A CHILD MISPLACED (TALATH HARROCH
CIRCA T.A. 2460 - 2480
On the southern edge of Greenwood the Great, an elf child was born at the end of the “watchful peace,” before the Necromancer returned from the east to Dol Guldur. Under Sauron’s shadow, orcs raid and “evil men” plundered elf territories. Her parent’s small colony was among the first causalities.A scouting company of Pultai (s. “Balchoth”) departing from council with their war-god Maladûm (the Necromancer), find the elfling in the spoils of an orc raid. Coaxed by a prophecy of a seer, their leader, Vezruk, agrees to take the child back to his settlement in Dor Rhunen. She was classed as a slave for nearly two decades until becoming a ward of the leader. only then was she given a name.

DESTROYER OF NATIONS (KRAVOD, DOR-RHUNEN)
T.A. 2510
The Pultai-Confederation invaded Calenardhon, a sparsely populated northern province of Gondor. Vezely was among the contingencies. if not for Eorl and the arrival of the Éothéod, who answered the plea of Gondor’s steward, Cirion, the Pultai would have defeated the Gondorian army. at the battle of the Field of Celebrant, the Pultai armies were hunted down and decimated. The remaining survivors fled northward where many more perished in the elvish woodlands entered.T.A. 2545
Vezely was among a force of “Easterlings” from Dol Guldur that attacked Rohan. At the ensuing battle of the wold, Eorl the Young, who was the first king of the Rohirrim, was slain but the Easterling force was defeated.T.A. 2545 - 2580
Following the failed invasions, the Pultai fell into despair. After a period of civil war, the land ended up being divided into three realms. Vezely remained in Kravod, the old Pultai capital, which became part of the realm of Narimanush.Instability in that city continued as tribes vied for power. The Jangovar tribe ended up ruling the realm for a century but it came with the cleansing of opposition. In what became known as the “Kravod Cleanse,” Vezely’s political faction was disposed of. She survived the executions and moved south to Khand.

ADVENTURES IN THE SIN TRADE (KHAND)
T.A. 2580 TO 2780
Shortening her name to “Vez” and feigning Black Númenórean descent, she started a new life in Khand among unaffiliated tribes. For work, Vez conscripted with mercenary groups before running her own operation. Expanded contracts with slave traders brought her into the fold of Mordor’s dominion.

INSTRUMENT OF VIOLENCE (MORDOR)
T.A. 2780 TO 3019 (THE WAR OF THE RING)
Vez decided to commit her labor to Mordor’s rebuilding. Dedicated to Sauron’s cause, Vezely’s part in Mordor’s extended infrastructure began as an overseer of the slave trade before moving up to trade advisor and later emissary. As an emissary, she acted as a liaison to higher-ups (specifically under the lieutenant of Barad-Dûr, the Mouth of Sauron). She was a settler of grievances among Mordor’s annexed lands and a protector of Mordor’s trade interests and agreements. For the war, she helped forge military allegiances to Sauron.

SHACKLED TO RUINS (EXILE)
T.A. 3019 TO FO.A. 4
Vezely oversaw the conscripted "Easterling" forces' assault on Dale and the siege of Erebor. When news of her master's defeat reached the north and the armies of darkness retreated, emissaries of Mordor either were executed or went into hiding. To avoid prosecution for Mordor’s war crimes (particularly in Rhûnic lands where her order was known), she wanders westward without a clear purpose. This verse transitions when she enters Rivendell (thinking it abandoned), and is allowed to stay as a guest of Lord Elladan.

BURYING THE PAST (RIVENDELL)
FO.A. 5+
During her stay in Rivendell, Vezely discovers her “one” in Lord Elladan. Despite the tenuousness of a relationship between former enemies, the two are married in year five of the fourth age. Their first child, Elrandir, is born in the year 58. Only Elladan’s closest of kin are privy to specifics of her darker past. Other elves suspect her connection to Sauron through rumor or, for older elves, the taint present on her fëa. Most believe she was nothing more than a thrall forced to do his bidding, however.

TIES THAT BIND (VALINOR)
FO.A. 140
Vezely sails west with her husband and son to Valinor. They establish a home in Tirion. Twin girls, Annúniel and Amrúnien, are born many decades later.

THIRD AGE C. 2460Vezruk, leader of the Magriags, was a superstitious man. Upon return from a pilgrimage to Dol Guldur, his party sought to plunder the remnants of an orc incursion into the southern borders of Mirkwood. Among the discarded rubble was an elf infant. Planning to disregard the life, the seer, Brömran, told Vezruk a prophecy. “Let this child die,” he said, “And fate will take one of your own. Let it live and turn that path aside.”Vezruk would not risk the death of his offspring and thus took the infant back to Talath Harroch, a settlement near the Sea of Rhûn. The elfling was classed as a slave under Brömran’s name and put to work as soon as she stood able. The prophecy was not forgotten and thus, Vezruk kept his eye on the child, believing her of more worth.Many years later in the mid of spring, on a warm unsuspecting evening as the sun was about to set, Sagath (raiders) from the north came to the tribe’s encampment to pillage and to proffer. In the chaos, Vezruk’s offspring fled, including that infant now grown but still small in stature. Alongside Vezruk’s eldest daughter, she scrambled up into a wain hoping to hide. It was not long until a raider found them. The eldest daughter was pulled to the ground, the intent of the man to defile and dispose of her while ignoring the younger one cowering in the back. There on the floor, a hunting knife presented itself, allowing the child to fulfill her end of the prophecy. Following this, Vezruk would adopt her as his own, name her Vezely, and teach her all he knew.What Vezely discovered later was the seer, though prophetic, just wanted pieces of her to perform his incantations and acquire more power. In Rhûn, elves are considered magical creatures, and their properties, some believed, could be wielded. Unknowingly to the young babe, he took pieces of her hair first. blood soon followed. As a slave, she could do little but comply. As Vezruk’s ward, however, he could no longer touch her. Years later before departing the plains for the city of Kravod, Vezely paid the seer a final visit and bled him dry.

THIRD AGE C. 2480-2580The “Balchoth” that invaded Calenardhon in the T.A. 2510 is a Sindarin misnomer of the Pult or Pultai, a vast collection of tribes that began to coalesce into a confederation in Rhúnic lands around T.A. 2370. The forerunners of this peaceful though sometimes forceful assimilation were the Magriags. They were long-time followers of the Necromancer at Dol Guldur, who they declared as their war-god, Maladûm. The Magriag priest and priestesses were instrumental in discrediting other worshipped deities and helped convince the tribes to follow their god’s orders and march westward.Vezely became ward to the Magriag leader around T.A. 2480. She was ushered onto the path of a warrior (becoming a scout and a captain) and later served in politics, advocating for invasion.The Westlands falsely assumed that the Pultai were completely destroyed during the Battle of the Field of Celebrant (T.A. 2510) with the arrival of Eorl and the Éothéod who rode in aid at the request of Cirion, Gondor’s Steward. This loss instead meant the Pultai never regained former dominance. The resulting power vacuum, with several tribes weakened or obliterated, gave rise to a period of civil war among descendants.The remaining tribes would also coalesce one last time to lead an assault on Aldburg in T.A. 2545. The Battle of the Wold resulted in the slaying of Eorl the Young, the first king of Rohan.Several significant cultural and political changes gradually took place during these years. Traditionally nomadic tribes began to transition into semi-nomadism and later formed settlements in fertile valleys. By T.A. 2766, three successor realms solidified: Rostamush on the eastern borders of Mirkwood, Narimanush in Dor Rhúnen, and Bozorganush surrounding the sea of rhûn.What became Narimanush was composed of several tribes descended from the Pultai, but primarily coalitions called the Jangovar and Khundolar. Vezely belonged to a conservative tribal faction descended from the Magriags who remained most loyal to Maladûm. They stood against aligning with the realm of Bozorganush (unlike the Jangovar) and were prepared to go to war over it.In terms of tribal politic, the principal head of the Pultai and their successor realms was the “Bom,” an elder presiding over a council of patriarchs. Two patriarchs from each tribe were chosen for the council. When reaching “elder” status, Vezely was elected and remained as one of the two patriarchs residing on the council from her tribe even though she is female. This was allowed because at a young age she was deemed agender. Due to the taboo of miscegenation, priests deemed the elf child unmarriageable, unclean, and unfit for childrearing. Never to fulfill traditional female gender roles, she was categorized as "other." Her race forbid her from ascending to Bom, but as a steadfast council member, she remained influential.The Kravod Cleanse was a coup in T.A. 2580 against Vezely’s conservative faction. Faction leaders were poisoned at a banquet by one of their own, a man named öldür. members were brutally beaten and defiled before being dragged out into Öldür also cut off Vezely’s ear as plunder. While others quickly perished, Vezely persisted.Bounty collectors (priestesses of a sect of the Cult of Sarshen Meltek) would find the elleth alive after all others from the group perished. They saw this as a sign of their god and decided to take her into their care. After weeks of recovery, along with acceptance of her tribe’s final destruction that came not at the Battle of the Field of Celebrant or the Wold, but at the hands of the Jangovar, she departed to Khand.

THIRD AGE 2580-3019Following the botched execution in her homeland, Vezely fled southeast to Khand. She hid her identity, shortened her name to “Vez,” wore a headscarf to forever cloak her race, and later claimed Black Númenórean descent to explain her longevity.There she sought clans of Khandish mercenaries for work. These bandit chieftains were independent of the Variag lords. They conscripted individuals from all backgrounds and repute. As sell-swords, they fought battles for coin, guarded caravan routes, and headhunted. While an uncertain start (of proving herself again and again), it was not long until she started running her own operation.During this time, she would return only once to Kravod, seeking vengeance on Öldür and other known conspirators. Before killing Öldür, she took both his ears.As decades passed, Vez slowly expanded her operation into the slave trade. With rumblings of Mordor’s refortification continuing to surface, she decided to extend her enterprise into those lands. In Mordor, the need for slaves was great; a need for clearing the endless plateau of Gorgoroth, building roads in preparation for grander hosts, and reconstructing infrastructure. There, she redefined her business, focusing on overseeing larger and larger parts of the operation and trade of bodies.When Sauron returns over a century later, it is only by gaining the confidence of one of Sauron’s top advisors, Master Gorovod, that the elf (a perceived enemy) was allowed to stay. Gorovod puts her to work outside the gates as an ambassador of trade and later a conscriptor of armies. For the War of the Ring, she helps secure several tribes in the Mistrand region of Rhûn as well as aiding in the upheaval in Dorwinion to force part of their alliance to Sauron.

THIRD AGE 3019-FOURTH AGE 3Following campaigns in Dorwinion, Vezely remained north to oversee the assault on the Men of Dale and the Dwarves of Erebor. She crossed the River Carnen alongside the Lôke-Khan, holding full confidence that he would march his Golden Army to victory. Three days they fought and King Brand and King Dáin II Ironfoot fell before the gates. Then the siege of Erebor began.News of her master's defeat was known before messengers reached their encampment. She could feel it in her chest, the dark hollow threatening to consume her. By fate or leniency of the Lôke-Khan, she fled with others in her order before calls came for execution.To Khand and Near-Harad, she sought to collect her savings (gold and silver ingots in the great banking institutes of the Dar) only to find all accounts of Mordor’s clients were dissolved and assets retributed to Gondor. Later, she found only deceit and headhunters at her back. Rulers were intent to bring Mordor’s emissary to vengeance for false claims or as a form of repatriation to the Reunited Kingdom as if gifting Sauron’s servants would mean leniency for their crimes and less coin to Elessar’s coffers.Dissenters, some from her own order of crows, were forming allegiances to rise up against the Reunited Kingdom. She sought them out, but once in the company of old comrades she quickly realized the tenuousness of those relations. In Mistrand, she is almost handed over as a bribe to the Lôke-Khan Margöz, but her betrayers underestimated the relationship she forged with the leader of the golden horde prior the war. Margöz gave her reprieve and she contemplated staying in Mistrand to aid the rebuilding of his empire. Her conscience, however, told her to keep moving.She turned west, to the lands of her enemies, to places and people who did not know her face or name. She stayed clear of war-torn lands before finding herself in Eastern Eriador and at the base of the River Bruinen. The curiosity of knowing that the river once engulfed the nine lulled her into following it. Her wandering got her to the entrance of Rivendell without being apprehended by patrols. Because of this, she believed the main compound was abandoned. However, there on the bridge, she met Lord Elladan. In their discussion, a desire to be honest overcame her. Although he found out the truth of who she was, he allowed her to stay until the end of the winter months when the mountain passes would clear of snow. No one else was told of her true identity.

FOURTH AGE 3+During her stay in Rivendell, Vezely became acquainted with its lord. The two found themselves locked in many hours of pleasant conversations on all topics, learning from each other of lands and people they never knew. Feelings, which may have been there upon first meeting, bloomed and complicated intentions since he is the son of Elrond and she, a former servant of the Dark Lord. As the winter months dwindled to when she should depart, the want to stay at his side threatened to divert her unformed plans.One evening she found herself in a different wing of the archives where a mural of Sauron donned a wall. There, in front of his visage, certain realizations actualized — her god is dead, her life severed, her lack of purpose, the failures of her past, but most of all, the futility of living in the home of her former enemies. Though Elladan finds her there and offered comfort, she rejected him. Thinking it better for both of them, she secretly left Rivendell that very night. The decision, however, ended up breaking both their hearts which were already intertwined.The mistake was rectified by Elladan who took off after her. He discovered her two weeks out on a mountainside and so commenced a make-or-break moment. Their bond is ultimately reaffirmed despite acknowledging the trouble it would cause among his kin.Elladan and Vezely married in Fourth Age 5. Closest of kin were told the truth of her past. Older elves, those more powerful and wise, might sense her prior connection to Sauron, however. From this, rumors took that she was once forced into his servitude. These rumors were ignored since it is better to be thought of as a thrall than a willing instrument of evil. Despite being rejected by his kin, she remains steadfast at her husband’s side. Similarly, she survives despite her deteriorating condition.Vezely goes on to live a quiet life in Rivendell until she is (unwillingly) ushered into aiding the establishment of new trade routes throughout the Reunited Kingdom, becoming an adviser to King Elessar and the Stewardess of Arnor.The couple welcomed their son, Elrandir, in year 58 of the fourth age (55 years after they met). In Fourth Age 140, Vezely sailed west with her husband and son to Valinor. They established a home in Tirion. Twin girls, Annúniel and Amrúnien, were born many decades later.

Mordor’s Geography
Mordor concocts an image of a barren, ash-ridden wasteland with mount doom rising in the background. However, this land, locked by three sides of mountains, has a more diverse landscape. Gorgoroth, which lies to the southwest of Barad-Dûr, is the name of the arid plateau. But in the southernmost part of Mordor is Núrn. It is more fertile and farm-worthy with soil enriched by the ash blown from mount doom. The inland Sea of Núrn, a saltwater lake, also sits with many settlements at its edge. Tributaries bring in freshwater from various points.Mordor’s Residents
Variags and Núrnish Men
Núrn consists of two Mannish populations: Núrniags, a slave-population descended from the original inhabitants of Mordor and mixed with a generation of slaves of Easterling and Haradrim origins. And Variags, a free warrior class who are the local lords and rulers.The Núrniags work the plantations alongside Snaga-orcs. Others are craftsmen, technicians, cattle herders, farmers, fishers, and other lower ranks of taskmasters. Several distinct classes of more or less privileged slaves emerge depending on their craft. Capable slaves could also respectably rise to become Variags and priestesses.The Variags of Mordor descended from tribes who migrated in the mid-Second Age under the order of Lord Ûvatha, one of the nine Mannish kings who accepted a ring of power. They conquered the local farmers and made them serve the Dark Lord. (the Variags of Khand (which sits east of Mordor) are the same warrior class crafted a century earlier under Ûvatha’s rule in the lands of Khand).In each locale, Variag society is divided by a ruling caste of warriors, mercenaries, a small caste of female priestesses, and a lower class of Variag-bastards or slaves. They see themselves as the “chosen people” and care little of other races. They revere Sauron as a god (who they call “Tûmrakhi” in their language, Varadja).To other nations, Variags are known as a fierce people, skilled warriors, and horseman. Haradric and Rhûnish lands hire them as soldiers and assassins. Mordor employs them as its mercenaries, slave-traders, assassins, and guardians of the caravans and pilgrimage routes. Khand’s loyalty to Sauron brought Khand wealth despite it being a mostly dry and barren land.Orcs
Various orcs inhabit Gorgoroth including Uruk-hai, common or lesser orcs, Gûshmurashi (a rare crossbreed of the former two), and Snaga-orcs. “snaga” is the orcish term for “slave” and referred to a smaller orc breed.The orcs did not live among the Variags, but the two interact and Variags employ Snaga-orcs for amusement.Other Slaves (not of Núrniag origins)
As Mordor expands its population in preparation for war, there is a need to sustain it. While Núrniags and Snaga-orcs are one source, slaves from Haradric and Easterling origins (war-slaves) are brought in. Slaves clear roads of mass debris from the constant eruptions of Mount Doom; a tremendous and deadly task. Slaves would also be mining ore from the Ephel Dûath mountain range, plowing fields, harvesting, and later in the Third Age, rebuilding Barad-Dûr.Outliers
Mercenary groups who stand unaffiliated with Mordor reside in territories such as the eastern sector. This inhospitable and were-worm infested land is considered of little strategic or resourceful worth to the empire. In lithland, an Easterling mercenary group by the name of the Vanishing Sons took up residence in an old Númenórean fortress. They brokered a deal with orcs stationed at Shindrâm, getting paid a monthly bounty to deal with bandits that interfered with marauder camps and supply lines. Mordor covertly commissions this group to conduct campaigns outside Mordor, specifically in regions where Sauron has yet to take political or religious control. These jobs, such as the disruption of trade routes or murder of a political or religious official, are those which Mordor wants to appear unconnected.Nazgûl
In T.A. 1980, the Nine, led by the Witch-King of Angmar, come to Mordor to prepare for Sauron’s return. During this time, Mordor attacks and conquers parts of Gondor, including laying siege to Minas Ithil in T.A. 2000. After a two year siege, the tower is taken and transformed into Minas Morgul. As Mordor quietly prepares for its master’s return, Nazgûl help direct and oversee the rebuilding.Sauron was not in Mordor yet
Sauron does not reveal himself until he departs Dol Guldur so rather he acts under the guise of the “Necromancer,” a great sorcerer on the Hill of Amon Lanc. There he secretly searches for the One Ring, delves passages as breeding pits for orcs and trolls, and quietly rebuilds his armies, sending his new orcs south to the plains of Gorgoroth and Núrn.The Nazgûl and sorcerer-priests act as his agents, furthering his mission in the east and south by conscripting men to do his bidding. The slow corruption of Greenwood into Mirkwood and the waning of Gondorian power in Rhovanion (where the Wainriders, Balchoth, etc. invaded) are phase one. Phase two is a mass migration of Easterlings into the region causing chaos for Gondor and deterring them from knowing of Mordor’s rebuilding.Sidenote: For the Balchoth (Vezely’s tribe), their agent was Khamûl, known as the shadow of the east, the Black Easterling, the second of the Nine mannish kings to accept a ring of power.Trade
Mordor has an economy that sustains its populations, feeding and paying them. It relies on trade for the import of goods and fresh slaves to work the mines, clear the roads, and to rebuild the tower of Barad-Dûr. Iron ore mined from Ephel Dûath is Mordor’s primary export, though the mines and forges also produce weaponry to be sold to Variag lords who are constantly warring with each other.Hierarchy
Until Sauron returns, the Nazgûl are in charge of operations, though of course with oversight from Dol Guldur. Caste systems keep the mannish- and orc-slave populations in check (though they hold their own hierarchies) while others are ranked in each occupation. Lieutenants, captains, generals, and so on for armies, masters and apprentices for crafts and trade, lords or chieftains for tribal affiliations, etc. Each ranking system is respective to culture, orc or Variag. There are overseers, advisers, and councils for various sectors.Sauron’s Return
In Third Age 2951, Sauron openly declares himself and departs Dol Guldur for Mordor. The tower of Barad-Dûr is rebuilt, a huge operation requiring even more slaves. His direct power further commands the march towards war. While already an order exists to collect tribute and maintain the allegiance of various peoples, emissaries grow in demand. In particular, they are needed to reach even further into the east and south to conscript all the men possible.In charge of this operation is the Mouth of Sauron, also known as Mordú, who holds the title of Lieutenant of Barad-Dûr and is considered the most devoted of Sauron’s heralds. This individual is a mortal who is chosen to sacrifice his voice to Sauron and become the vessel for the dark lord to voice his will. That is, it is a title, rather than an individual, though the individual selected must be the most devout.

An idea posited in the book, Morgoth’s Ring, is that before Morgoth was banished, he melded himself with the world. The remnants or residue known as Mordo (q. “stain, shadow, grotesque”) remained in Arda and sorcerers (black magicians, black witches, etc.) could call upon it to gain power. This secret knowledge was named Morgûl (s."black knowledge") or Guldur ("sorcery"). Sorcerers committed to Morgûl-magic were often pupils or worshippers of the Dark Lord; that is, Sauronites.Lines of sorcerer-priests using Morgûl first appeared in Second Age Rhûn among the Shrel-Easterlings. They were called the Akshum-Oymalv or night-warders. Their legacy continued into the Third Age among the Logath tribe. Though a larger organization, the fist of dark sorcery (ul."Ramanin"), became active in Rhûn around Third Age 1600. They acted to bring Sauron's will into Middle-Earth, spawning castes such as the Guldur Sorcerers or the Kîshothî (b.s. "Advocates").As ambassadors of the Necromancer or his puppet-ruler, Khamûl, the Second of the Nine, the Guldur sorcerers infiltrated tribes through their own priests and priestesses. They spread reverence of spirits and the dead as well as spreading the prophecies of the Necromancer. Only within their own inner circle did they openly refer to Sauron as a deity, keeping his presence a secret.Keep in mind, Sauron lay hidden while setting his plans into motion. The slow corruption of Greenwood into Mirkwood and the waning of Gondorian power in Rhovanion (which the Wainriders, Balchoth, etc. invaded) was phase one. Phase two was a mass migration of Easterlings into the region causing chaos for Gondor and deterring them from knowing of Mordor’s rebuilding. The sorcerer-priest were instrumental in playing out these phases and beyond.Similar cults sprang up throughout the east and south, leading more warrior-chiefs, tribal leaders, kings, etc. to believe in the prophecies of the second coming, coming to revere him as a diety, whilst discrediting the worship of other gods.Once Sauron revealed himself, this practice continued in Mordor. The Cult of the Eye became the primary religion of Mordorians dedicated to worshipping Sauron as a deity. The cult's main agents again were sorcerer-priests who acted as clergy to help control client-kings and tyrants of Sauron’s empire. Many were sent undercover to regions of uncertain loyalty to infiltrate and corrupt the existing religions or sects. The high-priest of this cult was the Steward of Barad-Dûr, the Mouth of Sauron.As you can imagine, religion continues to play a central role in many cultures. Priests were often sought in matters of decision-making, they held rulers’ ears, and Morgûl-magic could control the ruler’s mind. Not all rulers were easily swayed nor so willing to give up their pantheon of deities. There are numerous examples of divisions this caused among tribes.

The Fist would eventually indoctrinate the Balchoth’s Cult of Sarshen Meltek (ior. "Crimson Order"), bringing them under the Shadow of Dol Guldur. The Balchoth was a confederation of initially 23 (later 60) Easterling tribes that called themselves the Pult or Pultai. They remain infamous in the Westlands for their invasions of Rhovanion, the Battle of the Field of Celebrant, which ended in the oath sworn between Gondor and newly established Rohan. They are also connected to the slaying of Eorl the Young (the first king of Rohan) in a later Battle on the Wold, and the occupying of the town of Kravod (formerly a Gondorian border-fortress called Tirith Thoron).Before any of this, these tribes worshipped Arud (a goddess of fertility), Koa (goddess of the River Talathrant), and Pael (a god of the hunt). Arud and Pael could be their names for Yavanna or Vana, or Orome or Eonwe respectively. Their worship was discredited by the priests who declared Maladûm as their war-god and solo deity (later revealed as Sauron). A war-god made it convenient to bring Sauron’s plans into fruition.In terms of political structure, the principal head of the Balchoth was called the Bôm, who was an elder presiding over a council of patriarchs. Generally, two from each tribe presided in the council. Priests would be consulted in decision-making, to find if the decision held favor with their god. It is likely that the Necromancer via his sorcerer-priests swayed the Bôm into specific attacks on the Westlands.Balchoth Rituals and SacrificeCommon rituals among the Pultai (s. Balchoth) included the sacrifice of animals such as goats or horses followed by a sacramental feast or meal. These would happen at great festivals four times a year (winter solstice, spring equinox, summer solstice, and autumn equinox) as well as before battle or when there were problems such as drought. The point was to be on good terms with their god and to seek luck and goodwill for what may come.Sacrifices were carried out by priests and priestesses, which for the Pultai were of the Cult of Sarshen Meltek. The blood of the animal would be collected in bowls and using twigs, splattered on altars, walls, people, and around important structures. The meat from the sacrifice would be boiled in large earthen cooking pots. Both the cooked meat and cups of fermented goats’ milk were blessed by the chief. While drinking, everyone toasted to Maladûm (to their war-god and to victory in their future invasions) and to their dead ancestors.In times of extreme famine or upon continued losses in battles, these rituals included the sacrifice of people. They normally sacrificed criminals or war-slaves. These victims were bled dry as animals, their bodies hung upside down, and their blood collected and similarly splattered.The Feast of CrowsFollowing the loss of Calenardhon in T.A. 2510 (the Battle of the Field of Celebrant), the remaining Pultai gathered in the capital city of Kravod and sacrificed groups of Calenardhonian men and women taken as slaves prior the assault. For nine days, they killed nine victims each day, seeking to appease their war-god for their loss while also grieving for their fallen.During those dark days, Vezely vowed to kill Eorl the Young, the lord of Éothéod, who came to the summons of aid from Steward Cirion of Gondor. In reward for their aid, the Éothéod were given the province of Calenardhon, the prize the Pultai sought, turning it into the kingdom of Rohan.Over the following decades, the Pultai-Confederation would crumble. The power vacuum left by the decimation of many tribes flung them into a period of civil war. Not until thirty-five years later would the survivors organize a grand assault. In T.A. 2545, Eorl the Young was slain in the Wold. Despite the Easterlings being pushed back, Vezely got her vengeance.Vezely and Religious BeliefVezely was adopted into the Pultai when it was already under the sway of the Necromancer, thus she grew up around those engaged in the solo worship of Maladûm. And as a warrior, she became culturally predisposed to the rituals and regiments needed for reverence. Part of this was in the seeking of war and kills on the battlefield to honor her god.Similarly, she believed in the prophecies of Sauron’s second coming and that those that aided him would be rewarded. She believed in the right of her people to the lands they invaded, and through each loss, her desire for revenge on the Westlands grew.At the same time, an accumulation of losses for her people made her acutely aware that a god is not enough to ensure anything. As the Pultai-Confederation waned amid years of civil war (from a power vacuum created after accruing losses to Rohan and Gondor), she still strove to keep faith and maintain the old ways. As a council member, her voice was heard, by priests especially. It would end up saving her life (see chapter 2) and motivate her to continue her work for her god in Mordor.Outside of being influenced by culture, Vezely also came to see the men in cloaks in terms of instruments. Their voice was powerful, more powerful than her own, and could be used to move people if they believed. However, she was a pragmatist who worked with numbers and coin. The tangible aspects of building, clothing, feeding an army and slave population could not be offset with religious belief. As an overseer of Mordor’s trade, she worked in the material, not the spiritual aspects of Sauron’s empire.This changed slightly when becoming an emissary when the war grew nearer. As with other members of her order, she was taken under the wing of Mordú (the Mouth of Sauron) and taught basic Morgûl-magic to help influence leaders if need be (such as of Gríma Wormtongue poisoning King Theoden into the doing the will of Saruman). These would be spells to open a host for Sauron to inhabit and bend.It is also practical for those corrupted by the dark lord to know some sorcery. For instance, Vezely already learned incantations to bring animals under her will (useful for when non-Mordorian horses are spooked by her presence).

On a routine campaign, the emissary is captured by Rhûnic resistance forces, a vigilante group that opposes Sauron’s dominion in the east and south. Vezely is taken to Linimér, an eastern realm ruled by the Blue Wizard, Pallando (cr. Líanis), who also runs the operation.The wizard takes pity on the corrupted firstborn. He returns the memories of the blood parents and the home forests defiled by the one she calls Master. The choice given after is harder to swallow: aid the rebellion’s cause or die.With an oath sworn, Vezely takes part in the rebellion’s exploits. She functions as a double agent, maintaining her position as Mordor’s emissary while feeding intelligence to Pallando. This information aids the resistance in their acts of banditry, interceptions of Mordor’s communications and ambassadors, and disruption of its trade routes. It slows Mordor’s mission down and loosens its hold on many regions in east and south.Before the war, Linimér is discovered as a resistance outpost and the imprisonment of the wizard follows. His final orders come forth unexpectedly, burdening the emissary's hands with remnants of his broken staff and letters of import. Fearing the consequences of breaking an oath, she makes a damning decision to become his messenger.During a north campaign, she diverts her direction and journeys westward. Her mission is to find the remaining uncorrupted wizards in Pallando’s order (one she discovers later is called Mithrandir) and deliver his warning of the assault to come.Will she be able to turn back when the task is done?Other Information:
Verse chronology remains the same to main verse until T.A. 3018. Vezely will leave late summer/fall and travel through the gap of Rohan before heading northward towards Rivendell where she is intercepted by the sons of Lord Elrond.

01 BASICS.
This is a highly selective and private blog for my Tolkien OC, Vezely. Since 2014, Vezely was originally run @vezely-a. This is also a sideblog of @prvtocol and I'll follow back from there.Please call me L (she/her). I'm 30+. mun =/= muse. I’ve been rping on Tumblr since 2014. I work full-time and have a small family. This is my de-stress hobby so I try to keep things chill. Since this is not my main blog, it will be slow around here.02 SEMI-SELECTIVE.
Mutuals and 18+ only. My Discord is provided upon request, IM is open, and inbox welcomes all so please feel free to send a meme anytime to start a thread or ask a question. Please note, I prefer to only write plotted threads here.03 CONTENT.
I have no triggers but will tag appropriately. Feel free to alert me if something is not so I can contribute to a safer rp environment. I probably won’t write smut here, but any rare nsfw post will be appropriately tagged "nsft."04 WRITING STYLE.
I'm adaptive (icon, chat, para, multi-para). Aesthetics matter little to me. I do downsize my text and I will use icons only if you do. I can also default to your icon preference (none, in-game, or rl fc) though I prefer rl.05 SHIPPING.
Vezely is ship exclusive with @peredhellen's Elladan. All relationships depend on chemistry.07 GRAPHICS.
Credit goes to me and my beginner PS skills. Many base icons of Vez were gifted to me by @peredhellen.08 FOLLOWING BACK.
Please keep in mind I cannot follow back from this blog.09 THANK YOU.
Thank you for reading & understanding. You are all amazing for finding time to write creatively.