Ready-To-Run Adventures

The Rhudaurian Army

Phillip Gladney ©1999

The army of Ermegil Stonearm, cobbled together from his vassals and mercenaries, consists of three main components, the Dunlending tribesmen, the Easterling horsemen and the miscellaneous mercenary bands, including a Northron medium cavalry unit as well as a Dunadan heavy infantry unit. Each of these groups distrusts the other and none have any particular loyalty to Ermegil. They are here for two reasons, coinage from the coffers of Cameth Brin and the chance to get spoils of war. Even though they may dislike each other and perhaps even hate one another, they can still work together to form an effective fighting machine. Each provides a different and important aspect in any battle.

The Dunlendings
The Dunlending warriors, an assortment of the tribes Eidaroc, Macha Mur, Ruenalla, Siol Nunaw and Culmaith, owe nominal allegiance to king Ermegil. In truth, they serve him when it suits their purpose and look to their own headmen for leadership. Frequently, the tribes living in middle and northern Rhudaur will rebel against some tax or decree issued from Cameth Brin and Ermegil will be forced to send in troops to quell the insurrection. These are usually bloodless affairs, as the tribesmen have no standing army and are ill equipped to deal with regular army forces. Yet one thing the tribesmen dwelling in Rhudaur have in common with the king is a love of fighting. This is something they share with most of their brethren all over Eriador. When summoned to war, many of the tribes will answer the call. They do this not because of duty or honor, but instead for glory and greed, for warfare can be a highly lucrative enterprise.
When fighting, the tribesmen prefer to band together around their headman with little to no order and seek out single combat. One-on-one, the Dunlendings can be potent warriors, but their utter lack of military cohesion limits their ability to wage war on any grand scale. The rudiments of the art of tactics are completely ignored by them and therefore they can be easily defeated by a relatively complex and coordinated attack. However, matched with the other elements of the Rhudaurian army, they can be effective, serving as skirmishers and light infantry. As light infantry, they constitute the bulk of the main army. They are armed with a spear, a few javelins, a sword or ax, and have some form of soft leather armor, as well as a simple wooden shield. The Dunlendings' strength is in their numbers and a mid-sized army will have between 1,000 and 2,000 tribesmen in its midst with varying skill levels ranging from inexperienced boys to accomplished warriors. During an open battle, the men assigned to skirmish will stand about 20-40 yards in front of the rest of the troops. They throw missile weapons at the approaching enemy and attempt to disrupt enemy formations before they reach their own battle line. Needless to say this is the most dangerous position in the entire army and is habitually reserved for the expendable soldiers, also known as fodder. The reason that the Dunlendings accept and even welcome this role is their thirst for glory and renown. Talented, experienced warriors will have great respect in their community and get a greater share of the spoils.

The Easterlings
The Easterlings are swarthy, longhaired, mustachioed men. They are members of the various tribes that roam the lands around the Sea of Rhûn. They include Sagath, Logath and Asdriags who have crossed over the Misty Mountains to make a living. Led by a Sagath Easterling named Trojic Havel, they must be separated from the other units due to their aggressive, nearly sadist, lifestyle. They live in tents of cowhide and ride small, hairy ponies that are inferior to their Northron and Dunadan counterparts. However, they are perfect for the Easterlings' style of fighting. Due to the dearth of armor within the plains-dwelling horsemen's armories, they must avoid pitched melees if at all possible. Instead, they prefer to distance themselves from their enemies and pepper them with missiles from a safe distance. If the opposing force moves towards them to try to close with them, they just move back out of range, all the while showering their foes with javelins or arrows from their powerful composite bows. This tactic is devastating to lightly armored infantry forces, such as Dunlendings and most regional levies. Since they are mounted they can outpace even the fastest of infantry charges. They do have some weaknesses though. The Northron medium cavalry has never had any major problems defeating Easterling war bands since their horses are faster than the Easterlings' ponies. They merely ride down Easterling cavalry units and massacre them in hand-to-hand combat. Also, units of longbowmen ensconced behind mantelets, stone walls or wooden palisades can slaughter the tribesmen with concentrated intermittent fire. Naturally, the Easterlings are absolutely useless when it comes to siege warfare apart from being able to patrol the region around the affected castle. When forced to fight in a melee situation or if pursuing retreating foes, the Easterlings will use their scimitars, which have a decided disadvantage to the average Northron broadsword.

The Mercenaries
The rest of Ermegil's army is made up of mixed units of mercenaries. These include a medium cavalry unit composed of Northrons, a medium infantry unit and an elite heavy infantry unit. These professional troops are the most loyal and best paid and therefore stay close to Ermegil in battle. Ermegil trusts no one, but he trusts these men the most since they do not have their own leaders to follow, as opposed to the Easterlings and Dunlendings or even the Hillmen back home.

• The Northron medium cavalry all come from the other side of the Misty Mountains. They are an assortment of horse-thieves, murderers and other criminals that have fled to safety in Rhudaur. In return for their service they are granted protection from the authorities seeking their punishment. This has made for a rather dependable gathering of mercenaries. In addition to protection from prosecution, they receive a parcel of land when their twenty-year term of service is over. Led by Suluthain, they are stationed in Dol Cultirith in the heart of the Trollshaws. Their main duty in peacetime is to patrol and protect the road going to Cameth Brin and to keep a watch on and control the various Dunlending tribes that live to the south. This can sometimes be a demanding chore since the tribes have an awful habit of refusing to pay tribute to Ermegil. During times of war this unit will serve as a screening force or be used to outflank the enemy. They are no match for their primary adversaries, the Red Lances. Their archenemies are much better trained, equipped and led and the Rhudaurian mercenaries cannot hold up to them in open combat. Their armor is mostly rigid leather with a smattering of chainmail and soft leather and their chief weapon is the broadsword. They are well known and hated by the men of the Angle and have been known to massacre prisoners.
• Another band of sell-swords serving Ermegil is made up of medium infantry. These troops come from all over Eriador and are garrisoned in Cameth Brin and Buhr Calden. They are paid relatively well and, like the Northron cavalry, are given a parcel of land in northern Rhudaur as compensation for years of service. Led by Belechor, a secret agent of the king of Arthedain, they serve as garrison troops and caravan guards during times of peace. They also march with the main host in any campaign. During combat their primary task is to strengthen the middle of Rhudaur's battle line. They stand behind the Dunlending and Hillmen light infantry, who invariably get the honor of standing in the front ranks, and make sure that they do not retreat. They have a very practical way of ensuring this. They cut down any man who tries to fall back. This has proven in the past to help make the Dunlendings a solid and resolute fighting force. One of the requirements for joining this group of mercenaries is that you must provide your own set of armor and weapons. For the integrity of the unit as medium infantry each soldier must have at least a chain shirt as protection. Each also has a spear, sword, dagger, helm and shield. The men in this band are skillful but not particularly brave and will flee the battlefield if their situation gets tenuous.
• The heavy infantry unit, called the Trererath, is comprised of mixed-blood Dunedain and is the finest in all of Rhudaur. Selling their services to Ermegil Stonearm, they are the remnants of the Dunedain that once inhabited the small kingdom. Long ago their ancestors were seduced to the service of Angmar with promises of wealth and power. Now they live and die at the orders of their liege-lord, a lesser Dunadan named Morvath. Normally, this group resides in the fertile valley in and around Cameth Brin in large holdings and farmsteads. They represent the upper class of Rhudaur and consequently look down upon and disrespect the lesser men of their land, such as the Dunlendings and Hillmen. They grudgingly respect the Northrons, but only for their horsemanship and fighting skills. The Trererath is a relatively new unit. They and their fathers have served together for less than 75 years. Entrance into this elite band is through hereditary right or proven excellence on the field of battle and even then the petitioner must show some proof of Dunadan lineage. The Angmarean general, Durkarian, was a member of this unit before joining the army of the Witch-king. Any man wanting to join the mercenary unit must also have a war-horse for all of the Trererath are mounted, even though they fight on foot. They also have a fine collection of arms and armor. Most of the warriors have half-plate with arm and leg greaves. Their weapon of choice is the two-handed sword, used to decimate the lightly armored levies and tribesmen who make up the bulk of the fighting forces in this area. They are usually kept in reserve, close to the king, until an opening has been made in the enemy's line and then they are thrown into it. This is an effective means of winning battles and the members of the Trererath have the trophies and scars to prove it.

Character Stats
Name	#	lvl	Hits	AT	DB	Sh	Gr	1stOB	2ndOB	3rdOB	MM	Notes
Ermegil	1	17	150	Pl/18	45	N	A/L	180ba	80ha	70sb	15	Lsr. Dunadan Warrior
+15 battle axe, "Iron Cleaver", secondary Impact crit of equal severity; +10 throwing axes (3); +10 Half-plate armor, encumbers at half normal penalties, stops 1 point of bleeding per wound, bestows 10' Nightvision, upon command of Witch-king will constrict and suffocate Ermegil; Amulet of Sound Thought, +20 to all RR's, DB, memory and drunkenness checks, +40 vrs. Mental attacks from evil spell casters, when in combat with Trolls first three criticals will be "Holy", when in combat with Undead first three criticals will be "Slaying"; Boots, negates all fumbles involving wearers feet, Stonewalking 3x/day; Cloak, halves the effect of chill and cold; carries an assortment of herbs, including several poisons and several doses of Sha; King of Rhudaur, also known as the "Usurper".
Espheme	1	12	130	Ch/16	55	Y	A/L	125sc	120ml	115cp	10	Easterling Warrior
+15 scimitar, doubles bleeding/rd., +50 to initiative; +10 Chain armor, encumbers as RL/10; +10 shield, +10 composite bow, reloads at half normal rate; +20 dagger, coated with 10 lvl fatal poison; Helm, gives wearer 270 degree peripheral vision, protects eyes from intense light and smoke, give wearer vision equal to that of an eagle; Warden of Rhudaur; Lord of Mercenaries; Has post because, due to his easterling heritage, he is not a threat to Ermegil's position; answers only to Ermegil
Maschbram	1	13	93	SL/6	35	N	A	110ss	75da	-	10	Dunlending Rogue
+15 flaming dunadan shortsword, gives Heat crit of one less severity; +15 Soft leather armor, protects against cold and rain, hidden pockets (-70 to see) contain 10th lvl poisons; Ring, +10 to all RR's, DB and Perception, +50 to perceive poisons, runes and magical traps, Fireball 3x/day at +20, allows breathing in up to 4th lvl poisonous gasses; Brooch, x2 Essence PP adder, Nightvision 3x/day; Knows the Rune Mastery, Essence Hand, Unbarring Ways, and Physical Enhancement spell lists to 5th lvl; PP-26; First councillor to King Ermegil; answers only to Ermegil
Belechor	1	9	87	Ch/13	35	Y	N	85ma	60sb	-	0	Aged Easterling warrior
+15 broadsword, detects Orcs and Trolls 100'; +5 equipment; Boots, Stonerunning 3x/day; Saddle, adds one speed level to horse it is saddled upon; Cloak, Hues 3x/day; Leader of mercenary infantry; Secret agent for king of Arthedain; An older, highly skilled tactician and leader, he frequently councils the king and is privy to most classified information; Cloak, Boots and Saddle provided by superiors in Arthedain should Belechor ever need to escape from Rhudaur in a hurry; answers to Espheme
Morvath	1	10	125	Pl/18	30	N	A/L	125tw-hs	110lcb	85da	10	Lsr. Dunadan warrior
+20 two-handed sword, Airwall 2x/day; +15 Plate armor; +10 light crossbow; +10 bolts (20); Helm, +10 to DB; Leader of Trererath; not trusted by Ermegil; answers to Espheme
Trojic Havel	1	11	123	Ch/14	50	Y	A/L	120sc	115ml	110ja	15	Easterling warrior
+15 scimitar, delivers Cold crit of two levels less severity, protects user from all natural cold; +10 equipment; +15 javelins (3), doubles throwing range; Boots, +25 to Riding skill; Leader of easterling cavalry contingent; answers to Espheme
Suluthain	1	9	120	Ch/15	55	Y	A/L	115bs	110ml	100cp	10	Northron warrior
+15 broadsword; +10 equipment; +15 shield, Deflections 1x/day; Belt, +5 to DB and RR's; Leader of northron cavalry; answers to Espheme
Vesserac	1	12	70	SL/5	25	N	N	60qs	50da	-	15	Estaravi Evil Mage
+15 Staff, hits as mace, x3 PP adder, Cold Ball 1x/day; Robes, black, +10 DB, protect as SL/5; Amulet, +3 PP adder, Dispel Essence Sphere I 2x/day; Ring, Long Ear I and Long Eye I each 3x/day; +15 dagger, Slays Elves, casts Darkvision 2x/day; PP-72; DS-90; BS- +24; Knows all Evil Magician Base spell lists, 4 Magician Base spell lists, 3 Closed Essence spell lists and 3 Open Essence spell lists; Angmarean emissary; sent to watch and council King Ermegil; Has a Crebain familiar "Kraken" which can spy for him.
Hakknash	1	11	120	Ch/16	45	Y	A/L	130wh	100sb	80da	10	Uruk Warrior
+15 war hammer, makes sound of thunderclap when striking metal armor, delivers secondary Impact crit; +10 equipment; Charm, +10 to all RR's; Warlord of orcish tribes in Rhudaur, annexed several small orcish tribes through force, answers to Ermegil...sometimes

Master Military Table
Name	#	lvl	Hits	AT	DB	Sh	Gr	1stOB	2ndOB	3rdOB	MM	Notes
The Dunlendings
Tribal Chieftain	5	9	120	Ch/14	40	Y	A	120bs	105ja	90sb	10
+5 equipment; each leads a different tribe
Bodyguard	50	5	90	Ch/14	35	Y	A	95bs	90ja	-	5
Protect the 5 tribal chieftains
Experienced warrior	200	4	75	RL/10	30	Y	A	80ha	70ja	-	5
Average warrior	500	2	45	SL/8	30	Y	N	45sp	30ja	-	5
Green warrior	1,400	1	35	SL/6	25	Y	N	35sp	20ja	-	5	Used primarily for menial labor
The Easterlings
Headman	6	8	110	Ch/13	35	Y	N	115sc	100ml	90sb	10
+5 equipment; serve under Trojic Havel in a variety of positions
Bodyguard	20	6	90	Ch/13	30	Y	N	100sc	85ml	70sb	5
Protect Trojic Havel and the other headmen
Elite rider	25	5	80	SL/5	35	Y	N	90sc	80ml	65sb	15
Lead reconnaissance patrols around Harnalda
Average rider	500	2	45	No/1	35	Y	N	55ml	35sb	30ja	15
The Mercenaries
Trererath sergeant	6	6	90	Pl/18	10	N	N	90tw-hs	60lcb	-	10
Trererath	48	5	80	Ch/14	15	N	N	80tw-hs	50lcb	-	20
Northron cavalry officer	15	6	85	Ch/14	35	Y	L	85bs	70ml	55sb	10
Lead patrols and missions around Harnalda
Northron cavalry	150	3	60	RL/9	30	Y	N	60bs	50ml	30sb	5
Medium infantry officer	10	6	85	Ch/14	35	Y	A/L	90bs	65sb	50da	5
Medium infantry	200	3	55	Ch/13	30	Y	N	60ss	40sb	-	0
Used to guard important posts
Other
Royal Bodyguard	20	7	100	Ch/16	35	Y	A/L	105bs	100ml	95lcb	5	Mixed warriors
+5 equipment; highly paid mercenaries, follow the king wherever he goes
Support personnel	30	2	30	No/1	5	N	N	30we	20da	-	5	Mixed scouts
Smiths, Tanners, Quartermasters, Cooks, etc.
Angmarean engineer	10	4	55	SL/7	10	N	A	60ss	50lcb	-	5	mixed rogues
+5 equipment; on loan from Witch-king; command a great amount of respect
Non-combatant slave	100	1	20	No/1	5	N	N	20cl	10cl	-	0	mixed rogues
Mostly dunnish jerls or debt-slaves, some women
Orcish scout leader	1	4	75	Ch/13	30	Y	A	75sc	60sb	40ha	5	Orcish warrior
Orcish scouts	4	2	45	RL/10	25	Y	A	50sc	40sb	30da	5	Orcish warrior
Hillmen leader	1	4	80	SL/6	15	N	N	75sp	55ja	-	10	Hillman ranger
Hillmen raiders	5-10	3	56	SL/6	10	N	N	55sp	45ja	-	10	Hillman ranger