Anórien

Known as the Land of the Sun, Anórien stands as a wealthy and densely populated region in northern Gondor, housing the illustrious capital city of Minas Anor. Nestled north and east of the White Mountains, Anórien stretches between the Anduin, Erui, Glanhír (also known as the river Mering), and the Mouths of Entwash. The Land was formally established in II 3320 by Anárion
, it was intended as a settlement for his kin and refugees from Númenor. However, some of its inhabitants do not hail from Dúnadan stock; nestled within the foothills and forests of Ered Nimrais reside the reclusive and primitive aboriginal people known as the Drúedain, or “Woodwoses.”

The Land

Anórien is divided into five distinct regions: Doranórien, tracing the path along the Royal Road; Entyn-in-Onodlo (the Mouths of Entwash); Cair Andros, a notable island within the Anduin; the sprawling fields of Pelennor; and the lush valleys and lowlands of Lossarnach, which border Lebennin. While Lossarnach and Cair Andros are designated as counties, other areas are overseen by wardens appointed through royal decree.

Connected to Calenardhon by the Royal Road, Anórien’s paths are flanked by magnificent poplar trees. These roads are meticulously maintained; the major routes feature broad cobbled paths, allowing carts to pass one another with ease. These pathways are cambered and fitted with drains, ensuring they remain navigable even during inclement weather. Adjacent to the trackways are turf-lined strips used by riders. Stone shelters dot the landscape, providing refuge for travellers during storms. Wayside league-stones mark the distance to various locations, their surfaces inscribed with Angerthas runes or angular Elvish lettering. Occasionally, roadside gibbets serve as stark reminders of the consequences of criminal actions. At regular intervals along the Royal Road, inns cater to both merchants and King’s dispatch riders.

The terrain in Anórien is characterised by flat drainage basins nurtured by the rivers Anduin and Entwash, rendering the land fertile and rich. Pine forests flourish in the steep foothills of the White Mountains, owned exclusively by the King. Other wooded areas, predominantly oak, ash, elm, and poplar, remain relatively small in comparison. Most of the fertile land in Anórien is owned by a handful of prominent landowners, although some plots fall under the purview of the Royal Ward, managed by share-croppers.

The rural villas of Anórien rank among the largest in Gondor. Typically arranged around a square courtyard, these buildings feature a blend of timber and stone construction, often whitewashed with red-tiled roofs. Surrounded by orchards and gardens, they produce a bounty of barley, oats, wine, apples, cherries, peaches, and honey. Anórien is renowned as a prime producer of pork, including dry-cured ham.

The White Mountains

The uplands of Anórien present a moderately inaccessible terrain. Lacking cartways, the region features only a few paths navigable by horses and mules. Nonetheless, signs of human passage and trails left by mountain goats and sheep offer guidance for those venturing into the interior. While the mountains serve as a source of fine limestone and marble, no mining activities for gems or minerals occur in this area; richer deposits lie to the west in the dales of Lamedon. Gondorians tend to avoid the forests due to the presence of the Drúedain. Descendants of the pre-Númenorean population, these mountain-dwellers boast dark features, long hair, and beards, sustaining their livelihoods through goat herding and gathering wild plants.

Tawar-in-Drúedain

In the southeastern corner of Anórien, the Royal Road extends from Minas Anor to the Fords of Isen in Calenardhon. Adjacent to Minas Anor lies the Grey-Wood, a royal hunting ground. To the east of the Stonewain Valley, the road traverses the Drúadan Forest, the secluded domain of the Wild Men of the Woods. While most men steer clear of the tangled wilderness, the Gondorian army maintains a lookout post at Eilenach and Nardol.

Culture

Pelennor’s well-protected farmlands yield an array of cash crops and perishable goods. The landscape is dotted with pens of geese, ducks, and hens, particularly the productive Black-backed Hen, capable of laying up to 150 eggs annually under ideal conditions. Pig and rabbit farmers rear their animals intensively in scyppens, sties, and artificial warrens. In larger fields, herders tend to great white cattle, producing premium beef and rich milk from the lush pastures.

The people of Anórien relish the succulent fruits nurtured in their sunny orchards. Cherries, apples, and, in sheltered areas, olive trees are meticulously tended, aligned in neat rows interspersed with smaller stakes supporting trellises for soft fruits such as currants, gooseberries, and cheselles—a small, white fruit with a creamy texture. These orchards also provide an ideal habitat for beehives, yielding plain and scented honey.

Pigeons and small game birds are raised and netted during late autumn and winter, offering delectable seasonal fare. Along watercourses, which often serve as conduits and canals constructed by the Dúnedain to enhance irrigation and fertility, fisheries and ponds thrive, cultivating a diverse array of water plants. Among the staple green vegetables is a species of watercress with large, crinkly leaves known as galasenin. Lilies with edible roots, watermelons, and a few water meadows where flowers are cultivated serve as additional sources of sustenance, supplying florists in the markets of Minas Anor.

Fish

The Great Anduin abounds with various fish species. Ceasing to be tidal between the Harlond and Osgiliath, the river offers a mix of salt and freshwater fish. Among the largest species are salmon, trout, and sturgeon, while countless other varieties boast a range of flavours and textures to tantalise the palate.

Fish forms a staple component of the Anórien populace’s diet. From delicate roes to robust flesh, every part of the fish finds its way into pies, soups, patés, and broiling dishes. Every household possesses a kemunq—a clay pot, oval in shape, with a roughly fitting lid—ideal for baking whole fish with tender herbs atop a bed of chopped galasenin. Cooked over a fierce heat, a generous amount of sweet white wine from Ithilien is added midway through the cooking process.

Anórians employ both nets and lines to catch fish. At dawn, fishermen set out in their small boats from steep-sloped reaches, deploying trail nets or cork-floated lines adorned with multiple hooks. Those in pursuit of larger fish utilise barbed spears attached to coils of sturdy line, baiting the waters with chopped offal. Fine nets are employed for catching eels; during spring, thousands throng the waters, migrating upstream to Nindalf and the Mouths of Entwash for breeding, before returning to the sea later in the year. It is claimed that salmon and trout migrate up the Anduin, traversing as far as the colder headwaters and tributaries in the Misty and Grey Mountains.

Cuisine

The people of Anórien take pride in hearty, satisfying meals. Enjoying three meals a day, they reserve their lightest fare for luncheon. Breakfast, referred to as “morsel” since the time of Atanatar II Alcarin, is a robust affair, comprising platters of cold meats—smoked fish and patés—accompanied by raw vegetables, dressed with honey and herbs. Unleavened bread, scones, or oatcakes complete the meal.

Pies are a cornerstone of Anórian cuisine, featuring an assortment of ingredients under a pastry crust, including eggs, fish, vegetables, cured ham, cheese, beef, venison, and rabbit. Wealthier families may incorporate wild pig, deer, pheasant, and grouse into their pies. Another favoured dish is a thick, creamy soup or hotpot. As for beverages, Anórians display a penchant for milk, soured milk, watered beer, or local red wine.

Mentality

Anórians perceive themselves as grounded, diligent, resolute, and honest, their boots firmly planted in the clay. At least half of the Dúnadan inhabitants boast or lay claim to descent from Anárion himself, extolling his simple virtues. Many Anórians view the people of Lebennin as haughty and obstinate, while those of Ithilien are seen as dreamy and inclined toward mysticism. They hold their King in high regard, and maintain a general distrust of Southrons.