Isles of Solitude
Autonomous territory of Umbar
Island of Tol Avradī
Haven of Bārunūrī
Population: 3,000
Affiliation: Dśnadan principality of Umbar
Governor: Telmar Imrahīn
Lonely Islands
The Lonely Islands are an archipelago of nine islands in the Belegaer, about 1,500 km (930 miles) from Umbar. They are regarded as the westernmost point of Middle-earth. The current main industries are fishing and cattle raising for milk and meat. All of the islands have volcanic origins, although Tol Avradī has some reef contribution. Because these once uninhabited, remote islands were settled sporadically over a span of ten centuries, their culture, dialect, cuisine and traditions vary considerably from island to island.
Umbarean convoys reach the Lovely Islands twice a year to trade olive oil, grain, iron, bronze, tools and cloth to sea-turtles, parrots, dried meat, whale oil, pineapples, water and rope. Current governor is Telmar Imrahīn (1604-1682).
History
According to the Gondorian Chronicles, the islands were already known in the beginning of the Third Age and discovered by Atandil, captain of Anįrion and first circumnavigator of the world, but this is not certain. In 127, one of the captains sailing for asapthubźth Anattō of Umbar, Imrahil Ūrī, rediscovered the Lonely Islands while searching for Tol Meneltarma. Imrahil then explored the area and claimed it for Umbar shortly after. Although it is commonly said that the main island was named after the kirinki (little scarlet bird native to Nśmenor), in fact the bird was never native to the islands.
Sheep were let loose on the island before settlement actually took place. This was done to supply the future settlers with food because there were no animals on the island. Settlement didn't take place right away: There was not much interest among the Adūnaim in an isolated island world hundreds of miles from Middle-earth. But patiently Imrahil gathered resources and settlers for the next three years (133-136) and sailed to establish colonies on Kirithāni and later on Tol Avradī. Grain, grape vines, sugar cane, and other plants suitable for settler use and of commercial value, were planted. The first colonists were a mixed group of people from Umbar with buccaneers from Tol Uialgaer, Haruze prisoners, enslaved Apysani, Dśnedain and Bellakarani among the early settlers.
Kirithāni was first settled in 144 with colonists from Ardūmir, Narīk-Zadan and Marös, under the command of Imrahil Ūrī. In 522 Bārunūrī, the capital of the island, was devastated by a landslide caused by an earthquake, and the capital was moved to Adūnalkar. The Lonely Islands were the second-to-last part of the Umbarean empire to resist Gondor's reign over Umbar (Gobel Ancalimon being the last). However, Gondor's hold over the islands was tenuous at best. The islanders were given self-rule under elected Deputy Prince-Governors, who were subject to the Captain of the Ships. Old adūnai title of the governor ("Lord of the West") was abolished as a blasphemy.
The Kin-strife (1432-1447) had strong repercussions in the Lonely Islands. Already in 1429, in Adūnalkar, the traditionalists had won over the loyalists, making Kirithāni the main headquarters of a rebel regime. The islands declared unanimous allegiance to Castamir, Captain of the Ships. Castamir awarded their zeal by creating the Outlying royal territory of Islands of Solitude. Office of Prince-Governorship was discontinued and superseded by royal wardens. Castamir distributed royal funds generously to the development of the islands and established supply stations for the Royal Navy. When the Traditionalist League was forced to evacuate to Umbar, Lonely Islands remained in rebel hands. They became virtually autonomous, with local governors supported by Umbarean-born qadis (judges).
