Rhovanion Townships

Rhovanion Townships

TA 1 - FA 100 and later

This list represents the walled towns and rural areas of Northmen in Rhovanion, prospering between Mirkwood and the Sea of Rhûn, south of Erebor.  Many of them were along the River Running.  Lake-town, destroyed by Smaug in TA 2941, was one of these large towns.  These towns were independent, each centering rural areas of fields and pasturage, trading with each other and up and down the River Running.  Most of them were not large enough to be capable of fielding significant armies separately, but could and did combine to resist invasion.  Lake-town itself traded with Thranduil's realm in northern Mirkwood.

Rhovanion as a political term refers to the Mannish villages and towns between Mirkwood and the Sea of Rhûn, north of the Brown Lands and Mordor, and south of Erebor.  Between TA 550 and TA 1851 there was direct contact with Gondor through the province of East Gondor, directly south of the Northmen of Rhovanion. Both Rhovanion and East Gondor suffered terribly in the Great Plague of TA 1636, losing perhaps half their populations.  East Gondor was lost to Gondor in the Wainrider invasion of TA 1851, which also conquered Rhovanion all the way to Mirkwood and as far north as the River Running.  Refugees from Rhovanion that escaped servitude fled or north across the River Running to Esgaroth and Dale, or west to the Vales of Anduin, becoming the Éothéod (and eventually Rohan).

• TA 1248 Romendacil II of Gondor destroys all camps of the Easterlings up to and beyond the Sea of Rhûn and allies Gondor with the Northmen.

• TA 1437-1447 Kin-Strife in Gondor; Eldacar driven out of Gondor to Rhovanion; returns in 1447 with a Gondor/Northman army to overthrow Castamir the Usurper.

• TA 1636 the Great Plague devastates Rhovanion, killing more than half its people

• TA 1851 Wainriders invade Rhovanion south of the River Celduin (River Running); by 1856 it is completely conquered and enslaved.

• TA 1899 Rhovanion freed from the Wainriders but left very weak; many migrate to Gondor or the Vales of Anduin (Eotheod).  Rhovanion gradually recovers

• TA 1999: Thrain I moves his Kingdom to Erebor, greatly enhancing the Dwarven colony there.

• TA 2210 Thorin I abandons Erebor and moves to the Grey Mountains; Erebor is abandoned and empty for 380 years.

• TA 2460: Sauron returns to Dol Guldur

• TA 2590: Dwarves abandon the Grey Mountains because of dragons; part return to Erebor, and part to the Iron Hills.  Northmen come up the River Running and build Dale.

• TA 2770: Smaug destroys Dwarven Kingdom of Erebor and Human (Northman) Kingdom of Dale.  Trade center of Laketown destroyed.  Dwarves from Erebor retreat to Dunland, and eventually to the Blue Mountains.

• TA 2881: Smaug becomes inactive, staying in the Desolation of Smaug.

• TA 2941: Laketown destroyed; Smaug slain; Kingdom of Erebor and Kingdom of Dale rebuilt

Invasion Rating: 1

Maneuver Rating: 1

Home Topography: Arable

General's Troop Type: Javelin Cavalry or Knight.  General should have the battle cards Deadly and Armored.

Army Battle Cards

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Troop Options

Required Troops

Troop Types Min Max Battle Line Restrictions Battle Cards

Knight or Javelin Cavalry 2 4 Deployment Dismounting (as Elite Foot)

Northman Cavalry

Heavy Foot 4 8 all

Northman infantry with shield and spear

Bow Levy 2 6 all optionally Ranged Attack (+1)

Town militia bowmen

Light Foot or Skirmishers 0 4

Woodsmen of Mirkwood

Optional Contingents

No optional contingents available.