heroes: men and women who had once been slaves, nomads that amassed from the countryside, farmers, servants, members even of the former ruling class, and the wanderers, without whom our cause would have been lost.
Of the wanderers, there were three. The first, known to us simply as Khalim "The Arab", master translator and diplomat, was found wandering the countryside lost to be taken to the hierophant's court and made to tell pleasing stories and poems to amuse the highborn and ease them of their idleness and boredom. The second, Shya Haima, master of the sword, we found, whilst scouring the countryside for supporters, in the company of natives living in the sparse swamps that buffered our lands from those of the Dark Lord worshipped as a God. She we convinced to join in our cause, along with a host of her native brethren. The third, Kirina, the temptress and foreseer, had lived so long in the court of the hierophant as his intended consort, that all assumed that she had been born among us.
Even with their help, the task of rulership fell heavy on the shoulders of the victorious. Afterall we were not aristocrats nor the sons of aristocrats and it became sorely clear that, without the free labor of a slave class, balancing the country's account books and keeping the people fed would be most difficult indeed. It was obvious that in this dry wasteland, the neglected and overlooked irrigation and aqueduct system was in need of serious repair, as was the system of land grants and privileges, so far as down to the sorts of crops that were planted. Our lands were due for a major overhaul, and we were blessed by the Sun that our two bravest warriors Mephistan and Undulo, both nomads by descent and natural born leaders, stood up to the challenge and proved strong and capable rulers. They became dual kings, and in the year following the Uprise, there was not famine, thanks to the speedy and wise dispersal of the stores of grain found in the palaces of the overthrown. This year however, there were no reserves and little rain. Famine seems inevitable and the people begin to doubt our chances for survival...
Taita, Royal scribe and historian, winter solstice in the year of the Fox.
**************************************************************************** ********* (This is Rated R with future sections in mind for every conceivable reason for rating R. Foul language, gory violence, nudity, illegal camel farms, you name it, we've got it. In fact, I'd go so far as to rate it NC-17 were it permissible. Notes: (A.) the introduction is written in the POV of Taita, the Royal Historian person, in case I hadn't already made that clear. The vast majority will consist of Narrative, though. (B.) Italics signify thoughts. For future reference. (C.) I know the Intro. Seems far fetched (and short) but stick with me and I promise I'll get to the relevant point. Eventually (D.) Feedback is something I've become addicted to. But seeing as how this is my first attempt at LOTR fanfic, -and- first attempt at posting anything at all on this site, ::grin:: be gentle?)
(Shinigami)
Men and women whom had been pressed into life-long labor and prostitution wanted the heads of every man woman and child of the ruling class. Looting and pillaging and raping of the higher class briefly flitted across the countryside. And though the perpetrators were caught when found and put to the gallows, the rioting left a bitter taste in the mouths of the victorious rebels whom sought to unite the countryside rather than splint it farther into two. Chaos would have reigned in our lands immediately following the take down of the powers that were, had it not been for the great deeds and sacrifice of our heroes: men and women who had once been slaves, nomads that amassed from the countryside, farmers, servants, members even of the former ruling class, and the wanderers, without whom our cause would have been lost.
Of the wanderers, there were three. The first, known to us simply as Khalim "The Arab", master translator and diplomat, was found wandering the countryside lost to be taken to the hierophant's court and made to tell pleasing stories and poems to amuse the highborn and ease them of their idleness and boredom. The second, Shya Haima, master of the sword, we found, whilst scouring the countryside for supporters, in the company of natives living in the sparse swamps that buffered our lands from those of the Dark Lord worshipped as a God. She we convinced to join in our cause, along with a host of her native brethren. The third, Kirina, the temptress and foreseer, had lived so long in the court of the hierophant as his intended consort, that all assumed that she had been born among us.
Even with their help, the task of rulership fell heavy on the shoulders of the victorious. Afterall we were not aristocrats nor the sons of aristocrats and it became sorely clear that, without the free labor of a slave class, balancing the country's account books and keeping the people fed would be most difficult indeed. It was obvious that in this dry wasteland, the neglected and overlooked irrigation and aqueduct system was in need of serious repair, as was the system of land grants and privileges, so far as down to the sorts of crops that were planted. Our lands were due for a major overhaul, and we were blessed by the Sun that our two bravest warriors Mephistan and Undulo, both nomads by descent and natural born leaders, stood up to the challenge and proved strong and capable rulers. They became dual kings, and in the year following the Uprise, there was not famine, thanks to the speedy and wise dispersal of the stores of grain found in the palaces of the overthrown. This year however, there were no reserves and little rain. Famine seems inevitable and the people begin to doubt our chances for survival...
Taita, Royal scribe and historian, winter solstice in the year of the Fox.
**************************************************************************** ********* (This is Rated R with future sections in mind for every conceivable reason for rating R. Foul language, gory violence, nudity, illegal camel farms, you name it, we've got it. In fact, I'd go so far as to rate it NC-17 were it permissible. Notes: (A.) the introduction is written in the POV of Taita, the Royal Historian person, in case I hadn't already made that clear. The vast majority will consist of Narrative, though. (B.) Italics signify thoughts. For future reference. (C.) I know the Intro. Seems far fetched (and short) but stick with me and I promise I'll get to the relevant point. Eventually (D.) Feedback is something I've become addicted to. But seeing as how this is my first attempt at LOTR fanfic, -and- first attempt at posting anything at all on this site, ::grin:: be gentle?)
(Shinigami)