E A S T E R L I N G S

pfiou…can’t we have any ?

but variags are from the south… they are not easterlings…

Yep, South-Easterlings!

:p

The MERP background also links them to a wider cultural grouping (Talathrim, I think it is) whose homelands are the plains east of Mordor. So a Mithril visualisation with a lot of “Easterling” elements makes sense.

Now, me, I’m convinced the Variags are actually Northmen, a Middle-earth version of the Rus. The real world Varyags were vikings living in what’s now Western Russia and the Ukraine. (They were called the Rus and they gave their name to Russia) They rather rapidly intermarried with the locals Slavic population, but retained Vikingish ways. In later years, they formed the Emperor of Byzantium’s personal guard, the Varangian Guard. They may have been hairy barbarians, but they were nowhere near as treacherous as the local Byzantine politicos. (Later, later their numbers were replaced by English huscarls and so forth, but the name sort of stuck). In one scene in the book, we see Faramir talking of Easterlings, “bearded with great axes.” The later Varangians were blokes with beards and great axes. Hence…very tenuously, Variags.

I also add to this by saying they are called the Varyags OF Khand, which either means they are the Varyags from Khand, but it also means the varyags who are in Khand, that there might be Varyags of Rhun and Varyags of the Northern Horse plains or the Varyags of the Shire.* Khand itself merely means “great kingdom” or empire. So its possible that the Varyags are just an important and notable ethnic group in a bigger, more multi-cultural empire.

All true… great short history lesson Master Gavin… did you know that Variags (Russian and Ukrainian vikings) were also in my area. With their small and narrow fast 12 +1 man crew ships they came downstream through Oder, Danube, Vistula, Drava & Sava till Croatia and Bosnia in 10th century. It is also possible to find tombstones with runes today in Bosnia.

Also it is interesting that part of the genetic code is the same as the Scandinavians and this is I*+I1a+I1b*+I1c and it is possible to find it in Croatia (hinterland) 37,0% in Bosnia ( today muslim majority ) 53,65% and in Croatian part of the Hercegovina 70,91%….

Croatian prince Zvonimir made a war alliance with the Vikings / Normans against the Byzantine Empire and against Venice (with Norman duke Robert Guiscard in 1082 ) and they fought together almost 3 years.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Guiscard

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demetrius_Zvonimir_of_Croatia

Those vikings / eastern Variags were great adventurers, travelers, conquerors, traders and warriors….

I like history…. and Master Turambar’s Variags / Easterlings

Wow! Wonderful Easterling Captain! I love the color of the horse and the look of the armor.

Excellent job, Master Archer!

….. even, better & better…. !

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

no more to add 😎:D:D:P:P:P

Let me add a word:

UNIQUE ! 😆